For most of us, March is the beginning of golf season, which means time to bone up on all the latest and greatest gear. But what if your bag is only a season or two old? Maybe you aren’t in the market for a full overhaul just yet. Makes sense — but there still is plenty of preseason prep work you should consider to optimize your equipment. Even if you store your gear indoors, all that sitting around for months can mean things may need a look before your maiden voyage of the year.
Here are 5 easy gear upgrades that will make your bag better.
1. Grips
Grips get overlooked and neglected all the time. That’s unfortunate, because the grip is the only connection point you have with your club. As grips become worn, they can become slick. Playing with worn grips is like driving on bald tires. They can still get you where you need to go but often don’t do your hands any favors. Your grip pressure may have to increase to maintain the same level of control of the face. And we all know the face angle at impact controls the start direction of the shot, right?
If your grips are worn and old, they can actually start coming apart from dry rot. The can mean relying on a death grip just to keep the club from potentially becoming a deadly projectile. Zero stars, don’t recommend. So do yourself a favor and pick up some grips. If you’re handy, you can apply them yourself. If not, drop off your clubs at your local fitter or pro shop.
Even if your grips are in good shape, we still recommend cleaning them. Here’s how.
2. Lofts and lies
Loft and lie adjustments can also keep your irons and wedges in tune with how you are swinging the club. Although they’re constructed of steel, your irons and wedges actually can get bent stronger or weaker from use, or from aggressive luggage handlers at the airport.
Same deal applies to your lie angles. Incorrect lie angles can begin to compromise the consistency of your start direction, turf interaction and impact location on the face. Depending on how much you play, and how much you travel, it could be in your best interest to check your lofts and lie angles multiple times throughout the year. Just remember to do so with the same fitter or golf professional and try to check your specs on the same machine, which will eliminate any inconsistencies in human and machine. Trust me, there are variances in both!
3. Gap fitting
Another great way to gear up for the start of the season is with a gap fitting. Gap fittings are a great way to really see how far each club in your bag will carry. The carry yardage is the number you want to make sure you are thinking about when you are standing in the fairway and considering your approach shot that has to clear a water hazard.
Gap fittings also are a fantastic way to identify, well…gaps! Gaps in the bag can be a huge problem when it comes to maximizing your scoring potential. Looking for 8 to 12 yards between clubs is an advisable gap guide to follow, especially when you are focusing on how far each club carries. Tighter gaps of 8 to 10 yards in the scoring zone are ideal! If you see 15 to 20 yards between your driver and longest wood, I am less concerned about that. Not many people I know are going pin hunting from 200-plus yards. And if you are, I can always use a scramble partner.
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4. Golf ball
One other piece of gear that often gets neglected and overlooked is your golf ball. Your ball is typically the only piece of gear you’ll use for every shot on every hole. Some people would argue that that alone makes it the most important piece of equipment in your bag.
Regardless of the ball you use, make sure it reacts as you want it to around the greens. Does it spin enough? Do you like its sound and feel? Even if you are a higher handicap index, try and play the same type of ball whenever possible. It might surprise you how much you can benefit from a ball fitting with your local fitter or golf professional. With ball manufacturers regularly updating their designs, don’t assume the new model will perform for you like the previous iteration did.
5. Wedges
Even if a new driver, fairway wood or iron set aren’t on your shopping list this year, don’t neglect your wedges. New wedges and fresh grooves can save your short game! Worn grooves can lead to inconsistent carry numbers and spin rates on approach shots and shots around the green. Dull grooves also can make greenside bunker shots almost impossible to stop.
With a wedge upgrade also comes the opportunity to get fit for proper grind, bounce and loft combinations. Iron lofts are getting stronger and stronger. If you are playing old wedges and carry a 52-degree gap wedge, there’s a chance your new irons have a PW with a loft of 45 degrees or even stronger! Remember what we said about large gaps in the scoring zone? We want to avoid them.
Gearing up for a new season doesn’t have to break the bank. You can get a lot of life out of your gear with a little maintenance and TLC. You also can keep your game sharp by knowing what’s in your bag and why. Know your numbers. Trust your clubs. Play a ball that makes sense for your game. If you happen to be in the market for a new toy, take the time to see a reputable fitter who will help you accomplish your goals. With all the options available, a little professional guidance won’t do anything but help your game — and possibly your wallet.
Kris McCormack
Golf.com Contributor
Building on a career that has spanned more than 20 years in the golf industry, McCormack has spent the last six years of his career serving as the Vice President of Tour and Education for True Spec Golf. During that time, he curated the training program for the True Spec fitting staff and pushed for more continuing education curriculum. As well as managing their Tour department and building relationships with a multitude of OEM partners. Prior to joining the True Spec team, McCormack worked with several of the industry-leading manufacturers as a Master level Fitting Professional. In addition to being an instructor and partnering with the Golf Channel Academy as a lead instructor and brand-agnostic Fitting Professional. He has also worked with R&D teams to assist in product design, testing, and development for a variety of gear releases. He is a golf enthusiast and lives in the gear space!
