Custom Clubs or Name Brand Clubs?
"Why would I want custom built clubs?"

Great question… and the answer is obvious if you think about how it would be to wear someone else's shoes – chances are they wouldn't fit.

When picking the right clubs to play an already challenging game like golf, you should use the same reasoning. What guarantee comes with picking a name brand club? Is that the best fit for you? Is it because you saw your favorite golfer on TV play them or did the sales person at the local golf shop give you the idea because he personally plays Taylormade golf clubs?

Things to consider (that make a difference) when choosing clubs…

• Types and sizes of golf club grips
• Length of your golf shafts
• Stiffness and the proper flex of the golf shafts
• Which kind of golf club heads is best tailored to your unique swing
• Types of golf balls

As you can see, there are several options to consider and I'll get you started in the right direction from my own experiences. Free golf tips are my specialty and I want to share some facts about golf clubs.

If you buy golf clubs right off the shelf, you'll probably not play any better with them then if you borrowed your neighbor's. You should be fitted either way, due to dominate factors like your height, arm length, swing speed, hand size, setup and several other swing mechanics.

You'll need a professional to find those unique features only pertinent to you. One who provides all these factors with his/her professional equipment. Once that's established, you can keep that personal profile of yourself to buy golf clubs in the future. For example, my personal setup is 1-degree flat, standard grip, X flex shafts and half-inch over standard length on the shaft length. My iron club head speed is 105 mph my driver is 125mph. This is my profile to build clubs throughout my career.

I personally use professional club maker, Lonny Larson, who owns Patriot Golf. He is very attentive, efficient, fair-priced and he makes things happen. Lonny services World Long Drive Champion Scott Smith (World ReMax Record holder of 539 yards), Rynardt Combrinck, South African Long Drive record holder (476 yards), and Dewald Gouws, 2nd Place Winner at the 2008 ReMax World Long Drive, as well as other Long Drivers throughout the World.

With 14 years experience and usually less cost to build than name brand, it doesn't make sense not to have the best. Whatever you need — drivers, fairway woods (metal), Irons, wedges, putters — they're all made it fit you and your golf game. You can find Lonny at www.PatriotGolf.us. Whether you use your profile to buy once or multiple times on a more serious level, getting acquainted with a good club maker will enhance your skill and enjoyment of the game.

"Should I consider buying Name Brand Clubs?"

With all that you just read about the advantages to custom made clubs, do you feel you're getting a better value from off-the-shelf brands?

You probably haven't yet spent the time to evaluate other options. If you do, you might be spending money that's not needed, or would serve a better purpose elsewhere, like golf swing instruction. That's where this article can help you find a way to begin looking.

Brand name clubs are mass-produced and your specific and unique profile is not part of their manufacturing process. They build a one-size-fits-all product that you eventually alter, or worse, scrap to make them fit your needs.

Golf clubs for sale come in a wide variety of choices. Think of all the different choices in putters. If there are so many choices in putters, wouldn't it make sense to you that the clubs needed to hit the farthest and straightest should be custom fit for you as well?

When you first purchase a name brand one size fits all set, the golf shop usually makes a routine inquiry as to your swing speed to determine your shaft flex, then your budget, what you think you're looking for and then might have you hit dozens of balls in their swing demo cage until you're worn out.

By then, you're handing over hundreds of dollars based solely on emotion. Don't allow them to use the pre-qualifier routine on you just to make a sale. You should spend quality time with a professional club fitter one time at least, in order to know what feels right and why, based on your personal swing speed using equipment that also determines shaft flex, ball speed, ball trajectory, dispersion ratio and spin ratio.

Do you think the salesperson offers all that information when they ask you to spend $800 or more on those one-size-fits-all clubs? Trust your own judgment – they're trying to make a commission.

From these fittings you can figure on spending $50 to $125, which is usually deducted from your club purchase. Once you have that data, it's yours from that day forward. Then you know what works best for your swing and you'll be buying clubs with an education rather that what looks cool.

Additional cost incurred by you for name brand clubs is derived from advertising, overhead and the middlemen. Convincing you to buy the name brand clubs and paying the middleman to get them into your hands is where the big money is spent.

Name brand companies are often publicly traded and this also costs money. You are the one paying these costs. These costs are fees I choose not to pay, which is why I have an independent professional club maker build mine. Doing so provides me with clubs that are fine tuned to my game for less cost… just a more sure way of maximizing your hard earned dollars.

"Can I just buy used golf clubs?"

Yes you can…

If you're out to party with your buds and not concerned about what you shoot, this is one reason to buy used golf equipment. You can purchase used golf clubs from private party, retail outlets, or online. How you use the clubs is your choice. It's also a way to begin the game with a more serious approach later on, so used is fine for that too, providing you have an idea of what you need as a starter set. Just buying used golf clubs still leaves you with "…are they going to work for me?"

Final answer, yes its fine to buy used. This way you can work into a newer technology once you get somewhat comfortable playing golf and have a few golf rounds under your belt. You can also purchase used golf equipment from these people.

Don't forget all our free golf instruction to help with your new or used clubs at www.VanillaGorillaGolfTips.com. Are you getting my free golf tips? Before you leave, click here to receive 12 free golf tips.