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You've
recently bought a new club-or maybe an entire set-and the
first time out, your game wasn't miraculously better.
Don't panic. Most golfers-even the pros-have to go
through an adjustment period with new sticks. Here's how
to smooth out your "getting acquainted" period.
FIRST THINGS FIRST
Whether you're switching woods, irons, wedges, or
a putter, remember this: Timing is everything. If
you change clubs when you're playing or swinging poorly (and
expect the clubs to cure your slump), you'll be frustrated
when your bad swing habits carry over to the new
equipment. It's unrealistic to expect any club to fix,
or compensate for, your swing flaws. So change clubs
only when your game is in a good groove.
Once your swing is sound, you're ready to proceed. If
possible, keep your old clubs around until the adjustment
period is over to help you acclimate to their
replacements. Keep in mind also that a golf pro may help
you get the most out of the fine-tuning process.
PUTTER
Many experts agree that a new putter is the
easiest club to adjust to. It also also has the biggest
psychological impact on your game. The puttting stroke
is so simple and precise, and the putter's visual function-the
look of the head and the face, its size and feel-is key to a
golfer's confidence and feel.
If you're contemplating a major overhaul, it may be wise to
start with the putter. You'll see an immediate change,
which will prepare and inspire you for further
alterations. When breaking in a new putter, practice
with it as much as you can, from all distances. And use
the same type of ball you normally play to get used to the
feel.
DRIVER
If the putter is the easiest club to change, the
driver likely is the toughest. Why? Expectations.
You're probably trying to gain distance off the tee, which is
fine as long as you don't lose control or consistency.
You'll certainly have to get use to one or more factors:
club head size: shaft length, flex, or material; sweet spot size
and location; even how high you tee the ball.
Getting use to a huge club head is a big psychological
factor. Pros advise overcoming a club's immenseness by
going to the range and sticking impact tape on the face to see
exactly where contact is being made. You may need to
adjust how close you stand to the ball at address. A
large club head also tends to make golfers over swing in an
effort to crush the tee shot. Instead, try slowing your
tempo. The latest driver shafts are lighter and longer,
but they twist less at impact. So take an easy swing,
and let the shaft and club do the work for you.
FAIRWAY WOODS
For most players, the 3-wood is a war
horse: Good players use it to hit par fives in two and
off the tee on narrow holes; high handicappers make it their
driver and often hit it again on the second shot. It's
important to test your 3-wood at the range and be sure that
the combination of shaft flex and clubface loft get the ball
airborne quickly, from both the tee and grass. If either
causes you trouble, have a club fitter tweak the club until you
see positive feedback.
If you've added a high-lofted fairway wood, such a a 7 or
9-wood, remember to hit down on the ball like you would with
an iron. Play it in a 4-iron ball position and the wide
sole won't get caught in the grass. Most misses with
fairway woods are thin shots that result from upper-sweeping
swings. If you hit down on a steeper angle, it'll get up
quickly.
If you are trading in a fairway wood for an iron-wood hybrid
club, you may need to adjust to a lighter, shorter
shaft. Plus, hybrid clubs have more offset. Most
golfers will set up with the clubface aiming too far left,
trying to make it similar to their fairway woods. But
that's too far forward in your stance for hybrids.
Instead, play it back farther in your stance.
IRONS
Your approach to new irons should be different
than it is to woods. Set realistic goals. for most
golfers, that means not trying for extra yardage, but
expecting more accuracy and consistency.
To hit irons straighter, you need to swing slowly and
smoothly. Take the old and the new clubs to a familiar
spot, either a par-three hole where you can practice, or the
driving range. Start by hitting your favorite iron from
the old set. Don't try to kill it; just hit it until
you've grooved a comfortable swing. Then take the
corresponding club from the new set and the same.
Once you're cozy with both, alternate shots to establish a
realistic distance comparison between the two. That way,
you won't press to get the most from your new club.
Repeat the process with each iron in the set.
WEDGES
With a new wedge, you may need to adjust to a
different sole width, bounce angle, head shape, and
loft. The key is finding out how far, high, and straight
a wedge goes from different lies and with swings of different
lengths. Wedges will play differently from the fringe,
rough, and bunkers. Find an area where you practice lots
of shots with each wedge, to establish a comfort zone.
With any new club, it is important to be patient. It
probably will be at least six weeks before you see dramatic
results. Golfers expect too much too soon, thinking they
will get immediate results. You may actually progress
backward at first. Changes-such as going to a super
sized
driver or from steel shafts to graphite-can affect your
timing. Therefore give yourself a realistic adjustment
period, and make the most of it so you can make the most of
your new clubs.
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