Do I Need A New Set Of Clubs

By Lawrence Bredenkamp

Will a new set of golf clubs make a difference to your game? Is the latest technology everything it is cut out to be? These are just two of the questions that confront the average golfer on a regular basis and I hope to be able to help you in making the correct decision of whether to buy or not.

First off let me just say that golf is a multi billion dollar business (as if you didn't know that) and a large amount of that money is spent on research and development. Based on this it is safe to assume that the organisations that spend this sort of money have done their homework, and in a fiercely competitive market need to keep coming up with bigger, better, straighter, longer, more spin, higher, lower (the list is endless) golf clubs and balls. And that does not include all the other stuff like clothing, bags, trundlers, carts, gloves, pegs, pitch mark repairers and the millions on golfing aids all designed to make you play better golf.

So how come the vast majority of golfers are a 16 or higher handicap?

I have a theory. You may not want to hear it but here it is anyway.

For the majority of golfers, I want to repeat that - for the majority of golfers, almost any set of decent golf clubs will do.

Why do I say this? Well I figure if you got some of the old timers out of their graves and gave them a day or two to get used to some of our normal equipment they would be shooting great golf almost immediately. If you had been lying in a grave for a few decades you would also need a day or two to get your muscles moving!

What is the difference between the great players and the average club golfer? Quite simply ability and practice. You see we don't all have Tiger's ability. In fact he is a great example. Let's look at the top three players in the world and their points in relation to each other (these figures are as at 12th July 2007).

Tiger Woods 19.78

Jim Furyk 8.70

Phil Mickelson 8.50

Do I need to carry on or is it becoming obvious?

My point is that the number two and number three players in the world's combined points will still not equal Tigers points. So if I was either of their coaches it would be a simple matter of telling them to go out and buy a new set of clubs. Hopefully they would get a bit of a jump start on Tiger before he went out and upgraded his clubs.

Now don't get me wrong I honestly believe for these guys the latest technology is essential because they are at the level where the smallest adjustment/change can make a substantial difference. That is because they know what the changes are meant to achieve and they have the ability to do it.

But offer Tiger, Jim or Phil the very clubs you play with and they will more than likely shoot a sub par round. Yes they could probably do something with your clubs which you haven't yet been able to achieve. So what is wrong with your clubs?

My advice to the majority of golfers is to improve your level of skill before spending money on expensive gear that won't get you to the next level simply because they are newer clubs.

Look it really is nice to have a brand new set of shining clubs with the latest drivers, wedges and putter. But which would you rather have an old set where you walk off the course time and time again with a good score or a shiny set where you keep playing badly.

So in conclusion I suggest you spend your money on playing more (and lots) of golf and then when you are playing consistently well reward yourself with a new set of clubs.

As a qualified EGTF golf professional teacher I get great pleasure in helping people improve their game. Why not head over to Better Golfing and take up my challenge to reduce your golf handicap by 25% within 6 weeks?