Tools, not jewels. This is a popular saying given by the sages of our game. It is stated to remind the wielder that however precious they might deem their club(s), they are their for a purpose (to hit a ball) and they are replaceable. It is most common to hear this when a ball comes to rest in a rocky/tree ridden area where the player must make a choice: take an unplayable lie at the cost of a stroke, or attempt the shot with the possibility of damaging a club.

This all may seem irrelevant when trying to understand golf equipment, but it is quite the contrary. A fundamental decision must be made here regarding how you approach the game, and it will save you a lot of money and stress if you can narrow down the type of golfer you would like to be from the get-go. Let’s label all the schools of thought here:

Tools, not jewels: Think of this train of thought as a warrior monk who can turn any object into a weapon. Someone who understands that a golf club is just a golf club. They don’t hold any sentimental value towards any club, and only value the functionality. Most practiced golfers eventually turn towards this school after understanding their own personal tendencies better.

Jewels, not tools: Vice versa from the previous realm of thoughts. These golfers will value the specific clubs they have in their bag, and learn to use those specific clubs in various situations. Say you really like a club as a fairway finder, and it never leaves your bag. These golfers tend to be sentimental towards their clubs. Think of a knight who is very good with a sword, but maybe not so good with a lance.

Jewels, and tools: This is likely where the bell-curve of golfers live. Many, many players replace practically their whole bag every several years, which is contradictive to the lifespan of a well kept golf club (this is why the secondhand market is quite lucrative). However, many of us find a club we like to subject our sentimental feelings into. How do you feel about your putter? Do you use it because it is face-balanced and you have a more straight-back-and-through stroke? Or do you use it because the shape appealed to you? Most of us have clubs we are willing to replace for improvement, and clubs the we may value for other reasons beyond functionality (i.e. having a 3 iron in your bag that never gets used but it looks good to have a complete set).

For my own personal school of thought, I have found that playing with the same clubs, and valuing them in a sentimental and practical (affordable) way versus functional has helped me lead to lower scores. The clubs that I like to have in my bag simply give me the most confidence, which should be one of the largest considerations when purchasing new equipment.

Now, it is obviously never advisable to hit off concrete, or roots, or a bunch of stones (unless you are in a high-stakes situation), but we should truly consider these different trains of thoughts before making golf club purchases. If we just stopped to consider some of this before buying anything, we may stop some needless receipts from the pro shop. Although, some would argue that that is what golf is all about.