So you’re ready to buy that nice set of golf clubs you’ve had your eye on for some time now. But before you go out and spend thousands on a bunch of expensive clubs, you want to be sure you’re buying a set that’s the right fit for your game. One of the best ways to find out what kind of equipment you need is by measuring the offset on the clubs. In this article, we’ll discuss how to measure and quote the right offsets for your set of golf clubs so you can make the right choice for your game.
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Measuring Offset
As we’ve established, before you shell out thousands on expensive golf clubs, you want to be sure they’re the right fit for your game. Measuring the offset on the clubs is one of the best ways to assess their exactness and find out what kind of shaft they require. There are several different methods to measuring the offset of a golf club, and each one has its perks.
The two most popular methods are (1) measuring the distance between the heel and the tip of the club when it’s laid flat on the ground and (2) measuring the diameter of the club’s face at two different points along its length. Let’s take a look at each method and what makes them special.
Using A Ruler
The most basic and popular way to measure the offset of a golf club is to simply use a ruler and measure the distance from one end to the other. While this method is simple and easy to follow, it has several weaknesses. First, if you measure the offset on a club that’s already in your hands, the result won’t be as accurate as if you had laid the club on a flat surface first and measured it there. Second, measuring the distance from heel to tip with a ruler can only give you an estimate of how much offset you have, since the geometry of the club will determine how far the heel and the tip travel when they’re brought into contact with the ground. Third, when measuring the offset with a ruler, there’s no way to be certain whether the results are correct or not, since you can never be certain how far the ruler will extend when you check it against a fixed object. Fourth, a ruler can be difficult to use accurately when measuring the offset of a putter or a pitching wedge, since they have such a small profile that you can’t get an accurate measurement without holding the club in different ways. Fifth, for all its shortcomings, a ruler is still a pretty easy and straightforward way to measure the offset of a golf club.
The Verdict
So which method should you use to measure the offset of a golf club? If you ask us, the best answer is: it depends. If you’re looking for a quick and easy way to get an approximate measurement of the offset for any type of club, then a ruler will make for a good choice. On the other hand, if your goal is to get an exact measurement of the offset for any club so you can buy the right kind of shaft, then measuring the distance from heel to tip will not be sufficient, and you’ll have to resort to the more time-consuming method of measuring the club’s diameter. In case you’re still undecided, here’s another good reason to avoid using a ruler for measuring the offset of a golf club: the error that creeps in when you use it to measure the offset of a putter is so great that the results are all but useless. The reason for this is that when you use a ruler to measure the offset of a putter, the result is influenced heavily by how you grip the club.
Face Of The Club
An alternative way of measuring the offset of a golf club is to measure the diameter of its face at two different points along its length. The first measurement is taken right below the club’s heel, where the shoulder meets the heel and the club is rested on the ground, or on a surface that’s a few degrees off perpendicular. The second measurement is taken at the center of the face, where the front edge of the club’s face meets its back edge. Let’s take a closer look at how this works.
With this method, you’ll want to hold the club with both hands, keeping your hands about shoulder-width apart. Next, you’ll want to determine the midpoint between your hands when they’re on the club. When your hands are at this position, the club is held upright in front of you with the shaft angled slightly upward at about 45 degrees. Then, you’ll simply rotate the club so the shaft is parallel to the ground, and measure the distance from one hand to the other along the entire length of the club. If you do this with a caliper or a ruler, you’ll find that the diameter of the club’s face increases as you go from one end to the other. Meaning that the farther you go from the heel to the tip of the club, the thicker the diameter gets. This is why this method is also known as the ‘diameter method’ or the ‘circular method.’
The advantage of measuring the diameter of the club’s face at two points along its length is that the results are highly accurate and repeatable, as long as you do it right. The chief disadvantage of this method is that it requires a fair bit of skill to grip the club correctly and get the measurements taken at the right spots, mostly since you have to use your hands more than simply to measure the distance between your hands when they’re about shoulder width apart. Another disadvantage of this method is that, although you’ll get an accurate measurement, you won’t be able to tell whether the results are accurate or not without comparing them to a fixed point or object. One more downside of this method is that it’s not easy to use with a putter or a pitching wedge, where the thickness and the overall length of the club’s face make it hard to get an accurate measurement with a ruler or a caliper.
The Heel-To-Tip Measurement
The heel-to-tip measurement is the simplest and most popular way of measuring the offset of a golf club. Simply measure the distance from the heel of the club to its tip. This is a measurement that you can easily get with a ruler, and it gives you a good idea of how far the club will travel when swung. The chief advantage of this method is that it’s very easy to use and doesn’t require any particular skill to take a proper measurement.
The downside to measuring the offset at the heel-to-tip is that this is often not an accurate measurement of the offset for all types of clubs, especially for irons and putters. For these types of clubs, you’ll want to use one of the two other methods described above, or at least combine the results of these two measurements to get a more accurate idea of the club’s exactness. The reason for this is that while the heel-to-tip measurement will give you a general idea of how far the club will travel when swung, it won’t necessarily give you the answer to the question: what kind of club is it?
Buying The Right Club
So you’ve decided to make the smart choice and buy that set of golf clubs that’s right for your game, and you’re looking for the best way to find out what those are. One of the best ways to do this is by measuring the offset on the clubs. Whether you opt for the ruler method or the face measurement method, getting an accurate measurement of the offset for any type of club is a task that can be difficult to master, especially since a perfect circle is difficult to draw when trying to measure the offset of a putter or a pitching wedge. If you have a caliper or a ruler handy, take a look at the fit of your favorite golf clubs first. If you find that some of them are extremely loose, while others are extremely tight, then you know that you’ve made the right choice by buying the former. If your favorite set of golf clubs is made by TaylorMade, then be sure to measure the offset on one of their longer shafts.