What Should Beginners Spend on Golf Clubs?

Getting started as a new golfer, whether it is for you or for the kids, can be costly and distracting! Not only do you need a set of golf clubs (remember, only fourteen allowed in your bag) but also accessories, clothing...and let's not forget a qualified instructor! Today, let's focus on golf club choices.

This guest post was written by Dan Winger (see below for bio) and edited by Golf for Beginners. Enjoy.

Name brand golf clubs can cost a lot of money, dollars that could be spent on green fees for actual playing enjoyment...however, there is no substituting the quality of a name brand...or is there?

Costs of the name brand clubs average as follows:

·        Driver – $250 (My Callaway X2 Hot Driver currently retails at about $225 -Stacy)

·        Two Fairway Woods – $320

·        Irons, set of 7 – $650 My Ping Karsten Irons w/Graphite Shafts retail at around $899 -Stacy)

·        Wedges, 3 – $300

·        Putter – $130

·        Golf bag – $160

That’s an average total of $1810, a stout sum for the average guy or gal. Golf for Beginners suggests attending demo days at the very least, if that is the route you choose.

If money is no object, go for it, but there are other options. As most beginners have no idea if they’ll like the sport and stay with it, it seems more prudent to start out with a lower cost option.

Lower Cost Options

Low Cost/Used Outlets: There are several online sources of low cost and used golf equipment:

·        GlobalGolf.com (used-new)

·        GolfGalaxy Stores (used-new)

·        Ebay.com (used-new)

·        Amazon.com (used-new)

·        Overstock.com (new)

·        Costco.com (new)

·        2ndswing.com (used-new)

·        3balls.com (used-new)

Often, you can find some excellent golf clubs from these sources. Just be sure that you are buying clubs that fit you. Ask the sales person to check the shaft flex to be sure that it’s right for you.

Garage Sales: I have several golf buddies who regularly play clubs that they bought at garage sales. If you know your swing, you’ll know if a used club will be a good fit for you. Normally this the lowest cost method to buy clubs.

Clone Golf Clubs: Whatever you want to call them, knock-off golf clubs, discount golf clubs, clone golf clubs - they’ll save you money and should provide just as much playability as the name brands.

A set of new clone golf clubs (a set as described above) will cost an average of $600, one third of the price of the name brand clubs. 

The Acer XDS React Titanium Driver by Hireko, for example, is similar to Cobra and tests rate it 97/100.  At $69.95, this club is worth a swing...editor's note.

Good club hunting - there many opportunities to save some cash.


Author Bio: Dan Winger is owner/writer of 2 clone golf club review websites, DW Golf and Golf Shop Bolton.

He worked most of his professional career as a mechanical engineer/designer. Dan has been testing clone golf clubs and writing reviews since 2004. He resides in St. Joseph, Michigan, and can be reached at dwinger[at]rocketmail.com




Have you just purchased your first set of golf clubs? Which did you choose? Tell us in our comments section and on Twitter @Golf4Beginners.


photo credit: dwgolf.com, pgatoursuperstore.com

Best #Golf Course in Ohio? You Decide!

I received an email about Longaberger stating that it was the Best Golf Club in Ohio. After reading their note as to why, I would love to hear comments from Golf for Beginners readers to let me know if you have ever played golf there and if you agree or disagree, along with any comments you may have.

Located in Nashport, Ohio, about forty miles from downtown Columbus, the Longaberger Golf Club maintains that they have a reputation as the top rated public golf course in the state.

More accolades are listed below but GolfWorld has rated Longaberger the fourth top Public Course in America, they are number fifty-one in the US Top 100 Courses You Can Play from GOLF Magazine and have a four-and-a-half star rating from Golf Digest.

Longaberger doesn't seem to need to toot it's own horn - some of the largest magazines have already done that for them!

The Golf Course:
The Longaberger Company commissioned renowned golf course architect Arthur Mills to build the par-72, 7,243-yard parkland-style course, which opened in 1999. The course is notable for its combination of natural creeks and lakes with a varied terrain, all of which is framed by majestically tall trees. There are multiple tees on each hole, thus making the Longaberger Golf Course more accessible to less experienced players in terms of play-ability.

Amenities:
Longaberger golf course is known for its vast array of luxurious amenities, serene setting and unique course design, outstanding dining options and a varied collection of player development programs.

Featured prominently at the Longaberger Golf Club is a 60,000 square-foot clubhouse which provides a great place for dining and socializing, a golf pro shop where visitors can purchase top-tier golf equipment and merchandise and upscale locker rooms nestled within to complete the experience.

The Club, however, is much more than just a place to play golf. Inside the clubhouse is a full-service restaurant with a soothing aura of rich wood paneling, bay windows that stretch from the floor to the ceiling, an expansive outdoor verandah,and panoramic views of the 18th hole.

Events:
The unique multipurpose feel of the Longaberger Golf Club make it an ideal place for various events. The huge clubhouse, for instance, can accommodate elaborate wedding ceremonies and receptions, corporate events, anniversaries, fundraisers and more.

Accolades:
Within its first year of existence, the Longaberger Golf Club was the recipient of Golf Digest’s Best New Upscale Public Course award for 2000. Also, Golf Week Magazine has rated the club the number one public-play course in Ohio for thirteen consecutive years, from 2002 to 2014. Other honors include being in Golf Digest’s “Top 100 Public Golf Courses in America for 2013-2014” list (at #51) and Golf Magazine’s “Top 100 Courses You Can Play” list (at #55).

Planning to visit Nashport, OH? Want to play golf at Longaberger? Book a tee time and enjoy the experience.

So now, what do you think? Voice your opinion on Twitter @Golf4Beginners!

Injured Playing Golf? Tips for Prevention

Golf is a fantastic, inclusive sport played by people of all ages and abilities. Not only is it great for fitness and weight management, the game is used as a way to relax and socialize with friends.

As with all sports, there are some injuries in which players are particularly prone. Interestingly in golf, we see similar injuries in both professionals and amateurs, but for very different reasons.

We’re going to look at what these injuries are, why they happen and, most importantly, what amateur golfers can do to prevent them.

The most common injuries for golfers are strains and lower back injuries, mainly upper body, with the most predictable area for injury being the lower back followed by the wrist, shoulder and elbow.

For professionals, overuse is the main culprit, which is not surprising since golfers are playing for ten hours a day, six days a week. Tiger Woods is a perfect example of what can happen to a lower back with overuse and not allowing a bit of rest even after surgery - he had to shut down the remainder of his 2014 golf season.

For golf beginners and amateurs however, the causes tend to be poor technique in the swing, hitting the ground with the club and miss-hits.

Poor golf swing technique:

The golf swing is the most problematic area for golfers who sustain injuries - it’s an action that takes the body through a large range of motion, a huge amount of force is used and it’s repetitive.

For professionals, it’s clear to see how injuries can be sustained over time carrying out this sort of an action no matter how efficient their swing is and however well-adapted they are to their sport.

For amateurs, making errors in the swing can cause instant injuries, from the high impact experienced by joints and tissue when they hit the ground with the club. Amateurs also may be prone to these injuries if they are otherwise sedentary. They may have muscle weaknesses and lack flexibility leaving the joints and muscles unable to handle the sudden forces a swing puts on the body.

Over half of golfers miss games when recovering from their injuries.

When injuries do occur, professional golfers are notorious for continuing to play since the stakes are high and it’s the way they make their living. Doing this can lead to more serious injuries and ultimately more time out of the game spent in recovery!

Over half of golfers who sustain injuries will need to miss some games. Facts are, thirty percent of injured golfers will need treatment for one to two weeks and twenty-one percent will need treatment lasting over five weeks which, for a passionate golfer, whether professional or not, is a long time not to be doing something that they love.

Coaching to improve your golf swing can help prevent injuries.

Some injuries can affect a golfer’s ability long-term, so taking preventative measures are not only simple, they’ll keep you playing your best for a longer period of time.

Here are a few tips to help you prevent the most common golfing injuries:

• Get coaching to improve your swing. This will make you more efficient and help you avoid things like hitting the ground or mis-hits that can easily cause injury.
• Keep in shape. If you can keep strong and flexible off the golf course, your body is going to be in a much better position to take the forces and strains you put on it on the course. A balanced program of cardio, strength and flexibility training will keep you at the top of your game.
• Warm-ups before a game and stretches afterwards will ease you in safely. The Apostherapy golf infographic below has some great stretches and exercises to perform before you get stuck into a game that will prep the body for what’s to come.

Of course, sometimes an injury is unavoidable. If you should get injured during a round, then stop playing immediately and seek medical attention.

Suspect a strain or sprain? Follow first aid instructions: 

• Protect the affected area/joint by stoppping play immediately.
• Stop moving the joint, rest, apply an ice pack to reduce swelling.
• Compress the joint using a bandage to provide support to the area.
• Limit movement and elevate the joint, again to reduce swelling. 

Follow your doctor’s advice and when you’re ready to begin playing again, be sure to ease yourself in gently to avoid further injury.


Author: Ed Butler, Clinical Lead, Apostherapy UK

After graduating with a degree in Physiotherapy, Ed has been working in the field of professional sports rehabilitation. His specialist interests include acute and chronic lower limb injuries for professional sportsmen and women.


What exercises do you perform to keep in your best shape for golf season? Comment below and join the discussion on Twitter @Golf4Beginners.

Photo credit: wikihow.com, Apostherapy UK