Need Novice Club Upgrade Recommendation, or Do I?

Not playing much golf, maybe half dozen times a year max.  Been playing for 20 years.  Got the same old Costco Spalding Tour Advance Clubs.  Must also be over 15 years old at least.  I've held off on buying any clubs because a) I'm not that good - a good day is breaking under 100 [with accurate scorekeeping - no mulligans], b) I don't golf very often, and c) money is tight.

The clubs are looks pretty shabby though.  Irons have steel shafts (which is what my buddy who knows golf told me to get long time ago).  My drivers, the heads are like 1/2 the size of everyone elses (at least the 1 wood) and I can actually hear something rattling around in one of them.  Funny thing is, I always make fun of my friends with the new fancy clubs that shoot a 100-105 and I shoot a 95.  I've always believed the clubs aren't going to do you much good if you don't know how to swing them right.  Although I've seen a lot of people's game's improve, usually temporarily, just from the 'placebo effect' of THINKING they will golf better with the new club.  But me and most of my buddies are all your typical hacks.

At risk of being a hypocrite, I think I need to consider at least a partial upgrade as these clubs will frankly be embarassing if I ever need to golf with a business client, etc. I do have a 56 degree sand wedge (Spalding Legacy) and a "Palm Springs Gravity Balance" 5  that I found in addition to the original Spaldings.

I'm 5' 11" so I don't think getting a custom fit would provide any major advantages, not that I could afford it to begin with?

Any recommendations on what I should swap out first and what to look for?  Since the clubs are looking pretty shabby, maybe get a cheapo Target new set, and then swap out the driver and add a rescue club or something?  I'm so behind the times, I have no idea what to do and what to buy or look for.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Start with a driver. There is more help in new drivers than any other club. Try ebay or a used section in golf store and find a nice name brand driver. I dont know what your budget is but you should be able to find one for less than 150. Also steel shafts are very normal. Just be ready to dish out some money when you decide to take golf seriously, it is a really expensive sport.

I wouldn't get a new target set. I would go used. Either Ebay or Callaway preowned would be my first 2 stops. Some play it again sports also have clubs.  How much of a fitting is up to you. You should at least go to a big box store and swing some clubs to get a swing speed to get an idea of what flex you want. Or do the Ping Webfit to verify what type of lie/length works for you. Obviously the webfit is no where near as good as seeing a pro but it is free.

Personally I would buy a a used Callaway Octane driver or 3 wood for 90 bucks and call it done. A nice drive off the tee makes the rest of the hole much easier.  Iron technology hasn't changed and while I guess you might be better with a softer flex it is just a guess.

+1 on going to the golf store and window shop a bit and get them to tell your swing speed.. see what ya like.

Then Craigslist is your friend... check it out every morning over morning coffee. There is 2-3 year old gear being sold on there for 30 to 50 cents on the dollar. I bought a $1100.00--1 year old set of Callaway forged irons (he still had the receipt) for 350.00.

Agree with others find a modern driver first, then 3 wood, something built in the last 5 years at least and then look for irons. Cheapo Target stuff will not help your cause.

Just wanted to say thanks for the advice.  I combined the advice here with a lot of research and reading yesterday.  The main takeaways from my research were:

- Most people are playing with a driver that is too long (Wishon Golf had a particularly good article about this.) I used my 3 Wood off the tee box 80% of the time as I was in the fairway a lot more often.  Whereas the others in my foursome would have a testosterone drive contest to show off their new $300 driver every hole ending up in the woods 60% of the time.  I was surprised to learn the majority of the players on the PGA are using a 44.5" shaft (0.5" less than standard) and Tiger has played most of his career with a 43.5".  This makes sense to me as I was always amazed he was so accurate with that insane swing speed.

- Most people are probably playing with too stiff of a driver shaft.  Again, it's all about the testosterone. It's more macho to have the stiffer shaft (no pun intended.)  Most of the people I play with are hackers with deep pockets and they are most concerned about how their stuff looks and what the specs are.  Sigh.

- I also read that for the novice (and most any golfer), the higher loft on the driver is more foregiving.  Lots of posts in lots of forums of people that went from a 9.5 or 10.5 to an 11-11.5 and had much better accuracy.  I'm lucky if my drives go over 220 with a 10.5 regular shaft.  In some cases a 12, 13 or higher is recommended for beginners/hacks.

- I've got a very smooth (not jerky) medium swing speed.  And 70% of the time that I not in the fairway, I'm fading or slicing it, not hooking.  This is typically due to standing to far from the ball or not closing the face properly.  But for my swing type and speed, the more flexible shaft should be more suitable and maybe help the fade a bit.

This is what I decided on:

Calloway Octane - 11.5*, Senior Flex, -1.0" off the shaft.  The shortened shaft will have a little less flex, so I suppose I end up with something effectively between a regular and senior flex.  The 11.5 loft should be well suited to me as being used to using a 3W, I wanted something inbetween a 3W and 1W loft and length.  I can't say enough about that Calloway Pre-Owned site. Excellent prices - as cheap if not cheaper than E-bay (running 25% off the Octane this week too) and the guy on the phone upgraded me to 2-day shipping an no extra costs.  Great outfit they are running. $100 shipped with shaft customization and brand new grip.

Adams Idea A1 3-4 Hybrid + 5-PW.  Good condition. $119 shipped. (Ebay)

Putter - I really cracked myself up on some of the prices of these putters.  What a scam (in my opinion).  Geez, I'm usually in the top half of the foursome on putting (its what I'm best at) with this dull, crappy looking 15-year old Spalding blade that is probably worth $5. But I can afford a moderately priced used one.  And I read the putter is the club that benefits the most from a fitting.  I'm going with one of the Cleveland Classic models - hands down the best value out there from all reviews I read.  I can't decide on the grey one or the bronze one with copper insert.  I'll have to try.  It does look like the copper insert pits easily if you have sand on your ball (maybe too soft?)

Sand Wedge - Jury is out on a new Sand Wedge.  My old Spalding Legacy 56* looks to be in decent shape.  Gain, the Cleveland wedges sound like they are well rated and a good value.  But frankly a new wedge is probably going to put me in jeopardy of "over spending"  The thing is though, a golfer like me rarely gets the ball on the green from more than 75 yards away (depending on the course.)  So the sand wedge may be one of my most used clubs.  So I'm contemplating whether something newer might make a significant difference?  Any advise on whether worth it or not to buy a new wedge?

Good post Jazzy, thanks for the update.  Virtually all my playing partners use drivers of 9* to 11* in stiff flex.  Virtually all of them are wild off the tee.  Flexible shafts and high loft can still hit the ball a long way.  I use a 13* driver and a senior flex shaft and can hit it hard and straight.  When I go down in loft I lose yards (it becomes a head-high line drive) and control.  A 43" 13* driver has alot of margin for error to still be in the fairway.  This gives you the confidence to have loose hands, forward hips, and just absolutey rip the thing.  I think there is something to be said that being accurate for a long time makes you alot longer, because mentally you don't really worry about it - you just try to crush the ball.  I've found trying to use the concious mind to be accurate with a driver doesn't work.  Senior flex shaft cut down is a really good lineup off the tee IMO.

I'm also a big fan of playing hybrids as high up in the set as possible.  I use hybrids all the way up to 7 iron and just aim middle of the green with the hybrids.  You can go low this way (not 60s, but you can make a whole lot of pars on difficult holes with a 250 yard drive and a reliable hybrid iron).  This is more expensive, but the hybrids are very effective out of all types of lies.  I have only met one player in my life who could reliably shape shots with a 6 iron, so I don't see giving up much by going to a hybrid-style club 3-6 irons.

What is your budget for wedges?  You can find sets of wedges on the "deal per day" golf sites for cheap.  Are you looking to add a 3 wood or more than 1 wedge?

At your level, the short game is the most important.