Cost/Benefit of Updating Used Clubs vs Buying New

[weifert]

Hi All,

I've been working on improving my game, and in turn have started thinking about getting a better set of clubs. For context, being serious about golf is really new to me so I may ask a dumb question or make a dumb statement.

I found a set of Ping i10 irons on Craigslist for $175. The club heads appear to be in good shape. As far as I know, Pings are pretty valuable clubs. However, I use a 1" longer shaft, and they badly need new grips.

I'm not sure on the price of getting new shafts and grips. I'm wondering if it's a good value to pick up that set of irons and get new shafts and grips. What is the rough cost? Would it be worth it? Should I just buy a new set of clubs?

I appreciate any suggestions.

[cooke119]

I would just buy a new set of Pings and have them fitted for you and your swing, especially if you think you need an extra inch. Pings does that for free if you buy the cubs. The clubs will last you for many years so I would invest in them. Also, if you are buying new look at other clubs as well, Pings are a good club but not the only ones out there.

[Vinsk]

Hello there! Welcome to TST. First, what kind of budget are you playing with? Second, you can find used top brand irons on eBay that will have shafts 1” longer. Is this a static fit that you’re going on in regards to shaft length? If so I wouldn’t put too much emphasis on it. It’s not so much a cost factor as it is unnecessary ‘work’ to buy clubs then have them re-shafted and gripped. There are many, many shaft options out there. If you’re ‘serious’ about golf (and depending on your budget) you’re best off to just get a fitting done so you know you’re getting a proper set. 

If you don’t want to get fitted but feel you need longer shafts either search for irons you like with +1” shafts or order a new set from whatever store you like. Bottom line, I wouldn’t go through buying a set only having to basically rebuild them.

[Patch]

13 minutes ago, weifert said:

Hi All,

I've been working on improving my game, and in turn have started thinking about getting a better set of clubs. For context, being serious about golf is really new to me so I may ask a dumb question or make a dumb statement.

I found a set of Ping i10 irons on Craigslist for $175. The club heads appear to be in good shape. As far as I know, Pings are pretty valuable clubs. However, I use a 1" longer shaft, and they badly need new grips.

I'm not sure on the price of getting new shafts and grips. I'm wondering if it's a good value to pick up that set of irons and get new shafts and grips. What is the rough cost? Would it be worth it? Should I just buy a new set of clubs?

I appreciate any suggestions.

A buddy of mine just reshafted 8 irons. He switched back to steel. I dont know the brands of the shafts/grips, but it cost him right at $12 a Club including labor charge. 

I am quite sure there are new sets of quality clubs available, for under $400. Obviously they won't be Pings. Plus they will probably be last years models.

[Piz]

Adding shaft extensions is much cheaper and far less time-consuming than re-shafting a set of irons.  

[Talldog]

I'm right on the line between silver & maroon dot on the Ping color chart (+1" in both).

What dot color are you looking at.

These white, silver, & maroon +1"clubs come on the used market much more often than you would think (silver especially). Usually in the 2-300 dollar range for the G15 & G20 sets. The G10 and G5 can often be found for less than $200.

I would recommend you get the G instead of the I series. More forgiving, as you are still learning.

30 minutes ago, cooke119 said:

I would just buy a new set of Pings and have them fitted for you and your swing, especially if you think you need an extra inch. Pings does that for free if you buy the cubs. The clubs will last you for many years so I would invest in them. Also, if you are buying new look at other clubs as well, Pings are a good club but not the only ones out there.

1: $200 vs $900 dollars

2: Being new to the sport, his swing may not be stable enough to get a solid fitting. The Ping color code system will get him into the ballpark. When he has developed (and solidified) his swing will be the time to pop for some new, fitted clubs.

[Talldog]

3balls.com has a set ping G10, Silver dot, +1", 4-PW & SW, Stiff in "very good" condition for $209.

Used Ping G10 XG 4-PW, SW Iron Set in Very Good Condition | 3balls.com

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Shop for Used Ping G10 XG 4-PW, SW Iron Set in Very Good Condition at 3balls.com

 

[Carl3]

5 hours ago, weifert said:

I found a set of Ping i10 irons on Craigslist for $175.

Pings are great. Go with G series instead of i since your handicap is high

[cooke119]

On 7/24/2019 at 1:48 PM, Talldog said:

I'm right on the line between silver & maroon dot on the Ping color chart (+1" in both).

What dot color are you looking at.

These white, silver, & maroon +1"clubs come on the used market much more often than you would think (silver especially). Usually in the 2-300 dollar range for the G15 & G20 sets. The G10 and G5 can often be found for less than $200.

I would recommend you get the G instead of the I series. More forgiving, as you are still learning.

1: $200 vs $900 dollars

2: Being new to the sport, his swing may not be stable enough to get a solid fitting. The Ping color code system will get him into the ballpark. When he has developed (and solidified) his swing will be the time to pop for some new, fitted clubs.

True

 

[leftybutnotPM]

On 7/25/2019 at 3:05 AM, weifert said:

I'm not sure on the price of getting new shafts and grips. I'm wondering if it's a good value to pick up that set of irons and get new shafts and grips. What is the rough cost? Would it be worth it? Should I just buy a new set of clubs?

I a

Unless you can have it done for free, replacing shafts is pretty much never a viable option on older sets of used clubs - or any clubs for that matter.

The money you spend on the shafts, grips and labour could be better put towards a set that comes with the right shafts.

[DrMJG]

I agree that the G series are better for beginners, and even after 3+ years, I will stay with the G series. Sites such as Rockbottom Golf and many of the sellers on EBay will offer good full sets at good prices.  

Welcome to the crazy part of loving golf!

[WUTiger]

Circa 2009 I was switching out irons for the first time in 14 years. From research on available irons, it appeared the Ping i10 would the front-runner.

Then I test-hit the i10 and other irons. To my surprise, the i10 was rather difficult to hit. I ended up eventually with Callaway X20 Tours which I used until recently.

The user reviews on i10 irons showed golfers either liked them or they didn't.

A year later, I hit the i15 irons just for fun at a demo day. These flew much better than the i10.

Fast forward... the Ping G irons (now in legacy stage) would be worth looking at.  

 

[weifert]

On 7/24/2019 at 1:57 PM, Talldog said:

3balls.com has a set ping G10, Silver dot, +1", 4-PW & SW, Stiff in "very good" condition for $209.

Used Ping G10 XG 4-PW, SW Iron Set in Very Good Condition | 3balls.com

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Shop for Used Ping G10 XG 4-PW, SW Iron Set in Very Good Condition at 3balls.com

 

Thanks for introducing me to 3balls.com! I didn't get that set, but I see a decent set of irons on there every day. Just have to get my wife to understand that $175-$200 for a set of irons is ridiculous, but in a good way! 🤣

[Talldog]

13 hours ago, weifert said:

Thanks for introducing me to 3balls.com! I didn't get that set, but I see a decent set of irons on there every day. Just have to get my wife to understand that $175-$200 for a set of irons is ridiculous, but in a good way! 🤣

Also look at 2nd swing golf & callaway preowned (they do more than just Callaway).

[ChetlovesMer]

Firstly, welcome to the forum.

Let's break this down a bit.

New Ping Irons will cost you somewhere around $1000.00.

The Pings you are considering will be $175, let's assume its a set of 8 clubs.

I don't know where somebody gets there clubs reshafted for $12 each. Steel shafts will cost you $10-$30 each (depending on which one you want), plus normally $5 each to put them in. Sometimes a lot more. 

Regripping nominal cost is about $10 per grip. (You can get cheaper grips and you can even regrip yourself.) So for grip and shaft you are looking at $25 to $45 per club, 8 clubs = $200 to $360.

I'm not sure how much it costs where you are, but round here it's normally around $150 bucks for a fitting assuming you aren't getting new clubs, in which case it can often be free. 

Adding that up: $175 + $200 to $360 + $150 = $525 to $685

 

So, yes you can save money vs brand new clubs. But 2 things.

 

1 - Are you "sure" you need plus 1"? - I'm 6'2" and every time I get fit, I end up in standard length (or really close to it). How did you arrive at needing plus one inch?

2 - Others may disagree with me, but I'd rather see beginners play with just about any standard clubs they can get their hands on. If you like the $175 Pings, buy them. Spend the rest of your money on some lessons, get a repeatable swing and then start to think about what clubs you would like. I love new clubs, I enjoy the fitting process. But I travel a ton and rent clubs often, my handicap doesn't change a hell off a lot when I play with rentals, as long as they are decent clubs. 

 

 

[Osnola]

Figure out what color dot you need and search eBay.  They have full set used from$75 up to $150.    Would be cheaper than resifting and regrouping....

[mchepp]

I find this debate similar to the discussion on buying or leasing a car. If you want to buy new clubs you are the car buyer. Meaning you are making a long term investment (unless you have a great deal of disposable income to spend) in a set of clubs. You will use them for 3-5 years and be extremely satisfied with your investment. If you like to try new things then you are like me and you like leasing cars. I find buying a set of used clubs is a great way to save money and get to try new stuff all the time. I can find some outstanding deals on 2-3 generations old set of clubs and I can either change up the shafts, add new grips, or spiff up the heads.

In conclusion you should decide if you are the long term investor or the guy who likes to short stocks. This will help you decide.

[weifert]

5 minutes ago, ChetlovesMer said:

1 - Are you "sure" you need plus 1"? - I'm 6'2" and every time I get fit, I end up in standard length (or really close to it). How did you arrive at needing plus one inch?

2 - Others may disagree with me, but I'd rather see beginners play with just about any standard clubs they can get their hands on. If you like the $175 Pings, buy them. Spend the rest of your money on some lessons, get a repeatable swing and then start to think about what clubs you would like. I love new clubs, I enjoy the fitting process. But I travel a ton and rent clubs often, my handicap doesn't change a hell off a lot when I play with rentals, as long as they are decent clubs. 

Thanks for the welcome. Seems like a lot of good conversation on here. I appreciate your advice, and you raise a couple of good points.

1) I'm not sure. I'm 6'6" and some change. I've had three lessons and the instructor suggested that I may need longer clubs because of my height. Anybody I've played a round with has made some similar comment. But I've never been fitted. Moreover, my wedges aren't an extra inch and I hit them pretty well. I think at the end of the day I'll just have to break down and get fitted.

2) I'm on board with that. I think mostly I'm just intrigued at seeing "good" clubs at low prices. I started with an old set of blades that my dad never used, and had problems. Then I bought a pair of "clone" clubs from Pine Meadow Golf. They're way more forgiving. The lessons have really helped me improve my swing and I'm hitting my irons very well. My driver's another story (see here).