Golf Club buying for a Beginner

[t-tom]

I've been in the golf industry for most of my life. Teaching, fitting clubs or playing. Go to a club fitter and tell them how much you want to spend and what your goals in the game of golf are. Playing golf with the wrong clubs is like running a marthon in shoes that don't fit, you can do it but it won't be as fun. Most club fitters will fit you for free if your buying clubs. Its easy and only takes half an hour to an hour.

[SiberianDVM]

I've got more sets of old golf clubs in my garage than I do Porsche parts, which is a problem. If you come through Augusta, GA, drop an email, and we'll see if you like any of them.

As others have said, used is good. Globalgolf.com is my fav for buying used clubs. Ebay can be good. Many towns have goldfshops with tons of used clubs, most over-priced.

If you are a true beginner, I would recommend a set of irons with fairly wide soles, so that they will be easier to hit and the ball will go up. Lengths, flex, graphite vs. steel will depend on personal preference, your height, and strength as much as skill level. Basically, you need to hit a bunch of different clubs and find ones you like. Modern irons (built within the last 5 years or so) will be easier to hit than older clubs, especially musclebacks. Don't forget to buy hybrids instead of long irons (2,3,4 and maybe 5).

[intakexhaust]

Originally Posted by scottmandue

two words, garage sale.

Giveaways... Scope out garage sales near golf communities. I'm always finding $5 to $20 for low and high end club sets, drivers, decent putters, bags, wheeled carts, etc.. Lately, I've discovered a Goodwill store. Never thought much about walking in one but ridiculous cheap priced on golf including nice fishing gear. Usually have to pick thru the piles but there are some good stuff. Great for guest or other family members to use.

[Jrboulder]

I bought a 1-year old set of Titleist 690CB's in 2003 a couple weeks after a PGA tournament in Denver for $200. I'm fairly certain they were the clubs Jay Haas used in the first half of his 2003 season. They are identical down to the same grip as the ones he played and they have JH stamped in the back. I still play weekly with them.

[sammyg2]

My first set of irons were forged blades.
Prolly not the easiest way to learn except when I missed that dime-sized sweet spot my hands recieved "negative feedback".

plus when I finally switched to modern cavity back clubs it sure made the game seem easier.

[oilcan]

T-Tom has it right. Do not buy the garage sale clubs or the persimmon clubs from your old uncle. If you care to give yourself a chance at par you need to be fitted to your physical identity & swing speed. That doesn't mean big bucks- just proper fitting. I've been at it for 55 yrs & that's the way to go. I tried it the cheap way & lost time & energy.

[McLovin]

Well, it's really a question only you can answer.

I've been pretty active in the world of golf the last 5 years or so, so I've seen how it goes.

90% (probably more) of beginners that take a few lessons and play a few rounds end up quitting within a year (or less). They don't quit because they didn't buy the right clubs, they mostly quit because they aren't really committed to the game, and it's a lot harder than it looks. They'd end up quitting whether they had a $10 garage sale set, or a $2500 custom set.

So, how committed do you think you are?

Assuming a somewhat above average level, I'd say spend a little and get a good set of modern "game improvement" or "super game improvement" clubs. Something like the TaylorMade Burner or Burner 2.0 clubs. These really are easier to hit than blade type clubs, or anything made 10 years ago. Don't let your ego get in the way and get some kind of blades or other advanced player irons. Get what's easiest to hit straight.

The good thing about buying clubs is once a club becomes the "old model" it's price goes way down. So, something like the Burner, which is still a great club, can be had probably 1/3 what it was 3 years ago.

Fitting is fine, and like said above, for a basic fitting is free at the large chain golf stores, so why not. But a young guy, at 6 feet tall, you're going to be ok with any standard set of game/supergame improvement clubs.

If you can find a good used set of modern game/sgame improvement irons, that'd be good. You can easily find used drivers and woods, either on CL or your local shops, because people are constantly trading those things in (blaming the club instead of their swing!).

My guess is you won't be playing much or at all a year from now (not a knock on you, just have to go with the overwhelming odds), so I wouldn't go crazy on spending.

[nostatic]

Originally Posted by Jim Richards

During the off-season

wtf is that?

[Jim Richards]

Basterd!

[Kaliv]

I have two cents I want to spend... :P

When I got into a crowd that played golf, I borrowed my dad's bag for the summer. I basically learned one thing...for as much as I play, most clubs act all the same. So I went online and bought myself the essentials. For about $50 total...I have a driver, a 6 iron, a sand wedge, a putter, and a bag...the bag was like $35 on sale. Everything was brand new except the putter...which was a real nice Nike thing.

Working on keep the ball going straight does more for me than getting the long distance.

[fluque]

I was in your shoes a few years ago. Spend more on lessons than clubs.

Having said that if you want to buy new I would check out rockbottomgolf.com (no afiliation simply a happy customer). They have good bargains on prior year models so you get new, modern clubs at nice price. If you are an average 6" guy I'd go with regular stiff steel shafts and hybrids instead of long irons.

[slodave]

Originally Posted by porsche4life

Starting my 4th straight 60 hr week and basically my only expense is my food, which I collect per diem on the road. If I want to spend money on something I enjoy, I'm going to. I posted here so I could get a recommendation and not waste money on a set of clubs I'd be replacing in 2months.

You are getting a lot of recommendations and advice. Even my sarcastic post was advice. You'd be a fool to run into a golf shop and spend money on brand new stuff. Nor just golf, but for skiing (example) too. This coming ski season will be my 38th on skis. I still don't run out to the store for a new pair of skis. I demo a number first, once I find a pair that I like, then I buy.

I was a child golf prodigy. My grandparents golfed all the time when I was a kid and always brought me to the local golf course. No equipment was purchased for me (I'm pretty sure). I pretty much used my grandmother's clubs, since she was shorter than my grandfather. Yeah, I was handicapped a little, but I could still put the ball where ever I was told. Before I entered my teens, I stopped playing. I was good, but not interested. I picked it up briefly a few years later - at that point, I borrowed my grandfather's clubs, as he was no longer able to play golf.

As others have mentioned, take lessons, decide whether you are going to stick with it and if so, then consider buying. McLovin sums it up perfectly.

[VincentVega]

I was in your shoes a few years ago. Spend more on lessons than clubs.

Take Paul up on his offer, very generous.

I've wasted tons of $$ on clubs over the years, I still stink. It's not the clubs, at least until you dont stink.

[t-tom]

Look there is a lot of bad advise in here. Yes you can buy used clubs and yes they will work. But if you want to be as good as you can at golf it starts with your clubs. You can buy a use set and have them fit to you, by the time you do you will have spent the same amount as buying new clubs. I charge 8.25 a club to change the shaft plus the cost of the shaft. It's another 3.50 per club to adjust the loft and lie angles per club 2.50 per club to put grips on unless you buy the grips from me then I'll put them on for free. Golf is just like everything else in life it's a lot more fun when you are good at it. Get your clubs fit take some lessons, practice what you've learned in the lessons and have fun. Or you go get some clubs, hack the ball around a few times get frustrated and quit like a lot of people do. It's not easy it takes time and dedication just to be somewhat good.

[Superman]

Thrift store. Bag and collection of (name brand....yesterday's coolest stuff) is $50.

[porsche4life]

Originally Posted by McLovin

If you can find a good used set of modern game/sgame improvement irons, that'd be good. You can easily find used drivers and woods, either on CL or your local shops, because people are constantly trading those things in (blaming the club instead of their swing!).

My guess is you won't be playing much or at all a year from now (not a knock on you, just have to go with the overwhelming odds), so I wouldn't go crazy on spending.

This is along the lines of what I've been thinking, I'm just trying to figure out if there is anything I should be looking for, or specifically trying to avoid(Obviously anything older than myself, or wood).

I've taken 3hrs of lessons, and am planning to go back for more, but I've been on the road a lot lately and haven't been able to. The place I go for lessons does fittings, but they charge $50 for a fitting. I know working in sales, that being able to be competent on the golf course is a good thing, and I don't see dropping it. I enjoy when I play, as its a challenge for me, and I like a challenge.

Originally Posted by Seahawk

Syd,

I have a set I'll give you...I'm on the road so I don't have pictures but is was a set my nephew, who played briefly for Furman, used for a while.

Pay shipping and they are yours, Furman bag included.

Wow. You are a generous man Paul. I'll pm you. Do you ever get down in the Houston area on your travels? I'm here till December, look me up, beer and burgers are on me.

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by trekkor

A pro golfer could beat most of us with a sledge hammer, rake and a shovel...


KT

Lee Trevino used to hustle golf games. He would play with just a coke bottle and beat the average duffer. Imagine he walks up to the green with a coke bottle and you have a mega thousand dollar set of fancy clubs.

Equipment standardization, is uniform conformity a universal benefit?
OK, let's imagine we abolished the rules of golf for recreational play and envision a future scenario. A guy shows up on the first tee of Happy Acres public golf course one day with only a Coke bottle on a stick in his bag (Lee Trevino would love this story, he actually lived something similar to it by all public accounts). He plunks down his $35 for an 18-hole round and goes out and plays in a foursome. Let's say the other guys wanted to bet and he said, "I think I'll shoot 100 today with this Coke bottle on a stick." The other guys reason that's a fair wager and they take him up. He ends up shooting 95, beating 2 guys and losing to another. They settle the bets and head off to the bar. What happened here? The golf course got their $35, the player had an enjoyable round with whatever equipment he chose, the rest of the foursome made the choice to bet or not to bet with him, they agreed on a system and played a round. Who lost in this equation? But, you say, he now wants to enter the occasional charity outing. He has two choices. Don't compete in the charity outing (who made the rule that charity outings were about competition and gambling?) or go play enough rounds before the outing to establish a handicap and compete with that assumed skill level. Let's say he gets really good and wants to compete in the Club Championship or a local amateur tournament. Here he doesn't have the option to not compete so he has to go get himself regulation equipment, post scores etc. and do it that way. One of two things happen, either he's got incredible hand-eye coordination from hitting with that Coke bottle on a stick and he makes a successful transition to conforming equipment or he's a complete disaster with anything but a Coke bottle and teams up with Peter Johncke "The Trick Shot Master" and goes on tour. Again, who's hurt here?

[9dreizig]

Sid, you REALLY want a used set.. the stiffness of the shaft and type of club head that you can hit well now will be totally different in a year or two if you get any good.. A good discount golf shop will have some really nice used sets....

[Schrup]

I would borrow a good set of sticks with stiff shafts & get them regripped. I would spend all my golf cash on playing as much as possible. If you do get lessons, research the pro. My first lessons were a waste, the guy was a arrogant prick. There are different teaching styles, technical vs feel. Proceed with caution, golf can be a slippery slope.

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by t-tom

Look there is a lot of bad advise in here. Yes you can buy used clubs and yes they will work. But if you want to be as good as you can at golf it starts with your clubs. You can buy a use set and have them fit to you, by the time you do you will have spent the same amount as buying new clubs. I charge 8.25 a club to change the shaft plus the cost of the shaft. It's another 3.50 per club to adjust the loft and lie angles per club 2.50 per club to put grips on unless you buy the grips from me then I'll put them on for free. Golf is just like everything else in life it's a lot more fun when you are good at it. Get your clubs fit take some lessons, practice what you've learned in the lessons and have fun. Or you go get some clubs, hack the ball around a few times get frustrated and quit like a lot of people do. It's not easy it takes time and dedication just to be somewhat good.

Seriously, this guy does this for a living... you don't seem worried about spending a few bucks so I would listen to him.

Just my two cents.