The ProClubs Guideto buying used golf clubs online

Used Golf Clubs? What you need to know. Golf is a great game – but it can also be an expensive one! That's why so many players who want to use great golf equipment, but have a limited budget to spend, buy quality used golf clubs rather than spending the same amount of money on new clubs that aren’t as good.

You may be able to buy quality used golf clubs from your local professional shop, but you'll often pick-up the best bargains on eBay – where there's a competitive market for used golf clubs. However, just like you would if you were going to buy a new set, don't be afraid of asking a professional for a fitting before-hand, even if you need to fib a little and tell him you're considering buying a new set of clubs from him.

The most important part of any fitting is usually the shaft, as playing with the wrong shaft can be a serious impediment to your game. If you play with shafts that are too stiff for you, there's a good chance you'll hit the ball lower than ideal and to the right. Equally, if you play with shafts that are too flexible for you there's a good chance you'll hit the ball too high and to the left. Once you've had a fitting, you should know what sort of shafts will suit you, enabling you to browse the used-club section of eBay until you find your perfect match.

Drivers And Fairway WoodsLet's face it, most of us want to hit a driver as far as we possibly can, it's part of the fun of golf, but accuracy is also a key component of driving. Therefore, it’s important to get a driver with a loft that maximizes your power and accuracy – and, again, a fitting can highlight the correct loft for your game.

The heads of most modern drivers are made to the legal limit of 460CC, but they can look very different – so don’t be afraid to also browse your local pro-shop to also get an idea of a driver you like the look of – be it TaylorMade, Titleist, Cleveland, Callaway or Ping. Meanwhile, most of the drivers released over the last few years are made from a Carbon Composite, whilst the ones before that were made from Titanium – and both these substances allow manufacturers to create bigger heads – and more forgiving Sweet-Spots.

Many modern drivers are also adjustable, allowing players to alter the loft of the face to combat or make the most of weather conditions, or set them up to minimize problems with a hook or a slice. Some models are also pre-set to do this job, and are called Draw or Off-Set.

You may also want to buy one or two fairway woods that match your driver, and a 3-wood and a 5-wood are the usual choice. These are a good alternative off the tee if your driver is misbehaving, and perfect for approach shots to long par-4s or par-5’s.

IronsWhen I first started playing golf, a set of 9 irons came as standard: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, Pitching Wedge and Sand Wedge. However, manufacturers have started to make sets to suit a variety of players, and there is now more flexibility.

Many players, even professionals, have swapped their 3 or 4 irons, or both, for hybrid clubs (a cross between an iron and a wood) that are designed to get the ball in the air easier, and are easier to hit out of the rough. Some sets incorporate these hybrids, whilst you can now also buy sets of irons from 4 or 5 iron upwards, and then add your own choice of hybrids. Many sets also now come without a sand iron, as many players copy the modern professionals who carry 3 or 4 wedges. Therefore, many amateurs buy 2 or 3 additional wedges. These would usually be either a Gap-Wedge (50 or 52 degrees), a sand-wedge (54 or 60 degrees) and/or a lob-wedge (58, 60 or 64 degrees).

Irons can also come in different styles, and these are either blades or perimeter weighted. Most players opt for perimeter weighting as these are more forgiving on off-centre hits. However, in the hands of a really good golfer, the feel of a blade from the likes of Mizuno can be a beautiful thing.

PuttersPutting, or “the game within a game”, is another important consideration. Most players may get more fun from hitting a driver 300-yards but, whilst you may only hit your driver 14-times a round, you’ll use your putter for between 1 and 3 shots per hole. Therefore, it’s important to find a putter that suits you.

There are so many different styles of putter available, from fantastic designers such as Scotty Cameron, or the very popular range of Odyssey Putters, to the special red Taylor-Made putter that world-number-one Jason day now sports – that it’s impossible to recommend just one. Therefore, the best way to find one that suits you is to try out as many different ones as possible.

Things To ConsiderThere are several general points to consider when buying used golf clubs, be them drivers, fairway woods, irons, utility clubs, wedges or putters, and these include wear and tear, loft and lie, shaft-flex, and value for money.

Wear And TearUsed clubs will usually show signs of wear and tear, and the main things to avoid are clubs that are so old or overused that the grooves in the face are worn. This means that the grooves won’t impart the correct amount of back-spin, and therefore the ball won’t fly correctly. You also want to avoid dents in the club face as these can send your ball in the

wrong direction, even if it’s just slightly, whilst big marks in the sole of the club (usually caused by hitting a stone) can make the club sit at the wrong angle at address. Meanwhile, try and avoid wear and tear on the shaft as this could mean they are more prone to snapping. You also don’t want worn grips, as these will need to be replaced, or make sure you factor in the cost of re-gripping before you make a bid.

Loft And LieMany set are made as factory standard but, if you’re taller or smaller than average, you’d probably benefit from having different length clubs (usually irons). You may also benefit from having the lie altered, which is basically the angle between the head and the shaft. However, if you have a professional fitting, this will be explained to you in more detail – and you can then browse used clubs until you find ones to suit.

Shaft FlexI’ve already mentioned shaft-flex, but I’m mentioning it again because it’s a massive consideration. Basically, if you have a quick swing speed you will generally need stiff shafts, whilst average swing speeds suit regular shafts, and slow wing speeds will probably benefit from light-shafts or senior-shafts. However, there is so much variation and choice, that a fitting will give you an accurate assessment of your needs.

Value For MoneyDon’t be afraid to browse a few auctions before you buy, just so you’ve got a good idea of what prices certain clubs sell for. However, you do get what you pay for in this life, so don’t be afraid to pay that little bit extra for the used golf clubs that will ideally suit your game – especially if you’re going to play a lot of golf.

ProClubs.com has bought and sold hundreds of thousands of golf clubs online.

We pride ourselves on great value, great service, and honest evalua:on of everything that we sell.

Visit ProClubs.com