Bag Drop: Winterizing Your Clubs

[Gxgolfer]

By Donald MacKenzie via TheSandTrap.com

Click for Article>>>Here

Like it or not, Old Man Winter is next on the tee for northern golfers. Here's some help for getting your clubs ready for the off-season.

If you're reading this in the Sunbelt of the United States, or anywhere else in the world where the weather's good enough to tee it up year-round, you can sit this one out. (You lucky so-and-so.) This week's edition of The Bag Drop is all about how to get your clubs ready for a long winter's nap.

That's right, those of us in the North are coming to the realization that the golf season is either fading fast or already gone. But before your forced hibernation begins, be sure you show your clubs some love so they're ready when Mother Nature is in the spring.

Clean Up Your Act
Start your club winterization with a thorough cleaning of your clubs. Start with a bucket of warm, soapy water, a toothbrush, a washcloth and a couple towels. I like to stand all my woods and irons up in the bucket for a few minutes to loosen up any grit and grime that might have collected over the course of the season. If you're one of those guys (or gals) who can't be bothered to clean your clubs during the season, you'll definitely want to soak your set for several minutes to soften up the year's worth of dirt and grass that's caked on your clubs.

Then it's time to get clean. Use the toothbrush to get the grooves of all of your irons and wedges completely free of any debris. And if you have irons with an undercut cavity-back design, be sure to get the dirt out from that area of each club (you might need a few Q-tips for this). Use the washcloth to give your woods and hybrids an all-over cleaning, taking care to get the soles completely spotless.

Now's a good time to take one of your towels and get it wet and soapy. Use this towel to clean all the shaft and grip of each club. Washing your grips is a good way to restore their tackiness and help them last longer. If your grips look worn or still feel slick after a good washing, this is a good time to to start looking for new grips. And if you have corded grips, you can freshen them up with a light scuffing with some fine-grit sandpaper.

When you're done washing and wiping down your clubs, take your second towel and dry each club completely. Be sure to take a second at this point to a) Behold the beauty of a clean set of clubs; and b) Weep openly about the end of golf season.

Handle with Care
Some clubs need more love than other. If you have forged irons and wedges or a carbon steel putter, check for signs of rust. If you find any, you can usually get it out with a wire brush or a Scotchbrite pad. To help prevent rusting over the winter, wipe these clubs down with a soft cloth and some WD-40 or some other silicon-based lubricant. If you have one of these precious putters, you can wrap this cloth around the putter head and put your head cover on over top of it.

If you have rusty wedges (like me), you don't have to do anything special other than cleaning the grooves. But be sure that your rusty wedges aren't nestled right up against your other non-rusty clubs. Because rust never sleeps, and it will happily go to work on the clubs next to your wedges if you give it a chance. I throw an old towel over my rusty wedges to keep a buffer zone between them and the non-oxidized clubs in my bag during the winter.

Time for a Tune-Up?
While you're cleaning your clubs, take note of any repairs that might need to be made before the start of next season. Any rattles in your woods or hybrids? Bent steel shafts? Irons or wedges that seem out of whack? Grips that need changing? Now is the time to take care of things like this. Why have your clubs in the shop for fixing when the weather's good? Take advantage of your downtime to have your repairs done.

If you play forged irons or wedges, or if you practice a lot on hard mats, it's a good idea to have your clubs checked for the proper loft and lie by a reputable clubmaker. The soft carbon steel of these clubs can bend a bit over time, and the same can happen to harder stainless steel irons and wedges if you hit a lot of balls off artificial turf (especially the kind with the tendinitis-inducing concrete underneath). This can throw off the loft and lie of your clubs, which can have a big effect on ball flight and distance. A good clubmaker will bend your clubs back into spec, which can save you several strokes next season.

Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow
Once your clubs are clean, there's not much left to do. I also like to clean out my golf bag and take inventory of all my balls, tees and gloves. I'll also take a few minutes to wipe down my shoes, change out the cleats and put in shoe trees to keep them in shape. Then, I make sure my clubs are in a warm, dry place. Don't keep your clubs in the garage unless it's heated, and don't put them in your basement if you live someplace swampy. Find a spot where the temperature will stay above 60° with relatively low humidity and tuck them in for the winter.

But be sure this resting place isn't too hard to get to. I know I pull out my clubs at least once a week for a little off-season bonding, plus some chipping and putting on the basement carpet. Hey, just because you can't play golf outside doesn't mean you you have to go cold turkey. Plus, I want to be able to grab my clubs and get out of town in a hurry when the PGA Merchandise Show starts in Orlando in late January - or to just be ready in case a December warm snap gives me the chance to get in a surprise 18.

"This article is republished with permission from The Sand Trap .com and
remains copyright © The Sand Trap .com. All rights and privileges reserved."

[millercg]

:help:

I must say this time of year is depressing in the midwest/northeast. I'm going through my "winterizing" here this Friday (beats attempting to leave the house with all of the crazy people out shopping). :tongue:

[illinikyle]

That is what i do with the addition of one step. Make sure I have a large supply of Zoloft to deal with the closed golf courses.

[TigerStrong]

I thought your suposed to do that after every round except parting away from your clubs. Maybe thats just me.

[vanquish007]

I thought your suposed to do that after every round except parting away from your clubs. Maybe thats just me.

68392[/snapback]

 

And me! :tongue:

 

Anybody else???

[fireice]

Great stuff, especially for those of us North of the border. 5-10cm coming Thursday. :tongue:

[pitchmaster1224]

Don't keep your clubs in the garage unless it's heated, and don't put them in your basement if you live someplace swampy. Find a spot where the temperature will stay above 60° with relatively low humidity and tuck them in for the winter.

 

i usually leave my clubs in the garage over winter here in Ohio...why is it bad for them and what could potentially happen? I have never had any problems, however, when i start using them again in the spring...thanks

[HipCheck]

Also, the absolute BEST way to clean irons and wood faces is the Arm & Hammer Magic Eraser.

 

Unreal results with such little effort. Better than the Club Tub.

[SCameron009]

I thought your suposed to do that after every round except parting away from your clubs. Maybe thats just me.

68392[/snapback]

 

And me! :)

 

Anybody else???

 

You can count me in aswell! I can't stand looking at a dirty club, when I am on the range, I wipe my club off with a towel between every shot, and do a thorough cleaning when I get home. I think I am going to get my loft and lies checked for the first time in a couple weeks.

 

Great read, thanks TheSandTrap.com!!!

 

- Bryan

[MrParr1Noid]

Are people really packing it in? I'm in the NE but I would play in any weather. 32 here today. Used to play a winter league and as long as there is grass, those guys tee it up. Snow, ice and temporary greens are the things that end the season for me. Nothing that a drive to NC can't remedy.

 

Not me, I'm just waiting for this snow to melt off a bit, then I'll be back at it again. :)

[SCameron009]

Are people really packing it in? I'm in the NE but I would play in any weather. 32 here today. Used to play a winter league and as long as there is grass, those guys tee it up. Snow, ice and temporary greens are the things that end the season for me. Nothing that a drive to NC can't remedy.

 

It's kind of tough playing in Maine this time of year :) I am going south for every school break, but I have put my clubs in the staff bag in the corner my room for the time being :cheesy:

 

- Bryan

[Goose]

Im not packin it in here either in the NE. I was out hitting balls and chipping and putting for 3 hours today...then i went to the gym and worked out. no its time to go to a party. that generally how my days go...LOL on school days if its nasty out then i got striaght to the gym and work hard, if its fairly mild ill go play then do my HW(if im in the mood)LOL then hit the gym.

 

 

 

Every thing i do is based around practicing in some manner.

 

 

 

DaN "goose" :cheesy: :cheesy: :cheesy: :)

[pitchmaster1224]

Don't keep your clubs in the garage unless it's heated, and don't put them in your basement if you live someplace swampy. Find a spot where the temperature will stay above 60° with relatively low humidity and tuck them in for the winter.

 

i usually leave my clubs in the garage over winter here in Ohio...why is it bad for them and what could potentially happen? I have never had any problems, however, when i start using them again in the spring...thanks

[stjohns89]

I love florida. :) haha Im originally from connecticut, I know the pain of putting them away.

[hermes]

its damn cold here in wisconsin. right now, i beleive it's about 1* with a wind chil of -10* or so. it's dame cold and i can't play. the only relief for me is to load up tiger woods 2005 and play there........plus this site is awesome and i can gain alot of information here before next season. 3 months or so till tee time and counting!

[baimo]

It sux here in NJ. We already have snow on the ground, Usually I get to play xmas or New years, but not this year

[Geo]

It's getting to be frigid cold here in Utah, so my season is over. I tend to keep my clubs clean and have yet to find any bent shafts upon final inspection (what's that about! :) ) but my clubs are in their winter resting spot--my front room where they usually are! Stella needs to get her groove back! (for the sake of this post, Stella is beruo and groove is my putting groove). :cheesy:

 

beruo

[ted_b]

Also, the absolute BEST way to clean irons and wood faces is the Arm & Hammer Magic Eraser.

 

Unreal results with such little effort. Better than the Club Tub.

 

Mr Clean Magic Eraser, you mean? It's good, huh? I'll give it a try. Thx

[cjdrcc]

Here in PA there is snow but I will play on. No mercy, no surrender!! OORAH!