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You think men are better than women at golf? Psht, yeah right!
Well… okay. Men may have a little more power behind the golf swing but, contrary to conventional wisdom, the reason is not totally due to size. In general, women tend to have a slower swing speed. So how do you improve your swing to help you join the ranks of your male counterparts?
Start by choosing a fitting golf club to enhance women’s performance.
To begin, by using a lighter shaft a woman can increase her swing speed to great result. A graphite shaft, while more expensive, should be chosen over metal. A graphite shaft is lighter, and will quicken a women's speed of swing. However, a woman should not stop there. A ladies shaft should be specifically chosen. This is because these particular shafts will have more bend, thus launching the ball farther.
The heads on the woods are mostly metal or titanium these days. Sometimes, the two are combined. Again, metal is less expensive, but smaller and heavier. A titanium head, because it is lighter, is also larger. There is more head to hit the ball, and to hit it at a quicker speed.
Before looking at some of the better clubs for women, it should be noted that a driver does not have to be used for teeing off. Most golf drivers are used by excellent players who hit the ball a country mile. The drivers, therefore, have a lower loft. Women, as do many professionals, find teeing off less difficult and more rewarding by using something like a three-wood for the task.
Adjustable drivers are currently the hot new item in golf for men or women.
Callaway makes a women's adjustable driver, the Razr Fit Xtreme, which has adjustable lofts from 8.5 all the way to 13. These drivers have an adjustable hosel. This is the part of the club head where the shaft is fitted.
The player can adjust either the loft, the face angle, and even the lie of the club by making partial rotations of the shaft. One of the added benefits to these adjustable drivers is that it allows a player, as her game evolves, to keep her driver and make simple adjustments.
It should also be noted that long golf irons do not have to be used on the golf course either. A blend of iron and wood, hybrid golf clubs are easier to hit and you will make better contact with the golf ball.
Perhaps Ping leads the field in making excellent golf clubs for women. Long considered one of the best golf equipment manufacturers, Ping has their “Serene” line especially for women. These clubs are not only tailored to a woman's swing, but they offer a “Serene Lite” and a “Serene Ultra-Lite.” The women will love the swing rate per iron, which is a C4.
For women who are just starting to golf, Wilson makes an excellent starter set for ladies at an affordable price. The clubs may be a tad heavier than pricier women's clubs, but nobody should overspend on their first set of clubs, just in case they find the game too maddening.
There is an amazing variety of quality women's golf clubs available on the market today, and a few of the better ones have been mentioned above.
It is important for women who are particularly diminutive, perhaps 5'2 and under, to understand something about golf clubs. No woman should fall in love with a particular club designed for taller women, and then have it adjusted or resized to fit her own stature. Many times, this will harm the balance of the club. There is a golf club out there for every person, so every player should be sure to find the club that is right for them.
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Melinda Bailey is an avid golfer and the Executive Editor of 9 & Dine Women’s Golf Apparel blog. You can connect with Melinda via Twitter @9Dine.
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