Better Clubs - Am I wasting my money?

[JakeWS]

Hi, I know this is my first post, I've browsed for quite a while and finally got round to joining.

I have been golfing for a few years on and off then towards the back end of last year joined a club and started to have lessons. I've since developed a love for the game and play usually at least twice a week. I've broken 100 and now start to consistently shoot mid 90's.

All of this has been done with some £100 clubs off Amazon until a few months ago when I purchased a nice Cobra Driver, which admittedly I can hit better than my old driver I think, but then I have spent ages reading and reading online and can't decide if all the chat about clubs is substantial or just a way of getting more money out of me.

So if anyone in real terms can identify the Pro's of better clubs and what they will actually do for my game, I seem to have no problem with distance using my cheap clubs, an 8 Iron is ~ 150 yards, so what real difference will I notice from a good set?

Also I was going to get them Fitted, the place where I have my lessons offers a free fitting if you by the clubs from them, so I assume this is worthwhile, my teacher has told me their club fitter does fit a few tour players, but is there any way to check who a good local fitter would be?

Thanks in advance

Jake

 

[Hacker Khan]

Welcome aboard the Ninky Nonk.

Mostly new clubs will give you more forgiveness (assuming you get game improver clubs) , so you'll get longer distances from off centre strikes. But don't get caught up in distance and how far an 8 iron goes between different sets, as all manufacturers have slightly different configurations for their clubs in terms of loft shaft length etc etc. So one manufacturers 8 iron will be the same as another's 7 iron. No one makes bad clubs nowadays so best chose a set that suits your eye and you feel comfortable with, and get fitted for them if you want.

I always believe a lot of the benefit of getting fit is psychological. Yes you will get some advantage as they will be fitted for the swing you had on that day, and it may be the case your existing set are not ideal for you in terms of various things like shaft, length, grip. But most of golf is played in the mind, so if you think you have the right set of clubs for you will generally play better.

And as everyone else will correctly say, you will probably improve more by spending money on lessons to get the fundamentals correct. But sometimes where's the fun in that.

 

[rob_golf1]

Welcome to the forum!

Custom fitting is probably going to be your best route if you want to get 'better clubs'.

Go see your pro, somebody you can trust, and tell him your price range, and he will fit you a set of clubs that will be suited for your game. I did the same three years ago when I got my Nike VRS, went and saw my pro, and we found these were one of the better sets of clubs I tried. They were also a steal at £199 brand new, 4-PW. I haven't seen them as low at that price since I bought them! So go see your pro and chat to him is probably the best way!

 

[Lord Tyrion]

My son, 15, has just been fitted and bought some clubs from a local pro. We told him the price range we were in and suitably armed with clubs in that range plus some fancy tech he chose some Callaway X-Series irons. He is finding extra distance, bear in mind what HK says, more forgiveness and he is hitting straighter, better dispersion is the fancy phrase. I decided to have a go with these new clubs at the local range a week or so ago. I found another 10yds myself, off centre hits still went a decent distance and the feel was lovely. Forget strengthened lies, the ball flies off these new clubs with its all so clever tech.

So to answer your question, yes, new clubs can make a heck of a difference if they are the right ones for you.

 

[JakeWS]

The thing is I trust my golf instructor completely, and he says that the fitter is really good and I believe him, but they don't seem to have a full range of clubs in the shop, he said 3 main brands, but if I was to be getting a full set of clubs I would possible expect to be trying more than just the 3 brands as I can think of more than that easily.

But I'm glad to see I'm at least not just being sent down an expensive path for nothing, thanks for all your replies.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

If OP is improving quite quickly and taking lessons why would he want to have a club fitting at this stage? Why not get a set of clubs he can grow in to? I ask this as someone who has never had a club fitting (so don't understand it) and so perhaps a bit sceptical about club fitting for the high handicap and improving golfer.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Swingit..... Looking at my sons fitting and subsequent use I would say that if you are buying new then fitting can come with it and so why not. If your swing changes slightly or you grow then those clubs don't suddenly become unusable. They are just not quite as perfect for you as they were before, a bit more like off the shelf then.

What I saw, and I accept that others would want a more thorough fitting but money came into it, was trying out a few different shafts to find the one that gave the best combination of distance and accuracy. Then, a few different heads, or brands, to find the one that suited your eye, good distance, accuracy and fitted your swing (some are heavier than others. Finally they adjust the lie of your club head so that it sits right for you. This is the part where they put the sticker on the club face and underneath of the club and you see where the marks are.

This was all in the price of the clubs as shown on the sticker.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Swingit..... Looking at my sons fitting and subsequent use I would say that if you are buying new then fitting can come with it and so why not. If your swing changes slightly or you grow then those clubs don't suddenly become unusable. They are just not quite as perfect for you as they were before, a bit more like off the shelf then.

What I saw, and I accept that others would want a more thorough fitting but money came into it, was trying out a few different shafts to find the one that gave the best combination of distance and accuracy. Then, a few different heads, or brands, to find the one that suited your eye, good distance, accuracy and fitted your swing (some are heavier than others. Finally they adjust the lie of your club head so that it sits right for you. This is the part where they put the sticker on the club face and underneath of the club and you see where the marks are.

This was all in the price of the clubs as shown on the sticker.

Fair enough - if it's part of the package you buy go for it.

 

[JakeWS]

Yeah it is part of the Package where I am going, so I can't see it harming, I assume that is their attempt to draw you away from American Golf.