Lots of questions on what clubs to buy going through my head..HELP NEEDED PLEASE

[Parsaregood]

Please go and get a lesson, buy a used set they can be altered for minimal cost. I am a very low handicap player I get clubs adjusted all the time, custom fitting will not Improve your ball striking without having solid fundamentals in place. Get lessons that is the way to go forward. Good honest advice. If you want new buy new but don't expect to be a better player cause you've spent 800 quid on a set of custom irons lol

 

[Parsaregood]

Also if you don't already. Follow Mark Crossfield. Rick shiels on YouTube. Real good honest pros who offer great advice and real club reviews

 

[Hobbit]

You need a repeatable swing to play off 19? No disrespect to OP but i can assure you I would very much call 19.4 as a beginner and I haven't played with anybody over a 15 handicap with a 'repeatable' swing regardless of how faulty it is

By all means call him a beginner, if you want to generalise. He may be a 10 handicapper tee to green, and a lousy putter, or it could be the other way round.

Like you, I know how to get around a course dropping very few shots and have been doing so since the late '70's. So please don't play the expert card.

£800 will buy plenty of lessons and a decent set of custom fitted irons.

 

[Parsaregood]

Good for you however I've yet to see a 19 handicappers hits it like a 10? Theres a huge difference, much the same as there's a big difference between a consistent 5 handicap and a steady 6 because the 6 gets a 2 shot buffer so in reality there is a bigger difference than 1 stroke. Then a 1/2 handicap to a 5 handicap is fairly large again, all the little things they do better add up to alot

 

[needy]

Please dont start arguing guys im only after a bit of advice

After having some thinking for last half hour would you agree with me to keep my Ping i3+ and have them made 1" longer and get angle changed to start with then have lessons.

 

[Parsaregood]

I would say. Go to your local professional, have a lesson and ask him if he feels addition length and adjustment of lie would be of benefit. He will give you the correct information for You it's very hard to advise without seeing you in person, but you won't go wrong by seeing a pro.

 

[fundy]

Please dont start arguing guys im only after a bit of advice

After having some thinking for last half hour would you agree with me to keep my Ping i3+ and have them made 1" longer and get angle changed to start with then have lessons.

dont automatically adjust your clubs no. go and see a local pro, have an introductory lesson and explain to him as part of the lesson you want him to assess your clubs too, he should be able to tell you if they are ok or if not exactly which adjustments need to be made from having seen you swing the clubs, rather than someone guessing on the internet based purely on your height

 

[Alex1975]

Please dont start arguing guys im only after a bit of advice

After having some thinking for last half hour would you agree with me to keep my Ping i3+ and have them made 1" longer and get angle changed to start with then have lessons.

We always argue ... :clap:

 

[Alex1975]

Do you want to spend some money on your hobby? What would be a good result from buying new clubs?

 

[needy]

The clubs i have as you know are quite old and the face of the clubs are showing there age and all could do with new grips , I do say to my playing partner how much i really like the clubs (Ping i3+) and to be honest if i could purchase a brand new set of them i would.

I suppose it always plays on your mind that WILL custom clubs make you play better or make you more comfortable or is it just a sales pitch to make you buy there brand of clubs.

 

[Alex1975]

The clubs i have as you know are quite old and the face of the clubs are showing there age and all could do with new grips , I do say to my playing partner how much i really like the clubs (Ping i3+) and to be honest if i could purchase a brand new set of them i would.

I suppose it always plays on your mind that WILL custom clubs make you play better or make you more comfortable or is it just a sales pitch to make you buy there brand of clubs.

My advice is purely based in what you said above: get your current clubs static fit to you. So length, loft, lie. New grips. Go... think about it again in a year. Very cheap option, you like your clubs, tune them in.

 

[needy]

I think thats the way im going to go...thanks

My advice is purely based in what you said above: get your current clubs static fit to you. So length, loft, lie. New grips. Go... think about it again in a year. Very cheap option, you like your clubs, tune them in.

 

[BristolMike]

Depending on the make up of your irons, you could get a good trade in price atm though so now could be a good time to change. The others are right, lessons would be a better investment, but if you can double the trade in value at AG and get shiny new sticks too then that's what I would do.

 

[Piece]

My advice is purely based in what you said above: get your current clubs static fit to you. So length, loft, lie. New grips. Go... think about it again in a year. Very cheap option, you like your clubs, tune them in.

Yes this. Cheap and effective and first steps to custom fit. Custom fit clubs won't necessarily make you better, but poor custom clubs will certainly make you worse.

 

[full_throttle]

custom fitted should cost no more than an off the shelf set, whilst being fitted the size of grips and lenght of shaft etc will be determined too,

 

[Sweep]

If you are off 19.4 you are doing OK. I am 6'2" like you, I play Ping for their custom fit and sizing offering and I have been off 19 so I can talk with some experience.
The Ping i3 is a good club but it's been around a long time. The Ping G range is a big improvement - and in that I am including G25, G30 and today's G range - and much better suited to anyone off higher than 13 ish.
At 6'2", standard length and lie irons are never going to be perfect for you and you will always be modifying something in your swing to suit the iron you are using. If you want to improve - and we all do - you need to get the right equipment. If you have the right equipment, subsequent lessons will then benefit you better and quicker.
My advice would be to get a proper Ping fitting for the G range. If you can't afford a new set, use the info to find the same spec in G25 or G30. When I say a proper fitting, I don't mean a pro who just measures the distance from your hand to the floor and puts tape on the bottom of the club to check your lie. That's old school and superseded. I mean a proper Ping fitter with a Flightscope, Trackman or similar. If possible, one who has a fitting day advertised with a Ping fitter from the factory. Don't forget, you can also have lofts adjusted too to make your gapping perfect. Make sure you take away the distance you hit each club once the fitting is complete.
You will, I am sure make good improvements if you go this way. A few of my golfing friends, all off similar handicaps, went with properly fitted G25 and G30 from older clubs and every single one of them without exception dropped shots off their handicap, including me. I am not one to advise changing equipment in chasing golfing nirvana, but in your case it will undoubtedly help and these irons will last you years. Good luck.

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

To the OP, a couple of things to bear in mind......

Not all clubs can be adjusted, some are made of fairly brittle cast metal and it's not uncommon for them to snap when adjusted. There are differing views about Pings, some say they can be adjusted others say they can't. Your choice whether or not you want to take the risk.

Also, grip thickness does have an element of 'personal choice' but it also has an effect on how your hands act through the impact zone. Too thick and you will struggle to release the clubhead, too thin and you can end up hooking or pulling everything left.

My advice......lessons first then when your swing is repeatable go for a fitting.

 

[garyinderry]

just starting off I wouldn't bother with custom fit irons.


pick up a set from ebay. maybe a little longer than standard. you can always grip down if you need to for comfort.
buy some second hand woods and hybrids too.
find a nice putter you like.


for 800 quid you can get a serious pimp set of clubs and bag through second hand deals.


get a series of lessons and play as much as possible.


you can easily learn to play and get your handicap down before slashing big on custom fit clubs. many on here pay for a fitting then go pick up the correct spec clubs second hand.


remember there is no such thing as wrong clubs, just less suited.

 

[Sats]

If you're paying the money, get fitted whether you're beginning or not, most if not all golf stores/pro shops offer a fitting for free with your purchase. You might be surprised as to what results you get whilst being fitted.

 

[Parsaregood]

To the OP, a couple of things to bear in mind......

Not all clubs can be adjusted, some are made of fairly brittle cast metal and it's not uncommon for them to snap when adjusted. There are differing views about Pings, some say they can be adjusted others say they can't. Your choice whether or not you want to take the risk.

Also, grip thickness does have an element of 'personal choice' but it also has an effect on how your hands act through the impact zone. Too thick and you will struggle to release the clubhead, too thin and you can end up hooking or pulling everything left.

My advice......lessons first then when your swing is repeatable go for a fitting.

Cast clubs can be adjusted fairly easily by an experienced clubfitter or professional, when bending them to extremes >4degrees they can break but nobody should really need clubs adjusted this much and if you do you'd probably be better fixing the issues that are causing you needing clubs with such extreme lie angles.
It is true thicker grips will inhibit club rotation and thinner grips will encourage it. HOWEVER you should use grips which feel comfortable to your hands with a neutral grip and that will be the best fit for you, so grip thickness really is all about feel and nobody can really decide this for you.