Looking to buy my first set of clubs? Recommendations?

[SubPar]

I played with some used Taylor Made knock-offs with graphite shafts till I broke 90 with them and then went to some regular flex Adams GT irons. After I broke 80 a couple of times I got Nike Combos (stiff) and Cleveland wedges.

I think you have to reach certain performance milestones or levels before better equipment starts to make a lot of difference. Doing it this way gave me motivation to work on my game and I was able to upgrade equipment to suit my game as it evolved.

You are a 36 handicap so you should not invest a lot in high-end gear. When you get your handicap down to 15 or less you can start to really take advantage of specific equipment changes.

[ryns2]

I already purchased the irons, I appreciate everyone's advice. I didn't get them fitted because at $20 a club it would ahve been almost as much as the clubs themselves. However with the driver I do want to have it fitted, and if you read my post above I ask about buying used clubs and having them fitted? Which used clubs do you recommend?

Also, I am not spending $400 on a driver because I am just starting out. My existing clubs are really cheap and even a $100 Adams driver should be more forgiving and give me the confidence to even pull the driver out of the bag.

--Edit--

So you are saying I should hit my existing clubs until I get my handicap down.

[SubPar]

I suggest saving your money. If you are a 36 handicap, forget the driver for a while. Tee off with a 3 or 5 wood. And don't worry about spending a lot of money of top of the line fitted clubs till you can get your index down to a solid 15 or less. I played for two years at an 11-12 index without a driver in the bag. I am a 6.4 now and probably only "need" the driver four or five holes a round.

Play as many par-3 and executive courses as you can. Hone your swing with shorter more lofted clubs that you can hit better. Once you get some "game" then spend the money and time to add a driver to your bag.

A driver at your level will frustrate you and hurt your wallet. If you get where you can hit 60-70% of fairways with a 3-wood at 200+ yds. then start to demo drivers to find one that suits you... and take your time about it... demo lots of them. When you do get a driver, spend some money and get a good one. Cheap drivers, even if you can hit them well, will not give you the desired performance.

[warbirdlover]

Find a set of Ping irons on e-bay. You can't go wrong if they fit you.

[cdriver]

I have used TGW, eBay, Golf Club Exchange, etc to buy and sell clubs for the last few years. I have been satisfied with the value I got in all those cases. One big advantage is that I play a lot of golf and spend a lot of time talking to others about clubs, etc.

Generally, my only advice is to get a good idea what type of irons you want (ie - cast vs forged, game improvement or players, etc) before you spend a lot of money. If you buy new, you are gonna take a big loss reselling them if they are not what you want. If you buy used, you can usually resell them if you made a mistake and at least recover a good portion of your initial investment.

I know a lot of guys believe in the value of club fitting, but for a beginner, I am not so sure that standard clubs wouldn't do just as well until you have had a chance to improve and groove your swing. Unless you are very tall, very short, or otherwise oddly built, standard clubs should do nicely while you are learning. After playing for 6 years, I have improved from a handicap that was too high to count to a 9 playing standard clubs. I have just gotten to the point in the last year where I can tell the difference in clubs. I am now having my lofts and lies checked and getting fitted to them. It will help, but IMHO, not if your swing hasn't matured to the point it is repeatable.

A lot of new clubs get sold to golfers who really have made a poor choice without knowing it. I think that's why eBay has so many sets for sale all the time.

[ryns2]

Thanks for the advice, I have bought the Adams GT3 irons mainly because of how they feel when I swung them. But I also chose them because I think they are more forgiving and will help me improve my game. The price was only $179 so once I get my handicap down and decide to get a set of irons that are less forgiving and more controllable I won't be out much money.

[rembrandt]

I'd go with the bag/irons/driver setup over the complete set. The GT3's and the TaylorMade driver are higher quality clubs.

I like your avatar!

[rembrandt]

Without reading all the above posts......I would recommend a perimeter weighted club, thus a cavity back. I like the bulbous backed irons too for beginners.