5 Tips for Buying or Renting Golf Gear

Golfing is a fantastic way of getting in some much-needed fresh air, exercise, and a good gossip with your friends. There are almost 10,000 golf courses in America, so there’s something to suit everyone’s tastes. When you’re just starting, however, you likely won’t have any of your equipment. As such, you will have to decide whether to buy or rent your gear. Each solution has its own set of pros and cons that we will cover below.

Buying

If you’re looking to play golf long-term, then it’s a great idea to buy your gear. This allows you to choose the equipment that suits your game and budget. Your handicap won’t be, err, handicapped by equipment that’s the wrong size for you or is in poor condition. For anyone with a passion for the game and a reasonable amount of talent, top-quality golfing equipment will definitely give you the edge you need to achieve your potential.

Whether you hit up your local sporting store and head online for golfing goods is up to you, but if you are new to the game, it is usually a better idea to visit a specialist golf store and ask for advice on what equipment you need to get started. Most golf courses have an on-site store staffed by experts, who will be more than happy to advise you. All you need to do is ask!

Golf Clubs

Once you get serious about your game and are playing more frequently, it makes more sense to invest in your own golf clubs that fit your height and swing. That way you can get used to how your clubs perform, which will help your game to improve faster.

Believe it or not, there is more equipment to wrap your head around than the clubs. Carry on reading to find out some of the more unique considerations.

Golf Cart

Once you hit a serious golfing level, or you hit large golf courses regularly, you may want to consider investing in a golf cart. These carts are useful but come with a hefty price tag, so ensure you do your research before investing. Once you’ve got one, you can buy extras such as accessories for golf carts.

Laser GPS

You won’t find the pros hitting the field with a laser GPS device, but they do have caddies to give them a helping hand on the distances. However, for us rookies out there, we can make use of laser systems to tell us accurate distances alongside other useful metrics. You will be able to use your device during friendly games but will be marked down in some instances.

Before you buy one, you should consider whether you need one and test the device before you commit - because each one works slightly differently.

Outerwear and Layering

While you’re out on the course you will face varying weather conditions and could be caught off guard. Therefore, you need to know how to dress properly for a day on the course. You need to make sure you can carry your gear with you. Wearing thin layers will keep you warm and they’ll be easier to carry than a bulky coat.

Renting

Buying your gear is a great idea if you already know that you’re going to play avidly. However, if you just want to test the waters without having to commit to the cost, you can rent the gear. This service is offered by many golf centers but you will have to book them in advance. The downside with club rental on site is that you have to rely on someone else to care for the gear, and you won’t have much choice.

Golf clubs are arguably the most important equipment any golfer needs. If you are a beginner or don’t play that often, it is usually easier to rent or borrow some clubs. Ask the course where you plan to play if they rent clubs – most do. Bear in mind, however, during busy seasons, the spare sets may be in short supply, so ask in advance if you need to rent clubs for the day.

If you’re looking for an alternative, you can order golf gear online and have them delivered to a hotel room and picked up once you’ve finished. This would be the better idea because online rental services are more likely to have a range of stock available.

If you are on vacation and fancy a game of golf, renting makes perfect sense. Call the club and ask if they have equipment to rent before you book a session.

Borrowing Gear

We’ll throw this one in for free. Perhaps you have a friend who plays regularly and is happy to let you use their clubs. If you’re wanting to start golfing and you’ve got some golf-savvy mates, ask if you can borrow their gear. This way, you get to play some golf and there’s no cost to you. Just make sure you look after their equipment because it will be expensive to replace.

Final Considerations

Whether you buy, rent, or borrow your golf equipment, it is wise to put a lot of thought into what you need. Using the wrong equipment will hinder your game, and if there is a lot riding on the game, it could be disastrous. For your first ever game, it probably won’t matter if your clubs are all wrong for you and you don’t have a decent golf bag. After all, the aim of the game is to see whether you like playing golf and if this is a game you want to pursue. But once you get past the first game and are bitten by the golfing bug, choose your next step carefully.

When it comes to buying and renting golf gear, you need to do your research because there’s so much equipment out there. Renting will have an edge over buying if you simply want to try the game. However, if you’re already in the know, you should invest in your gear. You’ll be driving balls like Tiger Woods in no time.

This article does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors or the management of EconoTimes