Typically, golf clubs should last for more than a couple of years. Still, as popular golf manufacturers release new models each year, advertising these as better than the ones before, you may wonder when it is time to replace your golf clubs and get more advanced ones.
Well, this depends on several factors, including whether we are talking about irons, woods, putters, or drivers. To help you with the decision, we have prepared a guide that answers the question of “how long do golf clubs last?” We will also discuss a couple of points that you should focus on to determine whether your tool is outdated.
How Does a Golf Club Wear Out?
To determine the lifespan of a golf club, we need to discuss the effect that each main feature has on it. First and foremost comes the grip, which is probably the part that is going to suffer damage and wear the soonest. Luckily, there are a couple of tricks when it comes to repairing and improving your grip. Your best option is to wrap it or put on a slide-on grip to prevent premature wear.
As the most resistant part, modern shafts are made out of titanium, graphite, and stainless steel, ensuring that you won’t have to worry about rusting or potential weather damage. With the heavy-duty materials that the shaft is made out of, it doesn’t come as a surprise that a golf club can handle much more stress than it could have a couple of years ago.
Last but certainly not least are the golf club heads. These are likely to get damaged, especially if you are often putting through tall grass or deep trenches. However, a couple of dents on the clubhead itself shouldn’t be a reason to replace the club just yet.
The Lifespan of Golf Clubs
Talking about the average lifespan of a golf club, it is somewhere around 10 years. However, you should keep in mind that not all golf clubs are of the same quality and that you should take factors, such as brand, material, and price, into consideration.
The first club type that we will be reviewing is the iron. Frankly, a high-quality golf iron should last through up to 12 years of continuous use. Of course, if you are a professional player, then the club may start to wear out a bit sooner, but you should still be looking for at least 8 years of great performance.
What you should keep in mind is that stainless steel works much better than graphite, and it is less likely to break. On the other hand, golf irons that are made out of stainless steel are set at a somewhat higher price. Furthermore, when it comes to golf heads, you shouldn’t register any damage other than grooves. A few grooves are perfectly normal, especially after playing a couple hundred rounds with a single set of irons.
The second club type that we want to talk about is drivers. As you might have expected, these are nowhere near as sturdy as irons, given the fact that titanium is usually the main material. The main sign that your driver is ready for a replacement is when you can’t hit the ball as far as you could a couple of years ago.
Losing its pop is the red flag when it comes to drivers. A caved clubface is also something that you should be alerted by. On average, you can expect about 5 years of life at the most, and that is if you don’t play golf on a regular basis.
When it comes to fairway woods, which are golf clubs that can be used both for striking from a tee and grass, the majority of the damage is set to happen at the shaft and the clubface. With every stroke, you are putting pressure at the bottom of the club, which eventually results in the shaft wearing out and the clubface caving in.
Last but certainly not least are the putters, which seem to rock the longest average lifespan of roughly 15 to 20 years. The main reason for this is that the speed of the impact is nowhere near as great as with drivers and woods. A headcover can go a long way when it comes to increasing the lifespan of this golf club type.
Signs that it is Time for a New Golf Club
The first sign that you should be alerted by is that there is too much spin when you are using your driver or iron. If you have continuously used your golf club for the past couple of years, chances are that the ball will stay in the air for much longer and lose distance and control in the process. The other red flag is if you can get the ball barely off the ground. Hitting high can give you a great advantage, which means that investing in new equipment can greatly raise your chances of success.
If you simply can’t achieve those long shots anymore and your colleagues are now easily passing you by, your golf clubs may be outdated. Last but certainly not least is if the wear and damage at the shaft and clubface are beyond repair. The same goes for a worn-out grip. Although you can wrap it, this type of fix won’t last long and can negatively affect your performance.
Summing It All Up
So now you know the answer to how long golf clubs last. Now, the question is – should you repair or replace once you notice damage to your golf clubs? If it is nothing too serious and is just some basic wear and tear; then you can take it to a professional who will fix the issue and give you info on how much longer you can play with that club.
Keep in mind that, as your game evolves, you should be ready to invest in higher-priced and better quality clubs that will help you achieve great results, and they will last longer!
