The Myth of the Fancy Tool

It’s highly likely that you don’t need a new golf club (or multiples). Chances are your current set is perfect – that they are good enough and can allow you to play your best golf.

My first set of golf clubs were purchased from Kmart. My Grandparents bought them for me and the total set was worth around $100. They were cheap and nasty but looking back on it I played some great golf with them.

Despite the clubs not being matched and having the odd bend in the shafts I learned to play golf with those relics. When the time came to change them (they were in a state of disrepair!) I had maximised everything I could get out of them. After two years I was scoring around par and could beat most of the older golfers who were using expensive brand name clubs.

I’m not trying to gloat here – my point is that many golfers wrongly believe that a new set of clubs are the answer to a better game. Usually it is not.

There is no colleration between playing great golf and owning good equipment. None.

The big golf manufacturers would have us believe that it’s possible to buy I better game. Again, I don’t think we can. You might get a little surge in confidence, but your old game will return before long.

I call it the myth of the fancy tool

A friend and client of mine is obsessed with his clubs. He is buying a new club (or set) every other month and hassling me with questions like, “should I have a 65 gram shaft or a 55 gram shaft?” or “do I need a low or high kick point?”.

His handicap? High 20’s. Would different golf clubs help him? I don’t think so. It really doesn’t matter.

If you believe in fancy tools you still have to learn to play. Find your own golf swing and learn to bring that to the course. There is no getting away from that and one reason why golf is such a great game.

Believing in the myth of a fancy tool usually results in you hiding from the truth. You’re hiding from the fact that you have weaknesses and you don’t know how to fix them. You are hoping against all hope that a new tool will deliver you a magical quick fix. This rarely happens.

What’s my solution?

Own a good set of golf clubs. You don’t have to buy the best, something good will do the job (I still think your current set is all you’ll ever need).

Then play. Forget about shaft flex, lie angle and all the rest of it. Play golf and ignore the distraction of your tools. Learning to play golf is the number one skill – a fancy tool gives a poor golfer an excuse to hide behind. One reason why there are so many hackers with the latest Callawey.

This post was inspired by the fact that I took ownership of some new irons over the weekend. After eight years my Maxfli irons needed retirement and I’ve scored some top line equipment. I’ve played two games with them – both rounds have been poor because I’m thinking too much about the clubs and not enough on playing golf. It’s time to get bact to normal.