The days when you bought golf clubs without trying them first are over. Ask to test the 7-iron in every women`s set the store carries. If there are no women`s demo clubs, ask the salesperson to tape up the face of new 7-irons and let you hit those. If the store doesn`t have even an indoor hitting bay, go somewhere else.

Hit

Once you`ve narrowed your selection to two or three brands, ask to hit all the clubs in each set. These days, many stores will let you take a demo set out and play a round with it. If your store won`t, at least ask to hit the rest of the set on the range. That way you can determine if you like the other clubs as much as you like the 7-iron.

Ask

Ask for a comprehensive fitting. This may cost you up to $100 and take time, but trust us, it`s worth it (and many retailers will deduct the cost of the fitting from the price of the clubs). A thorough fitting includes measuring for shaft flex, shaft length, clubhead lie and grip size. This process should take at least 45 minutes.

Trade

Ask for a trade-in. If your current set is less than five years old, it should have some trade-in value.

http://www.golfforwomen.com/gear/tryandbuy/2007/03/tryandbuy_5steps_0307