Every now and then golfers ask me, "How can I hit the ball a few yards longer? Maybe I should get this new technology driver. One of my friends has just bought it and he says, he's been hitting it 20 yards longer. My putts are not dropping in at all. What should I do? The shape of that putter looks so comfortable, maybe I should get that one."

With questions like these common among club golfers, there is some basic knowledge I will share with you about what to look for before buying new clubs.

Undoubtedly, every golfer always desires to hit the ball those few yards longer and sink more 10 footer putts, and to use new equipment to improve. Millions of golfers around the world switch their clubs hoping it will help their game. Sometimes this happens so often that, funny as it sounds, they change equipment almost every month. This happens even in a poor country like ours, though comparatively less often than golfers from elsewhere. Sometimes I even wonder if they are really looking for more distance, or if it has become a fashion statement.

Good players who change their clubs take advantage of new advances in material and technology. However, manufacturers often take advantage of club golfers, giving products with no major difference a new look and name, which in my opinion is often just a gimmick.

What should you look for when you buy your next club?
I don't have to mention that a good swing produces distance and accuracy, therefore making a good swings more important than the club. Always try to improve your game by improving your swing. However, if there is nothing to change in the present swing, the key to getting optimum benefit for distance is on having the right shaft in your club.

What does having the right shaft mean?
Each golfer's ability to swing the club is different. Some swing the club faster, some at a medium speed and others quite slow. The same shaft isn't going to work for everybody. A person who is strong and has a fast swing needs a stiffer shaft. On the other hand, if someone has a slow swing and they are little weaker, they require a senior flex graphite shaft. As for choosing the right putter, the most comfortable ones are usually face balanced.

These are some of the basics to consider when you look at new clubs, but it would also be worth your while to consult your nearest golf professional for help in choosing the right products for you.

Deepak Acharya is a golf instructor and Head Golf Professional at Gokarna Forest Golf Resort & Spa, Kathmandu. [email protected]