Which clubs to choose?

[Sage]

Hi there. I'm just getting back into playing. Not the best swinger. I've been playing with an old set of blades handed down from family members about 10 years ago. Is the pgf mkIv package any good? Open to suggestions.

thanks.

 

sage

[RickPro]

8 hours ago, Sage said:

Hi there. I'm just getting back into playing. Not the best swinger. I've been playing with an old set of blades handed down from family members about 10 years ago. Is the pgf mkIv package any good? Open to suggestions.

thanks.

 

sage

blades are the best way to learn if you really want to get good. You will play absolutely horrible at first, but you will learn so much from the feedback from stinging hands what not to do anymore. In the long run it is the best way to learn.

If you want to get good really fast I recommend a (SGI) super game improvement club. This is a bandaid because you won't get the proper feedback for proper ball striking. the SGI will make horrible shots not so bad. unfortunately you won't get the feedback like you would a blade and you have a huge sweet spot to hit from. if you are just going to play once in a while, get SGI clubs. 

All the stuff now is a lot easier to hit in comparison to the technology 10 years ago.

[WUTiger]

On 9/9/2017 at 8:33 PM, Sage said:

Is the pgf mkIv package any good?

Welcome to TST! This is a good place to come for those making the next big step in golf. 

First of all, can you explain what the above blue-lettered phrase means? I'm not familiar with the terms.

Do you have a golf instructor* you are working with? An instructor could look at your swing and give you some advice on what type of clubs to get. A golf pro I worked with once told me, "Get the clubs you need for the swing you have today, not the one you hope to have next year." So, probably want to stay away from blades. Lots of tour pros play non-blade irons to benefit from new technology.

Since you have some experience in the game, consider getting a basic static fitting on any clubs you seem to like. You would be checked for such things as clubhead speed (initial flex selection), lie angle (how flat or upright the club comes into the ball at impact), shaft length and grip thickness. (Best lie angle and shaft length will be influenced by your address posture, and your height).

Also, find a good golf shop. The better shops often have decent used clubs they got as trade-ins, so they want to resell them to get their $$ back. Reps at a good shop will help you select the right clubs for your swing and body dimensions.

----------------------------

Once you get going with new clubs, consider posting a video clip of your swing in our Member Swings forum. Check the link for how-to details.

Edited September 12, 2017 by WUTiger
Clarification on fitting.

[Vinsk]

On 9/10/2017 at 6:30 AM, RickPro said:

blades are the best way to learn if you really want to get good. You will play absolutely horrible at first, but you will learn so much from the feedback from stinging hands what not to do anymore. In the long run it is the best way to learn.

If you want to get good really fast I recommend a (SGI) super game improvement club. This is a bandaid because you won't get the proper feedback for proper ball striking. the SGI will make horrible shots not so bad. unfortunately you won't get the feedback like you would a blade and you have a huge sweet spot to hit from. if you are just going to play once in a while, get SGI clubs. 

All the stuff now is a lot easier to hit in comparison to the technology 10 years ago.

I don't think the statistics show that. Do they ?

[StefanUrkel]

If you can play to a 10 handicap with blades, then you could be close to a scratch with game improvement rockets. 

[IrishAndy]

On ‎9‎/‎12‎/‎2017 at 7:23 PM, StefanUrkel said:

If you can play to a 10 handicap with blades, then you could be close to a scratch with game improvement rockets. 

Hmmm... Interesting.  Not 100% sure there.  I did an experiment a number of years back where I bought high-tech game improvement clubs and swung them for a week alongside my blades.  I got no love out of them and returned them.

Not that they played badly, but I had very good distance control with my blades at that time (e.g. a PW was 110 on a full swing, a few yards, either way, but no more than that).  With the delofted titanium-faced rockets I could hit a fairly flush shot and not really see a consistent distance outcome, which bugged me more than anything else.  I'm sure good enough players can make any club perform for them, though...

[Midpack]

Tough call for me too. I've never had anything but forged blades or forged cavity backs, the feel of cast GI clubs isn't very satisfying to me, but I've never owned cast GI clubs so maybe I haven't given them a fair chance. At a 15 HI with less consistent center hits (poorer vision?) and a little slower swing I should probably be playing GI/SGI irons but I'd hate to give up the great feel of a forged club, and I want some mishit feedback. So I think I want a forged iron with some forgiveness. My iron short list is Mizuno JPX900 Forged or Hot Metal and TItleist 718 AP1 or AP2. Hope to get fitted in the off season, hopefully I can find a good fitter (I know there are some better than others).

Edited September 14, 2017 by Midpack

[Lihu]

On 9/10/2017 at 3:30 AM, RickPro said:

blades are the best way to learn if you really want to get good. You will play absolutely horrible at first, but you will learn so much from the feedback from stinging hands what not to do anymore. In the long run it is the best way to learn.

If you want to get good really fast I recommend a (SGI) super game improvement club. This is a bandaid because you won't get the proper feedback for proper ball striking. the SGI will make horrible shots not so bad. unfortunately you won't get the feedback like you would a blade and you have a huge sweet spot to hit from. if you are just going to play once in a while, get SGI clubs. 

All the stuff now is a lot easier to hit in comparison to the technology 10 years ago.

Don't over promise stuff. . .it would be more accurate to say play golf rather than piddle balls all over the course or something to that effect.

 

On 9/12/2017 at 4:23 PM, StefanUrkel said:

If you can play to a 10 handicap with blades, then you could be close to a scratch with game improvement rockets. 

Not likely. . .

[MarvChamp]

Love the never-ending debate about blades v. GI clubs! I learned to play with MacGregor Tourney MT forged blades. I remember good shots and bad shots. I look at pictures of them now and I'm amazed anyone could hit with them. Later, I shot my lowest scores ever using Cleveland TA-5's, a cast cavity-back perimeter-weighted club.

I now have a set of Mizuno MX-200 forged cavity backs; and GI/SGI Mizuno MX-100s and my current playing set, JPX-800 HDs. The latter are cast. Some categorize the MX-200 irons as GI though Maltby does not. They are more compact, though, and a bit more difficult.

I think Sage could do quite well with any such GI clubs. My actual experience is that a flushed shot with the JPX irons sounds and feels the same as the forged.

I do practice with the MX-200's periodically. I usually play with the JPX-800's as I concentrate on reducing my handicap. I'm not sure I will ever return to the 200's for regular play.  I'm an old guy, having returned to golf about 1-2 years ago. I accept all the help I can get. -Marv

[iacas]

On 9/12/2017 at 7:23 PM, StefanUrkel said:

If you can play to a 10 handicap with blades, then you could be close to a scratch with game improvement rockets. 

No.