when do you know if its time to change clubs?

New to this but here goes.........

iv been playing golf regularly for about 2 years now my official handicap is 17 although my friends make me play to 14 (reason being iv not entered competitions to get cut yet) i think I'm somewhere between the two depending on the day.

i bought a set of Wilson tour Rx beginner set for £100 ( retail was £280 at the time) when i started as i didn't now how serious i was going to be taking golf. now iv started playing regularly and want to compete in club competitions. I have bought a new driver and wedges and was thinking of changing my irons. although i do like them and hit them fairly well (a Little bit of left to right but that's my swing and having lessons to correct this starting in the next couple of weeks) people i play with say i should look at getting a new set. my question is when do you know you need a new set of irons? as they play OK and i am still improving. is it more of a sales/marketing ploy that make golfers think they need the latest technology or do i need new clubs to significantly improve? or will lessons be worth more than a new set of clubs?

many thanks in advance for any help

Play with some nicer irons and see if your ball striking and score improve considerably.  I have played my entire life.  I am not a gotta have the new stuff.  I played the same irons for 15 years and the same driver for over 10.  I have to say that I do hit the new clubs much better.  I am hitting both much further than before with fewer mishits.  With that said I could play with my old clubs and not have it make but a couple of strokes difference in my score.  The reason...putting is where it is at.

Really the irons you have are fine if all you want to do is hit the ball straight.  When your game gets to the points where you start want to try to shape your shots and alter the trajectory you might want to look into more of a player's iron though.

Same irons for me since 1995.  I don't think I will be changing anytime soon....

You've got solid irons.  If you hit them well I don't think you need to change.

Also, if you're going to start lessons for the first time really soon (at least serious, regular lessons for the first time), you probably want to wait a bit for new irons.  Your swing will probably change and what irons feel good now might not feel as good as some alternative after your swing changes.

On top of that, if you're going to bite the bullet and invest in nice new irons, you're going to want to get them fit properly by a good fitter.  If your swing changes with a bunch of lessons, the old fit might not be quite right anymore.

One other thing to consider.  I recently got a used set of irons, my first upgrade since the crappy 3i-Driver starter set I got 10 years ago, then played regularly with the past 4 years when I got really into golf.  The shop I got them from has a 90 day no questions asked exchange policy on used clubs, which made the process much less stressful.  Turns out I love my new clubs and hit them really well, so I won't be returning them.  But in general I'd look around for a shop that allows something like that or a shop that will let you take demos of new clubs out for a session at the range and a round or two.

Thanks for the advise and exactly what i was thinking. But very nice to have peoples advice to back it up.

Glad im not going waste a few hundred pounds on a set that will be doing exactly the same.

Got fitted for my driver recently and would not buy a club with out getting fitted now.

Many thanks

Luke

Quote:

This is the key idea. If you get to the point your irons are holding you back then it's time to change. Part of this depends on how much time you have to work on your game. I know a former small-college golfer who dumped players irons for friendlier sticks, simply because he doesn't have time to keep his game in "player's shape."

Sometimes, a new set of irons can give you a technical boost of some kind. Also, consider used irons. If you know an honorable golf pro, have him keep an eye open for 'gently used" sets of better irons which would help you w/o costing you full price.

P.S. Left-to-right iron shots can be nice, if you can do it on most shots. Don't overcorrect!