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Design a set for an old beginner
I'm almost 60 years old and at 6'6" tall I'm going to have a set of golf clubs fit for me. I've recently taken a few lessons from a teaching pro at my local course. We've just worked on the basics of posture, swing, grip, speed, etc. I've got a long way to go, but I've improved greatly. I've never owned my own clubs. I've only played, or tried to play, probably 30 rounds of golf in the past 20 years using rented sets. Every once in awhile I hit a bucket of balls at the driving range. I plan to play both 9 hole and 18 hole courses.
I really enjoy the game!
I know I need to get fitted. I know I need to tryout different brands, etc. The teaching pro has given me some advice on equipment, but he's also selling what they carry in the pro shop . . .
What I don't know is what specific club numbers to buy. Do I need a 3-PW, driver, 3 wood or what?
Here's your chance to give some advice to a soon to be retired engineering professor.
What clubs should I put in my bag? Would you recommend Graphite or Steel? Are Hybrids the way to go? ----or whatever advice you feel like giving!
Thanks!
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Throw us a bone. What did the pro advise?
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It's not possible to give you a good answer without knowing more and seeing your swing, even given your level of experience. But if you are going to buy more than a few clubs, rather than buy new, I'd strongly suggest getting a very basic fitting, meaning having a pro determine your length and lie for irons, and then try and buy used clubs to those specs(i.e. off E-Bay). I would let the pro suggest what type of shafts he recommends (i.e. stiff, regular or senior).
If your length and lie are not standard (off the rack) and you can't find used irons fitting your specs (very possible), then you have to figure out whether it makes more sense to buy used and have the irons reshafted and bent if necesarry, or buy new.
In the case of hybrids and woods, length and lie are generally standard so E-Bay, Play It Again sports, or some other means of acquiring used would be the way to go.
I wouldn't buy new clubs until I'd played a while. Some guys, like one of our resident club ho-s, never buys used. Others, such as myself, don't buy clubs that frequently and don't want to catch some golfing malady from someone else's clubs.
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I couldn't recommend a certain brand of club, or even set make-up, although as you are unlikely to have a fast swing speed hybrid clubs intsead of long irons are a good bet as they are easier to hit and to get the ball flying at a good height. Also modern large faced drivers are much easier to hit than drivers of yesteryear. Just make sure you are fitted correctly for shaft flex and length. My main advice would be not to go for "beginners" clubs, as in super game improvement irons or cheap chinese sets. If possible get good quality 2nd. hand clubs. Don't be talked into large, peripherally wieghted, oversized, big offset irons just because you are a relative beginner. There are many forgiving, well designed "normal" irons that will more easily allow you to enjoy and improve your ball striking. Good luck with it!
Cobra ZL 9.5 Stock stiff.Sonartec SS 3.5 14*Sonartec HB-001 21* Cally Diablo Forged 4-6 nippons, 2013 x forged 7-pw pxi 5.5 TM rac 50/6 gw. Fourteen MT-28 54 & 58 S400 Daddy Long Legs 35"TM Lethal
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As someone who has just purchased new clubs, my main piece of advice would just be to hit as many different clubs as you can and buy the ones that feel best to you. At the end of the day, as a relatively new player you probably don't need hand forged Japanese blades (however sweet they may be). You really need a club that feels good and is setup so it suits the way you hit the ball.
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If you are suspicious of the pro's advice because of an appearance of conflict of interest, I would be even more suspicious of any advice you might get from an anonymous group of non-experts on a golf board who have never seen you swing, and have far less experience and expertise in clubfitting (as in little to none)
If you get any specific advice from anybody on this board, "Be afraid; be very afraid."
Take your chances with the pro's advice.
Seldom right, never in doubt......
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Here's my set...
I am 43 but suspect our swing speeds and characteristics are very similar. I only swing the driver about 82 mph. I started playing three years ago and after a LOT of club ho-ing, I settled on this set, almost all TourEdge Exotics:
15* XLD driver, 44" shaft (originally 46") senior flex,
cut on both ends to make it more of a "soft regular"
18* xcg 5 wood
21* xcg 7 wood
25* cb2 hybrid (I call this a "9 wood")
ex3 irons, 5 through PW
xtreme spin wedges, 50, 56, 60
Heavy Putter
Exotics staff bag
(when filled with the above clubs, it is a GREAT look, which believe it or not can make you feel better and improve your play!)
Notice, I have no three wood, if you're a slower swinger like me you'll love this setup. These clubs pound the ball much further with more control than any other brand, and I'm almost hitting the same clubs from various distances as my faster swinging buddies who play mizuno irons and such.
This setup will be big bucks, but this is my recommendation based on what little I know of your game at this point. This setup works GREAT for me and has put an end to my club ho-ing.
Good Luck!
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If you are willing to spend money, then get fitted by a golf pro (I mean golf pro, not a saleman) at Dicks or Golf Galaxy or your local club builder. If you prefer not to spend much money now, then you could find gơod used clubs on eBay, but be aware of counterfeits. I would go with reputable dealers like 3ballsgolf, preowned... and here is what I would get for myself
12* driver
3-4 hybrids , 5-SW (I think Adams makes a set like that)
then later you could fill the gap like 5 wơod, 50* lofted wedge
Have fun
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Originally Posted by dld6928
15* XLD driver, 44" shaft (originally 46") senior flex,
cut on both ends to make it more of a "soft regular"
18* xcg 5 wood
21* xcg 7 wood
25* cb2 hybrid (I call this a "9 wood")
ex3 irons, 5 through PW
xtreme spin wedges, 50, 56, 60
Heavy Putter
Exotics staff bag
now that's a player's bag if i ever saw one. the staff bag only adds emphasis.
Be glad we aren't getting all of the government we're paying for.
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GENERALLY,
Adams Golf has good sets for beginning golfers.
Hybrids are good. Get at least #3 & #4 hybrids.
You need a 3 wood. Driver is a must.
Graphite > Steel for the older folks ;).
2007-2017 Moderator of the Year.
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Three words profman. Grain, Flow, Forged. The answer to all your questions listed above, and any questions you may have in the future.
You're welcome.
The views expressed by Not a Hacker are not meant to be understood by you primitive screw heads. Don't take it personally, just sit back and enjoy the writings of your better.
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I would start out with a set composition similar to mine--and I've got fifty seasons under my belt (1959-2008), But I'm still a senior, like it or not, and my 1-iron packing days are a distant memory.
12 or 13° driver or 2-wood,
4-wood,
3 hybrids to fill gap between 4-wood and irons,
6-9 irons,
pitching and gap wedges.
you don't need a lob wedge, but you will need a sand wedge.
You can choose a modern sand wedge with a straight leading edge and a bouncy trailing edge, but I go with an old fashioned oval-face sand iron which is actually much easier to use in sand. The downside is that it's fairly useless from the turf.
Add a putter. Good luck.
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