FrankZ

First of all, if you're a new golfer, I suggest you get rid of the 4 & 5 irons and replace them with the equivalent hybrids. Your SW should be 56 degrees or close to it. Look into the F2 wedges. They have 60, 58, 56 and 52 degree lofts. I'd start out with a SW and a 58 or 60. The F2's are super-easy to hit off the short grass, long grass and sand.

If I have a "go to club", it's my 60. I feel much more comfortable hitting a full 60 than a half or 3/4 56. I can hit my 60 90yds on a full swing. I also use it to chip with around the greens and for flop shots if I'm stuck behind a bunker or other tricky times. I swear by my 60, but I guess it's not for everyone. A buddy of mine says he can't hit one. The guy is a long hitter with his woods & irons but put him inside 100 yds and he struggles like hell. I tell him he needs to learn how to hit a 58 or 60 degree, but he's not one to practice very much so he just keeps on stinking it up from inside 100.

Congrats! Earlier this year I set a goal for myself to break 80 before the end of the summer. Of the 3 guys in my regular group, I had the best chance because I'd been the closest on several occasions and practice the most, etc. Well first week of August, we're playing and the guy that we all thought was least likely to get it done, shoots a 79. He did it with 3 birdie putts, each of which was over 35 ft. He also hit two drives DEEP into the woods that somehow came bouncimng back out to the middle of the fairway. We get to the 17th tee and we realize he needs a par and a birdie. 17 is a birdie hole but he hooks it and has about 180 to the green. Pars that one, but now 18 he's never birdied in his life. Has a 45ft putt from the back of the green to the front downhill and right to left, and drains it for a 79! Next time out, was just a couple of days later. I get a birdie, and 11 pars but also 2 doubles on my way to my 79. I had a 5 footer on 18 for a 78 but wet my pants and blew it 3feet past. Made that one though. One week later, the 3rd guy gets his...only he shot a 78 and that was even thogh he went OB on 18 and had a double. Funny game!

I've had the Bobby Jones Hybrids for a couple of years but just traded them in on a couple of Ping G15's. The jones are great, but I started heeling balls low and left way too frequently with them. I know it's me and not the clubs but I completely lost confidence with them and thought a change might help. So far, I'm hitting the Pings beautifully. they have a great feel and sound. I'm getting 180 yds out of the 23* (4) hitting them very accurately and my misses with them have been slight. The Jones hybrids were outstanding out of the rough and fairway bunkers. I Could chip pretty well with them too. I tended to spry them a bit off the tee and I had the aforementioned heeling problem.

Yesterday at the PGA Tour Superstore I picked up a Ping 23* Hybrid and ordered a set of Ping G15 Irons! Hit the hybrid today like a dream. If the irons treat me as nice, I'll be in hog heaven!

Photographer/writer in the PR area

Booo Hooo Hooo. "crappy" course management, can't work the ball, horrible out of the sand...give me a break. you shoot around Par, bro! I can't sniff par. I shot one over once for 9 holes and when it dawned on me I crapped my pants and shot 48 on the back nine!

You should take a look at the F2 wedge. You can get them new for $89 I think. Very underrated, great performing club from the Fairway, rough and sand.

I'm lucky that I live real close to a PGA Tour Superstore and a Golfsmith. There's a constantly changing supply of used clubs to browse thru. I've bought several wedges used and have been happy with all of them. You just have to give it a good look and use common sense. If it's beat all to hell, take a pass. I just picked up a used Ping Tour W 58 degree today for $60 that looks like it's never been hit.