2020 Buying Guide – Starter Clubs, Wedges & Putters
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Buying Starter and Intermediate Clubs Try clubs before you purchase them. If you wedge should have 58 or more. Wedges are For someone getting started in golf expensive have played at all, you will notice a difference available with as much as 64 degrees of loft. golf clubs are not necessary. It takes a certain between clubs. You will especially notice a level of proficiency before a golfer can difference between graphite and steel shafted 2. Bounce. Bounce is the angle created appreciate expensive, high tech golf clubs. At clubs. How these clubs "feel" and what flight the between the sole line of the golf club (the line the same time, many sets that include woods ball takes is an important consideration when from the leading edge to the trailing edge) and and irons are available for $250-$600. There selecting your clubs. If you have played very the ground line at address. It can greatly are also some very bad sets in lower price little, testing clubs may not be very helpful in influence how a wedge will interact with the ranges that can make the game impossible for making your selection. ground. Generally, players fall into one of three anyone. Here are some things you need to categories when hitting wedge shots: consider when buying good starter and Have the clubs fit for length. If you are picker/sweeper, digger/driver, or neutral. intermediate golf clubs: particularly tall or short, you may require longer Pickers/sweepers are players who have a or shorter clubs. Clubs of improper length will shallower attack angle and take very shallow Always buy stainless steel heads. make the game harder. More expensive clubs divots (if any at all) and will have an easier time Inexpensive clubs are made of a zinc oxide that address other club fitting issues that become hitting wedges with less bounce. Conversely, look great in the store but do not perform well. more important as you become a more diggers/drivers are much steeper in attack angle They tend to break and the porous metal is proficient player. and take deep, long divots on most shots. impossible to clean. Zinc oxide clubs do not Diggers/drivers should see better results hitting provide much “feel” and often have irregular Save money for instruction. Don't spend higher bounce wedges. A player who feels shaped heads. your entire golf budget on new clubs. Good golf he/she is neither type or who wants the most Most stainless steel clubs in this category will requires a good understanding of the versatility with their wedges can opt for a have "Stainless Steel" printed on the clubhead. fundamentals of the game. The academies at medium bounce option. It is not always possible to distinguish between Miles of Golf can provide both individual and a stainless steel and zinc oxide finish. Avoid group instructional options. 3. Spin. Because the USGA has restrictions on clubs that say "Stainless Alloy". how the grooves on a wedge are designed, most Some clubs have other metals like titanium, Buying Wedges wedges will be very close to the legal limit of tungsten, and copper added to the club head, Proper wedge selection is the key to hitting how much spin they produce. Different these cost more and probably are not worth the shots closer to the hole. Here are the key companies have explored various options such added expense. We suggest spending more factors in choosing the right wedge: as adding more grooves, milling the face of the money on a better shaft than an exotic club club, or even adding laser-cut grooves, all with head. 1. Loft and Gapping. Making sure all of your the intent to maximize spin rate. wedges have the proper loft is critical to Are graphite shafts necessary? If you want maintaining consistent distance spacing, or 4. Wedge Fitting. In general, the specs for to keep costs down and still have clubs that will gapping. Most companies will recommend that length, lie angle, and grip size of a wedge perform well, purchase steel shafted irons. you maintain a 4-6 degree spacing between should closely resemble or match the fitting Inexpensive graphite shafts are usually each wedge. Players with faster swing speeds specs of a player’s irons. Wedges will normally inconsistent and can make the game impossibly will see better trajectory and distance with have steel shafts in order to play more difficult. Miles of Golf routinely tests all of the gapping in the lower end of that range while consistently, although graphite shafts can be clubs we sell to be sure they are up to our slower speed players should gap their wedges ordered. There are different color finishes to standards. We also only deal with companies farther apart for maximum performance. Since choose from and different shaped club heads with good warranty policies because graphite most modern pitching wedges have 44-47 which may fit a player’s eye. When selecting a shafts tend to break more easily than steel degrees of loft, a gap wedge should have 49-53 wedge, a player may focus more on the look shafts. a sand wedge should have 54-56, and a lob and feel which they prefer. Buying a Putter 4. Alignment is key Putting is 40-45% of your total score, make sure Alignment of the putter is the key to making your putter fits. Here are six considerations Miles putts. Dave Kendall, founder of the Kendall of Golf feels are important when choosing a Academy at Miles of Golf, says: “If the putter putter: is not lined up to the target, it is an accident if the ball goes in the hole.” It is clear that some 1. Proper length putters are easier for a golfer to line up than Putter length varies, but is typically between others. The single most important criteria in 33-36 inches and depends upon the height and selecting a putter is finding one that you can putting posture of the golfer. Most tour players line up to the target. use shorter putters because they are putting with their arms extended to eliminate hand 5. Getting the ball rolling. Putters have movements in their putting stroke. Putters loft just like other golf clubs. In general, can easily be made longer or shorter to most putter lofts are around 2-4 degrees. accommodate every golfer. If a putter is too You need some loft to get the ball out of the short you may be too on top of the ball and small depression it rests in and get it rolling. How to Buy your eyes will be outside the ball, if it is too If your hands are in front of the ball at impact, long your eyes may be too far inside. loft needs to be added to the putter. Conversely, if your hands are behind the ball 2. Putter balance at impact, the putter loft should be reduced. Starter/Intermediate Putters are either “face balanced” or “toe Putters can be bent to different lofts. We use weighted”. To determine if a putter is face a Mitchell Digital Lie/Loft machine to adjust Clubs balanced, lay it on a flat surface with the head putters for each individual. free to rotate. If the head rotates so it is horizontal to the ground, it is face balanced. 6. Grips: Thick vs Thin If the toe droops, it is considered to be toe Putting usually involves feel for rolling the ball Wedges weighted. There are varying amounts of toe the precise distance and control to send it on weight and not every putter will behave the the correct line. The grip on the handle of your same. If your stroke is straight back and putter can affect both. If you are struggling on through, face balanced putters generally the greens, you may need to examine an Putters perform the best. If you arc the putter, you alteration in grips. Thicker grips may lead to should consider a toe weighted putter. Once increased control, while thinner grips may lead you know your preference, you can eliminate to an increase in feel. many putters from your selection process. 3. The sole must be flat to the ground If a putter is not flat to the ground, it will be difficult to roll the ball straight and to see your intended line. If the toe is up in the air the 3113 Carpenter Road putter needs to be flattened, heel in the air it Ypsilanti, MI 48197 needs to be bent upright. Before making any 877.973.9005 changes, be sure your eyes are directly over www.milesofgolf.com the ball when you putt. .