Club Recommendations: Full Set vs Piecemeal

I am a very occasional player although I'd like to get better.  I have a mixed set of clubs now which have a completely useless set of woods (30+ years old), a set of used 3-pw Top Flite Tour Ti irons (w/graphite shafts) and a marginal putter.  I have about $300-500 to spend on clubs right now and am debating what to buy.  I probably also need a new golf bag too.  I am debating between buying a full set somewhere or perhaps just buying a Driver, 3 wood and utility club right now.  There is an Adams 1214 full set I saw in my range although I'm not a fan of just having the 6-pw irons in it.  I also played with a rental set this week that had the Callaway Diablo Driver, 3 wood and 4 utility club this week, so I was thinking of maybe just buying those clubs.  The irons I have are serviceable, but probably need new grips.  I am also not a huge fan of the graphite shafts.  Any advice here is much appreciated.

If you have a somewhat stable swing, get a launch monitor fitting and see what types of clubs and shafts would best fit your game. Then, find clubs which fit your game, and slowly build up your set.

If you find a decent golf shop, they can work with you on this over a year or so. A decent clubfitter could maybe point you toward so appropriate used clubs for part of your set.

If you mainly need long clubs (D, 3W or 4W and hybrid) go with those in the short run. Take a look at 4W also... many people find these easier to hit than 3Ws.  Regrip your irons, and try to replace them at Christmas time.

As for the putter, try some out and maybe get a used one. Also, life likely be easier if you add a Sand Wedge.

Again, find a golf shop you can work with. They can help you build your future set.

Generally, a packaged set is usually made for beginners or people who don't plan to play a whole lot (hence the lower price). Most golfers have a mixed bag because they will find the clubs that work the best for them. There is also no shame in buying used clubs as well. If you do, try to buy from pro shops, and if you go online, beware of fakes.

I just bought a new in box Adams 1114 set off ebay. The reason I bought it was because it has 3h, 4h, and 5-pw irons. Paid 299 + shipping and unfortunately tax because we were in same state...

Great advice.  I think I will definitely go the route of adding clubs over time.

Btw - any good recommendations on grips?

Get a GolfWorks (via Golf Galaxy or Dick's) or a Golfsmith catalog and check out the different grips available. There's a lot more variety out there than even 5 years ago. After you review the catalog, go to the golf shop and talk to them about grips.

Then, it's what type of grip you want. In the GolfWorks catalog (pages 4-39), grips for irons and woods range in price from $2 to $10. Plenty of quality grips in $5 to $6 range.

Tell the club fitter you want new grips. He or she can help you decide. Also, the golf shop team can check you for grip size (mainly thickness). Depends a lot on your hand size. Also, there's grip rigidity. Nowadays you can get soft, moderate or firm grips.

I always recommend beginners or casual players to try to find an Adams Tight Lies set of clubs. IMO they are the best bang for the buck as far as a basic complete set goes. Decent stuff in that bag that you can grow with for a while and won't break the bank. I bet you can get on Craigslist and find a set in your area, buy it, and still have a big chunk of your budget left over for balls, tees, green fees, or even a lesson.

Link:

http://www.adamsgolf.com/products/irons/tightlies_set_1012.php