The Golf Thread

[byu71]

I hit Muzuno's and really like the feel. I think they are MP23's.

An 83 and 82 this weekend. I am improving. Without the doubles and triples, I would have been in 70's. Of course everyone has what if's, so in reality, I am not there yet.

[cougjunkie]

I have 2 sets of Nike Irons. The Ignites and the CPRs.

The ignites are in my garage and I have yet to hit them. The CPRs I have had for almost 4 years and I really like them. Although it might be time to upgrade.

[Moliere]

What does everyone hit for irons? That will be my first move. Irons and a new bag.

I use Cleveland CG4s. I got them off of Ebay a couple years ago. I got them mostly because I love my Cleveland driver and woods. I like how they feel although I'd be open to checking out new brands the next time I buy some clubs.

[Art Vandelay]

The Cleveland CG7's have been a siginficant upgrade over my old i4's

[Drunk Tank]

I hit Adams Idea Tech A4 Hybrid Irons. The 3 and 4 are hybrids and the 5-pw are forged cavity back irons. I love the feel.

[clackamascoug]

The Truth about Golf Clubs.

It's the Indian, not the arrow is a popular saying. I think it holds true in golf for the average guy. Premium golf clubs are like premium cars, they are made for the aficionado who has enough disposable income to justify the premium price. Sure the high end performance is there, but the real question is, is your game worth the premium.

I don't care how good you are - If you play more than 30 times a year, (once a week+ during 25 weeks of good weather) get the premium clubs. The $ per round will justify it over 5 year period.

Cost of Premium clubs.
$399.99 for a Driver. http://www.golfsmith.com/products/CA...y/FT-iZ_Driver
$299.99 for a 3 wood.http://www.golfsmith.com/products/TM...P_Fairway_Wood
$299.99 for a 5 wood
$699.99 for irons like Art has http://www.golfsmith.com/ps/products...cm_vc=vc_cs_pp
$119.99 for a Wedge http://www.golfsmith.com/products/TI..._Oil_Can_Wedge
$299.99 for a putter http://www.golfsmith.com/products/SC...n_Kombi_Putter
$299 for the "good" golf bag. http://www.golfsmith.com/products/29...omaly_Cart_Bag
$140.00 for Fred Couples shoes http://www.golfsmith.com/products/30...e/Coffee/Fanta
$269.99 for a pull cart http://www.golfsmith.com/products/25.../Speed_Cart_V2
$399.99 for the range finder http://www.golfsmith.com/products/30...ouchscreen_GPS

What's the total? = $3,229.91

If you play 20 rounds a year for 5 years, you'll average $32.29 in just equipment charges before your $50 greens fee. How much you like golf is your reaction to that price.

Donut Hole and I agree on one thing. You can play good golf, and score the same score as with the expensive equipment for $500.

I'll explore that in the next post - I've got to go.

[The_Tick]

I agree with Clack here.

I have good gear and barely shoot low 90's.

I have a buddy I golf with that has all knock offs (except for his Nike driver) and he is a high 70's golfer pretty consistantly.

I hate him.

[Indy Coug]

The Truth about Golf Clubs.

It's the Indian, not the arrow is a popular saying. I think it holds true in golf for the average guy. Premium golf clubs are like premium cars, they are made for the aficionado who has enough disposable income to justify the premium price. Sure the high end performance is there, but the real question is, is your game worth the premium.

I don't care how good you are - If you play more than 30 times a year, (once a week+ during 25 weeks of good weather) get the premium clubs. The $ per round will justify it over 5 year period.

Cost of Premium clubs.
$399.99 for a Driver. http://www.golfsmith.com/products/CA...y/FT-iZ_Driver
$299.99 for a 3 wood.http://www.golfsmith.com/products/TM...P_Fairway_Wood
$299.99 for a 5 wood
$699.99 for irons like Art has http://www.golfsmith.com/ps/products...cm_vc=vc_cs_pp
$119.99 for a Wedge http://www.golfsmith.com/products/TI..._Oil_Can_Wedge
$299.99 for a putter http://www.golfsmith.com/products/SC...n_Kombi_Putter
$299 for the "good" golf bag. http://www.golfsmith.com/products/29...omaly_Cart_Bag
$140.00 for Fred Couples shoes http://www.golfsmith.com/products/30...e/Coffee/Fanta
$269.99 for a pull cart http://www.golfsmith.com/products/25.../Speed_Cart_V2
$399.99 for the range finder http://www.golfsmith.com/products/30...ouchscreen_GPS

What's the total? = $3,229.91

If you play 20 rounds a year for 5 years, you'll average $32.29 in just equipment charges before your $50 greens fee. How much you like golf is your reaction to that price.

Donut Hole and I agree on one thing. You can play good golf, and score the same score as with the expensive equipment for $500.

I'll explore that in the next post - I've got to go.

Unless you're a low single digit handicapper, equipment is extremely overrated. Spend the money on lessons, added time at the range and putting green or more rounds of golf, not equipment. If after that you have improved your game to the point where it's increasingly difficult to shave off strokes, then look into equipment -- and make sure you have someone who knows what they're doing to help you find the right equipment.

[Katy Lied]

Unless you're a low single digit handicapper, equipment is extremely overrated. Spend the money on lessons, added time at the range and putting green or more rounds of golf, not equipment. If after that you have improved your game to the point where it's increasingly difficult to shave off strokes, then look into equipment -- and make sure you have someone who knows what they're doing to help you find the right equipment.

Agree all the way.
Golf is like photography this way. A good photographer can produce a good image on a crappy cell phone camera. He knows the limits of his equipment, and adjusts his picture (game) to compensate. One should stress the limits of your equipment before buying more equipment.

[clackamascoug]

Good Clubs for less than $500

$49 - Taylor made Burner Head Clone - http://www.proseriesgolf.com/woods/d...ylor%20Made%AE
$39.98 - Grafalloy Prolaunch Blue - http://cgi.ebay.com/Grafalloy-ProLau...ht_2503wt_1137
$40 - 3 and 5 wood heads matching the driver. http://www.proseriesgolf.com/woods/d...ylor%20Made%AE
$44 - Shafts for the 3 & 5 woods - http://www.proseriesgolf.com/shafts/...haft%20|%20MCS
$58 - Iron set 3-pw Taylor made R9 clone - http://www.proseriesgolf.com/irons/d...ylor%20Made%AE
$44.99 - 8 True Temper Dynamic TT lite shafts (used by PING) - http://cgi.ebay.com/8-NEW-TT-DYNAMIC...ht_1569wt_1137
$32 - Odyssey Clone with shaft and grip - ne Putter head - http://www.proseriesgolf.com/putters...dyssey%20Style
$72 - Good grips - not the cheapest. - http://www.proseriesgolf.com/grips/d...20|%20Goodyear

Total = $380

The key to the above is matching the flex of the shafts to the swing speed. If you wanted to upgrade the fairway shafts add about $20 each. Everything else is pretty good quality, without a lot of sacrifice in exceptional performance. Of course, you've got to assemble yourself - but that process is actually funner than golfing itself.

[FN Phat]

Good Clubs for less than $500

$49 - Taylor made Burner Head Clone - http://www.proseriesgolf.com/woods/d...ylor%20Made%AE
$39.98 - Grafalloy Prolaunch Blue - http://cgi.ebay.com/Grafalloy-ProLau...ht_2503wt_1137
$40 - 3 and 5 wood heads matching the driver. http://www.proseriesgolf.com/woods/d...ylor%20Made%AE
$44 - Shafts for the 3 & 5 woods - http://www.proseriesgolf.com/shafts/...haft%20|%20MCS
$58 - Iron set 3-pw Taylor made R9 clone - http://www.proseriesgolf.com/irons/d...ylor%20Made%AE
$44.99 - 8 True Temper Dynamic TT lite shafts (used by PING) - http://cgi.ebay.com/8-NEW-TT-DYNAMIC...ht_1569wt_1137
$32 - Odyssey Clone with shaft and grip - ne Putter head - http://www.proseriesgolf.com/putters...dyssey%20Style
$72 - Good grips - not the cheapest. - http://www.proseriesgolf.com/grips/d...20|%20Goodyear

Total = $380

The key to the above is matching the flex of the shafts to the swing speed. If you wanted to upgrade the fairway shafts add about $20 each. Everything else is pretty good quality, without a lot of sacrifice in exceptional performance.

How difficult is it to put together clubs? I have regripped a set of irons and they have been holding up well. Any suggestions?

[clackamascoug]

How difficult is it to put together clubs? I have regripped a set of irons and they have been holding up well. Any suggestions?

Regripping is a harder task than setting heads, so it would be a breeze. You need some good strong epoxy (longer drying the stronger.) I use the stuff from the web site, and it takes 18 hours to set. You rough up the tip of the shaft, and inside the hosel, and adjust the shaft to your liking. Some people like to spine adjust, but that's a bit too much work for too little improvement for me.

Irons need to be trimmed to the proper length. You can find lots of ideas and methods on;line about what you would personally like. With graphite shafts I just butt trimmed, with a 1/4 inch + on the standard length. (was thinking that the 1/4" would give me 2 yards a shot. No idea if it worked or not.) The longer the club, the less the accuracy.

You can buy pre-cut double sided tape, and then apply to shaft. Pour lighter fluid (gas works great) into the grip, shake it up to coat the inside of the grip, drain the fluid through the butt hole over the exposed double sided tape, making sure its wetted 110%. Take grip, and slide over the butt of the shaft. If you don't get everything slippery and wet before - you'll have a hell of a time getting it on. More is better in this case. don't delay, you'll regret it. Adjust the grip with the alignment markers on the butt and tip of the grip, and wait a few hours to dry.

Do not do heads and grips at the same time - you'll mess up both alignments. Set the heads first and then the last thing is the grips.

[FN Phat]

Regripping is a harder task than setting heads, so it would be a breeze. You need some good strong epoxy (longer drying the stronger.) I use the stuff from the web site, and it takes 18 hours to set. You rough up the tip of the shaft, and inside the hosel, and adjust the shaft to your liking. Some people like to spine adjust, but that's a bit too much work for too little improvement for me.

Irons need to be trimmed to the proper length. You can find lots of ideas and methods on;line about what you would personally like. With graphite shafts I just butt trimmed, with a 1/4 inch + on the standard length. (was thinking that the 1/4" would give me 2 yards a shot. No idea if it worked or not.) The longer the club, the less the accuracy.

You can buy pre-cut double sided tape, and then apply to shaft. Pour lighter fluid (gas works great) into the grip, shake it up to coat the inside of the grip, drain the fluid through the butt hole over the exposed double sided tape, making sure its wetted 110%. Take grip, and slide over the butt of the shaft. If you don't get everything slippery and wet before - you'll have a hell of a time getting it on. More is better in this case. don't delay, you'll regret it. Adjust the grip with the alignment markers on the butt and tip of the grip, and wait a few hours to dry.

Do not do heads and grips at the same time - you'll mess up both alignments. Set the heads first and then the last thing is the grips.

I may look into this. I used paint thinner to wet the grips and the tape. It works great and evaporates after the grip is intalled. If the heads are easier, I would be very interested in making my own set.

I went golfing today and borrowed an older set of Ping irons. I was amazed at the difference between a quality/newer club compared to what I have been using. I played a bit better than I usually do and hit a few shots that will keep me going back. One was a wedge shot from 115 yards out and I dropped it within 5 feet of the cup and rolled to within 6 inches from the cup. Another was a perfect read on a 40+ ft put that rimmed out. The last was a blast of a drive. Nothing spectacular, just a quality, well struck ball. I took 108 swings and all it took was 3 quality shots to make me count down the days until next Wednesday!

[clackamascoug]

I took 108 swings and all it took was 3 quality shots to make me count down the days until next Wednesday!

I love it...

The problem is, even if you shoot a 69, you're going to have the exact same feeling about leaving shots out there, and you'll still count down the days till the next fix. Once the golf monkey's on your back you'll never be able to kick it.

[Art Vandelay]

I just shot 86 (44-42). I hit one drive over 225 and lost at least 8 strokes to terrible chips. I was constantly on the fringe or withing 25 yards, but don't think I chipped and one putted a singe time. Very frustrating day.