Have you been making any swing changes? This is the time of year to do it, so your game is in the best possible shape when the season starts, or to be more specific, after we’ve watched the Masters at Augusta, which is from 10-13 April. Or, perhaps you’ve upgraded your equipment to give your game a boost.
One of my friends is in the market for a new driver because she wants more distance. She drives the ball really well with her current Callaway model, which isn’t that old, so I explained to her that while the latest advancements in technology are great, I’m not sure how much more distance she’ll achieve by trading it in, or at least not as much as she might be hoping for.
For what it’s worth, she’s never been custom fit for clubs, so that was my piece of advice if she’s going to make a serious investment, but I’m pleased that she’s now booked a lesson. It’s always a good idea for a PGA professional to give your swing the once over - the problem might not be the club!
Still on the subject of equipment, I’m sure you have your favourite clubs, I certainly do. I love my 3-wood, and over the years when I’ve changed my clubs, if I can’t hit the 3-wood, I’m not interested! If my 3-wood deserts me during a round, then I’m in big trouble because if that’s not working, I lose confidence with my other clubs in the bag. I also like a 5-iron, and I feel confident with a driver in my hands. But my 5-wood and 5-hybrid, I can take or leave them, and my utility wedge looks as good as new.
That’s the thing, we probably all have clubs in our bag that we rarely use, so perhaps we should think seriously about replacing those clubs with others that will give us more enjoyment and improve our score. PGA professional Katie Dawkins offers some suggestions in this article and there’s one club that I think I might be missing and that’s a chipper. I shouldn’t tempt fate, as I think I’ve played through those unmentionables, but it might be good to have one as a backup in case they rear their head. In the past, I’ve prayed that I reach the green in regulation or leave myself a full shot, anything other than having to chip – there is a limit to the length of putt you can hit! So, a chipper could be my comfort blanket, I know it’s there if I really need it.
If you’re a right-handed golfer, my favourite recommendation is a left-handed iron for those occasions when you’re stuck behind a hazard and there’s no other way out. Vice versa, buy a right-handed iron if you’re left-handed. I’m going to pass on that club for the time being because I don’t feel have enough time to practice right-handed, let alone left-handed, but it’s a great idea.
Happy practicing!
Alison Root
Women's Editor
Golf Monthly