Links Magazine | The Best Of Golf | 10 Tips for Buying Golf Clubs

6. There is no such thing as one-size-fits-all golf clubs. You don't buy suits off a one-size-fits-all rack, so why do the same with clubs? Golfers come in all shapes, sizes and swing skills, necessitating
clubs with different lengths, weights, lofts and lie angles. If a club is
too long, too light or too heavy, you will not consistently deliver the
clubhead so it is square at impact. If the lie angle is wrong, the heel or
toe will be up, leading to a push or a pull even if you make a perfect
swing.

7. When selecting wedges, think about your home course.
Are the greens small, fast and elevated? You need plenty of loft. Are the bunkers filled with lots of soft sand? Your sand wedge should have more bounce or a wider sole. Is the turf firm, resulting in a lot of tight lies? You'll want less bounce.

8. Check the "three Ls" when you putter around. Does your new putter look like a branding iron or does it have a classic shape? Whatever the case, if you get the three Ls—loft, length, lie
angle—wrong, it doesn't matter what it looks like. You won¹t putt well. At impact, the sole must be parallel to the ground and the loft must be correct; the combination imparts a true roll. Nothing else will do.

A putter with the wrong length and lie angle will cause pushes and pulls. Too little or too much loft will cause the ball to bounce and roll off-line.

9. The worse you are, the more you need custom-fit equipment.
Custom clubs are not just for low handicappers and pros. They could play well with garden tools. The worse (or newer) you are, the more you need clubs that match you and your swing properly. The game has enough impediments. You don't need another with ill-fitting clubs.

10. Don't forget about the ball. Ball technology is so much better that you no longer have to choose between a rock and marshmallow. In general, you want a ball with low spin off a driver and high spin off a wedge. But most golfers should remember three things: distance, distance, distance. Extra yardage off the tee is far more
important than a bit more spin around the greens.