Are old golf clubs still good to Play?

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There is no proof that golf clubs degrade with time. Clubs that are well-maintained will last a lifetime.When I say “Old” I mean to say  Golf clubs that are older than 20 Years or so.

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Clubs that are 15 years or older should be reviewed for better options, but clubs that are less than 5 years old do not need to be replaced unless they have wear and tear issues, which wedges and forged irons are especially prone to.

Is it bad to use old golf clubs?

There is no proof that golf clubs deteriorate with time. Clubs that are well-maintained will last a lifetime.

Clubs that are 15years or older should be checked for better options, but clubs that are less than 10 years old do not need to be replaced unless they have wear and tear issues, which wedges and forged irons are most prone to.

The question of whether your golf clubs are too old to use is a valid one.

Golf club design has advanced dramatically since the 1990s, and someone comparing a set of clubs from that era to a set of modern clubs today may wonder if they are for the same game.

However, when determining if your present clubs are obsolete or if it is time to replace them, we should consider the ‘performance’ of your previous clubs rather than their age.

And the basic explanation for this is that when it comes to the topic of how long should golf clubs survive, the vast majority of them should.

How long should golf clubs last?

Given the high cost of golf clubs, you may be wondering how long they will last. Golf clubs have an expected lifespan, so it’s important to know what you’re looking for when shopping.

You might find eight-year-old clubs for a great price, but you have to wonder how long you’ll be able to use them.

According to one popular estimate, golf clubs last about ten years.

Some golf clubs will last much longer than others. Some brands last longer than others, and you must consider a variety of factors before concluding that your golf clubs are no longer fit for use. 

These are just a few of the factors to consider when determining the lifespan of your clubs.

Should I replace my old golf clubs?

If I had to boil down the new equipment decision to a single question, it would be, “Is the new stuff better?”

This is yet another reason why we are such staunch supporters of club fitting. 

A good fitter will tell you if your current clubs are performing as well as any new options. They’ll also tell you if you’re missing out on ten yards of driver carry.

A good club fitter will also expedite the search and get you back on the course confidently. 

You can try all the relevant new drivers/irons/etc in one session with a good fitter, decide what you need to do, and get back to playing golf.

It is important to recognise that there are reasons for changing clubs other than improved performance.

Sometimes, especially with a putter, a new look is all you need. 

There’s nothing wrong with trying something new if you’ve lost confidence in a club.

There’s also no denying that new clubs are entertaining.

Play three different drivers in a month if changing equipment is part of the fun of golf for you. 

Attempt switching from SGI irons to blades.

Check to see if your new mallet putter can actually improve your putting.

Keep an eye out for various things in various clubs.

A recent survey in the United Kingdom asked over 1,000 golfers how frequently they replaced their clubs.

And the outcomes were as follows:

Every year, 7% of golfers replace their clubs.
2% replace them every two years; 17% change them every three years; and nearly a third (31%) change their clubs every four years.
After four years, over half (43%) of golfers change clubs.

What the poll didn’t tell us was how frequently different sorts of clubs were replaced by players.

For example, how frequently did they change their driver versus their irons? Did they change their wedges more frequently than their putter?

And the rationale for considering this is that you should consider how frequently you change your clubs based on club type rather than your entire set.

For example, because you use your wedges a lot more than your 5-iron, it comes to reason that you should examine those clubs for wear and tear much more frequently.

So, when it comes to different types of golf clubs, here are some pointers on what to look for while changing them.

How do you know when golf clubs are worn out?

There’s no way of knowing how many rounds of golf you’ll get out of a set of irons. 

A typical golfer can expect to get 7-10 years out of a set. It may only take 3-4 years for a set of irons to lose some of their jumps off the face for a golfer who plays every day of the year.

After this time, you may notice that, in addition to the grooves becoming worn, the ball no longer travels as far as it once did. 

This is completely normal and has nothing to do with the golf clubs’ actual quality.

What do you do with old golf clubs?

What do you do when you have old golf equipment? Of course, you repurpose it and give it a new lease on life as something else. 

Here are Five Ideas for reusing and up-cycling old golf clubs, balls, tees, and other items.

1. Donate them
2. Golf Bag Garden Tools Tote
3. Classy Coat hangers
4. Golf Club Fence
5. Can be used to  Relieve Sore Feet

Are old or new golf clubs better?

I’ve learned a lot about golf equipment recently after loads of research and talking to some Golf coaches. 

What I can assure you of is that the clubs and ball you use can have a significant impact on your performance.

As you are aware, golf is a difficult game, and using incorrect equipment will make it even more difficult for you.

Overall, the clubs being produced today are very impressive.

It would be difficult to argue that any golfer could pick up a club made 40 years ago and perform better than one made today. 

How much of a difference there is will always be debatable.

Are old golf clubs still good ?

Over the last few decades, golf equipment has evolved dramatically.

In order to win over customers, manufacturers have hired top engineering talent and invested heavily in research and development.

When compared to the persimmon drivers and blade irons of yesteryear, there is now a real chance to get clubs that are completely dialled in for your specific golf swing.

In the Golf industry in the early 1980s, there was no way to measure club performance – it was all about how the equipment looked.

People cared about the actual quality of the wood used on drivers, which is difficult to believe given today’s technology.

You replaced your driver because it was beginning to wear out, not because there had been a significant technological advancement.

Overall, you had few options. When it came to golf balls, you had two options: get one that could go farther but not stop on the green, or get one that could spin more but not carry as far with your longer clubs.

Furthermore, there wasn’t a lot of variety in irons. There were forged blades with little to no forgiveness, as well as massive cast irons that were large and clumsy.

Engineering talent had not yet flooded the industry,  and the major shift occurred when Karsten Solheim began designing PING golf clubs.

Changing your golf clubs too frequently is also detrimental.

When it comes to determining whether your clubs are too old and should be changed, the traditional wisdom is to get them evaluated by a professional fitter.

That is sound advice, and it can certainly assist, but amateur golfers frequently complain about having different results at each fitting, and thus being advised to change their clubs each time.

As with any service, there will inevitably be negative experiences, and you should be wary of fitters who merely try to sell you more equipment every time you visit them.

So, even if you get a regular fitting and are constantly told by a professional fitter that it’s time to change, be sure you’ve put in enough hours playing with your new clubs to verify they’re not the ones for you.

It’s quite doubtful that you will have done so, so save your money and hit the practise fairway rather than changing again again.

Final Thoughts

When it comes to whether you should replace your old clubs with new ones , the first thing to do is disregard the hoopla around the current offering from golf club manufacturers.

Yes, there have been significant advancements in golf clubs over the years, but not every year heralds a ‘revolutionary’ break.