How To Clean Golf Clubs: A Simple Guide to Better Performance

Keeping your golf clubs clean is important for more than just vanity. Clean clubs can actually help you shoot better scores.

A golf clubface is engineered very specifically. The spacing and depth of the grooves on your irons, for example, are exactly the way they are for a very precise reason. It’s because the designer’s exhaustive research and testing determined that this was the best way to impart the correct amount of spin and control on the golf ball.

But dirt, mud, and even grass stains all compromise a club’s performance, to say nothing of something like rust. As soon as you add anything foreign to a club’s face, the predictable performance of that club goes out the window.

Watch the pros on TV. You’ll see the caddies obsessively cleaning their players’ clubs. Why? Because they need a club surface they can rely on for repeatable performance.

So, yeah, maintaining clean golf clubs is critical to shooting your best scores.

But how to clean golf clubs? That’s the question. Let’s break down some of the basics of the best way to clean golf clubs.

On the Course: How To Properly Clean Golf Clubs

Before we get into the slightly more involved process of deep-cleaning your golf clubs, let’s cover the very simple but incredibly important job of keeping your clubfaces clean while you’re out on the golf course.

All you really need is a golf towel. You should keep one either clipped to or draped over your golf bag at all times. Beyond the clubs themselves, a towel is as important a piece of golf equipment as you can have.

The process for keeping your clubs clean while you’re playing is as simple as can be. After every single shot, you should wipe down the clubface using your towel.

The more caked on the dirt or grass, the tougher that job can be. That’s where water comes in. Generally speaking, you’ve got two choices:

1. You can wet your towel before you begin your round. Get one portion of the towel—say the bottom half or third—fully soaked but wrung out so that there is no water dripping. Leave the rest of the towel dry. That way, you can wipe down the clubface with the wet portion of the towel and then dry the face using the dry portion.
2. Use your own spit. Yes, that’s right, it’s OK to spit on your clubface to apply the necessary moisture to loosen any debris. After that, simply use your towel to dry it off.

You should go through this process after every shot that applies even a little bit of dirt or grass to your clubface. First of all, you need a clean face to give yourself the best chance at optimal shot results. But, also, keeping your clubfaces clean and dry will prevent long-term damage like rust.

Now, what if your golf clubs have fallen into a real state of disrepair? Or, maybe you’ve found or inherited an old set that needs some TLC. Or, even if your clubs are in reasonably good shape, an occasional deep cleaning is still a good idea. So, let’s look at the best way to clean golf clubs.

How To Clean Golf Clubs: It’s Important but Not Difficult

Cleaning your golf clubs doesn’t need to be an arduous task, but it does require the right approach to ensure you’re maintaining their performance and longevity. Here’s how to clean your golf clubs properly.

Gather Your Supplies

To get started, grab a bucket, warm water, mild dish soap, a soft-bristle brush or old toothbrush, and a microfiber towel.

1. Soak the Clubheads

Fill your bucket with warm water and add a few teaspoons of dish soap. Submerge only the clubheads, keeping the ferrules—the small joints where the clubhead meets the shaft—out of the water to avoid any potential damage.

Let the clubheads soak for five to 10 minutes. This will loosen up any dirt or debris that’s collected in the grooves or on the face of the club.

2. Scrub the Grooves

After soaking, take your soft-bristle brush or toothbrush and gently scrub the clubheads. Focus on the grooves, as they tend to trap dirt and grass, which can affect the club’s performance.

3. Rinse Thoroughly

Once you’re satisfied with the scrubbing, rinse each clubhead with clean water. Be careful not to wet the shaft or grip—excess moisture can cause rust or deterioration over time.

4. Dry Completely

Using a microfiber cloth or towel, dry the clubheads thoroughly. Don’t let any moisture remain, as this can lead to rust. After all, you didn’t go through the trouble of learning how to clean golf clubs just to let them rust!

5. How to Clean Rust Off Golf Clubs

For rust spots, gently rub the affected area with a cloth soaked in either vinegar or WD-40 until it lifts.

6. How to Clean and Polish Golf Clubs

Once you’ve removed the rust, apply chrome or steel polish to the clubheads for that final, like-new shine.

How To Clean Golf Club Grips

Grips are often overlooked or neglected, but they collect sweat, dirt, and oils from your hands. This buildup can affect your ability to maintain control over the club.

To clean your grips:

• Mix warm, soapy water and use a soft-bristle brush to gently scrub the grips.
• Wipe down with a wet cloth to remove any dirt.
• Dry thoroughly with a towel. Avoid submerging the grips in water, as this can lead to long-term damage.

How To Clean Your Golf Clubs: Metal Woods and Hybrids

Metal woods, like your driver, fairway woods, and hybrids should not be submerged in water. Instead:

• Dip a soft cloth into soapy water, and carefully wipe down the clubhead.
• Use a brush for any tough spots, being cautious not to scratch the surface.
• Dry immediately with a towel.

How To Clean Old Golf Clubs or Wooden Clubs

If you’re wondering how to clean old golf clubs or wooden clubs, they need extra care. Wooden clubs should never be soaked. Instead:

• Use a damp cloth to gently wipe them down.
• Avoid using a brush, as it can damage the wood.
• Dry thoroughly and store them properly to maintain their integrity.

Common Golf Club Cleaning Mistakes To Avoid

When you’re working through how to clean golf clubs at home, here are a few mistakes to avoid:

• Avoid using a wire brush: It can damage modern clubfaces.
• Never soak grips or wooden clubs: Submerging these can cause long-term damage.
• Avoid laying clubs in the sun to dry: This can dry out the grips and cause them to crack prematurely.
• Never store clubs while they’re still wet: Moisture is the enemy, and rust is always lurking if you don’t dry them properly.

How To Clean Golf Clubs: Final Thoughts

Learning how to clean and polish golf clubs isn’t complicated, but it does require consistency. Whether you’re cleaning your clubs after each round or doing a deep clean once a month, or even just once a year, the process is straightforward. And the results are rewarding. Clean clubs don’t just look good—they perform better, and that means lower scores.

So take a few extra minutes to make sure your clubs are clean and ready to perform. You’ll notice the difference on your scorecard!

About PlayBetter Golf Reviewer Marc Sheforgen

Marc "Shef" Sheforgen is a golf writer whose passion for the game far exceeds his ability to play it well. Marc covers all things golf, from product reviews and equipment recommendations to event coverage and tournament analysis. When he's not playing, watching, or writing about golf, he enjoys traveling (often golf-related), youth sports coaching, volunteering, and record collecting.