When it is reasonable to change clubs??

[jsocas]

Don't know if this has been addressed before, couldn't find a thread out there with this specific topic.

When do you consider it is reasonable and that someone would get a real benefit in your game from changing to new clubs, other than showing off with your friends.

My thoughts are that for Drivers there's enough technology improvement every 4 years in order to change clubs. Now, if you are stable in your handicap, my question is when it is reasonable to change the irons? More than anything if you are playing blades or blade like irons. Would you say 5-6 years, sometimes not even that. I have a 5 year old set and I don't think the technology has improved that much in order to justify the cahnge. Even more, if a look at my CCI forged irons they are almost identical to last year Mizuno MP 58 irons.

What are your thoughts??

[ajschn06]

When it comes to irons, I don't think technology is what's going to cause a change........It depends on how much you play, how they are made(forged or cast), and what they are made of(some are softer than others and wear faster).  So when looking at your irons, don't think about how old they are, look at how the grooves are looking.  I found a sweet mint set of Ping I3+ irons that were pretty much unused, the technology in them aren't much different than that of the g10's or g15's.  At least not that different that a 5-10 handicapper could notice....

Originally Posted by jsocas

Don't know if this has been addressed before, couldn't find a thread out there with this specific topic.

When do you consider it is reasonable and that someone would get a real benefit in your game from changing to new clubs, other than showing off with your friends.

My thoughts are that for Drivers there's enough technology improvement every 4 years in order to change clubs. Now, if you are stable in your handicap, my question is when it is reasonable to change the irons? More than anything if you are playing blades or blade like irons. Would you say 5-6 years, sometimes not even that. I have a 5 year old set and I don't think the technology has improved that much in order to justify the cahnge. Even more, if a look at my CCI forged irons they are almost identical to last year Mizuno MP 58 irons.

What are your thoughts??

[Gerald]

For one it might be new season new clubs, for the other it might be when all grooves are gone.......

There is no rule, I have a set of 25 yrs old Wilson Staff Tour Blades I still like to use now and then, they are not like new but still fun to use and the category of clubs you are using, not a lot of improvements ......

So if you like your clubs and they are not worn too much, there is no reason, but if you want new clubs ..... just tell the wife you used these for 5 years now while most golfers refresh a set every year

[ajschn06]

I can't understand why some golfers change irons, or any clubs, so often.  It takes me about a full season to get used to a new set of irons....

[Gerald]

That is easy to understand, golf isn't a game for the poor and it is allways the the arrows not the indian !!!!!

[GaijinGolfer]

In the case of irons, Id say every 5 years is a good rule of thumb.  If you look 5 years back, technology in irons has advanced signifigantly since then, especially in the case of CBs.  Sure, muscleback blades havent changed a whole lot, but in the case of CB irons they have changed a lot.

[jsocas]

I agree, my irons are still in good shape and I think are the best irons that Nike hase made and I think they are head to head with Mizuno and Titleist in terms of feel and how they play. Although I realize that changing clubs is not going to make any difference unless I change category (either go to traditional blades or to CB more game improvement). But I cannot deny that as any other golfer out there it would be nice to play a new set of irons every now and then, pure vanity I think. I've been lookint at the MP 53 for a while now.

But what I've seen is that since there's practically no difference between performance when comparing this year's models with last years models (either irons, hybrids or driver) if you are going to change it would make sence from the economical standpoint to buy last years model that is going to be at least half price than current models (that had a paint job, ie: going white). Unless you are looking for an adjustable driver/FW, I would think that that would justify the investment.

Originally Posted by ajschn06

When it comes to irons, I don't think technology is what's going to cause a change........It depends on how much you play, how they are made(forged or cast), and what they are made of(some are softer than others and wear faster).  So when looking at your irons, don't think about how old they are, look at how the grooves are looking.  I found a sweet mint set of Ping I3+ irons that were pretty much unused, the technology in them aren't much different than that of the g10's or g15's.  At least not that different that a 5-10 handicapper could notice....

[dbuck]

Don't know why I am even chiming in here-the irons in my sig are over 30 years old and my "new" set is almost 20!

I don't think 5-6 years is unreasonable for anyone, maybe 3-4 if you play a lot and like the latest and greatest-that seems to be the average evolution cycle. Looking at the Callaway line for instance from the x-18-24 was about that time frame till the Razr X.

[allin]

I think there have been more advances in shafts than heads recently.  Some people would benefit by trying out the lower weight steel shafts in their irons.  Especially guys in the age transition zone 50-65 who play decently but don't want graphite in their irons. The shaft profiles available can give them a little help where they need it without such dramatic changes in feel.

[WUTiger]

I played Eye-2 clones (Pro Tour heads with Dynalite stiff shafts) from 1994 to 2009. Main reason I switched out was I needed to go to regular flex (I'm 60 now) and a more standard lie angle. About 2003 I went to a more upright stance, and the old irons were 2* flat to account for a "crouch" stance I had in 1994.

In the iron heads, I think we're seeing a cycle-back effect, where stuff comes back around about every five years. Key thing is to get the right head and the right shaft for your swing.

Using Golf Digest's three-kingdom classification, you have Players, GI and SGI clubs. Player's clubs have a high vertical center of gravity (VCOG), which allows you to keep the shots lower. SGI clubs have a low VCOG, which helps get the ball up.

Then you have all sorts of shafts.

During my switchover, I tried some BB and G10 irons SGI irons, both of which had high launch shafts. These two just got the ball up too high for me. I opted for the SGI Callaway X20s, which had a midlaunch Uniflex shaft and didn't balloon the ball.

This Christmas, I made a second change and got the X20 Tours, which have a smaller head and less offset than the X20 brother. I had tried the X20 Tours two years ago and really liked their feel, but was worried I might not be able to handle them. I took some lessons, stabilized my swing, and got the X20 Tours from Callaway Pre-Owned on holiday special for $342. With the trade-in on my X20s, I got never-been-hit clubs for a net $120.

Also, the X20 Tours - user-friendly GIs - are shafted in PX 5.0 Rifle Flighted... most off-the-rack versions carry 6.0 or DG S300, which are too stiff for me to flex.

Early tests of the irons between snow storms: I'm hitting solid shots center face, or hitting it out on the toe. Still have some residual "over the top" to tease out of my swing. But, you can tell on impact if you have a great, OK, or lousy shot.

Some people on the site like the heads, but reshaft to optimize their swing.

[Kieran123]

I don't think there is a set time, just whenever you feel it will benefit you, or, if you have some spare money ( better spent on a lesson maybe? )

I want new irons because although I love mine and they're forgiving, I find the heads on them are a little heavy compared to my friends.

I also want to get some split cavities.