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Equipment and Fitting All clubs Beginner / Intermediate ⏱ 8 min 🇫🇷 Video in French

Buying a Golf Club: 3 Tips Before Making a Change

Is an expensive club necessarily better? Joël Bernard says no, on the first hole at Royal Mougins. He offers three tips to follow before changing even a single club in your bag: forget about the price, try it out on the course, and be honest with the salesperson about your game.

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Joel Bernard
Joel Bernard · his YouTube channelFree lesson selected by Fred P.

To be continued

11 minSame problemGolf Equipment for Beginners: The Complete ListKevin Faivre · Beginner5 minSame problemHalf-series or full series: When Should You Make the Leap?Ma Chun Teng Chan · Beginner / Intermediate5 minFrom the same proAnti-shank drill with a sand wedge: hitting the ball at the tipJoël Bernard · Beginner / Intermediate

What the lesson shows

First tip: Don't go by the price. An expensive club undoubtedly uses better materials, but some high-performance models are difficult to play with. Joël Bernard cites the example of clubheads with exceptional feel, which he compares to luxury cars: many players aren’t skilled enough to take full advantage of them. There are three key criteria: Is the club tailored to your level, to your morphology, and does it make you play better than before?

Second tip: try it out on the course, not just on the driving range. He tells the story of a student who was wondering about her old set: during a quiet moment, she hit two balls on each approach shot to the green—one with her old iron and the other with her new one—and didn’t notice any difference. Third tip: Describe your game to the salesperson, based on your actual carry distances—not your best shots—as well as your ball flight and whether you tend to slice or hook. Arm length, height, and hand size also matter, and both the clubhead and shaft can be customized to optimize your ball flight.

The Exercise, Step by Step

  1. Forget about the price and make a list of what you expect from the new club.
  2. Make sure it's right for your skill level: don't use blades if you tend to miss the target.
  3. Try it out on the course when there aren't many people around.
  4. Play two balls on every approach shot to the green: one with your old club and one with your new one.
  5. Before the fitting, write down your actual carry distances.
  6. Describe the height of your shots and your usual spin—slice or hook.
  7. Let the salesperson adjust the head, shaft, and grip to fit your body type.

Key Takeaways

The price of a club is not a deciding factor.
Three questions: skill level, body type, and does the club help you play better?
The blades require a level of skill that many players don't have.
A practice round on the course is better than a practice round at the driving range.
Give the seller your actual distances, not your best shots.
The heads and shafts are configured to optimize your shots.

Mistakes to Avoid

  • To think that a more expensive club will play better.
  • Buy blades for the feel of it without having the skill level.
  • Judging a club based solely on the driving range.
  • Tell the seller that the distances have been exaggerated.
  • Hide your tendency to slice or hook the ball.

Driving Range Mode

Keep it in plain sight, on the rug.

  1. Two balls per approach shot to the green: old and new clubs
  2. Measurement of the actual distances to the carry
  3. Observing the height and trajectory of his shots

Your Questions

Will a more expensive club help me play better?

Not necessarily, according to Joël Bernard. Some very expensive clubs are difficult to play with, such as the Lames. Choose based on your skill level, your body type, and the actual improvement they bring to your game.

How can I compare my old club with a new one?

On the course, during a quiet moment: hit two balls every time you approach the green—one with each club. His student didn't notice any difference with his new set.

What should you say to the salesperson during a test drive?

The truth: your actual carry distances, the height of your shots, and whether you tend to slice or hook. This information is used to adjust the clubhead and shaft.

Learn More

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