Golf Equipment
by Jonathon Hardcastle
Every game of golf is based on playing a number of holes in a given order. More particularly, golf is a sport where individuals or teams hit a ball into a hole using various clubs. Golf is one of the few games where no fixed standard playing area is necessary, but it is defined by a certain number of rules and it does need some particular equipment to be properly played if one dreams to going low, shooting that perfect score.
There are a mind-blowing number of choices of equipment used for golf at the disposal of today's players. This indeed makes it much harder for golfers-especially amateurs-to know which products will best fit their individual games' needs. The fact of the matter is that playing with equipment that do not fit a golfer's particular needs and experience can produce more harm than good, both in terms of scoring and enjoyment. Thus, collecting as much information as possible and learning the basics apart from any new technological developments on the golf equipments used today, becomes a must; both for golfers to make well-informed buying decisions and to get the most out of their games.
According to the golf game's rules a player cannot carry more than fourteen clubs during a game. Thus, most of today's golf players do possess multiple clubs but always carry no more than this maximum permitted club number. The major types of clubs are three and are referred to as woods, irons (wedges) and putters. Woods are used by golfers when they wish to go for a long shot from the tee or fairway, while irons are used mainly to cover precision purposes, like shots from fairways as well as from the rough. Wedges, which are iron clubs, are used for games played on difficult grounds, such as sand or the rough, and in order to approach shots to the green. But when a golf player is on the green, putters are mostly used. These clubs can also be useful when playing from bunkers or for some approach shots.
Apart from the number of clubs needed for a given game, the golfer has to carry golf balls and golf shafts. With a surface that has a pattern of 300-400 dimples designed to improve the ball's aerodynamics, modern golf balls have a two-, three-, or four-layer design constructed from various synthetic materials. But depending on the method of construction and the materials used, a golf ball's characteristics can be greatly affected-such as distance, trajectory, spin and feel. Golf shafts are used between the grip and the "club head". The profile of the golf shaft is circular in shape, while some of the strongest and lightest materials are used for its production. Graphite and tempered steels are used for the best strength. The latest, USGA approved, profiles are the Triangle Golf Shafts or Trigraphite Shafts, introduced in 2006.
Finally, golf tees are used to place the golf balls on top before hitting them with the golf clubs. Usually made of wood or plastic tees resemble nails with a small cup on their heads and are pushed into the ground for the balls to rest upon. Most of a golfer's equipment items are carried in golf bags and golfers prefer to wear special shoes with exchangeable spikes attached to the soles for a better grip onto the grass. Some also prefer wearing gloves that help their grip when handling the golf club and prevent blistering from occurring.
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