Advise on New Clubs

DonkeyPokerTour

Good Afternoon All
I’ve just taken up golf again after not playing since I was too young to work (I think I was 15 the last time I played). I am now 22. I have kept up my membership with the golf club, as juvenile membership was very little and now student membership is not much more. I have submitted my 3 cards for my handicap and been given 16, I felt 18 would have been fair (My Cards were: 102, 98, 97 and Par is 71).

I have been playing a bit recently and have been improving however I know my clubs are holding me back. At the moment my clubs consist of a King Cobra Driver with an S-Flex Shaft, Colt 3 & 5 woods which are imitations of a Macgregor Wood design (Again S Flex). I don’t think my swing speed is in the S Flex bracket but I inherited these clubs with Stiff shafts and didn’t change the shafts. I have Colt 3-SW and a Colt Lob Wedge (R Flex Steal Shafts). The only “Expensive” club I have is my putter which is an Odyssey White Hot Putter, Not the 2 ball one but a similar style.

For Christmas I am getting new golf clubs, my parents have given me a budget to work from but I am willing to add to it, so I have in the region of 1200euro to spend, would like to spend less but would be happy to spend 1200euro on a very nice set of clubs.

I have tried a few different clubs out. For Irons I have tried the Ping G10’s and I10’s (Both Regular Flex, Steel Shafts & Standard Lye). I prefer the G10’s as I am more consistent with them. For a 3wood I have tried the Ping G10 3 wood (Regular Flex, Graphite Shaft, Standard Lye). I absolutely love this 3 wood, hitting it very very well. For the Driver I have tried the Ping G10 in both 9 and 10.5 degrees (again Regular Flex, Graphite Shaft, Standard Lye). I like it in that I hit it about 30yards further than my current driver however I am getting a slight fade on the ball, my current driver I am very straight with, but if I hit it bad I would slice it rather than hook it.

Are Ping G10’s the club to go for or am I completely barking up the wrong tree? Also am I better heading up to Belfast to buy my clubs rather than buying them in the South? Is the saving going to be worth the Trek?

Please let me know your thoughts
Regards
Ian McDonald

kagni

Just a few bits of advice...

Try as many different club models as you can before buying.
Ping are good but you won't know if something else would suit you better unless you try it.

Think about hybrids instead of long irons - they are easier to hit for most people.

If you are buying a full set (driver, woods, hybrids, irons, wedges) you should be able to bargain your way to a good discount in any shop.

stevire

I'd go to your local pro (im sure theres one in the club) and tell him your situation. I reckon he'll recommend you get yourself fitted, and he'll give you a few sets of clubs to try out...

stockdam

If you aren't sure what you need then I'd pay the extra and go to a good pro or fitter who will watch you and spend time with you to get the best clubs for you. Then pay them the money for doing this instead of trying to get them cheaper.


However if you know exactly what you want then by all means shop around.

gerry28

Hi Ian,

Your lucky to have 1200 to spend on clubs, its a nice amount of money and should get you well set up if you choose correctly. Selecting the right clubs is a very individual thing. Go to a decent pro shop and get fitted, they can give you a 6 iron from lots of different makes and see what suits you best (don't get talked into something your not interested in by them either) Think about getting some good second hand clubs also, like a driver or wedges that should allow your cash strecch a bit further.
At a 16 handicap, stay away from blades and many of the player irons -the sweet spot may be to small for you yet (unless your a great ball striker).
Stiff shafts are prob not a great idea either, you need a fast clubhead speed and it may only encourage you to start lashing at the ball.

Good luck

Mat the trasher

Hey Ian,
If you've got the budget don't mention it to the shop, go in test out as many as you can, look for custom fit on the clubs that suit best and then haggle. Most good custom fit centre's in the leinster area will discount the custom fitting from the price of clubs you buy. If your club has a good pro with a shop he can usually compete with large stores on custom sets, plus you are keeping the business local. If you give us a idea of your location someone could advise of a good local fitting centre.

ehutchroi

Hi Ian,
If I was in your position i would take a good look at the Brand New Mizuno MX-100's, they are available for less than 350 euro around south dublin.
Also, you should consider the Ping Rapture V2 driver
you could pick these up with a hybrid for less than 650 euro and then splash out on some lessons

DonkeyPokerTour

Hi Guys

I have pritty much decided on my clubs now:
Driver: Ping G10, 10.5 Degree, R Flex TFC129 Shaft
3 wood: Ping G10, 15.5 Degree, R Flex Proforce V2 High Launch
5 wood: Ping G10, 18.5 Degree, R Flex Proforce V2 High Launch
4-9 Iron, PW SW, Ping G10, R Flex Steel Shafts, Cord Grips (very important, I feel these really improve a club)
AW/GW: Still Undecided (Probably a Vokey)
LW: Still Undecided (Probably a Vokey)
Putter: My existing Odyssey White Hot.

The only thing I have slight doubts about is the Irons, I am 100% convinced on everything else but I really like my fathers MacGregor V-Foil M455 Irons. Yes I know their a cheep set, yes I know their ancient but they work for me!! But they cannot be found anywhere.

Now my question is, I will most likely be buying these in the north of ireland (nevada bobs in belfast is quoting me 220euro cheeper than anywhere within driving distance in the south just for the Driver and FW woods), but I want to get my irons custom fitted, but is there anywhere that will custom fit me for the irons but I dont have to buy them from there. I asked in Greystones golf club (was told the pro there is good) but if you get fitted there you must buy them there. I dont mind paying a small charge, but dont want to spend like 200quid which means that any saving I make in the north is offset. So effectively I'm looking for a good fitter in the Co. Wicklow/ Dublin Area. I live in Wicklow Town but I am willing to travel to Dublin/North Wexford.

All help greatfully received!

Regards
Ian

uberwolf

Leopardstown driving range - Micheals Kavanagh and Allen do it.

DonkeyPokerTour

uberwolf wrote: »

Leopardstown driving range - Micheals Kavanagh and Allen do it.

Will they be able to custom fit me for the pings specifically? Also will there be a fee? If so a rough Idea of cost?

uberwolf

They fit you and then adjust the clubs - so a charge will apply. Varies depending on the number of clubs.

I'd imagine your northern saving would be well spent on the adjustments. I'm not wholly sure they stock pings. Nor do I have a recommendation for them particularly.

DonkeyPokerTour

uberwolf wrote: »

They fit you and then adjust the clubs - so a charge will apply. Varies depending on the number of clubs.

I'd imagine your northern saving would be well spent on the adjustments. I'm not wholly sure they stock pings. Nor do I have a recommendation for them particularly.

I don't think I've explained my self correctly, You can order ping with a large number of custom fit options. I.e. 1.5degree upright, 0.75degree flat etc. This is the kind of custom fitting I am looking for.

Regards
Ian

uberwolf

they certainly do this for Taylormade, and Nike. Not sure who else.

anywho, give them a bell and see if they have what you need.

DonkeyPokerTour

Sorry to drag this back from the depts, but I'm looking to get a hybrid to fit between my 5wood and 4 iron. I'm looking at the G10's, raptures or quite frankley anything else people would suggest. My problem is, the local golf pro does not have any hybrids in stock and I'm looking for somewhere I can go that at the very least has a "Simulator" computer thing that gives you an idea how far you hit the ball, was it straight etc. Ideally I'd like a driving range however all the ranges in my area do not stock pings.

Can anyone suggest somewhere in the Wicklow/Dublin Area that stocks pings and has these facilities?
Also any suggestions on a hybrid?

ShriekingSheet

DonkeyPokerTour wrote: »

Sorry to drag this back from the depts, but I'm looking to get a hybrid to fit between my 5wood and 4 iron. I'm looking at the G10's, raptures or quite frankley anything else people would suggest. My problem is, the local golf pro does not have any hybrids in stock and I'm looking for somewhere I can go that at the very least has a "Simulator" computer thing that gives you an idea how far you hit the ball, was it straight etc. Ideally I'd like a driving range however all the ranges in my area do not stock pings.

Can anyone suggest somewhere in the Wicklow/Dublin Area that stocks pings and has these facilities?
Also any suggestions on a hybrid?

There's a good thread on Hybrids recently - "suggest a hybrid" or something it was called. I use the G10 and find it great - for higher h'caps I think it might be slightly easier to use than the likes of the Titleist.

In truth, you'd be unbelievable lucky to get a place that will let you try a new club in the exact spec you want. When I bought mine I got sound advice from Ryan in McGuirk's (+2 h'cap) as to what spec to get but he's gone now.

Best thing I can tell you is to post the specifications of your irons and your 5 wood (make, model nd if they're longer or shorter than standard).

Have you bought anything you've talked about above yet? If not, especially if you're going for G10 woods and irons too (what recession!?) I'd be very confident that you could get good advice on here as to what loft hybrid to go with and then run that advice by the shop assistant wherever your buying. If you go straight to the shop they may try and sell you what's in stock rather than what's right.

Here's my own example...

I use TM Tour Burners and as per this (http://www.taylormadegolf.com/product_detail.asp?pID=214&section=specifications) my 3 iron is 20 degrees. It's custom fit to be 1/2 an inch longer too. I also have a Ping G10 3 wood which is standard and 14.5 degrees.

So I wanted to split the two of these clubs' yardage with hybrid. What make/model you go for is purely preference - getting the spec right is more black and white.

On Ryan's advice I went with an 18 degree G10 hybrid with 1/4 inch added on and the same shaft as my 3 wood. two degrees stronger was plenty but with the graphite shaft and more powerful head, a 1/2 inch on the hybrid would have pushed it closer to the 3 wood.

Works perfectly for be, bisecting the yardage gap between 3 wood and 3 iron. Same maths can be done for you (regardless of level) and will be even easier if you don't have longer or shorter shafts.

ShriekingSheet

DonkeyPokerTour wrote: »

I don't think I've explained my self correctly, You can order ping with a large number of custom fit options. I.e. 1.5degree upright, 0.75degree flat etc. This is the kind of custom fitting I am looking for.

Regards
Ian

But if you're looking to do this, go to a accredited Ping fitter and they'll tell you exactly what you need as regards custom fitting and what hybrid or woods to get. Won't be cheap though.