 Sandy won the 1985 Open at Royal St George's |
Sandy Lyle is one of Scotland's finest ever golfers. A teenage prodigy, who made his international amateur debut at 14, he was a prolific winner before turning pro in 1977. He won 18 European Tour events, including the 1985 Open Championship, and along with Nick Faldo is credited with breaking American domination of golf on the world stage. Sandy has seen golf club technology develop hugely in recent years. Here he gives some expert tips on buying that all important first set of clubs. BUYING THOSE CLUBS Don't go into your local golf shop and buy a set of clubs - at the very most start off with a half set. Go and get some lessons or visit a driving range first. It's important to know whether or not you want to continue playing the game before spending money on expensive clubs.  Make sure golf is for you before splashing out on clubs |
In the US, four million kids take up golf every year and only one million stick with it. In the past there has been a fear factor involved with driving off the tee, but with the technology now available this has become less of an issue. Rescue mid-clubs are a good example of this. They are short-shafted utility clubs which are easier to use than drivers or irons. They deliver better distance than irons and are much more forgiving of mis-hits than drivers. This makes them great for beginners. I'm a fan of these kind of clubs because they help keep beginners interested - and anything that does that has got to be a good thing. PROS AND CONS OF TECHNOLOGY The new technology available benefits everyone, from young players starting out in the game to older players looking to prolong their careers.  Rising young star Carly Booth |
It used to be that when you hit the age of 40 your career would be finished and you would be looking for a club job, but that is no longer the case. However, is it a great thing that a player as young as Carly Booth is able to hit the ball 250 yards? Not necessarily. I didn't even have a driver until I was 15-years old! So new technology can help youngsters, but sometimes in a slightly deceiving way. And lesser players can often drive further than you with the new clubs available. They're more forgiving of mis-hits too. That said, I want to see as many young people take up the sport as possible. And If new technology makes the game more enjoyable for them it can only be a good thing.
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