My friend is a beginner and has a $1500 budget

[Joepa324]

Give him your old set, and go out and have a weekend like "The Hangover" with the savings!

[rbhan12]

So many good cheap GI irons options available. Ex: Rocketbladez, Rocketballz, JPX 825, X Hot,All can be found new and cheap. How about a Jetspeed driver and fairway for 200? Get an older adams hybrid, like a Super LS or something. Mallet putter with a little toe hang. Cleveland wedges can be had cheap.

[27x10.5]

Cheapest used clubs available and a 3 day with Dan Carraher

[Maaaaaardy]

Shouldn't really be using bladed wedges as a beginner, get something more forgiving.

Anyway screw clubs, I could spend 5000 dollars on clubs and still look stupid. Get lessons first and build some fundamentals.

[Wooderson]

You can buy brand new g15 irons 5-pw on eBay for $329 shipped. Rock bottom has some awesome drivers for less than $150. Splurge on the g25 fairway. Steal some mizuno fli hi dlr hybrids off eBay for around $50 each. Buy some of the cheap <$70 wedges. Buy the putter he falls in love with no matter the cost. Lessons, lessons, lessons focused on the basics (grip, posture, alignment). So, to summarize:

Adams Super S $120
Ping G25 4 wood $199
Mizuno Fli Hi DLR 4 iron $50
Ping G15 5-PW $329
Wedges 50°/54°/58° Any <$70
Any Putter

[Balloon]

[quote name='Yellow Jacket' timestamp='1403934192' post='9595289']

My friend is a beginner and has a $1500 budget

[/quote]

This is Golfwrx. Your friend should buy a set of forged blades with x-stiff shafts and a driver with 7.5 degrees of loft. Anything else would limit his game in the long run.










Don't take to serious!

[5hort5tuff]

[quote name='Wooderson' timestamp='1403980334' post='9597347']
You can buy brand new g15 irons 5-pw on eBay for $329 shipped. Rock bottom has some awesome drivers for less than $150. Splurge on the g25 fairway. Steal some mizuno fli hi dlr hybrids off eBay for around $50 each. Buy some of the cheap <$70 wedges. Buy the putter he falls in love with no matter the cost. Lessons, lessons, lessons focused on the basics (grip, posture, alignment). So, to summarize:

Adams Super S $120
Ping G25 4 wood $199
Mizuno Fli Hi DLR 4 iron $50
Ping G15 5-PW $329
Wedges 50°/54°/58° Any <$70
Any Putter
[/quote]

Some of your suggestions I would consider to be bad advice...

Why "splurge" on 4 wood? Probably one of the least used clubs in the bag for a beginner. Not easy to hit off the deck and likely won't be used much off the tee with beginner driving distances...

A 50° wedge is great, but would a 52/58 combo not suffice?

The putter shouldnt be "no matter the cost". If he falls in love with a Scotty fastback he should spend the $400 on it?

Your G15 irons suggestion is great, but the g15 or g20 drivers and woods would be just fine aswell.

[tnord]

i think you have to go with ping stuff that's a model or two old. since you're buying a new set it should include a free fitting as well. ping irons are probably the most durable around which is a bonus if he's planning to keep them for 10 years. also for that length of time, to "grow into" a set of irons, and if he likes a more classic look you could point him towards the i20 rather than the g25. not sure how much s56s are these days, but that could be an option too if he really wants a slimmer profile.

[rbhan12]

[quote name='tnord' timestamp='1403988259' post='9597957']
i think you have to go with ping stuff that's a model or two old. since you're buying a new set it should include a free fitting as well. ping irons are probably the most durable around which is a bonus if he's planning to keep them for 10 years. also for that length of time, to "grow into" a set of irons, and if he likes a more classic look you could point him towards the i20 rather than the g25. not sure how much s56s are these days, but that could be an option too if he really wants a slimmer profile.
[/quote]

A beginner golfer should be nowhere near the S56 irons.

[tnord]

he shouldn't be anywhere near 712MBs either, but apparently those are under consideration. if he insists on that profile of an iron, i suggest the S56 to be a far better option than the 712 MB.

[rbhan12]

[quote name='tnord' timestamp='1403988676' post='9597985']
he shouldn't be anywhere near 712MBs either, but apparently those are under consideration. if he insists on that profile of an iron, i suggest the S56 to be a far better option than the 712 MB.
[/quote]

712 MBs?!?!

I knew the AP1s were there because Yellow Jacket is a self proclaimed Titleist fanboy, but 712 MBs?!?!?!

My first set of clubs were Burner 2.0s, and that's what I thought golf clubs should look like. I remember my first time holding a blade and thinking "Why is that so small? That can't be right."

A brand new beginner probably doesn't (and shouldn't let me add) have an opinion on what he likes to look down at with his irons.

[tnord]

i hardly ever get the blades out, so yeah....i think it's a really bad idea for this guy. but that's what it says in the OP.

[Wooderson]

[quote name='81PING' timestamp='1403984970' post='9597681']
[quote name='Wooderson' timestamp='1403980334' post='9597347']
You can buy brand new g15 irons 5-pw on eBay for $329 shipped. Rock bottom has some awesome drivers for less than $150. Splurge on the g25 fairway. Steal some mizuno fli hi dlr hybrids off eBay for around $50 each. Buy some of the cheap <$70 wedges. Buy the putter he falls in love with no matter the cost. Lessons, lessons, lessons focused on the basics (grip, posture, alignment). So, to summarize:

Adams Super S $120
Ping G25 4 wood $199
Mizuno Fli Hi DLR 4 iron $50
Ping G15 5-PW $329
Wedges 50°/54°/58° Any <$70
Any Putter
[/quote]

Some of your suggestions I would consider to be bad advice...

Why "splurge" on 4 wood? Probably one of the least used clubs in the bag for a beginner. Not easy to hit off the deck and likely won't be used much off the tee with beginner driving distances...

A 50° wedge is great, but would a 52/58 combo not suffice?

The putter shouldnt be "no matter the cost". If he falls in love with a Scotty fastback he should spend the $400 on it?

Your G15 irons suggestion is great, but the g15 or g20 drivers and woods would be just fine aswell.
[/quote]

I am a firm believer in G25 woods. They are fantastic. G20 would suffice I am sure, but they are a step down from the G25 fairways. He could find a used G25 at a great price. As far as a fairway being used least used. I disagree again. A beginner should tee off with a fairway wood every chance he can. Zero need for a driver on a par 5. Fairway, seven iron, seven iron is a great game plan for the beginner.

Wedge set up can be whatever they feel comfortable with. I won't argue one bit there.

I didn't say spend the max money on the putter. My thoughts are to spend whatever is necessary to buy a putter they have confidence in. If it's a $89 Odyssey on closeout great. If it's a Cameron, great. It is very silly to find a putter that is right for you, but chose another model that is cheaper. Just not smart.

As far as your thoughts on my advice, I think some of your thoughts are bad thoughts.

[ratspros]

Id tell him to go try out all of last years clubs and buy which ones works best for him. Probably push for something with a large sole if he is a true beginner. HUGE discount for one year old technology, take a few lessons and put in the time to improve. Heck I bet you could get a full set of good stuff one year old for closer to $800-$1000. Spend $250 on lessons and then you already have $250 saved towards the new set in 2-3 years. Plus with buying good name brand stuff one year old you already save the depreciation and can resell them closer to purchase price, much like used car vs new.

[Nessism]

Callaway X Hot irons, 4 - PW + AW for $260 shipped. Can't beat that. [url="http://www.ebay.com/itm/CALLAWAY-GOLF-CLUBS-X-HOT-N14-4-PW-AW-IRONS-UNIFLEX-STEEL-NEW-/360967708972?pt=Golf_Clubs&hash=item540b5a212c"]http://www.ebay.com/itm/CALLAWAY-GOLF-CLUBS-X-HOT-N14-4-PW-AW-IRONS-UNIFLEX-STEEL-NEW-/360967708972?pt=Golf_Clubs&hash=item540b5a212c[/url]

[Yrrdead]

Hmm best new deals i've seen lately for a beginner.

[url=http://www.golfdealsandsteals.com/prod/IRONS/1--DEALS-AND-STEALS/CLOSEOUTS_67/New-TaylorMade-Hybrid-and-Rocketbladez-Irons-Combo-Set_761.aspx]Rbladez+Hybrids (3h,4h,5-pw) [/url] $399.99
[url=http://dealadaygolf.com/past-deal/cobra-golf-amp-cell-silver-iron-set]Amp Cell Silvers 4-GW[/url] $299.99

Both of those sites actually have a ton of new clearance stuff , you could easily put together a great bag well under your budget.

[diehllane]

RBG has a pretty good price on Burner Plus irons.... $270 for 4-PW, AW.
Forgiveness + Distance

http://www.rockbottomgolf.com/taylor-made-golf-burner-plus-irons-set-8-piece.html
Pair those with an R1 driver, RBZ fwy and hybrid, an SM4/5 SW and a decent putter and you're set for a little over half of that budget.

[Yellow Jacket]

BIG NEWS. I talked to him and he said he's willing to get used clubs, but not if he's only save like $100. I assured him he could get some older stuff for 50% off, so that opens up a number of options.

[jdw2920]

Cobra amp forged are food irons and can be had for around 500 or less so he would have a 1000 to add to it. Maybe cobra bio cell forged these are good looking and easy to hit.

[jdw2920]

Rocketbladez not another bad option easy to hit

[tnord]

ok....then i say a used set of i20s is the way to go.

the whole bag should cost him $500, and the remaining $1k should be put in the bank, used for lessons, or stashed away for the next set he wants 2yrs from now.

[rbhan12]

I highly recommend staying in the GI/SGI category for irons. I'm sure we've all been frustrated in the performance of our equipment at one point or another. Last thing you want to do is to get him a set that he'll be frustrated with on mishits.

[JK910]

First off, we know a beginner ain't gonna keep his first set of clubs of 10 years...that's just not going to happen. Start off with Wilson Staff D100 ES and tell him to come back here next summer for his next recommendation.

[gpleonard]

Look at Cleveland golf. Great deals can be had there.

[WalleyeDave]

Good lord. $ 500 on used clubs and $1000 on lessons and practice.

[shaffe]

[quote name='Yellow Jacket' timestamp='1403934192' post='9595289']


but I also admitted that while GIs can help with mishits, they can't nullify a bad swing.

[/quote]

That's borderline sadistic ... Nothing like a good set of blades for the beginner ...

[Yellow Jacket]

Update! We went to the range to warm up and so that I could see him hit balls off grass. Swing looked good, though contact was inconsistent as expected.

At PGASS, we hit JPX 800, JPX EZ Forged, X-Forged, X2 Hot, VRS Forged, Rocketbladez, G20, G25, i25, 714 AP1, and probably a couple more I don't remember. He liked the X2 Hot, G20, and AP1's the best.

We also hit some drivers but he didn't seem to have much of a preference, and he liked how the basic Anser 2 felt.

He said he's just going to use demo sets until he gets more consistent, and then he'll look at buying clubs. When that'll happen, who knows. But at least G25 woods + 714 AP1 irons will be cheaper!

[Highlifejeff]

You should be able to save a lot on last years Taylormade stuff which has similar qualities and is much cheaper than current model ie '12 mb vs 14' about 600$ diff


Sldr 12* GD ADDI 6x
Sldr 15* GD ADDI 7x
Sldr 21* GD ADDI 95x
Bstone j40 4-pw KBS TV X ss1x
RM 12 51,55,59 Ctaper S+
Cameron oil can NEWPORT 2
Srixon XV/ b330

[solarbear88]

[quote name='BPinNC ' timestamp='1403936035' post='9595341']
Just my opinion of course but I wouldnt spend anywhere near that to start out. Odds are once he gets better he's going to want something different. I put together a intermediate/starter set for my girlfriend who just broke 100 a few months back.

Rbz 10.5 $80
rbz 17 $60
Adams super S irons $200 (3&4hy/ 5-pw)


[/quote]

I would go that sort of route.

[playa]

[quote name='pmcuk' timestamp='1403951004' post='9595595']
[quote name='Fade to Black' timestamp='1403939022' post='9595409']
For a beginner, I'd say no need for a lob wedge. Mallet putter, 4W instead of 3&5W.
[/quote]

Agree with Mallet putter definitely and also 4W. But I'd certainly get a 60* lob wedge, and in my case I'd mate it with a 54*, both around 10* bounce. The 60/10 is perfect for greenside bunkers especially with higher lips or just near the flag. And for getting over traps - I couldn't live without mine. I don't agree with "beginners shouldn't play a 60*". Beginners should master a 60* wedge as soon as possible. Basically an early wrist set should get you there. That's not too hard to learn.


.
[/quote]
60 lw is a no brainer. I use my 60 exclusively in greenside bunkers. 60 is an easy club to use if used judiciously. The loft does all the work, especially in bunkers, which is the one place where beginners need all the help they can get.