Hello ladies!
One of the questions I’m asked most often is, “What equipment do I actually need?” While clubs usually get all the attention, it’s often the smaller accessories in your bag that make the biggest difference. The right glove improves your grip, an alignment aid can help you make more putts, and even something as simple as tee height can lead to better drives. Here are four easy equipment tips that can help golfers of every skill level play with more confidence this season.
Tip 1: Gloves
The Glove is a key piece of golf equipment. It is your only connection to the club. It will help reduce blisters and slippage of the grip in your hand. In my video tip I share:
What Hand to Use the Glove on
You wear a glove on the hand that is opposite to the direction that you swing the club. If you are a right-handed golfer, you will need a glove for your left hand. If you are a left-handed golfer, you will need a glove for your right hand.
Proper Fit
Gloves come in many sizes starting at Junior Glove sizing to Small-Extra Large in both Women’s and Men’s Sizing. It is important to get a glove that fits you well, otherwise you can get blisters on your hand, it will feel uncomfortable every time you swing. Your fingers should go to the ends of the glove; there should not be a gap at the top of each finger. The palm or back of the hand of your glove should not be baggy. The glove should fit snugly but not be uncomfortable. Often the leather will relax a little after several uses. The tab of the glove should be just shy of the Velcro to allow the glove to be tightened more when the leather relaxes. If you are a lady with a small hand, you may need a Junior Glove. If you have a larger hand that does not fit in a woman’s XL, try a Men’s small Cadet (which means shorter fingers).
Different Types of Gloves
Gloves come in different levels of leather from premium Cabretta leather to synthetic leather. The premium leather gloves have unmatched control and feel for the club. The synthetic leather will be a bit more durable and will last longer. There are also weather series gloves for cold weather available, along with rain gloves to create extra grip when the clubs are wet. These sets will come with both a right- and left-handed glove to wear. Living in Canada, a set of cart mitts, which look like oven mitts, is also another great purchase, to help keep your hands warm throughout the round between shots.
Tip 2: Putting Aid – Golf Ball Marking Tool
Lining your putt up can be challenging! Using a line on your ball is a great way to help make sure you are aligned properly.
Most golf balls have a set of words in a straight line on the equator of the ball or some type of line on it. This line is an excellent tool to help you with your putting alignment. You can point that line towards the apex of the break of your putt. Once you have done that, you can then align that line with the line that is typically in the center of most putter faces. Line your putter head line up with the line on your golf ball. Once you have done that, focus on making a square face putter stroke, and try to roll the ball in a straight line towards the apex of the break.
If your ball has a thin line, or just has a line of words, you can use a Golf Ball Marking Tool to help make that line darker and easier to see. You can purchase this tool at any Golf Town location or on the Golf Town website at this link.
If you prefer multiple alignment lines, you can look at ball like the Callaway Triple Track or the Taylor Made Stipe. Those balls can be found on the Golf Town website under Visual Tech Golf Balls.
For added alignment usage, you can use that alignment line when you are teeing up your ball to line up to your intermediate target.
When purchasing balls, you can get balls with a pattern on it, or in different colors that can make it easier to see or to match your personality.
Tip 3: Tees
Tees are often an overlooked piece of equipment. Having the proper tee height will make a massive difference for center of face contact, which will lead to longer and straighter golf shots. Typically, when you tee up the ball for driver, you want to see half the ball over the back of the driver to ensure you are hitting the center of the club face. This may vary depending on your angle of attack. Many tees come with lines on them. The lines are handy to help you set up a consistent tee height that allows the ball to be hit in the center of the club face. Click here to shop.
When teeing up irons or fairway woods, you will typically have the tee head just sticking out of the ground or up to a half an inch or an inch out of the ground. There are short tees that you can purchase to help you with that.
Tees come in a variety of colours. Using a brightly colored tee can help you find your tee on the tee box after you have hit your ball.
Tip 4: Golf Bags
Golf Bags are an important piece of golf equipment. There are two main types of bags, cart bags and carry bags.
Cart bags are great for people that always take cart and do not carry their clubs. They are typically larger in size. They often have bigger pockets and more room for storage. They usually only come with a single strap, and you would carry your clubs with the strap over one shoulder.
Carry bags are ideal for the golfer that loves to walk. They usually come with two straps, and you would carry your clubs like a backpack. The lighter the better! This is often a thinner bag and will have a little less room for storage. It is important you find a bag with a solid and sturdy stand.
Features to look for on your Golf Bag:
- Solid handles (cart bag)
- Thermal pocket to keep beverages cold or thermal drink pouches
- Seam seals on zippers to protect contents of pocket when it rains
- Velcro patch to dry your glove on after the round
- Sharpie holder
- Pocket sizes to match the amount of gear you like to bring
- Soft cloth valuable pouch
- Number of preferred dividers for your clubs (do you like a spot for each club, 3 dividers, 5 dividers)
Golf doesn’t have to be complicated. The right equipment can help you feel more comfortable, confident, and prepared every time you head to the course. Whether you’re brand new to the game or looking to sharpen the fundamentals, these small details can make a big difference throughout the season.
Before your next round, take a few minutes to check your glove fit, tee selection, and the accessories in your bag. These small adjustments can improve your comfort, consistency, and confidence every time you tee it up.
Lisa “Longball” Vlooswyk in an 8-time Canadian Long Drive Champion, Golf School Owner, Golf Journalist, Keynote Speaker and proud Golf Town brand ambassador. Lisa can be reached through her website at www.LisaLongball.com or on social media @LisaLongball.