• Welcome To ShotTalk.com!

    We are one of the oldest and largest Golf forums on the internet with golfers from around the world sharing tips, photos and planning golf outings.

    Registering is free and easy! Hope to see you on the forums soon!

Need some first time buying help...please

effec

Well-Known Member
Apr 11, 2008
10
0
I visited the range for the first time in 6 years this weekend, and didn't remember how fun wacking away was.

I visisted the local pro shop, talked to a decent salesman who saw me hitting on the range. He recommended a uniflex shaft and a forgiving iron set. Something like Callaway X-18 or X-20s. He told me to save some cash and buy online, start with only the irons and maybe a putter and work my way "from the green back" with my purchases - advising me that a driver should be last on my list for getting back into golf.

What do you guys think of this recommendation? Is there anything else you would recommend for a starting bag?
 

xamilo

Right Curving Driver....
Supporting Member
Dec 22, 2007
2,924
301
1. NEVER go for a uniflex shaft. That just doesn't work. It's kind of silly to think everyone can play exactly the same with one shaft option.

2. Try to demo before you buy. Knowing you feel good with the clubs would save the effort of buying something expensive and not liking it completely.

2. Buy used. With a tighter budget or when starting, buying used can make a huge difference in price tags. As well, if you don't have the opportunity to demo or try the clubs before you actually hit them and you are not 100% convinced you can trade them back and have none or very little money loss.

3. You can build your bag little by little, but a putter is a MUST, not a MAYBE.
 

eclark53520

DB Member Extraordinaire
Supporting Member
Dec 24, 2007
17,521
7,590
South Central Wisconsin
Country
United States United States
Putter first...100%. This is your money club, you need to be able to putt well before you can score well. Doesnt matter if you hit EVERY GIR, you wont shoot well if you 4jack every hole..

Good advice already given, try before you buy any club and buy used for your first set.

Very true on the driver deal. Don't buy a driver until you are very confident with all other aspects of your game. I wish i would have done it this way. I never got that advice and went the opposite way and i am still paying for it.

Good luck out there! Its an addicting game.
 

mddubya

Hybrid convert
Nov 6, 2007
6,029
2
Good advice already, call around the local golf shops. Most sell used irons sets. Go hit all that they have and find what feels best to you. Then negotiate the best deal you can. If it still seems to high, check online for the same set, same shaft.

Same deal on the putter, try everything they have. Find the one that suits your eye and stroke. Don't scrimp on the putter, its the most important club you'll buy.
 
OP
E

effec

Well-Known Member
Apr 11, 2008
10
0
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #5
After reading some other threads with the word uniflex, i feel stupid. I thought is was standard size between reg and stiff, not just a marketing ploy..

The best advice i've read is to actually go get your swing speed measured - but what if you haven't really developed a swing yet? Could make a good guess based on my my weight, height and power.

I'd consider myself a little more powerful than average. Im 23, pretty athletic, been lifting weight everyday for about 3 years and am 6'-0. Maybe none of that matters tho...

Now im stuck - stiff or regular.

Should I assume that regular would be much more forgiving and go with those and upgrade when my game improves?
 

bames

Purchased a better game
Supporting Member
Jan 8, 2006
1,979
315
Utah
Country
United States United States
After reading some other threads with the word uniflex, i feel stupid. I thought is was standard size between reg and stiff, not just a marketing ploy..

The best advice i've read is to actually go get your swing speed measured - but what if you haven't really developed a swing yet? Could make a good guess based on my my weight, height and power.

I'd consider myself a little more powerful than average. Im 23, pretty athletic, been lifting weight everyday for about 3 years and am 6'-0. Maybe none of that matters tho...

Now im stuck - stiff or regular.

Should I assume that regular would be much more forgiving and go with those and upgrade when my game improves?

You might be powerful...but size and athleticism do not translate to power. See LPGA for proof. Technique will gain clubhead speed. I think with the used club market out there today it is easy to buy and sell. So I think you still should go get your swingspeed checked out and buy clubs that fit you now. If you improve in 6 months you can always upgrade and it will probably cost you little. Confidence (your head) is going to be a tremendous part of your improvement. If you cannot play with your clubs because you bought some that you hope to move into some day, you will never have the confidence to improve, you get frustrated, and it will no longer be fun. Purchase the clubs that allow you to hit the ball your best for today.
 

Pa Jayhawk

Well-Known Member
Nov 15, 2005
7,196
62
Country
United States United States
If you intend to spend that kind of money, get fitted. There is no reason not to, you will likely actually save money in that you do not need to get clubs you will not hit. For example, a 3i or possibly 4i.
 
OP
E

effec

Well-Known Member
Apr 11, 2008
10
0
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #8
Thanks for the advice guys, looks like im gonna go get fitted. Now i just have to find somone who wont dupe me. It was the fitter at my local pro shop that told me to go with the uniflex.
 

millrivermem

Well-Known Member
Aug 12, 2008
244
0
Thanks for the advice guys, looks like im gonna go get fitted. Now i just have to find somone who wont dupe me. It was the fitter at my local pro shop that told me to go with the uniflex.

I don't know if you should trust him saying you should use uniflex without ever measuring your clubhead speed or how you load a shaft.For example,the dude that does my fitting made a set for me and one of my playing partners.Our drives are generally 5 yards apart one way or the other.My driver is x-stiff and my buddies is stiff flex with a stiff tip.I think the difference comes from how we load the shaft or our differences in transition or something.If your gonna get fitted then you should go to a place that uses shaft frequency as a measurment not words.
 

🔥 Latest posts

Top