Choosing Women’s Golf Clubs
The LPGA has recently experienced a boom in international exposure. The top twenty on the money list are no longer representing a handful of countries. Quite literally, every continent is now represented within the rankings, and club-makers have responded to this by broadening the market for women’s golf clubs. Finally, women are being recognized as major contributors to the golf-industry.
Especially considering today’s tumultuous economy, investing in golf clubs are no longer a one-stop purchase. The golf industry has expanded to the world of custom fittings, custom golf clubs, a plethora of different golf balls, and boutique putters. But the glaring question remains, “Which golf club is right for me?”
Please note that there are remarkable differences between clubs specifically engineered with men in mind, and those for women. Generally speaking, women’s golf clubs offer lighter and more flexible shafts, higher lofts, shorter shaft lengths, thinner grips, and heads specifically designed to launch the ball higher.
Just as anything else, a properly fitted club is entirely dependent upon the golfer. There is no such thing as the perfect club—rather, the right club. The process is very similar to picking out a proper coat— one’s size and intentions are dually important. It would be unwise to purchase a down-coat for the spring. It would be wise to purchase one that not only fits comfortably, but also is appropriate in how one intends to use it. In the same vain, someone who is new to the sport shouldn’t be playing with the same model as the pros. This will only make the sport less enjoyable. Conversely, the better golfer will shy away from more forgiving clubs, because this prevents them from intentionally producing different sorts of shots. But if all one is looking for is a high and straight shot, the general rule is the larger the head-shape, the easier it will be to make solid contact. Furthermore, a higher lofted club will produce more backspin on the ball, leaving less room for sidespin (the cause for hooks and slices). This means the more backspin the ball has, the straighter it will travel. This is why it is more difficult to hit a straight shot with the driver than the pitching wedge
Now, imagine trying to throw a tennis ball. If one were to try to throw the ball with absolutely no flexibility in their arm, the trajectory would probably be quite low and the ball wouldn’t go very far; conversely, if one were to throw the ball, but with a completely relaxed, noodle-like arm, the direction and distance of the thrown ball would be horribly inconsistent. The most consistent and farthest thrown ball would require a fair combination of a relaxed but firm arm. The same goes for the flexibility of the golf shaft. The right shaft strength must be accurately matched to the golfers swing speed.
Companies spend millions in research and development when designing a proper shaft for their clubs. This ought to cause the consumer to pay careful attention to the shaft flex when purchasing a new club. For the majority, there are four different levels of flexibility in a shaft: stiff flex, regular flex, senior flex (sometimes called “mature flex”) and ladies flex. Most women would normally use a ladies flex (although women who are either taller than average, or swing a bit faster, are often fit with either a senior flex or even a regular flex). Your pro can advise you.
Hopefully, the process of choosing golf clubs has become a bit easier and more manageable. But above all, have fun with it. Imagine having a super round with your shiny new clubs!