Cost of original v current set up

[Fromtherough]

In the pub last night I had a conversation with a non golfing friend who is interested in taking up the game. He asked how much he would need to invest to get started. I explained that you can get quality second hand gear and could probably get a decent set up for £3-400 maximum (irons, putter, driver and bag) to get him under way. He then asked how much my current set up cost me. Took a bit of time for me to work out, as my gear has been amassed/replaced over a number of years (and continues to be tinkered with regularly). I've never really considered the total cost. Was shocked to discover that each time I go out I'm hauling circa £1400 worth of clubbage with me. And some of my gear were "bargains" or from manufacturers older ranges.

My original clubs were purchased 2nd hand (and were probably 4th or 5th hand by the time I got them) from a friend and cost £180. Whilst these clubs were old, not pretty and rusty in places, they seen me through the biggest cut in my handicap and still did the job they were designed for. Until recently my old ping G10 sand wedge kept its place in my bag 'til it gave up the ghost.


So how does the cost of your original set up versus your current set up compare? Did the increase in expenditure see your game improve? Do any of our original clubs still make your bag?

 

[tsped83]

My original bag when I first started out consisted of a hand me down putter, £20 irons (Top Flite x2) and a TM rescue I bought off ebay for approx £40. I don't think I even had any wedges other than the PW which came with the irons.

From there, fast forward 3ish years and things are dramatically different. I've had dozens of clubs in between but the current setup comes in as follows;

Driver = £75 (ebay)
FW = £20 (ebay)
Irons = £400 (Pro shop)
Wedges = £120 (golfbidder)
Putter = £80 (pro shop)

In total, £700. I've probably spent that again on putters over the last 12 months.....no really.

 

[Rooter]

New cost - Based on original MRSP from direct golf.

R1 Driver £349
RBZ Hybrid £149 x 2
Rbladez irons £549
Vokey wedges £102 x 3
TM Putter £149

£1651 new! ouch! Only club in there that is over 6 months old is the putter, and that's off as soon as i get delivery of my new one!!

I am a lucky boy though, i actually only paid for the wedges and the putter. the new putter on its way cost zero too! can't thank GM and TM enough!!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

My original half set of Petron Impala cost me my £150 worth of post office certificates including a bag and a dozen balls. My Ping set up cost far more than that.

 

[Gazboy]

First set was a £350 package set of Wilsons.

Now:

Snake Eyes Driver - £90 new
Taylormade 5 wood- free
Taylormade 3 hybrid - £70 new
Taylormade 4 hybrid - £20 from lost and found sale
Big Bertha Irons - £100 ebay
Cleveland Wedges x2 - £70 each new
Odyssey Putter - £90 new

I've got a set of Yonex Carbonirons that were free but I don't use them that often.

 

[Evesdad]

My first clubs were a second hand set from a sale in at a local muni course. I think it was something like £25.

Current set up:

Driver - £50
3w - £40
Md rescue - free
Tm rescue - £85
Irons - £500
Wedges - £90
Putter - £110
Bag - £70

It's frightening how much it all adds up to especially if I had to replace them all at new prices!

Got my date through for my fitting at Gainsborough so this may change again soon!

 

[Hobbit]

My first set was my Dad's cast off's, so no idea on cost. My 2nd set, brand new, came out at less than £120 - Wilson Blue Ridge, circa 1974.

Yesterday, the value of everything golf related, i.e. including trolley, waterproofs etc = OMG! Best not tell the wife...

 

[Imurg]

My first proper set was a starter pack of Howson DJ100 - full set 1,3 and 5, 3-SW, putter and bag and a trolley for 250 quid
Current line up (new price).......the wrong side of 1500, the right side of 2000..........

Scary....

 

[Doon frae Troon]

My first set of irons were 3-8 Joyce Wethered cost 5/- at a local jumble sale.

 

[stevieb15]

My first set was my Dad's cast off's, so no idea on cost. My 2nd set, brand new, came out at less than £120 - Wilson Blue Ridge, circa 1974.

Yesterday, the value of everything golf related, i.e. including trolley, waterproofs etc = OMG! Best not tell the wife...

I started off with Wilson Sam Snead as a 21st present in 1976, so I'd guess around £100.
Since then I've had another set of better quality Wilson, a set of Ping and my current X16 Callaways plus 56 degree spin mill Titleist wedge.
I've a G10 driver and 3 and 5 Ping Ti3 2001 vintage and the most expensive club in the bag is a similar age Scotty Cameron Newport 2.
Total cost with carry bag about £1600.
All things considered in the last 12 years about £150 annually for equipment,excluding shoes, which I think is very little based on 2 rounds a week.

 

[NorfolkShaun]

First set was a Ben Sayers package for £190.

Current setup including trolley bag waterproofs gloves and balls is over £1500 which is scary. Best not tell the wife.

 

[RobertB]

First clubs I started with were a set of hickories that had been in family. The shafts on woods broke soon enough but ,my enthusiasm aged 12 convinced my father to start adding a club here and there over summer 1979. That was slazenger Johnny Millar Californians .... Nice blades and 3-Si and 1,3,5 woods if I recall each club was around the £10-12 mark then, he completed set for me for my birthday in the October. <nostalgia moment on>sadly he died in the November <nostalgia moment off>. Wish I still had them - think I gave them to cousin in 1984 when I bought a set of Diawa Trypowers with summer job earnings.

Current set set is below .... About £1300. But my last set bought was a set of pings in 2001. So all in over 3.5 decades I probably average <£100 a year on buying kit. Not bad when looked that way.

 

[m9wst]

First set was a half set of Donnay specials i got for christmas, with a bag and trolley, total cost of that probably around £50.

Todays set cost close to £2000, not including the motocaddy or tour bag, and the hybrid was free with the irons....i'm off to arrange insurance now

 

[Iain.faulkner]

My first set were a Wilson beginners full set (woods, irons, wedges and putter) and cost approx £250.... Dreadful looking back, but did the job in terms of sparking an interest.

nowadays....I think it's about £1300! Frightening really

 

[njc1973]

My first set was 300 rand, about 25 quid for a brand new set of irons, lasted 10 years and were pretty decent clubs, think theyvwere called tour edge or something like that

 

[kid2]

I got 3 woods off my Dad when i first started 4 years ago..... They were Taylor Made copies of their Bubble shafts...... Firesticks or something or other i think they were called......
The first set of irons i had were Jack Nicklaus Golder Bears..... More of a bladish type head with a big brass looking weight in the centre..... And a Ping Anser putter.....


Havent a clue how much todays cost as i swapped a set of Ping i10's for my Wilson FG Tours, i bought my 52 and 56 degree vokeys for 45 euro each 2nd hand..... I got my 60 degree Vokey for nothing..... I paid 20 euros for my putter..
My driver was 125 euro
3 wood was 100 euro
Hybrid was 100 euro.....

Ill never buy new.... Manufacturers are bringing stuff out so often now that there isnt and real value in buying new.....

Cost of my current line up...... 14 clubs- 425 euro..... Not too bad...

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

I recently renewed my house insurance and added my clubs on, insured for £2500. If my bag got nicked I reckon that would be pretty close to the true cost of replacement by the time you add up 14 clubs, tour bag, GG waterproofs and Nikon laser.

Scary

 

[Linnets]

My first set of clubs was a complete Howson stater set including bag and trolley which I think cost around £120 my current set-up is somewhere in excess of £1000 just for the clubs alone.

 

[JoeDavidsonNG]

its shocking really. nobody needs such expensive gear, but its so impulse for me and most.

My paps, playing off 3 using his ping eye2 set 2-9 and ping eye2 PW-SW copper since their release. then my old g10 driver with a ram wizard putter i bought for £20 off ebay. hes in total spent £200 give or take during his whole golfing life. but he just wants to turn up and play. He loves the fact he can turn up for the scratch team and defend his unbeaten record with a few shabby clubs which do the trick.

Whereas on the opposite end of the scale, theres me who is about to spend 749 on some mp4 irons. I must have 2500 between my garage and bag (retail, todays value much much less)

I know its a boring thought, but does it really matter as long as we shoot lower?

YES, those 2014 shineys looks awesome