lil Callaway help needed

[NewBK]

Hey all,
For christmas my family got me a gift card for the ESPN 3 Club Tour and with that came a $400 gift card to Callaway. So the overall question is what to do with the $400.

I picked up golf in June of last year, get out on the course once or twice a week when the weather is good and currently shoot in the low to mid 90's. My shots are getting better but there are still plenty of times that I push the ball to the right... so a pro or even good armature I am not.
Right now my bag consists of an old Cleveland Launcher driver, Big 5 special (John Daily) woods, hybrid and irons, some cheap blade wedges and a taylormade mallet putter. I'm pretty happy with my driver and have gotten to really like the mallet putter. So I'm looking at the Callaway irons... but apparently you can't get a full set of irons for $400 (Big Bertha are $600 to start off and X-20 are even more) and honestly I don't have the money to spend an extra $200 to make up the difference.

I called up my local golf shop (GolfMart) and they said that I could get something from Callaway.com and then bring it into them and they'd give me full value in store credit.

So here is what I've come up with:

• Get something from Callaway.com that comes out to $400 and then goto GolfMart and get another set of clubs or even a used set of clubs and round out the $400 with other stuff.
• Get individual irons from Callaway.com and buy the rest (from wherever I can find em cheap) as I can afford them.
• Say to hell with the irons and get something else from Callaway.com that will come up to $400.

How it stands now I think I'll go with the first option. $400 store credit seems to me would go a bunch farther than MSRP at Callaway.com. Also, GolfMart matches internet prices on stuff so $400 would go even farther.

So what do you guys think? What would you do with the $400 gift card?

[RickinMA]

is the callawaypreowned site an option?
Callaway Golf Preowned & Outlet : Used Golf Clubs, Pre-Owned Drivers, Fairway Woods, Irons, Wedges, Iron Sets, Putters

I have no experience with them at all, but I'm pretty sure your money will go further there

it even looks like they carry some other brands - in case you're not in love with the callaway stuff
Used Ping, Taylormade, Titleist, Mizuno, Cleveland, Cobra Golf Clubs: Callaway Golf Pre-Owned

I'd think about picking up a cleveland launcher 4 wood to go along with that driver, then maybe add some hybrids to replace those hard to hit long irons (3,4)

[Rockford35]

Hmm, conundrum.

Do you have the means to make up the difference on a set of irons if you went with, say, the X-20's?

I would go to your local shop and get fit for a set of X-20's. Have them order a set for you to your specs. Take those irons and play with them until the grooves are gone. That would be your set, for you and you only. And that's a ways ahead of where most starting out golfers are with their hand me downs, etc.

Think of it as a set of irons for $300. That's a huge savings.

It may seem like alot, but you'd be playing alot better golf in a hurry.

R35

[NewBK]

Originally Posted by RickinMA

is the callawaypreowned site an option?
Callaway Golf Preowned & Outlet : Used Golf Clubs, Pre-Owned Drivers, Fairway Woods, Irons, Wedges, Iron Sets, Putters

Unfortunately the outlet is not an option with this gift card from what I can tell. I wish it were...

Originally Posted by RickinMA

I'd think about picking up a cleveland launcher 4 wood to go along with that driver, then maybe add some hybrids to replace those hard to hit long irons (3,4)

Man I tell ya... I can't hit hybrids worth a d@mn. Give me a regular 4 iron and I can poke it out there 200 yards... give me a hybrid and get ready to point and laugh. Its sad I tell ya :P

Originally Posted by Rockford35

Do you have the means to make up the difference on a set of irons if you went with, say, the X-20's?

As of right now unfortunately I do not have the means to make up the difference. I end up having to scrape together enough to go out on the course at twilight or a golfnow special. So yeah, $300 would be a big deal for me at the moment and I much rather eat than have a nice set of irons. sacrilege I know...

Originally Posted by Rockford35

I would go to your local shop and get fit for a set of X-20's. Have them order a set for you to your specs.

It may seem like alot, but you'd be playing alot better golf in a hurry.

I would love to do something like that... but until I get that nice in house counsel job that gives me a golf stipend I think I'm sorta stuck.


With all that said, thanks for the replies and I look forward to more...

[ezra76]

If you want irons then take the deal the store offered you. Buy whatever to get to $400 and trade it in. If they have used clubs at that store that would be a huge bonus. Iron sets, unfortunately, are getting hard to come by for $400 retail. Maybe they'll have something on sale or clearance since the '08 stuff is coming in? That would be the best bet I think. I can't imagine paying $500 for a driver I could get used in good condition for $225 and the same with irons.

[chemboy2]

Your options are limited to some TopFlite models if you're looking for a new iron set from callawaygolf.com. If Golfmart is willing to hook you up then I say grab a driver and wedge from the website and head on in there!

[ezra76]

If this is the place Golf Mart. GolfMart.com - Golf Mart discount clubs, carts, golf shoes, bags, gifts, balls. you are golden. Get some junk off Callaway and trade it in. Go under "demos and returns" and you'll find a set of mint Bridgestone GC mids with Nippon 950S shafts for $368.

[NewBK]

Originally Posted by ezra76

I I can't imagine paying $500 for a driver I could get used in good condition for $225 and the same with irons.

Thats exactly how I feel! Heck with irons and drivers I feel that way. Unless someone really really beat their clubs to he!! or the grips/grooves are worn I figure at my skill level I wont really know the difference (except in my wallet) between new and used.

Originally Posted by ezra76

If this is the place Golf Mart. GolfMart.com - Golf Mart discount clubs, carts, golf shoes, bags, gifts, balls. you are golden. Get some junk off Callaway and trade it in. Go under "demos and returns" and you'll find a set of mint Bridgestone GC mids with Nippon 950S shafts for $368.

Thats the place but their online store goes through The Golf Warehouse so their B&M inventory isn't online. They do have plenty of used clubs and last years model clubs in there though. I think they are a great outfit and anytime I can I send business their way. I got a bagboy cart there for way under MSRP as well as a pair of nike sp-6 tour shoes in an equally great deal. I've gone on the launch monitor in there a few times as well and they've been nothing but great to me.
As for the Bridgestone irons... this is apparently where I show how much of a novice I am. Bridgestone... the tire folks right? Who woulda thunk it. So they have good irons huh? That raises a good question though... what makes a good iron? Is it just a matter of going and swinging a bunch of em and saying "this iron feels better than the others" or is there more to it?

[Eracer]

Bridgestone is beginning to make a name for themselves. I just picked up a set of used J33CB's and they are really nice irons.

[chemboy2]

Originally Posted by NewBK

Thats exactly how I feel! Heck with irons and drivers I feel that way. Unless someone really really beat their clubs to he!! or the grips/grooves are worn I figure at my skill level I wont really know the difference (except in my wallet) between new and used.



Thats the place but their online store goes through The Golf Warehouse so their B&M inventory isn't online. They do have plenty of used clubs and last years model clubs in there though. I think they are a great outfit and anytime I can I send business their way. I got a bagboy cart there for way under MSRP as well as a pair of nike sp-6 tour shoes in an equally great deal. I've gone on the launch monitor in there a few times as well and they've been nothing but great to me.
As for the Bridgestone irons... this is apparently where I show how much of a novice I am. Bridgestone... the tire folks right? Who woulda thunk it. So they have good irons huh? That raises a good question though... what makes a good iron? Is it just a matter of going and swinging a bunch of em and saying "this iron feels better than the others" or is there more to it?

NewBK, spend some time glancing through the equipment threads on this board as well as golfwrx and you're eyes will be opened to a ton of REALLY top quality manufacturers that aren't the major OEMs. Bridgestone is very big in Japan and they make some fantastic clubs; they just don't have a large presence in the US yet.

[jjgolfpro]

Based on what you said, the easiest thing to do would be to just get an FT5 driver for $399 and swap it out for credit. Whatever you decide to get, I would call again and make sure the store will accept that exact item because they may not want something they don't stock, like accessories. Remember, you will have to pay tax plus $4.99 for ground shipping. So you will end up loosing a little bit of money ($29) by swapping out at your local store, versus buying something from Callaway and keeping it, unless they credit you back the tax when you return the Callaway item. You will also have to pay tax on whatever you get from the local retailer.

[NewBK]

Originally Posted by jjgolfpro

Based on what you said, the easiest thing to do would be to just get an FT5 driver for $399 and swap it out for credit. Whatever you decide to get, I would call again and make sure the store will accept that exact item because they may not want something they don't stock, like accessories. Remember, you will have to pay tax plus $4.99 for ground shipping. So you will end up loosing a little bit of money ($29) by swapping out at your local store, versus buying something from Callaway and keeping it, unless they credit you back the tax when you return the Callaway item. You will also have to pay tax on whatever you get from the local retailer.

All good points. I will call them up or go in store tomorrow and double check. I did do some looking around for other irons and found Cobra s9's for $399 and Nike Slingshot irons for $299. Then again last time I was in store they had a set of Callaway x-18s on sale for around the $400 price range.
I'll do the forum search and all but do anyone have any feelings on any of these clubs?

[MCDavis]

TM rac OS2's are a great deal now that they're discontinued...like $229 online. Look for a set.

[NewBK]

well I just got back from Golfmart and they are backtracking on the deal. So now I could buy the stuff from Callaway and sure... they'd take em... but at wholesale. So yeah, that ain't happening.

So now the question is... Do I go for the big bertha clubs or x-20's? I'm with Ezra in that I don't want to pay $500 for a driver that I can get gently used for less than half of that. So I think irons will still represent the best price for me. I think I'll spring for the big bertha's over the top flites. If I'm going to be paying I may as well pay for Callaway right?

[jjgolfpro]

You really will not go wrong with either set. The X-20's are a little more, but both are good clubs. The X-20's were the best selling iron for us this year. Right now you have the option of getting the 06 Big Berthas or the pre-order the new ones. Concerning price, you can order the set from Callaway 5-PW. At $75 each, you are only looking at $450 total. Now you are only paying $50 plus tax for a brand new set.