How do you take care of your clubs?

[The Road Dog]

My new MP-68s got a coat of wax before I played them the first time. I wash them with soap and water after a muddy round. Normally though a dip in a bucket of soapy water and a nylon brush is fine. I dry them with a clean towel before replacing them in the bag. Grips I dont care about, I want to wear them out. I do carry a towel for rainy days to dry a grip when playing though.

[zeg]

After a range session, I dunk the clubs I've used in the buckets they provide and then wipe them until clean with a towel. If there's a lot of gunk built up, I'll scrape it out of the grooves with a tee. During the round, I'll wipe off as well as I can using a dry towel if I get a club muddy. Usually I don't bother cleaning any further until the next range session unless one gets seriously dirty. I've taken to wiping my new grips with water then drying because they seem to attract a bit of dust.

[shades9323]

I wash my clubs in the middle of the season and the end of the season. I'll use a tee to clean out the groves on the wedges. If they are really dirty they get a spit shine during a round.

[shades9323]

I pulled all the wire bristles out of the brush because you should NEVER use a wire brush on your clubs.

Maybe you shouldn't use wire on forged clubs. Cast clubs are fine for wire.

[Zeph]

Keep a wet towel on the bag and clean the clubs after each shot. If dirt gets caught in the grooves, I'll use a tee or a the soft plastic brush, never metal. If you get stuff into your grooves that needs metal to remove, you are doing something wrong.

[SpoiledRotten]

Again... I thank you all for your advice. Looks like I'm not the only one that takes pride in their things. I might be a little anal when it comes to taking care of my stuff, but I want to replace things I wear out, not things I abuse or neglect. Good tips. I think I will leave the wire side of the brush away from my new clubs. That just sounds right to me.

[HoosierGolfer]

I clean my clubs after every round with Windex and an old tooth brush. I also have a club/ball washer mounted in my garage that I use to clean my irons.
One observation I have made at my home course is that I hear many guys while playing talking about the new groove rule and how much they hate it yet a couple of them never clean their clubs and their grooves are packed full of dirt, so they are hitting shots whit clubs with no grooves at all. I find that kind of funny.

[SpoiledRotten]

I clean my clubs after every round with Windex and an old tooth brush. I also have a club/ball washer mounted in my garage that I use to clean my irons.

Thanks, HoosierGolfer. I see you have the Callaway X-22 irons. I hope you are going to say that those are the best thing sliced bread.... since I just ordered a set. Should be arriving day after tomorrow.

[te3point5]

Driver: wiped down with a wet cloth and towel dried after the round
irons: after each shot, they get wiped off, then put back into the iron covers, then at home, the grooves get brushed, and they get wiped down with a wet cloth and towel dried
Putter: After the round, the scotty gets wiped down with a wet cloth, towel dried and then wiped with a scotty oil cloth

I don't usually clean my grips.

[clearwaterms]

I have alot of respect of people that take care of their posessions. It shows great pride. Also, it is worth noting that golf clubs are designed to swing in excess of 80 MPH at a golf ball, they have to impact a solid object repeatedly and wear very slowly, if at all. They are tools with no moving parts. They are very rugged, and while it helps to keep the grooves clean and the excess dirt off, you can certaintly go overboard with them.

I personally use a bucket with the hotest hot water I can get in it out of my faucet. Just enough to cover the club faces but not to go above the top of the hosel. I let my clubs soak in hot water for a few minutes (wedges are first in last out, since they are usually the dirtiest) and after words I take a dry cloth and scrub them out. If the grooves are not clean after that, I will take a tee to them to scrape out any remaining dirt.

The woods and hybrids (because they tend to float on account of being hollow) just get a quick dunk and a through rubbing.

I take great pride in knowing that when I arrive on the first tee, I will at least look like I know what I am doing.

[etlreams]

I clean my clubs just about once a week. After a round, if they are dirty (which is typically every time), I bring the bag in the house, fill up a bucket with warm water and soap and use an old toothbrush to clean them up while watching TV. Guess it's just kind of a routine for me.

[sean_miller]

I have one corner of my towel wet. I give each club (iron, wood putter) a quick wipe before I put it back in the bag. About once a month I give the irons a cleaning in slightly soapy water (use a little splash of Tide with stain remover). I'll probably sharpen the grooves every few months. I clean my grips when it rains.

[Fourputt]

Again... I thank you all for your advice. Looks like I'm not the only one that takes pride in their things. I might be a little anal when it comes to taking care of my stuff, but I want to replace things I wear out, not things I abuse or neglect. Good tips. I think I will leave the wire side of the brush away from my new clubs. That just sounds right to me.

Brass bristles won't harm a steel club. Look up the comparative hardness. Even forged steel is harder than the brass bristles of a club brush. I've used them for many years and never seen any damage from it. My AP2 irons are forged, and in 2 years have suffered no problems from using a brass bristled brush.

[Ktrap]

I use a little black scrub bottle filled with soap and water (made for golf) after each shot then wiped dry with a towl then back into iron covers..takes 20 seconds..at home about every third time used I clean with plastic scrub brush, soap and water and use it on the grips as well, then towl dry ( don't listen to these people who say soap and water will ruin your grips, been doing this for years and my dad has been even longer..!! never a problem!!! not washing them will ruin them much faster..!!! I would put my 19yr & 9yr clubs up against anyone!!! I have no doubt either looks better than some with clubs only a couple years old..!!!

[SpoiledRotten]

Thanks for the clarification, Rick!

[goblue107501]

There are a couple of ways to keep clubs looking sharp. One, don't hit off of rocks. If you ball is on some tough ground just move it if you don't want a big mark on the bottom. There will be normal nick and dings (bag chatter), but if you don't want a big chunk out of the bottom of an iron make sure you are not hitting off a rock or tree root. Two, hit the ball in the face of the club and not the top or bottom. I have a 7 year old driver that would qualify as a 9/10 condition because I can hit the ball on the face and not the top or bottom. IMO, that is how most clubs get banged up, not hitting them on the face.

Cleaning them isn't going to extend the life or prevent bumps and bruises. That just makes them look pretty. Clean them after each shot and you don't have to worry about it.

[sean_miller]

I have a 7 year old driver that would qualify as a 9/10 condition because I can hit the ball on the face and not the top or bottom. IMO, that is how most clubs get banged up, not hitting them on the face.

Either my next driver is going to be a Titleist (or a Cleveland) or I need to use a softer ball. My Launcher 3-wood looks like new even though I use it all the time, but my G10 looks like I've been hitting rocks. Same with my WS Fybrid - the marks are on the centre of the face, but it marked up really quickly.

[SpoiledRotten]

goblue, I do plan on keeping a "scrap iron" in my bag just for those shots that would rough up my good clubs, probably a middle of the road 6 iron. I read that somewhere on here and sure makes sense. Otherwise, I would definitely move the ball to a little more cushioned area.