Mizzyluvr

I think the dent is the least of your concerns.

Long time lurker but rare poster but this one resonated with me because for years I've been a club ho. I was always looking for that "secret" club that was going to miraculously make up for my inconsistencies. I know it is the club swinger not the club after a certain point but it sure is fun to try different sticks. Once I discovered the used market some years ago, the problem got worse. I can honestly say that, at this point I'm content with my clubs. I now believe it is a combination of club and golfer that determine success. Both have to be right for each other. Also, please get fit everyone...the doing it yourself, off the rack approach is just not very efficient and will cost you money in the long run not to mention negatively impacting your handicap. I love finding just the club I was looking for and am totally brand agnostic. If it works for me, it goes in the bag. I am always amused when I play with someone and the hate or can't hit some of their clubs. I always tell them about used clubs, offer to help them find something better and say "if you don't love every club in your bag that's a problem". My club jones had always been drivers and three woods...I always gravitated toward ones that were slightly more club than I could handle. When swinging well, results were great but when timing was off, one too many flights before Saturday's round and... OB city! Found that the goods folks at Callaway had found a way to make a forgiving club for guys like me. Driver- Epic Sub Zero 9 degree 3 wood - Epic Sub Zero 13.5 degree + 1 hybrid - Cobra bio cell 17.5 degree irons - Wilso FG Tour V6 4-GW Wedges - Mizuno MP- 5 57/12, 61/10 putter- Odyssey FG Hawk with Superstroke Counter balanced grip. Made the the move to the FG Tour V6 irons from Mizuno JPX EZ Forged. The Wilson's have made me love golf again. Shaping the ball, high, low, left, right, straight...you can do anything you want. Could not be happier with both the aesthetics and playability. Feel is incredible also. I was concerned that they might be too much of a "players club" but they are very forgiving. The Epic Sub Zero was the first new driver I had gotten in some time. Don't get me wrong, I had a lot of new (for me) drivers over the past few years (bought used) but hadn't paid full retail price for a driver in probably 10 years. The Epic Sub Zero changed that. Once I hit it and saw the numbers, it was goodbye X2 Hot Pro and hello SZ. Painful paying for it but don't think I'll need another driver until my swing speed slows down and it's time for a regular flex shaft.

To OP, If you can find them, I'd recommend you look at the Wilson FG Tour V6 irons. Forged perfection. Look fantastic, feel fantastic, almost no offset. Lofts are "old school" so prepare to potentially lose a few yards depending on what you are currently using. I was using Mizuno JPX EZ forged 2013 and they were fine. The offset started to bother me. Decided to get new (for me) irons this year and happened to read about the Wilsons. Could not find a bad review anywhere. Finally found a place to see them and hit them and fell in love. My iron game has improved considerably and I find these irons to be extremely forgiving. Looks and feel are as good as anything out there. Very easy to shape the ball, change trajectory, and actually create shots. I've had more fun over the past four months playing golf than I've had in a long time. Golf is fun again. Try the Wilson FG tour V6 irons before you pull the trigger on something else. Good luck in your search!

Never tried the RBZ driver. I did have an R1 but traded it in for the RBZ Stage 2 tour. Much easier for me to hit it straight and long. I had the tp x flex shaft in the R1 and when I was swinging well, it performed very well. When I was off a bit, it was just too much club for me. Hit my brother's stage 2, liked the feel and how "easy it was to hit" and when to look for one. I've had it for a few months and it has really helped my game. I do have a RBZ tour spoon (x flex) that I've loved but decided to get a used RBZ stage 2 TS but have gone to the TP stiff shaft...I love hitting three woods either off the tee or off the deck - regularly go for par 5's in two - always had a bit of a three wood fixation. This is probably my 7th one....

The reality [quote name="mediabezz" url="/t/78396/new-tech-is-not-helping-us-very-much#post_1082396"]I took a titelist 915 d3, a callaway xhot, and a ping rapture all in x stiff shafts against my 975d in a 7.5 degree head and hit them against eachother on track man. I know people think new tech has added quite a bit of distance but I can tell you that at an average swing speed of 131 with standard length setups, the 975d when struck in the center of the face produced the same ball speed and total distance as drivers 15 years newer. While I agree that new tech helps on off center hits, solid contact vs solid contact the numbers are the same. COR limits have already been maxed out on drivers there cannot be anymore springlike effect. Driver sales are huge business for the manufactures, all in saying is don't believe the hype.[/quote] Well, I guess we'll agree to disagree. I gave you my personal example of getting significantly better results with newer technology in my driver. I've seen way too many folks improve their shot quality and maintain their distance with new technology. with your swing speed of 131 Mph you are a "freak of nature". You would likely hit 7 iron farther than most people's drivers. we mere mortals need all the help we can get. I do agree that there is a limit to how much help some people can gain from equipment changes ...on both ends of the spectrum. Besides, it's fun to try out all the new (or recently used) stuff out there... If you have time, it would be great if you'd post your swing on the " my swing" thread. I'd get a kick out of seeing you crush the ball. I can only dream of that kind of swing speed. I'm a 105 mph driver swing type of guy.

I'm definitely a fan of new technology. I'm 52, reasonably fit, and can hit the ball fairly well for an "older guy". That said, a "long drive competitor" I'm not. I upgrade or trade equipment fairly regulularly and I find the newer equipment allows me to maintain or increase my distance while substantially increasing forgiveness. That increased forgiveness then frees me up to "go after it" without fear. I'm hitting it farther, and straighter than I ever have. I too had a 975D and it was one of my favorite drivers. When I take it out to compare to my RBZ Stage 2 it is not a fair fight. I fly the drives with the 975D by 20 yards easily...AND they are in the fairway. Don't even get me started on my Mizuno JPX EZ forged... I feel like I'm cheating!

Glad you had a chance to play Ft. Mill. Agree it is a fantastic walking course. Don't worry, once the grass starts growing again it will be much nicer. Unfortunately, the rough will also be growing! It's been a brutal winter and most courses are pretty soggy - they are all a lot more fun in a few weeks. I've found one of the best parts of the Ft. Mill membership (I actually do the joint Springfield/Ft. Mill one) is that you get reduced rates at all the Springs owned courses. They are all a lot of fun. It's a tough deal to beat. Maybe I'll see you out there one of these days!

All the courses really start plying more "normal" once the Bermuda starts to green up and grow again, usually late April, early May. We need warm nights and that's not going to be happening for awhile. Looks like you're not afraid to travel a bit to play. A couple of other good ones to try are Red Bridge (Locust, NC) and Edgewater near Lancaster SC. Usually you can get some good deals and both are worth the trip.

So have you played Ft.Mill and Springfield yet? If so, what did you think?

Congratulations on your progress! Very impressive. I definitely think you're on the right track. Excellent observations - thanks for getting me to think about some key positions that I've drifted away from - no wonder my ball striking has been inconsistent. I really like how you were observant enough to notice the quality of ball striking of your friend and that your swing/results were so different....and then worked to make the improvements you did. Great suggestion on the camera/phone to take pictures of your swing and what you're working on. It's very true that most of us can't really see how our swing really looks - feel isn't real - and waste a lot of time ingraining bad habits. I continue to be amazed at the hideous swings I see by some golfers who play regularly and wonder why the never improve.

Great question. It's an interview process so there is potentially some trial/error involved. Don't sign up for multiple lessons without making sure you and your instructor are on the same page. A good place to start is to try to understand what type of student you are and your personal learning style. Are you a "feel" learner " or a "visual" learner? Are you analytical and need lots of data ? Do you have some better golfers that you know? Ask them who they use and why. Find out how they learn and whether the instructors's style sounds like it might work for you. You can find information and teaching philosophies for most of your local teaching pros on their web sites. This should help narrow the list and this doesn't cost a thing. In addition, most good instructors are willing to meet with perspective students to discuss goals and philosophy. The key is to try to find an instructor whose philosophy and teaching style match the way you learn and your goals. Do you want /need a "tune up" or an overhaul? What amount of time "post lesson" are you willing to commit? I think the biggest thing is to be brutally honest with yourself on what you hope to accomplish with lessons and what effort /time/commitment you're willing to invest. Most importantly, don't pay for a multiple lesson plan until you're sure it's the right person for you.

I can usually tell on the first tee whether someone has 1) played golf as a youngster 2) had lessons, or 3) hasn't had lessons. Golf, like most of life is what you make of it. If you really want to improve and maximize your potential , you need to get some type of formal lessons. All of the best athletes in the world in every sport, including golf, have professional instruction. If you want to be YOUR best, you should too. I'm not saying you can't get very good going the "self taught" route, but you're never going to know how good you could have been. I understand, and have personally used, most of the "reasons/excuses" not to take lessons. Key is to find the right instructor for you, who teaches in a way that works for you.

+1 on the Ft. Mill recommendation. The group that owns them has four other courses in the area, Springfield, Lancaster, and Chester. All in South Carolina, just over the border. I live in the Ballantyne area and Ft. Mill and Springfield are about 20 minutes away. Very involved golf groups at both courses and some pretty good players. You would have no trouble finding a competitive game. Memberships are very reasonable. Courses are in good shape and well run. Welcome to Charlotte, you're going to love it here.