Golf

Complete sets, half sets and clubs bought one by one:

suit different golfers. A boxed complete set gives a beginner a driver, a fairway wood or hybrid, a run of irons, a wedge, a putter and a bag that all match, and it is the simplest way to start. A half set, with a hybrid, a few irons, a wedge and the putter, is enough to learn on and lighter on the shoulder. Players past their first season build a set club by club: a driver chosen for its loft, cavity-back irons that forgive a missed strike or thinner blades that reward a good one, wedges by loft, and a blade or mallet putter that suits the stroke. Electric and push carts have their own place under golf carts, and the rackets from the courts beside the clubhouse are under tennis.

Shaft flex, graphite or steel, and left-handed clubs:

decide whether a set suits you more than the name on the head does. The flex is printed on the shaft or its band: L for ladies, A or senior, R for regular, S for stiff and X for extra stiff. A shaft too stiff for a slow swing sends the ball low and right for a right-hander; one too soft makes it balloon and wander. Graphite is lighter and kinder to the hands, and it is the norm in drivers and in women’s and senior sets, while most men’s irons still come in steel. Left-handed clubs are a small share of what gets made, so a left-hander who finds a matching set in good shape should not wait long.

The driver is the club that drops fastest:

the brands bring out a new one every season or two, so a driver two models old sells for a small part of what it cost, even with a clean face. New, a current driver from TaylorMade, Callaway or Titleist runs to ₡300,000 or more, while a boxed beginner set from one of the big brands, bag included, costs around ₡250,000 to ₡400,000. Irons wear slowly and putters barely date, which is why a good used putter or a set of forged irons keeps far more of its value than a much younger driver.

Worn grooves, sky marks and fake drivers:

start with the faces of the wedges and the most-used irons, where grooves worn smooth and a shiny patch in the middle mean less spin. On a driver or fairway wood, check the crown for dents and the paint scuffs called sky marks, look for hairline cracks near the face and the hosel, and give the club a gentle shake, because a rattle means something has come loose inside. Steel shafts should be straight with no rust at the tip; on graphite, a paint chip that shows fibres is a weak spot. Grips harden and crack in a hot car boot between rounds. They are cheap to replace, but count it into the price. Counterfeits aim at big-name drivers and complete sets: the serial number on the hosel should be crisp and centred, fonts and shaft bands should match the brand’s own, and glue spilling round the ferrule is a warning. A magnet should not stick to a head sold as titanium.

Selling a set to a golfer who wants to hit it first:

begins with the facts that rule a buyer in or out. State right- or left-handed, the shaft material and flex, which clubs are in the bag and whether any have been cut down, extended or re-gripped. Photograph each face, the soles of the irons, the crown of the driver and the shaft band showing the flex, and include the head covers and the wrench for an adjustable driver if you still have them. Most golfers want to swing a driver before paying for it, so offering to meet at a driving range with a bucket of balls closes more sales than another round of photos.