Are new/good clubs really worth the expense?

[Cobrabit]

Okay, I've just started playing more often these past several months and have gotten to wonder about upgrading my clubs before next year (tax return maybe). As a background, I played a lot through high school and was a baseball player with a gap to gap swing, so my hands would come through first and I've got quick wrists and hips. This of course would lead to a lot of slices when growing up. I would intentionally try to slow my swing down so that I could straighten the ball out. Then over the next 15 years, I played maybe a dozen times with several years of lay off until the spring. I'm now playing about twice a week and am around a 15 handicap with a birdie or two a round, but also a couple double bogeys thrown in too. I'm still monitoring my swing tempo and am no longer slicing, but pulling left or drawing it off the fairway about a third of the time.

While playing with someone recently, they took a look at my clubs and said I really need to look into upgrading as it could really help my game. Now don't laugh, but I bought a set of Wilson clubs with graphite shafts (men's flex?) in the '90s from Walmart for a little over $100. Doing some reading recently, it looks like actually getting fitted for clubs and shafts may help my consistency, which is really what I consider the place I need the most help. While I'd like to get more distance, my priority is to keep them straight because distance isn't what's killing my game (current average yardage below).

Looking around at clubs, spending $1000-2000 on a new set is a pretty steep investment, and one I would be okay with if I continue playing a couple times a month if it is truly worth it.

My current average distances:

Driver 240-260
3W 220-230
5W 205-215
3I 195
4I 185
5I 175
6I 165
7I 155
8I 145
9I 135
pW 125
SW 115

 

[ATL96Steeler]

15 index? I might have to give you a couple of strokes a side, but I think our games are comparable.

My advice which I just followed myself about a year and a half ago.

I was playing to about an 8 index prior to the economy crash...playing twice a week...then shit hit the fan, and I stopped cold turkey for about 2 years...maybe played twice over that period. The bug bit again and I started back playing weekly and figure my 10+ yr irons could use an upgrade.

Fitting...honestly, getting the correct static fit will help with your ball contact, and shaft flex for your game will help a little with accuracy.

I bought Taylormade rocketbladz tour irons just before the new irons hit the market...$600 with static fitting and shaft fitting. 2 months later I swapped out my driver with the Titleist 913 just as the 915 was coming out and they gave me a nice price break that was folded into my laser rangefinder since Titleist frowns on them discounting their clubs.

You've heard the saying it's the Indian, not the bow...I'm not hitting 5 more GIRs than I was before getting these new clubs, but my misses are tighter and I did increase my GIR by 2 on average.

I would suggest buying at the end of the product cycle...Taylormade, and Callaway change models nearly every year so you can always find deals. Ping, & Titleist normally change every other year and much harder to get great deals.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

All of that and I forgot to answer your question.

Probably not...my index did drop about 2 strokes after playing with them for a few months, but I've since flatlined.

That said, I'm still happy I got new sticks.

 

[Cobrabit]

Sorry about the terminology, my index is currently at 13.1 based on my swing by swing app and my home course that I've been playing the last few weeks. I never really cared about a handicap when I was younger and really didn't understand the difference until I just looked it up after your post.

I appreciate the info and will see how the rest of this season goes to see if I can become a little more consistent and then look into going by a store to hit a few different sets and maybe fitted before next year. Like you said, I probably need to do everything I can to get my physical and mental game down before looking for an equipment upgrade.

 

[Jack_John_Mark]

Okay, I've just started playing more often these past several months and have gotten to wonder about upgrading my clubs before next year (tax return maybe). As a background, I played a lot through high school and was a baseball player with a gap to gap swing, so my hands would come through first and I've got quick wrists and hips. This of course would lead to a lot of slices when growing up. I would intentionally try to slow my swing down so that I could straighten the ball out. Then over the next 15 years, I played maybe a dozen times with several years of lay off until the spring. I'm now playing about twice a week and am around a 15 handicap with a birdie or two a round, but also a couple double bogeys thrown in too. I'm still monitoring my swing tempo and am no longer slicing, but pulling left or drawing it off the fairway about a third of the time.

While playing with someone recently, they took a look at my clubs and said I really need to look into upgrading as it could really help my game. Now don't laugh, but I bought a set of Wilson clubs with graphite shafts (men's flex?) in the '90s from Walmart for a little over $100. Doing some reading recently, it looks like actually getting fitted for clubs and shafts may help my consistency, which is really what I consider the place I need the most help. While I'd like to get more distance, my priority is to keep them straight because distance isn't what's killing my game (current average yardage below).

Looking around at clubs, spending $1000-2000 on a new set is a pretty steep investment, and one I would be okay with if I continue playing a couple times a month if it is truly worth it.

My current average distances:

Driver 240-260
3W 220-230
5W 205-215
3I 195
4I 185
5I 175
6I 165
7I 155
8I 145
9I 135
pW 125
SW 115

New clubs are worth every penny IF you get fitted for the right clubs.

Buying new clubs off the internet or going into a store is just not the way to go. Spend an extra $100 and get fitted. Everyone is put together a little differently and it makes a huge difference in striking the ball in the center of the face.

Perfectly fitted clubs are priceless in my opinion.

 

[Jack_John_Mark]

I have an old Taylor Made Burner 5-wood from 1995 that I use and a Titleist 3-wood from 2012 that I won at a Tournament.

The Taylormade I stripe right down the middle and the Titleist goes all over the place. The Taylormade I bought for $3 at a Goodwill. The Titleist was a $230 club when I got it.

The difference is the shaft on the Taylormade is perfect for my swing, which allows me to square up the face of the club at impact and hit the ball in the center of the face. I bought it for the hell of it and it ended up being a perfect fit for me. Even my bad shots still go straight with this club.

 

[GNG]

All of that and I forgot to answer your question.

Probably not...my index did drop about 2 strokes after playing with them for a few months, but I've since flatlined.

That said, I'm still happy I got new sticks.

I haven't bought any new clubs in the past 10 years but I do change my grips every year.

 

[Broncosballer32]

Well, if you are an amateur like 99% of us, I would say get rid of your 2, 3, 4 and even 5 iron and replace them with the new hybrids.

I had a pro tell me that a couple months ago.

Clubs like those.

You can get them used at this point too. Most golf shops like Golfsmith have them. I would suggest those.

 

[douggie]

My cousin is a golf pro and sells clubs all the time. I asked him for assistance in getting some new clubs. I needed extended shafts since I'm 6'5". He told me he had a great used set and he put new grips on all of the irons and woods. I had a putter and a hybrid I liked so I kept those. He told me that with all the new stuff coming out almost monthly that it all really isn't that much better for your game. It may give you a little added confidence, but overall it's all about the fit. What fits you best is the most important thing.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Sorry about the terminology, my index is currently at 13.1 based on my swing by swing app and my home course that I've been playing the last few weeks. I never really cared about a handicap when I was younger and really didn't understand the difference until I just looked it up after your post.

I appreciate the info and will see how the rest of this season goes to see if I can become a little more consistent and then look into going by a store to hit a few different sets and maybe fitted before next year. Like you said, I probably need to do everything I can to get my physical and mental game down before looking for an equipment upgrade.

15 or 13...you're hitting some GIRs already, I think you'll see some improvement, but you have to temper it...2 or 3 strokes is a lot actually. Of course you know where the most strokes will be gained...chipping and putting...but 2 or 3 extra GIR is enough to get you into that high single digit range.

HDCP...I rarely kept one and I don't have an official one now that I rarely play tourneys. But...it keeps me connected to the game in terms improving.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

I haven't bought any new clubs in the past 10 years but I do change my grips every year.

I had some old cobras that were entry level when I got them...I wanted a more neutral club with less offset. The only real improvement I can say is the new clubs are more forgiving on mishits, easier to cut. I don't expect to get another set until I need to go to all hybrids!

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

I like what JJM said: it probably makes the most sense if you're getting professionally fitted.

I don't play enough personally to justify going out and buying any newer clubs. I'm still going to be about the same player i am now. But some times I see guys on Craig's list unloading last year's model for a song, because they just bought the latest model for themselves. It's tempting, but then, I already own about 3 complete sets, 2 of which are collecting dust in the basement.

I know there are guys that talk about "game-improvement irons." Not sure what they're talking about, really. To me, the best way to improve your game is to go get another lesson from the pro.

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

I haven't bought any new clubs in the past 10 years but I do change my grips every year.

You re-grip yer own? I learned how to re-grip mine myself, and I enjoy the hell outta doing it.

I mostly play with a set of 61 Hogan irons, with the steel shafts. They had that old cushion grip with the leather covers, which i stripped off and put lambkins on. Probably ruined them as collector's items but I'm never going to sell them anyway. They seem to work well for me. My distances are about 20 yards lower than new clubs, partly because the lofts are different now and partly because I'm just not that good. No sweat, I just take more club than my playing partners.

When I first started playing, I used actual wooden woods: MacGregor 1, 3, 4 & 5, which I also re-gripped. I eventually upgraded to some newer drivers, but I still keep that MacGregor 4 in my bag. I just love that club...there's nothing like the feeling when you hit one on the actual screws, and it feels so good hitting off the deck.

 

[Jack_John_Mark]

I like what JJM said: it probably makes the most sense if you're getting professionally fitted.

I don't play enough personally to justify going out and buying any newer clubs. I'm still going to be about the same player i am now. But some times I see guys on Craig's list unloading last year's model for a song, because they just bought the latest model for themselves. It's tempting, but then, I already own about 3 complete sets, 2 of which are collecting dust in the basement.

I know there are guys that talk about "game-improvement irons." Not sure what they're talking about, really. To me, the best way to improve your game is to go get another lesson from the pro.

Yea when people talk about irons for improving game usually they're talking about getting hybrid irons or irons with big thick cavity backs. It just allows for more forgiveness which means a player who doesn't find the center of the face often is going to still hit it fairly straight and with decent distance.

The draw back to those irons is they aren't going to allow a guy to reach his full potential. It is very difficult to shape shots and put much spin on the ball at all with these clubs. Usually you will see players with these clubs peaking around a +12 handicap when if they would just buy something a little thinner and spend more time at the range they could get that down closer to +5.

 

[Jack_John_Mark]

The reason pros use blades isn't just because they can......it's because if they don't use blades they lose strokes. Some shots just require so much shaping at that level of competition.

I was a +8 handicap with medium cavity back irons and decided to take the plunge and just buy some blades. I went out and bought a set of Mizunos that are literally like hitting butter knives. They forced me to hit the ball more square and now I usually top out each year around a +2 handicap. It took me a good year or so to really get comfortable hitting them.

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

Yea when people talk about irons for improving game usually they're talking about getting hybrid irons or irons with big thick cavity backs. It just allows for more forgiveness which means a player who doesn't find the center of the face often is going to still hit it fairly straight and with decent distance.

The draw back to those irons is they aren't going to allow a guy to reach his full potential. It is very difficult to shape shots and put much spin on the ball at all with these clubs. Usually you will see players with these clubs peaking around a +12 handicap when if they would just buy something a little thinner and spend more time at the range they could get that down closer to +5.

So what you're saying is: game improvement clubs actually make you a worse golfer?

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

The reason pros use blades isn't just because they can......it's because if they don't use blades they lose strokes. Some shots just require so much shaping at that level of competition.

I was a +8 handicap with medium cavity back irons and decided to take the plunge and just buy some blades. I went out and bought a set of Mizunos that are literally like hitting butter knives. They forced me to hit the ball more square and now I usually top out each year around a +2 handicap. It took me a good year or so to really get comfortable hitting them.

I just like how awesome blades look compared to cavity backs, so that's what I play with. I've hit both, and I'm not savvy enough to tell you what the difference is, other than the blades just feel better to me.

I'm probably EXACTLY the kind of golfer who should use cavity backs, and graphite shafts. But I'm not out there trying to become a touring pro and I'm absolutely fine with never becoming a single-digit 'capper.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

I like what JJM said: it probably makes the most sense if you're getting professionally fitted.

I don't play enough personally to justify going out and buying any newer clubs. I'm still going to be about the same player i am now. But some times I see guys on Craig's list unloading last year's model for a song, because they just bought the latest model for themselves. It's tempting, but then, I already own about 3 complete sets, 2 of which are collecting dust in the basement.

I know there are guys that talk about "game-improvement irons." Not sure what they're talking about, really. To me, the best way to improve your game is to go get another lesson from the pro.

Maybe...it depends on what those other 3 sets are.

Irons...typically a "players club" has a smaller clubhead, less offset to allow the better player the ability to move the ball left or right.

Game improvement irons are pretty much the opposite...larger, more forgiving clubhead, more offset to help the player who is not an avid golfer square the face up at impact.

A good/better player can figure out how to play with either style but the casual golfer is better served with the easier to hit club.

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

Game improvement irons are pretty much the opposite...larger, more forgiving clubhead, more offset to help the player who is not an avid golfer square the face up at impact.

Yep, that's what I thought: i'm exactly the kinda guy who should be using CB's!

One of the other sets I have, but don't use, is a set of cavity backs. I just hate the way they feel when I hit em. Lots of vibration up the shafts. They're probably just a shitty set.

Again, I'm not out there enough times a year to justify buying any more clubs.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Yep, that's what I thought: i'm exactly the kinda guy who should be using CB's!

One of the other sets I have, but don't use, is a set of cavity backs. I just hate the way they feel when I hit em. Lots of vibration up the shafts. They're probably just a shitty set.

Again, I'm not out there enough times a year to justify buying any more clubs.

You probably have a good time when you do go out....no expectations. That's better than having expectations that can't be realized b/c you don't practice...frustrating...my golf buddy to a T