dbuck

Putter, Hybrid, Driver, 3W, 8 iron, 5 iron. At my most frequent course, I almost always use the 8 iron for two par 3's and the 5 iron for two. On par 5's, my second shot is 3W if the lie is good and the hybrid if it isn't. I use the 3w on a few par 4 tees, and the hybrid on a couple. I use my wedges as the need arises, but these vary depending on conditions. I don't really have a go to wedge, it just depends on what I am trying to do.

I can't tell the difference in 5 yards, but can in ten. If the tee is up or back and so is the pin, it can easily make more than a 10 yard difference. I am of the opinion that rangefinders don't slow play, and in some cases speed it up. Even though my distance control is far from precise, I still make a better swing if I am confident I have the right club. I can tell some difference in the adjustments, but once set I seldom change.

I am not skinny, but I like Slazenger from Dicks. You will probably go down one size from your normal.

I carry 52,56, and 60 and very rarely hit even the 52 with a full swing; never with the 56 or 60. I have been working on longer swings in practice with the 56 and 60, but not on the course. I am about to add a 53 gap wedge that matches my set, and will probably hit it full or close to it.

I love my Titleist 818H1 hybrid. They are available in several lofts and adjustable 1.5 up an .75 down I think, so you should be able to get to tweak into the sweet spot.

Saturday, 8/18/18, I shot 83 over 6000 yards, 68.5/115. This course is a little under rated/sloped in my opinion. The other course I frequent is rated higher 70/123, but the penalty for missing the fairway is not as severe. The higher rated course is longer by 500 yards, but it plays easier for me-perhaps it is familiarity. One birdie, 2 doubles, one penalty shot. Putting was good, I can't remember any 3 putt, but not a lot of 1 putts either. Driver was balky. 10 GIR, 4 Near GIR.

1979, 1992, and 2017. Actually twice in 2017. but that was an anomaly. I bought some Taylormade M1s and traded for some AP1s when the 718's came out. I have gone through my whole bag over last fall and this year, and am close to being set for several years with the exception of maybe driver and wedges. This is for my primary bag. I have an off and on interest in vintage gear (persimmon and blades) and pick up some of those items occasionally. This is insignificant money wise.

Callaway Apex Pro 16 Mizuno JPX 900 Tour Both of these should be comparable in specs and forgiveness. I did not look them up on Maltby, but did look at their respective websites and the lofts are very similar to AP2's

You did not mention your experience level, but from what you said, it sounds like you are very new to the game. You need as others have described, a static fitting which matches the length and lie of the club to your general size, as well as having the proper size grip for your hands. I would also consider investing in a decent set of clubs. You don't have to have the very best, but actually if you look around you can find better used clubs that match your specs. If you buy used, pay attention to the grips and make sure they are your size, as well as replacing them if they are worn. Better, good fitting equipment will help you progress faster.

I am thinking I will have the shaft on my Rogue shortened by 1/2 to 3/4 inches at the butt end. I believe this will help me find the center of the face more consistently, and offset any slight loss of speed from the shorter shaft. I also plan to regrip with a midsize grip, again for more consistency. I am told that this will make the head feel lighter. Will this be noticeable? What if anything should I do to offset this?

I have a local independent dealer that is a registered dealer for most brands, but also does trade ins. I get a better deal from him than from the onlines or big box on my trades, but he doesn't gouge on retail either. Check out some independent dealers in your area.

I agree with what has been said. The clubs have little monetary value. Founders Club was an OK brand in its day-late 70's early 80's if I recall. The Northwestern 1 and 3 are woods I presume? Are they made of wood or metal? As far a utility for a starter set, they should do fine. You will want to pick up a more modern 3 wood and or driver.

Saturday 8/11 my score was 83 over about 6000 yds. 68.5/115. I had 2 double bogeys, and 4 penalty shots. On 3 of the penalty shots I was able to save bogey. I had about 25 official putts, but a couple more where I putted from fringe. Overall, I was pleased. My driver distance has improved, but I am still pretty inconsistent. I am thinking of cutting about 1/2--3/4" off the butt of the shaft to find the center more often. I think the slight decrease in leverage would be more than offset by more consistent strike.

This is a laminated maple club. I would guess it is from the 60's or 70's. The name on the top, Herman Barron was a golfer of some note. He passed away in 1978. I had no luck in finding the actual maker; there were tons back then that made up clubs using stock heads, much as there are today. It is worth about $5 or less in real money as a golf club, someone might pay $10 to use as a decoration. They are fun to hit and I keep a few around to take out now and then.

I would say it depends on the gaps. I see you are a 6, so you probably don't have this problem. I find that I don't get quite the relative distance from my specialty wedges that I do from the PW that matches the set. I also prefer not to hit my specialty wedges full nuke. I currently have 52-56-60 Vokeys, and am thinking of adding another gap wedge to my set (53 I think) to use instead of the 52 Vokey, at least most of the time.

One place I play just got new carts with onboard GPS. When close to the green, it gives pin-front-back, further out distance to center. At the tee it gives distance to center and picture of how far to clear bunkers etc. I am hitting more GIR and NGIR, and have more confidence on the tee.

I can't fault your choices. Are you going 10* across the board?

I agree with all that has been said. I like the idea of starting with the club that gives you the most trouble, but again, after some lessons and making sure it is the club and not you, or that you have reached the potential of that club for you. Another idea is that the putter is usually used for around 50% of your strokes, and is normally used on every hole at least once. Also once this club is properly fitted, it is not likely to need replacement for a very long time, so the per shot investment is very low.

I am pretty sure Golf Galaxy has the Vokey SM6 for around $100 now. Getting the spec you want might be a problem. Last time I looked online they still had 56 and 58 in the 12* bounce K grind which is the highest bounce fullest sole.

I have the 718 AP1s and like them very much. They are very forgiving especially in distance if you make a decent pass at the ball. $800 is pretty high for a used set, as they were only about $999 new. If you look, I would expect to find some closer to your $600 price point used. As others have said, you don't necessarily need that investment as a beginner, because as your swing develops, your needs might change. Personally though, I feel the AP1s could carry you at least to a 10 handicap before you feel you need something more. While I love my AP1s, other clubs that have been suggested are equally as good. The PING G30s, G's, and G400s are all great options, as are the Mizuno JPX range. Nice used 716 AP1s should be available well under $500. An older option is the PING ZING. I had a 5 iron in that and if I was looking for a bargain set, I might try to find a set of those.

The LZ is currently only an iron shaft in steel. In 2015, it was also available in graphite driver/fairway shafts. I have one in a Callaway XR 3 wood, and I like it. I think the Even Flow has similar characteristics, though not perhaps an exact replacement. The EvenFlow comes in blue and black, with the blue being a little lighter and mid-high launch. I have Even Flow blue in 6.0 in my driver, 3 wood, and hybrid. At my swing speed it is more mid launching, but I like it a lot.

I think you made a good choice for a first hybrid.

1. Google Titleist 718 AP1 irons test, and click on videos. You will see multiple tests of these irons, and there will be a list of other similar videos reviewing other irons. Other google search suggestions might be Callaway Rogue, Mizuno JPX900, or Taylormade M4 irons review. Whichever you search, there will be suggestions from other manufacturers as well. Watch a few of these videos. 2. Go to the websites of the manufacturers that interest you. Most will have a suggestion based on ability as to which of their irons are suitable for you. Pick out 3-5 clubs that you would like to try. 3. Find a golf/sports store that has a hitting bay and demo clubs. Call ahead and ask about their procedures and if they have demo clubs for the ones you want to try. Go to the store and hit them, and pick out the ones you like. 4. To enhance and get the most from the above experience, seek out a qualified fitter. I am going to discuss Titleist irons a bit because I am more familiar with their lines, but this would apply to most of the manufacturers. The Titleist AP1 is a very forgiving iron. You have to make a good pass, but if you do, you will get good distance and height, even if your strike is a fraction off center. Golfers who score 85-90 and above, and those who want a little more distance, will be well suited to this club. The next club is the AP3. This is also a very forgiving club, and at address has a more compact appearance-closer to a "players" club type of profile, but still has a lot of forgiveness. The lofts are 1 degree weaker than the AP1's. In my opinion , these are still suited to most ranges of golfers, but those who score 90 and below consistently might be more suited than higher scoring golfers. Next are the AP2 forged irons, which are in the bags of many tour players. While these are geared toward better players, they still have some forgiveness. The lofts are more traditional, and are probably around a half a club to a club weaker than the AP3 series. They also have less offset, which means they are slightly more difficult to launch, and square up than the more forgiving sets, but offer more versatility in shot shaping. Golfers scoring 85 and below consistently would be ok with these clubs, but those scoring 80 and below consistently will likely enjoy them more. The Titleist 718 CB (forged cavity) and MB (forged blade), are more suited to golfers with at least single digit handicaps-those who score in the very low 80's (80-81) and 70's and below on a regular basis. While I personally play Titleist irons, I am not pushing them at all, but using this as an example of how most manufacturers market their lines, and how you might go about looking at the range suited to you. Most all have at least 3 lines of clubs aimed primarily at high, middle, and low handicap golfers. While you can certainly play any club you want, you will get the most benefit from this sort of selection.

9 with a stiff shaft. That is the stated loft on the club, I can go up a couple if need be. I am probably at the minimum for the stiff shaft, but I like the shaft (PX Even Flow Blue) and have it in my driver, 3 wood, and hybrid. I do have the face closed a degree, so I understand that adds a smidge of loft

I carry a normal bath towel with one end wet. I clean all clubs after every shot. It only takes a second, and by doing this, the grooves stay clean, the gunk doesn't dry and cake up, and there is no need for knives, tees, nor brushes.