Sorry if this is a taboo question around here (beginner!)

[Picto]

Good "thank god the bank holiday is here" morning to you all! :whoo:

I'm sorry if this post breaks some kind of forum taboo. I know that one some of the mountain biking forums that I'm on aren't a fan of the "I'm a newby what bike should I buy for £xx", but I'm hoping you guys might be more forgiving

I've got two beginner(ish) questions, 1. New v Second Hand and 2. Do I really need to spend £500+ on clubs?

First, a little about where I'm coming from. I'm 25 and used to play a bit of golf as a junior 10-15 years ago. I did ok, getting down to around 28capper, but never really stuck with it to get any better. Anyway, I've not really picked up a club in anger properly for at least 10 years.

I've decided to give golf another crack and have been down the range a couple of times with my brother. I've also got some lessons booked in to get my swing tidied up before getting into it and picking up bad habits.

Financially, my Mrs is expecting our first child in literally a matter of days, so money is going to be tighter for us with all the new expenses children come with and her being on Mat leave. I do however have a Q2 bonus coming up. The aim is to try and put as much of my bonus away to cover off unexpected baby expenses and just a bit of a blanket for cash flow if things get tight. That said, I've resolved that I'm going to by some clubs with a bit of my bonus as, frankly, I've worked my a$$ off for it!

So, first question - would you recommend I buy new or second hand clubs? I've been looking on eBay, but its difficult to tell whether clubs are suitable for beginners. If I should by second hand - could you point me in the direction of particular brands and clubs I should be looking for / avoiding?? (of course second hand is never quite as fun as buying something shiny and new!)

Anyway - second question - do I really need to go out and spend £500+ on clubs?? In SportsDirect (is that a dirty word around here??) you can pick up a set of Dunlop Clubs for £100 - £130 in various configurations (TP11s / TP12s - Graphite / Steel).

(e.g. http://www.sportsdirect.com/golf/dunlop-tr-pro-tp11-golf-set-876143 or
http://www.sportsdirect.com/dunlop-tour-tp12-graphite-steel-golf-set-876119)

Basically there I can get myself kitted up with clubs, shoes, a couple of pairs of golf trousers, balls, etc for under £200. I must admit that is pretty damn appealing with a baby (read money pit) looming any day!

So what I guess I'm really asking is whether these sort of clubs will happily see me through my first year or so of golf whilst I get into the swing of things? (see what I did there!)


Any thoughts greatly appreciated and if this kind of question is against forum rules / etiquette - then I'm sorry and await punishment with a ban stick from the moderators!

 

[moogie]

Hi Picto
Welcome aboard

I personally, would rather go down the route of a good quality 2nd hand set of a better manufacturer ( irons, woods ) than go down the sports direct road

But if u are taking lessons, I presume PGA PRO.....??.........Why not ask his advice.....??
Im sure any decent Pro will be only too pleased to help out

Sports Direct, Clothing, Absolutely Fine

Good Luck

 

[louise_a]

Welcome, you wont get into trouble asking questions like that, you may grief for the puns though.

 

[sydney greenstreet]

Welcome aboard Picto, as sports direct clubs go i see nothing wrong with them as a starter set i used donnay clubs from about 2003-2006 and went from a 21 hcp to being off 14, granted not the best but as you are starting out and a kiddie on the way better to see if your going to get into golf before spending serious money on it.Also if a year or 2 down the line you either into it or not you can sell them on for better clubs or at least get some money back on your purchase.

 

[CMAC]

Welcome, def ask your pro who will give expert advice and might have good second hand clubs to buy.

 

[Midnight]

Welcome to the forum mate, there are a lot of good deals out thee at the moment ref clubs, keep a eye on the for sale section on the forum as good prices come up very often, have a look at the MD golf range , they are a lot cheaper but will provide you with a good quality set.Good luck in your quest to get some irons mate , and good luck with little one.Midnight...

 

[swanny32]

I now have a set of Ping G10's up for grabs. Haven't gotten round to putting them on classifieds yet.

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

Welcome aboard!

Have a look around some of the 2nd hand websites, you should be able to get fully kitted out with pretty much everything you need for about £300. That kind of money will get you a driver, 3wood, full set of irons and a bag from some decent manufacturers. TBH, I would tend to stay away from the cheap, ready made all in one type packages. You should be able to pick up a decent set of cavity back irons from one of the major players for well under £100 on ebay, probably about the same again for a half decent driver and 3 wood, maybe look around for a couple of wedges and a putter to complete the set. A bag should be pretty cheap as well. Also worth checking out charity shops, sometimes find good bargains there.

 

[pbrown7582]

Hello and welcome, you'll get plenty of advice and there's always someone with an opinion.
You don't need to spend £500 + it's all a matter of choice sports direct do sell some reasonable kit and so cheap tack IMO but there newest range tp11/12 and nz9 driver is get good reviews as a value option. You may find time is an issue as much as money my son has just turned 3 and it was hard leaving HID at home with baby all week whilst at work then disappearing off at weekend/evenings playing golf isn't easy.
Good luck with it all and enjoy the forum.

 

[Shanks a lot!]

I started with Dunlop clubs from Sports Direct, and they were fine. Traded up to the Cleveland's once i'd joined a club and started to get into the game more.
The Dunlops should be ok for the first year, especially with a baby on the way. It's amazing how much extra stuff you have to buy once your new bundle of joy arrives lol!

 

[Crawfy]

Welcome on board and welcme back to this great game
Agree with a lot of above. Aim for 2nd hand clubs, balance that with cheap & practical clothing
The pro you are getting lessons should provide advice too
Stick up a 'wanted' post on here as plenty of old kit flying about fo great prices.

Good luck negotiating the golf time with HID...my wee one is 3, so I feel your pain.

Summer evenings, once the wee one is down, get out for 9holes whilst HID watches crap telly...thats my tactic

 

[DaveyG]

With your situation and the level you are at I would definitely go with cheaper clubs... I use Wilson clubs I brought as a package deal and paid 250 including the bag woods and irons! Whether I was playing with Callaways,Taylormade, Mizzys or Pings I would still duff some of the shots... Im getting better and with getting better I will be getting better clubs - just need to practise hitting nice forgiving clubs first and then I can justify getting custom fits made just for me.

Best of luck with your golf and the family mate - sure you will be busy between the two and work.

 

[drawboy]

I would rather pay £150 for some quality second hand clubs that would do me from 28-18 than buy some starter set and grow out of them quickly. You will pick up an older set of irons easily for £150 that were probably £500 new.
Stick to the good names Ping, TM,Mizzy, Callaway. You cannot go wrong with any of them. Go get a bargain and starve the taxman out of his vat.
Ask on here someone will have a good set kicking about that will suit you for little money.

 

[Kaizer_Soze]

Welcome - Sports Direct does take a lot of abuse from certain areas, personally I find their stuff OK, their clothing range is fantastic value for money.

As far as clubs go you get what you pay for, if you are looking to start out then great, go for it, but as your game improves you will need to upgrade to a better quality tools. eBay can be a goldmine for cheap but quality golf equipment but do your research first, all the big names go for higher value but use some of the golf equipment review sites, you can pick up some great gear for next to nothing. I recently bought a great set of MD Superstrong irons for a bargain £62 and a brand new Benross VX Proto driver fitted with an Aldila Voodoo shaft for £40.

 

[Neddy]

My first purchased set of clubs were Wilson CX irons (3-SW) with Hybrids replacing the long irons. Think you can get them for £150 ish new on Ebay which would only leave you with a putter/3 wood/driver to buy.

Not top quality but probably better than Dunlop stuff and they were great for me until better stuff tempted me in the January sales!!!

 

[seochris]

I think that when you are learning the game, that is when you most need a decent well balance club....go with the advice already posted and get a decent second-hand set....but watch out for fakes on the auction sites!

Good luck!

 

[dog377]

I bought my first set of irons since I was about 12 years old a few years ago. I bought the cheap starter set of Howsons. Big Mistake.
I pottered about with them for a few years but as soon as I bought a decent set of 2nd hand Taylor Made irons from the pro shop (less money than the Howsons had cost) my game improved dramatically.
Modern drivers are so different to what you would have had when you were a kid and most of them are fine. I've never been able to get on with the TM R series drivers but I think the Burners are good forgiving clubs.
Get a good putter as this one club will be responsible for more than half your shots.
I'd have to say you chose an odd time to take up golf again. My handicap low point was 10 and since I'm now a dad it's much harder to play regularly enough to be consistently playing to that level but I love the game and it lets you get away from everything else that's going on in your life even if only once or twice a month.
Good luck with your golf and your impending baby.

 

[Yer Maw]

welcome mate. regarding clubs MD or Benross ones are cheap and get good write ups or there's plenty good second hand I'd go for. I'll be amazed if you make any impact on improving your game with a newborn baby imminent. I was more grateful of some sleep than hobbies but you may get a good one. So getting out will be a bonus and come next season you'll be more up for getting onto the game in my experience. New Mothers need all the help they can get.
However I'm sure you'll get out a few times for a bit of freedom as much as anything, plus these forums will provide you with plenty entertainment as well.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Welcome along and good luck for the imminent arrival. Good news is that the lessons will give you a great foundation to work with now you're back in the golfing fold. Personally I'd prefer to get a decrnt 2nd hand set than some cheap Dunlop gear but that's just my choice. There are plenty of bargains to be had and check out the for sale section here and see if there is anything going.

 

[DappaDonDave]

Keep the money and spend it on your child for the first year or so. It'll be more worth while.

Then come back to golf. You'll regret spending 4/5 hours away from yo child. Especially as you are also working full time (I assume). And the wife is at me looking after the baby.

No what you want to hear.