Where To Spend And Save Money On Golf Gear

Where To Spend And Save Money On Golf Gear

There is no denying golf can be an expensive sport compared to others and as a result golfers have to make choices on where they should spend, and where they should save their money. That is where this video and explainer comes in. 

We have covered pretty much the entire bag here and it is also worth saying that a great way to save is going second-hand. However there are two main pitfalls here with the first being you should be wary of buying clubs (opens in new tab) that have been fitted for someone else because they might play at a different level or have a totally different swing to you. Secondly, you might not be able to trust where the club is coming from in some cases.

But even when buying new equipment there are some factors you should be aware of. First is your ability because this will likely dictate which clubs or gear you are after - you should really look to invest money in the areas of your bag that you are the weakest so you can improve.

You also need to have a clear idea of your budget (opens in new tab) because this will dictate where you spend you money as some categories like drivers and irons and are more expensive than others, like balls or shoes. So where should you spend and where should you save? Read on to find out...

Balls

One area to save your money is golf balls. Premium balls like the Titleist Pro V1 (opens in new tab) are incredibly consistent and lots of golfers rely on this and repeat purchase, but there are some excellent mid-priced options that really don’t sacrifice much in terms of performance. You can get some very good models like the Titleist Tour Speed (opens in new tab), Srixon Q-Star Tour (opens in new tab), or TaylorMade Tour Response (opens in new tab), all at a lower price point than the best golf balls (opens in new tab) on the market. 

Drivers

One area Joel and Dan agree when it comes to spending money is the driver. The RRP of the best drivers (opens in new tab) do keep climbing at the moment, with many costing between $450 and $550 but we think it is worth the investment. 

The performance difference between budget models (opens in new tab) and the top drivers is pretty significant, it is a club you rely on to get you in play off the tee and if you spend a little more you can get a custom fitting as well so the driver works best for you. The benefits of investing in top models also include high-quality materials and components, and best-in-class forgiveness (opens in new tab) so don't skimp in this area of the bag.

Putters

The next area to mention is putters (opens in new tab) and this is where Joel and Dan actually disagree. Joel thinks you can save money on the putter because the technology in putters has less of an impact than any other area in the bag. He thinks pretty much any putter at any price point will do a pretty good job of propelling the ball to the hole, and actually putters are more liable to user error and the technology has a limited impact. 

Dan disagrees, saying it is the club we use the most during a round in terms of the number of shots hit so it makes sense to spend a little more here, and in terms of higher handicap players, putting is the place where they can save the most shots so going for a more forgiving putter (opens in new tab) could lead to that handicap coming down. 

Wedges

Wedges are up next and as you would expect both Joel and Dan are in agreement here that you should spend money on your wedges. Whilst you could save by going for three wedges over four, they still need to be high-quality because the short-game is an area where many shots can be saved. 

Going for one of the best golf wedges (opens in new tab) will mean more loft, grind and sole options meaning you can get wedges to suit your game. Additionally because of how often we use the wedges, they can deteriorate quickly which will create a drop-off in spin, and consistency can also be hindered here. 

Laser Rangefinders

Both Joel and Dan think you can save on lasers (opens in new tab). Joel and the entire Golf Monthly team have tested all the latest models and we found there is not actually that much different between a laser that costs $150, and one for $350 - especially if all you’re really after is point and shoot functionality. Yes, if you want to clip it to your buggy or want it to show you GPS (opens in new tab) yardages or hole maps you’re going to need to pay more but for something to give you simple distances to the flag, a laser rangefinder doesn’t need to cost the earth.

Irons

Another area to spend is on the irons (opens in new tab). Obviously they populate a lot of spots in the bag so it makes sense to invest here, especially because you will likely have them for a good few years. On that note, because irons are expensive anyway, you might as well spend a little bit more and get a custom fitting as well.

Additionally, from our testing (opens in new tab) we have found older irons, or less expensive ones tend to offer worse feel as they tend to feel harder and harsher. The ball-striking experience isn't quite what you want so spend money on your irons and you won't regret it. 

Shoes

The next area to save is golf shoes (opens in new tab). You can get some excellent models for $120 or so, in fact we recently created a guide on the best golf shoes for under $100 (opens in new tab), whilst the top of the range models often come with an RRP of closer to $200. Admittedly you are paying for quality, durability and styling but overall Joel and Dan think shoes is an area you can save without sacrificing too much comfort or performance. If you do decide to save this does not mean you have to go for a lesser name brand either as FootJoy (opens in new tab), Under Armour, Ecco, Adidas (opens in new tab) and so on, all offer shoes at less expensive price points. 

Carts

The final section Joel and Dan mention, and once again disagree on, is golf carts (opens in new tab), or trolleys in the United Kingdom. Dan thinks you can actually save here because you can opt for something simple like a push cart (opens in new tab) over an electric one. Alternatively if you do want an electric model, there are some less expensive models from brands like MGI, for example. 

Joel, however, thinks spending money on carts is the best course of action. Gone are the days of electric trolleys (opens in new tab) only transporting your clubs around the course. They can do so much more nowadays - keep your score, measure your shots and even provide GPS distances. So while a top of the range, GPS-enabled electric cart costs a bit more (around $800), this does remove the need for an external GPS device. Additionally these carts last a long time because the frame and batteries on modern designs are so robust you can easily get years and years out of them.