Upgrading clubs... when, how... etc.

[Sean]

OK, so right now I am stillon my beginner set of Acuity clubs with a few freebies friends gave me thrown in...

My question concerns upgrading your clubs. More precisely, at what point should you step up and how big of a jump do you make?

For instance, I intend to play a few more rounds on these clubs, they work fine, but I intend to get a better quality set of irons this year. Should a guy like me (started last year) go with something like Adams? Some x-series irons?

Any rough estimates on what price-range or brnads I should be looking in?

I realize I don't want to be grabbing some $1000 blades, but I'm having trouble figuring out where I want to be. Plus, it seems like the golf shop people keep trying to steer me to clubs at the high end of what I can spend.

Ideally I'd like something that is forgiving but I can use for a while as I ge tbetter due to budget restraints and not feel like the equipment is hoding me back

Can you guys give me any advice on this topic?

*Note* I'm looking for general advice as well as specific to my situation (I relaize its hard to know my situation but give it a shot )

Right now I hit pretty darn staight with these Acuitys and can put the ball pretty much where I want it... (not trying to overstae anything, I still suck... lmao... just straight and I can out it in the area...) Obviously i still have mishaps but I can control it pretty well, imo.

Again, I know this is sort of vague but any help would be appreciated.

Thanks, Sean.

[Davebud]

What wedges are you using? What kind of driver do you have and FWs for that matter? Are you OK with your Irons as they play now?

That is not everything but it is a good place to start.

[Eracer]

See if you have a used sporting goods store near you that will let you demo used clubs. Also, most big golf shops have clubs on consignment that you can try before you buy.

If you don't want to pop for a $1000 of new clubs, why not find a $1000 set of three year old clubs that will cost you $200? Everybody loves shiny new clubs, but the reality is that, aside from face wear (which is easily detected) clubs don't really wear out (there are some exceptions, but that's another story).

I have a place near me called "Play it Again Spots" that gets tons of clubs in, and if you give them a credit card for security you can demo anything they have. Try different clubs until you find some that make you say "EUREKA".

[VtDivot]

Simple - go to www.callawaygolfpreowned.com

find yourself some nice used X18s or X somethings that you like the look of. They'll last you forever.

[Sandy]

Posting the complete contents of your bag would be very helpful, as would a short critique on what problems you have with your game - your trajectory, hook/slice issues, and what shots/issues usually cost you the most strokes in a round.

When I started just over a year ago my entire bag was all cheap clubs - $30 drivers and woods from Sports Authority, a couple of $40 Dunlop hybrids, some 10 year old used Cobra irons I got from a mate, $30 Wilson harmonized wedges and a beat up old putter that came with the irons. Of that set, the irons where the last thing to change as they had the least performance issues. I think I added a couple of decent hybrids first, then some Adams Ovation woods, a 'proper' driver, better wedges and then a good putter, all over the next 6 months. The irons only changed a couple of months ago, and if it hadn't been for a good deal I got on them it wouldn't have happened.

So I guess my advice (!) is that your irons could well be the least of your issues with your bag for now, but getting 'quality' in your most important clubs should be more of a priority.

[sandwedge]

Go to your local golf shop and try hitting some different clubs there. See which one you like best and try to find it of Ebay. I just bought some new irons off ebay and they were cheaper than I was able to find them anywhere else.

[DouginGA]

Originally Posted by Sandy

I think I added a couple of decent hybrids first, then some Adams Ovation woods, a 'proper' driver, better wedges and then a good putter, all over the next 6 months. The irons only changed a couple of months ago, and if it hadn't been for a good deal I got on them it wouldn't have happened.

So I guess my advice (!) is that your irons could well be the least of your issues with your bag for now, but getting 'quality' in your most important clubs should be more of a priority.

Good advice sandy. Just a question here- How much did your game inprove with new clubs?

I agree wholeheartedly with having the right scoring clubs being the most important- I am getting my "new" 60* callaway wedge dialed in and realy helping.

My feeling is - before worrying about new clubs, make sure the problem is the arrow and not the archer.

[packerfan1]

I started with a packaged set of Acuity clubs a couple years ago.
Here was my progression:
New/replacement putter
New wedges
New/replacement driver
New hybrids
New fairway woods
I still play the Acuity 5-PW irons...although one day I will replace these, too.

My thought process was that most of the 'scoring' is done with the putter and wedges. Most of the technology is in the driver / fairway woods / hybrids, the irons are the least of my problems.

I bought it all on sale, every club new and under $100 new except for the driver at $150 new.

[Alphanumega]

The best advice i can give is used clubs are not always bad. i just bought an older set of Steelhead x-14 pros that i have been playing when i go out with my friends, and I couldnt be happier. Especially if your new to the game buying used but good clubs is a great way to find what works for you(plus it feeds the clubs ho's).

P.S. every time you buy used clubs a club ho gets wings, and a shiny new putter.

[Sandy]

Originally Posted by DouginGA

Good advice sandy. Just a question here- How much did your game inprove with new clubs?

I think I got the order about right. Getting good hybrids (Cleveland Halos) made a massive difference, even if it was just in my confidence - that I had a couple of clubs I could advance down the fairway or off the tee a good 160yds or more no matter how bad I was playing. I genuinely believe I would have given up altogether if I'd not bought the hybrids, as no matter how benevolent my playing partners were it was totally demoralizing lagging so far back behind them on every shot. At least the hybrids gave me some parity with them until I got better.

The woods and wedges were equally important as the Adams and the Vokeys that I still play helped me get decent results from shots as I was improving. The wedges probably edge it as my short game is pretty decent and I began to understand how to use the extra spin they gave, whereas I've found that woods are less important to me now I can carry a long lofted hybrid. But they helped me understand that. The upgraded driver was a necessity as I cracked the face of the old Wilson I had, but I'm still on a journey to get my swing to where I can properly select the right one for me. The SQ460 I now have fits where I am now perfectly though.

The putter was pretty unimportant until I began to understand how I putted and could then get one that suited my stroke, and the irons really haven't made too much difference. I was hitting the old Cobras well, but the 3400s I've got seem to slide better under the balls and feel a little more forgiving. I can hit my 4i with the new ones if I wanted to, whereas anything above 6i was a total lottery with the old ones.

I think the moral of my upgrading adventure is that thinking through this is a good way of assessing your game. I started with the clubs I did for a reason, and left others as they were until I really understood what I wanted them to do. I could probably put a decent round together with those old clubs now, but nothing as good as my current bag, which has developed as I've learned what my particular strengths and weaknesses are. I suspect upgrading my clubs would have made very little difference at all if I hadn't made the changes as a response to understanding my game more and what tools I needed to sort the issues out I faced.

[aceillini]

I understand what a new set of shiny new does for the confidence of a new player.I was always wondering if these used clubs were so good why did the original owner move on.For good quality at lower prices check out brands like Adams,Tour Edge or Nickent.Very good equipment without the big bucks being spent to support their advertising group.

[Sandy]

Originally Posted by aceillini

I was always wondering if these used clubs were so good why did the original owner move on.

If Shottalk should teach you anything, it's how easily a player gives up on tried and tested equipment for the promise of a new 'Holy Grail' and trade the old faithfuls in no matter how good they are.

I wonder how many posts a search for the phrase 'I wish I'd never got rid of..." would throw up on these boards???

(For me, two of my current bag were bought used, and 'I wish I'd never got rid of' my 25* Halo)

[Alphanumega]

Shottalk should teach you anything, it's how easily a player gives up on tried and tested equipment for the promise of a new 'Holy Grail' and trade the old faithfuls in no matter how good they are.

I wonder how many posts a search for the phrase 'I wish I'd never got rid of..." would throw up on these boards???

Amen to that!

[LyleG]

Get custom fit with a local builder if you can. Look for a full scale fitting. This is a post I just made on another thread. I am reposting it here because it applies.
This is what I do with a custom fitting. It takes time, and it costs a bit more than a standard cut and glue job. But in the end you get quality heads, quality shafts, fit perfectly to your specs, and in 95% of the cases still are 30% cheaper than a new off the rack OEM set.

here is the post

The difference a properly fitted set of clubs can make in relation to your ability to score can be quite large.

With irons for example.
I like to fit a person using a 5 iron.
First we find their swing speed, and check their tempo and release points.
Next we measure them for length.
Then we find a head that fits the way they come into the ball. Steep, shallow, flat, a little late. Do they need forgiveness on off center hits, what kind of feel are they after, and so on.
We then find a shaft that fits their swing speed, tempo and release points.
We then fine tune that shaft with a frequency meter until we get the best performance using a launch monitor. This requires a few test head and shaft combos with varying cpm numbers ans swing weights in a said flex range.
Once we find the best one, we then frequency and SW match the entire set to a 4 cpm slope from 3 iron to PW.
Then once assembled we fit the lie angles dynamically by hitting balls of a lie board.

I can assure you, you will hit this set of irons better than any off the rack set you have ever played.

The exact same can be done for woods and hybrids as well.

hope this helps.

[Sean]

Originally Posted by Sandy

Posting the complete contents of your bag would be very helpful, as would a short critique on what problems you have with your game - your trajectory, hook/slice issues, and what shots/issues usually cost you the most strokes in a round.

Generally my question has been answered but I figured I'd throw a lil more info out there and hope for some more advice to absorb...

All I have in my bag is Acuity wedges (4-SW) 3 & 4 hybrids and an old Ping driver and the Acuity putter.

Problems with game? Nothing that stands out. IF I hit a bad shot, it's a hook, but that is a rather rare happening for me. I mean, I still hook it sometime but not too often off the fairway or badly off target. I hit my irons and driver pretty straight.

The worst things I struggle with are sticking the ball on the green from short shots, putting and judging distance to the pin sometimes. I usually have to go a club under what I'd like and try to get it up there on the roll...

As for putting I think, at this point, it's lack of practice. It's hard for me to get outon the course let alone knock around the practice green.

As for trajectories I would say I hit it pretty high.

I hit my driver straight, usually around 275ish. Hit my woods OK as well, though I don't hit off the ground with them.

My hybrids I hit OK but I hit them thin. Usually linedrive it for a good distance.

That help any?

And for the gentleman who suggested fitting, I intend to get any new clubs I get fitted, we have a nice shop here that does it. I just don't want to "waste" (waste in ym mind anyway) the money to fit some cheapy Accutiy clubs. I'd rather buy a nice used set or something like an Adams set and put the money in to those. I'm in a position where I need to watch the money as much as possible, so I'd rather fit the nicer clubs.

Thanks for the advice so far. It's already helped me a lot.

- Sean