As the golf season draws to a close, it’s time to take care of your golf clubs, as they need careful inspection and maintenance to maintain their performance in the coming season. The experts at HIO Fitting have some valuable tips for golfers who want to optimally prepare their clubs for the winter break. They explain what is important to ensure that the equipment survives the winter break undamaged and is ready for the first rounds in spring.
HIO Guide: 9 Tips for Optimum Golf Club Care
1: Protect Clubs from Moisture
Moisture is the biggest enemy of all golf equipment. If clubs are exposed to moisture over the winter months, the risk of rust damage increases considerably. Clubs that are stored in an unheated, damp garage are particularly at risk. Rust can damage the material in the long term, cause rapid wear and tear and impair performance. It is therefore best to store the rackets in a dry place – for example indoors or in a heated garage – to prolong the life of the rackets.
2: Remove Dirt and Grime
All rackets should also be thoroughly cleaned before storage. Encrusted dirt and grass residue on the club faces not only impair the appearance but also the functionality of the grooves. A clean clubface is particularly important for wedges, as only clean grooves guarantee sufficient spin and control for the short game. A soft brush, soap and water should therefore be used to remove dirt from the club heads. Stubborn dirt in the grooves can be removed with a special groove brush or a groove cleaner. The club heads must then be dried completely.
3: Check Wedges
Wedges wear out faster than irons because they are used more frequently, are subjected to greater stress and the higher angle of inclination leads to more interaction with the ball. However, worn grooves can no longer generate the necessary spin, which has a negative effect on control in the short game. Wedges should therefore be checked regularly: If the grooves are flattened or uneven, either resharpening the grooves or replacing the wedges may be advisable.
4: Clean the Grips and Replace Them if Necessary
Grips are an often underestimated part of the club, but they have an enormous influence on the control of the club. Over time, sweat, dirt and dust accumulate on the grips, making them slippery and less ‘tacky’. A slippery grip leads to less control and can affect the feel during the swing. Who likes the feeling of the club almost slipping out of your fingers during the swing? The grip then becomes tighter and cramped – a bad shot is inevitable. The grips should therefore be cleaned thoroughly with soap and water to improve grip. If the grips are badly worn, we recommend regripping. This is also the ideal opportunity to give your own clubs a new look in your favourite colour.
5: Check Club Heads for Cracks and Bending and Shafts for Wear
Another important aspect of club maintenance is checking for structural damage. Over the course of the season, frequent use can lead to hairline cracks or bending of the club. Such damage is often invisible, but can have a negative impact on the stability and performance of the racket. The workshop experts at HIO Fitting can check the club heads for cracks or bends and repair them if necessary. If necessary, damaged club heads can be replaced with new ones.
In addition, the experts at HIO Fitting often find that some golf bags are not padded enough, causing them to ‘scrape’ against the shafts while being carried or pushed. As a result, material gradually wears away from the shaft. This happens particularly with drivers, woods and hybrids. The shaft, and therefore the club, loses a lot of its consistency and can even break in the worst case. The shafts in particular should therefore be checked for wear.
6: Have Loft and Lie Checked
The correct loft and lie setting is crucial for the performance and consistency of the clubs. Regular use – especially from the mat – can cause loft and lie to become misaligned. A change in tilt affects the distance and direction of the ball flight. In addition, the swing and speed of the players also change, which is why the angles should always be adjusted. Therefore, the loft and lie of the clubs should be checked regularly, especially before the start of the new season, by a professional fitter who will adjust the clubs precisely.
7: Analyse Wear Patterns
Analysing the wear on the clubface provides valuable information about possible swing faults. For example, one-sided wear on the heel can indicate that the ball is being hit too far inwards. Such an analysis can therefore help to recognise weaknesses in the swing and work on them in a targeted manner. This means that the winter break can be used optimally to improve the swing in order to start the next season with optimised technique.
8: Recognise Gaps in the Bag
It is a good idea to measure the shot distance for a gapping analysis in order to recognise gaps in the bag. Especially if new clubs have been added to the bag during the course of the season, this can result in unwanted overlaps or gaps. With a Foresight Simulator or another launch monitor and the support of a fitter, these gaps can be precisely measured and analysed to ensure that all distances are actually covered by the clubs in the bag.
9: Use Personalisation Options
Finally, freshly fitted equipment deserves a personalised touch. The experts at HIO Fitting therefore offer the option of applying individual stampings, laserings or colourings to clubs, for example. This not only ensures an unmistakable design, but also ensures that you identify with your equipment in a very special way.
Conclusion: Regular Care Pays Off!
Caring for your golf clubs at the end of the season is an important part of maintaining your equipment in the long term. From removing dirt and moisture to inspecting the club heads and analysing the distance – targeted care and maintenance will ensure that your clubs perform at their best again next season.
(Written by HIO Fitting)