Golf clubs have myriad features which affect their playing capabilities. From stiffness to weight to length, different characteristics provide both benefits and liabilities. Understanding the components of a golf club and how their various features affect a golf swing will help you choose the right clubs for you and get the most from your style of play.
Heads
The part of the club with which you make contact with the ball is the head. Heads can be large or small, providing different effects on the ball. Larger heads provide a larger hitting area, which gives players with less skill more control on their shots. Smaller heads are lighter and allow players to swing the club faster. A larger head provides more mass, which helps propel the ball farther after it’s hit by the head. Club head loft is the angle of impact face of the club. This is the side of the club head that meets the ball during the swing. A higher loft means the club head is angled more sharply backward (toward the golfer), making the ball pop up higher. This helps lesser-skilled golfers get the ball into the air. Increased loft decreases distance because the ball goes higher rather than straight forward. For this reason, more skilled players use a lower loft angle on their driver, woods and long irons. Some clubs are lofted to benefit all players, as in the case of clubs for pitching and chipping which help the ball pop up to land on the green, decreasing the forward roll so the ball stays on the green. More loft also helps create more backspin, helping the ball “stick” on the green. Perimeter weighting on the heads of irons help stabilize the club at impact, but slows the swing down, so more skilled players prefer less weighting on a club head. A larger sole, or area where the club meets the ground, provides more stability on shots that hit the ground.
Shaft
The shaft is the long, thin part of the club between the grip and the club head. Shafts are made of a variety of materials, with the most common being steel. Graphite is the next most popular material, followed by others like titanium or composite materials. A longer shaft creates more club head speed at impact, because the head takes longer to get to the ball, allowing more time for acceleration to build up. This longer swing time also creates a larger opportunity for error, decreasing the control on longer clubs. Lower-level players prefer longer shafts to generate more swing speed, getting their control from a larger head and perimeter weighting. A stiffer shaft deforms less on impact and provides more control, while a more flexible shaft creates more power. Better players prefer the control of a stiff shaft to complement the power the good player can generate with his stroke, while lower-level players opt for more flexible shafts.
Grips
Grips are usually rubber, leather or other materials which provide a tackiness to help keep control of the club and some moisture absorbing capability. Men’s grips are usually longer and wider, based on their larger hand size, while women use narrower, shorter grips.
About this Author
S. Alfred has been a writer, editor, publisher, lecturer and corporate and non-profit executive for more than 25 years. He has written for consumer and business publications such as “Entrepreneur,” Fit,” “SI for Kids’ Parent’s Playbook” and “Tennis.” He began writing professionally in 1983, and has two journalism degrees, including a BA from Northern Illinois University and an MSJ from Northwestern University.
