So what's the difference between a blade putter and a mallet putter and which is better? Well first, there isn't a better one. The best putter is the one that feels comfortable to you. It's the one you sink putts with, that makes you confident and the one that works. If that's a blade, great; but if it's a mallet then that's great too.

But first let's look at the differences between the two. A blade putter tends to be lighter and the shaft goes right into the heel. It has more of a slender, bar shaped putter head that has a consistent thickness from the toe of the putter to the heel of the putter.

A mallet head putter is an elongated putter(mallet shaped/semi-circle) with a lot of mass behind the ball. And because of the size of the mallet, it may be easier to keep the face square to the ball.

I personally prefer a mallet. It just seems to hit the ball more succinctly and moves it more smoothly toward the hole. But it's just a personal preference and everyone seems to have their own.

To determine the right putter or putters for you, you're going to need to try them for yourself. (I know it's a dirty job, but I'm sure you're up to the task. If not, just get them both. Most people have several putters in their bag.) Get a great putter and a great deal here at The Golf Caddy.

Many people, when they first begin playing golf, feel overwhelmed by the number of clubs and choices they have. A person could go broke just filling their golf bag with all the clubs people tell you you need. Not to mention, mental confusion trying to decide what club to play. Way too many choices.

But what clubs do you really need as a beginner to play a round of golf? There are people who play with a Hybrid, a 5 iron, a Sand Wedge and a putter. Less to think about. Sort of the less is more philosophy. And while this is pretty minimalistic, it would work.

In fact, it might be better for a person starting out to carry only these four clubs in the beginning so they could first get a feel for the game and only then begin adding clubs as they need them. Adding clubs one at a time would lesson the trauma to your wallet, and minimize the confusion as to what club is best for what situation.

But most golfers are not going to want to do that. So a good starting place for any new golfer would be a good 5 wood, a 3 hybrid, 5, 7, and 9 iron, either an approach wedge (AW) or a pitch wedge (PW), a sand wedge (SW) and a good putter. Depending on your skill level, you might want to add a 3 wood.

The ideal set for the intermediate golfer would start with Game Improvement irons. You still need forgiveness but you also like control. For your distance clubs add a little less loft on those fairway woods and hybrids to maximize distance.

You have your most pressure at the tee and on the green. That's why they say "drive for show, putt for dough." So you want to be able to be at your best at both ends of the hole - which is why most golfers have several drivers and putters.

I've heard it before . . . I'd love to play golf, but I'm not rich and I can't afford to. Well golf is like most any sport, there is a high end and a low end as far as equipment, supplies, clothing and location.  You just have to know your budget, stick to it, and know where to shop.

There are several things in golf that will suck the money right out of your budget.   So let's break it down and tackle each one separately. We'll start with equipment, which is the first and probably most obvious expense in golf.

To get a set of golf clubs and a bag, you're going to have to fork over anywhere between $300 to $5,000 or more.  And as to almost anything, to some extent you're going to get what you pay for.  If you're expecting to get the same play from a $300 set as you do from the $5,000 set, you're in for a rude awakening.

However, you can purchase a very nice set of clubs and the necessary bag for $1,000 and get a great deal of enjoyment from them and though you might not have the latest and fanciest clubs on the course, you won't be 'out-clubbed' by anyone.

If you're a frugal buyer and a careful shopper, you can watch the discount golf stores and online auction stores and pick up great buys on last years models, and pay even less.   The Golf Caddy has a great selection for instance .

Supplies, such as balls and tees can be purchased at the discount stores or from online auction stores too.    Look for used AAAA balls and you'll pay only about half the price of buying your balls new and you won't be sacrificing performance.   Buy in bulk. You will save money on balls and tees by doing so.

Golf clothing is important, because of both tradition, and ease of movement.   Most golf clothing is designed to restrict movement as little as possible.    And while you can get carried away and purchase traditional golf caps and knickers to wear, there is really no need.    A comfortable shirt and slacks or shorts, a pair of shoes with cleats and a golf glove are all that's really needed.

And last but not least - we have the expense of Green fees.   And yes you can pay exorbitant amounts of money to play 18 holes , but you can get by with much lower fees by playing local golf courses. Often you can find green fees between $10 and $20.

So yes golf can be quite expensive, but if you budget and are a smart and frugal shopper, you'll be able to enjoy the sport and still  afford green fees.

What clubs should I buy - I don't want to pay too much. People often want to know how much they're going to have to spend. They want great clubs, but they don't have a lot to spend.

Well the answer is, there are good clubs for any budget, you just need to know where to look and what you're looking for. But no matter what your budget, you probably want to start with an inexpensive set to learn.

There are several brands that make expensive clubs - Wilson, Dunlop, Adams, and Penn have good clubs, especially for a beginner, that you can pick up without spending too much. Check auction sites such as The Golf Caddy, or eBay or discount Golf stores to get deals on these brands.

Once you've played for a while and know what you like, you may be interested in purchasing a more expensive set of clubs. I would suggest Nike, Taylor Made, Cobra and Cleveland clubs. You can't go wrong with any of these.

If you're more of a traditionalist, Callaway and Titleist might be more to your liking as they seem to be favored by those who have played a long time. But Mizuno and Hogan are also good clubs and their price runs somewhere in the middle.

As far as price goes, it would depend on whether you have to have this years model or if you'd be satisfies with last years. It also depends on where you buy and if the clubs are on sale. If you purchase in the late fall, you'll probably get a better deal than if you purchase in the spring.

The prices for clubs can run anywhere from $200 to $1200 for a set of irons, $300 to $1200 for a set of woods, $200 to $500 for a putter and $200 to $900 for a set of wedges.

But remember, if you find a sale, shop at the end of the year or shop at auction websites you'll always get more for less money.