How To Clean Golf Clubs (Little-Known Hacks)

I just love getting a solid strike on a ball. But a solid strike almost always includes getting some dirt and grass hyper-compressed on your club.

After watching your ball land a good distance on the fairway all day, it’s time to turn my attention to cleaning my expensive clubs after a round of golf. But how do I need to clean my golf clubs, and what do I need to do it? 

Simply get a damp cloth and apply it thoroughly with your golf club, ensuring it won’t scratch it badly.

If you need more details, I have you covered. Read on, and I’ll provide the necessary directions on getting your golf clubs to look like new.

What should you clean your golf clubs with?

Typically, you will need:

• Big plastic bucket
• Some hot water
• Dish soap
• A soft plastic brush
• Soft towels or a dry cloth for drying
• Good “old-fashioned” elbow grease

How do you properly clean a golf club?

Grab a bucket large enough to soak all your dirty golf clubs in. Before you start, keep in mind that this process is best done outside so you don’t end up with dirty water all over your kitchen or bathroom floor.

If the weather outside is too cold or wet, then splaying a bit of old newspaper on the ground can help keep the inside of your house clean while you scrub your clubs.

Prepare and remove the golf club cover from your golf club

Get a dish soap and combine it with water

Dampen your clothes and rub them slowly into your golf club

Use a vinegar to remove rust if needed

Remove residue with a smooth dry cloth.

Wondering if Can You Leave Golf Clubs in the Heat or Cold? Hit the link.

Is it OK to clean golf clubs with dish soap?

Of course. It’s a good alternative for a golf club cleaner!

Next, fill that bucket with warm, clean water and two tablespoons of soap or dishwashing detergent. Swish the mixture around using your hand until you notice bubbles.

Then, stick those dirty golf clubs in and wait around 5 minutes to soak. Doing this will help loosen any dry grass or dirt stains, making cleaning easier later.

Once that’s all said, grab a soft plastic or nylon brush (such as a toothbrush or any soft-bristled brush), dip it in the soapy water mixture, and scrub.

Give each groove extra attention with the appropriate tools, as clearing them out will help you increase control of golf ball spin the next time you’re out on the course. The more surface area the grooves have to hit your ball with, the better.

The last thing you must do is dry off all the clubs you cleaned. Leaving them to drip dry can allow rust to form, leaving you with another problem.

Use a microfiber cloth to wipe off all the excess lukewarm water and any remaining dirt. For the best results, dry from top to bottom.

If, for any reason, you don’t have an adequately sized bucket available, your bathroom or kitchen sink can do the job just fine.

How do you polish (or finish) golf clubs?

Now that you have your clubs clean and shiny, I’m willing to bet you want to keep the chrome that way for a long time. If you haven’t cleaned your golf clubs already, do so. It’s essential in the polishing process.

Experts recommend using a specialty metal polish to achieve that sparkling shine.

This way, you’ll avoid any chemicals that are too abrasive, some of which can strip the club of its weight, hindering overall golfing performance. You can also use alternative steel polishes, but use one that will do more good than harm.

How do I make my golf clubs shine?

Apply a pea-sized drop onto the cloth with a polishing cloth and metal polish on hand.

Even with specialty brands, steel polish can be quite strong, so you don’t need much.

Next, rub the polish over the metal parts of your club. If your skin happens to be sensitive to the chemicals you’re using, wear gloves while you do all this.

Wait for a minute to let the polish soak in (unless the directions on the tube tell you to wait longer than that). After waiting, wipe it all off with a separate polishing cloth (or at least, a soft clean cloth). You’re done!

How do you clean and polish clubs like metal wood or wooden golf clubs?

The directions for other golf clubs are not that different, with a few exceptions. The earlier steps you read will help clean irons, but not clubs used for driving or wooden ones.

For metal wood, the one difference between cleaning this type and regular irons is to avoid soaking it in water. Scrub the dirty areas of the club in such a way that you don’t get them too wet. Dry off as necessary.

Wooden clubs are much more sensitive to scrubbing than just about any other club and should only be wiped down with a soft cloth soaked in warm water. Like with its metal cousin, dry it off, but gently.

How to clean golf rust and scratches?

Ah, we can’t forget about other things besides dirt and grass. Nature is relentless with golf clubs, no matter how often you use them, and will, in time, gain a dirty appearance that you can’t simply wipe away.

For rust, try using a bit of WD-40. However, we also can’t forget that you must clean your rusty clubs first.

The directions for this process aren’t that different from the ones mentioned earlier, only that you use generic cola and a bit of acetone.

I must warn you, though, that scratches should only be buffed out if they are minor. Buffing out any deep cuts may cause your club to lose a bit of mass, affecting the club’s performance.

However, if the scratches are small, you can buff them out with the help of a dremel kit. The key thing about this is that the earlier you buff out the minor stuff, the better.

Cleaning Golf Grips…

Do this frequently. You can find a handy guide here. Too much hand sweat can accumulate over time and ruin the grip, but at least it can be removed with a simple warm and wet cloth.

Conclusion

Golf clubs are expensive, and cleaning them regularly will help them last. Keeping them looking new and shiny is essential, especially since they’re used daily.

Are Golf Clubs Recyclable? Find out by reading my other article.