The high strength and low weight of titanium in comparison to wood were the decisive reasons why the manufacturing of golf clubs has changed. It makes it possible for the ball to go further and causes less injuries by repetitive movements. But it seems that the titanium days are coming to an end. Many specialists see magnesium as the next ideal metal for golf clubs manufacturing.

“I think that the next generation of golf clubs will be made by magnesium”, says Dick De La Cruz. He has been designing golf clubs for the last 30 years for different big factories such as Callaway and Orlimar. De la Cruz created the driver Mag Cruzer made by magnesium. Some years ago he made golf clubs using aluminium and ceramic while he was searching for new and better material to make the clubs.

Magnesium is a very light silver white material, which can be four times lighter than steel and twice ligther than titanium, the most important material for long distance clubs since the 80s. Magnesium is even lighter than aluminuim, that does not have its resistence. That means that a magnesium driver, which is the biggest of the golf clubs and used for the first stroke of the game, can be up to 50 gramme lighter than the ones used today. Because of that, the club designers can put more weigth in the club head which makes it easier for the ball to go more straight or with less slices or hooks.

Titanium club heads must be molded inside of a special vacuum oven because of the metal's volatility. Magnesium can be manufactured by machines that guarentee greater accuracy, something that already happens in aerospace industries. Many mobile phones and portable computers are made by magnesium in order to reduce their weigth.

The new golf clubs were an issue at the Campeonato Mundial de Professores de Golfe (World Championship of Golf Teachers), held in Itu, in the countryside of São Paulo. Edward Verstraten from Netherland, British Peter Hudson, South African Des Heffernan, Craig Fulson from Canada and Korean Sung Lee all agreed that the easier controlled golf clubs please both new and old golf students. “We all used wood clubs when we started our careers. The difference between those and the titanium ones is enormous. The current clubs are easier to use.”, says Juan Leiva, one of the teachers that were in Itu. Raul Fretes from Paraguay and Brazilian Luiz Martins, think that the new golf clubs can stand more mistakes at the impact moment, making the ball's trajectory less erratic. But all the masters strongly believe that the psychological and physical preparation added to the muscular memory, which is developed with long hours of trainings, makes the whole difference. No matter what kind of golf clubs, made by wood, titanium or magnesium, Churchills historical request for “blood, sweat and tears” is still being valid for golf players.

Guillermo Piernes is the first columnist to appear at Sambagolf.com . He is a seasoned writer with regular appearences in Gazeta Mercantil and Brazilian Forbes. You can contact him here.

Photos are by Svend Ole Kvilesjø.

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