How to Protect Your Golf Clubs from Damage: Helpful Tips
Golf clubs look fairly simple on the surface. You wouldn’t think of them getting damaged. And nothing of that sort may have happened to you ever. But on an unfortunate day, you notice a chip on your driver. How did that happen?
Well, while we don’t know how it happened, we can surely help you figure out some ways so that it doesn’t happen again. In this post, we’re going to share some helpful tips you can use when you travel with your clubs either by road or by air. Also, these tips should help ensure a longer lifespan for your clubs, generally speaking.
How to Protect Golf Clubs from Damage?
Unfortunate events don’t require permission before occurring. The same goes for your clubs getting damaged. As promised, this is the section where we learn how to keep them safe in the long run!
Keep them Clean
Yes, you read that right. A gesture as simple as keeping your clubs clean can go a long way. When you play with clubs at a course, they surely pick up the dust and debris from the grass. And moisture, depending on where you live.
If you let the dirt sit for a long time, it’s possible that it starts eating your club head. Or worse, you may start noticing rust on your irons.
We highly recommend carrying a towel in your golf bag at all times. After you’re done playing for the day, take the time to wipe each of the clubs down before you put them back into the bag. It might be too tiring to do after a long day at the course. But trust us, you won’t find the motivation to clean them after you go home.
Even if you have to clean the clubs at the parking spot of the course, do it.
Dry cleaning with a towel will get the job done in the short term. But it’s ideal that you find some time to do a deep clean, at least once every few months. Experts suggest that you use a bucket of lukewarm water infused with mild dish soap. This will also dislodge any minerals that might be building up on your club that can cause it to rust in the long run.
Choose the Right Golf Bag
Unless you live on the golf course, you’ll need to use a bag to carry all of your clubs and other accessories. Did you know that you can damage them by carrying them in the wrong bag?
This is why we recommend investing in a good quality golf bag before you do anything else. We have a guide on the best carry bags if you prefer walking on the course.
A good-quality bag will have appropriate compartments to put each type of club. Moreover, a good bag will work as a protective layer to save them from extreme handling at airports. We all know what that looks like, don’t we?
If you fly or travel frequently with your clubs, consider investing in a hard case. If you’ve seen hard cases for guitars compared to soft bags, the same concept applies. Hard cases have, well, a hard shell to protect your accessories from elements as well as direct impact.
Consider Detachable Heads
Golf club technology has come a long way in the last few decades. Along with titanium heads and graphite shafts, we now have the option to get clubs with detachable heads. As the head is the most important part of the club as well as the most vulnerable, it makes sense to invest in clubs with detachable heads.
For the most part, you can get drivers and woods in this construction. Irons are mostly single pieces so there’s no point looking for them. Even if you do find some detachable options for irons, they’ll be extremely pricey.
Invest in Driver Head Cover
The driver is the most expensive club in your set. It’s true for all golfers across the world. So, it makes sense to take extra measures to protect the delicate head of the drivers. That’s where the head covers come into play.
They not only protect your clubs from elements like dust and moisture but also provide protection from impact. When you pair it with the protection of a good golf bag, you can stay worry-free no matter what you do with your clubs. The airline baggage handlers can take a shot at damaging your driver, only to fail without even realizing it.
Add Some Extra Padding
If you’re not a hardcore player, it may not be feasible for you to invest in expensive head covers or hard cases. A bag is a must, though. And to further protect your clubs, you can pad them with non-golf items. Towels, maybe.
Towels surely come cheaper than head covers and clubs with detachable heads. Before you fly or travel for a longer period, consider wrapping the clubs tightly with towels. And don’t make the mistake of wrapping multiple clubs together as it defeats the purpose of padding in the first place.
Store Them Right
You might be a seasonal player who only plays during vacations. Or, you might live in an area where the courses are only open for a certain duration due to weather conditions. In that case, you need to pay attention to how you’re storing your clubs. Believe it or not, inaccurate storage is one of the main reasons behind damaged clubs!
It’s ideal that your storage location has climate control. If that’s a stretch, at least store them in a place with adequate air circulation. If there is no climate control, be sure to take them out every few weeks to check for moisture or other damages.
A very common mistake among new golfers is to put the clubs in their car trunks. During summer months, the temperature inside the trunk can get so hot that the clubs crack from inside! The same can happen in extremely cold temperatures!
Conclusion
Protecting your golf clubs from damage is not rocket science. Taking a few simple steps can help you increase the lifespan of your clubs. The most amazing thing is these steps don’t always include expensive accessories. Although it’s great if you can invest in them.