3balls Golf
It’s no secret that you can save a bundle buying pre-owned ladies golf clubs, but there’s a bit of an art to finding a real deal. Unlike with buying new drivers, where you can be reasonably assured that whatever you get will be in primo shape, used clubs come in all sorts of conditions — from nearly new to a little beaten up. You can generally trust the grading systems of reputable online dealers or pro shops, but when you’re shopping anywhere else, it’s important to know how to choose the best used golf clubs for women.
There are always club-specific checks to make, but whether you’re shopping for yourself or want to get one of the many women in your life interested in the game of golf, you need to run down this general checklist when looking for used women’s drivers:
Club Gender
Buying golf clubs isn’t quite like buying other sports equipment that seems to be arbitrarily gendered. Although some women certainly play with men’s clubs, beginning players should stick to women’s drivers. Driver manufacturers don’t simply splash some pink or purple paint on their sticks and call them women’s drivers — they actually re-engineer their clubs to work better with the way a woman’s body moves. From her slower average swing speed to her tendency to swing downward more than her male counterpart, the female golfer is designed a little differently and needs her equipment to reflect that.
Shaft Length
Because women golfers are shorter than male golfers, they obviously need shorter driver shafts. Shafts measuring from 42 to 44 inches are considered ideal for average female golfers. However, when you’re buying pre-owned ladies golf clubs, you have to be extra careful to ensure that the shaft you’re buying isn’t a stiffer men’s shaft that’s been cut down, otherwise the lady golfer you have in mind may never get her ball in the air. Women’s shafts, like those designed for seniors, tend to be a little more flexible to help maximize the force applied to the ball from these players’ slower swing speeds.
Weight
Some women will end up preferring men’s clubs — and there’s no crime in that — but all female golfers need to keep the weight of the entire driver in mind when choosing their club. Lightweight drivers require less force to swing, so more of the power behind any given swing ends up behind the ball. Even certain women’s clubs can be too heavy for some players, so make sure you swing the driver you’re looking to purchase (or a similar likeness borrowed from a friend or your neighborhood pro shop) long before you settle on a specific model.
Shopping for used golf clubs for women can be a stressful process, especially when you find a driver that seems like a deal and turns into a real dog. At 3balls.com, we make buying used golf clubs easy — our simple grading system ensures you get the club you want at a price you’re happy with.
