Clean golf clubs are one of the most important things you can have on the course. Keeping your clubs looking good allows them to perform to their full potential.
Having clean golf clubs gives you a fresh opportunity the next time you play or practice. You will have more confidence on the course if your clubs shine.
In this article, we show you how to clean golf clubs the right way and other key things, like:
Different cleaners available and how to prepare them
How to properly soak and scrub your golf clubs
The proper way to store your golf clubs to ensure the life span is maximized
- Other key golf tips for cleaning your clubs
Have any questions about cleaning your golf clubs? Let us know down below!
Also Cool: How to master bogey golf.
What are the Best Golf Club Cleaning Supplies?
59Golf Cleaning Kit (Best All-in-One Golf Club Cleaning Kit)
GolfERASERS Instant Golf Eraser (Best Sponge Cleaner)
Thiodoon Golf Club Brush and Groove Cleaner (Best Golf Club Brush)
Bite Golf Club and Grip Cleaner (Best Cleaning Solution)
Grooveit Wet Golf Club Brush (Best Spraying Brush)
Caddy Splash Golf Water Brush (Best Smaller Cleaning Brush)
How to Clean Golf Clubs (Step by Step)
Step 1: Gather Your Supplies
Here are the tools and equipment we recommend you have on hand to wash your clubs:
A bucket or container large enough to hold the clubheads
Warm water (not too hot, as it may damage the clubs)
Mild dish soap
A soft-bristle brush
A clean, dry towel
A Players Golf Towel or similar microfiber towel
All of these items can be purchased below in this guide.
Step 2: Prepare the cleaning solution
Fill the bucket or container with warm water and add a few drops of mild dish soap. Stir the water to create a soapy solution.
Step 3: Soak the clubheads
Place the clubheads in the soapy water, ensuring they are fully submerged. Allow them to soak for a few minutes to loosen any dirt or debris. Be cautious not to submerge any part of the club with wooden components or graphite shafts, as this can cause damage.
Step 4: Scrub the clubheads
Using the soft-bristle brush or specialized golf club brush, gently scrub the clubheads, paying particular attention to the grooves. Make sure to clean both the back and front of the clubheads, the sole and any other areas with dirt or debris.
Avoid using a stiff-bristle brush or abrasive tools, as they may scratch the clubs.
Step 5: Rinse the clubheads
Once you have removed all the dirt and debris, rinse the clubheads thoroughly with clean water to remove any remaining soap residue.
Be careful not to get water on the shafts or other non-waterproof components.
Step 6: Dry the clubheads
Using a clean, dry towel, thoroughly dry each club head. Remove any excess water, especially from the grooves, as moisture can lead to rust and other damage.
Step 7: Clean the grips
Dampen a golf towel or similar microfiber towel with warm water and gently clean the grips. Avoid using soap, as it may leave a slippery residue. Thoroughly dry the grips with a clean, dry towel.
Step 8: Inspect and store your clubs
Once your clubs are clean and dry, thoroughly inspect them to ensure no signs of damage or wear. If everything looks good, store your clubs in a cool, dry place, preferably in a golf bag with individual club compartments to protect them from damage.
Regularly cleaning your golf clubs will improve their appearance, enhance their performance, and extend their lifespan. Clean golf clubs will give you more confidence on the course!
If you are confused about the exact golf cleaning tools to use, we have you covered. Below are the best supplies we use to clean our clubs.
Best Supplies for Cleaning Golf Clubs
59Golf Cleaning Kit (Best All-in-One Golf Club Cleaning Kit)
The 59Golf Golf Cleaning Kit offers a complete solution to keep your golf clubs, balls, and other equipment in top condition. With its specially designed components, you can ensure better control, increased distance, and enhanced spin.
This kit features all of these items:
Foaming golf club brush
Microfiber golf towel
Smaller golf ball towel
Magnetic keychain to clip everything in place on your golf bag
The towels are super absorbent and soft. I love how high quality they are.
Key Features
Two different-sized towels
High-quality brush with a foaming hole on the end
High-quality bristles to keep clubs clean
GolfERASERS Instant Golf Eraser (Best Sponge Cleaner)
The GolfERASERS golf club cleaner works exactly as its name suggests. It is a magic eraser on golf clubs, balls, and shoes. It is a premium dual-sided sponge that has a unique design to remove dirt and other impediments that you may find on your equipment. It even comes with a golf ball tag rope which you can attach to your bag and easily access these sponges during your round.
The only downside is that they must be wet to work correctly. Also, due to the scrubbing, you may only get one or two uses out of the sponge before it loses its effectiveness and needs to be thrown away.
Key Features
Dual-sided sponge to remove all sorts of dirt
Efficient size
Ball tag attaches sponges to your bag for ease of access during your round
Instant cleaning on golf clubs, balls, and shoes
Thiodoon Golf Club Brush and Groove Cleaner (Best Brush Only)
The Thiodoon club brush and groove cleaner tool is the perfect golf club cleaner to keep with you to help clean your golf clubs. The buckle is attached directly to the golf towel loop on your golf bag and features a 2-foot-long retractable cord so you can easily pull it out to use and retract it back to your bag immediately. The tool is two-sided, with a soft bristle brush on one side and a more rigid wire bristle brush for that extra hard dirt.
This is the perfect cleaning brush to keep in your golf bag to ensure that your club face is clean before every shot you take. It also comes in a 2-pack, and they are incredibly durable, so it is doubtful that you would have to replace these very often. For that reason and the price, you can’t go wrong.
Key Features
Oversized brush head covers more area
The soft rubber grip is ergonomically designed for comfort in your hands
The 2-foot retractable buckle attaches directly to the golf bag for easy access
Bite Golf Club and Grip Cleaner (Best Cleaning Solution)
The Bite Club and Grip Cleaner should be on your list for one of the best golf cleaning solutions available. This all-in-one formula can be sprayed on your golf clubs, balls, and grips to make everything feel brand new. Spray the formula onto the dirt and give it a quick wipe off, and away you go. It comes with a bag clip and is perfect for the avid golfer.
The only downside to this cleaning solution is that it does not have a brush or towel to wipe off. If that came with it, this cleaner would be a game-changer. Most golfers carry a towel with them anyways, so it shouldn’t be a big deal, but a bristle brush would make a significant change.
Key Features
Provides an all-in-one cleaning for your golf clubs, golf balls, and grips
It comes with a bag clip, so you can easily attach the bottle to your golf bag
Powerful formula removes all kinds of dirt and grime
Grooveit Wet Golf Club Brush (Best Spraying Brush)
If you want a complete all-in-one golf club cleaning tool, look no further than the Grooveit Wet Golf Club Brush. This tool is highly versatile and should be in every golfer’s bag. It is a bristle head brush with a button on the end of the knob that sprays water or your favorite cleaning solution onto the club. The spray comes from where the bristles are, so you spray and scrub all in one motion. It is easily refillable, even if you have to re-fill it in the middle of your round.
The Grooveit also has a detachable magnet to easily clip and unclip it from the buckle portion that attaches to your golf bag. The grip is rubber and very durable. We highly recommend checking out this golf equipment if you always want to keep your golf clubs clean.
Key Features
The pump action button sprays water or your favorite cleaning solution onto the clubface
Very easy to re-fill
It comes with a detachable magnet
Bristlehead is extremely durable
No products found.
Caddy Splash Golf Water Brush (Best Small Brush)
Another excellent option for an all-in-one golf club cleaning tool is the Caddy Splash Golf Water Brush. It is a small water bottle with a nylon bristle head attached. You can fill the bottle with your favorite cleaning solution, and whenever you want to use it, squeeze the bottle, and the solution will come out of the head onto the clubface. You can then easily scrub with the bristle head.
The only downside of this brush compared to the Grooveit is the brush head is quite a bit smaller and covers less surface area. There is also an anti-leak reservoir tube, but we did find that some of the solutions did leak out if it was tipped over. Overall this is still a great golf club cleaning product.
Key Features
Bottle holds 4oz of your favorite cleaning solution and is easily refillable
Stiff nylon bristles head quickly scrubs off dirt and mud
18-inch retractor clip easily attaches to your golf bag
Preparing to Clean Your Golf Clubs
There are many ways to prepare a good cleaning setup for your golf clubs.
First, you must decide what type of cleaning solution you want to use. Good old hot water and soap will always do the job. Soapy water will help dislodge dirt and mud in the club’s grooves. It will also help get off any scuff marks across the clubface.
Another solution I like to use is mixing a little baking soda with water, creating a thick paste. The baking soda features enough grit to remove any stubborn debris without causing damage. Use this paste on whatever you feel, such as your clubs and golf balls.
Lastly, purchasing a golf-specific cleaning solution is easy, and there is usually no prep work. You might want to clean the clubs outside or in a garage to avoid spilling any solutions in your house.
Soaking Your Golf Clubs
Once you have chosen your cleaning solution, you will want to fill a bucket with it. As soon as the bucket is ready, you can set all your golf clubs right into the bucket to soak.
How long you want them to soak is up to you and how much time you have. The longer you soak, the more time the warm water and soap have to dislodge the dirty grooves.
It will work the same if you use baking soda paste. You will want to find a table where you can hang the golf clubs so the paste can sit on the club head and do its job.
These are just a few of the best cleaning methods for your golf clubs.
Scrubbing Your Golf Clubs
After you let your golf clubs soak for however long you want, you can take the clubs out one at a time. You will then want to use an old toothbrush or bristle brush to scrub your golf club heads and ensure you get all the dirt out of the grooves on the club face.
Having clean golf irons and wedges is essential to maximizing the grooves and performance on the golf course.
Make sure to scrub all areas of the club head, which includes:
front
back
bottom
the grooves
Cleaning Your Golf Grips
Many golfers will overlook cleaning golf club grips when they decide to clean their golf clubs.
But cleaning grips are essential and should not be missed.
Grips will accumulate dirt over time which will wear down the grip. If you ever plan to sell your clubs, it can reduce the resale value.
To clean your grips, wipe them down with a damp cloth right after playing. You want to ensure the fabric is not too wet and hot, as both can further damage the grip.
Drying Your Golf Clubs
Once you have scrubbed all the dirt from your golf clubs and rinsed off, dry the club heads with a small towel or dry cloth. Ensure that you are entirely drying off the entire club and that nothing is left wet, as that can quickly turn to rust buildup.
You especially don’t want to use a wet towel, which will not dry off the clubs and could lead to performance issues.
Polishing Your Golf Clubs
Once your clubs are dry, we recommend applying a steel or chrome polish to the golf club. Rub it gently into your club in circles and let it sit for a minute. This helps clean rust away from the club and will make your golf clubs look brand new.
After the polish has sat for a minute, wipe it off with a towel and ensure all the grease is removed. If it is left on, it can cause issues.
Storing Your Golf Clubs
Once finished with the cleaning process, you must decide where to store your golf clubs. This means storing your clubs in between rounds and also storing your clubs at the end of the golf season.
In between rounds, keeping your clubs inside your garage is fine. We do not recommend keeping your golf clubs stored in your trunk. This leaves the possibility of your clubs banging around while you drive, causing damage.
For long-term storage, after the golf season is over, we recommend keeping your clubs inside your house in a temperature-controlled portion of the house.
A closet is a good spot so that they are tucked in and cannot be damaged.
Other Golf Club Cleaning Tips
There isn’t a “correct” cleaning solution when washing your golf clubs. Mostly, it depends on how thorough you plan to be and how much time you have.
A specific golf cleaning solution, like the Bite cleaning solution, is excellent for removing dirt and mud from your golf clubs and making them look brand new.
A golf-specific cleaning tool ensures you hit every nook and groove on your golf clubs. You want to make sure that you scrub every side of the club if you have the time.
One tip for soaking your golf clubs is to ensure you don’t leave your golf clubs sitting in the warm water. Leaving your golf clubs in the water will eventually build up a rust spot, decreasing their performance.
Make sure your cleaning solution is not extremely hot. If the water is too hot, it can loosen the club head from the shaft, which is something you don’t want to happen.
Dip a soft-bristle brush in warm soapy water and scrub down your golf grips on all sides. Rinse the soap off afterward and then pat dry with a towel. This will help ensure the grip keeps its texture for the next round and helps with the resale value of the clubs.
Once you are finished and have clean golf clubs, do not let your clubs air dry. If water stays in the chrome plating or face cavity, it will quickly turn to rust. Make sure you are using a towel right away to ensure the remaining dirt is gone and the clubs are dry.
The polish you use on your golf clubs is mostly personal preference. Some golfers will use steel polish, whereas others will use chrome polish. Either way is acceptable and will leave you with a clean golf club.
Make sure your clubs are completely dry before storing them. If they are wet at all or moisture is near them, they will build up rust which will cause damage.
If you plan on storing them long-term, do a regular cleaning so that you aren’t storing dirty golf clubs.
Conclusion
In this article, we went over a complete breakdown of how to clean your golf clubs. A lot of golfers need to realize that having clean clubs will help their overall performance of them.
The difference between a small amount of mud in the grooves and not is tremendous. Plus, having your golf clubs shine will inspire more confidence in your shots.
We also outlined six of our favorite golf club cleaning tools. Having a soft bristle or club cleaning brush with you is always great. They are easily accessible during your round and will clean out the grooves much better than a golf tee does.
Having dirty clubs will decrease the resale value and reduce performance.
Last update on 2024-04-23 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API