Golow

Hey Magnus - here's my 5c worth. Human nature is a wonderful thing. When we are good at something, we like to do it more. I suspect you proactice your short game more BECAUSE you are good at it, rather than needing the practice. Consequently, you continue to better and better. The offset is that your longer clubs get less attention. It's a circular argument off course and applies to much more in life in golf. If we practice anything enough, we will get better at it. The better we get at some new skill, the more enjoyable it is to practice, and so on.... I think you need to force yourself to dedicate more time to practicing your longer irons despite not enjoying it as much. Don't give up practicing with the wedges though, bacause that's what keeps your scores so good - and is a great way to finish a training session (i.e. on a positive note). Footballers always finish training with a short game of something they love to reinforce the joy of the game and get them pumped to come back to training. It's the same with teaching kids academics, music, etc. Good luck with getting the game fine-tuned.

JYB, I know how you feel. Like you, I didn't want to get fitted until 1. I was completely happy with my swing, and 2. I could afford the clubs of choice. Now that I have finally been fitted for my clubs, I have realised three things: 1. I will NEVER be completely happy with my swing (I just have to keep practicing and improving), 2. I will never be able to afford all the things I really want, and 3. I can always buy new clubs down the track when (if) my swing does improve sufficiently to deserve new clubs. More importantly, with my new (fitted) clubs, I have gained much better consistency of ball striking and gained two clubs length on each club (ie. I now hit my 7i the distance I was hitting my 5i). All in all, I highly recommend getting fitted now if you want to enjoy you golf a whole lot more. (IMHO) Good luck.

Jrode, I like your idea of starting with the putter if you are building a set as $$ becomes available. Your putter is probably the most important club with respect to personal preference. Definately get into a good pro shop and get someone to fit you for length / lie / grip, etc. Hit as many different styles as you can tolerate and then make your choice. Good luck & enjoy practicing with your new best friend.... I'm 6'5" & stand very upright so I have a 36" Anser putter (standard lie & grip)

For those yet to make a decision on the AP1s/AP2, I recently bought AP1s after months of comparisons and procrastinating. My final options were Titleist AP1 vs Mizuno MP-57 vs Wilson Ci7 (believe it or not - the excellent reviews had me curious). The club I liked the look of least was the AP1s. At address they are not (um - WERE not) my cup of tea: thick top line and a bit chunky. The mizunos look awesome and were on a par with the Ci7s, which are also a good looking club. The Wilsons were quickly ruled out during the direct comparison on the range. They are not in the same league when it comes to feel and performance off the face. (I was a bit disappointed, as I thought for a while there that I was going to save myself a few hunded $$). While I loved the feel of the Mizunos when I hit the ball perfectly, I simply do not have the consistency of stoke play to make the most of these clubs. The AP1s gave me the best all-round performance: longest distance & best feel at the end of the day. Having now played my first round with the newly fitted clubs, I have no regrets. They are simply awesome and I'm quickly coming to terms with how they look. Having graphite shafts on the longer clubs is also worth a thought. The ball leaps off the club and gives me greater distance than I have ever had before. I have the Project X 6.0 on 7-W (all +1" and 4* upright). All in all, the AP1s should certainly be on every mid-handicapper's short-list for the next purchase. Good luck!

I really couldn't vote here as I simply can't tell the difference between most brands of balls. Clearly this reflects my strugglling game... Hopefully one day I will be good enough to give a cr#p about the brand of ball I am hitting....

I voted for Titleist as I love my new AP1s. They were the best irons for me after months of testing. That said, I am less fussy with my driver, hybrids or putter, so I could easily settle for a bag full of Mizunos, Pings, Callaways or Taylor Mades.

My 5c: you can't go wrong with either. You should now stop beating yourself up over a choice and get down to the range and practice. If you're anything like me, you agonise over the club choice and waste valuable time actually practicing - I bet we all suffer the same problem. Get out there and learn to love whatever you buy. Let us know how you go. Hit 'em long and straight. Good luck

This has been a great thread. I am in the market for a new bag and was completely confused about the options. I can now narrow my search down to an Ogio grom (or ozone) or Sun Mountain 3.5 (or C130). Bagboy NXO still an outside chance. Thanks for all the comments - having the 'right' bag give you one less thing to think about - or use as an excuse...

I finally found an outlet in San Diego who has the Ci7s! I'm glad I waited to hit them before I got measured up and placed the order. These new Wilson Staff clubs look fantastic, but feel rough off the face (perhaps in tune with my rough swing ). At address, the Ci7s look fantastic - much better (IMHO) than the Titleists & Pings I also tested. The only club that compared in appearance was the Mizuno MP-60s (which felt too light in my hands). Off the club, however, the Ci7s did not compare to the AP1s. While I think Titleist has now made an ugly club (again only my opinion), they feel awesome and way more forgiving than the Ci7s. When hit well, they were simply amazing and are certainly worth the additional $$. I had hoped that the Ci7s would meet my needs, as I didn't really want to spent the $$ on AP1s, but I think that they are too good to pass up. Are there other opinions out there about the comparison between the Ci7s, AP1, G10s, Mizuno (MP-60/57s). I've pretty much made up my mind now to get measured up for AP1s. Thoughts/Opinions:

I am also considering the Ci7s and will be hitting them for the first time tomorrow. They are certainly getting good reviews in magazines and online. Hacker, I notice you also have the WS driver. How is that working out? I have read negative reports on their drivers...

I have hit many clubs in recent weeks trying to decide what irons to buy. My local pro has all-but convinced me to get the AP2s which I was able to hit further than most other clubs I tried. I remain concerned, however, that my game may not be strong enough to do them justice. Am I wasting my money going with the AP2s (which look & feel great but offer me little forgiveness) or should I spend less on G/I10s (which look less appealing but probably suit my game better)? I haven't limited it to just the two - I have still got the CG57s and X20s on my shortlist. I practice about twice a week and play about once a week. I am working at reducing my handicap down to single figures and want clubs that will go the distance.... Any advice will be most welcome....