new golf club parts shipped today

[clearwaterms]

I know that most of this forum doesn't build their own clubs, and that I am the exception to the rule, however I am excited because my new parts shipped today and they are expected to arrive on saturday in time for me to assemble them this weekend and use them next week.

My bag will be entirely new this year. Last years bag included a variety of different things but the clubs essentially looked something like this

10 degree offset 360cc driver with UST proforce 65 shaft
offset steel 7 wood with steel shaft
3 hybrid with steel shaft
4-PW (Callaway big bertha clones)
52 and 56 degree Acer XC wedges

this years bag (including a new bag) will be:
11 degree Nickent 3DX with UST proforce 65 shaft
Nickent 3DX 3 wood
same 3 hybrid with a new shaft
4-GW Distance Master Pro Steel heads (purchased on closeout from Golf Galaxy for $21 after tax) with Apollo Spectre lite shafts (probably cut to R flex, instead of S flex)
56 and 60 degree Dynacraft avatar wedges

I will be using the same steel shafts on all of my clubs that get steel shafts (apollo spectre lite) I am hoping this will create a more consistent swing weight and swing feel, which should create a more consistent golf game. I will keep everybody posted.

***Disclaimer: The clubs that I used last year are NOT ACTUALLY clones, but if I read off the name brand, people will just claim they look just like 2k9 Big bertha's, so its easier to juse use the word clone, I do advocate the use of custom made clubs, and feel that for the price, those club heads have excellent value***

Please do not turn this into a clone vs. name brand conversation

Does anybody else build their own clubs, and if so, what are you recent purchases?

[ajschn06]

Have you tried the Snake Eyes brand from Golfsmith? They make superb components, IMO their 675 and 685 iron series are as good as any on the market..

[clearwaterms]

Have you tried the Snake Eyes brand from Golfsmith? They make superb components, IMO their 675 and 685 iron series are as good as any on the market..

I am interested in trying them, but the problem is finding a complete set in Left handed (as I have the ultimate golf handicap, LH)

[moparman426]

I was planning on making some maltby forged irons but bought some titleists instead. The bug was still in my ear, so I ordered a couple of the forged m-series milled wedge kits from GW anyway. I figured for $22 a piece for a kit, what's the harm in trying them out. They charged my CC today, so hopefully they shipped them. The only thing I am unsure of is the mixed reviews I have read about the FST pro shafts. All doubts aside, I am looking forward to making my first real kit club. Between the wedges and the titleists (scheduled to show up today) I fell like a kid at x-mas, ha ha.

[clearwaterms]

I was planning on making some maltby forged irons but bought some titleists instead. The bug was still in my ear, so I ordered a couple of the forged m-series wedge kits from GW anyway. I figured for $22 a piece for a kit, what's the harm in trying them out. They charged my CC today, so hopefully they shipped them. The only thing I am unsure of is the mixed reviews I have read about the FST pro shafts. All doubts aside, I am looking forward to making my first real kit club. Between the wedges and the titleists (scheduled to show up today) I fell like a kid at x-mas, ha ha.

I have never used the FST shafts, but have read some forums that people don't like them, and others that people love them. I think it helps to find a shaft that you are comfortable with. Last year I built my first set of irons (the ones that I am playing with today) and I internet researched everything, I did every online calculator and determined that the shaft for me (given my budget, swing speed, ball flight, etc) was the True Temper Dynalites in stiff.

In the end, the shafts worked okay, but it never felt as nice as the clubs built with the cheaper Apollo spectre lite shaft. The point is, until you try it, you won't know if it works for you or not. The good news is that if you like the head, but not the shaft, it is very easy to replace the shaft in an iron, some basic house hold tools is all that is needed. The beauty of building your own clubs is that its cheap to experiment, and play with different things. I am no expert by any means, but feel free to PM me if you have any specific questions.

[moparman426]

I am a TT fan. I had TT Lite XL's picked out for the irons, if I went that route. That was the other issue I was concerned about with the FST shaft...it isn't in my 4B1M - 4B2M range. At least it is 4B2H-5B3H which I should be able to work with as my mishits are hooks. I have done driver reshafts before, but never an iron or a wedge.

[clearwaterms]

I am a TT fan. I had TT Lite XL's picked out for the irons, if I went that route. That was the other issue I was concerned about with the FST shaft...it isn't in my 4B1M - 4B2M range. At least it is 4B2H-5B3H which I should be able to work with as my mishits are hooks. I have done driver reshafts before, but never an iron or a wedge.

One thing that I have noticed when playing around with different shafts / etc. is that it doesn't fix mishits, it can change the shot shape slightly, but at least for me, the difference in yardage between two different steel shafts isn't a whole lot. I like the lighter feel of the light weight steel shafts, but find graphite too light.

Please be sure to post up when you assemble your club and tells us what you think.

[moparman426]

I was wondering how they would make a shaft that was suitable for hook/no correction/slicing anyway. I wasn't even aware of it until I went to GW's site. I always thought it was the clubhead design that was the defining factor for an sgi/ugi iron and the only shaft options were desired flex and trajectory. Obviously I haven't read enough yet, lol. I am the same, I love steel in the irons....my old grahites feel like rubber in comparison. GW shipped everything for the wedges but the grips....good thing I called, because I would have been waiting for quite some time apparently. At least I have replacements sent now. My titleists showed up today as well, just in time for my first round of the season. UPS is terrible up here, so hopefully the wedge components will be here sometime before the end of the month. I'll post a pic when I get them set up.

[moparman426]

Parts finally arrived. Even though the picture on their website illustrates the Pro stepless version of the FST shaft in their kit, they sent me the standard stepped versions. Funny part is, they sent the Pro shaft bands with the order, and one of the shafts isn't even straight. I called them, and they said the website picture is wrong, and they would try to get a replacement (stepped) shaft sent out as soon as possible to replace the bent one.....Yay me! If I had known before hand, I would have just ordered individual parts with TT shafts, so I am a little pissed off right now. Anyway, the heads look pretty decent, and I'll get a pic up later when I get home. The weather is garbage here in Saskatchewan right now anyway, so no rush to put one together I guess.

[clearwaterms]

Parts finally arrived. Even though the picture on their website illustrates the Pro stepless version of the FST shaft in their kit, they sent me the standard stepped versions. Funny part is, they sent the Pro shaft bands with the order, and one of the shafts isn't even straight. I called them, and they said the website picture is wrong, and they would try to get a replacement (stepped) shaft sent out as soon as possible to replace the bent one.....Yay me! If I had known before hand, I would have just ordered individual parts with TT shafts, so I am a little pissed off right now. Anyway, the heads look pretty decent, and I'll get a pic up later when I get home. The weather is garbage here in Saskatchewan right now anyway, so no rush to put one together I guess.

I have actually pulled my Distance master clubs from my bag and am back to last year irons. I simply hit them alot more consistantly. The Distance master clubs I kept hitting fat. The clubs with the true temper shafts (dynalites) in stiff are MUCH more consistant. I did like the wedges quite a bit. I have a set of older Dynacraft irons with TT lite shafts that I might take apart and use the shafts with the distance master clubs to see if that helps becaue I like the look and lofts of the distance master clubs.

[moparman426]