In this age of sexual equality and female empowerment more and more women are playing the kinds of sports that were once only made available to men.

Annika Sorenstam for example ushered in a surge of recognition for female pro-golfers throughout the world, all of whom require the necessary sports apparel with which to compete. Most enthusiasts insist the proper clubs can either make or break a person's game even if your skill level more closely resembles that of a hobbiest. So go to a store that has a professional golf club fitter who knows what they're doing.

Here are some questions to ask your professional fitter...

Grip is determined by the size of your hands, and is the most inexpensive consideration when choosing a set of clubs. Grips have a tendency to harden, get slick, oxidize, and loosen their hold as time goes on.

The best grips have greater normal longevity, but not necessarily the highest absolute grip factor which means that even if you don't change your grip regularly they should still hold fast. It is recommended that you change your grip from time to time even if you don't notice a problem.

Compared to a car for instance that needs a tire change, grips should be changed every 3,000 rounds or six months.

The next thing to consider is length, which is an important factor to consider concerning both comfort and swing momentum.

Generally speaking the longer the club the farther the ball will travel, however longer clubs are often more difficult to control. My advice for beginners is to find the right length proportionate to your height by measuring the distance between your wrist and the ground when in astride position.

One last element is the flex of your set. Stiffer shafts are usually better for stronger hitting golfers, so go ahead and have a professional assess the strength of your swing.

Remember that buying expensive equipment does not guarantee your skills will improve - It just means paying a lot more money than is necessary. Make sure to do your research, and go to a customer/wallet friendly store where you can try a few different brands until you find the best fit.