Golf Club Recommendations

[PaulRigdon]

So I've decided to take golfing more seriously this coming season and am looking to upgrade my clubs. My irons are pretty good for now, I've got King Cobra graphite irons that are about 12 years old, but they still get the job done. However my Driver and woods suck! I broke my driver last year and ended up just buying a cheap one from walmart.

 

Any suggestions on a new driver. I would like to spend less that $300. I don't really know much about whats out there.

 

Thanks!

[Gobias Industries]

The website RockBottomGolf always has very good deals. I guess it depends if you would like to test out your clubs before purchasing them.

 

Not sure where you reside, but Oshkosh has a very good Golf Outlet right off HWY 41. Good prices and the workers can steer you the correct way for your money and skill level. Always try to get something thrown in or negotiate with the guys, worked for me.

 

My personal reccomendations: 4 years ago I bought the Wilson Deep Red Driver for 279.99. Before I would crush it but always go left. The guy told me this will straighten you're drive out but take off 10-15 yards. Sure works for me.

 

If you are looking to get woods, I would personally look into hybrids instead. Ben Hogan makes an awesome hyrbid priced at $70. Probably the best value on the market. Cleveland Hibore is also a great one but it is $90.

 

Hope this helps.

[bullox]

Everyone I know who has a TaylorMade R7 is in love with it. If I was serious enough with golf, I would have one in my bag.

 

I agree with the hybrid suggestion. I was never able to hit woods off of the fairway, but hybrids make it just like hitting an iron.

[logan82]

I would say that you should get your clubs fitted. No matter how much you spend on clubs it will make them much better for you.

[bjkrautk]

One recommendation I would make would be to head out and try some clubs before you buy. I picked up an iron set back around Christmas time, and really appreciated the hitting center at Dick's Sporting goods; their system measured the angle and trajectory I was hitting the different makes of irons, giving me a basis for comparison. (In other words, do I hit the ball better with a more expensive make of irons.) Out of the clubs I tried on the lower end of the spectrum, I was getting the best distance out of the low-end Taylor Made set...the least expensive of the iron sets I tried out.

 

(I'm the reverse of most golfers, FWIW, I hit my woods much better than I do my irons. I keep a 7-Wood in my bag to avoid having to go to my irons until I'm about 150-160 yards from the hole.)

[Hammer715]

I agree that you should hit the clubs before you buy them, outside if you can wait. You will probably find between 5-10 drivers in your price range. Also when the time is right and you choose to upgrade your 12 year old irons you will see a big difference in both ball fight and accuracy. As my friend calls it the cone of death shrinks with the new technology. Lastly, just to clarify the hybrids are made to relace long irons 2-3-4-5 not fairwoods as most people think.

[bjkrautk]

Honest question: how well do you hit your driver?

 

Your driver is likely going to be the least forgiving club in your bag (longest shaft + lowest degree of loft). If you have a hook or slice caused by the timing of your swing, those effects are often magnified with a driver.

 

Personally, I tend to hit the 3 wood off the tee, and don't even pull the driver out of the bag unless I'm hitting my drives straight as an arrow. (FWIW, I ended last season as a 19 handicap.)

As you're thinking about buying expensive woods, you can afford pricier 3- and 5- woods if you don't buy a driver (which is usually the most expensive of the three).

 

Obviously, that decision is going to vary quite a bit based on how you golf. Personally, I'd rather sacrifice a few yards off the tee if it means staying on the fairway consistently. If you're more of a John Daly-type who counts on long drives, you're going to want to do the reverse, and put more $$$ into the driver.

 

If you do head out to try drivers, make sure you try a variety of lofts. Most amateur golfers use a loft between 9 and 10.5 degrees on the driver; obviously, the lower the loft, the lower the ball flight, and the longer the roll you should get on the ground. Most fairway woods have consistent lofts(15 deg. for the 3, 18 for the 5, and 21 for a 7-wood), but "rescue"-style woods generally have higher lofts than their traditional counterparts.

[Blazer25]

I'll throw in another pitch for the Taylor Made R7. Best club I've ever bought. I've played golf since I was 9 YO, not often enough to become good but enough to be dangerous.

 

I have a fierce slice at times. The draw weighted R7 has given me 20 yards more distance and reduced the slice dramatically. Even when you mis-hit it the ball goes straight and far.

[bigredrobbo]

Get whatever Tiger Woods has. They obviously work the best, since he wins everything!

[dabrew141]

I have gone through a couple drivers/woods the past few years. I will agree the r7 is probably the longest and most forgiving but very expensive, especially for the quad. I would stay away from the draw bias ones. Even if you slice you will then adjust your swing for a draw biased club and going back could be hard. I ended last season at a 7 handicap and I use a titelist 905t. I love it but it is not very forgiving. If you enjoy cobra clubs the new cobra drivers the past 2 years have been getting rave reviews and the times i've used it I hit it like a trampoline it has so much bounce. Another one I enjoyed was the cleveland HiBore, very forgiving. And I would stay away from some of the expensive 3/5 woods and get hybrids. I bought 2 in the past 2 years and now they are my most used clubs. Hogan, Ping, Cleveland, Cobra, Titleist, are my favorite hybrids. pm me if you need any more help.

[zurch1818]

I would recommend going to a Nevada Bob's and buying used clubs. Many golfers spend money on clubs that they think will help their game. After a couple of rounds they realize that they can't hit the club and sell them back to try something else. Two years ago I decided to update my graphite shafted Callaway knockoffs going the used club route. I bought a used set of Titleist 804os irons. I really love them. They were only used maybe 5 rounds. I inspected every club before I finalized the purchase and saw they were in excellent condition. At the time those clubs brand new cost $1000, but I got them for $500. These clubs lowered my handicap from a 15 to a 9. Over the year, my distance has increased dramatically. My old 8 iron used to go 150 yards, after a year of using them, my pitching wedge now goes 150 yards.

 

I'm sure you could probably get a very nice used driver. You could possibly find a r7 quad there that is in good condition at a reasonable price. After all, your clubs aren't going to stay in mint condition their entire life. You are going to put marks in them. Why pay more for something that will happen regardless if it is new or used?