BeCu

As other stated, Welcome! This is my response to your first paragraph. Agree with other responses above. Will respond regarding my experience/views with epoxy/ferrules/golf shaft, etc in another response. IMO Quality control with possibly a higher quality material makeup is one key discriminator between the cheaper references (in price$/materials) vs the more expensive. Not a guarantee but in most cases/brands there are design qualities combined with superior materials (i.e. low quality zinc material component club head vs a 1025 carbon steel/431 stainless steel/17-4 stainless steel/and many varieties of titanium/carbon fiber golf club head, etc) .I have purchased OME brands (Ping/Callaway/TM, etc) and when I measured loft/lie they were spot on or off ~1 deg vs a set of Top Flites a friend bought that were order of magnitude off (like 4,5,6 all within 1 deg loft). Component club heads from Maltby/Golf Works and Wishon -- again -- spot on (always) vs knockoff components (to be fair 50/50 in my experience -- little better than boxed sets). I am not against boxed sets as my boys for junior golf started with boxed sets (Callaway and/or PING) and they were near perfect. Its the adult sets that I recommend people proceed with caution. Another key that affects costs may be the engineering design that drives possibly unique materials to be combined to produce a certain type higher quality club head. Does that guarantee you a better game? -- maybe/maybe not at beginner level -- but many argue about this, I will not here but attempt to share from my experiences from the materials/quality of the clubs. Where would I recommend a cheap/or lower cost boxed set? IF you are high hncp once a month golfer that does not practice --- imo save your money and buy a boxed set of matching clubs--but do your research best you can so you get quality(after all there is a difference in a 6 iron into a green vs a 8 iron -- those clubs need to be different to work as designed (again I will refer to Top Flight boxed set my friend purchased years ago). My comments above come from someone that has built/repaired and learned to fit (with/without swing monitors/video) for over 35 years. There are plenty of quality used OEM brand equipment and comparable components from Golf Works or Wishon, etc. that are made from quality and/or premium materials with good engineering design qualities that are as affordable as a cheap boxed sets that has most likely been mass produced/put together with less than desirable quality control and consistencies. Last let me say I firmly believe in quality instruction combined with fittings to build a top notch set that meets your needs/capabilities over time vs going out first and buying either economy or high end. Just my opinion. There is a great used golf club market in which there are some great deals but I would want to know what I fit to before investing. There are relationships in place between many instructors/fitters (some do both) and I believe that is an avenue to not only improve your game but invest wisely.

I can not remember every single shot from a round regardless of how well or not I play unless--- I look at my score card from a particular round. Sure there are some memorable and not so memorable ones from a number of recent rounds that I can remember but not an entire rounds worth. I have tried to recall every shot from memory but I have to have my score card from the round to be reasonably close. Sometimes but not often even with the score card.

I can score my normal numbers with urethane and/or a distance/cheaper (non urethane) brand ball. My choice is purely on feel with wedges and putting. I wish had a scratch game and the need to zero in on one type / brand of golf ball but I just get in a mood and buy one brand/model that feels good with my putter of the day.

I think I would get my putter out of the way first as you probably need it every hole vs the fairway wood. But it's very nice that your wife got you that fitting gift and imo you really can't go wrong whichever club you get fit for for first. Good luck.

I am in the middle of tweaks and stuff with my swing...............again. Nowhere close.

I knew a guy once that was a teaching pro at a local municipal course. Before becoming teaching pro he won a few local amateur tournaments. Out of the blue one day he told me that he really thought that he could play professionally. I asked him how do you really know? He said well I hit the ball better than player x (played D1), I hit the ball way better that player Y (club champion/D2 player/one time qualified for mini-tour event), etc. So one year he tried a US Open qualifier and did not break 80. I watched him play and practice and I never thought he was tour caliber like what I see on tv or when I volunteer for a champions tour event -- more details below. The local courses he played a ton over the years and knew how to score on those. He never played in college or mini-tours. I considered him a very good local "scratch" golfer that is really good teaching kids the golf swing. I still feel that way and am glad he is teaching versus trying to play professionally. Why do I think that? I volunteer a Champions Tour events and work the driving range. Absolutely love watching those guys practice on the range. Literally watch those greats hit laser after laser for hours. Maybe some you guys can understand what I am trying to say. So obviously I am not a professional instructor but I have never seen a Champions Tour player hit a bad shot on the driving range from my perspective (they probably do from their perspectives -- I just don't see it). See I don't have a "trained eye" like I am sure some on this forum do. But what I do know is I have seen the local teaching pro hit many errant shots on the driving range and his swing is not consistent like the Champions Tour players. So I can only imagine what the young guys on the PGA Tour look like in person. I know some of you have a "trained eye" and can easily spot talent.

Couple of comments. I do this at times should I play a course in which I am familiar with and know that I only need certain clubs that I absolutely will use. Second, if an 11 club set fills your distance gaps then I see no issue. But I don't know your HDCP, if you play multiple golf courses, if the 11 club set can cover your distances or not? So you should try it and track your shots so you can review to see if maybe 12 clubs could work, 13, etc. Maybe a golf lesson with an instructor regarding course management in addition to golf swing. Last comment I had a friend that did this several years ago and I witnessed him miss some shots (come up short or hit over on certain approach shots). I asked him why he would say I don't have an in between club. So he finally got fitted and ended up with a full set that hit distances he needed regardless of longer/shorter courses. Good luck.

I have had several steel shafts that have bent over the years. The early iterations of the True Temper sub 90 gram shafts. One in particular that always bent was that GS75/GS85 gram models. That was several years ago. The other was the first KBS Tour models. Got rid of all the bent ones. The bent shafts btw were long and mid irons - visible after a pull. Don't remember short irons being bent, probably because they were tipped extra (parallel) and/or thicker/heavier internal walls for short irons (both taper/parallel). My theory anyway.

So do you need the club that fills your stated clubs to hold greens (are you going to hit into the greens / all carry)? Or are you fine with some roll out? Hold greens > properly fitted hybrid ~19/20 degrees loft. Some rolll out ok / does not hit directly into a green > properly fitted 5 wood/~17-18 degrees loft.

That is awesome you were only out of pocket $18.

Those were good club heads. I reshafted several sets back in the day. IF my memory serves the hosel id was .370 parallel tip. Most people back then wanted Dynamic Gold S flex (S300). Regardless whether they are taper tip (.355) or parallel (.370) you have many options. You could play it safe and just go with Dynamic Gold S300/S400's. Or get other brands (KBS/NIPPON) if you stay in steel shaft. Not a bad back up set to have in my opinion. I would suggest a nicer more modern grip offering. Just about any golf shop should be able to reshaft those 845's relatively easy once you pick the shafts you want. Good luck.

So I have played / owned the ones you listed. All fine clubs. The Ping was my choice due to ball flight and accuracy for me vs the Callaways. The Ping was not the longest but I desired good consistent carry distance and could actually hit into greens without excessive roll out. Obviously everyone is different and many can hit others into greens fine, I just could not with the Callaways (but Ioved the total distance they yielded). But recently I hit a Cobra hybrid and now I am thinking about trying the listed in the link below. Good luck on your search. https://www.dickssportinggoods.com/p/cobra-king-f9-speedback-hybrid-satin-black-18cbrmf9hybrdblkshyb/18cbrmf9hybrdblkshyb

I have played the Super Soft and the original Maxfli Noodle Long/Soft but not the 2020 Taylormade model. But I am interested in trying as well. Good article that details new model vs old. For the $$ appears to be good option for those of us prone to misplace a ball or two. 😀 https://www.windtreegolf.com/noodle-golf-balls-review/

For competition I always quietly wait off the green to attest to how the others finish the hole. For casual rounds I may walk a little further but still where I can attest to playing partners (caveat if its a practice only type round/late afternoon time frame) but remain quiet out of respect. That is how I was taught and mentored. Both my sons played junior golf and I remember the first time we were called out by a tournament director about not "keeping pace". I was like, we are playing relatively fast, boys are making birdies what is the problem? The tournament director indicated that to ensure pace of play the boys needed to learn to hole out and go to next tee box immediately. I am thinking how do they learn to attest to their competitors score? Regardless that was the direction. When I caddied I would hang close to observe other players putt outs. I never have been comfortable with this approach but it seems more and more common.

Don't know but here is a potential start for you. http://centralpagolfguide.com/golf/courses . Good luck