Equipment care when it's cold?

[spackler]

As we're getting to the late season, is there any special care we should use to take care of our equipment? Do you use your "a" set on cold November days or are there risks to club heads and shafts? Should we use harder or softer balls? I want to golf as long as I can this year, but I don't want to wreck my stuff either.

[Thunder]

Just keep playing with the same stuff. I use all high end stuff and play til the snow flies every year and have never had an issue. The only problem I evereencountered was that I was using a "rock" Topflight and it cracked on me. Mind you, we were playing in -5 to 0 degree weather. So just enjoy playing while you can, because the hockey sticksare coming out soon. Go Sens!!!

[davevandyk]

From what i have been told, you should begin to use a lower compression ball when the weather becomes colder. The benefits of higher compression balls is not the same when the weather gets cold. You won't get the same benefits from them.

I have switched from the Nike Platinum to the Precept Laddie.

[Thunder]

The difference is so minimal that you won't even notice it...

[John]

I don't agree with you at all Thunder. Your right Dave the difference is very noticeable, the softer ball is the way to go in colder temperatures, distance and spin wise.

[Thunder]

Ya that must be why you see all the Europeans using Lady Precepts during those harsh weather conditions. NOT. I believe they say it makes a difference of 3 to 6 yards. Whoo hoo. If you notice that, you should be on tour. As for spin, around the green, in the later months it really does'nt matter because the greens are usually soft and slow so they won't roll out nearly as much as in the summer. Listen, I'm only talking from expeience. I have shot some very low scores in Nov. with Intecs for Pete's sake and I've had just as much success with Pro V's. So use whatever suits your fancy. Enjoy>

[davevandyk]

You are right about it only making a 5-7 yard difference and most people can't tell the difference. But where i can tell the difference is in the pocket book!! I like getting the extra 5-7 yards and also like paying $20/dozen as opposed to $65/dozen when there is no benefit!!

That's what i mean about using the lower compression ball. It works better, you don't lose what ProV1's can give you and you save $30+ per dozen!!

[covanant]

Does anyone know if keeping clubs in a cold garage is a bad idea?

Or should i just keep them between my wife and i in bed?

[Big Johnny69]

In your bed between your wife and yourself Someone can correct me if I am wrong, but I heard extreme temperatures are not good for graphite shafts. Steel is fine but either extreme heat or cold could affect the integrity of the shaft.

[Chieflongtee]

In your bed between your wife and yourself Someone can correct me if I am wrong, but I heard extreme temperatures are not good for graphite shafts. Steel is fine but either extreme heat or cold could affect the integrity of the shaft.

Not sure about that one Geoff.

[Big Johnny69]

I just remember playing with someone who had to have their set reshafted. He left his set in the garage throughout the winter and within a couple of rounds he had broke most of his graphite shafts in his irons. When he took them in to get repaired the builder told him they broke because he left them in the cold during the winter. Like I said, someone can correct me, I'm just going by what I heard. Anyways my set is in the basement during the winter so even if it is true I have no worries

[Golfbum]

I was told by the owner of the local golf store not to play forged irons when the tempatures drop below 5C. Due to the fact that forged irons bend easier and cold weather is not good for them. That's just what I was told by him when I wanted to demo some forged irons one day early in the year at the store range. I will use my old TaylorMade 200 series late in the fall.
I like using Dunlop Loco's when it gets cold. Anytime the temps drop below 5C I use them. They just seem a little softer coming off the clubface.

[el tigre]

In your bed between your wife and yourself Someone can correct me if I am wrong, but I heard extreme temperatures are not good for graphite shafts. Steel is fine but either extreme heat or cold could affect the integrity of the shaft.

I believe this is largely a myth. Extreme heat or cold should not impact the integrity of graphite shafts - at least not the sort of temperatures you get on this planet! I have heard that graphite shafts lose some of their flexibility when they are extremely cold and could break more easily if swung hard under these conditions, but simply leaving them in the garage all winter should not affect them when you take them out for a round on a warm spring day.

However, you can crack your driver clubface very easily with a hard swing using a very cold golf ball. This is even more likely with a high-compression golf ball, but the important thing is to not let your golf balls get too cold. And yes, you can get more distance in cold weather using soft-compression golf balls.

Extreme heat over a long period of time can cause steel shafts to break, because condensation in the shaft can cause them to rust from the inside. I'm told this is especially true if you do not plug the shaft on the butt end, and therefore only have the grip to stop water from getting inside.

[g8r]

However, you can crack your driver clubface very easily with a hard swing using a very cold golf ball. This is even more likely with a high-compression golf ball, but the important thing is to not let your golf balls get too cold. And yes, you can get more distance in cold weather using soft-compression golf balls.

just microwave them before you leave in the morning ....

[spackler]

Thanks for the info, the graphite shaft issue and the cold ball on the driver face are the two things I'm most concerned about. I guess just keep the balls in the pocket and rotate them each hole?

Man, that sounds a lot lewder than what I meant...

[covanant]

In your bed between your wife and yourself Someone can correct me if I am wrong, but I heard extreme temperatures are not good for graphite shafts. Steel is fine but either extreme heat or cold could affect the integrity of the shaft.

Extreme temps?Who said anything about extreme temps?
All this golfing lately makes the wife brrrr....

[Chieflongtee]

IExtreme heat over a long period of time can cause steel shafts to break, because condensation in the shaft can cause them to rust from the inside. I'm told this is especially true if you do not plug the shaft on the butt end, and therefore only have the grip to stop water from getting inside.

Not sure about that one either since your clubs hang upside down 98% of the time thus water will end up in the bottom of your bag through the vent hole. Not sure about extreme heat either but extreme cold will cause condensation in a non insulated garage.