Golf Newbie

[christopherjake]

My buddy wants me to go golfing w/ him and I'm thinking about getting a set of golf clubs.  I want quality stuff.  Any recommendations? 

[Grey Wolf]

Save your money and borrow a set of clubs . The bait monkey does not like to share the  money that would go for fishing equipment.

[Lund Explorer]

Find the nearest one of these stores, and take your buddy on a shopping trip.

http://www.golfgalaxy.com/galaxy/

Golf Galaxy will have every thing you need from clubs, bags, balls, and tees.  The local store has computerized driving ranges so you can take a few test swings. 

But follow your buddies advice more than the salespeople.  You want quality?  Be ready to drop around $1k plus before you get out the door.   

Think of all the spinnerbaits that would buy!

[Hammer 4]

I wouldn't invest too much $$ in your 1st set of clubs.

A couple of reasons..

1..At this point you don't know if you'll stick with it.

2..Over time your swing will change, and if your like most golfers, you'll want to "upgrade" your clubs.

What I would suggest is..buy used, get a brand name club for beginers that's easier to hit...Take Lessons, that way you limit bad habits, i.e. poor posture, and swing, ect.

I was a 5 hcp..believe me, there's much to learn about golf, it's a hard sport to master, i.e. no one has of yet..Best to go out and have Fun.

Oh...one thing I wouldn't skimp on is shoes, and a good bag if you intend on walking. 

[Root beer]

Dunlop.

[ArcticCat500]

stay away from new gear unless of course its shoes, good shoes were a GREAT suggestion from hammer4, Foot Joy has always been my long time favorite, but they dont come cheap and DONT buy cheap.

a decent bag is anything with a back pack type strap, but no need to go over board, Ogio makes some real great bags and they come reasonable on ebay.

I dont know your body type nor your athletic ability so a club recommendation is a difficult one.  But if I may suggest, a steel shaft, not graphite for the irons. If your strong and think you'll swing hard then go with stiff, if your planning on a smooth tempo non aggressive swing then go regular, I'd say and swear by regular 1st and learn how to play the game.

Woods, graphite shafts all the way, pick the driver up in stiff, look for 10.5* degree, give you a little more lift and easier to hit then say an 8* or 9*. Worry about tearing the cover off the ball after you can keep it in play.

3,5 and sometimes a 7wood. 3 and 5 are a must, I think the 7wood will help you more where a long iron shot will come into play.

your bag should be:

Driver, 3wd, 5wd, 7wd.  4,5,6,7,8,9,W sand wedge, lob wedge, and a putter. thats 14 and thats all you can have.

Take a real good long look at Taylor Made, they offer everything your looking for and you'll find awsome deals on ebay. RAC LT II's are an incredible iron for what your looking to acheive, The Taylor Made R5 is a great driver and if you can still find a 510 grab it, it was one of the easiest drivers to hit.

Hit me up if you have any questions, I'm 45yrs old and taught as a teaching professional for 10yrs till and accident ended my golfing career, Im sure I still have a little knowledge left in me to help some one out.

Good Luck

AC500

[jeremyt]

I played golf for about 10 years and took a lay off about 2 years ago.  The advice that I will give you is that you can play the same game with a $1500 set of Taylor Mades or a $140 set of Wally World specials. The make of the club in my opinion doesn't matter just don't play with a short set or one too long for you.  The best set of clubs I ever owned was my first, that was a set of Golden Bear irons that I paid $150 bucks for.

  The biggest thing is learning the game and how you hit each club. Practice practice practice.  If you are just going to play once in a blue moon then don't expect to shoot in the 80's or lower, just have fun with it the same way we all do with fishing.

[ArcticCat500]

I played golf for about 10 years and took a lay off about 2 years ago. The advice that I will give you is that you can play the same game with a $1500 set of Taylor Mades or a $140 set of Wally World specials. The make of the club in my opinion doesn't matter just don't play with a short set or one too long for you. The best set of clubs I ever owned was my first, that was a set of Golden Bear irons that I paid $150 bucks for.

The biggest thing is learning the game and how you hit each club. Practice practice practice. If you are just going to play once in a blue moon then don't expect to shoot in the 80's or lower, just have fun with it the same way we all do with fishing.

stay away from box store trash, and no one said you have to spend $1500 bux. you'll find plenty of brand name sticks on ebay. trust me, you dont want a set of clubs from WallyWorld, if I'm mistaken I thought I read "I want quality stuff" not tomato stakes for the garden ;D

[Hammer 4]

Maybe in the beginning, clubs won't make much of a difference, But...once a swing gets dialed in to a degree, i.e. his swing style, then clubs start to make a difference, same as when your score/skill level improves. I went from cavity backs to forged irons, that's not to say some knock offs won't work. Did I mention Lessons..? Also, friends aren't always the best source for info. either, I found that my teaching pro pointed me in the right direction when it came to clubs ect..Craigslist seems to have alot of good clubs for sale used, so you get quality at a good price..

[ring fry]

What hammer said.  (both times)  As a former golf professional and professional golfer, take hammer's advice.   

[Tokyo Tony]

If you're looking for quality, and just starting, get a set of used cavity back irons. They're more forgiving than blades because of the bigger sweet spot. Definitely get a titanium driver with a large head - 400-460 cc's, with a graphite shaft. You might want regular instead of stiff as most beginners have trouble with slicing the ball. The regular shaft will aid in slice prevention. Of course if you're swinging at 90+ mph, go with a stiff shaft. The rest of your clubs can have steel shafts, which I would recommend. Steel is heavier, more durable, and you'll generally hit it straighter than graphite, although not quite as far.

As for putters, really whatever feels best. I used to switch putters every few months/weeks (for years!) until I settled on the Odyssey two-ball. I've had that now for 6 years.

For balls, you'd be best off with a distance ball that doesn't spin much. For example, Pinnacles. The reduced spin means you'll hit it straighter and longer.

For a glove, go for a durable one to start, like the FootJoy weathersoft.

Get a lightweight carry bag with double straps and a stand if you're walking, or a cart bag if you'll be riding.

There really are so many options out there that you're probably best off taking a lesson from a reliable pro and asking him what he recommends.

If you stick with it, make sure to post about it before you get your next set. I'd be curious to know. Good luck!

[bocabasser]

most golf shops will let you demo any set of clubs you want. try many different brands and go to a range and beat balls. if you are then serious about taking up the game, get custom fitted by a reputable golf shop. then you can choose one of the brands you tested and give them your specs and they will hook you up with the proper clubs. learning to play with improper clubs will discourage you from playing. good luck and practice your short game.

[Fishbone]

Save your money and borrow a set of clubs . The bait monkey does not like to share the money that would go for fishing equipment.

I almost (almost) wet my pants on that one. LMFAO.

The bait monkey is well know around my house and, in fact, hit hard this week.

[Daniel My Brother]

Your original post makes it sound like this might be your first time golfing. Borrow clubs and make sure you actually like golf before commiting to a set of clubs.

[bigtimfish]

Honestly, I took up golf in 05. I have learned through our demo days at our local golf shop that it's better if you hit every set that your interested in before you purchase. I can't stress that enough. I hit everything from titleist,mizuno,cleveland,taylormade. all of them. For me Cleveland irons felt the best. My brother in law is a hardcore titleist guy. It's your money, don't waste it on the first thing that looks pretty, or the one that you don't hit as good but get it because it's $40 cheaper. As a recommendation try some taylormade R7 TP. A few years old, but they are a good set of irons. As a driver I have to recommend a ping I15. Good luck

[Hammer 4]

Ya know, clubs are a Personal thang..so why even recomend a certain model..? I'd say this, stick with the good names, try as many models as possible, when you find clubs you like, check on craigslist ect.

[Long Mike]

I played golf for about ten years.  It finally occurred to me that I was never going to be worth a shilt at the game, so I took up bass fishing instead.   ;D

[moby bass]

Hmmmm.  Golf... an ineffectual endeavor to place an insignificant sphere in an obscure hole with totally inadequate tools.  Go fishing! ;D

[ArcticCat500]

I played golf for about ten years. It finally occurred to me that I was never going to be worth a darn at the game, so I took up bass fishing instead. ;D

Hmmmm. Golf... an ineffectual endeavor to place an insignificant sphere in an obscure hole with totally inadequate tools. Go fishing! ;D

While these wont help you, I stand behind my recommendations. See if you have a second hand sports shop in your area, you can buy used gear at very reasonable prices and then turn around and trade it right back in for something else, we have one here and you cant get near the place its always so busy.

[christopherjake]

Thanks everyone for all of the advice.  What do you guys think about this set on Ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120489691811&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

It's going to cost me 9.25% more because I'm in Cali.

[ring fry]

It is a good set of clubs.  I did notice an 'idiot mark' on the top of the driver, though.  It's like buying a reel, if that's what you want then do it.  I honestly don't know if I'd spend that much before you even know if you're going to like it or not. 

[Hammer 4]

I see 1 possibly 2 problems with that set.

1..the shafts are STIFF, these are meant for someone with a fast swing, and someone that has some experience.

2...Graphite shafts. I think steel is the way to go, I've had 2 graphite shafts seperate from the club head, sending them down range, luckly, I wasn't on the course. That's not to say graphite is bad, I just prefer steel on my irons.

As for the deal,I'd say it's o.k.  I sold a 1 yr. old set of Mizuno blades + a Nike bag for 500.00.

Thanks everyone for all of the advice. What do you guys think about this set on Ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120489691811&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

It's going to cost me 9.25% more because I'm in Cali.

[ArcticCat500]

It is a good set of clubs. I did notice an 'idiot mark' on the top of the driver, though. It's like buying a reel, if that's what you want then do it. I honestly don't know if I'd spend that much before you even know if you're going to like it or not.

you missed the one on the driver above aiming arrow, never the less thats a nice deal, you wont get that quality at WalMart. Graphite shafts are fine on the woods, and those irons were not graphite but in steel.