We’ve all heard golf equipment marketing that promises to take multiple strokes off your handicap. How realistic are these claims? What can you expect from new equipment? We tackle these questions and more in this article where we compare your expectations with reality.
New Driver
Often a golfer’s first thought when it comes to improving their score is whether more yards off the tee will help. Therefore, golfers’ drivers are often the fastest replaced clubs in their bags. New drivers do offer increased distance and most importantly, increased consistency, but an extra 5 yards off the tee only goes so far. In all honesty, a new driver will not increase your drives by 50 yards. However, a well-fitted driver will help you land on the fairways more often. That can be a massive improvement.
New Fairway Woods
Fairway woods are very similar to drivers. However, they can often be forgotten about. New fairway woods will not double your yardage. The increased forgiveness that new products offer can greatly increase your accuracy. You can also bet on gaining a few yards as well. It’s important not to forget about your fairway woods, as a new set can offer some big improvements.
New Irons
There are few things more beautiful than a nice clean set of irons in your golf bag. It looks so good! Taking out a shiny new iron can definitely make you feel like a pro. Will it make you play like one though? New irons definitely have a lot to offer. Manufacturers have made massive strides to create game-improvement irons and irons with better feel. Manufacturers have also been consistently lowering the loft of irons. This means a modern 9-iron will go farther than a 9-iron from 20 years ago. However, much of that is because of the angle being lowered. Like I’ve said before the most important parts of new equipment are consistency and control. That is where you can expect the largest improvements.
New Wedges
Wedges are an interesting club for golfers. Many may not know, but wedges “expire” after certain levels of wear. The grooves are rounded out over time and ultimately greatly reduce the level of spin. Titleist did an experiment a few years ago, which showed how much better a fresh, new wedge performs next to one that has been used for a while. A wedge’s performance deteriorates the fastest. Therefore, a wedge can easily be the most important club to replace on a frequent basis.
New Putter
Putter technology may “move” the slowest in the golf industry. For example, some of the most popular putters for sale are almost entirely unchanged for the past 50 years. Most putter manufacturers have made large strides in materials used. Putter faces, shaft materials, and tungsten weights have all helped make putters better. It’s important to remember that short game is incredibly subjective. You want to be consistent and accurate. If a new putter does that for you then it can be an excellent investment into your game.
New Golf Ball
Golf balls are almost certainly the most commonly replaced piece of equipment for the average golfer. What can a new pack of balls offer? Different balls have their own unique composition. Most golfers think about increased yardage but the true gains from golf balls will be the control near the greens. It’s important to try out some golf balls and figure out what works best for you.
