How To Clean Golf Clubs

Anyone who plans to golf and who wants their equipment to last or stay in good shape for resale purposes need to know how to clean golf clubs. A dirty club can also interfere with grip and accuracy and affect how well the club holds the ball. The steps are easy, inexpensive and don’t take a great deal of time, but it’s surprising how many people neglect this simple maintenance task and later end up regretting it. Not only is it important to know how to clean golf clubs, but you must actually take time to do it on a regular basis to avoid rust and ensure that your clubs are in top shape when you want to use them.

Cleaning Clubheads Many problems with rust and corrosion of golf clubs can be avoided simply by wiping your clubs clean after a day of golf and using club covers to protect the clubheads. If the grooves of the clubface have dirt in them, be sure to clean them out. Debris on the clubface can affect the accuracy of a shot. In fact, many pros have their caddies clean the grooves on their clubs after every hole in a competition. You might use a tee or a rag, but to do a good job, use a stiff toothbrush or nailbrush and dish soap if needed. Scrub gently. Scrubbing too hard can scratch some materials or remove protective finishes. You can also use club cleaning solution to remove ball marks, tee marks, and grass stains. Be sure to dry the clubs thoroughly or rust may occur.

Removing Rust Rust can also occur if you leave wet clubs in the bag after a round of golf or if they are stored in an area where moisture can build up. Many golfers put their clubs away for the season only to find they have spots of rust on them the following year. This is one reason it is especially important to know how to clean golf clubs. If left unattended, rust can eat away at golf clubs, causing serious damage. If rust does occur, use steel wool on the area, rubbing gently and avoiding contact with non-rusted areas to avoid scratching the club. Some people recommend using naval jelly or other solutions to help remove the rust, but just be sure it is not something that will eat away at the surface of the club.

Cleaning Grips The oils in your hand, age, and weathering can deteriorate the grip and cause the material to harden, crack, or come unglued. Wash leather grips with saddle soap or other recommended cleaner. Grips made from rubber can be washed with a gentle soap or special grip cleaner solution. Something with a degreaser works best to remove oils and sweat. Dry grips well when finished. If they begin to feel a bit smooth after use or cleaning, scuff lightly with a stiff brush or sandpaper.

There are special cleaning kits with brushes and solutions that include instructions on how to clean golf clubs. You can also purchase waxes to protect the surfaces of your woods and irons. But the best preventative and cleaning technique is simply to pick an approach and do it regularly. The better you treat your clubs, the longer they will last and you may even improve your game by having a cleaner clubface or grips that don’t slip. There are many problems that can occur if you don’t know how to clean golf clubs or choose not to. Most of us spend enough money on our clubs that it should be worth the little bit of time and effort it takes to keep them in top condition.