Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do I choose the right components?

A: Each component has its own distinct playing characteristics. Identify the features that best suit the person you're fitting. For example, heads with a lower center of gravity tend to hit the ball higher, which typically leads to more airtime but less roll. Heads with lots of perimeter weighting (deeper cavities) will be more forgiving, but not as workable to the better player.

Shafts with lower torque are more resistant to twist, but they are also more expensive and tend to have a harsher feel. Higher handicappers and slower swingers should go with a shaft with a little more torque, which provides a softer feel.

If you have other questions about golf equipment, custom golf clubs, golf club clones, please feel free to contact us, we'll be glad to assist you and provide you with more information.

Q: 'X-out' is the common name used for a golf ball which a manufacturer considers to be imperfect and has, therefore, crossed out the brand name on the golf ball. What is the status of an 'X-out' ball?

A: The vast majority of 'X-out' balls are rejected for aesthetic reasons only, i.e., paint or printing errors. In the absence of strong evidence to suggest that an 'X-out' ball does not conform to the Rules, it is permissible for such a ball to be used. However, in a competition where the Committee has adopted the condition that the ball the player uses must be named on the List of Conforming Golf Balls ..., an 'X-out' ball may not be used, even if the ball in question (without the X's) does appear on the List."

Q: What Do the Numbers on a Golf Ball Mean?

A: Every golf ball has numbers on it. How many numbers and which numbers vary from brand to brand, but they all have at least one number.

That one number is most likely to be a 1, 2, 3 or 4 (although it can also be anything from a zero to a 9). What do these numbers mean?

Nothing, really. These single-digit numbers are simply there for identification purposes. If the members of a foursome are all playing a Titleist NXT ball, for example, one might play a ball with the number "1," another a "2," the third a "3," and the fourth a "4." This will allow the members to keep track of which ball belongs to each player.

These numbers usually appear just below the branding of the ball's name. All the balls from the same sleeve will have the same ID number.

A golf ball might also have a three-digit number on it, usually something in the 300s to 400s.

If you notice such a number on a ball, this number is letting you know how many dimples are on the ball.

Another number that might appear on golf balls is the ball's compression rating. Until solid core balls drove the wound ball almost completely out of the market - beginning in the late 90s - compression rating was a big deal to golfers. A compression rating of 70 or 80 for a wound ball was regarded as an indicator that ball was a "ladies ball." A compression rating of 110 meant you had to swing very hard to make that ball work right (the he-man ball).

We know now that compression relates much more to feel than to distance. Solid, soft-core balls are a huge segment of the golf ball market now, and the compressions these day can be way down in the 30s or 40s (ranging up to 100 or so). When these low-compression balls first started appearing on the market, manufacturers felt there was still a stigma attached to low compression - i.e., that a low-compression ball would be viewed as a "ladies ball." And so numbers representing compression were dropped from most golf balls.

You'll still find them on some brands, however, and they are almost certain - these days - to be two digits.

So, to recap: A single-digit number is there for identification; a double-digit number most likely represents compression; a triple-digit number most likely represents the number of dimples.

Q: Do I Need to Wear a Glove?

A: Wearing a golf glove is not a requirement, but it is recommended.

There are some pro players - Fred Couples, for example - who do not wear gloves. They are very rare, however, and golf pros will always recommend the use of a glove.

The reason, as Johnny Miller has written, is that the human hand simply isn't as tacky as the material used in golf gloves. Especially when sweating or when grips are wet. A golf glove will provide a more secure grip.

Usually a golfer will wear one glove, on the lead hand (the lead hand is the top hand of your grip - for right-handed players, the left hand; for left-handed players, the right hand). Some golfers do wear gloves on both hands, but one glove is the norm.

If wearing a glove makes you uncomfortable, just be sure to use a towel before each shot to dry your palms, and always make sure your club grips are dry.

Q: Are Golf Shoes Required to Play Golf?

A: No, you do not have to have golf shoes to play golf, and very, very few golf courses require the use of golf shoes.

Golf shoes are a good idea, however, because they are engineered to keep your feet from sliding around during the golf swing.

Golf shoes have come a long way, stylistically, over the past 15 years or so, too. You can still find "old school" golf shoes -- black and white wingtips, leather and tassels. But golf shoes now come in many styles and colors, some indistinguishable from other athletic shoes, some in moccasin and even sandal styles.

If you do not have golf shoes and can't afford or just don't want to buy golf shoes yet, wear the pair of shoes with the most "gripping" soles you can find - rubber with lots of ridges, bumps, etc.

Q: Do Golf Courses Have Dress Codes?

A: Many golf courses do have dress codes.

Most municipal golf courses do not have dress codes - except, of course, in the sense that you must be dressed! (No shirt, no service.)

Dress codes vary in strictness depending on the price range of the course to which you are going. The higher the price, the more likely there is a dress code.

In general, a collared shirt and Dockers-style shorts will get you onto 95-percent of golf courses. And most of those will allow denim shorts.

The most upscale courses -- or the ones that take themselves too seriously -- will require collars and have a no-denim rule. A small number will even have a no-shorts rule, requiring golf slacks.

It's always a good idea to call ahead and inquire about a dress code before heading to a course you haven't played before.

A collar on a shirt doesn't sound like much, but if the course requires collars and you show up in a t-shirt, you'll either be buying a collared shirt in the pro shop or heading home.

The other rule most courses have these days is no metal spikes on golf shoes. It's difficult to buy shoes with metal spikes anymore, so if you have recently purchased golf shoes you should be OK. If you are using ancient shoes that still have metal spikes, it's time to trade them in.