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A guide to buying junior golf equipment

Published

2 years ago

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Junior golf equipment has come a long way in the past ten years. Gone are the days of used adult clubs that were cut down for juniors. It is fine to get a 2, or 3-year-old child started with some simple plastic clubs, but as kids get older, they need a set of golf clubs that are made with their body in mind.

Today there are several manufacturers making clubs specifically for juniors. Even with all these different types of clubs to choose from, there still are a few important things to consider when buying junior clubs. Length is the first consideration. The key is to find a set of clubs that is the right length for the junior golfer but also a set that the junior can grow with. Remember that it is all right for the junior to choke or grip down on the club. You just don’t want them to move their hands down the grip too much.

The basic rule is this: if the junior is choking down more than 1.5 to 2 inches, he or she is choking down too much. If they choke down more than 2 inches, the club is too long, and they may form habits that may be difficult to change. A set of clubs where the junior only has to grip down an inch allows them to make a normal swing at the ball and probably get two seasons out of the clubs.

Try not to let your junior play with a driver that is too long. At some point, they’re going to try and play with an adult driver before they’re ready. A driver that is too long can lead to timing problems and coming into the ball at a flat angle which makes it hard to hit the ball on the center of the face.

The next consideration is shaft flex. The main problem with the old cut-down set of golf clubs is the stiffness of the shafts. When you take 4 to 5 inches of length off a golf club, you make the shaft extremely stiff. This is the reason that junior golfers can’t hit the ball high with a cut-down set of clubs. One benefit of new junior sets is that the manufacturers are making shafts that are the right flex for a kid’s swing speed.

Using lightweight steel and graphite has made junior golf clubs more playable. The shafts of junior clubs today are so flexible that you can bend them with your hands. So check and make sure that your child’s set of clubs has a nice flexible shaft. Does your child need to be professionally fit for clubs? The general rule is that until they are 60 inches tall, they’ll be fine with a set of junior clubs from a good manufacturer.

After they reach 5 feet, experienced junior players really benefit from having each club fit for their game. The weight of the golf club is also very important to junior golfers. If the club is overly heavy, the child will struggle to take the club to the top of the backswing. The struggle to get the club back causes manipulation of the swing that will result in inconsistent shots.

A lighter club will help the junior get the club in the correct position at the top and lead to an easily repeatable swing. Just like with shaft flex, most club companies make junior clubs with lighter heads and shafts. So before you buy, just make sure you check the weight of the club and make sure it fits your junior’s age.

The size of the grip is also important. Grip size for kids is a new thought in the last few years. In the past, clubs were cut down, and any grip that fit the shaft was put on. The problem of oversized grips is the same for kids as adults. If the grip feels like a baseball bat, it’s going to change the swing mechanics.

Look for junior grips on their new set of clubs. If you’re changing grips, ask for junior grips with a core of 0.50. These thinner grips will make a difference in your kid’s game. There are now golf balls made for juniors. Here is the general rule for kids and golf balls. Most juniors swing speed is less than 80 MPH, so they can’t handle a lot of the balls on the market.

US Kids Golf makes two balls for juniors. One for kids with a swing speed less than 70 MPH and another for swing speeds around 90 MPH. These balls offer a softer core and more spin to keep the ball in the air and results in more distance. Other than US Kids, a ladies ball will help a lot of juniors that don’t produce a lot of speed.

Lastly, how many clubs does my kid need? Most experts agree that if a child starts at an early age, 4 or 5 years old, they need two clubs to start… a putter and a pitching wedge. Why a wedge instead of a driver? Because the length of the pitching wedge is short and it’s easy to get in the air. Longer clubs are obviously harder to get airborne and can lead to frustration.

As the junior progresses, add a 7 iron, then a hybrid, and then a 3-wood or driver. Those 5 clubs will get him/her through the first couple of years of golf. Once the junior has enough swing speed to make a noticeable difference in distance between irons, then they need 10 or 12 clubs in the bag. As a general rule, this usually happens around 10 years old for experienced juniors.

As adults, we realize how tough golf can be and how much the right equipment can help our games. By keeping these considerations in mind when buying junior golf equipment, you can help your junior play better golf, and more importantly, have more fun on the golf course.

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Whats in the Bag

Cameron Young WITB 2024 (March)

Published

17 hours ago

on

Mar 25, 2024

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  • Cameron Young WITB accurate as of the Valspar Championship. 

Driver: Titleist TSR3 (9 degrees)
Shaft: Accra Tour Z5 65 M5

2-wood: Titleist TSR 2W Prototype (13 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K White 80 TX

Irons: Titleist T200 (3), Titleist T100 (4-5), Titleist 631.CY Prototype (6-9)
Shafts: MMT Utility 105 TX (3), True Temper Dynamic Gold X7 (4-9)

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F, 52-12F, 58-08M, 60-04T @62)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold X7

Putter: Scotty Cameron Phantom 5.5 Tour Prototype

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Align

Ball: Titleist Pro V1 Left Dot

 

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Equipment

Best hybrids 2024: Expert fitters recommend the hybrids for your game

Published

20 hours ago

on

Mar 25, 2024

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At GolfWRX, we believe the best hybrid for your game is going to be the one that gives you the greatest opportunity to both score and save shots during your round of golf.

In 2024, we have seen a continued expansion of hybrid options from every manufacturer with models designed to fit golfers of all skill levels and clubhead speeds. Some manufacturers offer models all the way down to 8-iron-replacement lofts.

That being said, ultimately the best way to find the best hybrid or hybrids for you is to work with a professional fitter using a launch monitor and gap them accordingly. The difficult part is a lot of people don’t have easy access to fitters, launch monitors, and club builders — so at GolfWRX, we have done a lot of the work for you.

We want to give you the tools and information to go out and find what works best for you, and we’re offering recommendations based on exactly what you need from your hybrids.

We have again broken our 2024 best hybrid list into two categories.

  • Best hybrid for golfers seeking forgiveness
  • Best hybrid for golfers seeking versatility

We reached out to our trusted fitters to discuss how they sort through the hybrid club options available to golfers. Forgiveness and versatility were the highest-ranked choices.

Most versatile hybrids of 2024

Titleist TSR2

“Forgiving speed and performance,” is the branding for the TSR2. TSR2 hybrids remain slightly longer with a classical shape. Center of gravity is lower and deeper in the TSR2 for higher launch and maximum forgiveness.

For more information, check out our launch piece.

Ping G430

In all of the G430 fairway woods and hybrids, Ping developed Carbonfly Wrap in a bid to deliver more distance by positioning the CG closer to the face line in design to maximize ball speed, resulting in higher, longer carries. The lightweight composite crown wraps into the heel and toe sections of the skirt, creating weight savings of 10 grams, which are reallocated to achieve a lower CG and increase ball speed.

For more information, check out our launch piece.

Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke

Leveraging the company’s new Ai Smart Face, Callaway’s Paradym Ai Smoke hybrid has been reshaped and features a larger profile for greater forgiveness and a refined sole camber for better turf interaction. The Tungsten Speed Cartridge is positioned in the front of the club for lower spin and ease of launch.

For more information, check out our launch piece.

TaylorMade Qi10 Rescue

The Qi10 Rescue is designed with an all-new Carbon Crown that helps free up weight for improved weight distribution in the heads. The club has split internal weighting to achieve more distance and a higher launch.

For more information, check out our launch piece.

TaylorMade Qi10 Tour Rescue

The Qi10 Tour Rescue model features a C300 face with a more compact look and a higher-toe design. It’s designed for better players who seek to combine distance and control with iron-like turf interaction, workability, and precision.

For more information, check out our launch piece.

Most forgiving hybrids of 2024

TaylorMade Qi10 Max Rescue

Qi10 Max Rescue clubs are designed with all-new Carbon Crowns that help free up weight for improved weight distribution in the heads. The Qi10 Max has an ultra-low CG (center of gravity) and a shallow face height for even higher launch and greater forgiveness.

For more information, check out our launch piece.

Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke HL

Designed for players with moderate to average swing speeds who are looking to hit the ball higher to maximize carry distance, the Paradym Ai Smoke HL leverages the company’s new Ai Smart Face. It features a larger profile for greater forgiveness and a refined sole camber for better turf interaction. The Tungsten Speed Cartridge is positioned in the front of the club for lower spin and ease of launch.

For more information, check out our launch piece.

Ping G430

In all of the G430 fairway woods and hybrids, Ping developed Carbonfly Wrap in a bid to deliver more distance by positioning the CG closer to the face line in design to maximize ball speed, resulting in higher, longer carries. The lightweight composite crown wraps into the heel and toe sections of the skirt, creating weight savings of 10 grams, which are reallocated to achieve a lower CG and increase ball speed.

For more information, check out our launch piece.

Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Max Fast

The Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Max Fast is designed for moderate-swing-speed players. In addition to Ai Smart Face, Max Fast features a larger profile for greater forgiveness and a refined sole camber for better turf interaction. The Tungsten Speed Cartridge is positioned in the front of the club for lower spin and ease of launch.

For more information, check out our launch piece.

Titleist TSR1

Titleist’s new TSR1 hybrids are built with a larger, “wood-like” size to help golfers find more speed and forgiveness. They’re also built 0.5 inches longer than standard to provide additional assistance in creating speed.

For more information, check out our launch piece.

Best hybrid of 2024: Meet the fitters

Conclusion

The fitters consulted for this piece have accumulated data from thousands of fittings with golfers just like you. From beginners to tour players, their feedback and information can’t be undervalued.

Join the discussion about the best hybrids of 2024 in the forums.

 

 

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Whats in the Bag

Nelly Korda WITB 2024 (March)

Published

22 hours ago

on

Mar 25, 2024

By

  • Nelly Korda’s WITB accurate as of her win at the Fir Hills Seri Pak Championship.

Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 Max (10.5 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana GT 60 S

3-wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Red 7 S

5-wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 (21 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 7 S

Hybrid: Ping G425 (26 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue HB 7 S

Irons: TaylorMade P770 (5), TaylorMade P7MC (6-PW)
Shafts: AeroTech SteelFiber i80 cw

Wedges: TaylorMade MG4 (50-09SB, 54-SB), Vokey Design WedgeWorks (58-T)
Shafts: AeroTech SteelFiber i95 cw

Putter: Scotty Cameron Special Select Squareback 2 Prototype

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet

Ball: TaylorMade TP5x

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WITB

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