Making a Choice Between Steel and Graphite Golf Clubs

The impact that a properly chosen golf club has on the way you play golf cannot be over emphasized; and can be gauged from the immediate improvement that becomes apparent the moment you replace an existing one with a club compatible with your playing style.

However, most beginners take it for granted that it is the player and not the club that wins a game and would be content to play with any cheap old golf club as long as they can swing it to hit the ball. It is only when the ball starts flying in the most unpredictable directions you begin to realize that perhaps you have got the wrong club to go with your style and swing. If you wish to play golf seriously, it is very important that you equip yourself with the proper type of golf club that compliments your style of play. Golf clubs can be customized to match with your preferences and requirements by adjusting the shaft length and/or density, the material and/or size of the head, besides a few other details. The material that goes into the making of the shaft would mostly be either steel or graphite. Which of the two you choose to use could significantly affect your performance.

Steel is the cheaper of the two; but its lower price should not be construed as an indication of inferior quality. Whether a steel or a graphite club would better serve you depends on your playing style and not on the cost factor. Steel clubs enjoy a longer life span in virtue of its higher durability. Although graphite clubs are comparatively much lighter than steel ones, many golfers like to feel the power of weight behind their shots. Steel is much stiffer and better suits those with high-speed swings. Graphite that is comparatively a lot more flexible is more suited to slow swingers that prefer to exercise better control when swinging. Fast swinging heavy steel clubs could pose dangers unless you counteract it by ensuring that you have a very firm and tight grip on their handles.

Graphite Clubs that are lighter and have a higher flex rating are not necessarily a better choice than their steel counterparts since that depends on any given individual’s playing style and preferences along with other relevant characteristics taken together. Graphite clubs with their greater flexibility are definitely better suited to slower stroke makers. There are four grades named Regular, Senior, Ladies and Extra Stiff under which a golf club flex is classified; but graphite clubs very seldom fall under the (XS) Extra Stiff rating which is a main characteristic of steel clubs. In order to select the best club type that feels very much like the type you are now well accustomed to, there is nothing like going to a club store and having some test swings. Before you decide on a new club you should make up your mind that you could go on with the same club through an entire game feeling the least discomfort.

As a beginner you could be overwhelmed by the amount of details to be considered before making a choice of your clubs for the future especially since clubs made of both types of material have their own advantages and disadvantages for players with different playing styles. If you cannot decide on what is best for you, entrust the task to a veteran golfer or a club store salesperson to do it for you.

They would be able to offer you valuable advice after studying the speed at which you swing and certain other characteristics of your general playing style by watching you go through some free swings. Once you have found the correct type that is very comfortable to your touch, feel natural to swing with and compliment your style of play altogether, it should be very much easier to decide the next time when you have to choose the ideal club made of steel or graphite depending on your playing style.