Blinded by science . . .

They can be titanium, steel, chrome, trimetal, nickel or copper. And they can be designed to absorb vibration, have a thinner face, possess perimeter weighting, cavity backs, or deliver a uniform impact sound, with prices differing by as much as £1,000. How is the humble golfer to choose from all these modern, high-tech golf clubs?

It's not easy, particularly when one adds such elements as lie angle, loft, grip thickness and shaft flex. Not to mention looks.

And whatever happened to the Dunlop 65 golf ball, in all its glorious simplicity? All we can say is that there's nothing simple about golf balls any more. Depending on the brand, they now have a large core; two and three-piece construction; unbeatable distance, durability and performance; exceptional feel, control and stability; and are longer and softer off both driver and irons.

Yet we know that all of these balls must conform to standards laid down by the Royal and Ancient and the US Golf Association, whereby their initial velocity cannot be greater than 250 feet per second. Nor can they exceed an average distance in carry and roll of 280 yards (256 metres), plus a tolerance of six per cent.

So, which manufacturer is telling the truth? Technically, all of them are truthful, through clever use of words. For instance, if a manufacturer claims "there is no longer ball on the market", all he is saying in effect is that his ball is as long as those of his competitors. But as I discovered, the public are most definitely misled.

Based on volume of sales, experience as a club professional and his 35 years in the business, John McGuirk is at the forefront of the golf retail industry in this country, especially now that he has opened a second outlet in the Blanchardstown Centre to complement his premises in Howth. Among his staff of almost 100, including temporary employees, are his son Michael, Carl O'Keeffe and Paul Turner as fully qualified assistants professionals, and Karl Herbert as a trainee assistant.

Golfers or aspiring addicts will also be assured of expert service, however, in such leading outlets as Pro Golf, Nevada Bob's and American Discount. Then there are the local, club professionals who have comparable expertise, though their range may be understandably limited.

"Modern technology clearly benefits the club golfer," said Royal Dublin professional Leonard Owens. "Individuals may find they have to speculate £300 or more to acquire equipment that is user friendly, but ultimately, the customer is going to be the winner."

He added: "The same principle applies to new products, which are not necessarily better than the ones they replace. I believe that certain marketing decisions have resulted in companies discontinuing some of their best products. But if the replacements fail to reach the required standard, the public won't be slow about letting them know."

John McGuirk shared this view about the turnover in equipment, when I visited his Howth premises over the weekend. "The changes over the last five years have been unbelievable," he said. "Through the use of lighter materials, the emphasis is on helping golfers achieve more clubhead speed which, of course, is the key to distance.

"But with such a variety on offer, it is hardly surprising that golfers become confused. One of the things that concerns me most is that players insist on using the wrong shaft. Perhaps it is a macho thing with the lads. Either way, a lot of them play with shafts that are far too stiff."

How are the public in general managing to cope with the amazing variety of choice? "Remarkably well," replied McGuirk. "I reckon that up to 60 per cent of the people coming into our shops have a clear idea of what they want. And for those who don't know, it's our job to offer advice."

Ever the salesman, McGuirk at this stage pointed to three, separate sets of irons, strapped together with tape. "See those clubs: £25 for a set of eight irons," he pointed. "But if a newcomer to the game wants to start off with new equipment, I will sell them a complete set of clubs, plus a putter, caddie-car and a bag for £200."

In that regard, nothing about his operation has changed. As the customer moves up-market, however, the choices become quite staggering. They could pick from between 30 and 40 different brands of irons, quite apart from drivers of various lofts and fairway woods ranging right up to the Callaway "Divine Nine."

Dermot, a 16-handicapper, was a familiar face in the shop. "I get all the information I want from reading the leading golf magazines," he said. "There's a lot of hard sell out there, but having done my research, I decided that I wanted to buy Cobra.

"The only problem was that all the gear I had my eyes on would have cost about £1,300 new, which was out of my reach. So I bought second-hand and got the lot for £500. I reckon that was great value."

McGuirk shared my simple belief that the best driver on the market is the one you can hit. But he added: "There is no doubt but that the metal drivers are streets ahead of persimmon - by as much as 30 to 40 yards in distance and far more forgiving. Still, no matter what anybody tries to tell you, buying a driver is a matter of trial and error.

"I would have no difficulty in recommending a set of irons once I had an idea of the sort of game a player had. But drivers and putters are specialist clubs that have to be tried. And as far as I'm concerned, the vast majority of clubs are overpriced at manufacturing level."

He explained: "It costs no more than about £10 to produce a driver. But the manufacturer's mark-up is such that they sell for up to £300. And I believe that there are sets of clubs retailing at around £200 which are as good as some of the ones costing £500. But if people want to spend big money, that's their privilege."

Ultimately, the decision rests with the customer. That is why McGuirk keeps a supply of sample clubs at the Portmarnock Driving Range, where they can be tested by prospective customers under the guidance of professional, Paul Cuddy. He claimed that he had samples of up to 90 per cent of the new clubs in his shop.

As customers, was there a difference between men and women? "Not really," said O'Keeffe. "In the case of a woman golfer, her husband will generally go out on a scouting trip before she enters the picture. But when it comes to making a purchase, she will generally have a clear idea of what she wants."

Common to all golfers, however, is confusion over golf-balls. As a general rule of thumb, McGuirk believes that the nature of the player's course should dictate the type of ball he or she uses, i.e. a wound ball would be more suitable on a links while the harder, two-piece works better on parkland terrain.

But O'Keeffe pointed out: "People are misled by the information being fed to them, especially on television." He went on: "With various manufacturers claiming that their product goes longer and straighter than the competition, people come in here believing that we have reached the age of the obedient golf-ball.

"They genuinely think that the miracle ball has arrived. Though they try to take in the advertisement, they don't understand what the technology is meant to do. The upshot is that we have to explain to customers that whatever may be claimed on television, nothing much has changed where a bad slice or hook is concerned: the ball is still going to finish in the wrong place."

At the end of the day, what protection does the customer have against being ripped off by unscrupulous retailers? Looking back, I know of at least one professional who talked me into changing my clubs for no good reason other than to make a sale.

"I believe in being straight, up front with my customers, for the simple reason that I want repeat business," said McGuirk. "So if it means selling them a cheaper product than they had in mind when they came into the shop, I'll do it.

"You must be conscious of the fact that most golfers will be playing the game for life. Granted, a lot of them may keep the same equipment for a long time, but there are many others who will change their clubs every two or three years. So it wouldn't make sense for me to rip them off."

Contrary to the notion that good equipment is wasted on a mediocre player, there is no doubt but that a golfer with limited skill will benefit from good-quality tools. But the set of Dunlop irons which McGuirk had on offer for £25, would be more than adequate for a complete beginner.