The importance of having the correct equipment

Over the last number of weeks one thing that seems to have cropped up over and over is the importance of having equipment that suits you. This is not to say that you need to splash out a fortune on exotic shafts, limited edition heads and one of a kind putters but simply having clubs with the correct length, weight and flex can make a huge difference to your game. Here is 3 examples of things you can do to make sure your clubs are suitable for use no matter what level you are playing at:

Slow Speeds – Length and weight are key

With so many different options available on the market today it is hard to know not only what to buy, but who to listen to when it comes to getting the correct equipment for your game. When it comes to slower swing speeds most people use clubs that are too long and too heavy for them. The two most common categories of player that fall into this problem are juniors and ladies. How often do we see a junior with his fathers clubs cut down or a lady who wants to take up the game using her husbands old castaway’s. However, although this may be economically more viable, they may have a detrimental effect on their golf swing and ability to play the game.

There tends to be two main issues when people use clubs that are too heavy for them:

• The most common issue for slower swing speeds is the heavier and longer clubs force them to loose posture during the swing in order to get the golf club moving upwards. As we look at the 3d avatar below you can see the image on the left shows a great top of backswing position for a player using a lighter golf club. Meanwhile the image on the right shows how the heavier golf club forces the same player into a flatter arm plane at the top of the backswing.
• The second biggest issue we see with longer, heavier clubs is how difficult it is to swing them with speed and control. If a golf club is too heavy for someone we will often see the player battling with every part of their body to create power and as a result looses control of the path and the club face.

Medium Speeds – Less Loft does not mean more Distance

One of the most common misconceptions in relation to drivers is that a lower lofted club head means more distance. This is simply not true as the loft of the club must match the persons impact characteristics. If you are someone who produces a low dynamic loft (loft of the club at impact) then you will need a driver with a relatively high loft. While if you are somebody who produces a high dynamic loft you will need less loft on the club head to make sure that the ball does not “balloon” during its flight. The only way to know what loft will suit you best is to go to a custom fitter who can test your current equipment and test a variety of shaft and loft combinations in order to produce the best results.

Faster Speeds – Shorter driver for more consistent driving

As swing speeds increase we often see players also miss the middle of the face more frequently. The mechanics of the golf swing can always be primarily to blame for miss trikes in the golf swing, however as driver shafts have gotten longer and longer over the years, strikes have also deviated further and further from the centre of the club face. Missing the centre of the club face  can cause several issues including loosing distance and having a wide dispersion due to the gear effect of the club face.

Having a driver slightly shorter than standard will significantly increase your chances of striking the middle of the club face consistently. This will not only help you tighten up the shape and direction of your shots, but it will also help increase the average length of your drives. Don’t be fooled, a shorter driver does not always mean less distance!