Give Your Golf Bag an Extreme Makeover

Golf Bag Makeover

Golf Bag Makeover

I know, I know.  Extreme Makeover is older that dirt now, but at some point you may want to give your golf bag an extreme makeover.  C’mon…with 14 clubs in your bag they are not ALL helping you are they?  Some of you are very analytical and keep track of every stat possible.  Others are more intuitive and just know that certain clubs in their bags are not working consistently.  So either way, let’s take a look at where to start.

Driver

Have you lost distance in the past couple of years?  Did you switch to a new driver and accuracy and consistency are suffering?  Everyone has jumped on the “HOT” driver bandwagon and there is a new one every year it seems.  Fact is, EVERY manufacturer makes a really hot driver.  EPIC, M2, G400, EX10…you name it.  The trick is to get the right shaft (accuracy, consistency) and the right loft (distance) to get you the best performance.

Fairway Woods

Of all the golfers we fit, fairway woods are on top of the list of clubs that cause the most problems.  Do you hit your fairway woods thin or fat?  Hooking your fairway shots into the woods?  That is usually because the shafts are both too light and too flexible to maintain any sense of consistent contact and direction.  And this applies to both men and women golfers.  Maybe it is also time to re-think the traditional 3 and 5 wood and look at a 4 wood and a hybrid.  With the crazy increases in distances we see in the new fairway woods and hybrids, it is time to make a switch.

Hybrids

Just like fairway woods, hybrid clubs in an off-the-rack set are typically too light and to flexible to maintain consistency and accuracy.  So switching out shafts to more closely match your irons makes a lot of sense.  And, if you are more comfortable with the look of your hybrids, maybe it is time to replace that 4, 5 or even 6 iron.  Again, getting the right weight, flex, loft and length in your hybrids will really increase your confidence and flexibility in shot-making on the course.

Irons

Wow, talk about changes in irons over that past two years.  PXG set the bar in innovative technology and premium pricing and now everyone from Callaway to TaylorMade and Titleist are coming on board.  Are they worth the money?  Seems like the forgiveness and consistency of shots makes the PXG clubs stand out.  Can I afford a Tesla?  Do I NEED a Tesla?  So forgiveness and distance are all the rage with the new irons, but be careful about changing without understanding the distance differences from your current set.  This is usually caused by lower launch and lower spin making it difficult to hold the greens if you are already a low ball hitter.  A better shaft can help, but only so much.  So when thinking of new irons, not only consider the actual number, i.e. 4 through PW, but what type of trajectory and distance you can expect from the set.  My opinion is that you will get at east a half club more distance out of the new irons on the market.

Wedges

The biggest factors in looking at your wedges is distance gaps and bounce.  We always recommend no more than 5 degrees difference from one wedge to the next.  So PW at 45 degrees means 50 degrees in the AW/GW, not 52, and then either 54 degrees in the SW or bend a 56 degree to 55, followed with a 59 or 60 degree LW.  As for bounce, that depends upon the courses you play.  Tight fairways and hard sand require low bounce wedges while lush fairways and fluffy sand mean more bounce.  Most major manufacturers (Cleveland, Titleist, Mizuno, Callaway) have a tremendous amount of bounce and grind options to choose from.  I am also seeing a little bit of a trend to stronger lofted wedges, i.e. 54 instead of 56 degree and 58 instead of 60 degree.  Not exactly sure why but that is what we are seeing.

Fitting Your Bag

If you have been fit by D’Lance Golf Performance Center, you have a Lifetime Fitting so you can come back anytime and we will take a look at what you need done with your equipment….at NO CHARGE!  If you have not been through our fitting, now is the time!  Even if your bag makeover is not extreme, we will focus on those problem areas that will give you better performance and more confidence!

Dan Sueltz