With so many clubs out there, deciding which one to get can be a tough decision. Here are some tips on how to narrow down the selection.

- Decide on your levels for playing
Some play for the weekend game and there are others who’d like to move up in the ranks. If the occasional game is your pace, a low- to mid-performance club can work for you, while a high-performance club is suited to those who’ll play more regularly.

- Set a budget
The notion that the more expensive the club, the better it is simply doesn’t hold water anymore. If you do enough homework and read reviews you’ll find a club that matches your level of interest. Don’t be afraid to check out used clubs as they can give you the best chances of getting the club you need at a good price.

Now that you know your interest level and have established a budget, here’s a brief run-through of kinds of golf clubs and what each one does.

Woods
A typical golfer’s bag will have a driver (called 1-wood) and a couple of fairway woods (3- and/or 5-wood). A driver is the longest club (usually 45 inches) making it the toughest to control during a swing.

Irons
Irons feature thin clubheads with grooves on it. Experienced players opt for a blade style iron while beginners get a cavity-back style. A blade-style has a clubhead with a full back, whereas a cavity back’s clubhead is hollow. It is hollowed out to create a perimeter weighting effect helpful for less-experienced golfers.

Irons are categorized as long (1, 2, 3,4), mid- (5,6,7) and short (8,9). Short irons are the easiest to hit while the long ones are the hardest. The shorter the iron, the more loft there is and for beginners, the more loft, the better.

Putters
Putters are the clubs most often used in the game and come in clubhead styles of blade, heel-toe and mallet. Lengths come in belly putters, standard and broomstick (long) putters. Which option to get is a personal choice.

Utility clubs/hybrids
The clubs combine features of woods and irons and are best for beginners who may not want to buy too many clubs straight out.

Finally as a final word before taking them out of the store, most new clubs fit individuals at the average height of 5’10” for men and 5’5” for women. If you are significantly shorter or taller than these figures, you should get your club fitted to your height.

Start off with these considerations to build on your research when choosing your golf clubs. The game becomes that much more fun with the little effort you make now.

Having as many as 5,000 patented designs approved since the 1990’s, the golf ball is the most skillfully designed ball in the world of sports.

Because of its advanced technology, choosing a golf ball is a baffling decision for golf players.

Because there are several types of golfers, ball manufacturers have created several kinds of balls, that if correctly matched to the player’s game, they can boost enjoyment and at the same time a possibility for par.

Structure of a golf ball

1. Two-piece golf balls are recognized for their “distance”, and players describe them as distance balls.  These balls are made up of harder, strong and a cover resistant to cuts.  The compact inner center is made from a variety of materials.  The harder the material of the inner core, the further the ball will travel.  However, two-piece balls lack the capacity to manage the ball because it has limited spin amounts.

2. Three-piece golf balls are constructed for feel and spin.  These are made up of a softer coat or cover (Balata) with compact inner core and extra layer of fabric between the cover and the core that “softens” the blow or impact of the head of the club against the golf ball.  This provides improved feel and spin, but loss of durability and distance.

3. Multi-layer golf balls are also known as “all purpose balls”.  These balls are made up of a durable, soft cover that is separated by many very thin layers which are made up of a variety of materials and an improved inner core, resulting in a ball that gives better all around execution.

Buying the best ball for you

1. Beginners or high handicap players will require distance and are likely to “mis-hit” the golf ball, must choose a two-piece golf ball with Surlyn coat or cover because it is durable, affordable and has “distance” characteristics.

2. Mid handicap golfers can play with a three-piece ball with Elastomer or Balata softer cover to give more feel and spin.  Since these balls offer faster “swing speeds”, they will not suffer distance loss.

3. Low handicap players should use a multi-layered ball.  Because advance golf players have the quickest “swing speeds”, they will achieve extra distance and feel and spin benefits.

Like any equipment in golf, discovering the perfect or right golf ball for your play style will entail a lot of trial or testing. Just keep on playing, keep on testing those balls; in no time, you will find the most perfect one for you.