3balls Golf
Men and women are different in so many ways. The one difference that immediately comes to mind is physical.
Generally speaking, men are taller and, because male bodies have more muscle mass, are stronger than women’s. It’s just the way Mother Nature dealt the cards.
So because of physical body differences, golf clubs are made differently for men and women. The main differences are in the following club parts:
Length
Ladies’ clubs are generally shorter then men’s, as much as 2 inches according to Callaway and Ping. Proper club length is key to helping you maximize swing power and ball control.
Shafts
The majority of golf clubs for women have graphite shafts, because graphite allows for more flex in the club shaft than steel. More flex permits the player to get more power at impact and to generate more torque without having to swing harder or faster. Graphite is recommended for women, because they do not have as much upper body strength as men and do not generate as much clubhead speed as men. Graphite shafts also weigh less than steel, making them lighter and easier to swing.
Grips
Women are physically smaller than men and so are their hands. This means that the grips on women’s clubs are generally smaller in length and in diameter than men’s, which allows them to grasp the club properly.
Clubheads
The clubheads on women’s clubs are often slightly larger and lighter in weight than those used in men’s clubs, according to Callaway Golf. Why? A larger head allows for a larger impact area and more forgiving contact. Less weight makes it easier to swing for women (remember: women generally tend to have less muscle strength and slower swing speeds than men).
OK, so those are the differences in the clubs themselves. To find out which specific clubs employ some of these things effectively for women golfers, read on.
Let’s start where your round will: on the tee. And instead of choosing just one driver, you can get multiple drivers in one with TaylorMade’s Rocketballz Stage 2 Driver (RBZ2), courtesy of its Loft Technology.
Loft Technology enables golfers to change the loft angle of the club from 9.5 to 12 degrees. You use an included torque wrench to remove the head of the RocketBallz driver and re-attach it in any one of three settings to change the face angle (closed, open, square) in addition to the varying loft options. The original RocketBallz Driver (from 2012) is a good choice, too.
Once you’re in the fairway, everyone has a tough time hitting long irons, man or woman. A hybrid—a cross between irons and woods—is one solution. A great option is the Callaway X Hot hybrid or utility club, a 2013 Hot List club, which harnesses some advanced technology including a Speed Frame face that allows a hot steel face insert to be welded onto the face frame for faster ball speeds. Another aspect used to increase speed is the weight of the X Hot utility. Callaway added a nice light Project X Velocity shaft as the stock option that is excellent quality and very stable without being too stiff or heavy.
As for irons, Titleist’s AP1 710s are a good choice. AP1s are game improvement irons, for beginners and mid-high handicappers. They are designed to be more forgiving, but do know they offer less control. The most recent incarnation of the AP1 includes a reduced face thickness to provide enhanced heel, toe, and deep weighting to the frame and moving the tungsten nickel material to the sole, resulting in increased stability and forgiveness. The design is straightforward and simple, something a traditionalist will appreciate.
And when you get close to the green, there’s always the trusty Vokey wedges from Titleist. These are widely regarded as the best around by many in the golfing world, so if you need a sand, lob, gap, or pitching wedge, you can purchase one of these with supreme confidence. And if you’re willing to spend a little more, you can get them personally fitted by club creator Bob Vokey himself.
These are some good club selections to think about for any female golfer starting out or looking to upgrade their existing equipment. However, as always you can only learn what club is best for you and your game by trying it out on the range or the course. A great way to do this is by purchasing gently used clubs, that way you are saving a great deal of money up front and you can always trade them back in if they are not for you! Good luck and happy shopping.
Photo credit: Horizon League / Foter / CC BY-NC-ND
