Cleaning and maintaining golf clubs – here’s how!

Cleaning your golf clubs is an important task to ensure that they are always in optimum condition. You probably have everything you need for this at home. Special products are not usually required.

What do you need to clean golf clubs?

You don’t need much to clean golf clubs thoroughly. A container is practical, washing-up liquid, an old cloth, a brush (with plastic or natural bristles, such as an old toothbrush). You will also need warm water. You will also need a cloth to dry the rackets after cleaning. Although there are special products for cleaning golf clubs(such as this one, costing around 15 euros), in my experience these are not necessary.

Let’s look at the different parts of the club, starting with the club heads.

Cleaning the golf club heads

To ensure that your golf clubs work optimally, you should clean their heads regularly. During a round of golf, residue from balls and also grass residue accumulates here. It can therefore be helpful to wipe the clubs with a cloth before putting them back in the bag.

You don’t need a machine to clean club heads after the round. Instead, it is sufficient to use lukewarm water with a few drops of dish detergent to remove dirt from the heads. Use a small hand brush to clean the club heads. A disused toothbrush also works very well to clean the grooves.

Clean the handles

Clean the handle with a little warm water, this can be mixed with a little soap or washing-up liquid, and an (old) cloth. Regardless of whether it is a plastic or leather handle, do not use hard brushes, abrasive cleaners or similar. Then wipe dry briefly, and this is perfectly sufficient for normal cleaning in between.

Avoid using white towels from the bathroom, as these can quickly become dirty. You will be amazed at how much dirt has accumulated on your grip surfaces when you clean them.

It may be a little more during spring cleaning, as the handles are particularly hard-wearing due to regular play. Plastic handles can be damaged by UV radiation. Please note that even with regular cleaning, the handles can wear out. If the rubber becomes slippery or shows signs of wear, you should replace the handles. This ensures that you always have a secure grip and that your game is not affected. So check once a year whether the grips are still in good condition, otherwise they can easily be replaced.(You can find out how to do this here)

Cleaning the shaft of a golf club

The shaft is best cleaned with a damp cloth. There should be little dirt here. Depending on the severity of the dirt, you can use an old toothbrush or a nylon brush. The shaft should then be dried with a cloth. A polish can also be useful for chrome shafts. There are suitable products on the market(e.g. here) that are also suitable for other surfaces (except textiles) and can therefore be used in a variety of ways.

Clean regularly

Regardless of how you clean your rackets, make sure you do it regularly. By cleaning regularly, you can ensure that your rackets perform optimally and improve your game.

To do this, it’s handy to have a brush with you on the course too. You can buy onefor around 12 euros, for example here.

My 10 cleaning tips

Remove any soap residue from the handle by briefly holding it under running water or in a container of clear water. It is best to rub the handles dry immediately afterwards with a clean terry towel.

Here are some steps you can follow to best clean your golf clubs:

1. Use a soft-bristled brush to remove dirt and grass from the clubs. A toothbrush works very well for this.
2. Fill a bucket with warm water and add a mild detergent, e.g. washing-up liquid or a page
3. Dip the brush into the solution and clean the beaters thoroughly to remove dirt and residue.
4. Use a clean cloth to wipe the clubs dry.
5. Repeat this process for all your clubs.
6. Also clean the club heads and grips.
7. Polish the club heads and shafts with a polishing agent to restore their shine.
8. Use a soft brush to remove dirt from the grips. If necessary, you can also use a mild detergent and warm water.
9. Rinse the rackets and handles thoroughly with water and dry them with a clean cloth.
10. Make sure you clean your rackets after every game to keep them in optimum condition and give them a longer life.