New to the game - advice on additional clubs to buy

[Diamond]

I am new to the game and currently have the Callaway X2 hot package of 10 clubs as a friend said they were a good set to start with.
https://www.clubhousegolf.co.uk/acatalog/Callaway-X2-HOT-Plus-10-Piece-Golf-Package-Set.html#SID=945

I fancy one of the 60 degree wedges as I have seen friends use those to lob it high onto the green. Do you think I should stick with my set of 10 clubs for 2020 or pick up an additional club or 2?

 

[Parsaregood]

I am new to the game and currently have the Callaway X2 hot package of 10 clubs as a friend said they were a good set to start with.
https://www.clubhousegolf.co.uk/acatalog/Callaway-X2-HOT-Plus-10-Piece-Golf-Package-Set.html#SID=945

I fancy one of the 60 degree wedges as I have seen friends use those to lob it high onto the green. Do you think I should stick with my set of 10 clubs for 2020 or pick up an additional club or 2?

Best advice for you if you are new to the game would be not to bother with any more clubs and spend the money on lessons. If you can buy clubs and lessons all the better

 

[Pin-seeker]

I’d stick with what you’ve got.
Yes it looks good throwing the ball high and getting it to stop on the green,but it’s not the easiest shot. try to keep it simple.

 

[Diamond]

I’d stick with what you’ve got.
Yes it looks good throwing the ball high and getting it to stop on the green,but it’s not the easiest shot. try to keep it simple.

Ok good advice. I will look at a pitching/chipping lesson after xmas.

 

[RangeMonkey]

I’d stick with what you’ve got.
Yes it looks good throwing the ball high and getting it to stop on the green,but it’s not the easiest shot. try to keep it simple.

I disagree. I’m a beginner, and that’s the only shot I can hit with any consistency, landing within 6-9” of the pin about 80% of the time. By far the easiest shot in golf imho.

What I struggle with is hitting anything more than 110 yards - with any club, so I guess everyone is different.

 

[Diamond]

I disagree. I’m a beginner, and that’s the only shot I can hit with any consistency, landing within 6-9” of the pin about 80% of the time. By far the easiest shot in golf imho.

What I struggle with is hitting anything more than 110 yards - with any club, so I guess everyone is different.

What wedge do you have?

 

[RangeMonkey]

What wedge do you have?

I‘m using the sand wedge from my Wilson Deep Red package set. It’s 54 degrees.

I‘ve put a lot of effort into working with Dave Pelz’s Short Game Bible. But I find these finesse style shots way easier than anything requiring a full swing, which just feels like a mad lash at the ball to me, even after 10 hours of lessons in my first 5 months playing.

 

[Pin-seeker]

I disagree. I’m a beginner, and that’s the only shot I can hit with any consistency, landing within 6-9” of the pin about 80% of the time. By far the easiest shot in golf imho.

What I struggle with is hitting anything more than 110 yards - with any club, so I guess everyone is different.

You don’t get it 6-9” of the pin 80% of the time.

I know it’s Xmas but go steady on the ?,it’s 12:20 for god sake ?

 

[RangeMonkey]

You don’t get it 6-9” of the pin 80% of the time.

I know it’s Xmas but go steady on the ?,it’s 12:20 for god sake ?

not far off...up to about 50 yards. On the range. I‘ve still only played once on a course, when I’d only been playing 2 weeks, so I don’t expect this to translate to green side figures. I should have been clear about that.

 

[duncan mackie]

I am new to the game and currently have the Callaway X2 hot package of 10 clubs as a friend said they were a good set to start with.
https://www.clubhousegolf.co.uk/acatalog/Callaway-X2-HOT-Plus-10-Piece-Golf-Package-Set.html#SID=945

I fancy one of the 60 degree wedges as I have seen friends use those to lob it high onto the green. Do you think I should stick with my set of 10 clubs for 2020 or pick up an additional club or 2?

Firstly, you have an excellent set of clubs which should easily cover you to the point that you know enough about the game to understand exactly what, and why, you should change them. Great starting point.
Second, adding wedges is fun, can be constructive but is also, unfortunately, also counter productive in the learning phase (and to be honest most phases for most players).
You already have a club (the one with the S on it) that has more loft than the one range monkey is raving about...so the only limit on outperforming him with those high lobs is competence (and maybe a little poetic licence ?).
Generally there is nothing that any other club will enable you to do over and above your existing ones - some will however enable you to do it more easily, or more consistently, once you have the underlying skill.
Enjoy the game, gain competence and understanding by whatever your chosen learning/development approach (IMO a lesson a month with a range session at least twice a month should have you striking the ball well enough to enjoy the game and be able to play to 18 by the season starts in April if you have basic hand eye coordination - what you actually play to will then come down to the necessary work on the short game, inc putting, that you are able to do.
Good luck

 

[RangeMonkey]

You already have a club (the one with the S on it) that has more loft than the one range monkey is raving about...so the only limit on outperforming him with those high lobs is competence (and maybe a little poetic licence ?).
Good luck

Maybe a little poetic license. it seems hard for people to believe that this is the easiest part of the game, and that puzzles me, because for me it really is. It feels completely natural, and (like I said, from range mats at least), really easy to get consistency.

On the other hand, swinging an iron is completely unnatural to me, and I can barely hit anything straight with any distance. Since starting in August, I’ve hit just shy of 5000 balls at the range, even having had a month out for injury. When not injured, I spend about 8 hours a week there. I record stats for every shot. About 1000 of those balls have been with wedges. In my first few sessions with wedges (finesse shots, not full hits... full hits are as bad as my irons), I was hitting to within a few yards of the pin, and it’s just got better over time.

Other 4000 shots have mostly been with irons, and there has been barely any change in accuracy or distance. All my lessons have been based around my irons, and none around my wedges.

I’m actually wondering whether to keep playing, as, after ten hours of lessons and 4000 balls hit, I just can’t get anywhere with my irons at all. I literally cannot hit my hybrid at all (either sky’d or air shots all the time), and I haven’t even dared try my driver more than once or twice - with results bordering on endangering public safety.

But now I’m hijacking the thread...

My point was that it’s possible to play that shot with what the OP has, and there’s no need to buy more clubs at this point.

 

[duncan mackie]

Maybe a little poetic license. it seems hard for people to believe that this is the easiest part of the game, and that puzzles me, because for me it really is. It feels completely natural, and (like I said, from range mats at least), really easy to get consistency.

On the other hand, swinging an iron is completely unnatural to me, and I can barely hit anything straight with any distance. Since starting in August, I’ve hit just shy of 5000 balls at the range, even having had a month out for injury. When not injured, I spend about 8 hours a week there. I record stats for every shot. About 1000 of those balls have been with wedges. In my first few sessions with wedges (finesse shots, not full hits... full hits are as bad as my irons), I was hitting to within a few yards of the pin, and it’s just got better over time.

Other 4000 shots have mostly been with irons, and there has been barely any change in accuracy or distance. All my lessons have been based around my irons, and none around my wedges.

I’m actually wondering whether to keep playing, as, after ten hours of lessons and 4000 balls hit, I just can’t get anywhere with my irons at all. I literally cannot hit my hybrid at all (either sky’d or air shots all the time), and I haven’t even dared try my driver more than once or twice - with results bordering on endangering public safety.

But now I’m hijacking the thread...

My point was that it’s possible to play that shot with what the OP has, and there’s no need to buy more clubs at this point.

I suspect it's more to do with range consistency, and especially range mat consistency with wedges which , as you have found, can be remarkable (mat first squares the club face at impact, delivers an absolutely consistent AOA etc).

Shame about the issues you are having; the pro must be able to explain what's going wrong even if he can't help you resolve it.

 

[Crow]

Anyone who says they get within 6 to 9 inches 80% of the time is bound to get a few questions asked, unless you meant to write 6 to 9 feet.

 

[jim8flog]

As a very long term player one of the things I have never been good at is convincing myself to hit a 60deg wedge hard enough. Consequently I have never been as accurate with one as I have been with a 52 degree wedge.

It is probably the least used club in my bag.

 

[RangeMonkey]

Anyone who says they get within 6 to 9 inches 80% of the time is bound to get a few questions asked, unless you meant to write 6 to 9 feet.

Oops. Meant feet!

 

[RangeMonkey]

I suspect it's more to do with range consistency, and especially range mat consistency with wedges which , as you have found, can be remarkable (mat first squares the club face at impact, delivers an absolutely consistent AOA etc).

Shame about the issues you are having; the pro must be able to explain what's going wrong even if he can't help you resolve it.

Makes sense about the range mats, they are so firm, but I don’t make much contact with the mat on chip shots, and rarely mat first, I believe. (I know what mat first feels like...see below...)

With my irons I’ve got about a dozen points of guidance from the pro, but I can’t keep them all in my head at once. Every time I don’t consciously think of something, it slips.

So, unless I really focus on my left arm, it bends too much.
If I don’t focus on my left shoulder, it carries loads of tension.
If I don’t focus on my right thumb on the backswing, it slips round the side, and the club falls away.
If I don’t focus on bringing my chin under my shoulder, my head moves to the right.
If I don’t focus on the ball, my head rotates to the right.
If I don’t focus on turning my left knee in on the take away, I get a reverse pivot.
If I don’t focus on starting the downswing on the inside, I come out to in.
If I don’t focus on starting the downswing from the hands, my hips turn too soon, and pause at square before turning on the follow through.
If I don’t think about turning my right knee in on the downswing, I end up with my weight on my back foot.
If I don’t think about maintaining left hand grip at the top, my fingers open, and I snatch it back in on the downswing.
If I don’t focus on rotating on the backswing, I sway backwards.
If I don’t concentrate on my body angle on the backswing and downswing, I stand up out of posture.

The problem is, I can’t consciously think of all of these things in the 2 seconds it takes to swing, and whichever ones I don’t think about, are pretty much guaranteed to happen.

The result is that 80% or more of my shots are either thick or thin. Although they nearly always go pretty straight. I’m just tired of hitting the ground before the ball, or topping the ball for 70 out of 80 balls

I get none of this with chip shots, which are mostly clipped off the mat with barely any “turf” interaction, just with a full swing.

Ive got three more lessons pre-paid, which will take me through February. If I still can’t hit a ball after that, I reckon I’ll just have to accept that golf isn’t for me.

 

[duncan mackie]

Makes sense about the range mats, they are so firm, but I don’t make much contact with the mat on chip shots, and rarely mat first, I believe. (I know what mat first feels like...see below...)

With my irons I’ve got about a dozen points of guidance from the pro, but I can’t keep them all in my head at once. Every time I don’t consciously think of something, it slips.

So, unless I really focus on my left arm, it bends too much.
If I don’t focus on my left shoulder, it carries loads of tension.
If I don’t focus on my right thumb on the backswing, it slips round the side, and the club falls away.
If I don’t focus on bringing my chin under my shoulder, my head moves to the right.
If I don’t focus on the ball, my head rotates to the right.
If I don’t focus on turning my left knee in on the take away, I get a reverse pivot.
If I don’t focus on starting the downswing on the inside, I come out to in.
If I don’t focus on starting the downswing from the hands, my hips turn too soon, and pause at square before turning on the follow through.
If I don’t think about turning my right knee in on the downswing, I end up with my weight on my back foot.
If I don’t think about maintaining left hand grip at the top, my fingers open, and I snatch it back in on the downswing.
If I don’t focus on rotating on the backswing, I sway backwards.
If I don’t concentrate on my body angle on the backswing and downswing, I stand up out of posture.

The problem is, I can’t consciously think of all of these things in the 2 seconds it takes to swing, and whichever ones I don’t think about, are pretty much guaranteed to happen.

The result is that 80% or more of my shots are either thick or thin. Although they nearly always go pretty straight. I’m just tired of hitting the ground before the ball, or topping the ball for 70 out of 80 balls

I get none of this with chip shots, which are mostly clipped off the mat with barely any “turf” interaction, just with a full swing.

Ive got three more lessons pre-paid, which will take me through February. If I still can’t hit a ball after that, I reckon I’ll just have to accept that golf isn’t for me.

Yikes!

You need to get off the range and focus on your shot objective rather than all that stuff! The golf swing is a really simple thing in essence - set up, stance grip (all done in your own time then ignore). Turn shoulders one way, then the other, staying on balance.
That gets the ball on it's way just fine in the manner of your wedge. if you do the same thing with a 7 iron it will go around 120, hybrid about 150....
worry about the rest when you want more than that, and don't have to focus on anything to achieve the basics.

5000 range balls and one trip out on a course isn't well balanced (and that's from someone who massively rates starting with some lessons and some range work)

 

[RangeMonkey]

Yikes!

You need to get off the range and focus on your shot objective rather than all that stuff! The golf swing is a really simple thing in essence - set up, stance grip (all done in your own time then ignore). Turn shoulders one way, then the other, staying on balance.
That gets the ball on it's way just fine in the manner of your wedge. if you do the same thing with a 7 iron it will go around 120, hybrid about 150....
worry about the rest when you want more than that, and don't have to focus on anything to achieve the basics.

5000 range balls and one trip out on a course isn't well balanced (and that's from someone who massively rates starting with some lessons and some range work)

Apologies to the OP, as I’ve now well and truly hijacked the thread.

There are two problems with getting on a course: the weather, and I don’t know anyone else who plays. The second point is why I wanted to be able to hit a ball before trying to find someone to play with.

The one time I e been on a course was with my step son, who lives over 100 miles away. We played nine holes of par 3. I got a single bogey on one hole, because I got two straight shots to green side, chipped to two feet and sank the putt.

Every other hole was like George Best dribbling the ball up the fairway. Most holes I picked up when I got into double figures and was still more than 59 yards from the hole! In retrospect, I should’ve just played wedges off the tees ?

 

[Diamond]

Apologies to the OP, as I’ve now well and truly hijacked the thread.

There are two problems with getting on a course: the weather, and I don’t know anyone else who plays. The second point is why I wanted to be able to hit a ball before trying to find someone to play with.

The one time I e been on a course was with my step son, who lives over 100 miles away. We played nine holes of par 3. I got a single bogey on one hole, because I got two straight shots to green side, chipped to two feet and sank the putt.

Every other hole was like George Best dribbling the ball up the fairway. Most holes I picked up when I got into double figures and was still more than 59 yards from the hole! In retrospect, I should’ve just played wedges off the tees ?

That’s ok I have had some good advice. I am going to have a pitching lesson and maybe use the chip and pin at my local course over the next few weeks. I will try to go the range once a week as well then mid to late January go on the course again. It’s a bit wet at the moment and I think that is one reason my chipping is suffering a bit. The odd shot squirts out to the right side I appear to take a a chunk of slop. It’s a good excuse (finding plenty of them).
Also the book Dream On by John Richardson is spurring me on and is an interesting read.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I wouldn't put a 60 degree (lob wedge) in my bag at this stage. I'd perhaps look at a gap wedge and investing on short game lessons to learn how it pitch properly. I find from personal experience that the LW can cause more problems than shots it saves so happy to stick with my 58 degree SW and simply open the face up.