When buying golf clubs you should know some of these terms pertaining to equipment:

Bounce: The degree to which the sole of a club angles up and away from the ground plane when the club is in a square setup position. More bounce is better for soft sand and high, lush grass. Less bounce is needed for firm sand and turf.

Bulge: The curvature from heel to toe that corrects spin on miss hits.

Camber: the radius measurements of the sole form front to back or heel to toe.

Center of gravity (CG): A theoretical point that defines the average location of weight in a club head and the internal point about which a object rotates. A low cg helps to launch the ball higher.

Chamfer: A beveled or rounded edge connecting two surfaces.

Coefficient of restitution: Used by manufacturers to refer to spring like effect of a flexing club face. The USGA limit is .83 which is the energy transfer from club head to ball.

Leading edge: The forward edge of the sole, opposite of the trailing edge.

Momentum of inertia (MOI): the measure of a club’s resistance to twisting of off center hits. The USGA limit for drivers is 5,900 grams/centimeters squared.

Relief: The angling or curve up and back of the sole to reduce contact.

Skirt: The perimeter of a club head between the sole and crown.

You should look for distance clubs with titanium heads. They are very light, allowing you to generate more club head speed to get more distance, yet still more controllable than the largest of the oversize titanium heads.

For intermediate golfers, any shaft would work well. It’s important that you pick out the properties of a shaft that will help your game the most. The lightweight shafts have a lower flex point, which help you get the ball in the air quicker. The standard weight shafts have a higher flex point, which allows for better control. Graphite shafts and the True Temper Sensicore shafts have a bit softer feel.

Advanced
Advanced golfers need the weight of the club head where it is needed most… right behind the ball. The weight is more directly behind the ball, meaning a shot struck in the center of the club will explode off the club face.

The advanced golfer will want a driver with a large head so the sweet spot is larger and you have a better possibility of longer drives. Irons should be lightweight with the proper degree of loft for all situations.

If you are an advanced golfer, you probably already know what clubs work best for you and where you need to upgrade.

Test out various clubs and find which ones are good fits for you. Practice, if possible, with different styles and take note of those that give you the best results. When it comes to golf balls, you will want those that can give you the most distance and that aren’t too “hard”. There are many brands on the market that can fit into this mold, so test out a few and see which one you like the best.

So you’ve got your equipment, now let’s take a look at some of the basics of golf and a good, effective golf swing.

If you are trying to find a club that makes it easier to hit the ball into the air, you should look for irons that have more sole weighting. The sole is at the bottom of the club head and increasing the sole weighting lowers the center of gravity by putting the weight under the ball, which gets it into the air quicker.

Some club heads feature an “offset” design to help prevent your shots from spinning from left-to-right and keep the ball straighter in flight. When a club has an “offset” design the face of the club is slightly behind the hosel (the part of the club where the shaft connects to the head of the club). This design gives golfers and extra split second in their swing to get the face of the club back to the square position before striking the ball.

Another option for beginning golfers is to purchase a Titanium club. Stronger, denser, and lighter than steel, the head of titanium clubs can be made larger with the same amount of material. Having a larger club head means the size of the sweet spot will be larger. Since off-center shots make you lose distance, having a larger sweet spot means the club will be more forgiving if you do not strike the ball in the center of the club head.

When selecting a driver, keep in mind that the “larger the club head, the larger the sweet spot” rule applies. Drivers are going to have the largest face of all of your clubs, but choosing a driver with a “Big Head” will give you a little more room for error if you don’t hit the ball right in the middle of the club face (studies show that you can lose 10 yards of distance for every 1/8 inch you miss the sweet spot).

For fairway woods (for beginners this is usually the 3 or 5 wood), a club with a “low profile” design will make it easier to get the ball airborne. Low profile designs place most of the weight of the club head below the center of the ball, thus driving the ball into the air.

In addition the club head, beginning golfers should also consider the shaft when selecting a club. While shafts can be made of various materials, the most popular shaft for beginners is graphite. Graphite shafts tend to be the most forgiving for poorly hit shots because they absorb vibration from the impact like a shock absorber. This allows for not only a cleaner shot, but a much better feeling one also. Because graphite shafts are lighter weight than other materials (like steel shafts), you will be able to pick up more speed on your swing, which will give you more distance on your shot.

However, while steel shafts don’t feel as soft as graphite shafts, they do have some advantages. Made of a heavier material, steel shafts tend to be more accurate when the ball is properly struck. Thus, they are usually better for irons, since accuracy is more important than distance when you are hitting onto greens and at the pin.

Either way, the truth is golf carts can really help make the game more enjoyable by leaps and bounds. Nearly all courses have the option to use a golf cart and are covered with concrete cart paths to accommodate those using them. Most golf carts can safely carry two passengers and their clubs, though there are models made to carry a greater number of passengers.

Many golfers discourage the use of golf carts, stating the case that a course can only be experienced fully on foot. Many find, however, that it adds to the game by eliminating late-game fatigue created by walking.

Most golf courses incorporate used carts. They are the largest consumer of the golf cart market. There are two types of golf carts. Electric and gas powered. Electric carts are more popular, mainly because they’re quieter and less polluting. An overnight charge from a standard power outlet is usually enough for a full day’s use. Gas-powered carts are better for extended use in places where you can’t recharge an electric cart.

Before you take you privately owned golf cart to the course make sure you know the establishments rule regarding golf carts. Never – no matter what the local rules are – take a cart within 30 yards of the putting green, or within 15 yards of fairway bunkers or water hazards.

Nearly all courses have the option to use a golf cart and are covered with concrete cart paths to accommodate those using them. Most golf carts can safely carry two passengers and their clubs, though there are models made to carry a greater number of passengers.

Many golfers discourage the use of golf carts, stating the case that a course can only be experienced fully on foot. Many find, however, that it adds to the game by eliminating late-game fatigue created by walking.

The average golfer approaches the green from the rough more than half the time. Therefore, a ball that spins more could improve their chances of holding the green. Not only is the multiplayer, urethane covered ball going to give you more spin, it gives the better golfer more consistency too.

Even the average golfer could take advantage of the greenside performance benefits of a multiplayer urethane covered ball.

Not all evidence points to the urethane covered ball. Some officials believe that a launch monitor is the best way to help average golfers find the right ball.

The bottom line is the pocket book. Price is what had fueled several new multiplayer balls designed to offset the lack of spin in typical non urethane covered balls at a price that is 40 to 50 percent less than tour performance balls. Some golf ball feature multiple layers and special ionomer blends in the cover to improve spin.  Urethane is still the ultimate for a cover but the rules are now being questioned because of new materials.