Club Care 101

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By Rick V., Team Titleist Staff

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  1. Rick V., Team Titleist Staff

    Rick V., Team Titleist Staff
    Duxbury, MA

    Team Titleist Staff

    Hey, Team Titleist!

    Throughout the year we get many questions asking for the best way to take care of Titleist club equipment. We value these questions because proper maintenance will maximize the life of your clubs and also ensures that they perform their best on every shot you hit.

    To keep you up to date on the latest club care wisdom, we asked for some advice from our Titleist golf club colleagues on the west coast. They supplied some best practices below.

    Please post any questions you may have and be sure to share your own tips for keeping your clubs in tip-top shape.  

    From Cathi D., Titleist Clubs Consumer Support Specialist: Due to the multi-material construction of modern irons such as the AP1 and AP2, we recommend simply using a damp cloth and a soft bristle brush (toothbrush or plastic bristle brush) to clean the grooves.  We would recommend the same treatment for the bottom of the metalwoods as well. We don't recommend running water over the clubs, or soaking them in a bucket.

    From Stephanie L., Director of Metalwood Product Development: No sharp tools to clean in or around ARC channel or sole features (this can damage paint, PVD and/or the bond between plug and head.)

    From Brice W., Manager of Interactive Marketing for Titleist Clubs: The course I typically play has buckets with water on the first and tenth tees. I like to wet about ⅓ of a towel and keep the other ⅔ dry. The clubs get wiped down and dried after each shot so that they'll be ready for next time!

    From Chris T., Titleist Clubs Consumer Support Specialist: Leave it to a professional - hand the club to your caddy after each shot for proper cleaning  ;-)

  2. Callum T

    Callum T
    Surrey

    Very useful, will be sure to follow these steps going forward.
  3. Dino J

    Dino J
    Burnaby, BC

    Hey Rick, ... good idea to proactively share some information about club care. Yet, I must playfully say that unless I am mistaken, the overwhelming majority of us are our own caddy's! :-).

    My question - does Vokey have a different set of cleaning tips? The wedges as I understand it are not multi-material, so I am assuming that they can be dipped in the club washing buckets and have bristle brushes used to clean the grooves?
  4. Rick V., Team Titleist Staff

    Rick V., Team Titleist Staff
    Duxbury, MA

    Team Titleist Staff

    Dino J said:

    Hey Rick, ... good idea to proactively share some information about club care. Yet, I must playfully say that unless I am mistaken, the overwhelming majority of us are our own caddy's! :-).

    My question - does Vokey have a different set of cleaning tips? The wedges as I understand it are not multi-material, so I am assuming that they can be dipped in the club washing buckets and have bristle brushes used to clean the grooves?

    Ha! Thanks, Dino. I suspect you're right about the Vokeys, but we'll get the Vokey team to weigh in with some definitive advice. Stay tuned...

    Thanks!

    Rick
  5. Andrew J - Vokey Wedges

    Andrew J - Vokey Wedges
    Carlsbad, CA

    Team Titleist Staff
    Dino J:

    Great question.

    Vokey wedges come in a variety of finishes; therefore, may have different wear patterns.

    In general, keeping your Vokey wedges dry is the best practice when it comes to care. This is especially true when storing your clubs either in your home, garage or trunk.

    For cleaning, we recommend a medium soft brush, with light soap and warm water. Harsh chemicals may alter the finish.

    In some cases, the wedge finish is designed to wear in a certain way. For instance, the SM6 Raw and SM6 Jet Black finishes are un-chromed wedges. This means the 8620 carbon steel is exposed to the elements resulting in rust. This is by design and is a preferred appearance for some Vokey wedge users. We don't recommend trying to remove this rust in an abrasive way such as chemicals or buffing wheels.

    I Hope this helps, and please feel free to contact us with any more questions.

    Andrew J.
    Vokey Product Specialist
  6. Dino J

    Dino J
    Burnaby, BC

    Hi Andrew! Thanks for the feedback on wedge care. I know that this topic has been covered in the past, but I just thought that it would be nice to have this information under this topic thread.

    I have the chromed finish on my SM5 wedges, and I normally use a wet/damp towel to clean them after each shot, but I also like to use a copper bristle brush on really stubborn dirt/turf that is embedded in the grooves. I trust that the softer copper bristles are fine on the harder chrome steel? Or is there concern that the softer copper bristles may affect the spin milled surface finish on the wedges?

    Thanks Andrew!
  7. Dwayne N

    Dwayne N
    Island, KY

    Funny thing is Chris my Caddy is , well.............ME. Only other option was my wife and her rates are way too high. Great tips though
  8. E92335

    E92335
    Baltimore

    Automotive detailing is a hobby of mine and I apply the same kind of precaution to my clubs. No dunking in a bucket. I use a wet lint free microfiber towel, soft bristled toothbrush for deep cleaning. Then wipe down with another lint free microfiber.

    I use a can of compressed air (like the kind used for keyboards) to dry and dislodge anything else like with the ARC channel or the area where the screw is for the SureFit hosel.

    Every few months, I'll give it a full "detail" by applying car sealants to them (painted finished only) such as a good quality polymer sealant. Any kind of swirlmarks or light scuffs, I'll use a polish (or compound if there are deeper scratches) then seal. After all that, it can be maintained with a quality automotive detail spray to lengthen the life of the sealant.

    I know that's extreme but it does help to make normal cleaning easier. I even have older clubs from 10 years ago sitting around but they are in great condition!
  9. Dylan L

    Dylan L
    Evans City, PA

    Military
    Great tips from all! Cathi I tossed the cheap double sided metal/soft brush as soon as I Got my 714 AP2. Funny you mention the toothbrush, I carry one in my back pocket and after every strike the club get its "teeth cleaned." Been doing it for years. A caddy at Kiawah actually commented on me having it, he said I've never seen that one befor but love it. Great tip about not running them over water too, I'll stop doing that ASAP. THX GUYS/GIRLS
  10. Jeffery M

    Jeffery M

    Brice, I also wet 1/2 my towel and the other 1/2 dry, wipe off after each shot so their ready for the next shot. After the round my clubs are ready to go for the next round. Useful to clean my ball as well!!
  11. BHanner

    BHanner

    Hi Cathi, Can you please let me know why you don't recommend running water over the clubs while cleaning them?
  12. Rick V., Team Titleist Staff

    Rick V., Team Titleist Staff
    Duxbury, MA

    Team Titleist Staff
    I have a good maintenance tip for a part of the club that can often be overlooked - the grip. Worn grips will give you less control over the clubface (and you may also subconsciously tighten your hold on the club, too = tension), so it's a great idea to change your grips frequently.

    But in between re-gripping, a wire brush and some elbow grease can do wonders for grips like GP Tour Velvet and Tour Velvet cords. Whenever I clean my clubs I'll also wash the grips with water and a dish washing liquid like Dawn. But if a grip has lost some of its tackiness I'll also hit it with the wire brush, scraping the entire surface vigorously.

    Dry the grip and scrub it a bit more with a clean dry towel and you'll be amazed at how tacky it feels, almost like new.

    One obvious caveat - not recommended for leather grips, grips that have a shiny/slick finish like GP Tour wraps or polymer grips like Winn grips or Scotty Cameron Dual Balance and Matador grips.

    Thanks!

    Rick
  13. Matthew M

    Matthew M
    Chicago, IL

    Thanks Rick on the grip advice. What do you recommend to get a grip to have a little more tack on it during a round? I use the Golf Pride MMC PLUS4 grips which are the best of both worlds in my opinion. Would your original grip care apply to those as well?
  14. Rick V., Team Titleist Staff

    Rick V., Team Titleist Staff
    Duxbury, MA

    Team Titleist Staff

    Matthew M said:

    Thanks Rick on the grip advice. What do you recommend to get a grip to have a little more tack on it during a round? I use the Golf Pride MMC PLUS4 grips which are the best of both worlds in my opinion. Would your original grip care apply to those as well?

    Matthew,
    I currently use Velvet cords, but have used used the same method on Golf Pride MMC's (with equal success). On the course, it's a little tricky to break out a big wire brush, but the dry towel alone can be a great temporary fix. You just have to exert some real force and get some friction going. And don't freaked out if your towel gets some rubber residue marks - comes right out in the wash.

    Thanks!

    Rick
  15. Sarge4.0

    Sarge4.0

    I personally use the Golf Pride Tacky here in Oregon. There's little, to no slippage playing in the rain.
    Post Image
  16. Stephen E

    Stephen E

    The other thing to remember when it comes to grips are your hands.
    Having a half-decent glove is one thing, but if your non-glove hand is greasy from your half-way hut sausage roll (a UK thing....) then a quick wipe off with a damp towel will improve your grip no end :o)
  17. James Harris

    James Harris
    Brentwood, Essex

    I simply have half the towel wet and clean them after each shot and each round. The addition of microfibre towels in the last few years has made a big different as they really get into the grooves.
    I have one of those metal brush groove cleaners but don't want to use it in my new Vokey's!
  18. Joseph C

    Joseph C

    I too have a half wet half dry micro fiber towel. I keep them clean as I play. Towels have come a long way these days.
  19. Mark F

    Mark F
    Greenville, SC

    Matthew,

    I have the Golf Pride Tour Wraps on all my clubs and have found that when they get a bit slick, I just put a little plain water on them (you could carry an extra bottle of water while playing) and dry them with one of my towels. This works well on the course or range until I can get home to use some soap. I agree with Rick on using Dawn. Hope this helps. Fairways and greens.

    Mark F
  20. harry h

    harry h
    Lasvegas, NV

    I have always used a damp towel to wipe off my titleist irons and woods as soon as I hit a shot same with wedges grips I stick to what titleist Scotty say I wipe them after every round if your are real golfer you take care of your equipment as first pride in equipment second very expensive to replace and lastly who plays with dirty clubs
  21. Gerry T

    Gerry T

    Hi Rick. Just curious...how often do you see amateurs sticking with the "off the rack" grips rather than getting fitted for the correct grips? My current grips are standard but according to GolfTec, I measure up for mid-sized grips. Do amateurs actually consider the number of strokes they're losing with incorrect grips?
  22. Rick V., Team Titleist Staff

    Rick V., Team Titleist Staff
    Duxbury, MA

    Team Titleist Staff

    Gerry T said:

    Hi Rick. Just curious...how often do you see amateurs sticking with the "off the rack" grips rather than getting fitted for the correct grips? My current grips are standard but according to GolfTec, I measure up for mid-sized grips. Do amateurs actually consider the number of strokes they're losing with incorrect grips?

    Gerry, great question. The good news is that we're seeing it less and less, as club fitting itself continues to grow in popularity and acceptance. In Titleist's club fitting methodology a fitting is never complete without a long look at how the player holds the club and a thorough examination of different grip materials and sizes to find the best personal option for a secure, comfortable hold on the club during the swing.

    It stands to reason - the grip is such a crucial fundamental (your one point of contact with the club). If the handle doesn't fit your hands properly, it's really hard to get your hands to work properly.

    I definitely suggest you give those mid-sized grips a try. Thanks for the question!

    Rick
  23. Chuck Z

    Chuck Z
    Mt Pleasant, SC

    Military
    I have a spray bottle, a tooth brush and a hand towel that seem to do the trick, when I am finished. Wipe them off during play when necessary. My brother in law spends a lot of time cleaning every spec of dirt from his clubs when we play and it can take us longer (over four hours) than normal to play a round of golf. We only play together a couple of times a year when I visit family in Memphis. Found that a ribbed wash clothe is great for cleaning my MCC+4 grips. Taken care of you will get great wear out of them.
  24. Jerry Wood

    Jerry Wood
    Byfield, MA

    Thanks
    One of the best Discussions.
    I am printing a couple copies to have in my locker and at home.
    Thanks to all that contributed.
  25. greg p

    greg p
    Chicago 'burbs, IL

    What do you think about storing clubs in the car between rounds? When I used to play once a week, I was diligent about removing them to storage in the garage. Now that I am playing more frequently, I have gotten a bit lazy about doing so.

    Also, any problems storing the clubs in the garage for the winter?
  26. JR Hoch

    JR Hoch
    Lake St Louis, MO

    Is there any way to get the brushed nickel finish re-done on my Vokey wedges? Over time, they have faded and are now almost the same color as my AP2s.
  27. mike p

    mike p
    Toledo, OH

    Military
    I have 2 Vokey wedges in my set. My 60° is my go to club and I practice a whole variety of shots with it. I have worn out the face because of so much practice with it. Is there anyway to rework the face? I have already purchased a replacement for it and what a huge difference on ball reaction from a new clubface. Thanks
  28. Eddie N

    Eddie N
    Austin, TX

    The quality of your grips is paramount to good play. Test your grips often by holding them lightly as when swinging and having someone pull the grip out of your hands. If there's no resistence, your grips need to be changed.
    Also, I never clean my grips during play with the same towel I use to clean my ball or clubheads. Why transfer dirt to your grip. Also, I always lay my grips on a towel on the course and not directly on the grass. Finally, I wash my grips after every 10-12 rounds played to prevent the buildup of normal body grease and/or residue from the sun screen I use.
  29. Mark F

    Mark F
    Greenville, SC

    Greg P

    Years ago I read an article in one of the golf magazines that you should not keep clubs in your car between rounds especially in the summer if you live in a warm climate. The reason being is that the temps can get up pretty high and that they would soften the epoxy that holds the clubs together. Although I don't recall ever having a problem, I now store them in the house. I only play once a week now and hit balls once a week but I don't even store the clubs I game in the garage since it gets pretty warm in my garage during the South Carolina summer. I do have some extra clubs that I use to use stored in the garage, but if I think I might use some/one just for laughs, I'll bring it/them in the house a couple days ahead just to be sure that the glue has re-set itself. I would guess that storing clubs in the garage during the winter shouldn't be a problem. Fairways and greens.

    Mark F
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