Golf

Anyone play golf here? Just wondering. I'm not much of a golfer, I've gotten one birdie ever! But some buddies and I are going to San Diego this weekend for a golf weekend and I'm thinking of picking it up as a hobby (especially since the whole gun thing has kind of fizzled, although I hope to get that Sig P226 in about 5 years). I mean, I'm 40 now. Isn't it time to start doing this on a regular basis?

So, my question has to do with gear (of course). And good "game improvement" irons anyone can recommend? I happened to stop at Sports Authority and saw the Nike Slingshot Iron set for $300. That's right in my wheelhouse of price. I think Taylormade Burner Plus is also in that range. I'm not sure about any other manufacturers.

And yes, obviously I have to go try them at the shop, maybe even at the range and see what feels right, but I'd like to at least have a direction to go when looking. Price range is around $300-400.

No matter where you go make sure you are properly fit for the clubs. Granted Sports Authority is a place to start but they are limited when compared to a dedicated golf store or even better a local club fitter. You can only tell so much when hitting into a net indoors so if possible see if you can demo what you see or maybe find somewhere that sells clubs with an outdoor range. Im partial to Taylormade as ive played a majority of their clubs for years but Nike makes decent gear as well.

What Nixon said but my choice has always been Taylormade driver, hybrids and irons. Once I got those my game got better, I am still an awful golfer but now I hit the ball straighter a lot more often and get 1 or two birdies a round.

Have fun in SD this weekend, that is my favorite city in the US.

U guys make me miss my hometown california lol

I've been playing since I was 8 so I have 29 years experience on the subject
Just grab a set that feels good for now. Worry about fitting yourself when your a 10 or under handicap.

Nike, Calaway, Taylor Made, Mizuno, Wilson Staff, Titleist are all good names. With technology the way it is these days even a 10 year old set of clubs are good. Heck, from 8yo to 18yo I was still using wooden drivers.

The only thing that truly matters for you right now is to get your swing speed. Shafts are one of the key components to how or where your ball will go depending on the speed of your swing. A fast swing with flimsy shafts and you could be constantly slicing the ball and get very frustrated. I could get very technical but I'll spare you.

If you have more questions I'd be happy to answer them for you.
Good luck and most of all have fun.

So would you recommens steel or graphite shafts? What's the pro/cons of each?

Steel shafts on your irons...graphite on your woods.

Pros of steel: Flex less and tend to be more accurate. Lower price than graphite. Usually more durable.

Cons: Heavier so swing speed is reduced a bit, though this can sometimes help to keep the swing on track so it can also be a pro, but a lower swing speed will mean lower distance. If you mishit a shot, and you will, the vibrations are more intense than with graphite and can hurt.

Since accuracy is more important with your irons than distance is, stick to steel with them

Pros of graphite: light and flexible so you can add distance
Cons: Expensive. Can be harder to control due to the shaft flex though there are very stiff graphite shafts available. The lighter weight can also be harder to control in the swing...a heavier shaft tends to stay online better through the swing.

I concur. Well put hoffy.
Both steel and graphite come in soft to stiff shafts.
It really just depends on your transition from the back swing to down swing and how much torque you produce during this transition plus the speed of the clubhead at impact.
Steel for irons and graphite for woods is all you need right now. Worry about graphite for all when your in your 60's and need the extra help.

Oh Golf how I miss thee... I haven't played in like 3 years my clubs are rather dusty ( get your minds out of the gutter) I should probably get them out and go some day soon.

I'm a shitty golfer who plays a few times a season and had a graphite shaft for years on my driver and could never hit consistently or straight.

Last year someone gave me a Nike driver with a stiffer shaft and I hit farther and straighter and pretty consistently with it!! I'm no expert but from one sucky rage golfer to another who's soon to be the same, go with the ease of use rather than the potential distance as it doesn't go farther if flies like a boomerang.

Golf is more about consistency than anything else, especially when you don't play often or are just starting out. Worry about the distance later, my mom kicks my ass all the time when I golf with her and she hits her driver maybe 150 yards, but hits it the same every time if she's sober.

smallz wrote:

Golf is more about consistency than anything else, especially when you don't play often or are just starting out. Worry about the distance later, my mom kicks my ass all the time when I golf with her and she hits her driver maybe 150 yards, but hits it the same every time if she's sober.

There's such a thing as "sober golf"... I've never heard of such a thing...

I used to play a lot, and had the hdcp down to 7 for a while...I would completely agree with the fitting advice. Get fitted. Period. Almost every shop will do it and take it off the price of new clubs. I'm 6'3" and if I used standard shafts, I'd be all hunched over leading to poor swing plane. Same can be said for shorter players.

Once you are fitted, you'll get numbers like: 1/2 inch long/short, 2 degrees upright/flat, 100 mph driver swing speed, midsize/regular grip, etc (Those are just examples). THEN you can shop online for deals if you want to save a buck. eBay is loaded with deals. Bottom line is that you have to like looking down at the club...it needs to give you visual confidence.

I can't stand the look of game improvement irons with their offset and thick toplines...just me. I need more of a thin topline with no offset (Mizuno style). Everyone is different. Some guys need those irons that look like burger flippers for confidence. Brand is completely unimportant...every manufacturer uses the same technology...it's all marketing hype. Best fairway woods on the planet are made by Tour Edge Exotics, which is a brand most people have never even heard of. I have 2 in the bag.

I would highly recommend some basic lessons to start you with some proper mechanics. The pros take lessons every day. Most amateurs never take a single lesson. They are about $40 for a half hour at a muni course, which is less than 1 greens fee. Best investment you can make.

After that, play a lot of par 3 courses. First of all, it's cheap, and in golf, 75% of all of your strokes will be from 100 yards or less. Forget the driving range and learn to hit a wedge and putt.

I agree on the stiff shaft for drivers...I actually used to hit a steel shaft driver and I loved it...traded it in for the same model with graphite, yes I could hit it farther, but not nearly as consistently...

The ladies also approve of the stiff shaft

"What do you want me to do with it?"
Don't matter just don't bite it

I bought some Taylor Made Burners for this year, well i dont buy them every year, but i got them. I have not really played in years and this is a great set to get me back into the game. I picked them up at Dick's as a buddy of mine who is an avid golfer said i was a moron if i didnt buy those. I played when i was a kid and was a bit of a Club Rat, I was on the course from 7a to about 1p everyday and then to the pool. With my hip problems and subsequent replacement of said hip i hadnt played in a long time. Look into those man! I was looking at the Rocket Ballz but thought that was too much for me right now. I am already eyeing my next set, some Mizunos...a boy can dream cant he?