Sharing clubs, when is the line crossed?

[Rob]

Man,I don`t know. If he`s spending say,$100 a week on green fees,range,suggest he use your "old" clubs to practice a few weeks and help him find a good set with the money he saves=Ebay,ect.Does he have a wife/girlfriend? Maybe a gift from her for his birthday,Christmas? I think anyone that has the $$ to pay green fees and buy range balls can afford to buy clubs,but maybe not clubs like yours???? I don`t share my "sticks" with anyone.

[yenner]

Agreed with everyone else. When I got my full Ram set (for only about $150) I "sold" my new bag (liked my old one better), 2 drivers, a 3 Hi, and an 8 iron to my cousin for a $23 half round. He was exstatic b/c he had an OLD wilson tube-style bag and Happy Gilmore clubs. Now he has my old driver that I want back. Haha. It's all good though. He got a good bag and some decent clubs and I got 9 holes outta the deal. Win-win and we're still good friends. Make him buy the next round for the old clubs and explain how much your set is worth. I wouldn't expect my cousin, who has been there for me my whole life, to let me, as an amateur, use his $~1000 Taylormade's. I learned responsibilty a long time ago. I got what I could afford/wanted to spend as a beginner. Your buddy needs to do the same. Like everyone said, if he truly wants to play, he'll find a way.

[Supermanwoot]

Today we couldn't play because I have to put in a few hours at a local pain management clinic and then hit the range for a bit so it looks like wednesday will be showdown time.

I really don't mind being generous but I have had this new driver for 3 weeks and there is a collection of scratches across the sweetspot and I'm not sure how it happened and flushing $200 down the drain in the spirit of brotherly love just isn't quite my MO.

Everyone gives good advice, thanks a lot I'm sure he will understand especially one day when he gets a nice set of sticks.

I'm thinking something along the lines of, "hey I know you might not want to buy your own clubs at the moment or arent sure what you want so you can use my old set given that you get yourself a putter and SW and then when youre ready to buy your own clubs just give those back or buy me a couple rounds (at the bar and/or country club)."

[wubskis]

I wouldn't let my own mother touch my clubs. Never mind swing them. Hell no.

This right here.

[Nikonut]

Here is a niiiiccce, as in "mean" idea.....

Invite him for a round. do all your normal talking etc.

and then.....

Show up with ONLY the OLD CLUBS.

sure, you may not be as happy at first..but something tells me it will be a memorable round 'o golf!

[Supermanwoot]

I just talked to him about it. At one point he pulled the whole "oh so you think its my fault that your driver is scratched, i see how it is thats cool..." and I said I dont know how it happened, I'm not blaming you but if something that cost you $200+ got damaged I'm sure you'd be wary of lending it out as well. He still seemed VERY reluctant to even buy a putter and wedge so he could just play my older clubs until he can buy his own. I mean putters can get pricey but golf clubs in general are.

He did make a good point that he is waiting on some money to come in from a deal he had made thats approximately $4k and that he was gonna buy some nice clubs like mine when it did but who knows about that.

I told him I'd just be more comfortable with us each playing our own clubs and I know my old clubs may not be Titleists but they are better than nothing so I'd be glad to lend him those until he gets his cash in. But until then he's gotta get a putter and wedge if hes serious about playing. I might go look up a cheap putter and SW he could buy to motivate him a little more.

Also when I was chatting about it with him, a guy who saw me at the tournament on saturday came up and invited me to play on the 8th in a tourney for Habitat for Humanity but thats a weekday that I work so kinda weird, but we said we'd play at some point in the future just for fun. I REALLY have to start hitting my driver straight and then i'll be golden but this guy drove the green on a par 4 325 yarder so I guess my distance wouldn't be needed if we teamed up lol.

[Travtex]

My suggestion: Be a Lefty.

Nobody even asks to borrow my clubs. :D

(As an aside, my pro smacked my driver, once... turned the thing upside down and cleared the 250 marker with it that way.)

[yenner]

I know at sports authority you can get a putter for like $20. I mean, why would he drop $1000 on new clubs when he doesn't even know how long he'll be playing? Doesn't sound to me like your buddy has too much common sense. If I get $4K and I'm just starting I'm not dropping 25% of my earnings on clubs I'm gonna butcher learning to play the game.

That's just me though. Also take him to the clubhouse at the course. They're always selling new/used clubs. WEal*Mart, Dicks...the list goes on and on.

I didn't learn to drive in a Lamborghini, and I suggest your friend doesn't either.

[kregan]

At your age I owned just about every tool imaginable for working on cars and had a decent garage. The "user's" would come out in a lot of friends and very rarely did I see any payback... Not money but when I would ask for a hand with something on the car most of the time the same people could not be found.

At some point I decided to kick the "user's" to the curb. Best decision I ever made! You have to decide when you have had enough.

He did make a good point that he is waiting on some money to come in from a deal he had made thats approximately $4k and that he was gonna buy some nice clubs like mine when it did but who knows about that.