For so many of us, the end of the golf season ritually occurs on that last day when we drag the clubs out of the trunk and find a corner in the garage or basement to lean them up against. With the cost of equipment nowadays, not to mention the technology involved, its good practice to ‘winterize’ the sticks to preserve look and performance.

 

Unless you are meticulous about your club grooming practices, chances are they could use a good cleaning at the end of the season. To effectively remove all the dirt and grime from a season of hacking, grab yourself a bucket of warm, soapy water, a cleaning brush (an old toothbrush will do) and a couple of clean towels. Standing up all of your clubs in the bucket for a few minutes will loosen up any dirt particles embedded in the grooves and club head.

Using a cleaning brush, one by one scrub the heads of each club. Make sure that the bristles are scrubbed with the direction of the grooves to remove all excess dirt. You might need more time and effort on the wedges as these guys, because of their design and use, come into contact with more dirt and mud than any others. For your woods and hybrid clubs, gently clean the grooves and ensure that all dried mud and dirt is removed from the head. Take a cleaning towel and get it wet. Use it to wipe all the heads and shafts. Get another towel to dry off each club completely. 

Now for the grips. If they are worn and need replacing, have them done before storing the clubs the away for the winter. Besides getting a great deal on year-end model grips, you will be thankful come spring when your grips are all ready to go. If they don’t need replacing, dampen the grips and use a SOS pad to scrub them lightly. Rinse them well and dry with a towel.

Before putting your clubs away for the winter, inspect each for any signs of rust. Rust can be removed with a wire brush or a Scotchbrite pad. If your wedges are intended to be rusty, make sure you throw a rag over them and keep them separated from the others. Rust never quits and will gradually eat away at the finish of your chrome or steel irons.

Lastly, take note of any repairs needed prior to next spring. Maybe the spikes on your shoes or that tear in the pocket of your golf bag. Ensure that these are taken care of properly before putting your clubs away for the winter.  Find a nice warm and dry place to store your clubs. Make sure they are standing on their own and not leaning against anything. The clubs taking the brunt of the pressure while leaning may become prone to breaking and perform less. Cover your clubs with a dry towel or put them away in a golf travel bag to keep critters away from them. Lastly, bid them adieu, tell them that you love them, and do everything you can to make sure the groundhog sees its shadow. Or is it reverse?