You have a lot to lug around with you when you go for a game of golf, with 14 possible clubs to choose from and various other bits in your golf bag to worry about, it pays to make sure that everything is working exactly how you want it to.
Go through the following list before every game to keep your golf gear fresh, clean, and reliable.
Club Distances
You should check how far you can hit the ball with each of your clubs at least once a year. Pick a nearby driving range that has good quality golf balls, well-defined targets, and preferably, ball-tracking technology. You need to focus purely on the carry distance of each club in order to give you an idea of which one is going to help you lower your handicap and approach greens in the most efficient way possible. This will also help with packing your golf bag because there is no point carrying around two clubs that do the same thing – so make sure the clubs in your bag are gapped nicely between one another.
Grips
Your grips are the only point of contact that you have with the club so make sure they are providing you with plenty of traction through the swing. If the grip looks aged and worn then a good clean using hot, soapy water will help – they will inevitably get dirty, tacky, or greasy over time and this gives you less traction. If cleaning it does not seem to help, then it may be time to get a new one. Check your grips once or twice a year.
Golf Balls
This check is not so much about examining the state of your golf balls but rather the organization of all the makes and models you have picked up over the course of the season. You will have likely picked up a variety of different golf balls throughout your games so once a year you should take them all out of your bag and get rid of any you cannot see yourself actually teeing up on the course. This could be because they are old and scratched up or maybe just a personal preference for a particular kind. This check will help you identify which make and model you prefer to use the most, so you know which ones to spend your money on in the future.
Wedges
As wedges get older, they will start to offer less and less spin. Depending on how many you carry and how you use them, you may find that one wedge, in particular, gets more worn down because you use it more or exclusively out of bunkers a lot. The wedge you use most to get yourself out of bunkers is getting sandblasted every time you need it, and this is going to eventually affect the spin and ball flight you can create with it. This wedge will need to be replaced more often than the others. A new wedge with fresher grooves means you can be more aggressive with your chips and create more spin on the greens.
Ensure you check your golfing equipment regularly to enhance your game and confidence on the course.
