Have you ever wondered why there is a “women’s flex” when it comes to clubs? There are a lot of differences between men’s and women’s golf clubs...
Men’s and women’s clubs have a lot of differences beyond just the flex of the shaft.
Women’s clubs are designed to optimize the power and accuracy of swings for *most* women golfers.
This is because female golfers typically swing slower than male golfers.
Generally speaking, women are also shorter in height than their male counterparts. Most have shorter arms and smaller hands.
Women’s golf clubs are designed for golfers with these traits. Some males may find women’s clubs work better for them. Seniors too may find they play better using women’s clubs.
It is not all about gender and it is certainly not one size fits all.
Here are seven differences between men’s and women’s clubs:
Length
Women’s golf clubs are shorter than men’s golf clubs. Women’s shafts are designed for a golfer between 5’4” and 5”9”. This makes the golf club easier to control and improves accuracy.
Golfers taller or shorter will gain greater accuracy if they buy a golf club made for their height.
For example, Wilson sells boxed women’s golf starter sets in Tall and Petite:
Weight
Another differentiating factor is club weight.
Women’s golf clubs weigh less than men’s clubs. Sometimes the clubhead will be heavier than a men’s clubhead, but the shaft will be lighter, lowering the overall club weight.
Lighter clubs allow women to swing faster (remember, women typically swing slower than men). A faster swing speed means more distance.
Shaft
Women’s golf shafts are more flexible to accommodate slower swing tempos.
They often have a low kick point.
Both of these features assist players to get the ball into the air and fly the ball longer.
If the shaft is too stiff for a player, the player tries to swing harder and faster when it isn’t necessary.
Grip
Another difference is the grip.
Women’s grips are slimmer. This is because most women have smaller hands than men.
Grips that are too large slow the hands down. Faster hands improve accuracy and distance.
Loft
Most women’s clubs have a higher loft than men’s clubs.
Loft works to assist the ball to get higher into the air and promotes backspin. The higher the loft, the longer the ball will travel in the air before rolling on the ground.
More loft is also more forgiving.
Loft often correlates to swing speed. The faster the swing, the less loft is needed to boost the ball. With women generally having a slower swing speed than men, their clubs boast more loft.
Clubhead Design
Women’s golf clubheads are designed with more perimeter weighting.
More perimeter weighting increases the launch angle. A higher launch angle gives more distance.
The perimeter weighting is often used as an offset to push back the club’s center of gravity. This increases the ball spin for a higher launch. Again, more air-time gives more distance.
Often, women’s clubs will also have a larger sweet spot.
Whether men’s or women’s clubs, the club head is designed to assist a particular player to gain accuracy and distance.
Aesthetics
Women’s clubs often include designs or colours that make the club stand out or are considered more feminine.
Are they always pink? Not always. It is still common, but companies are expanding into other colours. This helps make women’s clubs appeal to a wider variety of audiences.
The colour and design of clubs are superficial qualities that don’t affect performance.
The most important thing about choosing golf clubs is not their marketed gender. Instead, it is more important to choose a club that meets your needs as a player. This goes for men too.
Women’s golf clubs will benefit the average female golfer, but, of course, there will be exceptions. For some women, playing with men’s clubs may give them better results.
When it comes to balls, there are differences between men’s and women’s balls too. Check it out to see what ball you should playing; sometimes, a “women’s ball” is better no matter your gender!