Should one decide to play golf, the essential thing that a person needs is a set of golf clubs. Most people who are not sure whether to invest more in the game prefer to borrow a set provided by the club or buy a used one. A person can acquire a second hand set from a golf specialty store or buy it from a professional golfer who may want to sell the used set to buy a new one.

When that person feels that one is ready to get serious with the sport, the individual may now decide to buy a brand new one. Here are some tips one should know when learning how to play golf and choosing a set of clubs:

1. There are many brands of golf clubs available. Before buying one, it is best to feel the grip of each so one can choose the right set that the person will be comfortable with while playing in the green.

2. Shafts come in different lengths which are determined by the height of the person. If one is unsure of which is the correct one for the individual, it is best to ask the assistance of the salesperson.

3. A little knowledge of the various clubs will help a person in choosing one even if these are usually sold in sets. A typical set of irons that a person can buy are numbered from 3 to 9 and includes a pitching wedge.

4. Another thing a person needs to play golf is a putter. Just like choosing the right set, the person should feel the grip and how comfortable it is from the brands available in the specialty store before buying it.

5. Errant shots are some things that can’t be helped, especially in the sport of golf. This is the reason why the person should be familiar with the various club designs since some clubs have made restrictions on this.

Bladed clubs are the most recommended for golfers since it gives better precision in every shot that takes skilled hands to accomplish.

6. To maintain the golf clubs, it is best to use a wire brush or a small towel to keep these in good condition.

7. A person needs golf balls to putt into the hole. If one is just getting into the game, it is advisable to buy a cheap set of balls first rather than an expensive one since some shots might fall into the water or in the forest that will just get lost which is just like throwing money into the air.

When playing golf, it is quite difficult to carry a bag with the different clubs even with the company of a caddy. This is because the bag weighs a lot and of course, be it 18 or 36 holes, is a long walk. It is a good thing that there are golf carts to get from one hole to another which will save the person time and energy especially if one is playing for a lot of money in a golf tournament.

The first golf car was launched in 1962 and since then has made some modifications. The traditional golf car is a battery powered 2- seater that comes with a hood and has a small baggage compartment for the golf bag in the back.

If one is interested in getting one, here are a few things that a person must know;

1. Golf cars may not be as expensive as the real car but one still has to shell out some money to get a unit. Since such models are not usually sold in dealer lots like regular cars, one can check golf specialty stores that may have a unit on hand or can check these out online and the various models available, then purchase it and have it delivered in a few days.

Some people prefer to customize the golf car to make it stand out. After telling the dealer what kind of golf car the person wants, it can be made in a few days and delivered for the person to use and have fun with in the green.

2. Golf lovers don’t have to buy a golf car if that person will not use it often. If the individual just plays during weekends, one can just rent one from the club when one decides to play golf.

3. Some people feel better owning a golf car. If that person can’t afford a new one, then one should just settle for a used golf car.

4. Golf cars come in different sizes. Depending on how many people will be playing, one can get a unit that can accommodate more than two people instead of the conventional one, making the person save money on renting an additional unit.

5. Golf cars can be driven in various road conditions. By selecting the right model depending on the terrain, one will not have a problem while driving on the green.

Having as much as 5,000 patented designs approved since the 1990’s, the golf ball is the most skillfully designed ball in the world of sports.

Because of its advanced technology, choosing a golf ball is a baffling decision for golf players.

Because there are several types of golfers, ball manufacturers have created several kinds of balls, that if correctly matched to the player’s game, they can boost enjoyment and at the same time a possibility for par.

Structure of a golf ball

1. Two-piece golf balls are recognized for their “distance”, and players describe them as distance balls. These balls are made up of harder, strong and a cover resistant to cuts. The compact inner center is made from a variety of materials. The harder the material of the inner core, the further the ball will travel. However, two-piece balls lack the capacity to manage the ball because it has limited spin amounts.

2. Three-piece golf balls are constructed for feel and spin. These are made up of a softer coat or cover (Balata) with compact inner core and extra layer of fabric between the cover and the core that “softens” the blow or impact of the head of the club against the golf ball. This provides improved feel and spin, but loss of durability and distance.

3. Multi-layer golf balls are also known as “all purpose balls”. These balls are made up of a durable, soft cover that is separated by many very thin layers which are made up of a variety of materials and an improved inner core, resulting in a ball that gives better all around execution.

Buying the best ball for you

1. Beginners or high handicap players will require distance and are likely to “mis-hit” the golf ball, must choose a two-piece golf ball with Surlyn coat or cover because it is durable, affordable and has “distance” characteristics.

2. Mid handicap golfers can play with a three-piece ball with Elastomer or Balata softer cover to give more feel and spin. Since these balls offer faster “swing speeds”, they will not suffer distance loss.

3. Low handicap players should use a multi-layered ball. Because advance golf players have the quickest “swing speeds”, they will achieve extra distance and feel and spin benefits.

Like any equipment in golf, discovering the perfect or right golf ball for your play style will entail a lot of trial or testing. Just keep on playing, keep on testing those balls; in no time, you will find the most perfect one for you.

A golf bag is an essential equipment that one uses to transport all golf accessories such as golf balls, golf clubs, markers, tees and even umbrellas and towels.

Golf bags have no influence whatsoever on the result of the game, however, they can greatly affect the players game by way of offering comfort as the player makes his round through the course.

As to how much load in your gear you are carrying and if you are carrying the bag by yourself or using a golf cart or the help of a caddie, can help you decide which bag is for you.

When planning on riding the golf cart on your rounds, then whether the bag is heavy or not does not matter. But if your plan is to walk, then a lighter bag that will be carried along easily is essential.

Types of golf bags:

1. Staff bags. These are the largest types of golf bags. They can accommodate a complete fourteen set of golf clubs and typically have many side pockets for other golf tools and equipment that one wishes to take along. Almost all professional golfers prefer the staff bags as they can hold a lot of equipment and since their caddy carries the bag for them, weight is never a problem.

A good staff bag is one made of quality leather or materials that are of high quality and are expensive.

2. Cart Bags. Are a lot smaller in size compared to staff bags, but are comparatively bulky and unmanageable for the golfer alone, without the caddy’s help. These bags are constructed for use on golf carts; they have lesser pockets and storage capacity.

3. Carry Bags. The smallest type, and are basically made from plastic, nylon and other materials. As these bags are constructed to accommodate the essentials such as the golf clubs, a few small golf accessories and balls they are the right choice for the golfer who favors to carry his own bag.

Choosing the right bag for you

1. Take into account the price and your budget. How much you can afford can determine what kind of bag as well as what materials they are made of; the more expensive it is, the more complex the features of the bag. Keep in mind however, that the bag is not used directly in your game; golf shoes, clubs and balls are more significant than the bag.

2. Features. Know what type of features you need in your bag and what equipment you need to put in the bag. You might consider a bag that can stand alone to make it easier to take out your golf clubs during your game. You might also consider bringing an umbrella along, so you need a bag with a slot for your umbrella. However, if you are the type to carry only the basic gears, then you might want to consider a simple and light bag that can accommodate just the basics.

Just like any other game, to be considered a good golf player goes beyond having an average score of below 80. While skill at playing the actual game is commendable, a holistic view is needed to achieve a well-rounded game.

To play good golf, you have to get down past the three areas of:

- fitness,

- practice,

- and etiquette.

Fitness

- Keeping one’s body and mind in shape is a key element to becoming a good, if not great, golfer. Looking after your body and making sure it’s in shape not only gets you to perform better on the course, it also ensures you that you can enjoy golf even well into your years.

- Achieve bodily fitness by eating right and exercising regularly. Maintain cardiovascular fitness and muscle tone that suits the game of golf. Some indicators of physical fitness are your blood pressure and your BMI (body mass index). Consult with your doctor on what levels are right for your age and body type.

- Mental fitness is also just as important. Find ways to relieve yourself of stress. Develop a regular meditation time alone or with family/friends. Keep your mind sharp by exercising it with reading or with puzzles like crosswords.

Practice

- Develop a regular and consistent practice routine. Many find themselves wanting to play more and practice less when it is the opposite that gets better results as far as scores go. By practicing more, you develop techniques and muscle memory that will carry well into your game.

- A good play to practice ratio is 1:2, that is, for every hour of golf you play, you will do 2 hours of practice. This may not be done all in the same day. It is advised to alternate practice and play days so as not to work out too much.

- Continue your education on the game. Not just because you know how to play means you already know everything there is. Remember that there is always something new you can learn so either enroll in a class or take up a lesson or two with a more advanced player. Do this at least on an annual basis. Constantly wanting to level up your golf skills shows your dedication to become a better player than your were the year before.

Etiquette

- Being a great player on the course and on the practice field is nothing if you are not a good person to play with. While golf may be a solitary sport, it does not mean that rudeness is condoned. As a gentleman’s game, rules pertaining to respecting others are of utmost importance.

In golf, once the ball starts rolling, you are alone. Well, not really. You have your caddie to help you. Here are some ways a caddie can help you.

A caddie will help you carry your golf clubs. Well, this is one of the most common jobs a caddie is understood to do. This is a tough job because a golf bag is heavy. Try to be patient with him and just trust him to take care of your clubs.

A caddie can also help you wash your clubs. This is important because wet clubs could affect your game tremendously. This is part of his job and will automatically do it for you after every shot.

A caddie will also clean your ball if you want it cleaned. He might ask you from time to time if you want the ball cleaned. He also carries a lot of substitute balls in case you want a new one or if the ball was lost in the woods or if it sunk in a water hole.

A caddie will replace your divots every time you are finished with your site. He does this to help maintain the fairways and also for other golfers who will shoot from that place after you did.

A caddie will also do this for ball marks on the green. He does this by flattening the golf mark by a flat surface like his shoes. He does this to maintain the greens and help you with your shot. Once you’re lining up for a shot and see a golf mark that he failed to see, just point it out to him and he will repair it for you. Remember that is easier to make a shot when the green is straight and smooth.

A caddie could also help you with your game. Note that a caddie probably has some experiences watching great players make their shots or how they putt their greens. If he is observant he could be a valuable source of tips that could help you tremendously with your game.

Having a caddie with you would be wonderful for your game. He will help you get more relaxed and not worrying about the simple things. Remember, though, to take it easy on your caddie if your game is not that good. Caddying is a tough job and it’s not really his fault if you make a lot of mistakes in your game.

Golf is a very addicting game mainly because you’re both relaxed and also in a competitive mood. You’re having fun, shooting at your own slow pace and now you’ve decided to start taking the game seriously. You want to improve your game, do things correctly. First thing you have to do is buy clubs. Here are some tips when buying golf clubs.

Create Your Own Club

Clubs can be custom-fitted according to your needs. One thing to remember is that it’s all about measurements. You should know your height and the length from your wrist to the floor. Average players stand 5 feet 2 inches high and have wrist-to-floor measurements of about 34 inches. They will use the standard length of a club. Consult your club dealer about it if you’re taller or shorter than that or if your wrist-to-floor measurement is not of average proportions.

You should also let someone test your swing speed. Regular male swing speed is about 75-84 mph and will need a 5 or 6 iron. Regular female swing speed is slower, around 60 mph. A 3 iron or wood would be best suited to help you.

Remember that all players should use standard golf clubs unless you are obviously shorter or taller than an average player. Standard measurements give an average player more distance and accuracy.

Choosing the Right Shafts

Should you use steel or graphite shafts? The thing to remember is that steel shafts are heavier than the graphite ones. Men in their mid 50’s or younger are advised to use steel and just go to graphite once their swing speed has slowed. Women of all ages are advised to use graphite for its lighter weight to compensate for their slower swing speed.

Maintain Your Clubs

Buying your golf clubs does not end there. Proper maintenance is required on your clubs. You should try to regrip it from time to time. This is to prevent your clubs from becoming loose. This will help you from buying again and again because your clubs are worn out.

Just remember that golf equipment also have their measurements. Ignorance of this has led many golfers to believe that the more expensive the golf club is, the better they will play. It’s more about how comfortable you are with your clubs and the way you regularly maintain them that matters.

With so many clubs out there, deciding which one to get can be a tough decision. Here are some tips on how to narrow down the selection.

- Decide on your levels for playing

Some play for the weekend game and there are others who’d like to move up in the ranks. If the occasional game is your pace, a low- to mid-performance club can work for you, while a high-performance club is suited to those who’ll play more regularly.

- Set a budget

The notion that the more expensive the club, the better it is simply doesn’t hold water anymore. If you do enough homework and read reviews you’ll find a club that matches your level of interest. Don’t be afraid to check out used clubs as they can give you the best chances of getting the club you need at a good price.

Now that you know your interest level and have established a budget, here’s a brief run-through of kinds of golf clubs and what each one does.

Woods

A typical golfer’s bag will have a driver (called 1-wood) and a couple of fairway woods (3- and/or 5-wood). A driver is the longest club (usually 45 inches) making it the toughest to control during a swing.

Irons

Irons feature thin clubheads with grooves on it. Experienced players opt for a blade style iron while beginners get a cavity-back style. A blade-style has a clubhead with a full back, whereas a cavity back’s clubhead is hollow. It is hollowed out to create a perimeter weighting effect helpful for less-experienced golfers.

Irons are categorized as long (1, 2, 3,4), mid- (5,6,7) and short (8,9). Short irons are the easiest to hit while the long ones are the hardest. The shorter the iron, the more loft there is and for beginners, the more loft, the better.

Putters

Putters are the clubs most often used in the game and come in clubhead styles of blade, heel-toe and mallet. Lengths come in belly putters, standard and broomstick (long) putters. Which option to get is a personal choice.

Utility clubs/hybrids

The clubs combine features of woods and irons and are best for beginners who may not want to buy too many clubs straight out.

Finally as a final word before taking them out of the store, most new clubs fit individuals at the average height of 5′10″ for men and 5′5″ for women. If you are significantly shorter or taller than these figures, you should get your club fitted to your height.

Start off with these considerations to build on your research when choosing your golf clubs. The game becomes that much more fun with the little effort you make now.

Callaway Golf is one of the most respected names in the golf industry for its quality of products that cater to both recreational and professionals alike. As part of its efforts to give its customers the best, the company produced Callaway Golf Magazine and released its first issue early in 2004. Just recently, last November 2005, the Custom Publishing Council (CPC) of New York City’s University Club made the magazine the Bronze Award winner for Best New Publication.

The magazine is distributed to loyal customers, upscale golf clubs and key retailers free of charge and is also available online for downloading from the company’s website. The publication, with a distribution output of over 800,000 quarterly, has useful information not found in most golf consumer magazines.

For one thing, Callaway Golf magazine features exclusive content such as interviews with Callaway Golf Staff Professionals. Michael Campbell, Phil Mickelson, and Annika Sorenstam are just some of the names that have been associated with Callaway.

Aside from interviews and the information on Callaway’s latest offerings, the magazine also contains useful tips on golfing provided by none other than the company’s own staff professionals.

In its first issue (February 2004) Annika Sorenstam featured tips on efficient swings. The Swedish Sorenstam tops the LPGA’s list of the highest average driving distance with a yardage of 269.7 after making the ERC Fusion her driver of choice.

A brief sampling of that feature (which you, too, can use for your own game) follows:

1. At address, Annika focuses primarily on good balance and comfort, with her whole body relaxed and tension-free.

2. Annika maintains the relationship formed between her club, hands, arms and shoulders, sweeping the club away low to the ground.

3. Annika rotates her upper body away from the target, while swinging her hands into a position directly above her right shoulder.

4. Annika drops the club into the hitting position while retaining her wrist angle. Her arms, shoulders and body release together.

5. At impact, the ball gets in the way of the club. The feeling is of “collecting” the ball as she releases her hands, arms and clubhead.

6. Annika points her right shoulder at the target and keeps her spine straight. Her key thought is complete her follow-through.

(From Callaway Golf Magazine ISSUE 1 FEBRUARY 2004)

These tips along with other useful in-depth information on Callaway’s products (such as the Big Bertha Titanium 454 Driver or the HX golf balls with the hexagonal dimple system) all serve to present its readers the exciting possibilities that Callaway can offer golfers of any level.

Here are some buying tips for wet season golf gears:

1. Waterproof trousers and jackets. When heavy rain comes, waterproof gears will protect your body from being wet, making sure that you remain totally dry under your trousers and jacket.

Goretex is the material commonly used for such waterproof gears and the most effective and efficient waterproofing material available. It uses an absorbent film either in between textile layers or sealed to a layer. The film openings are tiny enough to keep out water, but big enough to permit air and water vapor to flow and circulate. This is an advantage when one is playing in lengthy rain periods.

When purchasing a waterproof jacket or pair of trousers you must look for an outerwear that comes with a guarantee. The top manufacturers of waterproof gears offer a guarantee of three years and this can be worth the investment.

2. Rainproof golf gears. These gears are not made with Goretex but are usually made from Teflon treated fabric, which has the tendency to hold water from passing through for only a certain period, and will permit air to pass through and may draw liquid through the fabric on long rain exposures.

Lightweight and not so expensive compared to waterproof gears, this is perfect when one plays in short rain showers.

3. Windproof. It is constructed to stop the wind. This is an effective option when one is playing in windy climates. Certain types of windproof gears are likewise Teflon treated offering a minor level of resistance to water, but are not intended to be used in rainy weather. Cheaper than rainproof or water proof gears, they can be a warm alternative to use for cold climates.

Types of golf clothing

1. Jacket. This is very important to keep the golfers upper body warm, dry and still preserve the space so as to swing with flexibility. This is essential when choosing a jacket that is comfortable to wear, looks good and most importantly that allows you to swing well while wearing it.

Choose a jacket that is comfortable, and practice your swings with the jacket on, to insure playability.

2. Trousers. Always put on the trousers and practice it for swings, making sure that you are comfortable with it, as well as able to move about freely. Make sure that it is made of a fiber that is easy to wash and care for.

3. Shirts. Like any type of clothing, be sure to try it on before buying. Make sure that you are comfortable with the material, that it is breathable and the fit allows you to move easily.

Choosing your golf apparel can be a lot of fun. Be careful though, and make sure that all your outfits do match. Choose earth tone colors to play safe. Enjoy shopping!