As you know by now, purchasing a set of golf clubs is not cheap. So, it is important to maintain and preserve them. The other key factor is it will maximize your club’s performance to allow you to play your best golf.
If you have dirt in your grooves and on your clubface it will impact your golf game, through:
- backspin
- ball speed
- height
- descent angle
Follow the below steps on how to clean golf clubs. This will get your clubs looking the envy of your golfing buddies and your clubs ready for maximum performance.
What You Will Need To Clean Your Golf Clubs:
- Bucket
- Warm water
- Dishwashing liquid or soap (cleaning solution)
- Cloth
- Towel
- Old toothbrush or a soft bristle brush
- Chrome or steel polish (optional)
Irons
Step 1: Fill a bucket of warm water enough to cover your clubheads
Make sure the water is not hot or boiling water as this will lead to damaging your golf club. By loosening the glue that keep the ferrules in place. Ferrules are the material which is located above the club head’s hosel.
Step 2: Add dishwashing liquid
Whilst filling the bucket with warm water, add 1 tablespoon (equivalent to 3 teaspoons) of dishwashing liquid to the bucket.
Step 3: Leave your irons to soak
Put your clubs into the water so they are all covered. Leave for about 10 minutes. This allows the dirt to loosen and make it easier when you clean each club. If your clubs are very dirty, then leave your clubs in the water for about 20 minutes.
Step 4: Scrub each iron
Take each club (one by one) and give it a good scrub with your toothbrush or soft bristle brush, making sure you are cleaning all the clubhead. Particularly pay attention to removing the dirt from the grooves of each club. Dirt in your grooves will impact your game through ball speed, backspin, height and descent angle.
Step 5: Repeat Step 4 x2
Repeat step 4 a couple of times for each club to make sure you have removed all the dirt.
Step 6: Rinse your irons
Once you have cleaned all the dirt from each club rinse the club in another bucket that has clean water.
Step 7: Dry your irons
Dry the club with a towel. Make sure you have completely dried each club to prevent against water stains and rust.
Step 8 (optional): Polish your irons
If you are wanting to add the final touches to your club so they are looking brand new. Apply a small amount of steel or chrome polish and rub it in gently.
Rub in swirling motions and leave it for a couple of minutes to dry. Make sure the polish is compatible with the material of your club
Step 9: Wipe your irons
Wipe off the excess polish from your clubs and they will be looking good as new.
Metal Woods (Drivers, fairway woods)
For your driver and other fairway woods it is a similar process to cleaning your irons.
The key differences from washing your irons is that you would not perform steps 3 & 6. Submerging your metal woods in water, can damage your clubs as metal woods are made from different materials.
Step 1: Use soapy water
You can use the same soapy water you are cleaning your irons with.
Step 2: Scrub your metal woods
Dip your toothbrush/soft bristle brush into the soapy water and carefully scrub the clubhead. The same as the irons, make sure you are removing dirt from the grooves to maximize your club’s performance.
Step 3: Dry your metal woods
Once you have cleaned your clubhead, dry the clubs off with a towel
For your putter follow the same steps as for a metal wood.
Golf Grips
A lot of people neglect cleaning their grips, but it is as important as your clubs. Grips can become dirty through sweat and build-up of dirt from your glove and golf bag. This may impact your ability to grip the golf club.
Step 1a: Quick Clean
With a warm cloth (not too hot) wipe down your grip. Make it is not hot or boiling water as it can damage your grips.
Step 1b: Thorough Clean
Mix 1 teaspoon of dishwashing liquid with warm water in a bucket (this is new water do not use the soapy water you have used to clean your clubs).
Step 3: Scrub your grips
With a toothbrush or soft bristle brush, dip it into the water and gently scrub your grips making sure you get into the crevasses of the grip.
Step 4: Wipe down your grips
Wipe down your grips with a damp cloth to remove the dirt and soap. Do not rinse the grips under water or submerge them in water to remove the dirt and soap.
Step 5: Dry your grips
Dry the grips thoroughly with a towel.
During the round
When you are playing a round on the golf course it is important that you wipe down your clubs after each shot, like the pros. This makes sure you are maximizing your club’s performance. Particularly, your high irons and wedges cleaning the grooves is critical to get maximum grip around the greens.
You can do this with a golf towel that clips onto your golf bag. For the grooves you can use the pointy end of your tee to remove the dirt from the grooves.
By keeping your clubs clean through the round it will also make it easier for when you clean your clubs after the round.
The same goes with your golf club grips. Make sure you clean your grips throughout the round, especially if they become wet.
Other ways to clean your clubs
Golf Cleaning Supplies
There are golf cleaning supplies and accessories which you can purchase, like a club groove sharpener or brush groove cleaner. These are specialty equipment for the task at hand.
It is a personal choice if you are wanting to buy specialty equipment to assist you in cleaning your golf clubs.
For the 20+ years I have been playing golf. I have used the steps that I have described above to clean my golf clubs, during and after a round.
Power/pressure washer
If you have a power/pressure washer this is a quick and easy way of cleaning your clubs. I recommend to set it to the lowest pressure setting when spraying your clubs.
Final Thoughts
Cleaning your golf clubs is a quick and easy process, which will have long lasting benefits for your clubs and game.
Get into a good habit of a regular cleaning routine during and after your round. Every bit counts to improve your game.
