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.