If you are a fan of golf, then you know patience and attention to detail are important. These principles apply to your swing, your mental attitude and your navigation of the course – among other things. Well, why wouldn't you apply these principles to your equipment? Taking the time to take care of your equipment can make it last 25% longer.

Here are a few easy ways to take care of your equipment:

1. Try storing your golf bag indoors, so your clubs aren't subject to drastic changes in heat and humidity. Golf grips are especially sensitive to light, heat and moisture.  Simply tossing your bag next to the garden hose or oil changing pan in the garage can hasten the removal of the top layer of rubber that makes grips tacky, and your car’s trunk is death to most golf grips. Not only do you want to save money and keep grips on your club as long as possible, but you want to be completely confident that your equipment won’t let you down when you depend on it.
2. Keep a towel with you at all times while golfing, and wipe the faces of your clubs clean after every shot.
3. Give your clubs a deeper cleaning after every few rounds. Use a brush and some soapy water to remove any caked-on dirt or sediment from the club faces and grooves,towel-dry clubs immediately after cleaning them. Be sure to lightly rub your grips down with a damp cloth as well.
4. If you don't already, use head covers for your woods. You can use covers for your irons too, but irons are generally more durable than woods. Unless you’re taking the golf cart on an off-road adventure after a few high-octane Arnold Palmers, they should escape damage that would affect play.
5. Buy a head cover for your putter. This shortest club is most likely to ding your irons and woods, and even the tiniest nick or ding can throw your putts offline.
6. Good care of your grips is especially important. Your club's grip is the only area of the entire club with which you have actual physical contact, so it is very important that they are always well maintained. A good grip makes for a solid, confident swing. Inspect your grips for shiny, smooth areas, worn areas or cracks. Check and make sure that the grip isn't loose. These are all signs that your grips might need to be replaced soon. Oh, and if your grips are over a year old, you’re playing on borrowed time.