Jump to content
IGNORED

$800 or less - what do you buy?


Note: This thread is 3610 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

Recommended Posts

Hey guys, I started playing golf 9 months ago and have decided to upgrade my clubs. I am currently using a mix match of clubs that were either purchased used from a local golf store or from a buddy. Note, I was not fit for these clubs and am currently a 12.7 handicap.

Current setup:

Taylormade burner - 10.5 degree loft, regular flex

taylormade rbz 5 wood - stiff flex - WILL NOT BE REPLACING THIS CLUB

taylormade burner 7 wood - stiff flex

ping i3 irons 4-SW

My driver swing speed is generally in the high 90-low 100 range. Average drives are usually around 260, occasionally get one out there 280, 290, 300 but those are rare.

I intend to purchase last years model or older and would like to replace everything but my putter and 5 wood. If you had this budget, what irons, driver, 3 wood, hybrid or 7 wood and wedges would you get?

My current ideas:

Irons - Cobra amp cell or taylormade rbz - stiff flex, graphite shafts

taylormade rbz 3 wood - stiff flex (I love the 5 wood and am probably going to get this club no matter what)

wedges - cleveland 588 or vokey 56 degree + gap wedge if iron set doesn't include it. Would you suggest replacing the iron sets pitching wedge with another pitching wedge?

driver - Completely unsure, nike covert stiff? Taylormade RBZ? Cobra amp? Open for suggestions here.

hybrid/7 wood - entirely open for suggestions here as well. I just want a club to fill the gap between my 5 wood and 4 iron.

Other things to note: I live in Texas. I generally play a draw with my irons and fairway woods. WIth my driver I play a slight draw to slight fade on good days that turns into a large fade or a slice on bad shots.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Howdy, fellow Texan! lol, I really enjoy my Callaway X Hot irons. You can get those pretty "cheap" 4-AW stiff flex I got them for $417 but it was before the X Hot 2 was released. For the driver, just get whatever you like (adjustables are heavier head than say RBZ). I prefer the Callaway X Hot driver 9.5* Stiff. I have a Taylormade RBz2 3 wood and absolutely love it. I can hit it as far as my driver some times. I use it 75% of the time! I personally dislike Nike drivers, or woods but I like their hybrids and irons. The Cleveland 588 wedges are awesome. Side question- is your hcp really 12.7 after just starting to play 9 months ago? If so, that's extremely impressive. If you are really that good, you might want to look at a "better player" set of irons such as the Mizuno JPX-825 or PING i20's. They are meant for the low-mid handicapers. Another personal opinion- Cobra is junk and too colorful. Again, just my opinion. Also, I would assume your 5 wood should be hitting around 200-220 at your swing speed. A 4 iron should get 200. Here are my distances and equipment along with the prices. I buy all my clubs used but lightly, lightly used through certified sellers. (Except for the irons and putter. Those were brand new)

Driver swing speed: 107 avg mph


Driver 9.5*: 275+                       $104

3 Wood 15*: 250-275                $87

3 hybrid 21*: 200-220                $50

4i: 200-210                       iron set $417

5:190-200

6i: 170-180

7i: 160-170

8i: 150-160

9i: 140-150

PW: 130-140

AW: 100-120

SW (Taylormade ATV 56*): chip-80      $57

Putter: Odyssey Metal-X 2 ball           $185

-----------

$715 w/o putter.

I don't ever seem to be in a position to need a 5 wood to fill that 220-250 gap. Just never seems to be an issue. For me, I don't understand a 5w or 7w. The 7 wood is typically 24* which is 1* weaker than my 5 iron. I just hit the 5 iron... It's already one of my favorite clubs in my bag... I guess if people have a hard time hitting a low iron? I find hitting a wood off the deck is difficult in comparison to an iron. Hope this helps!

Dylan

Twitter: @d_brock504

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Yea, my handicap is really a 12.7 after 9 months of playing. But, I am a senior in college and have probably spent more time playing/practicing than most people do in their first 2-3 years. I'm hoping to get into single digits by the year marker but that may or may not happen, it is definitely getting harder to improve! Interestingly enough, my 5 wood fits that range perfectly but my irons are typically a bit shorter than your suggestion for a 4 iron. ***Just looked up lofts for x-hot irons vs my ping i3s - looks like there is approximately a 4 degree difference between them. Ex: My 7 iron has the same loft as your 8 iron. Might account for some of the difference? Or maybe I don't swing an iron quite as hard as I could based on my driver swing speed?


Distances:

Driver - approx 260

5 wood - 210-220

4i - avg 180

5i - 170

6i - 160

7i - 150

8i - 140

9i - 130

PW - 115

GW - 105

SW - 95

What is the difference between a "better player" set of irons and x-hot or rbzs? Also, I think you have a bit of a misunderstanding with a 7 wood versus a 5 iron. My understanding is the 7 wood goes around the distance that a 3 iron would.

So far 2 recommendations for the 588 wedges, any suggestions on the amount of bounce I should be looking for in Texas? I typically take fairly large divots if that matters.

Just looked at the covert 2.0 as well but it is probably a bit out of my price range unless I skimp somewhere else in my set :/.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


First - spend about $100 of that money and get a fitting. Find some place that has a Trackman launch monitor and a grass range to hit from (even if you have to drive 30 miles). Believe me, it will be worth it. It is amazing what that thing can tell you regarding how small changes in the shaft flex, swing weight, lie angle etc... will affect the golf ball. Write down all the specs and then you can go shopping with confidence.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


What shafts are in your current Ping Irons?

And i think in your current setup you have a huge gap between 4I and 5wd. you could choose a 7wd

but i think a hybrid is a better option more, constant.

There are a lot off good wedges out there, i play TM ATV wedges ( 52 /58 )  but ordered new ones because these hardly have grooves round the impact zone. Went with the Mizuno MP-R12. But well Cleveland is well known for their wedges so you will do good there. For playing on try grounds i think you should go for a lower bounce on the wedges, because well you don't want to dig in to much.

Why do you want graphite shafts in your irons?? Your swing speed can easily handle steel shafts? ( cheaper also ) but you should get fitted for irons.

And if you want to look at single hdc. I think you should look at a more players club than the TM RBZ (driving irons). As a mizuno lover i think you should try the JPX EZ forged, or 825 Pro, MP 54. Titleist AP2, TM Tour preferred CB or MC. You will feel a totally different iron. Todays clubs all have stronger lofts than your older I3's.

What is the reason you don't want to change the putter? is it a good one, or you don't care? ( remember that this is the club you use most in a round )

I'm trying to let you think about what will be good for you. Wedges think about your lofts if you replace irons i should keep the same PW, but look at the lofts  for your gap wedge and sand wedge. i've got a 6 degree gap between my wedges, this works great for me.

Dirver: Mizuno JPX 825 9,5 Fujikura Orochi Red Eye Stiff 65 g.
3 wood: Mizuno JPX 825 14 Fujikura Orochi Red Eye Stiff 75 g.
Hybrid: Mizuno JPX 825 18 Fujikura Orochi Red Eye Stiff 85 g. 
Irons: Mizuno MP 59 3 / PW KBS Tour stiff shaft ( Golf Pride Niion )
Wedges: Taylormade ATV Wedges 52 and 58 ( Golf Pride Niion )
putter: Taylormade ghost series 770 35 inch ( Super Stroke slim 3.0 )
Balls: Taylormade TP 5

Link to comment
Share on other sites


By the looks of your setup you should probably be hitting a driver with a stiff shaft. I just got a bombtech grenade and I'd put it up against any driver on the market. As far as irons go I feel like there's not really a bad iron out there. Its more what looks good and sounds good (which is what we call feel) to you. As far as a hybrid go hit the Callaway X 2 Hot hybrid I hit every hybrid golfsmith had and the Callaway was far and away my favorite. I know that they are expensive but it's something you probably won't be replacing very often. I've been upgrading my set for a few years slowly. I kinda changed in order of what was the oldest. Have fun and let us know what you end up going with.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

Get fitted by a good fitter. shafts load different for each brand, model, flex. Get fitted, and find out which combination works best for you. Example, a mid 60 gram driver shaft in stiff might perform good, but you also might benefit more from a mid 70 gram shaft in just regular flex.

Matt Dougherty, P.E.
 fasdfa dfdsaf 

What's in My Bag
Driver; :pxg: 0311 Gen 5,  3-Wood: 
:titleist: 917h3 ,  Hybrid:  :titleist: 915 2-Hybrid,  Irons: Sub 70 TAIII Fordged
Wedges: :edel: (52, 56, 60),  Putter: :edel:,  Ball: :snell: MTB,  Shoe: :true_linkswear:,  Rangfinder: :leupold:
Bag: :ping:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

Yea, my handicap is really a 12.7 after 9 months of playing. But, I am a senior in college and have probably spent more time playing/practicing than most people do in their first 2-3 years. I'm hoping to get into single digits by the year marker but that may or may not happen, it is definitely getting harder to improve! Interestingly enough, my 5 wood fits that range perfectly but my irons are typically a bit shorter than your suggestion for a 4 iron. ***Just looked up lofts for x-hot irons vs my ping i3s - looks like there is approximately a 4 degree difference between them. Ex: My 7 iron has the same loft as your 8 iron. Might account for some of the difference? Or maybe I don't swing an iron quite as hard as I could based on my driver swing speed?

Distances:

Driver - approx 260

5 wood - 210-220

4i - avg 180

5i - 170

6i - 160

7i - 150

8i - 140

9i - 130

PW - 115

GW - 105

SW - 95

What is the difference between a "better player" set of irons and x-hot or rbzs? Also, I think you have a bit of a misunderstanding with a 7 wood versus a 5 iron. My understanding is the 7 wood goes around the distance that a 3 iron would.

So far 2 recommendations for the 588 wedges, any suggestions on the amount of bounce I should be looking for in Texas? I typically take fairly large divots if that matters.

Just looked at the covert 2.0 as well but it is probably a bit out of my price range unless I skimp somewhere else in my set :/.


First of all fella, I went to Golfsmith and didn't pay a dime to be fit, so you shouldn't either (it's typically $50 but I weaseled out of it). Hey, we're college students... Second of all, the difference in the "better player" irons would be the amount of game improvement technology that goes into the club (larger sole, "sharpness" of the sole, loft, offset, length, etc.). Someone who is better ball striker would enjoy say the i20 or JPX-825 as I have mentioned vs Cobra Amp Cell or Adams idea V3. And I don't care if you have spent a lot of time practicing or not, that's extremely impressive. Most people NEVER get below 20. I am also a senior in college and practice a lot and play 1-2 times a week and my hcp is 20.4. So be proud of that. About the bounce of those 588 wedges, if you want to take a good divot, you want less bounce. I recommend 8* bounce for you if that's what you want. You aren't going to get what you want in a 56* 14* bounce club. It's going to, you guessed it, bounce too much for you. GENERALLY what people do is a 52* wedge with an 8* bounce, 56* wedge with a 10* bounce and a 60* wedge with a 14* bounce. That doesn't mean that's what you should do. I don't have a 52 or a 60. My 56 does it all! Also, I have hit the 7 wood on a simulator and I can reach the same distance with a 5 iron.

Side question- where do you go to school? I am at Texas State University.

Dylan

Twitter: @d_brock504

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Quote:
Originally Posted by Jakester23 View Post

By the looks of your setup you should probably be hitting a driver with a stiff shaft.

I would definitely agree.

Quote:
Why do you want graphite shafts in your irons?? Your swing speed can easily handle steel shafts? ( cheaper also ) but you should get fitted for irons.

I currently have a steel stiff shaft in my i3s (unsure of the specific shaft other than that). My primary reason for wanting graphite shafts is that they are lighter and I would probably gain a few mph in swing speed (I'm definitely not particularly strong for my age so figured this was an easy way to gain a small boost in iron swing speed). But, I could be talked into steel.

Quote:
What is the reason you don't want to change the putter? is it a good one, or you don't care?

I'm not super concerned with changing my putter as I am able to get the ball to come off consistently and don't think that upgrading it would make much of a difference. Any inconsistencies I get putting seem to stem from issues on my end, not from my putter.

Quote:
Get fitted by a good fitter. shafts load different for each brand, model, flex. Get fitted, and find out which combination works best for you.

I will go ahead and see what is available in the area. If anyone has any suggestions on locations in central Texas I'd love to hear them.

Quote:
I think you should look at a more players club than the TM RBZ (driving irons). As a mizuno lover i think you should try the JPX EZ forged, or 825 Pro, MP 54. Titleist AP2, TM Tour preferred CB or MC. You will feel a totally different iron.

Could you elaborate on the benefits of a players club? I don't know much about them and didn't know I was good enough to consider them an option but will look at them as well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


First of all fella, I went to Golfsmith and didn't pay a dime to be fit, so you shouldn't either (it's typically $50 but I weaseled out of it). Hey, we're college students... Second of all, the difference in the "better player" irons would be the amount of game improvement technology that goes into the club (larger sole, "sharpness" of the sole, loft, offset, length, etc.). Someone who is better ball striker would enjoy say the i20 or JPX-825 as I have mentioned vs Cobra Amp Cell or Adams idea V3. And I don't care if you have spent a lot of time practicing or not, that's extremely impressive. Most people NEVER get below 20. I am also a senior in college and practice a lot and play 1-2 times a week and my hcp is 20.4. So be proud of that. About the bounce of those 588 wedges, if you want to take a good divot, you want less bounce. I recommend 8* bounce for you if that's what you want. You aren't going to get what you want in a 56* 14* bounce club. It's going to, you guessed it, bounce too much for you. GENERALLY what people do is a 52* wedge with an 8* bounce, 56* wedge with a 10* bounce and a 60* wedge with a 14* bounce. That doesn't mean that's what you should do. I don't have a 52 or a 60. My 56 does it all! Also, I have hit the 7 wood on a simulator and I can reach the same distance with a 5 iron.

Side question- where do you go to school? I am at Texas State University.

I go to UT Austin. If you are in Austin at any point this summer or want to meet somewhere in between and play a round just shoot me a PM! Thanks for the compliments, I appreciate it!

Link to comment
Share on other sites


CORRECTION***(I read your reply incorrectly)---- About the bounce of those 588 wedges, if you want to take a good divot, you want less bounce. Low bounce is considered 0-8*, medium bounce is 10-14*, high bounce 16*+. I recommend 12* bounce for you to avoid chunking the heck out of the ba ll. You aren't going to get what you want in a 56* 6* bounce club because it's going to make that large divot you take even larger. Want to know how I solved the bounce issue? I got a club with no specified bounce, the Taylormade ATV. Its bounce is determined by how you hold the club (open face, closed face etc.) I absolutely love this wedge. It has completely transformed my chipping/pitching game

WARNING- The Taylormade RBZ and RBZ stage 2 irons have a technology in them that allows even mishits to go the distance. I don't want that. I want a good hit to go at my distance and a bad hit to be a bad hit so that I can feel what went wrong and correct it. The distances of the RBZ irons are super inconsistent because of this. I would stay away. I hit the RBZ2 on a simulator for 30 minutes until I figured this out with the golf pro.

Dylan

Twitter: @d_brock504

Link to comment
Share on other sites


I currently have a steel stiff shaft in my i3s (unsure of the specific shaft other than that). My primary reason for wanting graphite shafts is that they are lighter and I would probably gain a few mph in swing speed (I'm definitely not particularly strong for my age so figured this was an easy way to gain a small boost in iron swing speed). But, I could be talked into steel.

I will go ahead and see what is available in the area. If anyone has any suggestions on locations in central Texas I'd love to hear them.

Could you elaborate on the benefits of a players club? I don't know much about them and didn't know I was good enough to consider them an option but will look at them as well.

First area- you need steel my man. Graphite is meant for what you described, BUT for older players who really have trouble getting that extra swing speed. You want the durability and workability of steel. I went from graphite to steel and it has been a change I won't make the other way ever again.

Second area- since I know exactly where you are, go to Golfsmith in North Austin off of 183. It's not far. Talk to Ryan I believe his name is. Good dude. Have him fit you.

I would definitely be down to play together sometime. I will be here for summer classes as well, so anytime bud.

Dylan

Twitter: @d_brock504

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Originally Posted by smaug81243

Could you elaborate on the benefits of a players club? I don't know much about them and didn't know I was good enough to consider them an option but will look at them as well.

It really is something that could be better explained with research. Just look up the difference between game improvement irons and players irons. The Titleist AP2 are by far the best, but they are +$1000. I absolutely loved the Mizuno's. Unbelievable irons. But also very expensive. Welcome to golf...

Dylan

Twitter: @d_brock504

Link to comment
Share on other sites


If you already have a draw, don't get irons with more offset than what you are using.

Also being from Texas, irons that tend to dig will probably not be a good choice.  You can break a shaft or your wrist trying to take a divot in fairways with sun-baked clay soil.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


After getting fit at golfsmith and hitting a variety of clubs here is what I decided to order and fit into my $800 budget.

Driver (229.99) - Nike covert 2.0 tour (squeezed the budget for this one because I ended up really liking it)

3 wood (79.99) - taylormade rbz stage 2

5 wood - Kept current rbz

nike covert tour 3H (84.99)

Cobra AMP cell 4-PW, AW (339.99)

Cleveland 5888 RTX black 54 degree wedge (109.99)

Kept current putter

Including a couple additional headcovers the total was $784.16.

All clubs have stock stiff shafts.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Note: This thread is 3610 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now


×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Welcome to TST! Signing up is free, and you'll see fewer ads and can talk with fellow golf enthusiasts! By using TST, you agree to our Terms of Use, our Privacy Policy, and our Guidelines.

The popup will be closed in 10 seconds...