Pick a Side

I hate centrists.  I don’t do wishy-washy.  When I hear people say, “Well, I can see both sides,” I want to vomit.  Life is too short to not have strong opinions.  I believe in taking a stand on things, having a perspective, and making the case for it.*

But in today’s lesson, I’m going to make the case for a middle ground on a topic that I’ve spent years having strong opinions about: golf equipment.

*For the record, I also believe very strongly in changing your mind as soon as the evidence supports doing so.

This Lesson Is For You If:

You think your clubs don’t matter

You think your clubs are all that matters

You obsess over your club specs

You’ve never been fit for clubs

Both Sides Are Wrong

I’ve lived on the golf internet for about twenty years, specifically the part consumed with golf equipment.  In that time, I’ve seen a consistent divide that’s sharper than America’s current red vs. blue: golfers who are obsessed with every spec on their clubs against those who think clubs don’t matter.  While you might think that a guy who has spent over eleven years running a golf equipment website would clearly side with the former group, you’d be mistaken: I think both sides are wrong.

One Degree of Lie Angle Isn’t the Problem

I could fill books with all the insane things that I’ve seen golfers post on the internet, but my all-time favorite was a guy who insisted that he needed to adjust the lie angle of his clubs depending on the golf shoes he was wearing.

The golf swing is one of the greatest “two things can be true” situations I know.  On one hand, it is very helpful to have the proper clubs and specs.  Playing clubs that are wildly too long, short, flat, stiff, etc is going to hurt your game.  However, so much changes from swing to swing that blaming one degree of lie angle or one swing weight point for a missed shot is like blaming global warming on your grandma for leaving her lights on overnight.

Fun?  Great.  Excuse?  Lame.

Before moving to the other side, I want to be clear about something.  If you derive your golf enjoyment from weighing and measuring every grip before you install it, more power to you.  My purpose here is not to rob you of the fun of making sure that your swing weights are dialed in to the tenth of a point.

My gripe is with people who want to use their equipment as an excuse.  If you know your clubs’ swing weights, your clubs aren’t the problem.  Moreover, the loft of your 6I wasn’t an issue when you knocked it stiff on #5, but suddenly it’s the problem because you airmailed the green on #9.  Ridiculous.  Take accountability for your game, or, better yet, just laugh it off and acknowledge that none of us are ever going to beat golf.

Tour Pros Get Fit For a Reason

While I like taking shots at the people worried about every CPM of their shafts, they’re not hurting anyone but themselves, just annoying those within earshot.  On the other hand, I believe that the “clubs don’t matter” crowd is genuinely bad for golf.  If you hold this opinion strongly, you’re probably a “serious” golfer.  As such, new golfers in your social circle may ask you for advice, and you’re going to hurt their chances at enjoying the game when you tell them to buy some rusty garage sale trash and hit the range.

No, new golf clubs will not miraculously turn a hacker into Sam Snead, but I can tell you firsthand that the wrong clubs can make a decent player look pretty bad.  Well-fit clubs can speed a new player toward, “Hey, golf is fun!” or keep an aging player hitting their clubs the “right” distance.

I’ve used the analogy many times: golf clubs are like clothes.  Perfectly tailored, tasteful clothes helps everyone look their best.  A Saville Row suit will not turn me into a runway model, but it will make me the best version of me.  To argue against the importance of clubs is either ignorant or disingenuous, and neither is what you want to be.

The Not-Quite-Middle Ground

Thoughtful readers will recognize that the two camps portrayed here are not really equals.  The equipment people I’m discussing here are outliers among outliers, the true golf nerd caricature, while there are actually a huge number of golfers who espouse that the equipment doesn’t matter.  As such, the takeaway from this lesson doesn’t fall squarely between the two but much closer to the gear nerd’s side.

Golf equipment matters a lot.  You don’t need to have every single degree tuned to perfection at every moment, but you want to get the big stuff right: the right model of club, the right shaft flex and weight.  Get a high quality fitting, trust your clubs, and go enjoy the game.

Find more insights into golf equipment HERE

Editor In Chief at Plugged In Golf

Matt has worked in nearly every job in the golf industry from club fitting to instruction to writing and speaking.

He founded Plugged In Golf in 2013 with the goal of helping all golfers play better and enjoy the game more.

Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.

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