Golf Club Technology

What is Really Important

Every year club manufacturers are coming out with bigger and better golf clubs to help make the game of golf more enjoyable for the average golfer. Most players will never reach the status of "PGA Tour Professional" but that doesn't mean they can't enjoy their round of golf. Golf Club manufacturers are doing their part in making the game accessible to more players.

Sometimes I think the USGA forgets that the barometer should not be set by tour players but by the average golfer. I can safely say there are more average golfers than tour players. Most amateur golfers would enjoy the game more if they were able to hit farther and straighter.

Moment of inertia (MOI) is the big catch phrase we are hearing a lot about these days from golf club manufacturers. But what exactly is MOI and how can it help you?

Moment of inertia is how resistant the club head will be to twisting when striking a golf ball. For example, if you hit a shot off the toe of the clubface, a club with a high MOI would twist less resulting in a shot that will travel closer to your target line with minimal distance loss. This can be a big advantage for amateur golfers. Most golfers have a hard time finding the center of the club face and a high MOI will improve the accuracy of their mishits.

Another beneficial improvement to golf clubs have been the size of the clubface. With the advancement in club head materials it is possible to make larger golf club heads that will provide greater distance and accuracy. When I was a kid we used to play with actual wooden clubs, persimmon or laminated. These days it is very difficult to find wooden clubs on the market. The metals we use today are much more durable and can be made larger with less weight.

The rules of golf state that 460cc is the largest a clubhead can be and still conform to the USGA standards. In addition the shaft on irons and woods may only be 48" in length. This rule does not apply to putters which may be longer.

The larger the clubhead and higher the MOI you can get in a golf club, the more your game will benefit. These characteristics apply only to woods. Irons are a whole different animal.

When selecting a set of irons I would recommend sticking with clubs that are cast with a cavity back. Some examples of this are Callaway X-20 irons, Ping G5 Irons and TaylorMade r7 irons. All of these golf clubs will have features that will help you hit better shots. Many times people would like to play the clubs they see their favorite golfer playing. I would not recommend this. Most golf club manufacuters have designed clubs to fit the less accurate golfer. The clubs used by tour professionals require a consistent and repeating swing in order to be effective.

One feature you should look for is an over sized clubhead. This extra clubhead surface will allow for more forgiving off center hits. With that in mind also realize that the more clubhead you have the more the grass will interact with the clubhead. This can cause the clubhead to open or close based on how thick the grass is that is grabbing the clubhead.

The club should also feature an offset between the clubhead and hosel. This offset is achieved by placing the hosel slightly ahead of the leading edge of the clubface. This offset will assist the player in getting the ball into the air. Many golfers have trouble getting lift on the ball and this offset will help.

Finally get a golf club that visually looks good to you. How a golf club looks when you set it down can influence your confidence in a club. Sometimes the leading edge is bulky and thick. If this doesn't appeal to you select a club that has a slightly thinner appearance.

As your game improves you will be able to move into other categories of golf clubs.