Something wrong with golfers these days... (re: equipment)

[DirtCheap]

I can't speak for everyone, but I can tell you why I am so well researched on equipment.

I am still developing my swing and my game. I feel like, by buying quality equipment, if I hit a bad shot, its just because I hit a bad shot and not because my clubs are inconsistant.

I feel like, if you have a bad round of golf and you are playing inexpensive boxed set clubs, you can blame it on the equipment (and occasionally be right IMO) By removing the questionable equipment from the equation, if I have a bad round, it's all me.

I feel like, my range time and my time with my trainer are better spent because I know that my clubs are more consistant then I am. I do not have that confidence with an inexpensive boxed set of clubs.

Now.. If you look closely, I have started every paragraph of this post with the word "I." These are my opinions. I have no idea if they hold water or not. I can tell you that having quality equipment has increased my confidence level and my desire to play 100%.

I can also tell you that doing internet research and reading user reviews on new equipment is fun. It's like shopping in the mall, but for men.
Equipment is expensive. It pays the saavy consumer to know all his/her options before making a purchase based on the sales guy down at the local golf shop.

[crom44]

I agree with most of this. I started hitting golf balls in the backyard with my father's "old" clubs. I finally bought a newer set several years ago but I still love to hit an old Krydon wedge when I am close to the green. I am looking to replace it now as it is getting kind of beat up. One thing I did notice though, too many people rely on technology to improve on their game instead of spending time on the practice tee and green. It amazes me how year after year people just buy what is new expecting their new piece of equipment to fix their game.

[andre112]

nice thread.
i can tell you sometimes i do get sucked into obessing about equipments
this is a good wake up call


for some people buying new stuff is a lot easier than spending time practicing and taking lessons.

[chingali]

This thread has got me thinking, how much would I have to spend to get some equipment decent enough to remove it as a source of blame? So I spent 20 minutes poking around ebay looking to find equipment that I would be happy enough to play and not have it as a possible source of blame. I only looked at stuff with a "Buy Now" option so I could come up with realistic pricing, if I wanted to wait around and play the bidding game I am sure the end pricing would have been a lot lower.

None

[XSup]

Marketing it the real deal. Golfers have money and like to spend it. Long drives are an ego trip that is in direct proportion to a guys wallet. Most will spend whatever it takes. What ticks off your golf buddies more, being out driven with a $500 driver, or outdriving the fella that just spent the $500? As for me, I stay about 3 years behind the curve, when that driver is about $150. I should probably use a more forgiving set of irons, but I like the look and feel of what I've got. Just personal choice I guess. All you really need to be able to hit is your wedge and putter, anyway...

[Brooklyn]

I look at it like this... When im out on the course i could care less what clubs ive got as long as im having fun... But when im home with nothing to do... I look at new golf clubs. I enjoy it. Golf is my hobby and i like to check out new "tools of the trade". Its fun... What the hell else am i gonna do when im not playing golf.

I guess i am a equipment nerd... If I hit the exact same with a rock tied to a stick than i do with my new Taylormade superquad...Ill still go with the superquad. Why? cause it looks bad ass.. It has changeable weights!!!!

yes i do buy a new ipod everytime they release a new one

[Jack_2251]

What do you consider a low handicap?

Completely agreed. All pga tours use big headed, usually over 400cc drivers and most have deep grooves, spin milled wedges (Y-cutter, Spin milled, MD grooves) to help them score better, and I doubt many use 1950 wilson staff blades. They may use 695.mbs which are still more forgiving and better technology than these.

So clubs help everyone to enjoy the game more.

[mrobbie]

As seen on another thread here, I was all set to get my driver re-shafted to Reg flex as I believed that I needed it. After speaking to the pro, I don't need it - I need to change my alignment. So, my driver works and I'm happy with that now. I now have money I can put to better use in the form of a lesson. A far better investment!

I've played golf for 20+ years now. Started with a cut down set, then onto a 2nd hand set of Dunlop irons. After getting a p/t job in a golf store, I bought a set of Titleist 981 irons (S300 shafts) and a Titleist 975 driver as I got staff discount so a good price. Played pretty regular through uni (grades showed it - I preferred the golf course to my uni course!) but after graduating I was playing less and began to struggle with the S300 shafts. Sold the 981s for a set of Maxfli revolutions which were far easier to hit. I kept these 4 years until I got my 755s & Vokey wedges for my wedding anniversary (I love my wife!). I got my 905R at the same time - My 975 shaft had split about 3 years before this, and I had been playing with an old Callaway GBB with the '94 shaft that I picked up cheap in the local classifieds as a short term replacement (3 years = short term!). I initially got a TM R7 but it developed a rattle and the shop I got it from exchanged for the 905.

I LOVE looking at what is out there - I'm an ebay browsing addict!! But, I don't buy anything. My current item to keep an eye on is a 906F4 3-wood - I haven't owned a 3 wood in years so there is a gap in my distance which I'd like to fill - driver 250yds then 5 wood 210yds. May get one soon, may not.

Since I got my 1st handicap when I was 14 years old, which was 18, I've never really improved much; got it to 16 for a while, then it stayed at 17 for a number of years. The reason behind this is purely a lack of practice. This is my goal for the coming years - make more time to get out - even if its just hitting a bucket of balls at the range & chipping green once or twice a week. I have always wanted to be a single digit golfer, but never made the effort to get there. I love hearing stories where people begin golf and get to single figures very quickly.

So, even with what I would say was a decent set of spanners and some changes over the years to my clubs, my golf has not improved any in 14 years. Just goes to show it’s the worker and not the tools that affects how you play.

[pom]

I am a self taught golfer. I bought a set of clubs 10 years ago & taught myself how to play. I managed to get my handicap down to 17 but could not get it any lower so I decided to treat myself to a new set of clubs & a couple of lessons. Knew right from the start that I had madfe a serious mistake 9 years prior. After being fitted for my knew clubs on a launch monitor I was made to realise just how wrong for me the first set of clubs were. I realised that my lack of consistancy was caused by the fact that I was having to work hard to hit them. The new fitted clubs were 100% easier to hit but the problem now is to get rid of 9 years bad habits caused by a cheap set of clubs.After 3 lessons I have managed to take a couple of shots off my handicap. & feel that I am hitting the ball better than I ever have. However my old swing still comes back to haunt me & I think there is still a lot of hard work neededto gain the handicap & the consistancy that I believe is possibble for me . The message is. If you wish to play golf socialy equipment is probably not that important But if you want to compete at club level or higher then start off with the right equipment & learn how to play the game properly. It will save you many headaches & much frustration later on.

[malte]

as people said before, i think that equipment is a question of how you want to approach the game. If you play it for fun, don't care about equipment. If you do take it seriously and invest a lot of time in it, its only logical to invest money as well to perhaps get a 4% advantage or whatever.

[Borf]

When people start talking about Driver size, long drives, equipment, and its driving you nuts, one simple question will stop it all:

"what is your handicap?"

[Norm66]

I agree that some people seem to think the latest & greatest clubs will improve their game more than simply practicing. But people golf for different reasons. Some really want to improve while others enjoy the equipment equally to actually playing. Who cares as long as they're enjoying themselves.

I'm a musician and, especially on the internet, people seem to really obsess over the minute details of their instruments. Very similar to golf, in a real life performance nobody really cares what you're playing as long as it sounds good.

[rudygu]

I don't think it's anything new or specific to golfers. By "new" I mean within the past 20 years or so, or 10... before that, TV, radio, and publications didn't exist, and before 10 years ago the Internet didn't exist, so those are to blame for the past 20 (or 10) years. Information - and marketing - surrounds us more now than ever before.

I second this. I used to be really into shooting rifles and hand loading ammo for them and to a lesser extent, handguns. People that do that are at least as obsessive about equipment as golfers. I also used to dabble in home theater and car audio. Home theater audiophiles will spend more in a year on

speakers than a lot of people will spend on golf gear in 10 years.

[erova]

When people start talking about Driver size, long drives, equipment, and its driving you nuts, one simple question will stop it all:

maybe i'm dense, but i don't understand this response.

the conversation could easily go like this: player A: "hey, this new callaway ft-5 really works well for my game: the draw bias helps me keep it straight, and the large head gives me a lot more forgiveness to on mis-hits than my old 1995 wilson driver". player B: "what is your handicap?" player A: it's a 15, down from a 23 after I could keep the ball in play and hit 8 irons into par fours instead of dropping and hitting 4 irons into the greens." if it's driving you nuts, leave the conversation.

[Borf]

I guess my point is, golfers who generally are not that skilled will talk about their equipment more. Just be conscious of this, watch for it, you will definatly see it happen!

watch one of the better players, and they will not talk about their equipment, it is just another club to them.

good players can hit any club good, bad players can hit any club bad, get it

[erova]

watch one of the better players, and they will not talk about their equipment, it is just another club to them.

they may not talk about it as much, but if they're a better player i'd guess they're not playing with Crazy Eddie's Golf Clubs that came with the free toaster.

[Borf]

this is true,
i have seen scratch golfers use no name clubs
generally there is a standard of clubs needed to get some sort of consistancy, but beyond that level, the clubs can only do so much

[Wisco-Kid]

I agree with the fact that some people can get a little obsessive about their equipment. I myself can be included in that. This winter I went a little crazy with the equipment because I was so bored from not golfing and shopping for new equipment felt like it kept me "connected" to the game. There is a line that needs to be drawn though and once I can actually get out and hit my new equipment I am not going to obsess about it anymore.