How to Buff Golf Clubs

Get your golf clubs back into tiptop shape in no time

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: May 24, 2022

Buffing your golf clubs is a quick and easy way to restore their shine. Before you buff your clubs, it is best to clean them first, as this makes the buffing process more effective. Once they are clean, smear metal polish over the head of the club, allow it to sit for a minute, and then rub it off. This will leave your golf clubs looking fresh and shiny!

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Cleaning the Club

1
Mix warm water and 2 US tbsp (30 mL) of detergent in a bucket. Fill a bucket with warm water and then measure in the dishwashing detergent. Use your hand to mix the water and detergent until the water begins to bubble.^{[1]
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- If you don’t have a bucket, fill a deep sink or a bath with water and detergent instead.
- This is a great way to deep clean your clubs, even if you aren’t planning on buffing them.
2
Soak the clubs in the detergent solution for 5 minutes. Place the heads of the clubs into the water and then leave them to soak. This helps to dissolve any dust that is trapped inside grooves and also loosens any dirt or grass that is stuck on the clubs.^{[2]
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- Place the bucket by a wall and lean the clubs up against it if you are worried about the clubs falling over.
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3
Scrub any dirt off the clubs with a toothbrush. Dunk the toothbrush into the soapy water from the bucket and then rub it over the entire club. Pay particular attention to areas that look dirty or have stuck on grime, such as the grooves of the head or the handle of the club. If the dirt isn’t coming off, try applying a little more pressure.^{[3]
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- If you don’t have a spare, clean toothbrush, use a nail brush instead.
4
Dry the clubs with a soft cloth. This helps to prevent the clubs from rusting and allows you to remove any loose dirt that is still on the clubs. Start at the top of the club and then work your way down to the bottom. This helps to prevent drips from rolling down the clubs.^{[4]
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- Microfibre cloths work well for this job.

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Polishing the Club

1
Squeeze a pea-sized drop of metal polish onto a polishing cloth. Polishing your clubs can help to prevent them from rusting and can help to remove small scratches from the irons. Keep in mind, though, that metal polish is really strong, so you only need a small amount. You can purchase metal polish from a hardware store or online.^{[5]
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- If you don’t have a polishing cloth, use a soft rag or a microfibre cloth instead.
- If you don’t have metal polish, use car wheel polish as an alternative.
2
Smooth the polish over the metal sections of your club. Use the cloth to smear a thin, even coat of polish over the club. Don’t worry about covering the handles of the clubs, as these areas don’t need to be buffed. If you run out of polish, simply squeeze a little more onto your cloth.^{[6]
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- If you are sensitive to chemicals, wear gloves when buffing your golf clubs to stop your hands getting irritated from the polish.
3
Leave the polish on the golf club for 1 minute. This gives time for the polish to sink into the metal and helps to make the clubs shiny. If the instructions on the polish container prescribe a longer sitting time, follow that instead.^{[7]
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- If you are using a “no wait” polish, skip this step.
4
Wipe the polish off the club with a polishing cloth. Use a clean cloth to rub the head of the club in a circular motion until all of the polish is absorbed into the cloth. This helps to buff the club and will leave your club looking shiny and new. To make your club look extra shiny, rub your club for an extra few minutes.^{[8]
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- Place your clubs back in your golf bag so that they’re ready for your next game of golf!