Head covers - protection or fashion?

[Guest Todd Early]

I bought a TSi earlier this spring, but have been using my old 910d head cover since the new one leaves a gap that exposes the shaft to dings from the irons.  I carry, use a push cart and ride in carts.  I alternate between 2 bags.  I always thought headcovers were for protection of the head and shafts.  Am I a dinosaur?  (I believe in protecting my investment)

[fixyurdivot]

On 9/15/2022 at 1:22 PM, Guest Todd Early said:

I bought a TSi earlier this spring, but have been using my old 910d head cover since the new one leaves a gap that exposes the shaft to dings from the irons.  I carry, use a push cart and ride in carts.  I alternate between 2 bags.  I always thought headcovers were for protection of the head and shafts.  Am I a dinosaur?  (I believe in protecting my investment)

Hi Todd and welcome to MGS forum.  Form me, headcovers serve both purposes.  Absolutely nothing wrong with protecting clubs from bag/cart chatter. Having switched from PING's indestructotanium alloy irons to forged irons, I now use iron head covers too.  In recent years, club head covers have bloomed as it pertains to fashion - with a seemingly endless array of colors and designs.  The old, boring covers of yesteryears are living out their last days in garages, basements, attics, and thrift stores. 

[Middler]

Head covers certainly serve a purpose, and I wouldn't go without them. But I know guys who never use any head covers, and their clubs look like they're 20 years old after a couple years. I leave a head cover on my 3w, 3h and every other iron (covering every iron is unnecessary IME). I only have my driver covered off the course, on the course it sticks up so far above the others that nothing touches the head, and the shaft is protected by the head covers on all the adjacent clubs. Seems like best of both worlds, protection and convenience?

[RickyBobby_PR]

Clubs depreciate the minute you buy them. Unless you have high end clubs like miuras or similar you will lose about 1/2 the value upon purchase. I’ll use Ping i525 irons as an example. They are roughly $1400 for a full set. Current trade in/resale value is $600-700.

As for head covers of woods they are there to protect the club but also can be for decoration.

For irons they are designed to hit a hard round object and hit the ground. They are going get beat up to some extent.

I don’t care if someone wants to use headcover to keep nicks and dings off the irons but for me irons are the workhorse and I don’t care if they show they’ve been used 

[David Leighton Reid]

For me, the headcover's sole purpose is to protect my clubs.  I'm that guy that you would want to buy a used club from, because my clubs will not have bag wear.

 

 

[TR1PTIK]

IMO headcovers are 80% about protection and 20% about looks and it really only matters for the woods and hybrids where carbon materials and painted finishes are used. I wholeheartedly agree with @RickyBobby_PR about the irons. They're going to get beat up no matter what you do and while you can keep them looking better for longer with covers, at some point it won't really matter.

On a side note, there's a lot of hate for iron headcovers in general but I simply wouldn't want to add 8 more things to potentially lose on the golf course lol.

[GolfSpy_KFT]

Maybe it's slight OCD for me as well, but I HAVE to have a matching head cover for my woods, unless it is an aftermarket head cover (see my most recent unofficial review of Craftsman head covers in my signature). For example, I picked up a Sim2 Max 3 wood off of GlobalGolf this year. It did not come with a headcover, so instead of using my M4 head cover from my previous 3 wood, I bought a Sim2 Max head cover off of eBay. Head covers first and foremost serve the purpose of protecting your equipment. But there's nothing wrong with wanting them to look nice as well . When I got my TSi3, the gentleman I bought it from included a Titleist Stars & Stripes headcover with it. IMO it looks better than the stock one.

[tony@CIC]

On 9/20/2022 at 9:19 AM, fixyurdivot said:

Hi Todd and welcome to MGS forum.  Form me, headcovers serve both purposes.  Absolutely nothing wrong with protecting clubs from bag/cart chatter. Having switched from PING's indestructotanium alloy irons to forged irons, I now use iron head covers too.  In recent years, club head covers have bloomed as it pertains to fashion - with a seemingly endless array of colors and designs.  The old, boring covers of yesteryears are living out their last days in garages, basements, attics, and thrift stores. 

I know some guys love club chatter. Every time I hear it, I think there's another mark on my clubs. I'm all for covers - both long clubs and irons provided that those using them don't take undo time covering and recovering them. I don't know if Cobra uses " indestructotanium alloy " but my Speedzones sure do look good. OEM headcovers for my long clubs and craftsman covers for my itrons. 

[MaxEntropy]

I view the wood headcovers as 100% protection. I don't really care if I make a fashion statement with my protection. If someone gifted a custom headcover, I would use it, but I don't see myself spending money on them.

For irons, I like the dings (not gouges) that come from use. It adds to the "patina" to me.

[ED13]

I use aftermarket head covers for my driver, wood and utility club.  My home course sells them (Dormie) at a good price.

Many OEM covers are too short which can lead to the irons contacting the graphite shafts.  

[BIG STU]

On 9/22/2022 at 10:09 AM, MaxEntropy said:

I view the wood headcovers as 100% protection. I don't really care if I make a fashion statement with my protection. If someone gifted a custom headcover, I would use it, but I don't see myself spending money on them.

For irons, I like the dings (not gouges) that come from use. It adds to the "patina" to me.

I basically feel the same way. I do not care on the fashion side either. The only reason I use head covers is because I can not stand hearing metal woods clanking. Now forged irons that sound is not offensive to me. Back in the persimmon days I did not use covers. I also flat refuse to game a putter I have to use a cover on. As far as covers I have mismatches mostly different courses and eras. 3 wood cover is a 80s Ping Barrel cover from Charlotte CC my home town. My 7 wood cover is a AM&E from a course down here I bought for $1 at Goodwill. The 9 wood cover I also bought at GW and it is a red white and blue Rocket Tour pom pom. The driver for now is branded ---- I recently did a trade for a Callaway Big Bertha Alpha--- It came with a stock cover that is cool looking and goes on and off easy

[null]

For me it's both. The function is foremost. It has to be durable and has to stay on the damn club

Once I check those two boxes then it becomes about personality. I like head covers that look good and link into my personality or mean something to me. 

[ED13]

I use iron covers when I transport my golf clubs.  Do not want more dings on the irons when they are bouncing around in the back of the truck.

[AndySP]

One thing I didn’t see in here, that I curious if others consider, is using a generic drab looking cover to disguise the value from thieves.

Granted my driver is old now, so it’s not a big deal, but if I owned a 2023 driver, it would for sure have my old ratty one on it. For what it’s worth my hybrid lives without a cover and looks mangled with its chipped paint, scratches and lead tape…but I like it that way. 
 

 

[lisanclark]

Nothing wrong. Head covers whether worn for practical reasons or fashion purposes, they serve an important role in our lives by providing protection and enhancing personal expression.

[skraeling]

On 9/15/2022 at 2:22 PM, Guest Todd Early said:

I bought a TSi earlier this spring, but have been using my old 910d head cover since the new one leaves a gap that exposes the shaft to dings from the irons.  I carry, use a push cart and ride in carts.  I alternate between 2 bags.  I always thought headcovers were for protection of the head and shafts.  Am I a dinosaur?  (I believe in protecting my investment)

I even use iron covers *ducks*.   I cant afford a new set and intend to keep these for many many years.  As they are out of production, I cant easily replace one.  

But But Skraeling sir... you slow up play!  

Lol no.  I know what club ill need from yardage.  Grab club and as im walking to the ball pull it off and tuck the cover into my pocket.  Take shot.  While walking back put it on.  It adds 0 time.  

 

Edited April 27, 2023 by skraeling

[Daniel Carrier]

I feel there are both for protection and fashion. I would not let my woods bang together in my bag. I might be a freak when it's come to that. And I love the statement my headcovers makes (see pics). There are all made by Dormie (Nova-scotia based). More than fashion, it's a trademark for me. For example, I use the Ninja headcover for my 3W and my playing partners often go: " Ah! the ninja is out" (because they know something magical is about to happen!  )

And on the plus side, by storing the original headcovers of my clubs, on the resale market, the value is up with a mint headcover. I have a scotty (circa 2005) and you would'nt believe the look of the headcover.

[EMacK1961]

I use head covers for protection. I use single-length irons and replacing one is an expensive proposition so I opted for covers.