Lessons, fitting or new clubs - what next?

Hi,

I started playing golf more regularly about 2 1/2 years ago and have gone from a awful hacker (115-120 - 4-5 rounds) to a hacker (110 - last year (7-8 rounds) to a workable golfer (100 this year - 11 rounds). I feel like I'm ready to take the next step come Spring but I'm not sure in what order - in what order should I be doing the following:

- getting lessons (never taken lessons)
- getting my clubs fitted (never been fitted)
- getting new clubs

Some relevant stats that I've started tracking over my last 6 rounds:

FW hit %age: 50% (average yd: ~240-250yd)
GIR: 1 in 18
Putts: 40/rd, 3putts: 5 per round

My playing partners who are all 10-20 strokes better than I am have observed that plain old experience playing golf is probably the biggest challenge for me and that I have the fundamentals to get into the low-90s in the near future and possibly into the 80's with enough rounds under my belt. Lessons would definitely clean up the inconsistent areas of my game (dodgy alignment or hitting it fat too often for example)

I've increasingly grown unhappy with my hybrids/iron set (Nickent 3DX) - too much offset, clubhead is too thick and they no longer fit my swing shape (too long, I'm 5'6"). Initially they were helpful in minimizing my mistakes but I find that they are hindering me now instead of helping me - should I have them fitted or just get new clubs and fit those?

Any advice is welcome - I'd like to spread out the cost of the above 3 options from now till the season starts up again in Spring but otherwise I think I will pursue all 3, I just want to get them done in a sensible order.

thanks,

IMHO, there is only one thing from a fitting perspective that can really screw things up and that is the lie on your irons. OK, for some folks flex that is horribly wrong can be really bad. But the typical high handicapper without a ton of lag can tolerate a wide range of flex without things going badly wrong. It isn't that proper fitting isn't important, but it isn't "life-changing" like miserable swing mechanics can be.

From my perspective lessons is next, no doubt.

dave

ps. The lie of your irons/wedges is easy to check. Get a 1'x2' piece of plywood. Put a piece of masking tape on the bottom of your 9i (as a place to start). Then put a ball on the piece of plywood being sure that the ball isn't sitting above your feet. Hit a ball and see where the tape is scraped off. If it is 1" or more off center, then your lie is off enough to be a serious issue with your swing.

Again, it isn't that flex, swingweight, length, etc don't matter. They just aren't as important as lessons for a high handicapper who has never had lessons.

I was just taking stock of my game recently and I have similar stats to you for what I have been tracking. My plan is to take lessons to improve my short game next year.

With 50% in the Fairway and only 1/18 GIR that leaves a lot of pitching and chipping. If you leave your pitches and chips to 3-6 feet that should get the 40 putts you are currently having down to say 25-28.

Since the focus is also on your short game perhaps a couple wedges will hold you over on equipment cost for one more season then when you get new clubs they will typically fit you for free.

In my opinion that would be the best bang for your buck (at least that is the path I am going to attempt next year)

-E