Clubs for a bad golfer

[911 Rod]

Pretty sure there are lots of golfers here.
I golf maybe 5 times a year and would like to but some nice used clubs.
Any advice? The good ones all appear to be for good golfers. Blades etc.

[Schrup]

Adams Idea comes to mind. I would look for a progressive set that switches to hybrid after the 7 iron. If you're over 55 you might consider senior flex shafts.

[sammyg2]

Doesn't matter. At all. Any cavity back clubs will be fine.
The quality of the clubs does not even begin to be a factor until the golfer's skills get above average.
Billions of dollars are thrown away every year by hackers who erroneously think new or expensive clubs will make them play better but they are always wrong. Lessons matter. practice matters. Clubs don't unless you are a pro or very nearly so.

Just like buying $1000 worth of cycling apparel won't make a person go any faster on a bike, it just makes the wearer look like a dork

[911 Rod]

It would be nice if they were a little more forgiving. I don't need to be better, just be able to hit the ball easier.

[Seahawk]

Spoiling a good walk just five times a year?

Sam is right...the clubs will always be better than you: Cavity backs and go.

Measurement is more important than the club brand, BTW. Get fitted before you do anything rash.

I noticed you are from Canada: You playing everyday during the Summer?

[Don Ro]

Not a golfer.
When I first started playing tennis I went from racquet to racquet until I found one with backhands in it.

[Craig T]

Golf irons come in categories.

"Players Irons" - For the better "low handicap" golfer. Thinner soles and toplines, and more compact clubheads. Usually forged. Better for working the ball left and right, but NOT forgiving for the beginner.

"Game Improvement Irons" What 90% of golfers play. Larger all around, perimeter-weighted cavity backed with a thinner face for forgiveness. Usually a cast metal.

"Super Game Improvement Irons" Mostly marketing hype. Suppose to get the ball in the air better. Have draw-bias offset to help prevent a slice. This is truly for people trying to buy a game. It doesn't work.

Just buy any used Callaway, Taylor Made, or Ping cavity back cast iron off Craigslist, take a lesson, and go practice.

It's not the arrow...It's the Indian.

[Porchdog]

I used to golf some, primarily with my Dad, father in law, and with my sons. I only ever used hand me down clubs.

For my very occasional golfing I found that a 2 wood was much more effective as a driver. I spent more time in the fairway, even though my rare "good" drives were a bit shorter.

My Dad's game peaked in his mid 70's (he didn't golf much at all until after he retired). He had played about 150 rounds a year with a cheap set of clubs he bought when he retired. (he gave me his wooden Ben Hogans). When he thought he was good enough he tested a bunch of clubs and got fitted with a set of Taylor Mades. He never got completely consistent with that driver. Eventually he tried a friends Adams, and got one of those.

I still have all three sets of clubs that he used, plus my FIL's clubs. Either of my sons can whip me with any set of clubs and they golf less than me.

In 40 years of very casual golfing I never got good enough for clubs to make any noticeable difference - except that I am very erratic with the "high performance" drivers. If I cared enough to improve I would spend the money on lessons and the driving range.

There are plenty of quality used clubs cheap on craigslist.

[911 Rod]

Maybe something like this?

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-golf/markham-york-region/sac-de-golf-club-baton-callaway-taylormade-set-ensemble-right/1363178580?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true

[Craig T]

Originally Posted by 911 Rod

Maybe something like this?

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-golf/markham-york-region/sac-de-golf-club-baton-callaway-taylormade-set-ensemble-right/1363178580?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true

No. It's the right idea and package deal, but I would absolutely stay away from graphite shafts on used clubs. Find some with regular flex steel shafts.

BTW...I golf everyday

[stomachmonkey]

Royal Hotel or Oasis Aqualounge are great clubs.

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by 911 Rod

Maybe something like this?

Just get fitted first...if you are 5'9 to 6'1 it doesn't matter much but still worth the $30 bucks.

BTW, the only club improvement that made a difference for me when I was playing golf were hybrids over fairway woods and long irons.

I put any notion of 1 through 4 irons, fairway woods, in the garage.

YMMV.

[Craig T]

Originally Posted by Seahawk

Just get fitted first...if you are 5'9 to 6'1 it doesn't matter much but still worth the $30 bucks.

BTW, the only club improvement that made a difference for me when I was playing golf were hybrids over fairway woods and long irons.

I put any notion of 1 through 4 irons, fairway woods, in the garage.

YMMV.

Me too. I replaced my 3 iron and 4 iron for hybrids last year. MUCH easier to hit and stop the ball on 185-210 yard shots with a hybrid. Way more forgiving.

[Don Ro]

I'm back.
I enjoy watching golf tournaments...admirable talent, I must say.
Also good for napping. It's the calmness of it all. The soft voices of the announcers, I guess...also the scenery.

[911 Rod]

I'm 5'9"/ 190 lbs. and 55 years old.

[McLovin]

Clubs definitely matter. To some extent.

To go to the extreme, an average golfer (i.e., a pretty bad, casual player), would have a miserable time with a set of Titleist blades on extra stiff shafts. Physically they are hard to hit, and mentally just looking down on those tiny thin heads isn't easy. They aren't designed to hit straight shots.

Your round would be a lot more fun with a set of Game or Super Game Improvement Irons. It is a 100% certainty that you would hit more straight shots.

But, once you are in the category of Game or Super Game Improvement (I'd go with Super Game), then I'd agree there isn't much difference. Either between makers, or years. You'll do just as well with a used set of 2015 clubs as you would with the "latest and greatest" new set.

[McLovin]

Also agree with above to get hybrids instead of any club below a 5 iron. I'd probably not even have a 5 iron, start with a 6 and everything below that use a hybrid club.

[matthewb0051]

Check out garage sales. They can be the best place to pick up a set

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by sammyg2

Doesn't matter. At all. Any cavity back clubs will be fine.
The quality of the clubs does not even begin to be a factor until the golfer's skills get above average.
Billions of dollars are thrown away every year by hackers who erroneously think new or expensive clubs will make them play better but they are always wrong. Lessons matter. practice matters. Clubs don't unless you are a pro or very nearly so.

Just like buying $1000 worth of cycling apparel won't make a person go any faster on a bike, it just makes the wearer look like a dork

LOL! Never played golf, so no comment on clubs. But boy oh boy does this apply to pool cues as well. Hey, the search for magic clubs or cues is good for the economy, right?

Seem to me you have to play some before you know what equipment you prefer. I know I went through several cues before knowing what I liked as far as balance, shaft diameter and taper, tip, etc. Now I've stuck with the same playing cue for over 10 years. Perhaps another thing similar to golf clubs?

All that said, developed macular degeneration in my left eye. Age related. Haven't taken my cues out of the case for months. Getting eyeball injections that seem to help, so hope to return to the table. It was simply too maddening to be missing shots 80% of the time that I knew I made 80% of the time before vision went south.

Anyway, for precision games, good equipment can help, but it really boils down to time spent getting better through instruction, drills, and hours of practice. Be sure the equipment is good for you, then keep shooting...

[widebody911]

Originally Posted by Schrup

Adams Idea comes to mind. I would look for a progressive set that switches to hybrid after the 7 iron. If you're over 55 you might consider senior flex shafts.

Without medication, if you're over 55, a flex shaft is all you have.