Whether you’ve recently bought your first set of golf clubs or you’re playing with hand-me-down clubs, you must care for them properly.
With the appropriate care and maintenance, your clubs will last for years to come. That means you won’t need to invest in new ones for a while and you can spend your money on other equipment and apparel instead.
Let’s take a closer look at what you can do to keep your golf clubs in good condition.
- Choose a suitable bag
There are numerous types of golf bags available on the market – stand, cart and tour bags – in various sizes. While some are designed to be carried and have ergonomic straps, others fix onto a golf cart or trolley.
To ensure your golf clubs are fully protected, it pays to consider how your bag will be transported across the links. If you’re planning on using an electric golf trolley, make sure you choose a bag that’s compatible with the make and model of your trolley. Otherwise, it could slide off during transit and damage your clubs.
- Organise your bag
The main purpose of a golf bag is to hold your clubs. However, most modern bags come with 14-way dividers that allow you to store your clubs in an organised fashion. Not only does this make it easier for you to see what’s what, but it also spreads the weight evenly – preventing your bag from toppling over on the trolley and making it comfier for you to carry.
As a general rule of them when arranging your golf bag, the longest club (the driver) needs to be near the longest section of the bag, moving down to the shorter clubs.
If your bag has sufficient pockets, you can keep your golf balls together – separate from your clubs. The same applies for apparel and any other accessories you intend to take onto the course with you.
- Store your clubs properly
In terms of golf club storage, they must be kept indoors as much as possible.
Leaving them in the boot of your car or in a place that gets hot very quickly is not recommended and will loosen the glue that holds the grip and clubhead in position.
Before you move your golf clubs into your locker or garage, you need to make sure that they are clean and dry, otherwise, you may come back to rusty clubs.
They also need to be stored in an upright position in the bag to prevent them from getting damaged or tangled with other clubs.
- Keep them clean
Whilst you should always give your golf clubs a thorough clean at the end of a round of golf, with a soft-bristled brush and warm soapy water, it’s also worth giving them a quick wipe down in between uses. This will remove any dirt and debris from inside the groove of the clubhead’s face, ensuring no sacrifice to your performance.
After cleaning your clubs, use a towel to dry them off. Putting your clubs away wet will only lead to rusting on the shaft, taking away from their lustrous look.
- Use a golf towel between use
As well as golf clubs and golf balls, it’s also a sensible idea to pack a golf towel in your bag – all the pros do!
You can easily attach it to your bag with the loop and use it to wipe down your grips and clubheads throughout the round. Though great for wiping away dirt and debris, a towel also comes in handy for wiping your hands and face, which is ideal when you’re playing in rainy conditions or sweating.
- Use headcovers
When you take a club out or put one back in your golf bag, it can easily become damaged. This is why many golfers opt to protect their clubs with headcovers, particularly their fairway woods.
Headcovers are designed to protect the heads and shafts of woods – preventing them from damage that occurs when they jostle around in your bag when travelling to the golf course and transporting them from hole to hole.
Often, irons don’t need protecting with a headcover, but it’s always worth placing one on your putters.
- Use apparel, towels and shoes to pad out your golf bag
Most golf bags have separate pockets for clothes. Although this allows you to organise your golf gear, using pieces of clothing, towels and shoes to fill any voids at the top of your clubs is a great idea. It will help to minimise the risk of bends and breakages.
The bottom line is, the less empty space there is in your golf bag, the better protected your clubs will be.
For more information about storing your golf clubs safely, or to invest in a new golf bag or clubs, get in touch with Clarkes’ Golf Centre – a leading golf superstore in the North West.
