I could tell you that consistent practice and lessons will guide you to a scratch handicap, but from my experience, that is untrue. A combination of practice and playing, a strong mind, and talent are essential to achieving this goal. In this post, I share 10 expert tips on how to become a scratch golfer.

I have played team golf with four players that are now professional golfers playing their trade on various tours around the globe. We all had the same coach and practice regiment. However, they had a natural talent and a strong mindset that led them to a zero handicap and a tour card.

Some players have what it takes, and others do not. But I will explain how to best position yourself to achieve this goal.

What Is a Scratch Golfer?

Simply put, a scratch golf player has a handicap index of 0. Therefore, they must shoot even par in 18-holes to play to their handicap. If the total par is 72, a scratch golfer is expected to return that score on an average day.

When a scratch golfer plays well, they will card several birdies and finish their round under par. Conversely, bad days lead to the scorecard reflecting over par.

How Realistic Is It to Reach This Level of Play?

Not everyone can reach the level of a scratch golfer. I want to remove the fairytales and focus on the facts. You need to possess an element of talent and dedicate yourself to playing and practicing consistently.

Casual players who hit the golf course a couple of times a year are unlikely to lower their number of strokes to the range of a scratch golfer. Conversely, those who train and play consistently are not guaranteed to become lower handicap golfers.

It is realistic if you thoroughly understand golf swing mechanics, course management and improve the weaknesses in your game. Plus, you must have a steel mind that shrugs off a bad shot and encourages resilience.

10 Tips to Help You Become a Scratch Golfer

1. Get Fitted for The Correct Equipment

The first step to becoming a scratch golfer is to get fitted with the correct equipment for your game. A high handicap golfer is typically oblivious to which golf clubs and ball best suits their golf swing. That is why I suggest visiting a professional fitter sooner rather than later.

They will set you up on a launch monitor and analyze each part of your swing through impact. Statistics provided to you by the launch monitor include clubhead speed, club path, backspin, sidespin, apex, direction, and distance. Plus, they assess your putting stroke to find the ideal design for your setup.

Fitters have you test various clubs during their search for your holy grail. In addition, they determine which golf ball is compatible with your swing.

Although their work involves analyzing stats, posture, swing, and ball position, they have two objectives. Find the equipment that maximizes your distance without compromising accuracy.

Without the correct tools, you cannot expect to reduce your total number of strokes from that of a bogey golfer to the level of scratch players. That is much like sending a soldier to the front line with a knife, expecting them to win the battle.

2. Take Lessons

Hopefully, you took a golf lesson or three from a PGA professional when you first took up the game. That would have taught you the basics, such as How to grip the golf club, alignment, ball position, and rotation.

However, a couple of lessons will not cut it. You need to consistently work with a coach to neutralize any issues as soon as they arise. Otherwise, you walk off the golf course, pondering how one lousy hole prompted a disastrous round.

Then, you hit the range and keep making the same mistake without comprehending your errors and how to fix them. The experienced eyes of a coach will detect your issue, help you correct it, and then work with you to get back on track.

Regular lessons basically prevent bad habits from seeping into your game and imploding your mission to be a scratch handicap.

3. Practice with a Purpose

One of my friends, Pete Arnott, coaches amateurs and professionals in Scotland. We recently spoke about practicing with a purpose and how that sets amateurs from the pros.

He used the example of Tiger Woods, who would pick out a spot on the driving range and hit different shots to reach that point. For example, he would hit a full, straight 7-iron to the target, followed by a draw and a fade. Then he would hit a 6, 5, 4, and 3-iron and attempt to land it on the desired spot.

The point is that Eldrick had a mission to land as many balls as possible in the same spot by playing different shots. This gave him multiple shot options from that distance to navigate varying weather conditions and golf course layouts.

By the end of his practice session, he had improved his ability to stick it close to the target from that distance. Therefore, practicing with a purpose helped boost his game.

Before you learn how to hit a draw or fade, I urge you to improve your accuracy and distance control with a straight flight. Start with your highest lofted wedge. Pick out a point in line with your average full wedge distance, and hit 20-shots to that target. After your 20th shot, take a break and analyze the results.

If you achieved a 70% success rate, move on to your next wedge and follow the same procedure. Work your way through your bag and dial in every club in your bag. That is one example of numerous methods to practice with purpose and actually see improvement in your game.

4. Play Often

While some golfers make our game look like it requires minimal fitness, that is fake news. You can practice all you want on the range, but if you do not take those teachings to the course, you will struggle to lower your handicap.

There are 3 elements involved here; walking, winging the club, and your mental state. You need endurance to navigate 18-holes of golf consistently, which comes when you play golf frequently.

When you are exhausted after the hole 12th, it is impossible to focus. That leads to a lack of power on your downswing and reduced hip and shoulder rotation.

As a result, you produce inaccurate shots and lose distance. That is one way to rapidly ruin your round. A couple of duffs and miscalculations can add those feared squares to your scorecard.

5. Master Your Short Game

A solid short game is vital to reach a scratch handicap. If you cannot execute chip shots and struggle to putt, a scratch handicap is an insurmountable challenge. Pencil in a short game session, at least once a week, to hone in on your performance around the green.

When you possess the ability to get up and down from around the green, it enables you to escape disastrous situations. Instead of a bogey, you walk away with a par and do not destroy your round.

Besides, saving your round increases your chances of carding birdies. Golfers who know how to stroke a flat stick stand a higher chance of carding birdies during their rounds. 1-under par holes are essential to becoming a scratch golfer.

We have a guide dedicated to the 9 best short game drills. Give this a read if you are searching for exercises to boost your greenside skills.

6. Learn How To Scramble

Players unfamiliar with the term should read our guide called what is scrambling? But, if you know how to scramble, you should improve your skills. You will rarely achieve a 100% fairways in regulation record every round. As a result, you need to prepare to escape tricky situations.

When you are in the thick rough, the sand, or behind a tree, you need to learn how to escape with minimal wounds. Therefore, you need to play smart and put yourself into a position where you can attack the flag and one putt to get down for a par.

High handicappers would implode in this quagmire and try and hit the ball through a 1-foot gap in the tree. Despite missing the 21-yard fairway, they still think they can execute with precision.

7. Shape Your Shots

I said earlier that you should focus on hitting the ball straight before embarking on a shot-shaping mission, and I stand by that. However, as you lower your handicap and know your way around the course, the next step is, shaping your shots.

The ability to hit a draw or fade enables you to position yourself optimally on doglegs and work your ball around trees and obstacles. Plus, working your ball from left to right allows you to remove hazards and trouble from your line. Plus, you can induce these shapes to play with the wind rather than into it, resulting in a loss of distance.

8. Play with a Caddie

Certain golf courses do not offer caddie services, but if your local does, take advantage of their knowledge. I credit most of my results on the course to my caddies as a junior. Edwin guided me to make the right club and shot selections, taught me how to read greens, and play off different lies.

Having a caddie gives you one less element to worry about when on the golf course. You do not have the heavy load of your bag on your back, and you have a second opinion before making a shot decision.

Finally, it helps if you can build a long-term relationship with a caddie, as I did with Edwin. He understood my game, my thought process, and what shots I could and could not execute. Thanks to him, I made better decisions that saved me strokes when I could easily have carded a double or triple bogey.

9. Improve Your Course Management

Amateurs often step onto the tee box and start swinging. There is no thought about the hole’s layout and where they should place their ball. Course management requires you to think astutely and play for your position. Effectively, you ask where should my ball land on this shot to give me the best chance at attacking the flag on approach?

Manage each shot and think about position. It is, of course, easier to make birdies from the fairway than from the woods.

For example, if water runs along the left side of the hole, you should avoid this area like the plague and instead aim to the right. That completely eradicates the threat of the water hazard.

10. Learn Green Grass Grains

My final word of advice revolves around grass strains. Each type of turf performs differently and impacts the result of your putt. For example, Bermuda grass produces fewer breaks when putting with the grain of grass. Conversely, bentgrass grows upwards and enables balls to break in every direction.

Bermuda greens are slower, while bentgrass produces increased speed. In addition, there is a third strain of grass used on golf courses, called Poa. This grass creates inconsistencies on the green by offering a pure roll one moment and deviating bobbling ball the next.

The point is that each grass strain impacts your putting experience. If you do not know how to play these greens, you will battle to play to a scratch handicap. Especially when you play at away courses covered in grass that you are unfamiliar with.

Further Reading: If you are a beginner, I suggest you learn to crawl before you can run. Study our review on how long it takes to get good at golf, and then come back to this post.

Matt Stevens

Matt Callcott-Stevens started playing golf at the age of 4 when Rory Sabattini’s father put a 7-iron and putter in his hand. He has experienced all the highs and lows the game can throw at you and has now settled down as a professional golf writer. He holds a Postgraduate in Sports Marketing and has played golf for 28 years. Current Handicap: 8

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Yes, you can use two gloves in golf, and no rule prevents you from doing that. The reason is they’re typically trying to prevent forming blisters on both hands, or because they have excessively sweaty hands and think it’ll give them better control of their club during a swing.

It boils down to personal preference and what provides the highest level of comfort. I also know golfers who wear gloves on both hands in the rain. They do it purely for increased traction, to achieve a good grip in miserable weather.

The reason why I, and most golfers, use a single glove is because it allows one of the hands to be directly on the rubber grip. This improves feel and feedback, which I desire on all shots. I take it a step further on short-game shots and remove my glove entirely.

Professionals and amateurs employ a glove on the hand that goes at the top of their grip. This is the hand that maintains the stability of the golf club on your backswing and guides the clubface into place on the downswing. As a result, it creates increased friction with the grip and can rip your palm to shreds.

Pro Player Who Use Two Gloves

Other than the South Carolina native Tommy Gainey, no two glove-wearing pros come to mind. At least, not under normal circumstances. Here’s “Two Gloves” Gainey explaining why he rocks two gloves on the course:

You will find tour pros wearing two gloves in wet weather, but those are extenuating circumstances. Once again, it is a matter of personal preference, and some pros may, in its place, prefer using a single waterproof glove in the rain.

Which Hand Does The Glove Go On, and Why?

When you use one golf glove, it fits onto your lead hand. That is your right hand if you are lefty, and your left if you are right-handed. The purpose for this is the friction your lead hand creates during your golf swing.

For example, the left mitt ensures the stability of your golf club on your backswing for right-handers. This keeps your clubhead on a path to make it easier to drop the clubface into position on your downswing.

Ultimately, your lead hand creates added friction from takeaway through impact,  leaving it susceptible to blisters and calluses.

3 of My Favorite Golf Gloves

1. TaylorMade Stratus Tech Glove

The TaylorMade Stratus Tech glove is the best option for hot and humid conditions. This durable construction produces exceptional breathability, 4-way stretch, and traction.

TaylorMade employed a combination of Hypertec material and leather to increase comfort without impacting durability. In addition, two gloves are included in this package to ensure that you always have a spare on hand.

Furthermore, the Stratus Tech is littered with perforations around the palm and fingers. The aim is to encourage maximum airflow through the glove to restrict the build-up of sweat. Therefore, your hand remains cool, dry, and comfortable while wearing the glove.

Lastly, the design team crafted the Stratus Tech glove with 4-way stretchable material. That means your palm and wrist enjoy optimal freedom of movement on your back and downswing. As a result, you can generate the needed power to execute a long, straight shot.

Pros

• Optimal breathability
• Maximum freedom of movement
• Provides exceptional grip in humid conditions
• Comfortable
• Keeps your hand cool and dry

Cons

• The fit is smaller than usual, so consider one size larger

FootJoy FLX Cadet Glove

If your palms are wider and your fingertips shorter than usual, you need a cadet golf glove. The extra width increases your comfort and the lifespan of your glove. The Footjoy FLX Cadet is my top pick for this category.

The FLX Cadet sports a 3-directional comfort closure to ensure that glove is securely fastened when you swing your golf club. Plus, this design reduces the tension and pressure felt at the closure point for added support.

Furthermore, a comfortable wrist elastic appears on the back of the glove to provide an ideal fit without strangling your hand. Therefore, it reduces pressure in this area to increase the freedom of motion while swinging.

FootJoy was not done with comfort yet. They decided to employ perforations on the knuckles and fingers to enhance breathability. The moisture control system works to keep your hand dry and cool to restrict the build-up of sweat.

Finally, the FLX Cadet glove is concocted with Cabretta leather. The leather offers an exceptionally soft, pleasant feel for the ultimate in luxury.

Pros

• Built for golfers with wider palms and shorter fingers
• Enhanced moisture control
• Superior comfort
• Soft feel
• Optimal grip

Cons

• Reduced durability and lifespan

Callaway Weather Spann Glove

As much as we love to play golf with blue skies and sun in the sky, that is not always possible. That is why you need a glove that can handle all conditions. The first prize is to acquire separated gloves to handle each scenario. However, if you are on a budget and need a two-in-one option, the Callaway Weather Spann Glove is one choice.

This is my top all-weather pick, and it is surprisingly affordable. It provides excellent durability, flex, and comfort for an all-around performance. Starting with the 4-way stretch synthetics, which feature around the knuckles. This is done to increase the flexibility around this area for superior support.

Furthermore, an Opti-Fit adjustable velcro closure gives you the power to secure your glove as tightly as is necessary. That way, you are assured it will not move or come loose on your backswing.

Callaway went a step further than most manufacturers on the breathability front. The team added perforations to the palm, top of the hand, and fingers. This promotes a cool breeze to consistently enter the inside of the glove and keeps your hand dry in warm weather.

Moreover, the design added reinforced palm patches to boost your grip in all weather. Therefore, whether it is scorching outside or the rain is bucketing down, you have the traction required to control your golf club.

Pros

• Exceptional breathability
• 4-way stretch synthetics
• Affordable
• Comfortable
• It provides increased traction in the wet

Cons

• The perforated holes can cause water to seep into the grip in heavy rain

Matt Stevens

Matt Callcott-Stevens started playing golf at the age of 4 when Rory Sabattini’s father put a 7-iron and putter in his hand. He has experienced all the highs and lows the game can throw at you and has now settled down as a professional golf writer. He holds a Postgraduate in Sports Marketing and has played golf for 28 years. Current Handicap: 8

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3-putts are the bane of an amateur’s existence. Even with accurate approach shots, the putting green is where it falls apart for casual golfers.

This is due to poor alignment and speed control. This issue prompted me to compile a list of practical lag putting drills to improve your putts per round record.

The drills listed below are ideal for successfully navigating enormous greens. This allows you to confidently get your ball to within a few feet for a 2-putt tap-in. If you hit the green in regulation, that gives you an easy par.

In addition, these exercises improve your alignment to help you judge breaks on longer putts.

1. Measuring Tape (The longer the putt, the longer the backstroke)

When I started playing golf, I was told that the strength of my putt depended on my follow-through and not the backswing. As a result, I took the putter back the same distance for every putt, causing me to leave longer putts short of the cup.

It did not take me long to recognize this flaw, and I adjusted the backstroke accordingly. My coach employed a measuring tape and helped me mark the required backswing length for each distance. Over time, it became like second nature to send the putter head back the desired span for a 5, 10, 20, or even 40-foot putt.

How To Do The Measuring Tape Drill

Pick a target, and set up three balls each 5, 10, 20, 40, and 60 feet from the cup. Next, extend the measuring tape to 30-inches, and lock it. This measurement covers the length of your stroke for the different distances.

Roll putts from 5 feet, and get a friend to mark the top of your back putting-stroke on the measuring tape. Record the distance for future reference. Proceed to strike 10-footers and follow the same procedure. Follow this up with 20, 40, and 60-feet putts.

Once your backstroke lengths are determined, return to the 20-foot marker, and take out the measuring tape again. Lock it on the measurement of your backstroke to guide you. This helps you produce the required launch on your takeaway for optimal distance control.

2. Feel The Speed

I saw Phil Mickelson run through this putting drill, which helps you gain a better feel for long putts. This trains you to induce a desirable backstroke length and optimal power on the downstroke for improved speed control:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QO2IoMYgcO8

Phil suggests that you produce the same quantity of energy on your follow-through for each shot. This adds an element of consistency to your strokes. The only variable is the length of your backstroke.

How To Do The Feel The Speed Drill

Lefty does this drill from 40, 50, and 60 feet. Now, as a professional, the greens he putts on are substantially longer than the ones you and I are accustomed to. Therefore, I suggest starting at 20 feet before progressing to 40 and 50 feet.

Place 5 balls at each distance mark, and hit putts to your target. I recommend identifying a spot on the green rather than a specific hole for this exercise. Repeat the task from that range if you do not card a 100% success rate. After succeeding from 20 feet, move on to 40 and finally, 50 feet.

3. Manilla Folder

Long straight putts are difficult to judge as is. However, it enhances the challenge of speed control when you add a downhill slope to the equation. Insufficient pace leaves you with a downhill second putt, risking a bogey.

Conversely, the excess pace could send your ball hurtling to the fringe of the green. You want the ball to trickle down to the cup, leaving you with a simple tap-in for par. The manilla folder drill helps you judge speed precisely.

The idea is to stop the ball on the folder as if it were the top of a slope. Gravity takes over from this point and guides the ball towards the flagstick.

How To Do The Manilla Folder Drill

Identify a point on the green to place the folder, and then measure at 20, 40, and 50-feet intervals. Set 5 balls up on each mark and commence from 20 feet away. Produce 5 successful lag putts that stop on the folder before moving onto the 40-foot setup.

4. Gate Putting Drill (Accuracy)

The first 3 drills revolved around vital speed control. But, if your putter face is not square through impact, it sends your ball off line from the beginning. Therefore, you stand no chance of sinking your putt. The gate putting drill encourages you to square the putter face up at contact to send your ball on your intended line.

Tiger Woods applied this drill to his warm-up routine on the practice green. He placed two tees parallel to each other, approximately 2-inches in front, forming a gate marginally wider than his putter head. He aimed to send the ball through the gate to induce a straight roll.

As a right-hand golfer, he would pull the ball left of the cup if his putter face was closed at impact. On the contrary, his ball would miss right if he left the face open at contact.

How To Do The Gate Putting Drill

Insert two tees into the ground 2 inches ahead of your golf ball. The tees should sit parallel to one another, forming a gate structure. Employ this practice routine 20, 40, and 50 feet away from the hole, working on your accuracy from that distance.

Your mission is to get the ball to within a radius of 3 feet of the hole, ensuring a tap-in 2-putt.

5. Judge The Speed Of The Greens

The challenge amateurs have with lag putting is determining the quantity of force to strike the golf ball with. I recommend employing this putting practice drill in your pre-round preparation. It gives you a feel for the layout of the greens and what you can expect for that day.

Instead of picking a specific hole on the green, putt from one end to the other, watching the break and speed of your roll. If your ball flies off the other side of the green, you need to dial the pace down. Contrarily, short putts require extra oomph to get the ball across the dancefloor.

How To Do The Judge The Speed Drill

Place 5 golf balls on one end of the green, and putt the ball to a designated target on the other side. Stroke the 5 balls and pay attention to the consistency of the roll and the break. The aim is to stop the ball within a 3-feet radius of your target for optimal distance control.

6. In The Zone

In the Zone is one of my best putting drills that adds purpose to your training routine. It gets you into the mindset of stopping your first putts within a 3-feet radius around the cup. However, it also encourages a confident stroke to reduce your risk of leaving a putt short.

I like this drill because it helps you determine your progress by scoring each putt. Your overall mission is to score as many strokes under par as possible, putting from different distances.

Ultimately, this exercise is built to promote confident putts that roll past the hole rather than being left short.

How To Do In The Zone

Grab an alignment stick and position it 3 feet past the hole, then measure intervals of 20, 40, and 50 feet from the flag. Next, place 5 balls at each interval, and prepare to putt.

Start with the closest 5-balls. Every time you sink a putt, it counts as a birdie. But, if you leave it short or blast it further than 3-feet past the cup, it results in a bogey. Tally up your score from the first distance and proceed to the 40-foot mark, and finally, try your luck from 50 feet out.

Once you have putt all your balls, count your overall score. Then repeat the drill to try to improve your personal best score.

7. Leave It Below The Hole

As an amateur, you never want to leave yourself a downhill tester for par. There are too many factors to consider that can cause you to miss the putt and card a bogey. That is why you want your second putt uphill whenever possible.

It is easier to hit a firm, uphill putt than judge the distance of a rapid downhill roll. The leave it below the hole drill helps you judge your strikes to perfection to trickle the ball down to the hole for an easy tap-in.

How To Do Leave It Below The Hole

Hire the services of your trusted alignment stick and place it 3-feet past the cup. Sit 5 balls down on the green at the 20, 40, and 50-foot mark, and stroke the ball. The idea is to stop your golf ball between the cup and the alignment stick, encouraging an easy 2-putt from far out.

You must not progress to the 40-foot mark until all 5-balls are 3-feet below the cup. You must possess a perfect record before continuing.

Matt Stevens

Matt Callcott-Stevens started playing golf at the age of 4 when Rory Sabattini’s father put a 7-iron and putter in his hand. He has experienced all the highs and lows the game can throw at you and has now settled down as a professional golf writer. He holds a Postgraduate in Sports Marketing and has played golf for 28 years. Current Handicap: 8

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Finding the perfect gift for the golf-loving woman in your life can feel like navigating a tricky fairway—you want something thoughtful, practical, and tailored to her passion for the game. Whether it’s for your wife, girlfriend, daughter, or friend, the right gift can make her time on the course more enjoyable and memorable.

That’s why we’ve put together this curated list of 30 golf gifts for women that are sure to impress. From stylish apparel to game-enhancing gear and fun accessories, these ideas are designed to delight golfers of all skill levels. Let’s help you find a gift she’ll absolutely love—and one that will remind her of you every time she tees up.

1. Sand Trap Cheese Board and Tool Set

Does your wife or girlfriend love hosting wine parties? If so, this gift may be perfect for her. This neat little set is made out of bamboo wood and comes with cheese-cutting tools and wine accessories

2. Funny Golf Towel for Women

Wolf Golf Towels makes a variety of hilarious golf towels for women. There are ten different options available to purchase.

The funniest ones state “Oh My God Look at Her Putt” and “Talk Birdie to Me”. These golf towels would be a delightful gift to any lady golfer.

3. Giggle Golf Bling Putt Now, Wine Later Golf Ball Marker

Every lady golfer needs a cute ball marker. This one made by Giggle Golf checks all of the boxes as far as style and functionality. The “Putt Now, Wine Later” inscription is hilarious and the fact that it clips right onto a golf hat is a nice touch.

4.  Athletico Golf Shoe Bag

Golf shoes are a necessity but they are sometimes hard to cram into a golf bag. Because of that, your lady will love this snazzy pink golf shoe bag. The bag is just big enough to hold your golf shoes and it also has two outside pockets for socks, tees, golf balls, etc.

5. Stroke Counter Bracelet

This nice-looking bracelet offers women a way to count their strokes on each hole.

6. Athletico Golf Trunk Organizer

This larger bag from Athletico takes golf accessory storage to the next level. If your lady golfer is sick of her golf items rolling around the trunk of her car, this would be the perfect gift for her. This bag comes with several compartments and the overall size is large enough for golf shoes, hats, pants, balls, tees, and gloves.

7. Pink Birdie Juice Flask

Your wife, girlfriend, Mom, or sister will love this cute flask. It is made of stainless steel and has “Birdie Juice” imprinted in the center with four golf clubs. This is perfect for any occasion but especially great for Valentine’s Day or her birthday.

8. Fore! Cards On-Course Golf Game

Want to add some variety to your golf-loving lady’s next round? This card game is a blast and each card tells you how you are supposed to play the next hole. She’ll love playing this game with her friends on the course.

9. Indoor Putting Green

Hardcore golfing ladies love to work on their putting stroke whenever they get the chance. Now, thanks to this indoor putting green from AbcoTech, your favorite lady can practice from the comforts of their home or office. The golf ball even rolls back on its own!

10. Golf Bluetooth Speaker

Does your lady like to listen to some cool tunes while playing golf? If so, she’ll love this premium Bluetooth speaker that will play songs for up to 20 hours before needing a charge.

11. Women’s Wristlet Wallet

This cute little wallet is perfect for all of the main ladies in your life. It has some nice golf emblems on the front and is perfect for holding her cell phone and makeup while she’s on the course.

12. Cooling Towels

Playing golf during the summer months can be a daunting task in extreme heat. To remedy this problem, buy your lady a cooling towel to make sure she can easily stay cool on the course.

13. Nine and Wine Leather Golf Glove

Is your lady tired of wearing the same boring old golf glove? Shake things up by getting her this stylish glove that is filled with wine and golf logos.

14. Putt Now, Wine Later Stainless Steel Tumbler

This tumbler is perfect for any type of beverage but it works especially well with wine or coffee. The set comes with a secure lid and two straws and the tumbler is available in either a 12-ounce or a 20-ounce size. This would make a perfect gift for Mother’s Day or her birthday.

15. Pop-Up Golf Chipping Net

Here’s another terrific practice item for the golf-loving lady in your life. She’ll love it because she’ll be able to practice her chip shots anywhere. The net is easy to carry and folds down into a 12” by 12” case.

The set also comes with a combo mat, six foam golf balls, and six driving range golf balls. The steel frame holds up well and will last quite a long time.

16. Glove It Coil Visor for Women

Playing golf in the summer sun means that every lady golfer needs a hat or a visor to protect their face and eyes. This visor is made of 100% nylon and comes in a wide variety of styles and colors. We prefer the catchy “Nine & Wine” option that features golf clubs and wine emblems.

17. Callaway Supersoft Golf Balls

Our top gift for women golfers is a no-brainer. Callaway Supersoft golf balls provide an impressive ball flight, plenty of distance off the tee, a lower amount of sidespin, and lots of short game control. Most women will love the pink color, which makes these easier to find on the golf course!

18. LastFor1 Sleeveless Women’s Golf Polo

Your lady friend will love this sleek and stylish golf polo. The sleeveless design provides a maximum amount of comfort and won’t inhibit her golf swing in any way because it is loose fitting in the armpit area. It’s also made of spandex and polyester, which helps keep the polo dry and lightweight.

19. Queen of the Green Gift Set

This gift set from Giggle Golf has a little bit of everything. For a decent price, your lady golfer will enjoy a golf towel, a tee bag with four tees, and a ball marker that clips onto her hat. All of these outstanding items come with the catchy “Queen of the Green” saying on them.

20. Good Mood Golf Tumbler

Here’s another cool tumbler that your golf-loving lady is sure to love. This 12-ounce mug comes with a lid and has the funny quote “Today’s Good Mood is sponsored by Golf and Wine” inscribed. Your lady friend can keep her hot drinks hot and her cold drinks cold with this enjoyable gift.

21. Golf Travel Bag

Does your wife, mother, or sister love to travel around to different golf courses? If so, they need a high-quality travel bag to store their clubs during flights.

22. Mallet Putter Cover

This putter cover from Giggle Golf would make a great gift for any occasion. It fits any mallet putter perfectly and comes in 15 different styles.

23. Adidas Women’s Visor

We already have a visor on this list but this basic version from Adidas is a great choice and comes in 17 colors.

24. Golf Keychain

Sometimes the simplest gifts are the best ones. This keychain has three different charms on it and they are all golf-related.

25. Golf Bag and Clubs Charm Necklace

If the woman you’re buying a gift for is a true lover of the game, she’ll adore this necklace. Made of solid sterling silver and handcrafted.

26. Golf Socks

Who says that socks have to be boring? These K. Bell socks are adorable and they say “Love Golf” across the top.

27. Golf Cooler Bag

Here’s a great gift for a woman golfer, especially if she enjoys drinking beer or wine while on the course! This handy little cooler easily holds a six-pack of beer or a couple of bottles of wine.

28. Lunch Bag

Here’s a useful gift for the golfer in your life. This rainbow-colored lunch bag has a lady golfer on the left side of it and is great for the course of the office.

29. Topgolf Gift Card

Here’s a cool gift that can be used on you and your lady’s next golf outing. Topgolf is a great place to go on your next date!

Link to Buy on Amazon

30. Golf Towel and Tool Kit

This kit has a ton of useful accessories. It comes with a towel, brush, ball marker, and other handy items.

Mike Noblin

Mike has been involved with sports for over 30 years. He’s been an avid golfer for more than 10 years and is obsessed with watching the Golf Channel and taking notes on a daily basis. He also holds a degree in Sports Psychology.

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A golf swing is a complicated motion that requires synergy between your arms, shoulders, and lower body. Each element must perform optimally to deliver a rhythmic swing and maximum power.

In this post, I look at the role of your left arm in the procedure, specific to right-handed golfers. If you are left-handed, simply apply these lessons to your right arm. I will break down the positioning of your left arm during setup, takeaway, downswing, and follow through.

These are tips designed to help you keep your clubface on path and generate increased power on your downswing.

Which Arm Does The Work in a Golf Swing?

Both your arms play a pivotal role in generating optimal on your downswing and keeping your clubhead on path. On your takeaway, your left hand pushes the clubhead back to the top of the backswing. From the top, your right arm becomes the source of power, while the left anchors the club, keeping it on path.

This places you in a prime position to launch from the top of the swing and generate the quantity of power required to produce a long, straight golf shot.

Should Your Left Arm Be Straight in Your Golf Swing?

Yes, your left arm should remain straight in your golf swing. On the backswing, a straight left arm helps your right hand keep the club shaft on plane. If you bend your left elbow, it will be challenging for your right hand to anchor the club and keep it on the intended path.

Conversely, if your left arm is bent on the downswing, it is significantly harder to square the clubface through impact. As a result, you strike the ball with a closed face, sending it hooking into the trees.

Keeping your left arm straight creates the required arc on the backswing to produce an accelerated downswing if you. Furthermore, a straight left arm on the downswing keeps your clubface square through impact for a straight shot.

You can view the below video from golf coach Eric Cogorno to see how to keep your left arm straight throughout your swing:

What Should Your Arms Do During The Swing?

Setup

Once you have set the ball up in your stance, place the clubhead behind it to determine the ideal alignment. At this point, both arms should be straight. This means creating a v-shape from the left and right shoulder down to the grip.

In addition, you employ a slight knee flex for the clubhead to feel a comfortable distance away from you. If it is too far, you will try and reach for the ball leading into impact, leading to a pushed shot.

On the other hand, when the ball is too close, it puts you at risk of hooking your ball.

Backswing

Your left hand pushes the club back on your takeaway while your right arm keeps it on path. PGA Pro Katie Dawkins explains that your arms should make an L-shape, with the club, halfway through the backswing:

This means you should bend your right elbow slightly, making the shape of a lowercase v from your right shoulder to your wrist. In addition, you must maintain a straight left arm. This setup enables you to wind up to the top and produce the momentum needed for a powerful downswing.

Although you need to keep your left arm straight, wrist hinge is vital for producing adequate energy at the top of your backswing and through impact. Plus, it makes it easier to keep your clubhead on path and square your clubface up through contact. Without hinging your wrists, you lose power and increase the difficulty of producing a straight shot.

Downswing

When your clubhead reaches the top of the backswing, your arms switch roles. At this point, your right arm prompts the clubhead downwards, while the left hand keeps the club on line. Your right hand should follow the same path it did on the backswing for optimal velocity and accuracy.

In other words, you need to hinge your right and left wrist halfway through the downswing to straighten your arms for impact. Therefore, your position at impact will replicate that of your setup at address.

Remember that rotation is essential for achieving the desired club path and velocity on your downswing. Failure to induce sufficient rotation leads to a loss of power. It also hampers your ability to square the clubface up at contact. As a result, you experience erratic shot dispersion on top of fewer yards.

Contact

As I mentioned before, your arms need to return to the address position through contact. When that occurs, you know that you executed your swing as intended. Therefore, you should produce a solid straight, and long shot.

However, when you mis-hit your ball, you can feel and hear from the swing feedback that the strike is no good. Therefore, you must get your arms straight through impact to achieve optimal distance and accuracy. Any deviations can reduce clubhead speed and send your ball flying along an unintended path.

If you hinge your wrists at the correct point on your downswing, your clubface should be square and possess sufficient velocity to impart on the ball. This ensures maximum distance and improved shot dispersion.

Follow Through

The force you generated through impact should be sufficient to carry your clubhead upwards towards your left shoulder. This is the ideal finish for a cleanly struck golf shot. Your right hand continues to push the clubhead through and up while the left hand keeps the club on line.

Coaches are typically satisfied when your right elbow is pointed to where your ball lay. In addition, your right hand should sit next to the left side of your shoulder.

Matt Stevens

Matt Callcott-Stevens started playing golf at the age of 4 when Rory Sabattini’s father put a 7-iron and putter in his hand. He has experienced all the highs and lows the game can throw at you and has now settled down as a professional golf writer. He holds a Postgraduate in Sports Marketing and has played golf for 28 years. Current Handicap: 8

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According to True Spec Golf, players with fast swing speeds are built to swing clubs with a stiff flex shaft. A golfer producing a slower swing speed should consider a senior or ladies’ design; when the average swingers perform the best with a regular flex shaft.

In this post, I assess stiff vs extra stiff iron shafts. I’ll evaluate the pros and cons of each design to see which construction suits your game.

In addition, I have provided a rundown of the performance features of each shaft. This helps you determine which option is better aligned with your desired launch, spin, and distance goals.

A Quick Overview of Iron Shaft Stiffness and Why They Matter

Shaft flex plays a role in the outcome of every strike. The right shaft flex is essential in achieving your desired launch, shot shape, distance and spin.

If you are a slower swinger and play with extra stiff shafts you may be struggling to generate the required clubhead speed for an enhanced coefficient of restitution (COR). As a result, you do not produce the necessary ball speed to achieve a high launching, long shot. Therefore, your golf ball flies low, and you lose distance.

In addition to the distance loss, a stiff design challenges your accuracy. A stiff flex shaft raises the challenge of squaring your face up through impact. The stiffer, heavier shaft delivers less torque. Therefore, it produces less whip from the club on your downswing to bring it into position.

This is why the average golfer tends to leave the club face open through contact and slice their ball. That means your dispersion will reflect shots consistently to the right of your target.

Pros of Stiff Shafts

Low Spin

The first advantage that a stiff shaft produces is low spin. This is ideal for longer iron shots, as it delivers a piercing flight to encourage maximum distance.

The stiffer a golf club shaft is, the less spring it provides the clubface through impact. This causes you to strike the ball with less loft, leading to a lower launch with less spin. Therefore, you enjoy increased forward roll upon landing for added distance in your long game.

Low Launch

I mentioned that a stiff shaft produces lower spin thanks to a sturdy lofted club face at contact. That causes a low launch and reduces the apex of your ball flight, which is welcomed in windy conditions.

In addition, the low launching nature of these shots prevents faster swinging golfers from ballooning their shots. This ensures increased control on approach shots for optimal distance control through the bag.

When fast swinging golfers play a lighter shaft, the added spin and high launch cause them to lose, carry, and total distance.

Built For Fast Swing Speeds

Stiff shafts are best suited to golfers with fast swing speeds. Golfers fitting into this category typically swing a 6-iron between 84 to 91 mph. Stiff iron shafts help fast-swinging golfers produce their desired launch, ball speed, and spin levels for satisfactory results.

Low handicap players typically fall into this category. While the rest of the amateur golf fraternity produces slow or average swing speeds.

Cons of Stiff Shafts

Reduced Spin

The reduced spin is a blessing for fast swing speed golfers seeking a consistent launch for optimal distance control. But, the situation is different for slower swinging amateurs.

The lack of spin causes the ball to fly low, and if you do not produce sufficient ball speed, it will hit the ground sooner than intended and lead to a loss of distance. Although spin is the enemy in the wind and hampers your yardage, you need some to get off the ball airborne.

Furthermore, the lack of spin can cause your ball to roll off the green on approach. As a result, you will need a precise short game to consistently get up and down.

Loss of Carry Distance

A stiffer shaft construction restricts the bend of the clubhead into the ball at impact. Therefore, your clubface strikes the ball with a sturdy lofted face and sends your golf ball along a low trajectory.

Failure to generate sufficient ball velocity will cause the ionomer to drop out of the sky sooner than planned, causing a loss of carry distance. This messes with your distance control and is dangerous when trying to clear a water hazard or a bunker.

Sliced Shots

If your grip, wrist angles, and angle of attack are on point, but you still slice your shots, your club shafts may be at fault. Stiffer golf shafts provide little assistance on your downswing. As a result, your rotation, rhythm, and tempo must be on point for a clean strike.

Failure to execute a clean transition from the backswing to the downswing can leave your clubface open at impact. This position generates left to right sidespin, which causes a slice. In this scenario, you might consider switching to a regular shaft.

Pros of Extra Stiff Shafts

Lowest Spin

I touched on the beauty of low spin in my review on stiff shafts. However, an extra-stiff design takes it to the next level. You will not find a shaft that produces less spin rpm than an extra-stiff construction.

Golfers who generate excess spin with a stiff shaft should contemplate an extra-stiff setup. This may help limit spin for a more controlled ball flight.

Lowest Launch

The result of the lowest spinning shaft is the lowest launching shot. This suits golfers looking for piercing flight to achieve consistency in their distance and accuracy. Plus, it prevents very fast swingers from ballooning their shots and losing yards.

Built For Super Fast Swing Speeds

Extra stiff shafts are reserved for the fastest swingers in our game. These are golfers producing more than 92 mph of velocity on the downswing. An aspiring professional and PGA Tour Pros are the most likely golfers to fill this bracket.

I suggest that these individuals test steel iron shafts and see how they go. If you launch your shots too low, think about a graphite shaft with the same flex.

Cons of Extra Stiff Shafts

Limited Spin

Extra stiff shafts provided limited spin assistance. This means you are required to do all the work, and failure to generate sufficient spin will lead to a low-flying golf shot. This reduces your carry distance and, at times, causes the ball to roll further than intended.

Erratic Dispersion

When your shaft is too stiff for your swing, it leads to erratic dispersion. The lack of clubface spring through impact makes it difficult to square the grooves up through contact. This results in a wayward shot caused by an open clubface that prompts shots to the right of your target.

How to Determine Which Type of Iron Shafts Better Suit You

Swing Speed

Swing speed provides a guideline for golfers who have no idea how to find the best iron shaft constructions for their game. Those who swing a 6-iron between 75 and 83 mph have an average swing speed. Therefore, regular flex designs are considered best for your game.

Moreover, a 6-iron swing speed below 75 mph is set up for a seniors shaft. A ladies’ shaft is also worth testing if that is still too stiff for your game.

Launch

The next factor to analyze is launch. Are you producing your desired launch and ball flight to maximize distance control and accuracy in your iron game? If you are launching the ball consistently low, your shaft may be too stiff for your swing. Therefore, you need to consider a more flexible design.

Conversely, players who frequently balloon their shots may opt for a stiffer flex that takes out an additional clubface spring through impact.

Spin

Spin is necessary to get your ball airborne and landing softly on the green. However, excessive spin can cause you to sky your shot and lose considerable carry distance. Conversely, inadequate spin can send your ball flying low and hitting the ground earlier than intended.

Ultimately think about a lighter and more flexible shaft if you demand a higher launching shot. However, lower ball flight seekers should stick to stiffer shaft constructions.

Dispersion

Several factors can prompt an erratic shot wide of your target. This starts with a bad grip, followed by a lack of rotation, then by a wrong angle of attack. These factors produce an open or closed clubface sending the ball left or right of the landing zone.

If your coach is satisfied that your swing mechanics are optimized and your grip is secure, your shafts may prove the issue. Typically, extra stiff shafts cause slower swinging golfers to leave their clubface open at impact, causing a slice.

On the other hand, a light, flexible golf shaft can prompt a player to close its clubface through contact and hook their ball.

Therefore, if you are consistently slicing your shots and have your swing and grip in order, contemplate a more flexible shaft. Conversely, golfers frequently hooking their shots should consider a stiff shaft design.

Our Top Picks for Each Category

If you’ve decided to go with stiff shafts, here’s one of my favorites:

But if you’re swinging hard and want to go with some extra stiff shafts, I recommend these steel shafts:

Related Reading: If this post made you realize you need to switch out your golf shafts , read our post on how much it costs to reshaft irons. The process is far more straightforward than you may think.

Matt Stevens

Matt Callcott-Stevens started playing golf at the age of 4 when Rory Sabattini’s father put a 7-iron and putter in his hand. He has experienced all the highs and lows the game can throw at you and has now settled down as a professional golf writer. He holds a Postgraduate in Sports Marketing and has played golf for 28 years. Current Handicap: 8

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Over the past few years, rangefinders have become all the rage amongst golfers.

The PGA of America even made rangefinders legal in all three of its major championships back in May of 2021. The move was made by the governing body with the hopes of speeding up the pace of play on the golf course at these events.

I’ve been playing golf for several years and I’ll be the first to admit that I was slow to come around to using a rangefinder during my rounds. However, when I purchased my last set of golf clubs, the salesman kindly threw in a Bushnell Tour V4 rangefinder as part of the deal. Now I don’t know how I ever played a round of golf without it!

Overall Rating and Thoughts: 4.9/5

Bushnell has converted me into a customer for life. While I used to think rangefinders were overpriced and unnecessary, I now don’t know how I ever played a round of golf without one! If you are on the fence about which rangefinder to buy, I highly recommend the Bushnell Tour V4 Slope Edition.

Overall, I’d give the Bushnell Tour V4 rangefinder 4.9 out of 5 stars for a variety of reasons. It’s insanely accurate and I love the Jolt Technology, which vibrates a little bit when you have locked on to the flag. This gives me peace of mind that I have aimed the laser in the correct spot.

The slope option is incredibly helpful because it factors in the degrees of slope for you, which tells you what the shot is actually playing. This makes a huge difference in the way of club selection. After all, most golf shots have some sort of slope involved.

If you are not a fan of the slope technology and just want the actual distance or you are playing in a tournament that doesn’t allow it, you can easily shift between modes by rotating the small notch dial on top. Again, Bushnell hits a home run with this feature.

I also love how the Bushnell Tour V4 rangefinder fits comfortably into the palm of my hand. It was designed with stabi-grip technology, which means it won’t slip out of your hand and it’s easy to handle. It’s also lightweight, so your arm and hand won’t get tired of holding it during a round.

Lastly, Bushnell is the most reputable rangefinder brand on the market. Tons of professional and amateur golfers around the world trust Bushnell to give them accurate yardage readings. If you’re in the market for a new rangefinder, you can’t go wrong with the Bushnell Tour V4 Slope Edition.

Quick Overview of the Bushnell Tour V4

Bushnell has been making top-of-the-line rangefinders for over 25 years, so they have stood the test of time in the golf industry. The Tour V4 was first released in 2016 and it remains one of Bushnell’s best-selling rangefinders, even though the Tour V5 has been out for quite a while. The Slope Edition lets you toggle in and out of Bushnell’s special slope feature, which automatically adjusts its yardage based on the incline or decline of the slope.

The Tour V4 provides pinpoint accuracy and gives you a yardage number that you can be confident in each time you use it on the golf course. It also comes with Pin Seeker Jolt technology, which sends short vibrating pulses when you have correctly shot the laser to the flag. With the Tour V4’s 5x magnification, you’ll easily be able to see all of the key details of each green on the course.

What I Like About The Bushnell Tour V4

Since the Tour V4 has so many key features, it’s hard to decide which ones I value the most. However, here are some of my favorite things about this particular Bushnell rangefinder. These are in no particular order.

• Pinpoint Accuracy: Before using the Tour V4, I simply used a standard golf GPS app on my phone. While this worked okay to give me ballpark yardage on each of my shots, I quickly learned that the yardage it gave me was regularly three to five yards off the actual distance. I’ve never had this problem with the Tour V4 because its accuracy is always within 1-yard. It’s so refreshing to not have to second guess my club selection anymore!
• Pin Seeker with Jolt Technology: This is probably my favorite feature of the Bushnell Tour V4 rangefinder! With other brands, you may be left wondering if you correctly aimed the laser at the target. This is NOT the case with the Tour V4 thanks to its Pin Seeker with Jolt feature. Simply aim at the flagstick and the device will provide you with a tactile confirmation by lightly vibrating a few times! How cool is that?
• Fast Focus System: Some laser rangefinders or golf GPS apps can take quite a while to give you the desired yardage information. This can be due to a weak cell phone signal on a GPS app or a lengthy process on some off-brand rangefinders. Needless to say, it is super annoying when that happens! Thankfully, golfers don’t have to worry about that happening with the Bushnell Tour V4. It has a fast focus system that allows you to see your yardage number and degree of slope quickly and efficiently. No more waiting around to find your number and select your club.
• 2-Year Warranty: Let’s face it. Finding a company that stands behind its products with a solid warranty is almost a rare thing nowadays. This warranty means if you have any trouble with the Tour V4 in the way of manufacturing defects within two years of your purchase date, Bushnell will either fix the issue or send you a new rangefinder as a replacement.
• Compact Size: Some golf rangefinders are too bulky, which makes it difficult to keep a steady hand when trying to find out yardages. You won’t have this problem with the Tour V4. It’s a lightweight device with an ergonomic design, which makes it much easier to hold than other brands. Your thumb will easily wrap around the entire device and you’ll be able to easily hit the red button on top to start shooting yardages.
• Slope Mode: Being able to calculate the slope of each green is a remarkable advantage for amateur golfers. Thanks to the Tour V4’s ability to tell me the degrees of slope, I can decide the safest approach shot based on the hole layouts. This has helped me lower my handicap considerably.
• Water Resistant: This one is a biggie for me because, unlike some other golfers, I like playing in the rain (I know, I’m weird). The Tour V4 is water-resistant so you can use it without fear of damaging it. However, just to be on the safe side, I wouldn’t use it in a complete downpour though, as it’s not waterproof (only water-resistant). Be sure to keep the rangefinder in its premium carrying case when you aren’t using it.
• Access to Bushnell Golf App: Golfers of all levels will love the Bushnell Golf mobile app because of its helpful features. The app offers 3D flyovers of each hole as well as yardages to the front, to the flag, and to the back of the green. The app currently has a 4.8 rating on the App Store and a 3.9 rating on Google Play. Both of those impressive ratings just go to show that Bushnell spared no expense when it came to designing its mobile golf app.
• Extremely Long Battery Life: Another critical feature of the Tour V4 is its battery life. I’ve been using this rangefinder for over a year and haven’t needed to replace the battery. It takes a 3-volt lithium cr2 battery, which is easy to find at most shopping outlets. The battery door also easily slides open to make the whole replacement process a breeze.

What I Dislike About The Bushnell Tour V4

There’s not a whole lot to dislike about the Tour V4. The only complaint I have is that it doesn’t come with a magnet on it, which would make it easier to mount it on the side of the golf cart during a round. This would be much more convenient than having to take it in and out of the carry case throughout the entire round on the course.

However, I have heard that the new Bushnell Tour V5 comes with its new BITE magnetic technology, which allows you to just slap it on the side of the golf cart rails. It would probably be pretty easy to just slap a small magnet on the side of the Tour V4 though.

Mike Noblin

Mike has been involved with sports for over 30 years. He’s been an avid golfer for more than 10 years and is obsessed with watching the Golf Channel and taking notes on a daily basis. He also holds a degree in Sports Psychology.

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Updated on January 4, 2026

Few things can ruin the peaceful rhythm of a round of golf like the relentless clatter of your clubs banging together.

That unmistakable sound is more than just irritating—it can also lead to unnecessary wear and tear on your equipment. Whether you’re carrying your bag or using a cart, club chatter is a common problem that leaves many golfers searching for a solution.

Thankfully, the right golf bag can make all the difference. In this guide, we’ll explore the best golf bags designed to prevent club chatter, protecting both your sanity and your gear.

Types of Golf Bags That Prevent Clubs from Hitting Each Other

Did you know that certain types of golf cart bags will eliminate or at least severely diminish the sound of club chatter? The best golf bag for this is the 14-way bag. As its name implies, the 14-way golf bag has 14 different pockets so that you have a separate spot for each one of your golf clubs.

This works beautifully because golfers are only allowed to keep 14 golf clubs in their bags during a round. Since most 14-way golf bags come with full-length dividers, the golf clubs stay far enough apart to not clack against each other.

If you don’t have a 14-way golf bag, you can still eliminate bag chatter by buying an iron holder, which acts as a locking system. Most of the iron holders on the market can hold up to 9 irons at a time. This is good news because it means there should even be room for your pitching wedge and sand wedge to be locked into place.

Top 4 Golf Bags That Prevent Club Chatter

1. Subtle Patriot Covert Golf Cart Bag

This is our favorite golf bag for keeping club chatter to an absolute minimum. Each club slot is spacious enough to hold each club and the bag itself weighs less than 5 pounds. We love the fact that this bag comes in 12 different color schemes.

Pros

• Has a separate slot for 14 golf clubs and can hold up to 15 clubs if needed
• The lightweight design makes the bag easy to carry
• Comes with 11 pockets to hold your golf accessories and personal belongings
• Made of high-quality materials that won’t get weighed down during a round in the rain
• Snap-on rain cover is included
• Can easily be fastened into a standard golf cart or strapped onto a push or pull cart
• Has a larger compartment for your putter

Cons

• No front handle, which is a bit surprising
• Only 4 of the 14 dividers are full-length

2. Callaway Golf Fairway 14 Stand Bag

If you prefer a stand bag that also minimizes club chatter, this golf bag from Callaway is a phenomenal choice. Callaway makes golf items that are of the highest quality, which is why we feature their products in most of our posts. This bag has a sleek look but it also has a high level of durability.

Pros

• Lowrider Top with 14 slots to hold all of your clubs
• Special slot to hold your putter in place so that you no longer have to keep it covered the entire round
• Each slot has a full-length divider in it to virtually eliminate any type of club chatter
• Designed with metal zippers for enhanced durability
• The ring on the side is made of alloy to offer a convenient place to hang your golf towel
• Fits easily onto all push carts
• Comes with a special pocket to keep your rangefinder or golf GPS
• Only 6 pounds so it’s easy to carry
• Comes in 10 different color schemes

Cons

• It May be too pricey for some golfers

3. Powerbilt TPS Dunes 14-Way

If you’re needing a durable golf bag for less than $100, look no further than the Powerbilt TPS Dunes. It has 14 slots for maximum organization of your golf clubs. Each slot is spacious enough to keep your clubs from hitting each other.

Pros

• 14 divided slots so you can quickly pull out which club you need
• Since each club has its spot, annoying chatter is kept to a minimum
• Comes with padded carrying straps that make the bag more comfortable to walk with on your shoulders
• Has 5 pockets with zippers to safely store all your tees, golf balls, and other accessories
• Stands up on its own with no problems
• Great price
• Comes with a 1-year warranty from the manufacturer

Cons

• Only has 3 full-length dividers which means there may be a small amount of club chatter
• Some have had issues with the legs not functioning properly
• Only comes in 4 different colors

4. Mizuno BR-DX 14-Way Hybrid Golf Stand Bag

Here’s another premium 14-way golf bag that is excellent for reducing or even eliminating club chatter. Mizuno is one of the top brands in the golf industry. Though Mizuno is more known for its premium irons, the company offers some solid golf bag options as well.

Pros

• Full-length dividers in all 14 golf club slots
• Proper spacing makes organizing your golf clubs a breeze
• Comes with two shoulder straps for golfers who prefer to carry their clubs instead of using a golf cart
• 13 different pockets that are lined with fleece to keep all of your valuables safe during your round
• Even has a large cooler pocket with a drain hole to keep your beverages cool and the inside of your bag dry
• Comes with a protective rain hood to cover your clubs with bad weather strikes
• Even with all these features, the bag is still nice and light at only 5.62 pounds
• Has a velcro spot to keep your golf glove secure

Cons

• One of the pricier golf bags on the market

Mike Noblin

Mike has been involved with sports for over 30 years. He’s been an avid golfer for more than 10 years and is obsessed with watching the Golf Channel and taking notes on a daily basis. He also holds a degree in Sports Psychology.

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Golf swing mechanics are a complex matter that causes amateurs headaches on the links.

Besides a sturdy grip, there is the matter of upper and lower body rotation, club path, swing plane, and arm position. In this post, I block out the distractions and zero in on what your right arm should be doing in your golf swing.

I have compiled a list of effective drills for right-handers to train your trail arm for optimal results. Your right arm helps you generate lag for accelerated clubhead speed, power, and increased distance.

Quick note: if you are a left-handed golfer, the opposite advice recommended below applies to your game.

The Role of The Right Arm in Your Golf Swing

Address

Golf instructor Steve Sieracki recommends that your right elbow sits approximately 3 inches from your body at address. You must bend your right arm to achieve this position at setup. If your right arm is straight at setup, it reduces your ability to generate wrist hinge, costing your clubhead speed and power:

Backswing

Eric Cogorno explains that a bent right arm is its first pivotal role in the golf swing. Your right hand guides the club on the backswing to keep it on the intended path, while your left hand pushes it up to the top of the swing:

Cogorno suggests bending your right elbow to 90 degrees at the top. His partner Sieracki explains that at this point, your right elbow should sit approximately 3-inches from your upper body. For your right elbow to reach this mark, you need to bend it on the backswing.

This position simplifies your route to the ball from the top of the backswing. This makes it easier for an amateur golfer to keep your clubface square leading into impact for an accurate result.

Downswing

The second core function of the right arm in your swing is to straighten on the downswing. You straighten the arm on the way down and through impact. As a result, you generate lag leading to rapid swing speed, power, and a clean strike.

It’s vital not to straighten your right arm too early in the downswing, as it can weaken your contact. Furthermore, straightening your arm before impact can prevent you from clearing your hips. That can cause you to open or close your clubface to the target, leading to hook and slice shots.

In the video above, Cogorno continues to explain that your right arm should not reach full extension until it is 45 degrees past the impact point. Getting your trail arm to this point shows you have produced sufficient speed and power for a successful shot.

Which Arm Should be Dominant in Your Swing?

Backswing

On your backswing, your lead arm propels your golf club to the top of your swing. As a right-hander, this is your left, our non-dominant side.

Downswing

Now, on the downswing, your right arm is the dominant limb. From the top of your backswing, your dominant side enables you to generate increased power and speed. This boosts your chances of producing a clean strike for accelerated ball speed and maximum distance.

Drills to Help You Use Your Right Arm Correctly in Your Golf Swing

Hand Position Drill

I will start you off with an easy drill that helps you get used to the feel and positioning of your right arm during the swing. Golf coach Chris Ryan suggests letting your right arm hang to approximately waist height:

Face your palm towards your target line, and pause in this position. If you reach this point on your downswing, your club head may hit the turf before the ball. That is why you need to adjust the position of your arms depending on the point of the swing.

Next, rotate the palm of your hand so that it faces directly in front of you. In other words, if you were on the tee box, it would point to one of the markers. At this point, your elbow shifts towards the center line of your body.

Finally, rotate the palm of your hand back towards your target, and press the heel of the palm forward. Therefore, your palm will point towards the ground. Hold this setup and take note of your positioning. This is how you want your right arm at impact to produce a clean, powerful strike.

Dumbbell Drill

Earlier, I explained that your right arm bends on the backswing and straightens on the downswing. It follows the same method as curling dumbbells at the gym. However, instead of building muscle, you use the weight to feel the motion of your right arm on your up and downswing.

Grab a dumbbell that is a comfortable weight, and assume your stance for a routine strike. Hold the dumbbell in your right hand, and cross your left arm across your torso. Take full swings with your right arm and notice how it bends on the backswing and straightens on the downswing through impact.

The additional weight exaggerates the sensation, enabling you to feel when your club shaft is on plane and your arms are operating optimally.

Once this action becomes comfortable, substitute the dumbbell for a lower iron and place a golf ball on the turf. Now, repeat the movements of your dumbbell drill, this time with an actual golf club and ball.

Golf Ball Drill

The golf ball drill is a classic exercise to help you improve the performance of your right arm in the swing. Chris Ryan demonstrates how simple and effective this training is. The ultimate objective is to throw and bounce the ball in front of your tee:

Take a golf ball and place it into your right hand. Now stand over an imaginary ball as if you were about to strike it. Notice that if you threw the ball from this position, you would probably toss it over your left shoulder.

From your address position, take a half backswing, employing optimal hip and shoulder turn. Start your downswing before stopping before impact. Take note of your body position and how your weight has shifted onto your left hip. In addition, your right arm should lag your hips, prompting the generation of optimal velocity.

Repeat the process again, but this time release the golf ball moments before impact. Ideally, the golf ball should fall in front of the tee. If it lands before the tee, you either released it too early, or your arm is too straight.

Overall, this drill enables you to feel the positioning of your right arm during your backswing, downswing, and follow through.

One Handed Shot

A simple drill my high school coach taught me was the one-handed shot. If you are right-handed, grab the club with the same mitt. I suggest a short iron or wedge that is easier to swing. Set up a golf ball and take a few practice swings with the golf club in your right hand.

You only need to take a half or three-quarter swing for this exercise. Once you are comfortable, address the ball and attempt to strike it with your right hand. Naturally, you will hit the ball shorter, but the aim is to concentrate on a clean strike.

Since you do not have the propulsion from the left hand on your backswing, you rely on the control of your right arm and optimal rotation to reach the top of your swing. Furthermore, you are without the left hand to guide your club to the ball, and it is up to the proficiency of your right arm.

If you strike the ground before the ball, it was likely caused by an early straight. This could lead to a fresh air shot or a weak strike. Your ultimate goal is to position your right arm precisely at each point of the swing. Achieving this boosts your ability to strike the ball cleanly.

Half Swing

The half swing drill is designed to help you feel the movement of your right arm on your backswing and downswing. As I explained earlier, your right arm needs to bend on your backswing and straighten on the way down. Your right arm should fully extend once it is 45 degrees past the impact point.

A slow half backswing enables you to feel your right arm bending on the way up. Place a ball on the turf and grab your preferred mid or short iron. Take a step back from the ball and produce three half-practice swings.

Familiarize yourself with the position of your right arm at each point in the swing and address your ball. Induce a slow half swing to combine that with your hip and shoulder rotation, and work on striking the ball cleanly.

I suggest filming yourself to ensure that your arm bends and extends when required. Forget distance for this drill. Focus on correcting your right arm action for cleaner ball striking.

Top Down Drill

The final drill on this list is one I practice frequently at the driving range. I call it the top-down exercise. Basically, I take my backswing, and when I reach the top, I pause for a count of 3. Then I let it rip from the top.

I do this because it offers a clearer insight into the position of my arm and shaft en route to the ball. Slowing it down and taking it from the top makes it easier to identify if I am positioned correctly for impact.

Following Sieracki’s advice, I get my right elbow approximately 3-inches from my body at the top of the swing. From there, my elbow moves 2-inches away from my torso. Finally, it should sit 1-inch from my upper waist, enabling you to produce lag, and accelerated clubhead speed.

Matt Stevens

Matt Callcott-Stevens started playing golf at the age of 4 when Rory Sabattini’s father put a 7-iron and putter in his hand. He has experienced all the highs and lows the game can throw at you and has now settled down as a professional golf writer. He holds a Postgraduate in Sports Marketing and has played golf for 28 years. Current Handicap: 8

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This Callaway Rogue St driver review seeks to analyze the qualities of the Max design.

Out of the three options in the Callaway Rogue drivers series, the Max is built for the average golfer demanding accuracy, distance, and forgiveness.

The other two golf clubs suit fast swinging low-handicap players and inconsistent high handicappers. The Rogue ST Max LS is a low spin option and accelerates ball speed for maximum distance. Conversely, the Callaway Rogue ST Max D provides a draw bias that combats sidespin for straighter drives.

As the latest Callaway Driver, the Max range is a premium product. You can expect to fork out a pretty penny. However, if you are on a budget, you should review our top 10 drivers under $200.

For readers looking for a quick summary, here are the highlights/lowlights:

Overall Rating and Thoughts

This review highlights an impressive creation that helps you maximize your distance without relinquishing forgiveness. The Tungsten Speed Cartridge escalates the driver’s MOI and accelerates ball speed on mishits. Together they produce consistent distance and accurate flight for an improved fairway in regulation record.

Furthermore, the presence of a Jailbreak Speed Frame increases the zone on your clubface that accelerates ball speed. Plus, it restricts backspin rpm encouraging additional yards off the tee.

The lower CG positioning is set up to help you launch your drives higher and longer. Finally, an adjustable hosel allows you to set up for your preferred ball flight. Given its qualities, it makes an ideal driver for mid-handicappers.

I am suitably impressed with the performance features of the Callaway Rogue ST driver and applaud their engineers. However, the excessively high price point rules it out for the average golfer, especially with a looming recession. Therefore, I suggest an older, affordable version such as the Epic Speed or Max.

If money is not an issue, then I won’t stand in your way. You can take a closer look at the Callaway Rogue ST driver here.

Quick Overview of The Callaway Rogue ST Driver

Tungsten Speed Cartridge

Engineers at Callaway employed a Tungsten Speed Cartridge which places 26 grams of tungsten weight in the driver’s head.

The cartridge increases the stability of the Callaway Rogue ST drivers to ensure the highest MOI head. MOI stands for moment of inertia, which represents the ability of a clubface to resist twisting during your swing. As a result, it encourages a square face to prompt a straight tee shot.

Furthermore, this stable driver works to maintain ball speed on off-center strikes. This provides exceptional forgiveness levels to the average golfer to keep you long and straight on the golf course.

Jailbreak Speed Frame

Jailbreak Speed Frame technology enhances the stability of your Callaway Driver, horizontally and torsionally. The aim of this structure is to quicken ball speed on all strikes. Therefore, the club maintains velocity on heel and toe mishits and contact low off the clubface.

In addition, this construction helps you reduce spin to boost distance results. Ultimately, Tungsten Speed Cartridge and a Jailbreak Speed Frame provide the best combination of distance, low spin, and forgiveness.

Titanium Unibody Construction

Callaway relied on a Titanium Unibody Construction to bolster stability and lower center of gravity (CG). These two features collaborate to produce explosive ball speed, a high MOI, and ball flight.

The deep and low CG helps golfers with average swing speed to consistently launch their golf ball into the air, leading to maximum carry distance. In addition, the high MOI profile resists twisting to remain square at contact. This leads to consistently straight shots for optimal accuracy.

Triaxial Carbon Crown And Sole

The engineers used a Triaxial Carbon Crown to reduce the total mass of the new Rogue ST drivers. This weight is then repositioned deep into the driver’s head, which enabled the team to lower the CG.

The low positioning of the CG encourages a high launch off the tee to ensure consistent carry and total distance.

Slight Draw Bias

The stock setup of the Rogue ST driver positions the head in a slight draw bias. This helps right-handed golfers combat left to right side spin on off-center strikes, leading to slices and a poor fairway in regulation record.

Although this helps serial slicers hit straighter shots, it can be detrimental to some golfers. The draw bias construction could worsen your results if you tend to hook your shots.

Adjustable Hosel

Despite the slight draw bias profile of the Rogue ST Max driver, it contains an adjustable hosel enabling you to alter the setup. The hosel lets you change the loft and lie of the clubface to achieve your desired launch and shot shape.

Weakening the loft of this driver encourages increased spin for a higher launching shot. However, keep in mind that an open clubface can cause you to generate right-to-left sidespin, prompting a fade.

Conversely, strengthening the loft of your golf club closes the face angle and encourages a low to neutral ball flight. Furthermore, the closed clubface of this driver sets you up to produce a draw.

Lofts

Callaway offers the Rogue ST Max driver in 3 stock loft options. The strongest lofted construction is 9 degrees, while 10.5-degrees works for the average golfer.

Lastly, a 12-degree loft design is the weakest option for slow-swinging golfers.

Faster swingers should consider the strong lofted 9-degree driver, which you can strengthen or weaken. You can reduce the loft on this driver to 8 degrees for a lower launch and 11 degrees for a higher flight.

In addition, the 10.5-degree driver can adjust to 9.5 and 12.5-degrees. Finally, the weaker 12-degree club strengthens up to 11 degrees and weakens to as much as 14 degrees.

Shafts

The Rogue ST Max driver offers 4 stock shaft options to promote an optimal launch for consistent distance and accuracy. Mitsubishi dominates the shaft offering with three different ranges.

Fast and medium driver swing speeds should produce their desired ball flight with the Tensei AV Blue 55 and 65 graphite shafts. Both these options are crafted in regular and stiff flex. Regular flex works for average swing speeds, while stiff flex performs for faster swingers.

Moreover, the Tensei AV White 65 graphite shaft is set up for fast and super faster swing speeds. These shafts are offered in stiff and extra stiff flex.

The final option is the Fujikura Ventus Blue 5 and 6 shaft, which works for fast and moderate swing speeds. These shafts are constructed in regular, stiff, and extra stiff flex. Therefore, they are built for moderate, fast, and super fast clubhead speeds.

Ultimately, the stock shafts for the Rogue ST Max driver are ideal for mid, fast, and super fast golf swings. They are not designed to perform for slower swingers.

What I Like About The Callaway Rogue ST Max

Consistent Ball Speed

The stand-out feature for me was the consistency of my ball speed on shots out the middle and off-center. My average ball speed hovers around 142 mph, which is my benchmark for all driver tests.

The Callaway Rogue ST Max performed optimally in this area during the test. The lowest ball velocity that I generated was 140.3 mph, slightly off-center to the right. Otherwise, the remaining swings yielded maximum speed for my game.

Thanks to the consistent ball speed, I generated optimal distance, which is why I appreciate this asset.

Low Spin

When low spin and explosive ball speed partner, they work to produce maximum yardage in your long game. The Jailbreak Speed Frame in this driver bolsters the stability of the clubhead and face at impact. This keeps your clubface square at impact to impart extreme ball velocity while restricting backspin.

My typical backspin rpm on drives ranges from 2200 to 2300, and the Rogue ST Max delivered the goods. My average was 2275 rpm during the tests, putting me exactly where I needed to be.

Straight Flight

The Tungsten Speed Cartridge and slight draw bias encourage straight ball flight for added accuracy. The former enhances MOI to reduce twisting and promote a square clubface at impact.

In addition, the slight draw bias combats side spin, which induces slices to keep you on the fairway.

What I Dislike About The Callaway Rogue ST

Price

The biggest turn-off of the Rogue ST is its premium price. It carries a recommended retail price of $549.99, which is excessive for the average golfer. However, there is no disrespect to Callaway because their engineers have created a gem of a product.

Appearance

The Tungsten Speed Cartridge sticks out from the back of the crown at address, which is off-putting. When I looked at it the first time, I was reminded of the horrors bestowed upon my eyes by the Nike Sasquatch. Other than this issue, the rest of the club is clean and appealing.

The Wrench Is Not Included

You generally need to acquire the wrench to adjust the hosel separately. This is annoying and adds to the cost of an already expensive item. When you are forking out a premium for a golf club, the least you could expect is to receive a complementary wrench.

Matt Stevens

Matt Callcott-Stevens started playing golf at the age of 4 when Rory Sabattini’s father put a 7-iron and putter in his hand. He has experienced all the highs and lows the game can throw at you and has now settled down as a professional golf writer. He holds a Postgraduate in Sports Marketing and has played golf for 28 years. Current Handicap: 8

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