Club Maintenence

[Strandly]

Kinda curious how often people clean their clubs?  I've been bringing mine inside and using an old toothbrush to clean out the grooves under running water after every round or two.  I thought it might be excessive at first but I let them slide for several rounds and driving range trips once and I seemed to play terrible so it made me reconsider the value of clean clubs.

[Meltdwhiskey]

I voted 'never' because I don't really ever bring them inside for a cleaning like you said.  But I do carry one of those little mini wire brushes and if one has a good bit of dirt on it, I'll clean it off right before the shot.  And Occasionally I'll run a few clubs through the little club cleaner device at the course.

But golf clubs hit dirt every time you use them basically.  Seems fruitless to thoroughly clean a club just to slam it into the dirt next time I handle it.

[Fourputt]

I voted 'never' because I don't really ever bring them inside for a cleaning like you said.  But I do carry one of those little mini wire brushes and if one has a good bit of dirt on it, I'll clean it off right before the shot.  And Occasionally I'll run a few clubs through the little club cleaner device at the course.

But golf clubs hit dirt every time you use them basically.  Seems fruitless to thoroughly clean a club just to slam it into the dirt next time I handle it.

A quick wipe after each shot can clean dirt and whatever from the surface and the grooves.  Let that crap get pounded in and dried out and then it takes an actual effort to clean the grooves.  I wipe them after every shot, and give a couple of swipes with the groove brush if needed.  I never have to slow down my routine before a shot, and I never clean them when it means holding anyone up.  I'll move forward and clean the club as I go, or when I get to my ball and I'm waiting for the next player.

When I finish a round, my clubs are clean and ready for the next one.

[dbuck]

I carry a towel that is wet on one end and wipe and dry after almost every shot. I do this, quickly, quietly, and unobtrusively while others are teeing off or at some other time that is not distracting and doesn't slow down play. I will occasionally do a more thorough cleaning. If I play with persimmon, I will clean and wax them after every round. I occasionally wax my metal woods as well. I am weird this way I guess.

[TourSpoon]

I pull a club, wipe the grip with a towel on the wet end, wipe it with the dry end, line up and hit the shot. I then wipe the face and return it to the bag. I don't do this every time, but I would say the majority of times. I have a white bath size towel that I drape around the pole (windshield or back) of the golf cart. I wash that towel every round so it stays white.

[boogielicious]

Irons usually after every shot unless is looks OK.  Hybrids and woods maybe once a round.

[Dave2512]

My home course has club washers on the carts and I use it often. If I play somewhere that doesn't I miss it.

[hacker101]

I wipe off my irons during the round maybe not after every shot but when I can and not slow up play.

Also bring them in the house for a little warm water, dish soap bath every few rounds or so.

[PirateJim]

Okay... I answered "After every round."  But with reservations because the answer isn't real clear cut.

1 - If there's crud on the club I wipe it with a towel before it goes into the bag.

2 - I keep a wire brush (copper, won't use steel brushes on my clubs) hooked to the bag and will take a swipe at my wedges and short irons if the grooves look bad when I pull the stick out, otherwise it will bug me at address and I have enough to think about then.

I do most of my club cleaning at the range really.  After a round I'll give them all a quick brushing and a wipe with a wet towel.  Once in a while I do actually drag the bag inside and give everything including the grips a good cleaning, but that mostly only happens if I want to root through the bag more completely than I'd like to do in the trunk or if I've noticed the grips are lookin bad.

[Fourputt]

My home course has club washers on the carts and I use it often. If I play somewhere that doesn't I miss it.

This ^^.  I don't get why any course which can afford to do so doesn't put them on the carts along with the sand/seed jugs.  My home course is a muni and we have them... what a wonderfully handy tool - wet brush the club in the washer, then wipe dry and you're off with a clean club ready for the next use - takes like 5 seconds.

[GaijinGolfer]

I clean mine with soap and water after every round.  I just use a nylon bristled brush (never use any kind of wire brush) and it takes maybe 5 minutes to clean them.  I dont know if it makes them perform any better but it would drive me crazy to have a set of clubs that is dirty and look like I dont take proper care of them.

[skywaterbanjo]

I need to clean my grips more often. I only do it once or twice a season because I leave my clubs at the golf course. Cleaning my grips is one of the best things I do to improve my confidence on the course.

[Pushy]

I clean mine when the spirit moves me, which tends to be irregularly.  But they do look nice when they're clean.

[Artimas]

I never clean my clubs, but the guys at the course clean them off with a wet towel before taking them off the cart after each round.

Maybe I should start cleaning them myself more.

How much difference does it really make if your clubs are super-clean as compared to wiped off once in a while?

[TourSpoon]

How much difference does it really make if your clubs are super-clean as compared to wiped off once in a while?

Good question, but if you have stuff in your grooves you are really reducing their volume and ability to move debris, grass, water, etc out of the way for better contact. It really depends on how much crud you have in them.

[Jodastra]

I typically clean mine when they are soddened up or clumped with dirt during the round and that just makes sense. If things are slow on the course I clean them to pass time. usually they all get a bath after 2 rounds, the drivers get that white paint from the white Chinese tees on the bottom. I used to carry a bottle of Windex vinegar glass cleaner with me, the vinegar/ammonia-d in that stuff would melt grass. I could spray the clubhead, count to five wipe it off...and hit the ball a mile. I think that stuff was a little too corrosive as I cannot find it here anymore, but I never had any over-rusting because of using it. for that past 4 years I carry a spray bottle with  grain alcohol and water. It drys quick and helps nurse bad rounds.

[Nutter]

I'm pretty inconsistent, but always clean the groves of short irons and wedges before hitting a shot.  Recently I picked up a little tool Ping makes, the part you hold is a hard plastic and is about the size of half a ball mark with bristles coming out the flat side.  I keep it in my pocket so it's easy to pull out and use after or before shots as needed, plus it's kind of amusing to use.

[Mozgolf]

I voted never. As has been said, I never have a deliberate cleaning process, a swipe with a damp towel, run a tee through the grooves while waiting on the tee box etc. Only time they get a bit more attention is after a wet round they get dragged inside to dry off