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AnandTech golfers, I need your help!

JoLLyRoGer

JoLLyRoGer

Diamond Member
I'm looking at getting a new set of irons, but I don't have a lot of money. I haven't played golf in several years, but lately I've gotten back into it. I don't consider myself good enough to justify a new set of Callaways or Pingsor even King Cobra's, but I've heard that the knock-off's out there play just a good in most cases. (Surely I'd never notice the difference!)

I have no idea what my lie is and I don't think it would make a difference (at least not at my skill level) even if I did get fitted. That said, I'm just looking for a standard length/lie set of clubs that are VERY forgiving and inexpensive. I noticed that acer (no, not the computer monitor manufacturers) make a decent knock-off of the callaway steelhead irons. Are there any other companies I should take a look at?

Thanks in advance,
JR..

Oh yeah, what about the VS-88's on e-ghey, they look pretty nice.
 
What about those sets (Golden Bears) at Costco for $300? It includes the irons, the woods, and a putter.
It's not the best set but it should be okay for someone your level.
 
How much is not alot of money?

I'd recommend getting slightly used Calloways from Play it again sports or another store that sells slightly used sports equipment.
 
costco sells everything. awesome store actually. I would check your local rag for some used clubs. Old guys buy new gear every week so you should be able to pick up some really high end stuff for a fraction of the price it would cost new. Also, you should probably go with a regular shaft as opposed to a stiff shaft.
 
I'd definitely reccomend a regular shaft over a stiff shaft. Unless you're really good or play regularly (with a high degree of skill) you wouldn't notice a benefit from a stiff shaft.
 
Originally posted by: waylman
costco sells everything. awesome store actually. I would check your local rag for some used clubs. Old guys buy new gear every week so you should be able to pick up some really high end stuff for a fraction of the price it would cost new. Also, you should probably go with a regular shaft as opposed to a stiff shaft.
Click to expand...

Yup picked up some Hogan Radial Irons, titanium drivers, a putter, and a bag very cheap. The Irons retailed for 600 when they were new...got the whole shhhbang for 50 bucks. The guy is a former pro and has collected bags and bags of clubs throughout the years. Your second and third generation clubs can be obtained for a fraction of the latest and greatest.
 
I don't want to spend more than 250.00 for the whole set of irons. I've been frequenting play it again, keeping my eyes peeled. And the better half of this morining spent on e-ghey.

Those dynacrafts do have a striking resemblance to the ping i3's

Used good stuff would always be fine with me of course. I'm checking into a used set of king cobraII oversized.

So I should avoid a stiff shaft i.e. graphites? Even if just about anything I hit takes a sharp right hand turn in mid-flight?
 
Originally posted by: JoLLyRoGer
I have no idea what my lie is and I don't think it would make a difference (at least not at my skill level) even if I did get fitted.
Click to expand...


Actually, it makes a huge difference. You're 100% right that you don't need an expensive set and you're also correct that an inexpensive set can play as well as or even better than a big name set costing 3 or 4 times more. But getting a club that fits properly can make all the difference in the world and a $5 garage sale club that fits you will perform much better than a $500 pro shop club that doesn't. Find a custom club maker and get fit, you can still pick up a good set of component irons like the Acers you mentioned or Dynacrafts that are custom fit exactly to your specs for somewhere between $250-$400 depending on the heads, shafts and grips used. Never assume that you just need a standard set of clubs, clubs are not socks, one size most assuredly does not fit all. Everyone is a different height, has different arm length and swings the clubs differently. The huge majority of bad golfers are using clubs that don't fit and that makes it impossible to improve. Imagine a lefthander trying to play baseball using a right handed glove. For golf it's even worse.

A good set of custom made irons is going to be in the same price range as the junk you'll find in Costco and will cost MUCH less than the stuff you find in a pro shop. It only takes a half an hour with a good clubmaker to get a precise fit, invest the time, it's going to help your game a lot.
 
Originally posted by: TheBoyBlunder
I'd definitely reccomend a regular shaft over a stiff shaft. Unless you're really good or play regularly (with a high degree of skill) you wouldn't notice a benefit from a stiff shaft.
Click to expand...

I can drive much farther with a stiff shaft, but my control tends to suck...

so I would go for a shaft with a little bounce to it.

Taylor Made at Sams


Costco did not have any golf clubs listed on their site
 
Originally posted by: JoLLyRoGer
I don't want to spend more than 250.00 for the whole set of irons. I've been frequenting play it again, keeping my eyes peeled. And the better half of this morining spent on e-ghey.

Those dynacrafts do have a striking resemblance to the ping i3's

Used good stuff would always be fine with me of course. I'm checking into a used set of king cobraII oversized.

So I should avoid a stiff shaft i.e. graphites? Even if just about anything I hit takes a sharp right hand turn in mid-flight?
Click to expand...

Sounds like you need to work on your approach or the placement of your club head when it strikes the ball.
 
Originally posted by: GagHalfrunt
[Actually, it makes a huge difference. You're 100% right that you don't need an expensive set and you're also correct that an inexpensive set can play as well as or even better than a big name set costing 3 or 4 times more. But getting a club that fits properly can make all the difference in the world and a $5 garage sale club that fits you will perform much better than a $500 pro shop club that doesn't. Find a custom club maker and get fit, you can still pick up a good set of component irons like the Acers you mentioned or Dynacrafts that are custom fit exactly to your specs for somewhere between $250-$400 depending on the heads, shafts and grips used. Never assume that you just need a standard set of clubs, clubs are not socks, one size most assuredly does not fit all. Everyone is a different height, has different arm length and swings the clubs differently. The huge majority of bad golfers are using clubs that don't fit and that makes it impossible to improve. Imagine a lefthander trying to play baseball using a right handed glove. For golf it's even worse.

A good set of custom made irons is going to be in the same price range as the junk you'll find in Costco and will cost MUCH less than the stuff you find in a pro shop. It only takes a half an hour with a good clubmaker to get a precise fit, invest the time, it's going to help your game a lot.
Click to expand...

Wow, thanks for the tip. I always figured that fitting stuff was for the golfer who had a well developed swing that was engrained in his/her muscle memory. The fitting part was just another way to get an added egde on an already good game.

 
Originally posted by: Nitemare
Sounds like you need to work on your approach or the placement of your club head when it strikes the ball.
Click to expand...


I have no doubt about that. I'm wanting to get some lessons here pretty soon. I used to play in junior high a lot (many many years ago) and I took lessons then, but my body has changed so much since then that not too much of it stuck with me. A bit of re-training by a pro would probably go a long way for me.
 
Originally posted by: JoLLyRoGer
I don't want to spend more than 250.00 for the whole set of irons. I've been frequenting play it again, keeping my eyes peeled. And the better half of this morining spent on e-ghey.

Those dynacrafts do have a striking resemblance to the ping i3's

Used good stuff would always be fine with me of course. I'm checking into a used set of king cobraII oversized.

So I should avoid a stiff shaft i.e. graphites? Even if just about anything I hit takes a sharp right hand turn in mid-flight?
Click to expand...

Well, if you aren't going to go with a fitted club, then I would think just about any cavity-back club will do.

Shaft type depends on your swing. If you swing fast, then you will want stiff shaft. but I think that steel shafts are the way to go on low end clubs. They will be more consistent. The fact that you pull/hook push/slice has little to do with the shaft of you club and has every thing to do with your swing. Don't let the flight path come into play in your decision to buy clubs.

As far as the general topic of slicing goes, there are many causes for a slice, but they are all the result of having the clubface open relative to the direction the club is travelling. You probably have problems with your grip and your stance. If you are playing with a club that is either too long, or too short for you, you will have the tendency to hook and slice (respectively)...but that can only be addressed by getting the clubs fitted for your body shape and stance. You could go into a Golfsmith and see what they tell you in terms of shaft length is appropriate then try to buy a set that matches those dimensions.

 
Originally posted by: JoLLyRoGer
Hmm. They may be worth checking in to. Costco sells golf clubs? I thought they were a grocery store...
Click to expand...

Have you ever been there?

Boy are you in for a suprise!
 
Originally posted by: JoLLyRoGer

Wow, thanks for the tip. I always figured that fitting stuff was for the golfer who had a well developed swing that was engrained in his/her muscle memory. The fitting part was just another way to get an added egde on an already good game.
Click to expand...


That's half right. For a true beginner a fitting is a waste of time. They need to develop at least a semblance of a repeatable swing before clubs can get fit to it. It's like buying shoes for a 3 year old that will fit him when he turns 6, just guesswork at that point. But once you've been playing for 6 months or longer and are to the point where you can make fairly solid contact most of the time then your swing is grooved to the point where a fitting will help. You think a 6'0" guy that swings at 97mph, a 5'6" guy that swings at 84 mph and a 6'3" guy that swings 106 mph are going to hit the same club well? Nope, but each is likely to go into a pro shop and buy a standard set of clubs based on what their favorite pro is hitting rather than what they *should* be hitting. Even tiny details like grip size can have a huge impact on ballstriking and having a set with the wrong shaft flex or lie angle would be like Shaquille O'Neal trying to ride a kids tricycle, it's just not going to work out no matter how much you practice. If you're at the stage where you play often enough and seriously enough to want to buy a new set of irons then you're also at the stage where you need a set that fits you.

Quick golf economics lesson: A good set of iron heads like Acer, Dynacraft DFS II or P3 will cost maybe $50-80. A set of True Temper Dynamic Gold or similar shafts maybe $70. Grips are $20-$40. Add it up and the components for an excellent set of irons costs maybe $150-$200. A typical clubmaker will usually do a set of irons for in the neighborhood of $100 or so, $12 per club is pretty common for fitting and building the set. I'm not a professional clubmaker, just a hobbyist who sells based on word of mouth. Fit one guy, he improves, so the guys he plays with want a set, then they improve and their friends want a fitting, etc etc etc. I usually fit people into heads from Dynacraft as they make really good iron heads, shafts from True Temper as they have a huge line with different playing characteristics and grips from Golf Pride as they have the best selection of different sizes and feels. Almost no sets come out to being more than $300 and most are in the $250-$275 range and each set is different. Player A might need upright lie angles, soft shafts and oversize grips, Player B maybe flat lie, stiff shafts and standard grips. Player C standard lie angle, but shafts with a really low kick point to get the ball up in the air easier, etc etc etc. There is no standard set that fits most players, everyone needs something a little bit different. Even if you think you're average height and weight with an average swing, an average set of clubs wouldn't fit you any better than an average suit or average pair of shoes would.
 
Looks like its already been covered...

Get fitted and buy clubs that work with your swing.

for instance I need an extra inch, wider grips and a shallow lie.

I'm 6'3 with big hands. Normal clubs just don't work. 🙂
 
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