How to Clean Golf Irons (8 Steps)

It’s inevitable, the brand new set of golf irons you just bought will get dirty, so you need to know how to clean golf irons! They will get stained by dirt, possibly show ink from a ball mark, collect dings and chips, and of course, show wear from ball strikes over time. There is no avoiding it and no set is immune.

So, how do you clean new golf irons? Cleaning new irons is a simple operation that can be summarized as pre-treat, brush, rinse, and dry process . Cleaning irons can be easily accomplished with common household items and tools found in your golf bag. Prior to starting the cleaning process, first gather the following items:

• Bucket of warm water
• Golf utility brush with metal bristles
• Golf tee
• Dry cleaning rag
• Light or gentle detergent (Optional)

Have all of these items on hand? Great, let’s get to it!

1. Taking one golf iron at a time, submerge in the bucket of warm water and give it a swish or two to knock off any collected grass or mud.
2. Remove the iron from water and hold the head of the club in the palm of your hand. Using the golf utility brush, begin brushing the face of the club to remove residual dirt and grime from the grooves. Brush all areas of the grooves, sole, and hosel to remove all dirt.
3. Again, submerge the brushed golf iron in the warm water to rinse off any dislodged dirt or water.
4. Continue steps 2 & 3 as needed.
5. If you can visibly see dirt remaining in the grooves or crevices of the club head, utilize a golf tee to scrape out each of the grooves. Continue the process until all obstructions are removed.
6. After steps 1-5 have been completed on each golf iron, take the dry rag or cloth and wipe each club dry. Use pressure while drying the face of the irons to remove any dirt particles that may have been left behind during the rinsing process.
7. OPTIONAL STEP: If your irons need some extra TLC or could use a shine, utilize some detergent by applying directly to the club face or add to the warm bucket of water. If applying directly to the golf iron, dampen the utility golf brush and add less than a penny size of detergent to the club face. Vigorously brush the soap on the grooves until fully coated. Rinse in the warm water and then dry with the cleaning rag.
8. Place all irons back in your golf bag and get ready to hit the course!

How to Clean Irons on the Golf Course

So how many golfers have you seen carrying around a bucket of water during a round of golf? If I had to guess, probably none (in theory!).

So what happens when you are in the middle of a round and have a large wad of turf and mud entrenched on the face of the iron?

Not to worry, cleaning golf irons can take place in the middle of round in a matter of seconds using the following steps:

1. Take the towel you have attached to your golf bag and remove any loose dirt or grass. If you have some water on hand or another weekend beverage of choice, pour a little on the face of the iron. If the latter, don’t waste too much!
2. Utilize the golf brush and scrub away any remaining dirt. Use a golf tee to scrape out the grooves as needed.
3. Wipe the iron dry and place the iron back in your golf bag for your next shot.

Benefits of Clean Golf Irons

Cleaning golf irons isn’t just for touring professionals. From your “once a year” golfers to loyal weekend warriors, clean golf irons can benefit any player with any skill set. Not only can you head to the course with a shiny set of irons, but every player can benefit from clean irons from a performance perspective.

For anyone who watches professional golf on TV, notice how the pro’s caddies clean each club after every single shot? Mud, dirt, and grass can build up over time which can and will affect the amount of ball spin, launch angle, distance, and overall accuracy.

While considering that many of us aren’t touring professional golfers (maybe one day!), many of the courses that host recreational golfers are less quality than professional tracks and require more frequent cleaning.

To ensure that your golf irons are always in top condition, it’s important to follow the steps outlined in our golf clubs irons review and cleaning guide.

Clean Golf Irons: A must for every bag

Let’s be honest, golf irons aren’t cheap and for a majority of us golfers, we pay to play the game vs. paid professionals. So as you place those prized irons into your golf bag, understand that a regular cleaning can maximize the longevity as well as your chances to hit consistent, quality shots.

Congratulations, you now have clean golf irons! Whether you play once a year or striving to become the next big thing on the PGA tour, all players can benefit from regularly cleaning their golf irons. Not only will cleaning increase the longevity of your golf equipment, but will maximize performance and lead to more consistent and accurate golf shots. Let’s be honest, for us weekend warriors, we need all the help we can get!

As mentioned before, the game of golf isn’t cheap and sets of golf irons are no exception. So whether you are cleaning your clubs for the first time, cleaning them for the last time of the season, or need a little time to decompress after a heated round with your golf buddies, take pride and a little time to clean your golf irons so that you can play your best game!