Equipment Checkup
Gary Mayes, Equip2Golf, Inc.

Golfers invest a significant amount of money in equipment these days but often neglect properly maintaining them leading to less than optimal performance on the course. Improve your game by inspecting your club's grips, heads, and shafts.

Grips. Check your grips and look for signs of wear. If the grips are in pretty good shape with minimal wear, then use a piece of fine steel wool with soap in it and scrub the grips. This will clean off dirt as well as roughen the grip renewing it's tacky feel. If the grips are hard or excessively worn, then you need to replace them. Pay attention to grip size when making the replacements. In general, the middle and ring finger of the left hand (for RH golfer) should barely touch the palm as it is placed in playing position.

Heads. Inspect the heads of your clubs. If there are signs of rust, treat them with WD-40 by applying and rubbing until the rust is removed. Clean the heads with a plastic brush and warm soapy water. Make sure to dry completely. Get the loft and lie checked. Clubs can get out of alignment during normal play. A two degree change in loft can result in as much as ten yards in distance. If your clubs have ferrules, take a look to ensure that there are no gaps between the head and the ferrule and that they are not loose. If the ferrules have lost their shine, applying a light coat of acetone will restore their luster. Shake the club and listen for rattles in the head. Repair any rattles or loose heads.

Shafts. Take a close look at the shafts. Inspect for rust and use WD-40 to remove as mentioned above. You can also use the lead of a No. 2 pencil to remove rust spots on the shafts. Look for dents and dings in the shafts. A ding or ding will make the shaft weaker and should be replaced to avoid breakage during a swing. Check to see if any of the shafts are loose. Grab the clubhead in one hand and the grip with the other and then twist. Any movement or squeak indicates that the head is loose and needs to be repaired. Take a look and see if your shafts match. Check the flex and length. Irons generally have a half inch increment between clubs and woods usually have an inch increment between clubs. Inconsistent shaft lengths and flexes can affect the club's accuracy and distance. Reshaft or trim as necessary.

For assistance with any of these checks, see your local PGA professional or an accredited clubmaker. Get to know your clubs by performing an equipment checkup and see how properly maintained equipment can improve your game.