Oftentimes you can pay less than half of what the clubs sold for when they were new. Usually, used clubs will work just as well as new clubs, but there are some precautions you should take.
Scratches
Sometimes the club head has some scratches or pop up marks. This is perfectly fine, and only affects the appearance of the club—not the performance. In fact, the more scratches a club has, the lower the price will be, so scratches can be good.
Club Face
The club face can have imperfections, but you want to make sure that
the grooves are in good shape. Make sure the lines of the grooves are
not bashed in (this is also a good time to remind everyone to keep our
club heads clean), and there are no big gouges in the club face.
Shafts
Just because you get a good deal on used clubs doesn’t mean that you get to ignore the shafts. You still have to make sure the shaft is the right flex for your swing. It’s also good to make sure the shafts are in good condition. If you’re looking for a set of irons or woods, make sure each club has the same make and model of shaft. For steel shafts, be sure to check to see if any of the shafts are bent. All you have to do is look down the shaft of each club, and you will be able to tell whether it’s straight. Graphite shafts might have a mark where it sat in the bag. There is no harm in that. What you went to check with graphite shafts is the torque. You can check that by twisting the club head and the grip in opposite directions. If it’s easy to twist, that’s a problem.
Grips
Having the grips replaced is cheap and easy if you get a good enough deal. But, if you are buying a set of irons with eight clubs, and the grips need to be replaced, that can add up to as much as $80.
There aren't many issues that putters will develop, unless someone has just abused the club, which you should be able to tell easily. Putters don't usually have too much wear and tear, so used putters are an especially good method for saving money. But
While there are things to look out for, used drivers, irons, wedges, hybrids and putters are a good way to go, and a reputable internet retailer is a good option for those pre-owned clubs. They'll have a good selection, and they’ll let you check out the clubs, and return them if you don’t like them, or find a problem. You’re also less likely to find a problem with a reputable retailer and you may want to look into selling them your old clubs, so you don’t have to sell them at garage sale prices, and maybe you can avoid the garage sale altogether.
