Golf Leader

Every type of sport has a set of equipment that should be owned and used by the players of the game. In golf, that is the golf club set. Golf clubs vary in weight and length so having a set of your own is extremely ideal to help you play the game more effectively. However, buying your first golf club set can be very expensive, particularly because in many sports stores, golf club sets are purchase by the piece, not by the set. To make sure that you get your money’s worth on your very first golf club set, here are some tips to help you out.

Frequency of the Play

One of the things to consider when choosing a golf club set is how often will you be playing the game. If you do not really see yourself spending weekend after weekend in the fairway or at least at the driving range, it is best to opt to get second hand golf club sets since they tend to only cost a fraction of the amount that you will pay for a brand new golf club set. A great place to find second hand golf club sets are in online auction sites that you can find over the Internet where you can bid on the amount of the golf club sets.

If you do plan to make golf into a serious hobby, it is best to go for the brand new golf club sets, even though they are expensive. Many sports stores do offer installment payments to make purchasing them more affordable, so it is best to first ask your local sports store about them.

Brand of the Clubs

Contrary to the popular belief, the brand of the golf clubs does matter in terms of their performance and quality. To get an idea on which brand would both suit your needs and your budget, try going online to check out review sites of different golf club brands. You can also ask your friends who have been playing golf for quite a while for their recommendations. Apart from the quality of the material used in making the golf clubs, many of these brands also offer comprehensive warranties to repair your clubs ensuring that they remain straight and not affect your swing during a game.

Go for Graphite

Today, there are two kinds of shafts that are used on most golf clubs: steel and graphite. Graphite shafts are a lot lighter than steel shafts. As such, it is a lot easier to use for beginners, allowing them to focus more on their swing. The downside of graphite shafts is that it is more prone to bending as compared to steel shafts. Steel shafts are a lot sturdier and less prone to bending which even the slightest bit can seriously affect your game. As such it is extremely important to check the comprehensiveness of the warranty of the graphite shaft you will be getting before making your purchase.

Tiger Woods grew up in California, and was born Eldrick Tont Woods. He has African American, Native American, Dutch, Thai, and Chinese ancestry. His father was an athlete, and introduced Woods to golf while his son was still a toddler. At the age of two, Tiger Woods appeared on television alongside Bob Hope and stunned audiences with his golfing prowess.

Woods won junior and amateur awards throughout his childhood and teens. He won the US Junior Amateur Championship several, and held a record for youth and number of times won for many years. He made his mark as a prodigy long before he finished high school. Woods’ prodigious golfing talent was also useful in furthering his education. He was recruited to the Stanford golf team, and was also given a scholarship. He ended up majoring in economics.

Tiger Woods officially went pro in 1996. This was the year he signed multimillion-dollar endorsement deals with Nike and Titleist, a company that makes golf equipment like balls and clubs. Once again, he made records. No other golfer had been paid such high fees for endorsement before. 1996 was a breakout year for Woods in areas other than signing contracts. He also made his first appearances in “real” professional tournaments. Though he did not win major professional championships (yet), so amazing was his potential that Sports Illustrated named him their Sportsman of the Year anyway.

The next year, 1997, Tiger Woods became the youngest person ever to win The Masters. Some sources also cite him as the first African-American to do so. However, saying anything about Woods’ ethnicity and how it connects to his performance is rather complicated, given his abovementioned mixed ancestry. He won several other PGA competitions in 1997, as well. This string of victories culminated in his rise to the very top of the Official World Golf Rankings, after less than a year as a professional player.

Despite a consistently high performance in competitions, Woods is not always at the very top of his form. Following his astounding victories in 1997, he underwent a brief “slump” period. Several other such bumps in the road have occurred in his career. Sometimes, these have roots in professional occurrences, such as changes in his training regimes with his coach. Other times, the roots are personal, such as in the period immediately following his father’s death, when he (understandably) spent several weeks with his family instead of practicing, and showed up at a competition in rather rusty form. Now, following his recent marital infidelities, Woods has announced that he will not be competing, and will instead devote time to his relationship with his wife.

Now, a few words about Tiger Woods the man, not just the athlete. Though not as public with his religion as, say, Richard Gere, Tiger Woods was raised Buddhist and says that his faith has had a huge impact on his life. In fact, he attributed his infidelity to (among other things) losing touch with his religion. Woods credits Buddhism with teaching temperance and restraint, and is hoping that a renewed commitment to it will get him back on track.

Though he has been in the news lately more for his love life than for his athletic prowess, Tiger Woods was and still remains one of golf’s greatest stars. Hopefully, he can overcome present problems (and avoid future ones) so that his sports legacy does not become overshadowed by scandals.