Self Reflection: How has 5 years of gear changes effected your scores?

[9woodfan]

I definitely don't want to get into the math of money spent vs. improvement or score reduction BUT considering the money I've invested in myself over the last 5 years I should expect to see some improvement... right?

 

Thankfully there has been some!

 

A move to single length irons has certainly improved my game... $800

 

A recent driver upgrade from the G30 to the G400 has also helped lower scores - $150

 

Adding a 22* Cobra F8 Hybrid also surprised me as it became my most reliable safety net - $100

 

I feel safe saying that the $1050 spent over the last two seasons on clubs helped reduce me from a low 90's into a low 80's (occasional mid 70's) player.

 

Practice helps too but these three equipment changes have certainly played a large part...

 

How about you?

[cardoustie]

I spend way too much on golf but a man needs a hobby

 

Anyways, thru a lot of trial and error work I've found the following FOR ME

 

- g400 LST driver is awesome for me in terms of height and launch and shot shape

- longer drivers (46,25") and lighter shafts = $$$$$$

- 1" over in irons is awesome

- Callaway apex gen 1 hybrids unbeatable

- Callaway GBB 5w unbeatable

- Vokey sm2 wedges with m grinds, pretty much unbeatable

 

 

Lately I am learning that 100-110 gram graphite shafts work for me and are like magic pills for my elbows

[jholz]

The only club I've changed over the last five years was my driver (thanks again WRX!), but I can say that it definitely helped my game off the tee. More balls in play, less balls in woods.

[wdaig1]

I hit the ball right now at 47 longer than I ever have in my life and my scores are consistently lower. The combination of the ball and the equipment every continuing to evolve has made it easier to score.

[Nixhex524]

I can not possibly figure the dollar amount, I like to look at it as a lengthy fitting session where I gained A TON of knowledge here, and outside. I have learned to see past what I think I want to play and play what actually works for my game. Once I was able to get past my ego and just stick with a bag, my scores got immediately better. I have gone from a 5 to a 2.5 over the last few months and have really enjoyed the good golf I have been playing, even my grinding rounds have been no higher than 81. I don't care about the money, it's been worth every penny for all the knowledge I have gained and the confidence I have found out there.

 

The J15 CBs are irons I may not have considered because of the look of offset, but they have changed my game and made everything else a bit easier. I attribute all my better scoring to them, along with an older Protype 2 putter I acquired here in a trade... it has limited my 3 puts, I am not sure why, but it's been a great asset to my bag and my putting.

[Mych]

I'd say the most important gear changes that helped my scoring were:

 

Getting into a driver shaft that I can keep in play: $50

Cobra F6 Baffler: $75

Putter that works: $50

 

Between the 3 of those, I'd guess that they account for 5+ strokes a round improvement over where I was 2 years ago. No other area in my bag has made my game better/worse by more than 1-2 strokes.

 

Or in other words... if you put me in a decent set of rental clubs and let me keep my Driver, Putter, and Baffler, I'd lose 1-2 strokes max.

If you put me in a set of rental clubs and only let me keep my irons and wedges, I could see dropping 5+ strokes.

 

[Exactice808]

I am basically playing 5+ year old clubs and shoot better than I did 5 years ago......Anomaly I guess?

 

915D3 (2014 release)

M2 3&5 wood (2015-2016 Release)

Cobra Amp Cell Pros (2013 release)

(switched back to my old SM4's due to loft, 50,56,60) (I know my sig still shows SM5 but not playing them right now ) (2011 release date)

 

 

5 Years ago I had

 

Nike Covert Tour (2013 Release)

cally Xhot pro 3 wood (2013 Release)

714 AP2 (2013 release)

SM5 (2014 release)

 

 

No reason to update my bag, no money to update my bag, and my scores wont change likely with the latest and greatest... so I will take my 5+ year old clubs and be happy as I see my kids smiling because they got the newest Paw Patrol tow or Frozen Doll.....

 

 

 

 

[craz-e]

Finding stuff that works and sticking with it has helped me!

[Man_O_War]

why do you have to ask this question? lol

[LHGolf4]

I choose not to think about what I spent in the last 5 years. Also after shooting a 77 with Big Bertha 2002 irons while in between sets the practice and repetition seems to be the key. That being said I love trying out golf clubs so the journey would not have been as fun.

[dubbelbogey]

Not at all. I think I have what is an "effectively modern" set of clubs - though no club is newer than 5 years old, and most are considerably older.

 

My scores tend to correlate fairly well with my frequency of playing and practicing, but that's about it.

 

Equipment hasn't made a dent in my scoring in any recent memory (think pre-460cc drivers and pre-hybrid days). I've dabbled with much more modern sets. By dabbling, 3 or 4 rounds each with a borrowed sets from my buddy who buys new stuff all the time and happens to have club specs (length, lie, etc...) that are reasonably close to mine. No meaningful effect on scoring.

 

Yeah - I'm boring that way.

[golfjam]

I tried 30+ iron sets, 40+ drivers with a bunch of different shafts, a lot of wedges and all types of grinds and every putter style but index stays the same between .8 to 3.5. BST saved me a lot of money and space in my garage but made no difference on my game. I love trying new stuff but always go back to my sig bag.

[Patrik1982]

For me it’s been about the tinkering. Realizing I need shorter shafts throughout, midsize grips, flat lies and no offset / open faced clubs. But yea, it’s been an expensive journey!

[third-times-a-charm]

Everytime I improve I buy equipment thats harder to hit/play. So if I kept all my SGI stuff I would probably be a few strokes higher...but I wouldnt feel as good so the trade-off is worth it.

[cardoustie]

the tinkering is fun

 

sometimes a certain head pairs very well with the right shaft

 

[Sean2]

I am a better golfer than I was five years ago, but I think that has more to do with having a better swing than with the equipment.

[TXTrapLord]

I'm waiting to see that OP is someone's wife...

[ChipNRun]

> @Sean2 said:

> I am a better golfer than I was five years ago, but I think that has more to do with having a better swing than with the equipment.

 

I tend to alternate "year of the gear" with "year of the swing."

 

Played basically same irons, FWs and wedges for about five years with changes in driver and putters. Then, the past three years each saw a single gear change to "keep up."

* Switched from iron-set PW + 3 Cleveland wedges, to three Callaway wedges (see below). Three wedges simpler than four.

* Got driver with lower-torque shaft, set a degree open to avoid hooks.

* Switched to CB Pro irons (I had tested out several times in past) which are a quarter-inch longer than my old irons. Now I don't have to manipulate set-up to avoid toe-side hits.

* Battle in FWs continues between robust Alpha 815s and older, friendlier XRails.

 

Part of challenge is syncing equipment and swing with physical age. I'll be 69 in two days, and I have a right hip that's stiff some days and quite loose on others. This requires stance and swing tweaks, and more club on stiff days. The pros say I'm still quite flexible overall... downside is I tend to overswing.

 

Overall, I need more help from shafts so I don't get repetitive strain injuries now that I can fit more golf into schedule. Go more with tempo swing to lessen chance of injury. Likewise, shots from medium rough often mean 7i "hinge-and hold" punch rather than trying to blow full 5i onto green - self-preservation. Graphite iron and wedge shafts are coming, as my arms sometimes tingle after back-to-back golf days.

[bvanlieu]

The only club I can praise would be the driver ($120 used F7+, now on a $220 Rogue CPO from Callaway).

 

The forgiveness on off center hits is significantly better then the circa 2013 X Hot.

 

Its not worth much on a good strike round, however when strike is off a bit its so noticeable.

 

If one or two drives catch edge fairway vs. rough, there is likely a stroke gained. If one doesn't catch the woods causing chip out/loss, that is definitely a stroke gained. I notice the latter mostly :)

 

I am constantly amazed at off center hits with modern drivers still being serviceable down the fairway compared to the 200y duds I grew up with first with Persimmon then the early Taylor Made metal years.

 

Overall, I can see how new toys can provide motivation to play and the feel leads to more practice at the craft: which should lower the scores.

 

- b

[Golfjack]

If you started gaming one of the players CB like AP2, or the P790 hollow body irons, that could really be a difference maker. Otherwise driver tech hasn't changed much. I switched from an Epic Sub Zero to a M4 and yeah there are differences but I adjusted to the driver and it's more forgiving, but I can't tell how many strokes it is.

[BB28403]

Affected...

[rufus mangler]

> @third-times-a-charm said:

> Everytime I improve I buy equipment thats harder to hit/play. So if I kept all my SGI stuff I would probably be a few strokes higher...but I wouldnt feel as good so the trade-off is worth it.

 

This.

 

Someday I'll invest in an "emergency set".