Protecting your golf clubs and preventing scratches

[Lark]

Hey, I just bought new Callaway Clubs.. I paid a decent amount for them (for me considering I'm young). I want to keep the irons free from scratches and since I don't want to look like an idiot with iron covers, who actually uses them?.. how should I protect my irons? Will they get banged around in my carry bag? I have a Callaway Sunday Bag and it's a small lightweight bag where the clubs are close together is this bad?

I know this sounds like an obvious question with an obvious answer (don't use your clubs.. use iron covers) but I guess what I'm asking is from your experience.. do your clubs get nicked and scratched a lot when you carry them? Is it significant enough to ruin clubs/how often do you need to replace them? Am I just over worrying myself?

I bought Callaway X-20's.

[nuck81]

Any sand, dirt, or grit between the club and ball will cause a scratch. That's just part of the game...

[holeinon3]

Am I just over worrying myself?

Yes you are.

[zeg]

Don't worry about it. Take care of them---keep them clean and dry so that the inevitable scratches don't rust, but just use them. If you really don't want any unnecessary scratches, covers are your only real option; I will never understand the vitriol that iron covers bring out in some people, but regardless, they DO protect your irons at the end of the day. However, note that some manufacturers (notably Mizuno) recommend against them because in some cases they can promote rust.

Also, if you happen to be riding in a cart one day, and you find that you have to loosen the strap holding your bag in place to access some extra balls in the back pocket, DO NOT FORGET to tighten it up before you drive off again. This will scratch your clubs. Don't ask me why I know this.

[Shorty]

Head over to golfwrx and look at the tournament WITB photos. Plenty of dents, nicks and scratches there. Time to think about golf, not golf equipment.

[Bullitt5339]

I take fanatical care of my clubs, excessive and obsessive I would say. But I don't worry about scratches and dings, they're going to happen. They kind of give the clubs character. I do believe in keeping the grooves clean, and keeping my forged irons from rusting. I clean all my clubs once a week, but scratches and dings are a part of the game.

[walk18]

Use them, clean them and enjoy them. They'll have character the more you use them.

[The Road Dog]

If you want to use covers go ahead. They are your clubs and to hell with the opinion posse members who want to tell you what you look like. I use covers
and there is not a person yet who saw them that has had the nerve to say a thing to me.

[clam fist]

The scratches don't matter. Just keep 'em clean. Use the covers if ya wanna. They sell 'em for a reason. People buy 'em

[montru]

I use the Neoprene head covers from WalMart, all my clubs have covers, the only time my clubs don't have a head cover on it is if I'm using it. The good thing about the Neoprene covers is, that you can take it off, slip it in your pocket while your taking your shot and it doesn't make your pocket feel bulky.
Sure you still get scratches on them, but that is inevitable. I also use a copper wire brush to clean out the grooves, it's actually a bowling shoe brush, the type they use to clean the bottom of the shoe, the copper is soft enough not to add scratches, and it gets right down in the groove, if you brush it along the grooves that is.

I hope this helps.

[Cornbread]

Get yourself some iron headcovers. They are cheap...especially at Wal-Mart ($8 a set). That $8 will save you over $100 when you get ready to trade or sale later.
Also keep the grooves clean and NEVER hit at a Driving Range that doesn't wash their balls! Hitting dirty, sandy, grimie balls can grind down your grooves and wear your club face.

[Ash1974]

I take fanatical care of my clubs, excessive and obsessive I would say. But I don't worry about scratches and dings, they're going to happen. They kind of give the clubs character. I do believe in keeping the grooves clean, and keeping my forged irons from rusting. I clean all my clubs once a week, but scratches and dings are a part of the game.

Ditto (except I don't have forged Irons) all my irons have dings and scratches from playing. I always keep the grooves clean and clean all my clubs after every round.

I do however wrap a towel around the heads when they are in the trunk, as the heads clink and rub together when driving leaving black steel marks and that is unnecessary wear in my book. Just keep em clean and enjoy them

[Golfwolf]

I use irons covers on my irons when transporting the bag to and from the course. I take them off at the course, you will get some bag chatter marks when carrying or riding in a golf cart but you will also get them simply by using your clubs on the course.

[Zeph]

My clubs get most scratched up when I play with them, the rattle in the bag does not ding them up too much. Hitting a small grain of sand or something like that is what scratch up the club. The best way to protect them is by of course not throwing the clubs into the bag, but most importantly keep the face clean of dirt and sand. Also considering dropping the ball if it lies behind, at or nearby a rock or other hard items.

[leo3]

Callaway X20's are stainless, the high polished finish on the soles will dull up after a couple of rounds, but you won't get dings and nicks from bag chatter, like you would with a forged iron. Enjoy your new clubs, the X20's were one of the best X series that Callaway has made, in my opinion. Just remember, "tools, not jewels", play them well....

[CWHolland]

Time to think about golf, not golf equipment.

+1, Why worry about it, its gonna happen soon or later. I'm sure your thought will change once the "new" wears off.

[soloredd]

I was paranoid at first with my new irons but now I don't even think about it. I do always wipe them off with a wet golf towel after a shot (during a round). Best you can do. I like the analogy of a carpenter using a hammer.

[SpoiledRotten]

Head over to golfwrx and look at the tournament WITB photos. Plenty of dents, nicks and scratches there. Time to think about golf, not golf equipment.

You aren't the only one I'm pointing out, but that kind of thinking has never made sense to me. Maybe you have clubs that you purchased from a pawn shop. I don't know, but do you and other with this frame of mind have no pride in your belongings? What kind of car do you drive? What kind of house do you live in? It's all relevant. Maybe you never wash your car and it looks like you don't use your brakes... you just run into trees to stop it. Maybe you never mow your grass or maintain your house and it looks like trash lives there. What's the difference? You can say that your car gets you from point A to point B so why worry about the car, just worry about the trip. Not trying to be a jerk, but to tell someone else not to worry about their possessions when they obviously have some concern about the care of them is pretty irresponsible. I've asked the question when I first got my new clubs and yes, there were some answers that reflected the careless attitude of some, but there are still some out here that really enjoy having nice things and taking care of them.

Now, I'll get off my soap box, but I'm one of those that keeps my clubs looking as new as possible because I'm proud of them. I keep covers on mine, and to the OP, if you are shallow enough to think that it makes one look like an idiot then I'm an idiot in your eyes, but then, I didn't call you to ask your opinion. I'm not one that thinks that someone sounds like they are dedicated to the game just by abusing their equipment. If you don't want to look like an idiot by covering your clubs, then maybe you could leave your golf bag at home and carry your clubs individually in your pants pockets. I might have gotten a little passionate about this response but take into consideration that the OP didn't ask "who doesn't give a crap about their clubs". He asked how to take care of them.