What to Consider when Buying Ladies Golf Clubs

As a woman you will probably find that your choice is somewhat limited when it comes to selecting most types of golf club that you might want to buy.

This really puts you at a disadvantage when you want to put together a whole set of clubs because you actually need each one to fit you and be comfortable and easy to use so that you will get the most out of your game.

The situation does seem to be getting better, but buying golf clubs for women is still not an easy task!

Why are there so few Ladies Golf Clubs for sale?

This problem is due to the simple fact that the number of golf clubs designed and manufactured specifically for women golfers is quite small. Although the golf club market itself is huge the part of that market which caters just to the needs of female golf players represents only a small percentage of total sales.

In fact it is probably too small in comparison to the number of women who now play golf. The number of sales seen on ladies golf clubs is often considered just too small for a golf club manufacturer to justify spending a lot on research and design to provide the ultimate ladies golf club.

However some companies are making an effort and things are getting better, but even so the choice of club style, flex of the shaft, swing weights and lofts that you will currently find available in most golfing shops is going to be quite small.

Fortunately there now some good new golf club lines that are designed just for women golfers, including golf club sets purpose built for women.

How are Women Golfers Different?

Most lady golfers require shorter clubs with higher loft and they will usually have a slower swing speed than their male counterparts.

Of course there are exceptions and you may find some women who actually have stronger swings than many men. But in all reality they are the exception rather than the rule.

For the less exceptional woman there are several other considerations which you need to take into account.

Drivers for Women Golfers

Ladies Swing Speed

Your first step is to determine your swing speed with a driver and if possible with a five iron also.

If your swing is faster than 70 mph you should be able to use titanium faced drivers and get an advantage from the spring effect produced by these type of club.

If however your driver speed is around 60 mph then you really require a special titanium face, which unfortunately are not so easy to find. In fact, if you are quite a serious lady golfer you may want to consider a set of specially made custom ladies golf clubs, which of course will inevitably be more expensive.

Club Face Loft

The slower your swing then the higher your loft will need to be. So if you find it easy to get the golf ball in to the air then a loft face of about 13 to 14 degrees will be most appropriate for your driver. However if you have any trouble getting the ball in the air you should consider a loft face of 16 degrees on a 3 wood to get the best out of your swing. An offset hosel or even a more flexible shaft could also help you get the ball a little higher in the air.

Ladies Fairway Woods

If you have a slower golf swing then the choice you make when selecting a fairway wood can be critical to your ability to be successful.

For a swing of about 60 mph then skip the 3 and start with a 5 wood and complete the set with 9 and 13 woods. The reason for this is that the distance you can hit the ball with a 5 wood will not be much further than with a 7. Make sure that there is a one inch difference between each odd numbered club. For example the 7 wood will be one inch shorter than the 5 and a 9 would be 2 inches shorter.

Any ladies with a golf swing speed of 70 mph or more should choose a 3 wood with a minimum 16 degree loft to keep the golf ball in the air that much longer. In this case swing speed means that you should have every other odd number wood in your set , such as 3, 5, 7 and 9.

Irons for a Female Golfer

Any female golfer with a slower swing speed should have a 6 or 7 iron as the longest iron club. Only ladies who are consistent and confident in their hitting ability should have a 5. So for slow swings higher number fairway woods and hybrids should replace the long irons.

Also consider a wide rounded sole so that there is no dig into the ground to slow down the club face. Similarly do not select a large iron head design, but use irons having a deep back cavity with perimeter weighting.

Hybrid Ladies Golf Clubs

As a lady golf player you should use hybrid clubs to replace your long irons. Some golf clubs sets for women now have hybrids up to the 7 iron and you can find others that replace all the irons with the exception of the sand and pitching wedges.

Your fairway woods will determine your selection of hybrids so that your lowest numbered hybrid allows you to fly the golf ball 10 or 15 yards less than what you can hit with your highest numbered fairway wood.

Wedges for Women Golf Players

Ensure that your pitching wedge has at least 4 degrees more loft than that of your 9 iron and that your sand wedge has a minimum of 56 degrees of loft. If there is a big difference in the distances you hit with your pitching and sand wedges then you will also need a gap wedge, but this is not likely to be necessary iof you have a slow swing speed.

You should also consider adding a lob wedge as these can be very useful. But, if you have a slow swing then for both the sand wedge and lob wedge you do not want a large bounce angle as your lack of power will not allow you to dig far into the sane or ground respectively.

The Final Solution

Remember that it is really important to know your swing speed and what the length of your clubs should be when deciding on which clubs to buy to complete your set of ladies golf clubs.

If you are serious about your golf then you should also be serious about your clubs and find a custom golf club maker and get a club set which is fitted just for you.

Finally one thing to note is that many golfers, men included, have a tendency to use clubs which are too long, so just make sure that this is not you!