“You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them.” - Michael Jordan
Confidence is a key part of success in all areas of life and all sports. In fact, there have been studies of athletes which suggest those who are most confident in their abilities actually perform better under pressure. This is why many of the most successful pro athletes in the world often have an aura of invincibility about them, both in competition and in their personalities.
But what happens when that confidence is suddenly knocked, or if it was never there to begin with? When we have a couple of bad rounds on the golf course, or if we’re just starting out and things aren’t going well, it can be so easy to lose confidence in our ability which, ultimately, negatively affects the way we play.
We think we’re playing poorly, we have no belief in ourselves, and we begin to play even more poorly. It’s a vicious cycle. To make matters worse, earning back your confidence as an athlete is no easy feat. Thankfully, though, because golf is such a varied sport with numerous options in play, using certain golf equipment more frequently and hitting better shots with them is a quick and easy way to crack the code and give ourselves the confidence booster we need that should, hopefully, spread to the rest of our game.
These golf clubs are generally the ones that are the easiest to hit, but all players will admit they have a special, favourite club they reach for more often than they should because they know it guarantees results. With this in mind, here are just some of the clubs players reach for to boost their confidence - and ones you could use to do the same.
Which golf clubs help players believe in their abilities?
Golf driver
Sometimes, there’s no better feeling in golf than standing at the tee and giving it everything we’ve got, cracking the ball into another dimension.
You can lose faith in every other aspect of your game, but the sheer feeling of power we get using golf drivers is difficult to replicate anywhere else on the course using any other club.
With many drivers being built specifically with forgiveness in mind, featuring larger-than-average clubfaces and other forgiveness-inducing technology, there are plenty of options out there for golfers looking to gain maximum distance and relatively straight drives every time.
Besides, given the tenacity and explosiveness involved in our drives, our fellow golfers are often more forgiving if the ball does suddenly veer off to the left or right, rather than staying on target. The same works when using a fairway wood off the tee, too, if the hole is on the shorter side.
So if you’re ever feeling down about your overall scores, there’s nothing wrong with releasing a bit of built-up tension at the next tee and getting your swagger back.
Short irons
The closer you are to your work, the easier it is to do. It’s a statement that’s true for so many activities and professions - including golf irons.
That’s why it should come as no surprise that the short irons are some of the most used clubs in our golf bag, despite the fact the long irons should, realistically, be the ones put to good use the most.
But why do so many players reach for a short iron when they could reach for something a little more intimidating? Precisely for that reason, the longer irons become, the more intimidating and difficult they are to use.
Whereas short irons, thanks to their shorter length and greater lofts, are fantastic at producing high-soaring shots that can be both accurate and have a good amount of distance in them, too.
For players who struggle with other aspects of their game, grabbing hold of a short iron and using it to land the golf ball as close to the pin as possible can be one of the most satisfying feelings in the sport, even if using a different club may have been more logical.
Golf wedges
We’ve all been in that dreaded situation… Your tee shot has veered way off course and ended up in deep rough off one side of the fairway.
To make matters worse, there are still several hundred yards to reach the hole. It’s here a player has a difficult decision to make; Take a risk with a long iron, one of our fairway woods or a rescue club to get the ball out of danger with some decent yardage, or sacrifice distance and cut through the grass with a golf wedge.
It’s a tough one but, in situations like these, managing to get the ball out of the deep rough at all can be a huge confidence booster after a terrible drive. Even if the second shot doesn’t travel very far. That’s why using a club with a great amount of loft - like a pitching wedge or even a sand wedge - could be most appropriate here.
The angle of the clubfaces of these clubs lets them slice through the grass like no other golf clubs can, boosting the chances of propelling the ball out of the annoying grassy mound. After this, the player can work on lowering their score again - but at least they know they’ve not sacrificed a shot with their ball still stuck in an awkward lie.
Inspire confidence in yourself when you play golf and grab brand-new golf clubs at Clarkes Golf
If you want to give yourself the best shot at getting your scores back under control and earning the confidence you deserve, it could be time to treat yourself to some new golf clubs! At Clarkes Golf, we’re home to clubs from the world's leading golf manufacturers, including Callaway, TaylorMade, Wilson Staff and Ping to name but a few.
We also have numerous package golf sets if you're looking for an all-in-one solution. Or, if you're after individual clubs for sale to work on one aspect of your game, we've got you covered - we have everything from golf drivers all the way down to golf putters and beyond. And if you want to inspire confidence in the junior golfers in your life, we've got clubs for them too.
Take a look at our selection of new golf clubs for sale from major brands here. Or get in touch with a member of the Clarkes team if you need any more product information.