Regret is a sentiment that many of us suffer from, haunting us all our lives. But the reality is that none of us are able to hop in a time machine and change the past. All we can control is the present and the future. I’ll be the first to admit that I made many mistakes as a young golfer but I don’t lament them. They were all lessons that shaped me into the player I am today.
Three decades on, I’m an older, wiser and better version of myself. So while there are things I’d wish I’d known and done differently back in my junior days, I have no regrets. I’m simply sharing these learnings with you in the hope they will help you on your own golfing journey.
Ditch Your Long Irons For Hybrids
Long irons are arguably the hardest clubs to hit. Their low loft and small head size make them a difficult club to master. Although they can be used very effectively by skilful players to shape shots and manipulate ball flight height, they can also be horribly miss-struck.
As a junior I carried a 3 and 4-iron in my bag. I only used them when I really had to because I found them hard to hit. They were a standard part of my set make-up. It didn’t occur to me to replace them and back then there were no hybrids.
Nowadays, modern golf sets tend to consist of a blend of irons and hybrids, with the latter replacing the harder to hit long irons. Switching to hybrids has transformed my game. The longest iron I now carry is a 5-iron.
I love my hybrids because the larger head size makes them much easier to use, far more forgiving and versatile. The best women’s hybrid golf clubs can be hit from the tee, fairway and even out of the rough, or a fairway bunker. I love them so much I carry three: 17, 19 and 21 degrees. They are my favourite clubs.
(Image credit: Future)
Upgrade Your Standard Wedges To Specialist Ones
Sets of irons are generally sold with a standard sand and pitching wedge. Although these are perfectly adequate and certainly good enough for beginners to learn with, I’m a big advocate of upgrading your wedges to more specialist ones as soon as you’ve mastered the short game basics.
The difference? Greater shot-making control. Specialist wedges transformed my game, but I only got my first proper set as a young journalist in my early twenties. They were…
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