Top gear posts of 2021: “5 obvious signs it’s time to buy new golf clubs”

Happy Holidays from our gear team at GOLF.com. To bring you into the New Year the right way, we’re counting down our top 21 equipment related stories from 2021. For the latest gear news, check out our dedicated equipment section, and click here to listen to GOLF’s Fully Equipped weekly podcast. 

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Purchasing brand new equipment every year isn’t a realistic option for most golfers, but using the same clubs for years and even decades can be detrimental to performance. That presents a bit of a dilemma.

So the question is, when is it worth it to actually buy new equipment? In GOLF.com’s 21st most read story of 2021, we provided 5 tell-tale signs it may be time for an upgrade to the bag.

Of course, the absolute best way to know whether it’s time for new clubs is to see a trusted professional fitter or local professional. They can help you navigate the market, get you fit into the right equipment, and then you can decide whether the juice is worth the squeeze.

For those who prefer to skip the step of consultation, below are 5 signs it could be time to buy new sticks for 2022. Don’t forget to read the original article in it’s entirety here.

1) Too much spin

In order to optimize accuracy and distance, dialing in your spin rate is imperative. Many modern golf clubs, especially drivers, are designed to help reduce spin to help golfers avoid the golf ball ballooning in the air and losing distance. If you’re using an older driver and you notice the ball is spinning way too much, you could be missing out on big distance gains by not switching into modern, spin-reducing technology.

2) Not enough height

Golf club engineers are ridiculously smart, and every year they figure out new weighting schemes and designs to help higher-handicap golfers hit the ball higher and farther. Many golfers who have slower swing speeds miss out on distance and forgiveness by hitting the ball too low. If your golf ball is launching low, and you struggle holding the green on your approach shot, modern game-improvement technology can be a savior.

3) Your playing partners are passing you by

Do you have regular playing partners who you used to keep up with, and all of the sudden they’re 10-15 yards longer than you? That could be because they’ve upgraded into newer equipment while you’re stuck in the previous decade. Technology has come a long way in a quick period of time, so if your competition is passing you by, it could be time to try it out for yourself.

4) Poor divot pattern

Getting the right sole and bounce on your irons and wedges is crucial to hit the ball crisply off of the turf. Since every golf swing is different, though, you’ll want to try various options in the market. For example, if you’re taking divots that are way too deep, you’re likely costing yourself strokes and may need irons and wedges with wider soles and more bounce. That will help you shallow out those divots and hit the ball closer to the center of the face.

5) Wear and tear is beyond repair

The most obvious reason to upgrade into new equipment is wear and tear on your old equipment. The most critical pieces of equipment to upgrade when they wear down are your wedges. When the grooves get smoothed out over time, you’re reducing friction between the golf club and the ball, and you’ll lose spin and control around the greens. If your golf ball is coming out like a knuckle ball, and the grooves have been flattened out over the years, a new wedge can help you hit those low spinners once again.

Andrew Tursky

Golf.com Editor

Andrew Tursky is the Senior Equipment Editor at GOLF Magazine and GOLF.com.