a little club advice needed

[Richard_Y]

hi all

i was hoping for a little advice im a high to mid handicapper and have been playing about 8 months, and i promised myself that if i had played solid once a week for a year then i would buy myself a set of clubs.. i have a tendency for fads and wasting my dosh hehe but im really enjoying the golf and ive got a real urge to push myself and get better. i bought a set of dunlops from a sports world for 70 pound to get me going i got the whole kit so i thought it was a bargain and its done the job. But now im getting better and reading things like golf monthly for example im picking up more info about the clubs and the differences it can make with differnt lenghts and stiffnesses etc im still not 100% lol

so ive been looking a maybe a better set than my dunlops as for one ive managed to dent my 3 iron with a distinctly golf ball shaped dent, but theres many ranges i figure i dont need to spend 800 lol but maybe 300 on a nice set of irons and they would be a better fit and quality than the dunlops, im reckoning by quite a lot as well..

heres my question if youve not fallen asleep already

i was looking at the mizuno mx19 as you can get a nice custom fit set for about 300 - 350 and i think they would be better, my dunlops are graphite and ive got a strong swing and dont think i need it in irons

but ive also been offered a brand newish set of ping g5 irons 2nd hand but nout wrong with them for 400

problem is was gunna get an extra inch on the mizunos as im 6.2 but the pings have an extra inch and a half

i got on fairly well down the range with both but the pings did have a bit more distance on them

i wouldnt normally be able to afford a set of pings so im tempted..

do you guys think its a little early to be thinking about a set of irons like the pings ? tis so complicated knowing if your getting the right fitting club

 

[The_Golfer]

Hi Richard, best advice is to get buy Mizuno MX19s, they will be new and custom fit, plus you will get a years warranty/guarantee, something I will rely on after the club head of my six iron snapped off in this Sunday' s comp.. putting my ball OB in the process..! Thankfully they are just within 12 mth old!.....

 

[Dave3498]

Hello Richard.

I have been playing golf for some 45 years. I can remember every set of Pings introduced, and I can honestly say that I have never seen anyone play badly with a set of Pings, woods or irons. Go for the Pings. The longer shafts will also be a great asset for your height. You don't have to use the full 1.1/2", and it will allow you to grip lower down the shaft.

 

[Richard_Y]

i thought that too about gripping lower down to shorten the pings worst case ping will alter them for me if i need them too..

i cant imagine breaking a decent set of clubs but then i have managed to dent my dunlop 3 iron hehe

i played fairly good this sat with my dunlops, im trying to understand the benifits of a 600 pound set of clubs compared to my 70 quid set ?

what i mean is im not sure when i hit a bad shot is it due to incorrect / crappy clubs or is it just mean needing more practice hehe

 

[Up_Point_1]

Within reason (and there are some exceptions) you generally get what you pay for with Golf Clubs.
However don't be drawn into the misconception that you have to spends loads and loads of money on clubs in order to play better golf.
The equipment you use certainly plays a big part but success with golf clubs also comes down to the individuals golfing ability.
For example a £50 set of Irons from Argos would be far more consistent in the hands of Tiger Woods
than a set of Callaway X20's would in the hands of a complete beginner.
The Ping G5's would certainly be a good buy but I would seriously suggest you make sure they are definitely the right Irons for your game before parting with your spondoolies.
Having the correctly fitted clubs for your game is (in my opinion) one of the most important things to get right.
Golfers shouldn't have to change their technique to accommodate their ill fitting equipment, the equipment should be fitted to match their game.

DHM.

 

[Dave3498]

I agree with duck_hook-master, about the custom fitting and trying the clubs before use. You can always have your local Professional custom fit them for you. He/she will be able to change the loft and the lie quite easily to suit you height.

 

[Richard_Y]

problem is if i order the mizunos im not getting meassured up or anything they will just order me a set with an extra inch and some compound grips. im not getting watched on the range or anything, i wouldnt nessaraily call that custom fitting yet thats what its called. so i cant see much diference between them custom fit for me and the pings

i know you can get different club face angles but i guess unless i specifi they wont give me anything other than std

i know i prefer regular stiffness shafts after trying out a few

so true custom fitting doesnt happen unless youve been to a pro for lessons and he recommends something speciffic or you got to a center that ofers proper fitting, the fact i have no idea where the closest one is apart from the ping center in linconshire says how few and fair inbetween they must be

 

[Richard_Y]

i had ago with both sets i felt a little more comfortable with the pings and got extra distance but that could just be in my head since i knew they was a better club, both shot prity straight the kind of straight i never seem to see when im actually down the course hehe

 

[ace_in_the_pack]

I know that if you want a set of Mizuno's custom fitted, by them, then the centre is in Surrey at Pachesham Park - i think its called - which is really impressive.

Going to go there soon myself to get a set of MP-67s fitted, but they will help you decide which club is definitely right for you.

 

[JezzE]

Richard - as GM equipment editor, thought I 'd just step in here quickly and offer a bit of advice

I don't know exactly what your Dunlop irons are, but from your tales of putting a dent in them, it is quite possible that their heads are made from an inferior alloy as you would have considerable trouble putting a golf ball-sized dent in a cast stainless steel club head. If this is the case, then these irons have perhaps done what they needed to for you while your interest in the game has grown, and now indeed is the time to move on to a superior product.

The two you mention are both good clubs, but there is a wealth of choice out there in your price sector. The MX-19 is a very easy to hit club, especially in the longer irons where you're more likely to have trouble with consistency. From a quick check on ebay and www.golfbidder.co.uk, The Ping G5s you refer to are at about the going price for those clubs, so a reasonable deal if not an exceptional one.

And there is certainly no reason to believe that it is in any way 'too early' to be considering Pings from a playing perspective. The G5 is designed precisiely to help golfers like yourself by being as playable as possible thanks to a variety of design features - the only thing it might be too early for is your wallet, but only you can decide that.

A couple of other things. Don't get too hung about height necessarily meaning you need longer clubs. The critical measurement is the one from your wrists to the ground rather than your overall height, and sometimes this means that even fairly tall people only need standard length clubs.

Many manufacturers offer a variety of custom-fitting options if you do want to go down that route. Most major brands now have a 'national fitting centre' but many also equip their retailers with the facility to be able to fit you in-store too. For more details, log on to the various brands' websites or call their customer enquiry numbers.

 

[Richard_Y]

wow good reply, interesting site too that golf bidder i never knew it existed

im serisouly considering the pings now im gunna pop down on the weekend and have a good go on the range with the set then if all gos well i may well get them, ive gotta start building a nice bag of clubs up hehe

next 3 wood hehe and maybe driver, its quite a short narrow cuase where i play so if ive gotta buy them 1 at a time the 3 wood would be a better choice, ive heard taylor made are a good choice and without breaking the bank

the dunlops where 65i graphite ones from sports world more than likly still under warrenty but at 70 notes brand new for the bag the irons the woods and an umbrella i cant really complain and i think it has done its job well

ill take a picture next i have them out of the dent hehe and post it