If you’ve never been fitted for clubs, upgrade these first.
As the number of women playing golf has grown, so has the popularity of women’s golf sets. But just because a set says it’s for women doesn’t mean that it’s actually the best fit for you. Golf Digest fitters recommend that everyone be fit for clubs to ensure you’re playing with gear that helps you get the most out of your game. If you are currently playing with a packaged set or were gifted an old set and are ready to start investing in clubs that fit you, our fitters have some advice.
Take a look at your wedges. Every packaged set is different, Keith Handler, a fitter at Aulenti Studio in Connecticut, says. “Some players will come in with only a pitching wedge. They need that stopping power, and they won’t get that with a pitching wedge. They’ll have more control around the greens if they have a sand wedge,” Handler explains.
And even if your set does have a sand wedge, you might want to get fitted for a new one.
“Sometimes packaged sets have two wedges, but the sand wedge is more of an iron head than a true wedge head,” Handler says. “It has the loft, but it’s still clunky, hard to get out of the sand, harder to control. That can make a big difference.”
When you go to be fitted, your fitter will have you hitting wedges in the game-improvement and super-game-improvement categories. These include wedges like the Cleveland CBZ and Callaway CB12, the Ping BunkR and the One wedge from Performance Golf.
Get a 5-hybrid
If there’s one club Handler sees women golfers benefit from having in their bag, it’s the 5-hybrid. “Getting from the fairway to the green, the 5-hybrid is the go-to club for a lot of women I work with,” Handler says. “It’s easier to hit off sidehill lies and out of the rough. It’s higher launching and easier to hit than some woods and 4-hybrids.”
If the set you’re using now doesn’t include a 5-hybrid, Handler suggests getting fitted for one. And if you do have a 5-hybrid, it’s still worth being fitted for a new one. The only way to know you’re getting the best launch and distance is to get in the fitting bay.