How to Remove Rust & Restore Golf Clubs

The good news for golfers with rusty clubs is that you may not have to do anything to fix the problem. PGA pro Frank Ganley notes that legendary golfer Bobby Jones didn’t mind a bit of rust forming on his club heads because the pitting caused by the rust helped him impart more backspin on the ball. However, rust must be removed from a golf shaft, according to Ganley. If your metal shafts are rusty, or you don’t like the look of a rusty club head, you can remove the rust the same way you would from most any other metal surface.

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Use preventive measures first to try to keep rust from forming on your clubs. Golf pro Mark Crossfield recommends wiping your clubs down after every round, wiping them with a multipurpose lubricant every few months, and never storing them in a humid location. Ganley notes that a garage, in particular, isn’t a good place to store golf clubs. The Rust Removal website suggests closely monitoring the backs of cavity-back clubs.

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Spray rust remover on metal club heads and shafts. The Rust Removal website notes that rust removers not only eliminate rust from your clubs but also can prevent rust as well.

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Rub the remaining rusty areas lightly with steel wool, according to Ganley and the Rust Removal site.

Graphite and stainless steel surfaces won’t rust.

If any painted areas of your clubs develop rust, re-paint them after removing the rust with auto touch-up paint or nail polish, as recommended by the Golf Tips website.