I am looking for my 1st set of clubs, new or used is fine. I am a lefty though which makes it a pain in the ass to find used stuff. Dicks Sporting Goods is having a big sale and I found a couple of sets of cheap clubs. They are made by Acuity (I think it's their in house brand) and they have the Voltage or Turbomax sets on sale. I know they aren't gonna be that great, but for $150-$200 I figured they might last me a couple years till I graduate and can get something a little nicer. Anybody have any experience with this brand or any other affordable brand?

4/8/2007 4:20:47 PM

for a beginner:

get a cavity back for your irons:



do not get blade irons (some advance players prefer blades, but i still don't...even pros have different preferences for cavity backs/blades, so blade does not determine your status):



make sure you get a driver, 3 wood, 5 wood, 3 iron through 9 iron, pitching wedge, sand wedge, and putter

it doesnt really matter what set you get. all modern irons are very similar (if you have wooden shafts/clubheads there is a difference. there is even a small movement for some golfers to use persimmon drivers, which are drivers with a wooden head. it gives you a hell of alot of control, but your ball will not go nearly as far). you really won't notice a difference, as long as they are metal woods and irons. i could go out with a beginner set of golf clubs and probably shoot the same as i would with my set (my set just makes things a little easier, but a beginner wouldn't notice the difference and it doesnt really matter that there is a difference). the main thing is to get a set and stick with it. don't switch around unless you have a very good reason to. ive been playing golf for 20 years and whenever i switch a set it always fucks my game over. i even miss my first adult set of clubs i got when i was like 8, because even though they were just some old metal irons, they were very well made and worked well for me. don't get into the golf club hype. your golf clubs don't determine your game. the only clubs i switch are my woods and putter. i don't switch my irons, because it is important to be very familiar with my irons so i can hit the green. woods don't really matter so much as long as you keep it in play. putters are sort of an individual thing. some guys refuse to switch putters, some guys have to switch. i have a few putters that i rotate. i stick with one till my putting goes to shit, and then i will switch and see a noticeable improvement in my game. if i get too used to a putter it seems to dampen my putting.

another important thing about golf clubs that nobody will ever tell you. make sure it looks good. by that i mean, when you stand over the ball, if you don't think your clubs look good, you will not hit a good shot. it seems crazy but it works. it's especially true for putting. i have a scotty cameron putter, which is a designer putter that i use. it's about $300, which i wouldn't even pay for. my dad got me one for a birthday gift off ebay though for about $100 (it was in almost new condition).



it really doesnt matter that the putter has a really good feel when i hit the ball, but it does matter that the putter looks fucking sweet. having clubs that look good when you stand over the ball will give you alot more confidence and make everything alot sweeter.

also check craigslist:

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/search/sss?query=golf%20clubs

[Edited on April 8, 2007 at 4:53 PM. Reason : ]

4/8/2007 4:43:12 PM

I'll also repeat.

DO NOT GET BLADES (I'm assuming you're a beginner and may not know the difference?)


I actually learned on a set of Lynx Blades. 99 % of the people who learn with blades suck so bad that they get frustrated and hate golf forever. Cavity backs are 10,000 times more forgiving on bad swings and shots. (And for the record, I suck pretty bad....even with the cavity backs I have now... but I was utterly horrible the first 2 or so years I played becuase I was using those Lynx blades that were my brother's old clubs).

The theory of blades is that their sweet spot on the club head is about 1/3 of the size of cavity backs. If you hit it in the sweet spot every single time and have the perfect swing (Like most pros..actually I can't name a pro who uses cavity backs)... you'll crush it. Waay farther than a cavity back. The problem is that if your swing isn't 100 % perfect and you don't hit it right on the sweet spot, you'll hit it off of the edge of the world or it won't go very far whereas a cavity back is incredibly much more forgiving.

You should check out Carolina Custom golf on Capitol Blvd. They have some pretty decently priced used irons. I know there's one in Cary, but I don't know how the used selection is there. Good call on Craigslist too...I'd imagine it is a great place ot find a cheap, full, set. You may have too look a little harder since I just noticed you're a lefty, but surely something would pop up. Clubs are something you should be patient with....you'll find a good deal sooner or later



[Edited on April 8, 2007 at 4:57 PM. Reason : ]

4/8/2007 4:46:59 PM

yeah, carolina custom golf is pretty awesome. they might have some beginner/used sets you can get for pretty cheap. specialty golf shops are always fun to go to for good deals. rich guys tend to buy new clubs then get rid of them in a month. they normally are horrible golfers who think that the type of club you have makes a difference. so you can go get a used set that is pretty much new for very cheap. i got my irons for $300 that were used by a rich guy for a month, which are $1100 new. they also had awesome shafts in them, which was part of the reason for the price. i got all the grips replaced and the lofts set how i like them for about $50 (loft is the angle of the club). so really with the grips and lofts i like, they are better than new. so for $350, i got clubs that were better than a new set of $1100. i got those clubs for a very small golf shop by the way, not carolina custom golf.

[Edited on April 8, 2007 at 5:00 PM. Reason : ]

4/8/2007 4:58:30 PM

Go Wal-Mart. Clubs for $90. If you're not a good golfer, like me, the less expensive the clubs the better.

4/8/2007 5:03:00 PM

by the way, i should mention that acuity/voltage/turbomax are not really name brands. it's sort of like going to walmart and buying sam's cola. some of the main brands are titleist, taylor made, mizuno (my irons and a very underrated brand), ping, callaway, cleveland (another underrated brand), ben hogan (another underrated brand), nike. but again, name brands don't really mean shit, especially if you are beginning.

if you want to look at some golf stuff for fun, you can look at these catalogs...

http://www.edwinwattsgolf.com/

http://www.golfsmith.com/

http://www.austads.com/austads/

^true

[Edited on April 8, 2007 at 5:08 PM. Reason : ]

4/8/2007 5:08:33 PM

another thing i would suggest if you are just beginning is to get lessons. the golf swing is a very unnatural thing for people to do. so if you go out by yourself to try to learn, you will just reinforce bad habits that is how you swing naturally. unnatural is probably the wrong word to use, as the golf swing can also be fluid and feel good, but unless you are properly trained, it will not go well. you can call around to golf courses and ask the guy who answers the phone how much lessons are. normally the guy who answers the phone is either the head or assistant pro (pro in this case means teaching professional) for that club (many pros man the register when people come pay to go play golf lol). lessons can be expensive, but it is well worth it if you ever plan to get serious. golf is probably the only sport you can play from the time you are a toddler to the day you die, so learning properly is a good investment. not to mention if you are in business, it can be important with client relationships. not that you have to be good or anything for business purposes, but it is really annoying to go out and play with someone on business and they absolutely suck. nobody really cares how you play, as long as you maintain a decent pace, have fun, and don't absolutely embarrass yourself. also etiquette is important, which you can probably read about on the web (e.g. don't walk in someone's line when they are putting, don't talk when they are swinging, stand away from them while swinging so as not to annoy them, etc)

4/8/2007 5:19:19 PM

Thanks for the quick replies. I will check out CCG on my way to class tomorrow. $1000 set of irons for $300 would be great, but I think even that might be too much right now. I will probably try that if I stick with it in a few years to upgrade. I need another PE so I am signed up for golf summer II, so hopefully that will teach me about swing and etiquette. Until then, I am going to rely on some friends to get me started. Here are the 2 sets I am looking at...

http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2632154&cp=2367822.2273503.2273504&cp=2367822.2273503&fbn=Handedness%7CLeft+Handed&f=PAD%2FHandedness%2FLeft+Handed&fbc=1&categoryId=2273504&parentPage=search&searchId=20892862152

http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2632150&cp=2367822.2273503.2273504&fbx=0&cp=2367822.2273503&fbn=Handedness%7CLeft+Handed&f=PAD%2FGender%2FMens&f=PAD%2FHandedness%2FLeft+Handed&fbc=1&categoryId=2273504&parentPage=search&searchId=20892890322

I will probably go with the cheaper set cause I don't think I will notice the difference. Do both of these look like they will get me going? Walmart doesn't have anything for lefties, I hate Walmart anyways.

[Edited on April 8, 2007 at 5:59 PM. Reason : added comment]

4/8/2007 5:55:59 PM

yeah, i was talking about why specialty golf shops are good.

both of those sets look great. i would get the turbomax. woods are alot easier to hit than irons, and it has those hybrid clubs instead of a 3 iron or 4 iron, which is great for a beginner (even pros use those hybrids, so it's not something you will eventually have to replace). plus the turbomax has a double strapped bag, which is alot better if you are walking. ive always had a double strapped bag because i've always had to walk when i was little through playing in high school, and it helps. even college players use double strapped (i couldn't play here b/c coach sykes wouldn't let me try out for the golf team. he's a dick pretty much.). but i do have back problems now because i am tall and always carried around a 35 pound bag lol. having good bag support is important though.

[Edited on April 8, 2007 at 6:06 PM. Reason : ]

4/8/2007 6:05:07 PM

a couple other things i noticed why the turbomax is better. the driver head is a little bigger, which gives you a slightly bigger sweetspot and a little more distance. also, there are alot of pockets on the bag, which i always like (you have to carry golf balls, tees, pens and markers, clothes, raingear, etc, which makes all those pockets come in handy. plus the putter is a little better and it has an insert, which gives you a little more feel when putting. plus, the clubs and bag have a nice look in general which will make you come off a little better when meeting business acquaintances or other golfers.

4/8/2007 6:13:36 PM

Most importantly....GET FITTED

4/8/2007 6:24:50 PM

i think getting fitted is overrated. plus he would have to get all new shafts, which would cost $texas. and until he has a consistent swing, there is really no benefit to fitting.

[Edited on April 8, 2007 at 6:30 PM. Reason : ]

4/8/2007 6:28:28 PM

get fitted when you can shoot 90 though. Its not as important for hacks but it helps tremendously once you have a fairly consistent swing.

4/8/2007 7:13:11 PM

ive outgrown the set i had made for me years ago but dont want to spend much till i know that i really want to get back into golf. what would you all recommend in the $200-$300 range new or used dont care. (im afraid to spend more than that because im not sure i'll get tired of golf again after a couple months)

4/8/2007 8:07:31 PM

http://www.pinemeadow.com

Good quality knock offs for a good price, and a little info about buying clubs and what to look for.

4/8/2007 8:11:18 PM

which is better
http://www.pinemeadowgolf.com/golf-clubs/golf_sets/pine.nse5.2.html
http://www.golfsmith.com/products/NX100#
or something from dicks for the same price

4/8/2007 10:23:06 PM

you can get an old set of nice used clubs for 200-300 dollars. They might be dinged up but they still work unless there is damage to the face or sole...or shafts...but you can replace a shaft for fairly cheap. I'd pay about 200-300 for a nice set of used clubs that are dinged a little before i bought knockoffs. Usually a new set of grips on the used set is all you need. The dings shouldnt matter if you're worried about getting sick of golf.

4/8/2007 11:12:59 PM

well lamkin grips are going on there even if i get new clubs

4/8/2007 11:29:21 PM

i go with golf pride tour velvet...although the last set i had put on were garbage like they sat in humidity for a year before they were put on. They lasted like a month.

[Edited on April 9, 2007 at 1:12 AM. Reason : ]

4/9/2007 1:12:21 AM

grips are a very individual thing. winn grips are very very popular. i have always liked golf pride grips (i use the golf pride softie grips that have cords in them). lamkin grips are good too (i like them more than winn grips even though winn grips are preferred more people).

[Edited on April 10, 2007 at 4:02 AM. Reason : ]

4/10/2007 3:59:06 AM

Quote :

"cleveland (another underrated brand), "

huh?

4/10/2007 9:41:12 AM

winn grips are great for putters, but on irons they wear too fast. i stick with the GP tour velvet. their the most popular in the game and theres good reason for that. the lamkin crossline its not bad either.

4/10/2007 10:06:01 AM

Winn grips are for pussies....I dont know anyone who used them after having them put on their clubs once. Honestly, lamkin and golf pride are the best and most popular grips out there and which one you use is just personal preference.


BTW....there is a set of brand new MP37's at Carolina Custom and a brand new set of Hogan apex combos. The hogans are 399 down from 799, and I think the Mizuno's are 500...not sure about those. Dont go for them if you're a beginner but I almost shit my pants when I saw them on the bargain rack.

[Edited on April 10, 2007 at 10:10 AM. Reason : ]

4/10/2007 10:08:57 AM

might want to also check out Play It Again Sports...if you catch it at the right time you can pick up a decent set of brand name used clubs for a pretty good price.

4/10/2007 10:17:04 AM