When we love our hobbies, we often invest in the best equipment to help improve our performance and care for our bodies. But when we play sports regularly, our equipment gets a lot of use, and wear and tear is common. If you’ve spent a lot on your golf equipment, or you’ve found the perfect set of clubs that suit your game, you won’t want to be replacing them all the time. Nor will you want to be playing with damaged heads or grips, or risk losing your cart to a flat battery or tire halfway around the course.
Fortunately, with good maintenance, your golf equipment can last for a long time, and for the most part, all you need to do is develop good habits and keep everything clean. Here are nine tips to help you.
Read Your Golf Cart Owner’s Manual
A golf cart can be a great addition to your golf equipment. It can make playing a round much easier, and if you regularly hire a cart, buying your own could save you money in the long term. But it is something else that you need to look after. The first thing that you should do is make sure you are familiar with your owner’s manual, and that it’s easy to find if ever you need to look something up.
Carry Out Regular Maintenance Checks
Your golf cart is a vehicle like any other. Before a long trip in your car, you’d check the tires, brakes, lights, battery, and fluid levels. You should do the same for your cart. Regularly check the tread and pressure of your tires, the fuel or battery, lights and brakes, and anything else you can think of. If you need anything for your golf cart, make sure you sort it out before you next take it for a ride.
Store Your Clubs Properly
Keeping your clubs in good condition is essential if you want them to last and support your game. The last thing that you want to do is throw dirty clubs in a corner at home and leave them there until your next game.
When you get in, take the time to wipe your heads down and dry them thoroughly, before storing them safely in the bag. If possible, keep them in a well-ventilated space that isn’t too hot or cold, in direct sunlight, or damp and humid.
Never Store Wet Clubs
Wet clubs can become damaged over time. The grips will wear away, your bag will start to smell, and they could fall apart. If they got wet while you were playing, or you’ve given them a thorough clean once you’ve got in, make sure they are fully dried before you pack them away.
Always Carry a Golf Towel – And Use It
Carrying a towel means that you can quickly wipe any dirt and debris off, or dry your clubs if needed, after every shot. This means you’re never putting heads onto dirty clubs, and never putting dirty clubs into your bag. It’ll also make cleaning them afterward much easier.
You don’t need to spend a fortune on a professional golf towel either; a simple old cloth from home will do.
Use Covers
Putting covers on the heads of your woods will prevent knocks, scrapes, and scratches which could damage them. Just make sure you always wash your heads regularly and wipe your clubs before putting them on, so no debris gets trapped inside.
Don’t Neglect the Grips
The grips are incredibly important parts of your clubs. Damaged grips can affect your swing, how hard you hit the ball, and even damage your hands. Clean the grips by wiping them down after every game and leave them to dry before putting them back in your bag. Then, make sure you check for signs of wear and tear, such as splits or looseness, and replace them if needed.
Clean Your Gloves Carefully
When you get home, take the time to wipe down, or wash (checking the washing instructions first) your gloves before you put them away to remove sweat, dirt, and debris.
Clean Out Your Bag
Over time, your golf bag is sure to pick up dust, small stones, and other debris which could damage your clubs and tear the grips. Give it a good shake out regularly to keep it tidy.
Taking care of your equipment means that it’ll last for longer, help to improve your game, and save you both time and money.