PART VIII:  Refurbish Your Gear Before the New Year

Continued from blog entry – “The New Season . . . PART VII”

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Take time during the off-season to get your equipment in shape.

• Start with changing your grips.
  Most Tour players I know change their grips at least twice a month. I don’t know any amateurs who change them twice a year. So put fresh grips on now, whether they need it or not (and chances are they do). This gives you a chance to start holding the club tension-free. If your grips get too slippery, you will tend to increase the tension in your hands and arms, which will deter a free armswing.
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• Also, get some fresh gloves to start the season.
  Throw away all the old, hard, shiny ones. This further gives you a chance to maintain control of the club and clubface.
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• Check the lofts and lies on your irons.
  Say what? That’s right. Even today’s investment cast clubs of harder steel can be altered, especially if you’re a frequent player or incessant practicer. This is particularly true if you’ve been using them on hard mats at a driving range. So have them checked on your pro’s loft and lie machine and have him bend them back to the correct settings if necessary. Then make a record of those settings on paper and keep it in a safe place. If you play and/or practice a lot, it’s a good idea to have your clubs checked again in mid-summer.
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