Friends don't let friends use their clubs

[dave s]

Back in high school my friend used my Biggest Big Bertha (remember those?? LOL).. He snapped the head right off with a drive!! Needless to say Callaway took care of it but I dont care if my friends use my equipment.

Breaking the head off your Callaway wasn't your friends fault, it was the shaft! At one point, I had Great Big Bertha driver, 4 and 7 woods in my bag. The shaft on the driver and 4 wood broke once each and 7 wood TWICE!

Callaway replaced all, no questions asked. All had serious shaft issues down near the head. Each of mine broke in a similar manner. dave

[davechen]

ALot of good comments, But the one that says that they dont mind letting friends use their clubs and if they break it it is a good excuse to upgrade? WOW must be nice to have the disposable cash to just go buy new stuff all "willy nilly" like that.

It's really more a frame of mind than anything else. As it stands I haven't anyone break my clubs yet, so it hasn't cost me anything.

[Akers]

Only let my mate who plays of 9 use my clubs, anyone else it is "you sky it you, buy it"

[MonkeyClaw]

Of course the problem with the 'you break, you buy' policy is that not everyone has $500 laying around to pay for someone else's new driver. Easy to say, not easy to enforce. Also, chips and dents can happen. I'd rather chip or dent my own driver instead of letting someone else do it.

I'm more lenient with my irons, they are cheaper and in a pinch I can substitute another loft.

[Bourbon and Coke]

I think you have to know your own ability level before you ask to use them. People have justified a lot of this with, "Friends are more important than golf clubs," but I have to ask: what good friend would put you in that position?

Most of my friends are much better than me, and most of them are using more expensive equipment than me right now. Before I got fitted for my clubs, I know my swing felt bad and was likely to send the clubhead just about anywhere. I would never ask to use anyone's drivers or woods. A few of my buddies were always quick to offer their drivers/woods, and others simply wouldn't. A good friend has to respect that some people aren't comfortable loaning clubs.

I would say if your friends are upset about not getting to use your equipment, you need better friends.

[kafka01]

Of course the problem with the 'you break, you buy' policy is that not everyone has $500 laying around to pay for someone else's new driver. Easy to say, not easy to enforce. Also, chips and dents can happen. I'd rather chip or dent my own driver instead of letting someone else do it.

I let people hit my clubs - but before i hand them out i make sure i know them, that they have a solid hcp and that they have these 500 $ laying around easily. If not - no way.

[MrSandman]

I had a friend try a driver once and take up a nice big divot and leave a beautiful scuff mark on the top of the club. Unlike a snapped driver, this cannot just be fixed (not that I know of), and I had the friendly mark to remind me of that shot for as long as I had the driver.

I don't let people hit my driver anymore.

[DDBowdoin]

no one touches my clubs, NO ONE!

I don't fear someone breaking it its almost a superstitious thing...

[MrSandman]

Those Great Big Bertha shafts in the late 1990's broke really easily. I was working in the pro shop back then, and there were several instances of people coming in with the broken shaft when they swore it was done on a normal swing.

[rudygu]

In my experience people who ask to use someone else's clubs are usually beginners who don't realize just how easy it is to damage a club. This of course increases the chance that they will make a horrible swing and do just that. They also don't realize just how sensitive some golfers can be about other people handling their gear.

Personally, I can't stand it when people ask, but I can't really say no either. I just cringe until they give it back. I've had this backfire on me twice. The first time was a couple years ago when my cousin and I both first started playing. He asked to use my TaylorMade r580 and of course put a huge sky mark on it immediately. I didn't get too upset because I purchased it used off Ebay and we are very close. The second time was a bit different. About a year ago my wife's 14 yr old cousin who I'm not sure had ever swung a golf club wanted me to take him to the driving range. I made it a point to get my X460 driver out of the bag before he could ask, but he immediately went for my Ping G2 strong 3 wood despite my suggestions that he start with a short iron. After a few swings he hit a nasty shank off of the shaft and split it almost in half (Grafalloy Blue). I felt sick, but played it off like it was no big deal as I was aware his parent was in no shape financially to replace it. So I ate the cost of a new shaft and went on vacation 2 days later with no 3 wood. On the plus side I did learn a lot about re-shafting a metalwood when I replaced it.

[DDBowdoin]

lol I actually say NO to people... sometimes I say no, other times I'll drop the most assinine line on people

"oh can I hit that"

"well you could but its a low lofted driver with a stiff shaft that is heavy and has low torque so it may not suit you"

thats kind of a dick thing to say but it works