Great Start to the New Year
March is here and the daffodils are showing their heads and adding some colour to the course. I absolutely love this time of year as things start popping into life, putting a spring in my step as we approach the new season with optimism.
Pro Shops Winter League Table
We are coming to the climax of our winter league with only 3 weeks left and the leaderboard is hotting up but still has a Totty at the top. As we enter the new season I want to ask if you have considered these very important areas discussed below, to prepare for a great season on the course.
Golf Club MOT
This time of year (just before the season starts) is a good opportunity to have a look at your equipment and see if it’s fit for the season ahead. This is often called a Club MOT. There are two factors worth taking into consideration; firstly, general wear and tear and secondly, suitability and change in loft and lie angle.
Wear and Tear
Let’s start by having a closer look at general wear and tear. The main things to look out for are:
Grips
The modern synthetic grip will wear out gradually over time. The fact that it’s a gradual process is the problem. We don’t put the clubs away one weekend then take them out the following to find they’ve gone slick and shiny. As the grip slowly deteriorates, we just grip the club tighter and tighter, leading to tension in the hands, wrists, elbows and shoulders – not great for that smooth takeaway!
Leaving the clubs in the back of a car in either hot or cold conditions only accelerates the problem. Grips should be inspected at least twice a year.
Shafts
It is a myth that both steel and graphite golf shafts “go soft” over time. If looked after properly, they will last a golfer’s lifetime. However, shafts will alter in playability if damaged. Steel shafts should be inspected for being bent, dented or rusty. Graphite shafts can suffer from being worn down by rubbing against the bag and if damaged, can start to delaminate. Unfortunately, all of these symptoms indicate the shaft needs replacing.
Grooves
Most of us don’t hit the middle of the face consistently enough to wear out the grooves in our irons. Those 10 pence piece sized marks on the face of tour Pros’ irons are a result of hitting thousands of shots on the sweet spot, something well beyond the club golfer! For us the sand wedge is the club most likely to lose the grooves. This is due to the abrasiveness of the sand in the bunkers, though most problems with grooves can be resolved by just cleaning them with a nail brush or tee peg. However, if you do find a wedge is worn out, it will need replacing.
Loft and Lies
The second (and possibly the more frustrating) reason your clubs need an MOT is loft and lies. Regular use can alter these which in turn can affect yardages and accuracy. Although forged irons are perceived to give better feel, these soft, mild steel heads are affected greater than the more durable cast clubs. Golfers practicing on mats or playing on hard ground are especially vulnerable.
From these points I’m sure you can see how important it is to get your equipment checked and adjusted if necessary. We can do this for you in the workshop. Book in before the season takes off to allow time to adjust to your improved clubs.
Pro’s Tip of the Month
Do you Know your Yardages? The Importance of Bag Mapping and Gapping!
I am sure that somewhere along the line we have all encountered someone at our golf club that likes to tell you they hit the ball a lot further than they actually do. Is this because they think they can genuinely hit it this far, or simply a lack of statistical evidence to back up these claims? Whilst hitting the ball further would benefit us all, it might not be attainable to most, so it is important to find other ways to increase our chances of improving our scores. Knowing exactly how far you are able to carry each club is undervalued by most, which I think is absurd.
Can you imagine a tour player or elite amateur being able to compete in their respective events without knowing exact distances? For me, the carry distance is far more important than the total distance. I want to know how far through the air I can hit each of the clubs in my bag. In theory, this will be fairly consistent before we consider external factors such as how the ball is sitting, wind etc. What I cannot control is how the ball reacts when it lands, as this will vary from course to course i.e. soft, firm or bouncy greens/fairways. I will now go one step further and say – know your carry yardages! This information will have a significant impact on your course strategy, such as:
Off the tee: To take on the trap or to not to take on the trap, that is the question! This will help you when considering the various hazards lying in wait.
Laying up: What club do I hit to leave me the yardage that (based on my skill set) gives me the best chance to save par?
With the first competition starting in April, being armed with distance knowledge of how far your ball will carry is going to be extremely beneficial to your game. We are running a session which will be in our indoor studio or on the practice ground, utilising Flightscope radar technology. This gives fantastic, accurate data you can trust, for just £25 for a 30-minute session.
The session can highlight any areas where the gap between clubs is either too big or too small. Gapping should ideally be 10-15 yards between clubs. When you stray too far either side of that range it could be time to change your equipment, to get the most out of your 14-club allocation.
A quick summary of the benefits:
- Cost and time effective
- Help with course management
- Can identify gaps in club yardages
What are you waiting for? Book in via the Pro shop ahead of a busy summer of dream chasing and handicap bashing, to find out how far you hit. Along with this information, we will present you with a tag that you can attach to your golf bag.
Watch the video to see Paul test me on my knowledge of my own yardages…
I am delighted to be joining Hugh on Prostate Cancer UK Charity March thru March challenge in support and greater awareness for all men in the UK.
Thanks to advice from his Rough Boys golf mates, Hugh took a PSA blood test and was diagnosed with Stage One Prostate Cancer. He would advise all male golfers over 40 to do likewise. We will be doing 11,000 steps every day through the month of March so why don’t you join us and or help support Hugh by aiding his fundraising and awareness for this very important cause as 1 in 8 of us men will have it in our lifetime.
And here is Hugh’s link to Just Giving.
Just the last bit of news to get you excited is that it is 21 days until the Masters…
Happy golfing,
Mark, Lisa and The Pro Shop Team