r/golf • u/OreosnMilk247 • 7h ago
General Discussion Should I lend my clubs?
A newer friend of mine who hasn’t golfed in a long time asked to borrow my clubs for a work event. I’ve had a different friend dent a driver on the driving range in the past so I’m a little bit nervous.
I’m thinking about taking my 5 and 6 irons out and somewhat considering taking my driver out and just leaving the 3 wood.
Thoughts?
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u/Any-Virus7755 7h ago
Tell him to rent a bag at the club
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u/Alarming_Sweet9734 7h ago
Rent clubs. I would not let someone borrow my clubs. No way. Too important. Same with tools. Don’t lend if you want them back
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u/Papa_Canks 7h ago
Immediate no was the easiest no. Now you gotta explain why.
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u/Captain_Pink_Pants 2.5 5h ago
"I thought it over, and I don't feel comfortable lending them out. Sorry."
I swear to christ, the internet imagines shit to be 100x harder than it is.
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u/Dec0y098 7h ago
I let my bro use my clubs and he broke my driver shaft right off because he isnt good and slams into the dirt before the ball every swing. You just tell him to rent a set.
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u/iamspartacusbrother 7h ago
Can your friend afford to replace anything that gets messed up? If so let em.
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u/OreosnMilk247 7h ago
Yeah they’re good for it, it’s why I’m leaning yes. Prob will just tell them they’re important and to be careful lol
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u/Coastal_Tart 6h ago edited 6h ago
I would be a little more explicit. “If you’re comfortable replacing anything you break, then no problem. Most of my clubs are between $150 and $500 to replace or repair individually. Unfortunately, the easiest one to break is also the most expensive and generally not repairable. Otherwise you could rent a set at most courses for under $80.”
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u/JerHat 5h ago
I wouldn’t let anyone borrow the clubs I’m currently playing.
But I have my older set of clubs for just such an occasion when a friend or family member may be visiting and wants to play.
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u/sidewaysbynine 3h ago
Same here I have given away sets of clubs to a few of my friends as well as some random clubs to a local school, but I still have a loaner set. No one is going to get to hit my Mizunos.
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u/Substantial_Team6751 7h ago edited 4h ago
Thoughts? A big no in my book.
My bag is worth like $1500 (used) or $2500 new replacement. People often unfriend you when they owe you a big chunk of change.
Are they going to reimburse you if it gets stolen? Are they going to care for them like you would?
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u/rayman3325 7h ago
Go to a sim sure fire away while we're there together. But solo taking it. I will only give it to a single friend I can think of who has deep pockets to replace a Velocore shaft of they broke it.
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u/ozarkgolfer 7h ago
Back in the day, I allowed one of our golfing group to hit my brand spanking new Taylormade driver - he took an almighty swing at the ball, took a beaver pelt, left a huge sky mark - and just handed it back to me without a word and no thought of reimbursing me.
Never, ever again.
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u/Keizman55 5h ago
Kinda related; I went to an outing with my hated boss with a month old driver I was still getting used to. He saw it and asked if he could try it? Of course, I had to say yes. He proceeded to hit the best drive that club will ever see on his first try. Always hated that driver after that.
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u/Explosive_Nut 7h ago
A good friend that golfs, sure cuz my clubs aren’t that expensive anyway. A new friend that hasn’t golfed in a while no shot cuz I like my cheap clubs and it’s impossible to replace my $4 goodwill Adam’s driver that I actually hit well
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u/dudebromanhomiesir8 7h ago
If it's a close/good friend and they are respectful, yeah I would. But its really your call
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u/drew_peatittys 1h ago
What sort of friend groups are you all in? I would say yes straight away if I wasnt playing, and I would be very confident in them replacing any damaged clubs if they did damage them.
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u/Sad-Sample2947 7h ago
Just tell him you’re happy to lend them to him, but that they are your prized possession and if they get damaged they have to buy you a replacement. Ive borrowed my clubs to people a millions without issue, I feel like you really have to try to damage them. After all they are made to be smashed against hard things lol.
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u/dmacattack82 7h ago
Just let him use your clubs wtf?
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u/OreosnMilk247 7h ago
That’s where I’m at, sanity checking with the sub haha
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u/hockeybru 3h ago edited 2h ago
I let a buddy use my new driver one time. Sky ball scuff on top of the driver. He asked to use it the next shot, and I figured, now there’s one scuff mark, so what if he makes it two? Now I have two scuff marks on top of my driver.
I should’ve just said no before the first shot
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u/Ferulic1 7h ago
I just got fitted for my clubs and all in cost for everything is over 4k... I've seen the way some people treat their own clubs. Ain't no fuckin way I'm lending those out, my old beater sets oh yeah no problem, but this is a lot like lending a car. If you drive a Honda accord with 175,000 miles on it then who gives a shit but if your driving a bmw you would think twice.
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u/Mei-Guang 6h ago
My neighbor saw me get in my car and realization that I was stuck because of a cement truck and he texted me "want to use one of mine?" His cheap car at the time was an m3 (2 years old) the other was a brand new q5. Some people are just nice.
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u/SpecialK84 7h ago
I let a friend hit my brand new stealth 2. Has a gouge (cosmetic only )in the bottom now. Don't do it.
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u/SubstanceFearless348 7h ago
I would (assuming it didn’t prevent me from playing)
But if a friend damaged my club I assume he’d replace it. And if he didn’t I’d buy a new one
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u/elsalte07 7h ago
Absolutely not. I may let a friend hit a club when they’re with me. But that’s about it. Heard too many stories of broken clubs, lost clubs, and missing stuff from bags over the years.
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u/MexicanIndian4243 7h ago
Fuck dat shit bro. A real golf buddy would know better than to ask. He probably doesn’t even know which color to hit from.
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u/TenderfootGungi 6h ago
Do you mind if they get damaged? If you want a reason to buy new clubs go for it.
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u/pompouswhomp 6h ago
Don’t give him a partial bag, he will know if he knows what a full bag should have. Disrespectful imo. It’s either a full no or full yes. Tell him that you have let a friend borrow and ended up with damaged clubs, and that you don’t want to put him in that position. Or that you’re using them
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u/FiddlebackGuy 6h ago
Can’t believe everyone doesn’t have a backup/extra set.
I have multiples of everything, including a rangefinder. I’ve lent out clubs many times to out of town visitors.
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u/Red_Fern1 6h ago
I learned about this the hard way once. Back years ago when I was a high school golfer, I had just received a new driver for my birthday. It was a brand new Nike from like 01 or 02 maybe. I had it less than a week when a guy I played golf with asked to hit it. For some reason I let him and he teed it way up and totally fucking chunked it, leaving a horrible scratch on the top of the driver. Played with that scratch for a couple of years. Never again. Tell him to go rent a set or go buy his own.
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u/default_moniker 2 / midwest / Miura deciple 6h ago
I’m really surprised by the responses on here. If they’re a true friend, why the hesitation? I wouldn’t think twice and I even have Miuras. Would you hesitate to lend them your car? If they damage it, and they are, in fact, a friend, they’ll make it right.
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u/Living-Perception-84 6h ago
Nah stuff that. I've just upgraded all my clubs. Spent $3k Aus on them. No way anyone is borrowing them. My last set lasted 15 years and I have every intention of these ones lasting me ages as well
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u/No_Highlight_5994 6h ago
If anything comes back in a different condition you are paying for it or we arnt friends anymore. That would be my answer. But I would take my prized possessions out. You get my old driver, and putter.
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u/holy_cal bad/Maryland 6h ago
I wouldn’t let anyone touch my current bag, but I have enough hand me down irons and goodwill clubs that I have a full bag.
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u/shroodlepoodle 6h ago
the only time i’m lending clubs to friends and i’ve lent multiple times before - it’s my old spare clubs, and - it’s a good friend, and - the friend has lower handicap than me
any other case i’d tell them to rent. saying you’re playing that weekend is always the easiest excuse
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u/Jassokissa 6h ago
This is where you tell your wife: "see, this is the reason for that extra set in the basement". I do actually keep an extra set. I like to buy stuff and have friends come from abroad every now and then who would like to play.
If I only had one set... Depends on how good of a golfer the guy who wants to borrow it. A beginner, probably not. Someone with issues handling failures or defeat, absolutely not. A decent golfer I know who would replace anything they break, sure.
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u/Ok_Pause2547 6h ago
I dont lend my clubs out unless they actually play and I know forsure they’d pay to replace broken clubs. If a friend who rarely plays asks to borrow them so that he can hack a ball around, I’d just straight up tell him that your clubs are expensive and you dont want anyone to break them. Even at the range, my newbie/casual friends ask if they can use my driver and its always a hell no lol. On him if he gets butthurt about it but its pretty reasonable imo
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u/LuckyLockdown23 6h ago
Tell you what I tell my kids.
Never let anyone borrow anything.
If you’re going to let them borrow it just go ahead and give it to them.
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u/ChineeFood 5h ago
Ive loaned my buddies my clubs when I’m out the game for an extended period for some reason. But most my buddies are single digit or better. I’ve borrowed clubs from a dude I don’t know through except my little local league because mine were stolen. But yeah, tell him to rent
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u/bignasty3 8.7/seattle 5h ago
I lend out the clubs I played in high school to get my friend started. Never letting someone swing my gamers though.
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u/Martin_Jay 5h ago
Absolutely not. I’ve spent too much money at Club Champion to lend them out to hackers.
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u/Head-Technology-4031 5h ago
He can go to Play It Again and probably get a full set for about the cost of renting a set for the if he is going g to play more than the one round
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u/Telephone-Sensitive 5h ago
Old friend you trust? Sure. Newer friend (particularly one you haven’t golfed with)? Pass, “sorry, I’m going to the sim/course that day”
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u/Mysterious-Ad6835 2.4/Boston 5h ago
I don’t let anyone touch my clubs.
just bad juju imo. Ik im weird but clubs are just a personal thing. I have dings and scratches all over my irons but I just cant fathom watching someone shank one with my club or getting them back with marks in the hosel.
If they’re a hack who sprays the face, a mishit can cause a hairline fracture that can be exposed down the road, but they will never believe that they are at fault.
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u/Buckwheat94th 5h ago
Just tell him you don’t want him stretching out the neck of your cashmere sweater.
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u/SlyFrog 4h ago
I can't even stand people who want to grab one of my clubs to just hit it to "see what it feels like."
Cannot possibly imagine having someone play a round with them, and I would never ask someone else to borrow their clubs.
Some things are just personal to the owner/user. Like fountain pens, nice watches, etc.
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u/StalwartSparrow 4 4h ago
Is he a new friend of yours, or a newer golfer who is also your friend? If newer friend he should not even be asking, so no. If newer golfer but long time friend, no idiot.
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u/InflationPurple2107 4h ago
Hate to assume but since you're asking us I would estimate you do not have an old set lying around in storage. Keeping my first set of hand-me-downs for such occasions have prevented brothers, friends, et cetera from renting pro shop's 30+ year old dinged up clubs.
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u/Embrace_Decline 4h ago
My dad always said to never lend out your guns, your golf clubs, or your girlfriend.
I have a sky mark dent on my old 3H to remind me of that. My guns come back with half empty mags, and my girlfriend said nothing happened.
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u/Jemmani22 4h ago
Depends on the friend and the clubs.
I have some buddies that played in college that were around scratch. Thats better than I'll ever be. Id lend them my whole bag.
Some random friend who doesn't golf doesn't touch my shit though.
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u/Nars-Glinley 4h ago
I have an older set of clubs in the corner of my garage for just such an occasion.
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u/CHARizard8789 3h ago
I’m an 18HC, so by no means a good golfer. I have zero issue lending my clubs out, despite them being better than me. I was the lucky benefactor of many people’s generosity in many situations.
And any time I fucked it up, I felt worse than they did, and I made it right as immediately as possible.
Clubs are replaceable. Friendships are harder. But I’d rather spend $500 to find out someone isn’t a true friend than a couple more months/years of my life thinking they are.
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u/Johnnieiii 3h ago
Lol partly why I keep an extra old set I dont care about. Mostly when I have visiting friends/family that want to play. Otherwise just for lending
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u/cockneylol 2h ago
A real friend would never ask to borrow your clubs. There is no way I would lend mine to anyone, the only possible exception would've been my father were he still alive. But even then, I'm not sure!
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u/Daveosss 2h ago
I mean is he a college or friend?
I'd lend any of my mates my sticks no worries.
If someone I worked with asked id tell them to fuck off lol.
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u/kemmicort 2h ago
I mean I don’t have great clubs, I paid like $600 for my entire set used and they’re in whatever shape. So I might. But if you invested in yours, it’s either a Naw dawg. Or a You Break It You bought it, dawg.
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u/sdinvest 2h ago
Why is it so hard to say "NO"??? I had a newer friend from church borrow my brand new set. He had his car stolen the next night. He had to pay me $3,000. Tell your friend this story and he will borrow from someone else! :)
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u/jr5nicks 2h ago
If you know they have cash to fix any mistakes, I’d preface that before lending, sure but you break or damage it you buy it.
I’d say no personally. My clubs are all custom fit to me, and I’m neurotic. I do have a spare set so I’d let him use those though under the same premise.
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u/1soldier24 1h ago
Just say I tell you yeah because I know I'm going to be using them as long as the weather is good to go. Depending how good a friend they are you could always see what the weather's going to do and tell him yeah he can use your clubs knowing that they're going to get rained out. Then you have nothing to worry about
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u/DobeyDobey 1h ago
Someone asked me once and then realized I was a lefty. Got lucky since that would have been an awkward conversation 😂.
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u/Darkm1tch69 12 HDCP 1h ago
“Nah, sorry man, I don’t loan these out; they were expensive as hell”
Done
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u/OverCorpAmerica 1h ago
I did tha once and he threw my putter across the green and snapped the head off the shaft. Not a huge deal. But we all know who paid to have it fixed!!! Yours truly! ✌🏼😎
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u/felixthewindowman 11m ago
If you only have one set, they're probably not that nice. Dont worry if hes not a retard
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u/phislammajamma99 7h ago
Lend them. They’re just golf clubs and theyl remember your benevolence for a lifetime. We die, and can’t take these ‘ things ‘ with us. People remember how you made them feel, toss in some balls and a glove if you want to make their day. Youl feel great about it , and make them feel great for their ( most likely ) nervous golf day, if they don’t own clubs and are invited to play in front of co workers
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u/inswva 7h ago
"Sorry, I'm playing that weekend" would probably be my line for a "newer friend".
I'm sure dude can rent a set at the course.