Deciding on clubs

[Ethan]

Hi everyone. Just new to golf, start my lessons next week and have started to have a look at all the clubs bags ect. Had a look around two local shops yesterday. I like the look of the ping g410 clubs and have a few questions.
First is how many clubs do I actually need as a novice? I know i need a driver set of iorns and putter but i see there is a lot of other clubs in between and even the iron sets have different amounts in them ?
Secondly should i get fitted for them and if so can someone recommend where i should go, I'm in the south side of Glasgow.
Finally when getting clubs fitted, do you get the clubs that day or do you need to order them and if so is there a estimated wait time for them ? Reason i ask is i have lessons starting next week split between two golf clubs and would like to start going to a driving range to practice what i learn at the lessons and would like to start using the clubs i buy vs just random clubs a driving range hands out.

The old way to do this was to get a cheap half set and just give it a go, on the range, on a football field or a reasonably open golf course at a quiet time of day. See if you can hit the ball, find it, try again. A lesson or two came a bit later and getting fitted came, well in my case 25 years later.

Don’t spend any serious money until you know you like the game and your golf swing had reached some level of basic competence. Fitting is a waste of money, you wouldn’t get measured for a designer suit just after starting a fitness and diet campaign.

Second hand and eBay is your friend. Don’t go near AG.

 

[Bunkermagnet]

I ow

If I were in your shoes, I’d be buying these;-

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/254696948802

Change that hideous bag to something nicer looking and then just grab a Scotty, EvnRoll or Bettinardi putter and job done, amazing set of clubs and budget to spare for more lessons / clothes / balls (you’ll need em) / or other extras.

(I’m not affiliated with the eBay listing, buy at your own risk).

I wouldnt be suggesting someone new to golf buy and use a 9* driver with stiff shaft even if the head is 1.5 degree adjustable, so I wouldnt recommend that set to the OP just on that front alone

These would do for an iron set...Ping G10's

 

[Sekiro]

I ow

I wouldnt be suggesting someone new to golf buy and use a 9* driver with stiff shaft even if the head is 1.5 degree adjustable, so I wouldnt recommend that set to the OP just on that front alone

These would do for an iron set...Ping G10's

OP hasn’t even swung a club or stepped on the course from what I can tell and is looking to drop £5,000 on the sport, I was just trying to show that this isn’t a great idea and people who do this will usually be selling up in a years time at 1/2 what they bought the clubs for (I didn’t dive into the listing or spec, just wanted to show that a full set of clubs that are likely 12-18 months old, probably bought under similar circumstances have depreciated loads and are now up for sale).

If he’s firm on ‘new new new” there’s no chance he’ll consider the 10-11 year old G10’s no matter how much of a better buy they would be for someone in his current position. He could put together a great bag for £500 and keep the remaining money aside for a fitting in 6-12 months time once he knows if it’s a goer or not.

At present I’m not sure how he would look to get fitted either to be honest;-

Ping Rep;- So what are you looking to get from today’s fitting?

MrPing;- errmm clubs.... (question goes over his head)

Ping Rep;- [tumbleweed blows past] .... .... ok, say no more ‘rolls eyes’
.

 

[126849660]

Guys I'm not wanting to offend anyone but ive never asked in any of my questions about buying new vs pre owned. Its always been my intention to buy new. I do appreciate everyone giving advice but as I've said a few times now i don't want pre owned clubs. The ping g410 clubs did catch my eye and I am fine with the outlay for taking up golf. Who knows might even go next week, have lessons mon/wed and Friday and decide its not for me.
Reason I'm giving golf a go is, i own my own business it basically runs itself now and when my kids are at school im at a loose end. Tried going to the gym last year, found it hard to keep it up and boring. So thinking golfs a solo sport and if i can get into it and enjoy it. All i need to do is walk across the road and im on a course and can play a round 5 days a week.

 

[bradleywedge]

No I think he's spot on.
Obviously many beginners buy 2nd hand but if someone can afford decent gear, why not?
Bear in mind 2K is joining a club, then 900 on irons, 400 on a driver, 200 on a fairway wood, 300 on a hybrid and a putter and 200 on a couple of wedges is £2000.
Easy done.

Bag 200, couple of decent pairs of shoes 300, balls 100, lessons 200....soon adds up.

So spend 5k then decide golf isn't for you, not the easiest game in the world. Great if you can afford it, obviously I can't.

 

[bradleywedge]

Guys I'm not wanting to offend anyone but ive never asked in any of my questions about buying new vs pre owned. Its always been my intention to buy new. I do appreciate everyone giving advice but as I've said a few times now i don't want pre owned clubs. The ping g410 clubs did catch my eye and I am fine with the outlay for taking up golf. Who knows might even go next week, have lessons mon/wed and Friday and decide its not for me.
Reason I'm giving golf a go is, i own my own business it basically runs itself now and when my kids are at school im at a loose end. Tried going to the gym last year, found it hard to keep it up and boring. So thinking golfs a solo sport and if i can get into it and enjoy it. All i need to do is walk across the road and im on a course and can play a round 5 days a week.

Have you tried cycling?

 

[IanM]

The advice about holding off buying a full bag now, is more about you getting a base line of skills on which to gauge your requirements, than to just save you money.

That said unless you are 5 foot 4 or or 6 foot 6....anything will do to start with. Talk to the pro..only have lessons off one of them!

Have fun. See what works for you.

 

[RandomReload]

At present I’m not sure how he would look to get fitted either to be honest;-

Ping Rep;- So what are you looking to get from today’s fitting?

MrPing;- errmm clubs.... (question goes over his head)

Ping Rep;- [tumbleweed blows past] .... .... ok, say no more ‘rolls eyes’
.

This 100%

I think the right/best advice has been given and OP doesn’t want to take it (which is fine, it’s their money/time/life), I think the point about new/used clubs has been totally missed, it’s not about trying to save money, it’s about learning the game so you know what’s going to work for you, then investing your money into the RIGHT equipment to compliment and enable your game.

Anyway, enjoy the Ping fitting, getting into the sport and hopefully you find that it’s for you.

Good luck!

 

[126849660]

This 100%

I think the right/best advice has been given and OP doesn’t want to take it (which is fine, it’s their money/time/life), I think the point about new/used clubs has been totally missed, it’s not about trying to save money, it’s about learning the game so you know what’s going to work for you, then investing your money into the RIGHT equipment to compliment and enable your game.

Anyway, enjoy the Ping fitting, getting into the sport and hopefully you find that it’s for you.

Good luck!

Well what is the advice exactly ? Said at the start have zero golf experience but wanted new clubs and liked the look of g410 clubs. Was then advised to get fitted for clubs. So should i just buy them as they come or get fitted ? I have no problem buying another set every 12 months if I’m enjoying it. Have a few boys who work for me who play golf and would rather give them away for free than to sell them on Knowing they will appreciate them.
Also about range finders, should i be getting one right away and any recommendations?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Well what is the advice exactly ? Said at the start have zero golf experience but wanted new clubs and liked the look of g410 clubs. Was then advised to get fitted for clubs. So should i just buy them as they come or get fitted ? I have no problem buying another set every 12 months if I’m enjoying it. Have a few boys who work for me who play golf and would rather give them away for free than to sell them on Knowing they will appreciate them.
Also about range finders, should i be getting one right away and any recommendations?

The bottom line is simple and has already been explained to you. If you go to a fitter as beginner it is virtually impossible for him to fit properly and long term as your swing will be so erratic and inconsistent. The simplest and longer term solution is to get some lessons and learn the game, see if it's for you and then go from there. Did you pass your driving test and then go and buy a brand spanking top end car?

As for rangefinder, again I think it's a frivolous purchase if you have no idea how far you hit each club and can't hit a distance per club on a consistent basis

 

[timd77]

It’s a bit like buying your first car/learning to drive. Most people will start off with a fiesta/corsa, make the mistakes, have the odd scrape and ultimately hone their driving skills after 6 months to a year of driving, and then buy the car they wanted. Very few go straight in and buy the Mercedes before they’ve even passed their test. But as most have said, it’s your money, spend it on the g410s and ask your pro(s) for advice on flex, length etc.

As for rangefinder, not much point in knowing the distance to your target if you don’t know how far you hit each club, which you won’t yet. But what do we know eh, so crack on and buy one ??

 

[slowhand]

The advice had been to not get fitted before you can even swing a club. Best advice I think for you, given your insistence to buy new, is to get a started set, get some lessons, and then get fitted for a really good set, preferably by the pro who’s teaching you, as long as he is a competent fitter. The Callaway Edge set in Costco has had very good reviews, and given your altruistic bent to your employees, would be well received by another started.
I agree with Homer re the rangefinder.

 

[slowhand]

At the end of the day, you’ve come on here asking for advice, but then seem to ignore anything that doesn’t agree with you precinceptions. Are you looking for advice from experienced golfers who have already made the mistakes you seem to be heading for, or merely an echo chamber?

 

[126849660]

The bottom line is simple and has already been explained to you. If you go to a fitter as beginner it is virtually impossible for him to fit properly and long term as your swing will be so erratic and inconsistent. The simplest and longer term solution is to get some lessons and learn the game, see if it's for you and then go from there. Did you pass your driving test and then go and buy a brand spanking top end car?

As for rangefinder, again I think it's a frivolous purchase if you have no idea how far you hit each club and can't hit a distance per club on a consistent basis

Brand new range rover autobiography soon as i passed, and I bought it myself no mummy or daddy’s money. Sold it after a year and had defenders ever since. I do off roading so defenders better.
Right so ill just buy the g410s as they come next week as long as i enjoy the lesson. Thats that done.

 

[126849660]

At the end of the day, you’ve come on here asking for advice, but then seem to ignore anything that doesn’t agree with you precinceptions. Are you looking for advice from experienced golfers who have already made the mistakes you seem to be heading for, or merely an echo chamber?

No i do appreciate everyone chipping in, just that I'm set on they g410s so was just asking about getting fitted. Now know thanks to you guys that a fitting is useless for a beginner. So ill just practice with them and if i get better and still playing 12 months later, then i can go for a fitting.

 

[Diamond]

No i do appreciate everyone chipping in, just that I'm set on they g410s so was just asking about getting fitted. Now know thanks to you guys that a fitting is useless for a beginner. So ill just practice with them and if i get better and still playing 12 months later, then i can go for a fitting.

Get the ping club's, ping bag, titliest pro vball, fancy trolly etc etc but make sure you look into the best PGA pros in the area. Do the research and spend as much on lessons as you spend on the Ping Clubs. Then enter comps and visit the best courses in the country. Enjoy!

 

[fundy]

Do you meet the age requirements for Ping? If so crack on and enjoy

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Most people on here are coming from a very defeatist, clichéd way of thinking that frankly doesn't really work.

Mr Ping doesn't want to waste time using poor quality clubs, he has the money to get lessons and immediately get some suitable, top quality equipment.

With regards fitting, the variances are always extremely small so what's the issue? He's probably going to end up with some graphite shafted, cavity back irons. Is the odd degree or quarter inch here or there going to make a difference?
No of course not.

As for a rangefinder? Open your eyes guys. The sooner a new player starts learning about distances, the better it is for them.

Mr Ping, get the best pro you can find, get the best advice and the best equipment. Not all of us can afford that but if you can, it won't hinder you ?

Totally disagree especially about the fitting. How can the fitter possibly do the job properly if one shot is topped, there's a slice followed by duck hook, a shank and then the odd half decent one. How do you decide which flex based on that. How do you decide on graphite or steel. If the shots are inconsistent what lie angle do you fit for. I just think the guy is bringing too many variable to the table for the fitting to be of any use. If he has his heart set on new shinies he'd be better off getting off the shelf at this stage and getting a fit after lessons and playing on the course for a few months

 

[Sports_Fanatic]

Totally disagree especially about the fitting. How can the fitter possibly do the job properly if one shot is topped, there's a slice followed by duck hook, a shank and then the odd half decent one. How do you decide which flex based on that. How do you decide on graphite or steel. If the shots are inconsistent what lie angle do you fit for. I just think the guy is bringing too many variable to the table for the fitting to be of any use. If he has his heart set on new shinies he'd be better off getting off the shelf at this stage and getting a fit after lessons and playing on the course for a few months

Fitter may have challenges sorting an erratic swing but you'd expect them to do better than someone new to golf buying off the shelf. Given fittings often don't cost much if anything, then I'd go for it rather than buying off the shelf personally.

Benefits - a pro will help you work out what set of irons may work better than others (it won't be a perfect answer) based on things like swing speed etc. I expect they won't adjust the clubs much, more just give you an area to test a load of things with some stats behind it and maybe help with suggesting a hybrid over a 4 or 5 iron depending on ability. Let's face it trying new clubs is always fun. They'll also guide on clubs to have so you complete your full bag, and may be help on things like putters (which are feel to a degree) by seeing what sort of natural putting stroke you use as one type may be better than another.

I understand wisdom of others saying cheap before diving in (i'm tight with my money so would be my approach) but if money is no issue then find to embrace it and therefore get a pro to help kit out as long as the pro isn't taking the mick.

On rangefinders, I'd suggest that rather than those I get a GPS watch which shows yardages to front, middle and back of green. Given money isn't a factor then you may want one that shows the hole map and the yardages to hazards. Much more practical than a rangefinder for now and won't slow you up on the course.

 

[RandomReload]

Rangefinder - Bushnell Pro EX Laser - There are some good YouTube reviews of it which are worth a watch and will give you an idea of what it can do (it does everything and some tbh).

GPS Watch - Garmin Approach S62 + CT10 Sensors - Just does everything from your wrist and the sensors allow real-time tracking with your clubs (sensors are not a necessity). The smart phone app that accompanies the watch and sensors will record all of your data which you can use to monitor progress and identify areas for improvement (lessons).

Club Fitting Advice - Be open and honest with the Pro when booking the fitting (that you are totally new to golf), your focus during the fitting is to get the length of the clubs correct for your height and have the loft/lie tweaked to accommodate your swing, as for shafts and grips you’ll probably get away with the stock grips and stock steel regular flex irons, graphite regular flex woods/driver (at least until your swing develops) putters are very personal so try as many as you can to see what fells good and gives you confidence when striking the ball.
The Pro will have you hit a ball or two and then most likely intervene to fix your grip, feet position, distance from the ball and general body posture (don’t take offence, the better he gets you swinging during the fitting the better the clubs will be for you).
Don’t be embarrassed if you send a ball (or two) bouncing around the cages, we’ve all done it and you’ll soon overcome it. Keep the swing slow and on target at first, allowing your weight to shift through your body as you move through the ball, even at a slow swing if you make a good connection on the ball with the centre of the club face it will travel surprisingly well and straight, speed and power can come later once you’ve got the basics in place, don’t try to scoop the ball up in the air either, the clubs loft is designed to do this for you so instead look to hit down onto the ball.
There is LOADS more to think about beyond this (this is barely the tip of the iceberg), but it will only fry your brain and you’ll have enough to think about in just getting your body to ho through the stages of the swing, it’s going to feel a little strange at first and you are likely to be a little sore the day following the fitting (unless you are already fit/exercise often). Remember that the Pro wants the fitting to go well as it’s reflective of them if you get a fitting and in 3 months are saying that the clubs don’t fit right to all your co-workers and buddies which makes it look like he’s diddled you out of £2-3k (not good for reputation or business).
This is by no means a definitive overview of a fitting or how to swing, I’m fairly new to golf myself but this is stuff I’ve picked up or been told since starting.

We aren’t trying to be hostile, just trying to help you not make mistakes we’ve made or witnessed ourselves.

Enjoy the fitting and let us know how it goes and what you make of your new clubs once you receive them.