Issue 6 - May 8, 2026

Welcome to The Golf Scene — Your Weekly Golf Fix.

If this is your first issue, welcome.
If you’ve been following along, thank you—I appreciate it.

This week, we’ve got a little bit of everything…

Whether you need to win the lottery just to buy new clubs.

We’ll also take a quick look at used equipment—
including why that putter shaft might not be pointing in the same direction as the putter.

And to finish…

We’ll dial in your grip pressure with something I like to call the 10–1–3 Grip-O-Meter Drill.

Because somewhere in all of this…

There are a few better shots trying to happen.

Let’s get into it.

If you’ve made it past the caricature…
we might already be on the same wavelength.

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You just found out you inherited a large sum of money from your great aunt Agnes…

And your first thought is:

“Perfect… I can finally buy a new driver.”

Not pay off debt.
Not invest.
Not do anything remotely responsible.

Nope.

Straight to the golf shop.

And it doesn’t stop there.

“Maybe a full set of irons…”
“Actually… I should probably get a fairway wood.”
“You know what? New bag too. Let’s not be careless.”

It’s amazing how quickly we can spend money we don’t even have yet.

Because let’s be honest…

Sometimes it feels like the only way to afford new golf equipment is to inherit money, win the lottery, or find a briefcase full of cash in the parking lot.

Have you seen the prices?

At that point, you start wondering if the clubs come with a caddie, a sports psychologist, and maybe partial ownership of the company.

Now—to be fair…

The top-tier gear from Titleist, TaylorMade, Ping, Callaway, and Mizuno is outstanding.

It looks great.
It feels great.
It’s packed with technology.

And if you want it—and can afford it—go for it.

But here’s what most golfers don’t realize…

You don’t need to spend that kind of money to get really good equipment.

There are excellent options from brands like Wilson, Srixon, Cleveland Golf, Tour Edge, and even Kirkland Signature.

Clubs that offer:

In many cases, the gap in performance is a lot smaller than the gap in price.

And here’s the part that really matters…

No logo fixes poor contact.
No price tag guarantees better shots.
And no brand magically creates clubhead speed.

That’s on you.

So what should you actually do?

Stop buying the name.
Start buying what works for you.

Find something that:

Because confidence is a powerful thing in this game.

And it’s a lot cheaper than a $1,000 putter.

And if you can…

Try before you buy.

Hit a few shots.
Take it for a test drive.

Because the best club in your bag…

Isn’t the most expensive one.

It’s the one you trust when it matters.

If that ruling saved you a shot… or at least an argument…

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If you’re looking to replace some golf clubs, there’s absolutely no reason you can’t explore the secondhand market.

In the Greater Toronto area, you’ve got plenty of options:

If you’re trying to stay on budget, this is a great place to start.

Because here’s the reality…

There are golfers out there who buy a brand new driver, use it for a season—or less—and then decide they “need” the next one.

Which means you can sometimes pick up a barely-used driver for half the price.

Same goes for putters.

Some golfers will sell a putter after their first three-putt.

And if they four-putt…

Well… now you know why you should check the shaft.

Carefully.

Because here’s the thing with used equipment:

Most of it is perfectly fine.
Some of it is a great deal.
And a small percentage of it… has seen things.

Let me give you a real example.

I once had an 8-iron sitting beside a tree—bare dirt, no grass.
Looked harmless.

What I didn’t know was about a quarter inch under the surface…
there was a tree root the size of a small bridge.

I made a great swing. Pure strike. Beautiful shot.

And instantly…

The club snapped.

I was standing there holding the grip and about 16 inches of shaft…
while the rest of the shaft and the 8-iron head were heading down the fairway.

Great shot.

Short-lived club.

And for a brief moment I thought…
“Wow… I guess I could sell that on Marketplace.”

So before you buy used equipment:

And one more thing…

Try not to go too far back in time.

There’s a difference between “good value” and golf archaeology.

If the clubs look like they were around when persimmon was king…
you might not be getting the performance upgrade you were hoping for.

Used clubs can be a fantastic way to save money and still play good golf.

Just make sure you’re buying someone else’s upgrade…

Not their breaking point.

This is where we usually save something that can actually improve your game.

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Ever had a golf club leave your hands mid-swing… like it had somewhere better to be?

Sure you did. Remember that time you were out playing and it started raining?

Not a light drizzle…
I mean real rain.

“the kind of rain Noah built the Ark for.”

You and your playing partners duck under a tree, thinking you’ll wait it out.

Five minutes go by.
Ten minutes go by.

And then someone says,
“Let’s just play.”

So back out you go.

You’ve got about 120 yards to the middle of the green.
You pull your 9-iron.

You notice the grips are a little slippery…

But you think,
“Ah… it’ll be fine.”

You line it up… take your swing…

And the club flies out of your hands.

Not a little slip.
I’m talking full release.

Pure helicopter. All the way.

The ball goes toward the green…
Then the club passes it.

A solid 50 yards straight down the fairway.

Honestly…

Better than the ball.

And from that moment on…

Every time you pick up a golf club, you’re holding on like it’s a lifeboat from the Titanic.

To the point where the good people from the Vise-Grip Plier Company are thinking about offering you a sponsorship.

Now your grip pressure isn’t a “3 out of 10”…

It’s somewhere closer to blackjack.

And here’s the problem.

When your hands are tight…
your wrists are tight.

When your wrists are tight…
your arms are tight.

Then your shoulders…
then your back…

And before you know it, your entire body is one solid block of tension.

No flow.
No rhythm.
No chance.

And from a performance standpoint?

Tension destroys everything.

So what should it feel like?

Simple.

Hold the club at about a 3 out of 10.

Light enough that your wrists can move.
Firm enough that the club doesn’t go flying down the fairway again.

Because yes…

We’d like to avoid both extremes.

Too loose… and you’re launching equipment.
Too tight… and you’re launching terrible shots.

Somewhere in the middle?

That’s where good golf lives.

a.k.a. The Titanic Lifeboat Test

This drill is done with your eyes closed, each squeeze should last about three seconds, and your hands must always remain sealed on the grip.

Take your normal grip on the club.
Hold your arms straight out in front of you at shoulder height.

Now close your eyes.

Squeeze the club as tight as you possibly can for about three seconds.

That’s a 10 out of 10.

Now immediately relax your hands all the way down to a 1 out of 10…
again for about three seconds, while keeping your eyes closed.

And from there… bring it up to a 3 for about three seconds.

That’s it.

Now you know what 10 feels like.
Now you know what 1 feels like.
And now you know what 3 feels like.

You can do this anytime you want to recalibrate your grip pressure.

Enjoying The Golf Scene so far?

👉 Have a question about your swing?
👉 Something you’d like me to cover?
👉 Or anything in this issue that stood out?

Just hit reply and tell me what you’re working on — I read every message.

My goal with The Golf Scene is simple:

To help you understand the game a little better,
make your bad shots a little less bad,
and maybe even help you enjoy it a bit more along the way.

Because let’s be honest…

👉 this game doesn’t need to be any harder than it already is.

If you found this useful (or at least mildly entertaining), feel free to share it with:

And if you’re looking to take your game a step further…

👉 I’d be happy to help — in person or online.

David Govan
PGA of Canada Professional

Golf Excellence Academy
Modern Golf Instruction

Creator of the 5C Golf Performance System
👉 GolfExcellence.ca

Ps — Next week I will continue the discussion of the 5C Golf Performance System