Golf used to be considered the "gentlemen's game". But everyone knows as many women grace the greens as their male counterparts. Many golf clubs have as many women or more women members. There are women-only tournaments and mixed contests. The popularity of the sport transcends gender, and women flock to the course, every bit as thirsty for pars and birdies as the men are.



As more women began to take up the sport of golf, manufacturers realized that there was an increasing demand for specialized equipment. Women golfers know that playing to their full potential just isn't possible when they settle for using men's equipment. Of course, there is now a huge selection of specialized apparel, footwear, accessories and women's golf clubs on the market today.

Women's golf clubs are lightweight, easy to control and set at the proper lengths to match all body types, personal tastes and skill levels.

For example, many women's woods come with variable length lines, allowing all women to accurately shoot, regardless of her person hit. Also, some woods will have the target user's height displayed. If a woman's wood doesn't' show its height requirements, it is assumed suitable for women between 5'5" and 5'9".

Having a selection of flexible woods is crucial, as many women prefer to use woods more often than irons, even on the fairway. Compared to irons, woods offer bigger hitting areas, or "sweet spots". Fairway woods are designed so the bottoms glide over the surface of the ground without friction. Further, the length of these woods is usually greater than the length of comparable irons. In this case, a 4-wood is longer compared to a 6-iron. For these reasons, women often find that woods are easier to shoot with, more likely to launch the ball, and get better distance than irons do.

Specialized clubs are also available for the short game. The golf clubs should feel light, short enough to allow you to get right under the ball, and just feel right when you swing. An 8- and 9-iron or pitching wedge can be handy when a short approach requires precision rather than distance. Once the ball is on the green, it's time to pull out the putter. Women shorter than 5'5" should choose a putter that's less than 33" in length. Taller women should try different lengths until finding just the right putter.

Women who love to golf shouldn't compromise their comfort or performance by settling for men's clubs. Specialized women's golf clubs can make all the difference, and turn a good game into a great one.