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If I had to take a guess, I would say that 90% of the people reading this have only a small idea as to what equipment they should be using. The golf industry has grown tremendously over the past decade, and as a result, buying the right equipment has become harder and harder.
If you are like me, there is nothing worse than going to a restaurant with a million different options on the menu. Just like a restaurant with a ten page long menu, the golf industry is overwhelming with the amount of options for us golfers to choose from. I wanted to write this post to share my experiences in such a noisy marketplace, and make some suggestions on how to navigate it.
Back when I caddied at my local country club, I couldn't believe how many of the golfers didn't have quality equipment. I couldn't understand why wealthy golfers like them didn't have good equipment. I later realized having money doesn't make the equipment buying process any less intimidating. Heck, finding someone to take you through a fitting can even be an intimidating task! Many golfers may say: “I’m not good enough to explore new equipment!” There are several reasons why this is completely false.
I truly believe that your equipment is partially responsible for how you swing the golf club. If your clubs are not right for you, the result will be a long list of compensations that you have to make in your swing to adjust to the equipment. For years, I had irons that were too long for me, and as a result, I would often sit back on my heels at address. It was the only way for me to make solid contact. I eventually realized that they were too long for me, but this didn't change my bad habit of sitting back on my heels. Despite changing to shorter irons, it took me a few weeks to break this bad habit.
Also, having the wrong equipment can limit your improvement as a golfer. It isn't a fluke that most PGA Tour players have similar styles of equipment. So many golfers wonder why they can’t hit that beautiful draw like Rickie Fowler, but never consider that his equipment plays a huge role in his shot-making ability. Hitting different types of golf shots is much easier if you have equipment that allows you to hit these shots.
Where do I Start??
The next part of this post will take you step by step to find your optimal set of golf clubs. My personal recommendation is to replace clubs one by one, in the order presented below. Buying an entire set of clubs is expensive, and can be an intimidating task all at once without a professional fitting.
Step 1- Find a Putter
Step 2- Find a Driver and Custom Shaft
Step 3- Find a 3-Wood for those Narrow Par 4s
Step 3- Find a Set of Irons
Step 4- Find a Set of Wedges
Step 5- Hybrid? 5-Wood? 2-Iron?