Relatively new to Golf

stayback

Age has gotten the better of me when it comes to contact sports and I am looking to see if I can take up golf.

I played rarely enough years ago. Just after a knee replacement so looking to break myself in gently.

What would people recommend golf clubs, starter clubs etc.

Also I am based in the south and I'm late 40's so looking for a reasonable priced way to get a handicap etc.

Any advice much appreciated

Dtoffee

Sites like Adverts.ie have loads of clubs for sale, for example https://www.adverts.ie/sets/cleveland-cg7-black-pearl-irons/36225508

A lot depends on your budget, but 150/200 should get you a decent starter set of Irons and you can pick up the woods one by one. I'd try for the better names like Taylor Made, Titleist, Callaway, Ping or Cleveland if you are looking to upgrade in a year or so as they should hold their value better. I would avoid some of the cheap starter sets on Sports Direct etc, they tend not to last.

Regards a handicap, Golf Irelands Igolf offers you a deal for something like €66…. but you are on your own and limited to open's and green fees. Joining a club is probably the way to go once you are hooked, socially its far better and keeps you motivated.

Best of luck.

spacecoyote

You'll definitely get better value and quality in the second hand market compared to buying a starter set, which tend to be pretty poor in general.

Tricky part with getting clubs now is, your swing, if you're coming back from a knee replacement currently is probably not going to be in the best shape, and once you're recovered will likely be a lot different.

Appletart Upsetter

I'm in a bit of a similar situation to the OP. I'm planning on going back to playing some golf. I sold my clubs around 3 years ago and haven't played since.

I've been looking at the Cobra Fly XL package set. You can pick it up for around €700.00 from American Golf. It includes a stand bag, driver, 5 wood, hybrid, 6-SW and putter. The reviews are good.

I looked at piecing together a second hand set and I'm not sure it would be any cheaper.

I won't be playing a lot of golf and this seems to me a decent compromise. If I want to change things out or add stuff down the road I can.

LightningBeard

I only started playing golf last summer, spent a few months putting together a bag of second hand clubs rather than getting a package set and am very happy with the quality. Two sites I've bought everything from are:

Golfmarket.ie

Mega-golf.co.uk

Excellent service, very fast delivery. Have tonnes of second hand iron sets in great condition too. I've a full bag now pieced together from both of these sites and the condition of all clubs was excellent.

talla10

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123377368#Comment_123377368

I got that package last October and can recommend. It's a very good starter set and will get you up and running. I'm new as well and high handicapper (24) and this set has everything you need to get started and decent quality

kagni

I think you would get better value by going 2nd hand.
Maybe try this option, give them your details and they will put together a suitable set of 2nd hand clubs for you (I'm not affiliated in any way with them!).

Next2NewGolf

French Toast

Adverts is brilliant for good used clubs. Buy from sellers who are well reviewed and you can’t go wrong. I started playing golf 3 years ago and put together a decent starting bag for about €300. Invest in lessons- they’ll be the best money you’ll spend. Good luck

Appletart Upsetter

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123387452#Comment_123387452

€300 is pretty impressive! Do you still use those clubs now?

My logic for picking up the Cobra package set, is that I'll still be using them in 5/10 years time.

Plus everything is new, which is always nice. No need to replace grips either.

For Petes Sake

Sorry to hijack this thread.

Any advice to get a handicap?

I'm based in Dublin and I don't have the funds to join any of the clubs around here. Are there any courses that do relatively cheap membership but will give you a handicap and have relatively frequent competitions?

I've only got back into golf recently myself. In my mid-30s and currently getting lessons but I'd love to get properly into it.

TrueDub

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123397133#Comment_123397133

Where in Dublin? I'm a member in Lisheen Springs, they do a flexi-membership package where you pay 400 or so, get your GI handicap and they put the equivalent number of points on your account. You then spend these points to play as you wish. See https://www.lisheenspringsgolfclub.ie/flexi-membership

spacecoyote

A few courses also do pay&play memberships. The likes of Grange Castle. It's around 250-300 for the year, then you pay a reduced rate for the competitions.

There is also iGolf, but we don't like to talk about that around here...🤣🤣

For Petes Sake

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123397223#Comment_123397223

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123397288#Comment_123397288

This is exactly the type of thing I'm looking for. Thank you!

swededmonkey

If you are anywhere near the northside, Deer park (Howth) & Corballis (Donabate) have pay & play memberships.

MojoMaker

Membership - Grange Castle Golf Club

Grange Castle gone up quite a bit.

Deerpark is 210 + 25 per round.

Laoisvillian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123397133#Comment_123397133

Have a look at the new iGolf set up from Golf Ireland

Igolf - Golf Ireland

Think it's around €60 for the year which will give you a GUI number and allow you get a handicap and log scores against your handicap. Once you have this, you can enter any Open competition at any course by just paying your green fee. It also allows you to use casual rounds against your handicap once you are playing with another GUI member who can attest to your score on the app

Laoisvillian

Oh sorry, didn't realise iG**f was taboo!!

awec

The problem with iGolf is you are restricted to playing Opens which means you're going to really struggle to get to play golf at the weekends.

The majority of courses will never host an Open at the weekend.

spacecoyote

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123403608#Comment_123403608

From a competition perspective, yes. But anywhere that has a slot for a green fee could be used for logging a casual golf round, which I guess could be more possible at off-peak weekend times

For Petes Sake

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123403608#Comment_123403608

Talking from a personal perspective, but I'd be in a position to play a couple of Opens a month so that wouldn't be worst.

If I was to join a club, could I play in competitions in a bid to get a handicap?

Laoisvillian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123403839#Comment_123403839

Open to correction on this, but your handicap is based on the best 8 scores from the last 20 rounds submitted on the Golf Ireland app, regardless of whether that score was attained in competition or as a casual round.

(this opens up a whooole other kettle of fish around the World Handicap System that we'll ignore!)

So yeah it used to be the case that only your score in a competition counted towards your handicap, but that is no longer the case.

You just need to make sure if you are playing a casual round, that the person you are playing with is also a GUI member and can attest to your score on the golf ireland app!

For Petes Sake

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123403856#Comment_123403856

Ah ok, so if I joined a club and just started playing competitions then it would be ok?

How does it work say in a singles stableford that I don't have a handicap to work out the score? Is it just assumed that I'm starting off on 36?

Apologies for all the questions, just want to make sure I have all the answers before I commit to joining a club.

Laoisvillian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123403877#Comment_123403877

There's probably somebody else on here who can give you much more insight than me, but when I first joined my club I had to submit 4 manual scorecards and then play with the handicap secretary before getting my handicap, but that might have been a local thing I don't know!

awec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123403877#Comment_123403877

After you join a club, and when initially you don't have a handicap you just play but you're not entered in the competition. One of the other people playing with you will mark the card for you. For getting a handicap you just mark strokes, not points.

You need to submit 54 holes worth of cards to get a handicap. That can be 3 x 18 hole rounds, 6 x 9 holes or any combination of those.

You can play in singles competition slots or you can do it in casual golf, it doesn't matter, so long as there is someone else to mark the card for you (that person needs to be a Golf Ireland member).

spacecoyote

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123403877#Comment_123403877

You can't enter the competitions in your club till you have a handicap, which will mean playing at least 3 rounds.

Most clubs will let their new members play in the competition slots on the timesheet, but you won't be in the comp until you have a functioning handicap.

Once you have 3 in, you'll have a partially developed handicap. There are different calculations applied until you have 20 rounds on your record, at which time your handicap will be a fully formed one.

Some clubs will not allow people to win certain competitions (medals, Captains prize, etc...) until the have a full 20 rounds on their record. And some will not let you win a major in your first year of membership.

TLDR…you can play in comp slots until you've completed 3 rounds, at which point you'll get your first handicap, and can then enter comps.

For Petes Sake

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123403965#Comment_123403965

This is great. Thank you.

Great community here. All help and zero judgement. Fair play.