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Advice for a beginner choosing next iron set?

bluebledthesea

Only Drinking AFTER Golf
Jul 22, 2008
65
0
Hi everyone, I'm new to this site. I've played about 30 rounds a year for the past 3 or 4 years and shoot around a 50 for 9 holes, so I'm a beginner and can't say I'm any good. I started out with a hodgepodge of clubs donated to me by various people, then two years ago I decided to buy a "real" set. I didn't really know what I was looking for, and I've come to realize now that the Wilson Firesticks with regular flex graphite shafts I came home with are pretty crappy and not helping my game at all. Now, I understand that new clubs aren't going to make me a dramatically better golfer, but for a healthy 25 year old with a decent swing speed, attempting to improve my game, I don't think they're doing me any favors. I tried a nice steel shafted club from a friend's set and discovered what "feel" actually means. I swing the Wilsons and in comparison, I have no idea where the club head is during my swing and when I mis-strike the ball, can't quite tell what I did wrong.

I also understand that actually demoing some clubs and talking to a professional would be the best way to figure out what's best for me, but I don't even know what to start looking at. Can anyone recommend some brands and models I should be looking at? I'd like them to last me a good 5 years, if not longer. I was initially interested in the Mizuno MX-25s, but saw some negative press on here about them. Thanks in advance!
 

slickpitt

Well-Known Member
Aug 15, 2006
2,706
3
Ping G10's. Ping has the best fitting system on the planet. :)



Don't listen to him. You could ask him what kind of car to buy and he'd tell you Ping makes and excellent car!! :D

My advice would be to find a store that does fitting and has a launch monitor. Hit every brand of club in the store. Buy the one you like the best.
 

SiberianDVM

I love Hooters
Moderator
Jul 25, 2005
8,783
1,539
Augusta, GA
Country
United States United States
Mizuno makes good clubs, it's just that the final assembly is a bit lacking. :)

Nothing that can't be fixed by a good clubmaker.
 
OP
bluebledthesea

bluebledthesea

Only Drinking AFTER Golf
Jul 22, 2008
65
0
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #5
Don't listen to him. You could ask him what kind of car to buy and he'd tell you Ping makes and excellent car!! :D

My advice would be to find a store that does fitting and has a launch monitor. Hit every brand of club in the store. Buy the one you like the best.

Haha, I was expecting to see a lot of the recommendations echoed in the poster's signature, but I appreciate any advice I can get. ;)

When I go into a store I like to have some sort of knowledge with me so I'm not getting talked into a $999 set of forged blades or something. I just want to know that I'm looking at something appropriate and of quality. The guy at my local golf course's pro shop will fit your clubs, match the price of the "big stores" and is offering a 15% discount through August.

Thanks for the quick responses everyone! Of course, I'd appreciate more... :D
 

Harry Longshanks

bow-chicka-bow-wow
Jul 20, 2008
718
0
Find a demo day, go to the PING station and get fit. Use that as a starting point for length and lie angle because many of the other brands don't really try to fit you, they sort of let you fend for yourself.

Try the PINGS, then go to every other brand and demo everything you can find. There is no substitute for actually hitting a club. Take a notebook and write down your top 3 or 4 favorites for each category (irons, woods, hybrids). Although, I would personally recommend looking for each category separately - irons first, hybrids next, then woods.

Go to another demo day and re-try those 4 only. Hit until you find a favorite.

At the demo days, talk to the reps and see what they recommend, but if it is hard to find help (often it is and you just have to rummage around in their bags until you find what you want to hit), here is what I would recommend from each manufacturer as a place to start.

PING: G10 and Rapture (irons, woods, and hybrids)
Callaway: FT, Big Bertha, X-20 (irons); any (hybrids and woods)
TaylorMade: R7, R7 Draw (irons); Rescue, Rescue Burner (hybrids); R7, R7 Draw, Burner (woods)
Wilson Staff: Ci7 (irons)
Mizuno: MX-19, MX-25 (irons)
Titleist: AP1 (irons)
Cobra: S9, FP, Pro CB (irons); Baffler DWS (hybrid); Speed (woods)
Nike: SuMo (woods)

I don't know enough about Srixon, Bridgestone, or Cleveland to make an educated guess about their products.
 

LottaBalata

Well-Known Member
Jun 30, 2005
381
0
Haha, I was expecting to see a lot of the recommendations echoed in the poster's signature, but I appreciate any advice I can get. ;)

When I go into a store I like to have some sort of knowledge with me so I'm not getting talked into a $999 set of forged blades or something. I just want to know that I'm looking at something appropriate and of quality. The guy at my local golf course's pro shop will fit your clubs, match the price of the "big stores" and is offering a 15% discount through August.

Thanks for the quick responses everyone! Of course, I'd appreciate more... :D

I really hate to :deadhorse: , but I'm going to reiterate DEMO as many as you can. Try everything.

I don't even want to mention any manufacturers, but there are some companies out there with some easy-hitting club sets. Adams A3os, Callaway Big Berthas, Taylormade I know has an nice set of oversize irons, can't remember the exact. . .And of course, I've not heard a negative word said about the Ping G10's as mentioned above.

Nickent is very popular and have some great clubs, and the new Cleveland iron set, those look sweet.

If you want new, buy new. But you can't go wrong with a used set from a couple years back.
 
OP
bluebledthesea

bluebledthesea

Only Drinking AFTER Golf
Jul 22, 2008
65
0
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #8
Thanks for the great response Harry, that's totally what I was looking for. Unfortunately, I'm not finding any of these demo days remotely close to me in Connecticut. Still, I know a few clubs I should pick up and swing when I see them.
 
OP
bluebledthesea

bluebledthesea

Only Drinking AFTER Golf
Jul 22, 2008
65
0
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #9
If you want new, buy new. But you can't go wrong with a used set from a couple years back.

I'm not opposed to used. I've been lurking eBay for awhile but wouldn't buy anything without swinging the club first and knowing what fit I'm looking for, especially if I was looking at Ping. How many dots can they have?? :)
 

figjam

New Member
Aug 29, 2007
357
0
Harry Longshanks advice is worth listening to. Going to a shop and hitting on a launch monitor is a good way to go, but demo days are also worthwhile as you can actually see what the ball does without having to second guess it from the launch numbers. At a Demo day at the range you can try different clubs and combos to be sure you are hitting the right combo for you, but the down side is that you are stuck with the one brand. Probably the best way to go is to go to a shop for a fitting session to narrow your choice down to a few combos, then track down a demo day of your choices to make sure you are really doing what the launch monitor says you are doing. Another plus for demo days is that if you are going to buy brand new and order them at the demo day, you will get a substantial discount on what you would pay direct from the retail outlet.

As everyone has said, take your time and don't rush into a purchase. And get properly fitted.
 

PINGELI

Well-Known Member
Sep 7, 2007
106
0
Don't listen to him. You could ask him what kind of car to buy and he'd tell you Ping makes and excellent car!! :D

My advice would be to find a store that does fitting and has a launch monitor. Hit every brand of club in the store. Buy the one you like the best.


Ping does make the best...irons, woods, wedges, putters, towels, bags, cars, bulldozers, etc...

In all seriousness, try as many clubs as you can and get what you like best. I also recommend getting fitted for your clubs (at the very least get on a monitor to determine swing, have someone watch your tempo, etc so they can make a shaft recommendation. I don't know what your budget is (none of my business), but you can't go wrong with PING (my fave), Mizuno, callaway, Taylormade, etc. Tommy Armour use dto make some really nice irons (silverscot 845) at a llow price. Also, do not be afraid of component clubs (which will have to be built for you).
 

Eracer

No more triple bogies!!
Oct 31, 2005
12,405
8
Harry Longshanks advice is worth listening to. Going to a shop and hitting on a launch monitor is a good way to go, but demo days are also worthwhile as you can actually see what the ball does without having to second guess it from the launch numbers. At a Demo day at the range you can try different clubs and combos to be sure you are hitting the right combo for you, but the down side is that you are stuck with the one brand. Probably the best way to go is to go to a shop for a fitting session to narrow your choice down to a few combos, then track down a demo day of your choices to make sure you are really doing what the launch monitor says you are doing. Another plus for demo days is that if you are going to buy brand new and order them at the demo day, you will get a substantial discount on what you would pay direct from the retail outlet.

As everyone has said, take your time and don't rush into a purchase. And get properly fitted.
You're getting a lot of good advice here, but this sums up what I would say.
 

PINGELI

Well-Known Member
Sep 7, 2007
106
0
I'm not opposed to used. I've been lurking eBay for awhile but wouldn't buy anything without swinging the club first and knowing what fit I'm looking for, especially if I was looking at Ping. How many dots can they have?? :)


on PING's wbesite, you can do a static fitting, but that should only be a starting point. My static measurements happen to fit my dynamic measurements (+1/2" length and green dot). PING has 12 color codes.
 

Wi-Golfer

Golfer on hiatus.
Supporting Member
Jul 25, 2007
8,147
1,474
Madison, Wi
Country
United States United States
Find a nice set of G.I clubs...game improvement. Just about every manufacturer makes at least 1 set, Adams would be a good choice, Nike has a few sets as does Cleveland. None of them will break the bank & will last you for a long time.
 

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