How To Clean Golf Clubs (Easy Solutions, No Damage)

That rusty wire brush you have hanging on the side of your bag must go. Trust us. We’re experts!

Here are our best methods for how to clean golf clubs, tips to help you avoid damage to the clubs and the one component that almost all golfers neglect.

How To Clean Golf Clubs (The Complete Process)

When you catch a ball a little heavy or hit one out of the bunker, you should wipe the face of your golf club, taking care to clean the grooves. Nevertheless, about once a month (for golfers who play consistently), you should do a deep clean of your clubs. 

Plan on this taking about 15 to 30 minutes. It gets less time-consuming the more often you do it.

Supplies You Will Need:

Bucket Dishwashing soap  Microfiber cloth Soft-bristled brush   Dry towel 

Cleaning golf clubs outside is easy but you can do this in a sink if you find that to be a better solution. 

Start by filling a bucket with warm water and a few teaspoons of Dawn dish soap.  Place your irons and wedges in the bucket and let them soak for a few minutes.  Take one club out at a time and wipe it with a microfiber cloth. If you have been keeping up with your club cleaning on the course, chances are your cloth will remove most, if not all, of the dirt.  Pay close attention to the grooves but look at the sole of the club and the back as well.  After the club is wiped down, put it back in the bucket to rinse. If clubs have dirt that won’t come off, take a soft bristle golf club brush and scrub lightly to loosen it.  When you have cleaned your irons and wedges, dry them and place them back in your golf bag.

Cleaning Golf Grips

Grips are usually neglected when golfers clean their clubs. It’s important to have clean grooves to maximize spin but grips get caked with sunscreen, dirt, sand and hotdog juice. Clean your golf grips occasionally and you can extend their life considerably. 

When cleaning golf grips, it’s best to check with the manufacturer to see what they recommend. 

For the most part, the process remains the same from one grip to the next: 

Take a soft-bristled brush, dip it in soapy water and scrub the grip.  Use a wet towel to wipe the grip down.  Take a dry towel and dry the grip as best you can.  Let the grip dry completely before putting it back in the bag. 

Cleaning Woods

Fairway woods and hybrids can get almost as dirty as irons but the driver shouldn’t be too difficult to clean. Clean your woods separately from the irons. Putting all of the clubs into one big bucket can cause damage to the woods.

For this process, all you should have to do is use a microfiber cloth and wipe down the head of the driver, fairway or hybrid. I often like to save the water I have from cleaning the irons and just dip each wood individually at the end, wipe it down and put the head cover back on once it’s dry..

Cleaning A Putter

I’m going to trust that you aren’t taking too many divots with your putter but the putter does still need to be cleaned from time to time. Putters are exposed to san and it’s best to clean that off when possible. 

Wipe down your putter with a cleaning cloth and don’t forget to clean the grip using the same process as with your other clubs. Some traction in the putter grip is actually quite important.

Mistakes Golfers Make When Cleaning Golf Clubs

Now that I’ve filled you in on how to clean golf clubs the right way, here are a few of the fails that you want to avoid. 

Don’t put all the clubs in one bucket together. Wedges mixing with a brand-new TaylorMade Stealth 2 is a recipe for disaster.  When cleaning grips, there is NO reason to submerge them in water. All you do is prolong the process without getting any benefit from it.  Don’t lay wet grips out in the sun to dry. You will bake them and they deteriorate quickly.  Don’t put wet golf clubs away after cleaning or after rain. This is how rust develops.  Wire brushes are not necessary. With modern materials getting softer and more responsive, you are risking scratches and scuff marks on the club.  You will read about letting golf clubs soak in a bucket of cleaning solution overnight. Wrong. A few minutes and a little elbow grease and you’re ready for your next round.

Products You Can Use For Golf Club Cleaning

When doing the deep cleaning of your golf clubs, you need a great cleaning cloth and a little dish soap. However, to keep up with the cleaning of the clubs while on the golf course, here are a few products to consider. 

GolfERASERS: A sponge that works into the grooves of the club both on and off the golf course and can be used on shoes as well.  CaddySplash Golf Brush:A brush that won’t damage the club. Mixed with a little water or cleaning solution, it makes it easy to keep clubs clean on the course.  GrooveIt: It easily attaches to the golf bag and its brush with built-in water reservoir requires just a few swipes to clean the entire club head.   StickIt Magnetic Golf Towel: A great texture for cleaning, combined with the magnetic technology to stick to your club, golf bag or golf cart. Frogger Amphibian Golf Towel: Having part of your golf towel wet while the other stays dry leaves you prepared for any golf club cleaning necessary on the course.   

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are a few commonly asked questions about how to properly clean golf clubs.

What should you clean your golf clubs with?

Clean your golf clubs with soapy water and a microfiber cloth. Use a soft-bristled brush to get dirt and debris out of the grooves.

What is the best way to clean old golf clubs?

If you are dealing with old golf clubs that may have some rust, using a Brillo Soap Pad (as long as it is wet) can be a good way to remove some of the rust. If the clubs are not rusty, a microfiber cloth, warm water and soap should be all you need.

Does WD40 clean golf clubs?

WD40 can help to remove rust on clubs and make them a little shinier but it is really not necessary. The WD40 can also leave a residue on some golf clubs. I would stick with the more traditional club cleaning methods and never use the WD40 on fairway woods or drivers. 

Can you clean golf clubs with Clorox wipes?

A Clorox wipe may help you get the face of your golf irons or wedges clean but the cleaning agent on the wipe is not necessary for cleaning the clubs. Warm water, soap and a cloth will do the trick. However, using Clorox wipes on some golf bags can be helpful for removing caked-on dirt.

Final Thoughts

Don’t make golf club cleaning more complicated than it needs to be. The most important thing here is consistency—not much different than the game of golf!

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