Getting New Clubs

[Hammer 4]

There's nothing to be gained by getting matching clubs. You may find that you are able to hit another brand, whatever it is better than a Taylormade. I think if you look at the signatures of most guy on here, you'll see not all their clubs are the same maker, but there's nothing wrong with having all your clubs from brand X, Y or Z, IF you like them, and hit them well.

[Lilfrier]

That all certainly makes sense, it was just that I read his post as some sort of indictment, like I was doing something unwise, and I wondered why. Considering the lack of skill with my game, the likelihood going forward is that I am going to have to tailor (no pun intended) my swing to the clubs regardless, because I have a lot of work to do on my game regardless. I just figured that the RBZ woods and drivers are a decent price, and they'd match the irons (if I got them). I honestly have been wracking my brain over the irons so much that I haven't really thought too hard about what I should look for in the other clubs.

[Hammer 4]

That all certainly makes sense, it was just that I read his post as some sort of indictment, like I was doing something unwise, and I wondered why. Considering the lack of skill with my game, the likelihood going forward is that I am going to have to tailor (no pun intended) my swing to the clubs regardless, because I have a lot of work to do on my game regardless. I just figured that the RBZ woods and drivers are a decent price, and they'd match the irons (if I got them). I honestly have been wracking my brain over the irons so much that I haven't really thought too hard about what I should look for in the other clubs.

Ya know, not to long ago, people that were just starting to play golf, made due with what they bought used, or was handed down to the via one of their parents, ect. I know my Son, myself, and most of my friends from back in the early 90's played what we could afford, and all of us never got fitted for our first set of clubs, that's not to say that's the way to go about learning the game. But about 85% of those people were over 6'2" and played a standard length club.

Once we got to where we could play half way decent, most of us upgraded out irons, and all that was being done then was a Static fit, i.e. hit off a lie board with a 6i, to get the lie, then the fitter measured your arm length to get the right length shaft, nowadays it's Much better.

The point I'm trying to make is, your clubs don't have to be Perfect imho to get better at golf, some will disagree, and that's fine. just my 3 cents for you to consider.

[Lilfrier]

Yeah, I've been down that route, in a way. As I said, I started at about 12 (with borrowed clubs) and got my first set at 13, for my birthday. I then got a set for my 16th birthday, as an upgrade from the generic ones, got a set of Wilsons. I played with them for one season, then they got stolen, and it's why I never played a round from then until the end of last season (never really had the money to get a new set). Now, I'm graduating college right when I'm having a birthday, and I'd like to do it somewhat right this time. I'd prefer to get a set I'll like and keep for 5 years or so, which is why I'm thinking about things like getting appropriately-sized shafts, worrying about which clubs are good/bad, and the like. I'm hoping I can have a set I like for a long time--if these get stolen, I'm taking it as a sign from God that I'm just not meant to golf, haha.

But like you said, clubs don't have to be perfect. It's why I made mention that I'll most-likely be trying to fit my game to my clubs here, not the other way around. I have to basically re-learn playing, to an extent, and trying to force myself into clubs that fit a bad set of habits isn't something I am going to aim for. I'd rather get clubs that are somewhat forgiving while I screw up, but will get better as I do. I don't want to just pick a set, get playing, then realize that what I'm using doesn't fit how I play. Of course, that's more a driver fear than anything.

[Jakester23]

Lilfrier I wasn't trying to be rude or anything like that. I've pissed away plenty of $$$ buying clubs based on price or name in the last few years. What you should honestly do is decide how much money you have to spend. Then make a decision on what clubs you want to get first. You will be happier being diligent and making good purchases on every club. I started by getting fit for a putter. I cost about $200 but it's the club you hit the most and will probably replace the least. Good luck and keep us up to date with what you decide.

[Lilfrier]

The way I worded that was probably wrong.  I wasn't taking it as rude, more that it seemed as if you were saying something that was accepted as fact that I didn't realize--something to the effect that it's rare that a line of clubs (such as RocketBallz) produces both a good set of irons and a good set of long clubs (driver/wood/hybrid).

I've essentially got in my mind what I'm wanting to spend, and I have extra to work with, if there is a meaningful improvement for a bit more. I'm having a birthday and graduation, and from the jump, my mom said she'd put $300 into the irons. I've got another $500+ of my own money I could theoretically spend, but I'd prefer to keep that more in the $200-300 range out-of-pocket, and I will also be getting money from other relatives for graduation and my birthday. Like I said, I essentially had started by looking at the TaylorMade Burner (Plus and 2.0) iron sets, and then added the RocketBallz into the mix. But it mostly comes down to not knowing enough about the topic at-hand to figure out the benefits/drawbacks of different sets, which are worth buying, and which should be passed over. That's why I posted the topic on here, to get some information and opinions from more-knowledgeable folks than myself.

As it stands now, I think I have officially eliminated the graphite RocketBallz from the running--putting an extra $100 into prettier shafts just isn't a worthwhile endeavor, in my opinion. However, now Golf Discount is running an online special of 10% off of several of their iron sets in my price range. That's basically taken me from looking at 2-3 sets of irons to looking at about 10, haha. I'll probably try to narrow it down a bit then ask about opinions again, once I've got it down to about 5 sets in the mix.

[Jakester23]

2nd swing is another great place to look if your ok with used clubs. They have a lot of iron sets.

[Lilfrier]

Headed there to check out the selection now, thanks.

[Lilfrier]

All right, so what I am doing is going through the offerings from each manufacturer and trying to pick a preferred set from each, then I'll probably compare cross-manufacturer at the end. However, there really aren't great explanations in the descriptions for some of these, so I though I'd ask for a little comparison.

Callaway: What's the difference between the X Hot and the X Hot N14 sets? Both are steel, uniflex shafts on a 4-PW,AW set. The N14 set is $100 cheaper, but the regular X Hot has the added benefit of coming with a +1" shaft. I still have to get fitted, but I am expecting to need some sort of 1/2"-1" extension, so not having to do that after the fact (which would probably cost about $100 for the set) is a plus, in my opinion. I just don't know what the actual differences in design/quality are, because they look identical to me.

Cobra: The AMP Cell caught my eye, initially. However, there is also an S3 Max set. I don't care for the bumblebee color scheme, but I like the thought of not needed to add a 3H/5W to the cost down afterwards (since it comes with it). The Baffler set is also in the running, mostly because it is at a low price point.

TaylorMade: The Burner 2.0 set still looks like a nice choice, though I am considering alternatives as well. I still like the look of the RocketBallz HP . I was also looking at the newer RocketBladez stuff, but I didn't understand how the RocketBladez and RocketBladez HL differed.

I know I'm asking a lot of questions, it's just all confusing to me. I wish they treated golf clubs like software and offered a changelog to newer models...

[dbuck]

Cobra: The AMP Cell caught my eye, initially. However, there is also an S3 Max set. I don't care for the bumblebee color scheme, but I like the thought of not needed to add a 3H/5W to the cost down afterwards (since it comes with it). The Baffler set is also in the running, mostly because it is at a low price point.

TaylorMade: The Burner 2.0 set still looks like a nice choice, though I am considering alternatives as well. I still like the look of the RocketBallz HP. I was also looking at the newer RocketBladez stuff, but I didn't understand how the RocketBladez and RocketBladez HL differed.

I know I'm asking a lot of questions, it's just all confusing to me. I wish they treated golf clubs like software and offered a changelog to newer models...

Yeah it is overwhelming. That is the main reason I suggested you pick up this years copy of Golf Digest with the Hot List, and last years as well--someone you know probably has one--or you might be able to find it online. They have many of the various iron offerings organized by category (player, game improvement, super game improvement) then by manufacturer. It describes some of the differences and has reviews by golfers of different levels. It is helpful to kinda see what direction you are going. Some of the items you are interested in may have also been reviewed on this site by one or more of the members. You can also go to the manufacturers web sites and many will have some information on the target golfer for each product; some have archives of prior years products. Golfsmith as well as some of the other retailers have reviews by customers on the different products as well.

[dbuck]

If I was in your shoes, I probably wouldn't know which way to go, and I look at the stuff all the time, LOL

[Hammer 4]

The problem with relying on reviews is, everyone is different. One person could think brand X is great, while another player might think they stink. I agree, it's a tough situation trying to figure out which clubs are going to be best for you. Sorry I can't help further.

[dbuck]

I know what you mean, I wouldn't rely just on the reviews either, but it is interesting to see what a real person has to say. You have to filter it just like everything else on the internet.

[Hardballs]

I'll make it easy for ya! Steel regular flex shafts, in a matching set of irons, 4 or 5 to gap/A wedge, you'll be fine with either the burner2 or rocketballs, they're both well made, forgiving irons, get a sw separately , either a season old cleveland or vokey, Get a driver (any brand) couple of seasons old, between 10.5* & 12* loft, regular flex and learn how to use it! And a putter! Get two lessons! One a month, give you something to work on! Once you know the distances your hitting with your irons, you can then add hybrids to suit at a later date!

[Lilfrier]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lilfrier

All right, so what I am doing is going through the offerings from each manufacturer and trying to pick a preferred set from each, then I'll probably compare cross-manufacturer at the end. However, there really aren't great explanations in the descriptions for some of these, so I though I'd ask for a little comparison.

Callaway: What's the difference between the X Hot and the X Hot N14 sets? Both are steel, uniflex shafts on a 4-PW,AW set. The N14 set is $100 cheaper, but the regular X Hot has the added benefit of coming with a +1" shaft. I still have to get fitted, but I am expecting to need some sort of 1/2"-1" extension, so not having to do that after the fact (which would probably cost about $100 for the set) is a plus, in my opinion. I just don't know what the actual differences in design/quality are, because they look identical to me.

Cobra: The AMP Cell caught my eye, initially. However, there is also an S3 Max set. I don't care for the bumblebee color scheme, but I like the thought of not needed to add a 3H/5W to the cost down afterwards (since it comes with it). The Baffler set is also in the running, mostly because it is at a low price point.

TaylorMade: The Burner 2.0 set still looks like a nice choice, though I am considering alternatives as well. I still like the look of the RocketBallz HP. I was also looking at the newer RocketBladez stuff, but I didn't understand how the RocketBladez and RocketBladez HL differed.

I know I'm asking a lot of questions, it's just all confusing to me. I wish they treated golf clubs like software and offered a changelog to newer models...

Yeah it is overwhelming. That is the main reason I suggested you pick up this years copy of Golf Digest with the Hot List, and last years as well--someone you know probably has one--or you might be able to find it online. They have many of the various iron offerings organized by category (player, game improvement, super game improvement) then by manufacturer. It describes some of the differences and has reviews by golfers of different levels. It is helpful to kinda see what direction you are going.

Some of the items you are interested in may have also been reviewed on this site by one or more of the members. You can also go to the manufacturers web sites and many will have some information on the target golfer for each product; some have archives of prior years products.

Golfsmith as well as some of the other retailers have reviews by customers on the different products as well.

Yeah, I went and checked the Hot List. Every set I mentioned but the Bafflers and the X Hot N14 sets were on them in their year. In a perfect world, we'd actually have a well-equipped store I could test the irons at (on a proper range, not just the monitors, which I always pegged as more for checking out woods/drivers).

Any idea how golf stores treat Memorial Day? I was looking and saw that there were some decent deals the last couple of years around Memorial Day weekend. It was suggested that I might be able to head to Golf Galaxy and/or Golfsmith that weekend (when they'd hopefully have some decent deals), try some stuff out, and make a purchase then. I just wasn't sure what to expect for deals from them, since it seems like stores have highly-complex exclusion rules for many of their deals. If they typically have solid deals, I'd lean towards waiting that extra 10 days or so.

I'll make it easy for ya! Steel regular flex shafts, in a matching set of irons, 4 or 5 to gap/A wedge, you'll be fine with either the burner2 or rocketballs, they're both well made, forgiving irons,

get a sw separately , either a season old cleveland or vokey,

Get a driver (any brand) couple of seasons old, between 10.5* & 12* loft, regular flex and learn how to use it!

And a putter!

Get two lessons! One a month, give you something to work on!

Once you know the distances your hitting with your irons, you can then add hybrids to suit at a later date!

All of that's nice, I appreciate it. It at least gives me the confidence in shaft selection, if nothing else. That ,and I intend to get a SW, hadn't considered who to look at, so those are names I'll certainly keep an eye on when I get to that portion of my shopping. The putter will be the last thing I pick, because I'm partial to the mallet style, but I didn't find any I liked my first go-'round.

As for the specifics on clubs to get, I'm not sure yet. I don't intend to get a driver just because I'm not too good with it, so I would rather grab a 3W as my big club for the time being. I then will probably still want to get a 3H (I intend to go 4-PW on the irons, minimum), and I can use that in place of a 5W. Waiting on the 3H would be a possibility. The iron model's the real toss-up for me. I went into it wanting the Burner 2.0 or Burner Plus set, then I started to like the RocketBallz a bit. Now, the fact that the X Hot set comes with longer shafts is something I like, and might consider as worth the extra money (which I would have to spend on the standard-length clubs, most-likely).

Thanks for all the input, everyone. I'm probably going to narrow it down to 2 or 3 sets over the next couple of days, then either order them from Golf Discount (since they're all eligible for 10% off online) or check which are at Golf Galaxy/Golfsmith, in case I opt to go to St. Louis next weekend.

[vangator]

I agree with Hardballs. Do not get graphite in your irons. Too expensive and too much torque. You need accuracy with irons, so you want the least torque in your irons as possible. Regular flex sounds right too. I have stiff, but I have a fast swing. Also, do not get blades. Get the most forgiving irons you can get.

[Lilfrier]

So I've finally gone and purchased some irons today. I got the Mizuno JPX-EX set, with 3H-PW clubs. I got them ordered from Mizuno at Golfsmith, and they're going to have the +1" shafts, with the hybrid having an Orochi black shaft and the rest having steel. The onyl concern I have on that front is that another store in-town (which closed before I got home) might have had them for less, so I am going to head over there tomorrow and check on that.

Otherwise, I now have to figure out my last 3 clubs. I want to get a wood to take off the tee, a second wedge, and a putter. The guy who helped me with the irons suggested a Callaway X2 Hot, either a 3 Deep or a 2 Deep, I was wondering if anyone had any experience with the X2 Hot fairway woods, to offer an opinion on their quality. That, or maybe a suggestion about an alternative wood for me to have as my driving club. The iron can wait a bit, as can the putter, I just want to try to sort the wood out soon. The irons are supposed to show up in 2 weeks or so (the estimated delivery date is 6/9), and I'd like to have the wood ready to go as well.

[Dave40]

If you will be using the 3 wood off the tee a lot, you might look for one with a tall face rather than a low profile one.