10 Things that could be wrong with your golf gear

[Slab]

Interesting GM article so thought I'd start a thread on it

What might be wrong in your bag?
Is it listed in the article or something they missed?
Anything listed that you're really in agreement/disagreement with from the GM ten?

From the article itself there a fair few points I agree with (add hybrids, driver shaft length) and some I'm a bit skeptical of (a wedge manufacture suggests replacing them every year or so!, one ball only!)

Your thoughts?

 

[tsped83]

1. Worn out Wedges - hmmm, could be. I have a very old Ping Eye2 BeCu wedge which is 20+ years I suspect...
2. Off the shelf bargains - yep, got all 13 of them.
3. Golf shoes - Nope, x2 pairs of Adipower Boost. Comfier than the wifes knickers.
4. Wrong loft - doubt it, don't own a driver.
5. Glove - Try to keep them in the packaging when not used, rotate 2 usually.
6. Grips - on the xmas list.
7. Brains - Ping irons always.
8. Long irons - check. Longest iron is a 5. Two hybrids too.
9. Lake balls - a nonsense. Lake balls are cheaper and often in very good nick. They'll do for me.
10. Long shafts - the sole reason I hit 3W off the tee. Can never control the driver with standard shafts. Nor do I think can most people.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Some of these points require a bottomless pit of money. Is it a surprise that wedge mfrs want you to change your wedge every 100 rounds, golf grips every 2 yrs? Kerching. Many of us buy off the shelf, AG bargain bin, ebay etc due to budget, not because we disagree with custom fitting.

The one I am guilty of that I have total control of is my golf glove. I keep them far too long, well past their use by date despite having new ones spare and available. I'm not sure why, perhaps it is a subconscious challenge to see how long I can keep one going. Daft.

 

[LCW]

Well looking at point 9 I am pretty sure on GM's own recent vlog at Titleist it was mentioned that they (Titleist) test their balls underwater for a extreme length of time.

If its good enough for them, Just saying GM.......

But I will play along:

1) I agree about changing wedges when worn down but every 12-18 months cmon guys really? Mine are over 12 months old and look like the day I bought them near enough. Think the vokeys I had lasted me about 4 years.
2) Agree with this. All my clubs are custom fit & I recently had a putter fitting at Phil Kenyons place (was a real eye opener). Fitting was free with driver and £40 for irons so didnt cost the earth in relation to what the clubs did.
3) Sorted as above adipower boost, very comfy.
4) Agree but a good fitting as per point 2 will sort that out.
5) Neglecting and also wearing the wrong glove. I used to wear ML when actually I had a footjoy rep do a "fitting" and I actually came out as small (glove wise ).
6) Grips yes change when worn but 2 years suppose if you play every weekend.
7) Probably agree with this to some extent. I have a combo set of MP54/MP4 and someday i think sod it I will put the rest of the MP54's in.
8) Guilty - run a 2 iron - LW no hybrids for me.
9) Lake balls - made this point above.
10) Spot on my shaft in the driver I have now Ping G30 LS is an inch shorter than the TM driver it replaced. As a consequence of point number 2. Also was no up-charge in shaft change which was nice.

As its been mentioned; bottomless pit of money then yes to all but most of us are working people with families and this our hobby not a job. Save your £150 to replace wedges every 12-18 months and put some of that money to some lessons. Bet you can spin the ball with that rather than a new wedge.

 

[Capella]

I don't have wedges ... I have the sand wedge and pitching wedge that came with my irons. A full shot with my PW goes 55 m (so about 60 yards), I don't need that to spin back, thank you very much, I am quite happy when it gets there And I don't buy off the shelf bargains ... my bargains all come fresh out of ebay. All my used clubs were freshly regripped when I got them (or if they weren't, I did get them regripped), so the grips are all pretty new still. Shoes: check, Gloves: check, driver loft ... 12° seems to work well for me, pro agreed, so happy there. Game improvement irons: check. Long irons: check (longest one is a 4 which I don't even take out to the course anymore, hybrid and 7 wood instead). Lake balls: I love my lake balls. Not only because they save me money. I hate it when things are wasted and love to reuse and recycle. I do try to get one make and model, though. Long shaft ... if I want more control, I just grip down an inch.

So, sorry GM, no real eye openers there.

 

[Mozza73]

Some of these points require a bottomless pit of money. Is it a surprise that wedge mfrs want you to change your wedge every 100 rounds, golf grips every 2 yrs? Kerching. Many of us buy off the shelf, AG bargain bin, ebay etc due to budget, not because we disagree with custom fitting.

Completely agree, and there's nothing wrong with pearl/A grade lake balls either.

 

[ScienceBoy]

It is right this is titled "could be wrong" as one of the best golf purchases I have ever made, #3 behind tour SNSR grip and my putter, is my £70 second hand cobra S3 3 wood. Cracking club that beats my driver off the tee.

It's a superb club that I won't let go of. Pity I can't hit it off the deck.

 

[Alex1975]

Most of it is common sense but 7. Blades or Brains & 8. Long irons are just fad things to say. Its very clear from many many topics on here over the years they some people are better with a long iron than a hybrid and vice versa and the blade cavity back argument is just that and not winnable either way. It really does depend on the golfer and a magazine article can`t be aimed at all golfers. I guess they have write about something.

 

[fundy]

Most of it is common sense but 7. Blades or Brains & 8. Long irons are just fad things to say. Its very clear from many many topics on here over the years they some people are better with a long iron than a hybrid and vice versa and the blade cavity back argument is just that and not winnable either way. It really does depend on the golfer and a magazine article can`t be aimed at all golfers. I guess they have write about something.

theyre the 2 I fail on blades 7 iron down and also carry a 3 and 4 iron

 

[Alex1975]

theyre the 2 I fail on blades 7 iron down and also carry a 3 and 4 iron

Up until recently the wedges too, I think they nearly had a hole through them....

 

[Roland]

This is what happened to one of my lake balls, looked OK when I got it out of the bag and I don't hit them that hard.



I guess you don't know how long a lake ball has been in a lake and I guess the elastic qualities must degrade over time. Titelist NXT has been around a long time so it could have been very old.

 

[Crow]

Should be titled 10 Good Reasons to Spend Money.

I think I qualify for all of them across my two sets, but I'm not known for being a new gear junkie so I'll be sticking with my old tat.

 

[groundskeeperwilly]

I changed from blades to a set of CB's and my iron game has deserted me.....

Was just looking at my old worn out glove today wondering how long I can make it last too.

Seriously they COULD be wrong but they might not. I played a guy this year with a glove that was ridiculous with holes all over, missing most spikes in his shoes (they were supposed to have spikes), playing blades 2-PW, 7* driver, and scabby old balls. He destroyed me...

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Very interesting article but it requires a lot of money, on a regular basis to fulfil all the requirements. Some are common sense, seem a reason for manufacturers to pedal more wares.

 

[USER1999]

I like my 3 iron, well, not today, but usually. Yep, it's a blade. All my irons are. I'm yet to be convinced that the hozel, bottom edge, and toe can be made more forgiving. They are the bits I use.

 

[ColchesterFC]

For the average club golfer surely the number one thing that is wrong with your golf gear is the person standing at the grip end swinging the club. Do any of the other things actually make that big a difference to a mid to high handicap golfer?

 

[craigstardis1976]

"Interesting" is not a word I would use to describe that article. Patronizing rubbish, really. Not sure who it is aimed at or the credentials of the author but that is a poor excuse for an article about golf equipment. Come on GM, you can do better than that banality.

But to tackle the "points" the author made:

1. My fifteen year old Cleveland 588 RTG's provide perfectly adequate spin for my game. So why change?
2. Don't assume people who buy bargains are incapable of buying golf equipment to suit their game. By using a method of picking clubs shown to have proven the course of time in the direct flex and lie, I have a very nice set for under $250, tyvm.
3. I think people know when to buy new shoes...
4. Thanks for telling us that. There is only 16,347,483 places on the internet that can tell us the same.
5. You are not a real golfer if you don't follow Joel Tadman's advice on golf gloves...said no-one...ever.
6. Yes, Joel, we are all strongly motivated by you parroting what grip manufacturers say. My God, how did we ever survive in life without your wisdom and guidance?
7. Blades or Brains...in your case Sir, dare I suggest you don't have the former and your writing indicates you did not use the latter when composing this epic.
8. Yes, hybrids have only been about 15-20 years...thanks for making us aware of them.
9. I think most people can select golf balls for themselves.
10. See point #4.

Golf Monthly Editor...Will you please pay me to write some stunning articles for your upcoming publications such as: "Ten reasons you should use a putter when putting." "Have you ever considered using a golf tee when you play golf?" and "Why you really should use clubs and a ball when playing golf."

Thank you.

 

[PJ87]

Golf shoe bit sounds rubbish.. I've got 3 pairs

1 summer pair (trainer style)
1 mid season pair (footjoy free style)
1 winter pair (5 year old pair of footjoys never let me down)

 

[ChrisB0210]

If I didn't know any better, I'd say this is more like 10 reminders from our advertisers... However, my detailed comments below:
1. I don't hit my wedges hard enough to wear them out in 12-18 months. I have them checked regularly (by my teaching pro) and will replace when I'm told they're past it, current wedges are 3 yrs old)

2. I bought a new set this summer and was fitted for them

3. Shoes. These have literally been a sore point in the past. I check and replace cleats as needed. But I won't replace them unless I feel or see they're beyond redemption. I certainly won't replace at the first signs of wear.

4. I have a 10.5 deg driver and am happy with how I hit it.

5. Yep, possibly not as good with gloves as I should be, but I do replace them when I see that they're not in decent condition.

6. I replace my grips when they're worn. I do clean them a couple of times a year to keep them in good condition.

7. The only blades I have are my wedges.

8. Have used lake balls and they seem OK. But being an "astute" Yorkshireman, I tend to buy balls when they're on offer so happy to use new ones when the price is right.

A strange article really, fair to say that not all of the points will apply to all golfers. Almost a space filler in my eyes.