Minnesota Golfer - Fall 2024 - 8

GOLF GEAR
Offseason Overhaul
Whether spec tweaks or full-set changes,
now is the time to prep your clubs for 2025.
T
he 2024 golf season in Minnesota has ended, so now what?
Clean the clubs and put them away for a few months? Well,
Larry Bobka, master clubfitter for 2nd Swing in Minnetonka,
says equipment changes for next season should start now.
" People play through the summer and fall, and some local
golfers don't pick up their clubs until springtime, " Bobka says.
* BY JOSEPH OBERLE *
" But the best time to get fit for golf clubs is late fall or early winter
because you've been playing [all season] and are swinging your
clubs the best at that time. "
Now is a great time for an equipment assessment and to evaluate
what's in your bag. So, here is what Larry suggests tackling
in the offseason.
Larry's Equipment Checklist
Putter
Tune-up
The first priority is your
putter. Scoring clubs
are crucial, and if you
three-putted more than
one-putted last season, it may be time for
a change.
" Tune up your putter in the fall and
you'll have all winter to practice, " Bobka
says. " If your putter hasn't been fit for you
or you didn't putt well this season, and you
practice putting on indoor mats all winter,
it's a waste of time. You are practicing with
a club that may not be right for you; you're
just ingraining bad habits. "
Get in the
Grooves
Next up are your
wedges. Everyone wants
that new driver, but it
should be putter, wedges
and then driver, according to Bobka.
" You definitely need to check the
grooves on your wedges, " Bobka says.
" [Particularly] if your ball is not spinning
enough. Look at the age of the club
and how many rounds you play. If you're
playing a lot of golf, you should be changing
your wedges at least once a year and
sometimes twice. "
Ironing Out
Problems
If you had a poor season
with your irons,
the off-season is the
perfect time to get
Gap Year
Your distances can
change due to a long
season of swinging,
so you should ensure
all the distance gaps
your iron loft/lie angles checked.
" You may hit on mats or your irons are
6 years old, so when's the last time you
had your lofts and lies checked? " Bobka
asks. " Especially forged irons will move
on you over time. If you're a high-speed
player, those longer irons are going to
start adding some loft. "
Shaft
Shifting
As time goes by, our
swing speed changes,
and shafts play a big
role in irons and drivers.
Adjustable driver heads make it
much easier to fit a shaft and might save
you some money.
" We can grab a Ventus shaft off the
in your driver head and
wall, stick it
try that, " Bobka says. " Did we get better
performance? Did we get a better feel?
You might not need to buy the new
driver, but you might want to change out
the shaft. "
between clubs are covered.
" It's a perfect time of the year to gap
your setup, " Bobka says. " I've always
had a big difference between my 7- and
my 8-iron or between my 5- and 6-iron.
Why not get gap fit and make sure it all
works? "
Club Grip
Check
Finally, Bobka urges
golfers to change
their grips depending
upon how often
they play, but certainly during the offseason.
And the earlier the better.
" We get bombarded at 2nd Swing
in the late winter and early spring with
grip changes, " Bobka says. " That's fine,
but perhaps get your bag set in the fall
and then get your clubs regripped so
when spring weather breaks, you are
ready to go. "
8
MINNESOTAGOLFER Fall 2024
mngolf.org
http://www.mngolf.org
Minnesota Golfer - Fall 2024

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