It's easy to ignore the need of frequent golf iron cleaning, but it's critical if you want to extend the life and performance of your clubs. Because you invested a lot of money on your irons, taking good care of them is a no-brainer. Clean golf irons are not only essential for a better game but also improve life of the irons.
This does not have to be time-consuming or difficult; in fact, it may be accomplished fast and effortlessly. This post will teach you how to clean your iron in a simple and effective manner.
Why It’s Important to Keep Your Irons Clean
Without a doubt, using filthy irons has a detrimental influence on performance. Dirt or debris on the clubhead will alter the club's balance and flight smoothness, making it more difficult to strike the ball.
The most serious issues arise when the grooves are not cleaned. Allowing dirt to accumulate in the grooves of your irons and wedges will make them nearly impossible to spin. Because there is no hard surface for the ball to grasp, you nearly always get a scuffed ball flight.
Keeping your irons clean is just as vital as keeping them in good working order. It's vital to maintain them clean to minimize corrosion and other concerns that might lead to club breakage.
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Do Clean Irons Even Make a Difference
Experienced golfers understand the importance of keeping their clubs and balls clean. Having to cope with a filthy club just adds to the difficulties of learning to play golf. There are instances when you believe you've struck the perfect shot only to be disappointed by the result. You're perplexed as to why the ball deviated from your expected path.
RELATED: How to Clean Golf Balls
Perhaps the issue is mud stuck to your club or ball. Under standard golf regulations, balls can be tagged, lifted, cleaned, and re-positioned. This keeps gunk from adhering to the ball and impeding its route of flight. Given this, it's also a good idea to keep your clubs clean.
A clean iron may provide consistent ball contact and trajectory.
What Are the Types of Scratches in Golf Clubs
Determine the type of scratch on your clubs before learning how to polish golf irons. As a consequence, you'll have a better understanding of what sort of cleaning to undertake and how to execute it.
Light Scratches
Minor scratches are almost always inevitable. By striking a metal item against a solid golf ball, you may easily generate light and microscopic scratches.
It is not difficult to learn how to remove scratches from golf club irons because this is one of the most common forms of damage.
A variety of tiny stones, sand, and dirt can damage golf irons. When it comes into contact with the iron, it will very certainly scratch its surface.
The suppleness of this golf club can also result in minor scratches while generating strokes like chipping and fairway.
Deep Scratches
Minor scratches are easier to remove than deep ones. Even though contemporary golf clubs are designed to handle most situations, they can be damaged if they come into touch with large rocks or lake banks.
It will also sustain considerable damage if thrown or smashed. On golf club irons with deep scratches, avoid using abrasive cleaners.
How to Polish Golf Irons
As you learn how to clean golf irons, you'll undoubtedly see scuffs and sky marks. You discovered how to clean golf irons correctly by studying the finest procedures and supplies to use. If you make the wrong decision, the harm you're seeking to repair will worsen.
Scuff Marks
As you use your irons, you may see scuff marks on the surface. When your iron comes into contact with a rubber substance, this happens. Because your shoes are made of rubber, you will almost certainly leave scuff marks on the iron.
Don't worry, scuff marks may be easily removed. Because your golf club irons are not scratched, you do not need to know how to remove scratches from them.
To remove scuff marks from your golf clubs, all you need is a white magic eraser and some elbow grease. After following these suggestions, your scuff marks will be a thing of the past.
Light Sky Marks
When you strike a golf ball with the top of a golf iron, white marks appear on the ball. Some golfers are irritated by them since they are frequently the consequence of poor strokes.
Above the paint's surface, there are vestiges of sky patterns. It may be removed using a magic eraser, rubbing compound, or car wax.
Follow these instructions when using the magic eraser to remove light sky marks:
- Wipe your golf iron down with a moist microfiber towel and let it dry.
- After drying, rub the light sky markings with the magic eraser.
- For a better result, fill the magic eraser with water.
To avoid harming the finish of your golf irons, use rubbing compound or car wax with a delicate hand.
The procedures for polishing golf irons using a rubbing compound are as follows.
- Wipe your golf iron down with a moist microfiber towel and let it dry.
- Using a clean cloth, apply a little quantity of rubbing compound.
- To erase the light sky marks, rub the cloth in a circular manner.
- After removing the sky markings, shine your golf iron with auto wax on another clean towel.
Deep Sky Marks
It is required to penetrate the paint in order to remove deep sky markings. To learn how to remove scratches off golf irons, you may require a paint brush in addition to golf paint.
Magic erasers are worthless in this situation since they can only remove visible markings and scrapes from the paint.
Deep-sky marks can be removed by following these steps:
- Wipe your golf iron down with a moist towel and let it dry.
- Tape off the surrounding areas to keep the paint from getting everywhere.
- Keep in mind that the paint color you purchase should be the same as the original hue.
- Apply paint in a back-and-forth motion with a fine brush on the spot/s with deep sky marks.
- Allow it to dry completely. This can take up to four hours on average.
- You may also use metal polish to achieve better results.
How to Clean Golf Irons in Five Easy Steps
Here is the finest method for cleaning golf irons in five simple steps.
Preparation
Keep your golf irons away from the sink when washing them. Clubs, like any other weapon, may leave a mark or even cause harm.
Prepare the following:
- Plastic bucket with moderately warm water
- Dish soap
- Scouring pad
- Soft brush
- Tee
- Old towel
Additional (for rusted clubs):
- WD-40 (small can)
- Copper or wire brush
Optional:
- Appropriate metal or wood polish
Soaking the Irons in Soapy Water
Soak the clubs in a bowl of warm soapy water to clean them. Soak the clubheads fully (but not past the hosel) in the soap-water mixture, which should not be heated above a comfortable temperature. Warm water can loosen the ferrules, seep into the joint, and leave rust spots on the instrument's shaft.
This poses a substantial degree of risk. A broken club might get out of control during the swing, causing serious injury. A flying clubhead has the potential to cause more damage than a golf ball. A game of golf is not about taking someone else's life.
Cleaning and Inspecting the Grooves
It is critical to pay close attention to the grooves. When a ball comes into contact with grooves during a swing, friction occurs, resulting in increased ball spin, a more stable flight, and more distance. To clean the clubhead, use a scouring pad and a brush.
Keep the grooves clean by examining them on a regular basis. If required, clear the grooves with a tee.
Cleaning and Inspecting the Grips
Grips, due to their sticky nature, assist us in avoiding excessive gripping of the clubs. If you grip the club too tightly, you risk injuring your hand by decreasing the club's swing speed.
To remove grime and sunscreen residue, just clean the grip with a scouring pad or brush and soapy water beforehand. This, however, is no longer the case.
Many golf grips are covered with a special coating to keep their stickiness as technology progresses. If scouring pads, soap, or any other abrasive item is used, the coating may be damaged.
Many manufacturers also advocate just brushing and washing with soapy water. The most effective approaches are to check the brand and search up the manufacturer's cleaning instructions.
Drying the Irons
With any old towel, dry the clubhead, shaft, and grip. Damp clubs should be stored in a dry area to avoid being destroyed by moisture. If you discover rust spots in your club, thoroughly spray the affected area with WD-40 for about ten minutes.
Allow no WD-40 to come into contact with the joints. After ten minutes, use a delicate brush to remove the rust. If the rust is really resistant, use the copper brush. The fourth alternative is a metal brush, which has the potential to damage the clubhead's chrome surface.
After eliminating the rust, wipe the club clean and dry. Keep your valuable golf clubs clean and dry on a regular basis to avoid rust. Use the appropriate metal polish as needed to keep your clubs looking their best.
How to Clean Iron Shafts
Not only do the clubheads need to be cleaned; the shafts may also become dirty. Iron shafts may be cleaned by wiping them down with a moist cloth from top to bottom. Then, using a towel, fully dry them. However, soap and water can be used to clean golf grips.
How to Keep Your Irons Clean on the Course
Keeping your irons clean on the course is just as crucial as carefully washing them afterward. This is especially important while playing in the rain, out of a muddy lie, or after taking a divot.
A golf brush club groove cleaner, which costs less than $10, makes cleaning your irons after a stroke simple.
They come with a retractable zip-line that attaches to your luggage and specific brushes for cleaning your clubheads fast and effortlessly. A little cleaning pin is also supplied to assist you in keeping your grooves clean.
Of course, golf tees might be used in their place. These brushes are the perfect size for removing dirt and debris from your grooves.
How Often Should You Clean Your Irons
At the end of a round, some players polish their clubs. Others do it two or three times a year. Many golfers never clean their clubs at all.
In the end, it all boils down to frequency of play, course muckiness, and amount of interest in golf. Because filthy irons might have a negative impact on your performance, it's ideal to maintain them clean at all times.
For the great majority of individuals, cleaning clubs after each round is difficult. It takes a long time and a lot of effort. As a result, your best plan of action should be to trust your instincts. When you're reluctant to use your clubs because they're unclean, go for dish soap.
By washing your clubs a few times during a round, you may drastically minimize the quantity of soap you need to use as a golfer. For the ordinary golfer, a soapy wash once or twice a month is recommended.
Conclusion
It takes two measures to keep your irons clean: a quick inspection on the course and a thorough scrub at home. You don't have to do this every time you play unless you can plainly see the dirt.
You should clean your irons on a regular basis if you want to get the most out of them.