This bag of clubs will do to start with?

[Joe85]

I have, to all intents and purposes, just started playing golf. I went out occasionally as a student some 20 odd years ago, with a set of Lynx irons that I used very unsucesfully to try and belt the daylights out of the ball every time ?

Now my kids are all old enough to go to school I've been going out with some friends from work. With a couple of clubs from them, I now have the following:-

10° titanium driver, which is fairly old, 360cc and the brand is Dr Feel.

15° Ping G20 3 wood

18° Cleveland 588 5 wood

22° unknown brand '5' wood - old but with graphite shaft

26° 7 wood, as above

Lynx cavity back irons 5-SW (left the 3 and 4 in the garage, they're too hard to hit)

MD Golf 52° wedge

Rife blade putter

Apart from the driver, I can hit them all quite well, ball in the air, usually straight. Distance isn't great but I'm trying to concentrate on swinging easy/smoothly to start with. The driver is 50/50 straight/slice, so I use the 3 off the tee quite a bit.

I'm getting round in the low 90s so I think that's OK after a couple of months. I aim for a bogey, get a few doubles, and a par or two.

Anyway, I'm digressing...all my mates have these hybrid clubs, but from what I can see, the clubs I've already got seem to cover the range of lofts that I might need.  But to be honest, I'm not 100% sure I really understand the comparison of fairway woods, hybrids and longer irons.  If I stick at golf then I imagine in a couple of years I might feel justified in splashing out on a set of modern irons, and maybe driver/woods too.  I guess what I'm asking just now is, will this bag of clubs do for me at the moment?

Cheers.

Edited October 30, 2016 by Joe85

[70sSanO]

If you like the G20 3 wood, ditch the Dr Feel and get a G20 driver. Ping G20's are good clubs.

Not sure where the MD wedge fits in with a 5-SW set.

If the Lynx clubs are old enough (80's) they are probably decent.  If you are hitting them well and do not have any distance gaps keep playing them.  If you continue playing you will probably upgrade.

John

[chilepepper]

If find , for me, that my hybrids are more reliable than fairway woods (3w in particular) and more forgiving than my 3 or 4 iron. At some point you may want to look at you wedge gaps, if any exist. A newer driver might be something to consider too. 

[MrGolfguy67]

First off, low 90s after just a few months is great, much better than OK.

Long irons have always been hard to hit, thus the development of hybrids. Your set doesn't look all that bad but my advice to you in order to get the maximum out of your game now at minimal expense would be to get a used driver that was new in the 2011 - 2014 time frame from one of the top companies like Taylormade or Ping etc. It would likely be 460cc and still be a high quality modern driver that would be easier to hit and improve that part of your game. Possibly also replace the unknown brand 5wd with a hybrid of similar loft. Good luck.

[Joe85]

Thanks for the tips. The PW in my set is 48° and the SW is 56°, so I figured the 52° wedge would sit between them.

I used the 'old' 22° 5 wood today, just for one shot off the fairway, and the ball shot off like a rocket, dead straight.  So I think that club is fundamentally OK, but point taken about perhaps swapping it for a hybrid.

The one thing I did do after reading about it on here was regrip all the clubs. I went with Lamkin RAL 3rd Gen, but the midsize ones, which has really helped the clubs feel comfy in my hands, and let's me grip them less tightly.

I'll look out for a driver as suggested.  One problem I have is the nearest range is 2 hours away, and I'm wary of trying to get to grips with the driver during an actual round, when I don't want to be losing balls here there and everywhere, or ruining my score!

Edited October 31, 2016 by Joe85

[DaveP043]

2 hours ago, Joe85 said:

I used the 'old' 22° 5 wood today, just for one shot off the fairway, and the ball shot off like a rocket, dead straight.  So I think that club is fundamentally OK, but point taken about perhaps swapping it for a hybrid.

The one thing I did do after reading about it on here was regrip all the clubs. I went with Lamkin RAL 3rd Gen, but the midsize ones, which has really helped the clubs feel comfy in my hands, and let's me grip them less tightly.

It sounds as if you're making good progress in a short time, congratulations!  I know you mentioned the hybrids, and they're certainly more "fashionable" these days than higher-lofted woods.  Both types of clubs were developed as a substitute for the longer irons, 2 3 and 4, or even 5 irons, but the lofted woods came earlier, with the development of hybrids more recent.  As with most things, the more recent developments are often touted as better, but that's not necessarily true in this case.  If you hit your 5- and 7-wood straight and solid, and you don't have any big gaps in distance with your set as it is right now. I don't see much reason to change to a hybrid.  You may find out as you play more that a hybrid or two make better sense, but there's no need to buy new clubs right away.

[Joe85]

Thanks Dave

[Joe85]

Picked up a G20 driver today, from a playing partner.  Looking forward to taking it out on Friday!

[WUTiger]

On 10/31/2016 at 2:15 PM, DaveP043 said:

 If you hit your 5- and 7-wood straight and solid, and you don't have any big gaps in distance with your set as it is right now. I don't see much reason to change to a hybrid.

I have used a 4W + 7W for four seasons now, and they work quite well. I also have a 4 Hybrid, but you probably don't need one right now.

When you're getting back into golf, 11 clubs or so will do it. You'll figure out the others you need as you advance.

[MrGolfguy67]

On ‎11‎/‎2‎/‎2016 at 5:03 PM, Joe85 said:

Picked up a G20 driver today, from a playing partner.  Looking forward to taking it out on Friday!

I hope you pound it 'far & sure'. Best of luck to you.

 

[dbuck]

Everything Dave said.

Leave the old driver at home. If the new G20 works out, keep it in. If not, leave it out a while and try again later, using it at range sessions in between then and now.

[RussUK]

Nothing wrong with most of that back at all. I use a Ping G5 driver, Dunlop NZ9 5 wood John Letters TR47 anf Taylormade burner 08 hybrid andthey are fine.

I have been hitting my Di9's too high and turns out the shaft and head are too light for my swing so spent £40 on some barely used Hippo Beast Bi Metal irons for a laugh.

As some one said on another thread "its not the arrow its the native american that counts (i changed that last bit to stay politically correct)"

[Joe85]

Cheers. Played 9 holes today and got 45 (11 over par for that course). The G20 feels nice, I could hit it straight when I didn't try to wallop it.  Not great distance but that's something to worry about in the future I think. A fair slice when I tried to whack it hard , which I wasn't doing on purpose, but you know, it just happens sometimes :)

[onthehunt526]

You can probably get away with less than that.. No need for a full bag of clubs as a beginner. Hell, there are times I wish I played with less.

I second the thought of a G20 driver...I'm not a PING guy at all but I've heard good things about their equipment. 

You can probably get away with G20 D and 3w, the 588 5w, your Lynx irons, the 52° wedge and your putter. 

[Joe85]

So today, two of my mates from work, both very experienced golfers who have played with lots of different clubs, and who I have been going out golfing with, played at another club today.  The pro shop there were selling a set of Calloway X16 irons, 3-SW.  They said the heads were in very good condition, and they had brand new Dynamic Gold R300 shafts fitted, with brand new Golf Pride MCC grips, so they bought them for me to try, knowing that they can go on eBay if they're no good for me. The price - £70 (about 90 USD).  Apparently that is an absolute bargain.  What do you reckon, how might I find these compared to my Lynx Oversize (which are these ones http://picclick.ca/Lynx-Oversize-iron-set-steel-shaft-Reg-flex-252577279079.html ) ?

[Lagavulin62]

I can't really answer your question because I don't know the quality of the Lynx. You can't really go by brand because they all make many amateur sets and most have one or two pro line type clubs.  If you like the feel of the Lynx I would stick with them. I did google those callaways and they are the perimeter weighted clubs, meaning the weight is supposed to be displaced throughout a wider section of the club face and supposedly easier to hit. Thats up for you to decide. It might not matter much on the short irons for now but the problem with longer irons is that the weight and feel just doesn't seem right on those perimiter weighted clubs. 

I notice you are hitting the fairway woods well and I agree with Dave to stick with those and don't worry about the Driver for now.  Tee off with the 3 wood and continue using the 4-5 wood for the fairway. The fact that you can hit those well is very good news for a new golfer. You are making great progress. Also if you can hit a fairway wood straight you can also learn to hit your middle and long irons, assuming you find quality clubs, because even with a good swing you won't maximize your potential on middle and long irons with sup par clubs. I suspect the weight of those older fairway woods feels good and its helping with your ball contact. Once you straighten your swing you can find irons that have a similar feel in the mid and long irons and that will make a huge difference. Next time you are in the pro shop pull out a 3 iron from a quality traditional set and compare it to the 3 iron of any cavity back/improvement set. You might be amazed at the difference and you won't even have to swing the club. 

But for now work with what you have and don't worry so much about that gap in the long game. 

 

[augustgolf]

The Callaway X-16's are a pretty good set, but the R-300 shaft, being a "regular" flex, may (or may not) be beneficial for you.

My advice....for that price, I'd get 'em, because you'll lose no value in them if they aren't for you, and if they work as good or better than the Lynx you currently have, you could probably let the Lynx go for a small amount.

However....as many might advise you, if you get rid of that "first" set....chances are, down the road, you'll want to get them back.

For the money you are talking here...get the Callaways, and go from there.

You'll probably not need to upgrade again for a while, until you feel that the stiff shafts might benefit you more, and like I said....the Callaway irons will be a good value to the next person, and you won't lose much (if any) should you upgrade within a year.

Good luck!

 

Just my "newbie" advice

[Joe85]

Cheers,

I played with the Callaways today.  The offset feels a bit weird (the Lynx irons don't have much, if any) - think I was closing the club face a bit and getting a wee slice - but they certainly launch the ball up I never the air nicely.

I will give them another few rounds before I decide. For what I'd get for them, I don't think I will get rid of the Lynx irons anyway.  I find the grips on the Callaways to narrow, and if I keep them may swap them for the midsize Lamkin RAL grips I put on the Lynx clubs, as I find them very comfortable.