Choosing the Right Golf Clubs and Balls for Your Game

"On the first tee, I kept telling myself, "Trust yourself, you can do it."" – Annika Sorenstam

Annika had it spot on. But what the professional golfers have that goes unsaid is the best golf gear on the market – or before it even hits the market. Golf clubs and golf balls have become infinitely more sophisticated over the past decade … for all golfers. Choosing the right ensemble can take hours and hours of research and testing. 

At Olde Cypress, our members can build their new set from Titleist, Callaway, XXIO, TaylorMade, and Cleveland Golf. They can choose their golf balls from Titleist, Callaway, and Srixon. It's time-consuming, but it's the sort of time that golfers love to consume! Here are a few tips and guidelines for choosing the right golf clubs and golf balls for your game.



1. Getting Started

Him, her? Fast swinger? Moderate swinger? Or, hey, how about a slower swinger? Nothing wrong with that. This mix is totally normal at most private, semi-private, and public courses in Naples. At Olde Cypress, Director of Golf, PGA, Joe Conforti, recommends talking to your head professional about what you need to get started based on your current performance levels. Sure, it's different for slower, moderate, and faster swingers, but what about him and her? Olde Cypress Assistant Golf Professional Courtney Johnson reminds us there have been extensive changes to women's clubs over the past few years. 

2. Test it, Bag it (Golf Balls)

Proper selection starts with swing speed and goes from there for golf balls. While they may not get all the media attention, two-piece golf balls are optimal for golfers with swing speeds between 60 and 80 mph. Three-piece golf balls are made by almost every OEM and range from 80 to 100 mph in swing speeds (and more). How about four and five pieces? Four is usually 100 to 110 mph, and five is 110 mph+ -- rarified air! You can always test/try out a few sleeves/brands and see what you like. Conforti reminds us that there's no reason to become loyal to a one, two, three, or four "piece" ball. You may want to shift up or down for distance and control if it is warm or cold. 

3. Club Up (or Down, Time to Test Clubs)
 
Now it's time to test and try out irons, hybrids, putters, drivers, fairway woods – the entire bag – if you're buying an entirely new set of clubs. As previously mentioned, Titleist, Callaway, XXIO, TaylorMade, and Cleveland Golf are "home" brands here at Olde Cypress and offer club fitting days on the range. There are other club-fitting experts in Naples for which you can try out several different brands. 

4. Putting it All Together (Go Lower!)

Whatever you choose, it's all about enjoying the game even more. Oh, and scoring a little (or a lot) lower while you're at it.

Interested in learning more about golf membership at Olde Cypress? Click here to contact Director of Membership and Marketing Melissa Hansen today.