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Researching The Proper Golf Equipment! Is It Really A Big Deal?

By Jhon Murray

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Published: 06Jan2012
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I've seen it happen time and time again. Beginner golf clinics are notorious for students bringing what they think is the right equipment. "I bought this set at a garage sale" or "they belong to my significant other". Shouldn't be a big deal, right? WRONG!

The first, and most important step is starting with instruction. Congratulations on making a wise decision to learn the proper fundamentals. This will expedite your learning process! The second step is learning with the proper equipment that fits YOU! Not only will the proper equipment aid in the learning process, by helping you develop proper technique, it will also minimize the frustration factor. Let me explain further:

There are 11 club fitting variables that will influence not only the ball and the way it flies through the air, but also the way the golfers swing develops. Ultimately, we strive to teach individuals to develop their own unique golf swing, and then to recommend the right equipment that complements their swing.

Golf clubs are generally manufactured standardized. In other words, men's and ladies clubs are built to a standard length. The ladies club is one inch shorter than men's, and the golf shaft for ladies is smaller in diameter and softer in flexibility. These differences are important for the student to develop good swing habits. On average, ladies are shorter in stature, have smaller hands and don't swing the club as hard or fast as their male counterparts. Therefore, ladies who start learning with the proper equipment designed for them, will develop dramatically better swing fundamentals. By using the proper length and shaft diameter for gripping the club, the lady golfer will be able to square the face of the club to the ball at impact... resulting in straighter golf shots. Also, the softer flex of the shaft will complement her slower swing speed, resulting in a longer and higher ball flight. In my experience, ladies want and need higher ball flight. The shaft in your club will give you that ability.

The same basic principle is true for the men. Shaft length and flex are extremely important for the development of good golf fundamentals. Generally, men's clubs are available in three flex options; regular, stiff and seniors. Each flex is designed to complement the club head speed that an individual will produce. For those who are new to the game and are wanting to develop good swing habits, I highly recommend a regular flex. Seniors golfers... use the seniors shaft as it is the same length, just a little softer!

During the crucial development of full swing fundamentals, it is important to remember that tempo and balance are key to you hitting consistent golf shots. A little extra kick from the golf shaft flex at impact will result in longer, straighter shots and help you to understand that it's not how hard and fast you swing, but how good your rhythm and tempo is, complimented by the flex of the golf shaft, that creates good golf shots. When a golfer uses a club that is not the proper length and flex, they are setting themselves up for failure and frustration. It will quickly lead to bad swing faults as the golfer tries to compensate.

For instance, using too stiff of a shaft will result in the golf ball flight going right and/or slicing right of your target. This is due to the face of the club pointing right at impact. Your swing speed can't match the speed needed to square the club face. To compensate for this, golfers will swing harder, resulting in poor timing, tempo and balance. This creates swing faults, that if continued, become habits that take much longer to fix. Frustration builds!

Do yourself a favor! You have already taken the right step in seeking instruction to learn the fundamentals. Make sure you start with the right equipment. Now, don't go out and buy anything yet! Talk to your instructor; use his equipment while you are learning. Then have him or her recommend what equipment is best for you! They are a great resource of knowledge and have access to quality, reasonably priced products. Shaft length, diameter and flex are your keys to starting down the right path to learning the greatest game there is! Good luck in your pursuit!

Jhon Murray, PGA, John is a PGA Golf Professional of 22 years and a member of the PGA's Presidents Council for Growing the Game of Golf. His passion is instructing Ladies, Seniors and Juniors of all ability levels. Learn more about golf equipment, and other important aspects that affect beginner golfers in these 10 free videos.

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