With the advancements of modern day technology if you are not smacking drives over 250 yards, you are losing ground. (pun!).   If you observe the modern day tours most of the older players are having a great results in the stats and victories. Kenny Perry who is in his mid to late 40's is actually a few yards longer than Tiger Woods on average. Modern technology on an older head is useful.  Vijay Singh has had up to now 19 victories in his 40's.  Advances in sweet spot technology, size, launch angle, composition, ball speed and aerodynamics are just some of the categories that the top manufactures now spend millions of dollars researching and developing. The result to us is the vast array of drivers on the market. The following is a description of everything you need to know about drivers, and the drivers that we think are the best under certain criteria: 

Steel

Steel headed drivers are slightly less expensive but heavier than the more modern titanium drivers. More traditional looking and metallic, they have a smaller head due to the increased weight of the steel, and the relative limitation in stregth of the metal means makers had to limit the size of the head.  

In simple terms manufacturers have upped their game because players are putting a lot more of these types of clubs; perhaps the advent of the hybrid has spurred on the growth in this department, as well as technology improving the ability to hit this type of club.

Types of Fairway Woods

Lower Woods

These woods, 2 to 4,  are mostly employed as tee-shot alternatives to your driver as well as a 2nd shot to a par 5.  They will have a smaller head and shorter shaft than your. Also used from fairways, the smaller head design makes them simpler to get off the ground. Added to the 2, 3 and 4 woods range, some manufacturers offer plus sizes ie 3+ meaning the less lofted club like a 2 wood but the same size as the three. A newer innovation recently is the ‘draw’ version of the club: giving you the option of little extra draw shape giving a bit more distance with a little run on the fairway. The ‘draw’ (a subtle right to left) shape is renowned for those characteristics.

Higher  Woods

These woods, 5 and lower, were generally designed to replace the longer irons for those that have difficulty, and offer a better alternative out of rough, replacing the 3 to 4 iron and perhaps even the 5 iron. The construction of these woods typically involves the weight of the head being positioned, a lower centre of gravity, thereby creating maximum forgiveness. This will help produce a higher ball flight that is more consistent than a long iron. The size of the head will increase as the loft increases.

Head Construction

Steel

Almost all fairway woods heads are constructed from steel as it is not required to be large, the metal can offer a more forgiving feel.

Titanium

The basic lightweight nature of titanium makes it a useful face and is being used increasingly being used by companies in their fairway clubs. Due to its lightness the thin face means that the weight and centre of gravity can be moved lower, wider and further back to produce higher hitting more  forgiving wood.

Composite

Made from a combination of carbon material and steel or titanium this allows manufacturers to reduce the weight of the head which aids perimeter weighting. Less expensive than titanium, they are a cost effective alternative.

For the average golfer the grip is a vital piece of equipment. There are many professionals who play with out them. Freddie Couples comes to mind. As a kid he could not afford a glove and learnt to play without but for day to day golfers it is important - helps you feel comfortable on the club and less slipping and will help reduce the chance of a blister if you want to practise a lot and your hands are not used to that type of use. Lose your grip and ypu lose control.

There are a range of gloves from a  price from $7 - $30. The following descriptions will give you an idea of materials and what is best for you:

Leather

The most common material has many benefits to golfers. The texture of the material is perfect for golf; it offers great feel to a player and it grips like a second skin. Leather is also very moisture resistant and will remain soft for a long time if cared for correctly. Err on the smaller size when buying as the will stretch over time.  If the glove gets wet make sure you pull it to shape and let it dry naturally. Let in the bottom of the bag they will dry incorrectly and lose shape and dont leave in direct sun as the leather will harden and be ruined.

All-Weather
 
The all-weather glove does it exactly what it says. Targeted at the golfer that will play in humid or wet conditions, it is more water resistant than any other material and can offer extended feel in moist conditions. The light synthetic material is breathable and grips better the wetter it gets.  Some makes come with a warmer cover inside for colder climates, it is undoubtedly the best option for golf in the rain or if your are sweaty in warm conditions.

Synthetic

Synthetic gloves are stretchy, the extremely lightweight material that suits a golf glove perfectly. Some gloves in the market do use 100% synthetic material;  these will be more durable than a leather glove. Its lightweight, breathable and stretchy microfibres but does not offer as much feel as leather, but there are some makes that have a combination of leather and synthetic, the leather part being on the palm of the hand.

Winter and Mitts
 
There are two types of gloves aimed towards winter golf. The winter playing glove is a thick, often knitted or thermal material that is worn on one or both hands to play shots. It allows a player to maintain heat in their hands, which is useful for golf in cold weather. A mitt type glove will slide over a glove while not hitting to keep your hands warm.

The gutter perch ball has come along way since its humble beginnings. Today the golf ball is embattled in a fight: ethical verus technological advancements. If you make a ball go a long way it may make the classic traditonal older golf courses obsolete, but selling the ‘longest ball’ is good for business. The key issue here is, though, that the ball may fly longer but it does not mean straighter. 300 yards off the tee box may now be more obtainable for quite a few players, but that maybe also 50 yards further into trouble and indeed out of bounds.

Golf ball technology has advanced enormously in modern times and now finding the right ball for your game could nearly be as advantageous as selecting the right clubs. A golf ball in today's marketplace is astonishing: the amount of money spent on research is incredible and the time and resources used to make ‘the little white ball’ is amazing. The new lingo  in today’s market is ‘multi-layered solid core balls’ .

Construction

The construction of a golf ball is vitally important to the way it will react to contact with a club. Manufacturers are constantly pushing the limits of golf ball construction. Below are the three most basic constructions.

One Piece


A one-piece golf ball is the most basic ball that is designed primarily for beginners and occasionally used as driving range balls, but seldom used as a playing ball. Made typically from a solid piece of Surlyn with dimples moulded in, it is an inexpensive and very hard-wearing golf ball, but does not give you the length when hit because of its lower compression, also has ofter feel on impact.

Two Piece

The two-piece is virtually indestructible and with its high roll distance, it is by far the most popular golf ball among ordinary golfers for its combined durability and distance. The balls are consrtucted with a single solid sphere, more often than not a hard plastic, inside in the ball's cover. The solid core is typically a high-energy  resin and is covered by a hard, cut-proof blended cover that gives the two-piece ball more distance than any other ball.

Three Piece

Three-piece golf balls have either a solid rubber or liquid core center, a layer of superior rubber or a liquid produced layer and over that is moulded cover of durable Surlyn, or balata. They are softer and create more spin, allowing a better golfer more control over the ball's flight.

Four Piece

A recent addition to ball construction is the four-piece golf ball. Not as common at the moment but could be the direction the ball is headed in the future. Each layer or piece of a golf ball has a specific and different purpose. All the layers come together to offer the longest hitting, softest feeling golf ball. The inner core, the first layer, of the ball is the solid rubber centre that is primarily designed to offer explosive distance. The next, inner cover, layer is in the ball to transfer the energy from the strike to the hot core. Next is the middle cover, which is the extra layer, compared to a three-piece ball. It offers the complete layer that tries to increase driver distance whilst also producing mid iron spin and feel around the green. The external cover is where the feel of a golf ball is delivered and contains between 300-500 dimples. The thinnest layer made from Urethane, it is soft yet  durable.

Spin

Low Spin Golf Balls

The lower spinning golf balls tend to decrease side spin of your shots, allowing the ball to fly straighter through the air. There are many low spin golf balls on the market suited for high handicap golfers that perhaps don't have the swing speed required to produce that 300 yard drive.Mid Spin Golf Balls
Trying to incorporate the best of both distance and feel. Aimed towards the widest range of players and suitable to most player's game, the mid spinning golf ball will offer solid distance with varied feel and softness depending on brand.

High Spin Golf Balls

This ball is designed to increase the balls spin in the air. If you are a player that hits the ball right to left with a draw, a high spinning golf ball could be the one for you.  The high spinning golf ball will not get the run on the fairway that either a mid or low spinning ball can, however its greatest advantage is around the greens. A high spinning ball will increase feel around and on the greens, which will help players improve control.

The feel of the ball

Firm Feel Golf Balls

Usually aimed towards distance golf balls, the hard cover will produce a more explosive hit than a softer feeling ball. Therefore choosing a firm feeling golf ball will produce the maximum distance from your driver and irons, but you will sacrifice a certain amount of feel around the greens. It is aimed towards high handicap golfers who place more importance on distance and iron play than spinning shots into greens.

Mid Feel Golf Balls

Similar to a mid spinning golf ball, the mid feel ball acts as a compromise between the explosive distance from a firm ball and the feel of a soft ball. Again suited to most players’ game, it is aimed towards mid handicap golfers that desire distance as well as improving their control by having a soft feel ball to use around the greens. Becoming a popular choice in today’s market as manufacturers are developing mid feel golf balls that contain dual qualities of feel and distance.

Soft Feel Golf Balls 

The soft feel cover means that a skilful player can add spin into their game and use the soft feel to help their game arround the greens. It doesn’t produce the distance of a firm feeling golf ball, but offers improved playability to those golfers that distance is not a weakness. The ball is not suitable for your typical amateur.

There's always a  set of irons that's just right for you. The type club, the iron, makes up 70% of your clubs in the bag and like any club they should right for you. Once you have bought a set of irons, if they were not fitted for you, get them fitted. We are not all the same and it would be impossible to make a set of clubs that fitted every one, or a company made a set of 100's of variations. Fitting means the right length of shaft, grip size, and perhaps each club needs slight bending to get the sole flat on the ground at set up. Th information below will give a sense of what you might be looking for.

Types Of Irons

Forged

Forging a club is the original method of making clubs and and in a way is like the blacksmith used to do. The hot metal is sunk into a rough shape and then hammered until the coorect shape. The maker recieves the raw forged shape and the carbon steel or chrome club is finished by milling, griding, sanding, and drilling. Generally is a softer metal with a smaller sweet spot but more 'feel' in the shot. Forged irons are aimed towards better players who place importance on the feel to be able work shots and control trajectory.

Cast

This type of iron involves pouring the liquid metal into a mold. Producing the metal through a mold means that the manufacturers can make more complex head designs. Therefore, cast irons are more suited to the design of today's irons that are perimeter weighted and intricate. Generally cheaper than forged as the productions costs are lower. 

Designs Of Irons
  
Blade

The blade is a straighter less complicated design with the even distributed across the whole club, with the sweet spot in the middle of the club being quite small. Shots hit from the centre of blade are said to fly straighter and longer than other clubs, but the down side is that are more difficult to hit from a consistency point of view, and the 'off centre' shot will be relatively weak.
The blade iron is more responsive to the 'working the ball', ie trying draw fade hook or cut when needed, so suits a lower handicapper.  

   
Cavity back or perimeter weighted.

The cavity back iron is made from stainless steel that offers a harder hitting feel golf shot. The iron distributes the weight evenly around the perimeter of the head, producing a larger 'sweet spot'. In the increased sweet spot reduces the feel but increases the forgiveness, so is better suited the higher handicapper.

Hybrid Irons

A combination of a part wood part iron, the are aimed at the player that struggles to hit the long irons. Even PGA Tour players have replaced the 1 iron in their bags with a hybrid iron of sorts. Also easier to get out thicker rough. The center of gravity is lowerd in the club to produce an higher shot which is better for the mid to high handicap player. 

Note on shafts: Please see shaft guide as there are two main types: steel and graphite and is important in your choice of clubs.

More than half of all our shots are putts and the putter is by far the most used club in your bag: A very good reason to choose the right putter. The old adage ‘drive for show putt for dough’ is as true as it ever was today. Your score will improve a lot more with an average of 0.2 improvement in your putting average than 20 yards off the tee.

Golf technology has advanced to help us all. New types of putter are re-inventing many golfers .The following information will help you make a better decision on your next putter.

Balancing

Face balanced putters are putters that will faces upwards when you balance the shaft on your finger. This will mean that the centre of gravity is directly below the axis of the shaft. Basically meaning it will straighten a putting stroke on the forward motion. This type of balance will suit those who have a straight stroke that goes 'back and through'.

Be sure to view the video on arc vs straight stroke in the video section.

Toe balanced putters are those whose toe was points to the ground when you balance the shaft on your finger. This means the centre of gravity is not directly below the shaft axis. This type of balance will suit a player with an in to out stroke.

Whichever style you prefer, you will find when you are switching putters it is better to stay with the type of face balance you are using as they require different types of strokes. However, with all this technology, if a putter feels good to you then you should use it, because the most important part of putting is confidence.
 
Basic Types of Putter

There are three main types of putter designs: blade, peripheral weighted and mallet. Each one has its own benefits and each one will differ from the other when studying face balance.

Blade

The oldest and most traditional type of putter is the blade. Ben Crenshaw is a great exponent of this type of putter. Using a relatively small head, its classic design is broadly used by players worldwide. The straightforward flat look offers a large degree of confidence to a player and the soft hit produced is likable on many types of greens. The safe choice when it comes to putters, they are traditionally suited to hard, faster greens that require soft control. Blade putters tend to be face-balanced suiting a player with a straighter putting stroke.
   
Peripheral Weighted

'Ping-Anser' was the original peripheral weighted putter and suits players who have an ‘in to out’ stroke. A common choice with professionals and amateurs the peripheral weighted putter has more of head to it than a blade putter but this also means it is not face balanced. 
 
Mallets

The alternative to the blade putter for many years has been the mallet headed putter. Heavier than a blade putter due to its size, the mallet putter more closely resembles a wood than a conventional putter. The deep design of the putter's head allows manufacturers to have a lower and deeper centre of gravity that is far away from the face, reducing backspin on your putts. Often with an insert on the face, they promote a soft hit from a large head. Most mallet putters are face-balanced and would suit a straight through and back stroke.

Inserts and Putter Faces

The type of face that you want on a putter depends on what ball you use and the speed of greens you are used to putting on. For example, you would not want to use a hard feeling golf ball on fast greens with a hard hitting metal faced putter. You should endeavour to find the right combination of ball and putter face to match the greens to which you most often putt on.

The main goal of inserted putter faces is to increase the 'Moment of Inertia (MOI) which helps to reduce the error rate – not hitting the centre of the club will not be as punitive. The MOI is the term applied to a club head’s resistance to twisting when the ball is struck. For example, your swing is a little off centre and you miss hit the ball on the toe of the club head, a club head with a higher MOI will bend less as a result of the miss hit, offering a better chance that the ball will still go straight. Each insert or face material has its own benefits and the following section describes exactly what they are:

Metal Faced Putters

The traditional putter face material is steel. Other types of metals have been used in the past and many are still used today: bronze, aluminium, brass, copper, zinc and titanium. The extremely strong and heavy nature of metal suits putter faces very well. Steel has a reputation for soft and responsive feedback giving the putters solid, controlled feel. One great benefit on a metal-faced putter is the noise feedback you gain. Immediately you can hear the type of connection you made on the ball and this allows you to feel and hear where the centre of your putter is. One new type of putter design involves grooves in a metal-faced putter – YES! Putters wear the first to come out with this technology. The downward C grooves on the face grip the ball when stuck and produce a smoother over-the-top action.

Insert Faced Putters

Insert putters are basically metal putters with the metal face replaced with a light-weight non-metal insert material. The main advantage of using such a light insert means the weight of the putter can be redistributed elsewhere on the putter face. Therefore the weight is added to the heel and toe of the putter offering a wider hitting area, hence less area. The insert gives putts a much smoother roll, rather than a hop or a skid by the boosted MOI.

There are many types of insert materials, but essentially they all do the same job. Some are there to reduce the MOI, others to promote a softer feel for use with harder longer distance golf ball to get the same feel as a metal faced putter and a softer golf ball.

Groove Faced Putters

A recent development has been the appearance of grooves on the face of a putter. This may seem to be the last thing you want but there is a reason for this.

On any putt, on any green, a putter's impact on the golf ball often results in skidding, sliding, back spinning, and even hopping before the ball can begin rolling on the green. Even when struck on the right line, these effects are the principal causes of missed putts. The key to more accurate putting is to achieve forward rolling motion immediately upon striking the ball.

The grooves on a putter face can help achieve this forward motion and keep the ball online. Upon impact with the golf ball the grooves grip the surface of the ball and simultaneously lift the ball out of its resting position and impart an over-the-top rolling action.

Just to complicate matters grooved putters are usually metal faced, but there are now some insert putters that have grooves too!!
 
 

A Utility Club - What is it?

Utility clubs can be anything from a driving iron or rescue club to a chipping iron. One would choose a utility club generally based on a weakness in your game. Utility clubs are versatile and can offer a player many different options.

Hybrid Wood

The Rescue Club

One type of utility club is the rescue club. So called for its ability to rescue players from rough and it combines the forgiveness and distance and height of a fairway wood but has the reduced run of an iron.
The small narrow head makes it easier to hit from tough lies than either a fairway wood or a feared long iron. Shorter in length than a fairway wood it feels more like an iron in your hand. Can also be used off the tee it will typically travel as far as most players longest irons but much easier to hit. Some players have also used this is a little ‘chipper’ from just off the greens.

The Clubhead

The utility club has a relatively small head compared to fairway woods, which makes it easier to hit from rough. The narrow, smaller area on the head means there is less club head will not  get caught up in the grass and therefore produce better contact in tough lies.

Loft

The launch angle (aka loft) of utility clubs typically varies between 15 and 22 degrees. A 3 iron will have approximately 21 degrees of loft so this offers a nice alternative to using a long iron if you are not so inclined. May also travel a little further than an iron so will a little bit of a gap filler between woods and irons, much like a gap wedge between a wedge and sand wedge. A 21 -degree utility club will not produce the same distance as a 21-degree fairway wood because the smaller shaft length and head size of the utility club means it will not travel as far as the fairway wood of the same loft, a common misunderstanding by most players.

Shaft Length

The best kept secret of the utility club: its length. It is simply shorter than fairway wood which gives you more control but less distance. The shorter the shaft the normal means less flex , so more control but the utility club retains the ease of the hit of a fairway wood compared with a long iron.

Driving Iron

As the name suggests it is a great club off the tee. Better suited to a player is confident with longer irons it offers more distance and control than a fairway wood. The low spin and low trajectory is equal with the thinking that they are harder to get airborne of the tee. The driving iron is straighter than a rescue club or fairway wood and produces longer carry despite low spin and low height – a lower arc off the tee, also a nice alternative to a longer iron of the fairway because of its forgiveness due to bigger hitting area.

A percentage of golf shots use a wedge to finish a hole, whether it is saving a shot from the edge of green or bunker or pitching into a par 5. One hundred yards and in is and important yardage to master; make sure you have the right equipment. Wedges appear to have made less progress and may emerge to not have changed as much since Gene Sarazen invented the sandwedge but this is untrue. The bounce and sole of the wedge is very important - you must have the right club for the general course that you play.

There are 4 different types of wedges.

Pitching Wedges (PW)

Using has a loft of 47-50 degrees, is the most common wedge. It is used usually used for fuller shots into greens and some longer pitch shots. Most sets today, tend towards a stronger Pitching Wedge (i.e. de-lofted Wedge) allowing space in your bag for a Gap Wedge.

Gap Wedges (GW)

This type of wedge fills the ‘gap’ between the Pitching Wedge and the Sand Wedge. Using varying degrees between 51 and 55 the club offers slightly more opportunities and variation from the fairway and around the green.

Sand Wedges (SW)

Usually in the range of 56-57 degrees, a Sand Wedge is primarily used for getting out of greenside bunkers but also for lop shots over obstacles and from 'grass bunkers'. Also use in approach shots to the green (approx no more than 80 yards) offers more variation in approach shots.

Lob Wedges (LW)

Increasingly becoming a more popular choice in the golfer’s bags is the Lob Wedge, as it can help shots from deep rough and sand more than other wedges with less loft. The loft is around 60 degrees to offer height in pitch and chip shots. More commonly used around the greens than an approach shot.

Loft & Bounce

The loft of a wedge is the angle at which it hits the ball from off the ground and range from 47 degrees to 64 degrees. Most professional or amateur golfers carry three or even four wedges, to offer a difference of shot selection to their short game.

The Bounce of a wedge incorporates many different features of the sole of the club. The ‘bounce’ centres on the part of the club that hits the turf, hence ‘bounces’

Finishings

Wedges are made of many different material and come in many different finishes and here are some of the main types and their benefits.

Nickel

- dull finish of the Nickel also reduces glare giving a more traditional look.

Black Nickel

- a special coloured chrome plating finish
- same durability and rust protection as the chrome finish as well as the same soft, solid feel. Chrome- provides a classic look,
- soft, solid feel as well as rust protection

Oil Can- heat oxide treated.
- a non-glare appearance as well as a very soft feeling wedge. Over time, the  Oil Can finish will wear resulting in a rusty raw wedge

Beryllium Copper
- This finish is similar to both the Oil Can and the Rusty/Raw finish produces a very soft feel off the club face will get darker over time as the oxygen affects the metal.

Shafts

Virtually all wedges come with steel shafts unless the wedges of a graphite set of clubs and the flex is on the stiff side, also due to the fact the shaft is shorter makes it stiffer and this is good for control on the short shots.