Tips on Buying Golf Clubs For Beginners – It’s All About Size, Flex, and Forgiveness
When we look at golf club design since 1990, we see the movement to a larger clubface. This has resulted in clubs that are significantly easier to hit, meaning more good golf shots, even for beginners. This is due to the creation of a larger “hitting area” or “sweet spot” on the clubface where the ball can be struck solidly for maximum distance. Beginning golfers absolutely must start their golfing careers with large head metal woods and oversize irons.
Club manufacturers have also added the element of “perimeter weighting” to the larger irons. Perimeter weighting is the term used for moving weight from the center of the club to the outer edges. This club design is known as “cavity back.” With this weight distribution, the clubhead is less likely to twist when the ball is struck outside the sweet spot. The resulting shot will travel farther and straighter than a similar shot hit with a small clubhead.
Golf clubs with large clubheads and perimeter weighting are known as “game improvement” clubs, or forgiving clubs. These are clubs that will produce the best possible shot results when the ball is not struck precisely. Beginning golfers should rely on this element of forgiveness to get the most enjoyment out of their learning experience.
Additionally, these larger clubheads should be paired with a regular flex or graphite club shaft to further increase the chances of success. These club shafts are more flexible and will enable the beginner to accelerate the clubhead through impact with the ball. The greater the clubhead speed, the greater the distance the ball will travel.
One last tip on buying golf clubs for beginners is to take a good look at used clubs. Golfers have a propensity to abandon their old clubs in a never ending attempt to buy a better golf game. Consequently, there are lots of used clubs available with the characteristics of size, flex, and forgiveness mentioned above. Just check out garage sales, golf pro shops, and golf superstores. Often times these clubs are in very good shape and at very decent prices.