Gotcha Covered
Look at anyone’s golf bag and, chances are, one of the first things you will notice are the headcovers. Why is that? Could it be because they tell a lot about the golfer? Such as, how new the clubs are, brand or model being played, striker or hacker i.e. handicap level, and perhaps, if there is an obsessive-compulsive tendency. Today, every driver, fairway wood, hybrid and putters comes with a headcover. However, that was not always the case.
In the early 1900s, when first introduced, headcovers were not designed to protect the heads but the shafts of the clubs from being damage cause by chips or dents in the wood from other clubs in the bag. As you can imagine, cracks in the shafts had a negative impact on a golfers game, therefore, it was not long before they became the norm.
I remember when I started playing, everyone had headcovers on their driver and fairway woods, however, they were considered a “personal choice add on” and was not included with the purchase of a wood. Then, sometime in the late 80s or early 90s, people starting covering their putters. In 1991, I got a Ray Cook MB-A and it came with a cover, my first. At that time, very few golfer covered their putters, however, today, who does not have a cover on their putter. Only, a raw beginner or someone who does not value a “pure roll”! Today, the only thing left uncovered in the bag is the irons.
Currently, some of the club manufactures are shipping irons with head covers on them, such as Ping. Below are the covers that came recently with my 425s irons.
Therefore, since manufactures are including covers on irons shipped, is it a matter of time before covering your irons will be just as common as covering your putter?
Goggle any golf forum and you will see there are strong opinions on the use of iron covers. Both, pro and con.
The main points givens for using covers are that it protects the irons and keeps them in better condition for longer periods of time and improves the resale value when the time comes to upgrade your game. Also, since golf is a game of etiquette and consideration for others on the course, the clanging of clubs banging against each other, whether you carry your bag, use a pull cart or a power cart, is silenced when you cover your irons (maybe, a little OCD here). Another “pro point” is club identification which in theory should speed up pace of play since it helps you quickly spot the club you need for your next shot (we’ve all been there – looking for that club hidden in plain sight).
And, the main reason against is the impact on pace of play – time taken to remove and then recover the irons after a shot, and of course, time spent looking for a lost cover. Another one, often stated, is since manufacturers spend a lot of time on the design of their irons, it’s not cool to hide the aesthetics of the club. It’s a zen thing.
Although, the final verdict is still out, the pros seem to outweigh the cons. And, even if you are not totally convinced of their benefit, it’s still a good way to protect your clubs between rounds and then remove them before “teeing off”. Why would you want to do that?
The first time I even heard of iron covers being used, was in the Carolinas in the mid 1990s. At that time, there was a gang that would watch the “bag drops” at different upscale resort course, and at the most opportune time would grab unattended bags depending on the brand of clubs. Oddly enough, covering the iron was the best deterrent in stopping the theft; why take the chance if you don’t know if the clubs are shiny new major brands or granddad’s clubs from the 50s. It worked!
Since golf is an individual sport, covering irons is totally a personal preference. For me – it is an easy choice. At over a $1000 for a set of irons and wanting to get the most for them when I decide to trade up, it’s all about protecting my investment. And, with regards to the “cool factor”, considering the variety of materials and designs available, iron covers add a bit of personality / color to your bag. Now, how cool is that !
