Choosing proper golf clubs for fairway rookies

Choosing proper golf clubs for fairway rookies

Sudibyo M. Wiradji, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A common myth is that the fancier the golf club and the higher
the price, the better one's game will be. If a beginner strongly
believes in this myth, then he might say, "This highly
sophisticated club cost me Rp 10 million (about US$1,175) and so
I must be playing great!"

However, this myth appears to be mostly believed in by
rookies, who often choose a club more for prestige reasons rather
than based on considerations about their game.

"It is unnecessary for beginners to have expensive and
sophisticated golf clubs because they are at the learning stage.
The important thing for them is to acquire the basic skill of
hitting a ball and making it fly," said Avie K. Utomo, a golf
expert.

According to Avie, the ability to hit the ball and send it the
right way is the No.1 prerequisite in golf. "This means that one
should first be able to use the golf club properly, no matter
what the model, technology used or the price," he said.

Therefore, it is also unnecessary for the beginner to have a
full set of clubs, he said.

Golf clubs are among the most sought-after items of sporting
equipment in Indonesia given the increasing number of beginners
who have started playing the game over the last three years.
Sports equipment shops are hard pressed to keep up with the
demand for clubs from enthusiasts, including beginners.
Meanwhile, driving ranges in town are packed with rookies on
weekends as they offer clubs for rent on an hourly basis.

In general, a full set of clubs will include 1, 3 and 5 woods,
3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 irons, pitching and sand wedges, and a
putter. For instance, Avie said, a 9 iron is used for short
distances. "The higher the number, the shorter the distance of
the ball's flight," said Avie, currently chairman of the
Indonesia Professional Golf Association.

When playing a real game, most golfers carry a full set of
clubs as they have to cope with varying distances and conditions.
"But it is enough for beginners to have two or three clubs,
especially 5, 7 or 9 irons, as they need to learn the basic
skills first," he said.

Many beginners get the feel of the game by participating in
training courses. "But once they become amateurs with good
skills, they should really pay attention to the golf clubs they
use," Avie advises.

Many beginners decide to choose a particular brand of golf
club based on the advice of their friends or trainers. But many
of them also obtain helpful information from golf shops.

Among the golf shops that are seeing increasing numbers of
customers seeking advice regarding the right golf clubs they
should use are Golf House, Hari Bros and Raja Sports. Even though
they provide a wide range of internationally renowned golfing
equipment and accessories, they also sell golf clubs for
beginners at relatively affordable prices.

The price range for a set of golf clubs is between Rp 800,000
(about US$94) and Rp 10 million (about US$1,175), depending on
the model and the brand.

The Golf House provides golf equipment to meet the needs of
beginners, starting with woods, fairway woods, irons, wedges and
putter. "Spalding and Touredge are preferred brands among
beginners but many of them also pick Mizuno and Wilson golf
clubs," said Golf House's general manager, Ratih D. Gianda.

Meanwhile, Hari Bros' marketing manager Murali said that many
of the beginners who initially sought cheap golf clubs in his
shop come back looking for better clubs after they had improved
their game. "And when they do so, they are looking for the latest
models and technology," he said.

He said that the golf clubs popular among beginners at Hari
Bros included Tsuruya's "Progical" from Japan, and Tigershark,
Callaway and Arnold Palmer from the USA. "We allow new golfers to
try out our clubs first before buying them," he said.

Even though most amateurs do not select their golf clubs as
meticulously as professional golfers do, they should at least be
familiar with the components of a golf club, including the club's
head, shaft and grip, and really check these out before deciding
to choose a particular club. The shaft, for instance, should have
the feel of a golf club.

Players should also consider aspects like the length of the
shaft, weight of the club head, total weight of the club, shaft
flex, loft and materials so that they really get the club most
suited to their game.

"This is important for them, especially when they improve
their game and later want to take part in professional golf
tournaments," Avie explained.

Avie said that the shaft, one of the most important parts of a
golf club, is usually made of titanium, stainless steel, graphite
or a mixture of these. The material will indicate the degree of
flexibility of the shaft. For instance, a shaft made of titanium
is usually stiffer than one made of graphite. "A graphite shaft
usually is lighter and suits amateurs with weaker strikes," he
added.

Graphite-shafted irons allow beginners and amateurs to get
more distance from their shots provided they choose the right
flex for their game. "Beginners and players with less powerful
swings will benefit from a more flexible shaft," he said.

He also said that it was necessary for an amateur to pick a
shaft that gave him the right amount of flex to suit his unique
individual swing. "Some players require different shafts to
control where the ball is going and to gain distance at the same
time," he said.

"In general, the stiffer the flex of the shaft, the more
accurate the shot will be, and the farther it will go," he said.

Golf is a sport that greatly emphasizes precision. "So, the
ability to use a golf club properly is what matters most, not the
price," Avie concluded.