Trade up??

[Texas solo]

I'm strongly considering a new set of irons. I have a bug up my butt for a set of graphite shafts and oversize heads with a larger sweet spot. I'm currently hitting Callaway X18R's, which I know are a cheap club. (I got the whole set for $150 NIB)

I'm 54 years old with a bad (read crushed) right leg and left shoulder problems. Still, my swing isn't too bad considering.

So here's the questions: 1) What do I have to gain? (yardage, accuracy, etc)

2) What do I have to lose? (yardage, accuracy, etc)

Golf Galaxy is having their "trade up" sale. I can get $100 for the X18R's + $100 ($200 total) against a set of TM Burner's 4-AW with graphite shafts on sale for $599.  That means I'm only spending $400. The TM's are lofted 2* higher across the board so there's some yardage, and the swing speed should pick up some too. I having trouble seeing any potential downside to this deal, but I know that when I want something, my heart tends to rule my head.

The money isn't an issue, but I'm wondering what ya'll think of this upgrade. I have a fitting scheduled for Wednesday.

Thanks for listening.

[mp33]

Hit them and compare them to your current set.  You should be able to tell if there is a distance/accuracy improvement.

[WUTiger]

I'm 60 years old, and switched to regular shafts two years ago (should have switched sooner). Like you, I have physical problems (occasional back trouble and an arthritic right hip), and don't always break 90. X18Rs were a reload of the X18s w/o the borethrough shaft, and are a decent enough club. Callaway got put into the mix about 2008 to complete with the sub/$400 new clubs other companies were making (little additional R&D; cost). They probably have the Uniflex steel shaft, which falls between regular and stiff. Given your leg - and especially your shoulder - problems, graphites would help by being less harsh on your joints and tendons than steel. Graphite dissipates the vibrations better. Vibration is one reason I went with the CG14 wedges - they have a gold gel insert at the back of the clubhead to dampen vibration. Oversized heads and graphite shafts could just what you need on irons. Plus, the Burners have stronger than average lofts. Even if you did lose a few yards, you might make up for it in less joint and tendon pain, and possibly prolong your playing years.

[LankyLefty]

I think this sounds like a great opportunity to trade up. However make sure when you go test everything out you go in with an open mind not nessisarily thinking that the Burners are gonna be the choice.

[TourSpoon]

  WUTiger said:

Originally Posted by WUTiger

Given your leg - and especially your shoulder - problems, graphites would help by being less harsh on your joints and tendons than steel. Graphite dissipates the vibrations better...

...Oversized heads and graphite shafts could just what you need on irons. Plus, the Burners have stronger than average lofts. Even if you did lose a few yards, you might make up for it in less joint and tendon pain, and possibly prolong your playing years.

I was thinking the same thing.

[Peleus]

Feel could be a valid reason to get something different, but as for yardage...it's much cheaper to just have your current set bent more upright.  Kudos for calling out Taylormade and their Burner line...wonderful marketing to be one of the first to bend clubs upright, then let people brag about hitting a 145 yard wedge, not realizing it is more of a 9 iron.

[Texas solo]

  WUTiger said:

Originally Posted by WUTiger

I'm 60 years old, and switched to regular shafts two years ago (should have switched sooner).

They probably have the Uniflex steel shaft, which falls between regular and stiff.

Oversized heads and graphite shafts could just what you need on irons. Plus, the Burners have stronger than average lofts. Even if you did lose a few yards, you might make up for it in less joint and tendon pain, and possibly prolong your playing years.

Yeah, I've come to read about the Uniflex shaft being more reg/stiff, and at my slower swing speed it probably isn't helping any.  I'm not really going after distance, but more comfort and clubs that actually FIT me.

  LankyLefty said:

Originally Posted by LankyLefty

I think this sounds like a great opportunity to trade up. However make sure when you go test everything out you go in with an open mind not nessisarily thinking that the Burners are gonna be the choice.

Very true, and thanks for the reminder.  I realize that the fit is most important, but I'm just hoping that the Graphite Burners will be OK.

One concern is that one golf shop I spoke too said that the Burners can't be bent to adjust lie??????  Anyone know why that would be??

I'll leave that up to the pro who's doing my fitting Wednesday.

Thanks for the replies guys. I'm really getting excited about playing more now that I know I can physically handle it. (the cheap Calli's were an experiment)  I'll let ya'll know how Wednesday       goes.

[WUTiger]

  Texas solo said:

One concern is that one golf shop I spoke too said that the Burners can't be bent to adjust lie??????  Anyone know why that would be??

It has to do with the type of metal used in the heads, and the head design. In the Callaway family, the X20 irons could be bent for lie, but the X22 irons could not. On Callaway Preowned, a question response said bending tends to weaken the X22 hosel, increasing the chances the clubhead would snap. I found an open Yahoo inquiry about bending the TM Burner (2009) irons. Someone responded that if the clubsmith uses a brass hosel cover , this will make the bending safer. Rule of thumb on cast irons is don't go beyond + 2 or -2 degrees on lie angle adjustments. On newer irons, you might find some that were made upright or flatter in lie at the factory. I would go to the source: E-mail or phone TaylorMade directly.

[LankyLefty]

All clubs can be bent. Some shops refuse to work with certain materials as a matter of liability but really all clubs including Woods can be bent if you find the right person for the job.

[MrFreeze]

I agree with the guys that say hit the new clubs and see. I am going through a like transformation. Lower back and knee pain from an accident 6 months ago. I had stiff steel shafts and played nearly everything Haggin Oaks had in the pro shop. I loved the Adams A7OS with graphite shafts. So I went back a couple of generations of the same thing...couldn't afford the new ones... Same with the driver. Loved the Taylormade driver and found a R7 and hit the daylights out of it.

Go hit them. :) It takes me a couple of hours to hit a bucket of 100 balls. I have to stop and stretch/rest several times in a session. But ... I can get around with the regular graphite shafts as opposed to the steel shafts (stiff).

Good luck on your hunt.

[Texas solo]

  WUTiger said:

Originally Posted by WUTiger

Quote:

Originally Posted by Texas solo

One concern is that one golf shop I spoke too said that the Burners can't be bent to adjust lie??????  Anyone know why that would be??

It has to do with the type of metal used in the heads, and the head design. In the Callaway family, the X20 irons could be bent for lie, but the X22 irons could not. On Callaway Preowned, a question response said bending tends to weaken the X22 hosel, increasing the chances the clubhead would snap.

I found an open Yahoo inquiry about bending the TM Burner (2009) irons. Someone responded that if the clubsmith uses a brass hosel cover, this will make the bending safer.

Rule of thumb on cast irons is don't go beyond + 2 or -2 degrees on lie angle adjustments. On newer irons, you might find some that were made upright or flatter in lie at the factory.

I would go to the source: E-mail or phone TaylorMade directly.

Good advice....I phoned TM today. Nice folks.  He said:

09 Burners "can" be bent, but it's very difficult and most folks won't attempt it. 2* max. TM will do it N/C if I send them the clubs & specs.

Burner 1.0  CANNOT be bent!

Burner 2.0 can be bent NO PROBLEM.

There you have it from the horses mouth.  Now I'm in a pickle.  I really can't afford the 2.0 Burners w/graphite ($900)  I can't get the 1.0 bent, and the 09's would require my shipping them to TM at an additional cost.  I haven't found any other graphite clubs in my price range.

So, what are the odds of the standard lie of the 09 or 1.0 sets fitting me?  Is it uncommon for off the shelf lies to be OK for someone? I'm not going to be able to sleep tonight!

[WUTiger]

Quote:

  Texas solo said:

... So, what are the odds of the standard lie of the 09 or 1.0 sets fitting me?  Is it uncommon for off the shelf lies to be OK for someone? I'm not going to be able to sleep tonight!

If you are 5-foot-10 to a little over 6 feet tall, and have average length arms and legs, chances are fairly good you could use off-the-shelf standard lie clubs. Your stance (very upright vs. crouched) influences this also.

To find out for sure, ask the GG clubfitter to do the "tape test." The fitter puts impact tape on the sole of, say, the 5i and 9i. After you hit four shots with each club, the fitter looks at the main scuff mark on the sole tape. Rub down the middle, you have proper lie. Rub to the heel side, you need a flatter lie. Rub to toe side, you need a more upright lie. Years ago fitters used common masking tape, but in the 21st century we have impact tape that's scored with a ruler for fairly precise measurements.

Note: If the desired clubs seem to require just 1* flatter, you might be able to accomplish this by trimming 1/4-inch off the shaft. A clubfitter could tell you the details.