Got $450 credit I need to use: new driver? or other club change?

[ahelix]

Looking for advice on what to buy/change up in my bag: leaning towards a new driver+shaft +/-5W. I've got $450 of credit I've been sitting on for a while and need to use. I'm a high handicapper--struggle mostly with consistency/accuracy (not distance). Not looking for a new putter.

 

Originally got fitted for my driver with a Hzrdus smoke 6.0 /stiff, 70 gram, 3.2 deg torque shaft which was WAAAY too hard for me to swing. Switched it out on my own w/o a fitting for an Aldila NXT GEN NV 65-stiff and was much happier w/that. Still feel like I could optimize my driver (and 5W) better. I don't have a 3W because I kind of have two gap wedges, my G425 UW/GW (120y club) and a 52 deg (my 100-110y club).

 

Another option is to drop my G425 UW/GW and go to 50/54/58 or 50/56/60 wedge setup, which I don't think will add a lot apart from being able to carry a 3W. Feel like I'd rather do that once I'm happier with current driver +5 wood. Also 5W I can hit off the deck once in a while, which I probably would never do with a 3W.

 

I also struggle bigtime with my 5i, so I wouldn't be opposed to trying to sub it out for another hybrid or something.

 

Current setup:

Driver: TM sim max 10.5 driver @ 9.75 with Aldila NXT GEN NV 65-stiffTM sim max 5W (18 deg)
Ping G425 max 3H (19 deg) with a Ping Alta CB 70 slate stiff shaft--not one of my fav clubs in my bag either

Ping G425 irons: 5i-PW, UW (blue dot) with KBS tour 120 stiff shafts (PW 44.5 deg, UW 49.5 deg)

Ping Glide 3.0 wedges 52/56/60
LAB DF3 putter

 

Arccos smart distances: (5W usually off the tee when I use it)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Old driver shaft (too hard for me to swing):

 

Edited July 15, 2024 by ahelix
clarified what i'm leaning towards buying

[lil'mike]

You probably don't need a 60 degree wedge in your bag since it is so close to the 56 in distance so you could take that out and maybe add a 4H/5H in place of the 5 iron.  Or keep it in there and add a 4H/5H anyway.

 

 

[ahelix]

Also I got fitted for Apex 21 irons with the SteelFiber extra stiff graphite shaft CW, but it just seemed bizarre to me that I'd hit best with extra stiff. I got fitted after a lesson + range session so I was swinging a lot harder than I normally do. But the Apex 21 irons did feel awesome! Feels weird to go for an iron set that's basically 3 years old. Also, I don't think they were THAT much better than my G425s. I prob can stick to the high forgiveness of my current irons until I start getting better club-face control. 

 

Feels like more improvement could come from a driver +5w change.

 

26 minutes ago, lil'mike said:

You probably don't need a 60 degree wedge in your bag since it is so close to the 56 in distance so you could take that out and maybe add a 4H/5H in place of the 5 iron.  Or keep it in there and add a 4H/5H anyway.

 

 

 

I actually do use the 60 deg a lot. I'm starting to get a bigger distance gap between my 56 and 60.

 

My least used club is my 5i (by A LOT--see below) so I guess I could swap it out for a 4/5H like you said. But I don't really like my 3H that much either, so I might just replace the 3H and could get a new 4/5H too.

 

 

 

Also interesting is my SG my club (this is vs my goal HCP of 14 I think). This just supports needing to work on my swing/consistency. The Driver is only +.15 because I hit it far.

 

 

 

Edited July 15, 2024 by ahelix
added arccos photo

[speedeuphoria]

I would maybe look into a hybrid fitting and adding a 5hy

[hammergolf]

5 hours ago, ahelix said:

Looking for advice on what to buy/change up in my bag: leaning towards a new driver+shaft +/-5W. I've got $450 of credit I've been sitting on for a while and need to use. I'm a high handicapper--struggle mostly with consistency/accuracy (not distance). Not looking for a new putter.

 

Originally got fitted for my driver with a Hzrdus smoke 6.0 /stiff, 70 gram, 3.2 deg torque shaft which was WAAAY too hard for me to swing. Switched it out on my own w/o a fitting for an Aldila NXT GEN NV 65-stiff and was much happier w/that. Still feel like I could optimize my driver (and 5W) better. I don't have a 3W because I kind of have two gap wedges, my G425 UW/GW (120y club) and a 52 deg (my 100-110y club).

 

Another option is to drop my G425 UW/GW and go to 50/54/58 or 50/56/60 wedge setup, which I don't think will add a lot apart from being able to carry a 3W. Feel like I'd rather do that once I'm happier with current driver +5 wood. Also 5W I can hit off the deck once in a while, which I probably would never do with a 3W.

 

I also struggle bigtime with my 5i, so I wouldn't be opposed to trying to sub it out for another hybrid or something.

 

Current setup:

Driver: TM sim max 10.5 driver @ 9.75 with Aldila NXT GEN NV 65-stiffTM sim max 5W (18 deg)
Ping G425 max 3H (19 deg) with a Ping Alta CB 70 slate stiff shaft--not one of my fav clubs in my bag either

Ping G425 irons: 5i-PW, UW (blue dot) with KBS tour 120 stiff shafts (PW 44.5 deg, UW 49.5 deg)

Ping Glide 3.0 wedges 52/56/60
LAB DF3 putter

 

Arccos smart distances: (5W usually off the tee when I use it)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Old driver shaft (too hard for me to swing):

 

What are the strengths and weaknesses of your game? 

[ahelix]

54 minutes ago, hammergolf said:

What are the strengths and weaknesses of your game? 

Strength: distance

weakness: accuracy, esp off the tee but that is getting better. Tied for that would probably be par 3 tee shots and approach game.

[hammergolf]

34 minutes ago, ahelix said:

Strength: distance

weakness: accuracy, esp off the tee but that is getting better. Tied for that would probably be par 3 tee shots and approach game.

Then definitely get fitted for a new driver combo that helps you get a tighter shot pattern. More fwys hit will help your approach game.

[mootrail]

I had $450 from 2X Trade-ins to blow on Callaway.

 

Was it really a question, that I would be ordering a new AI Smoke Max?!

 

[Phabs]

Do what the rest of us do. 
 

Take your best club in the bag and replace that one.  
 

1)Sell the old one super cheap

2)Three months later be pissed you sold the old one, pay twice or three times what you sold the original for

3)Buy the old head back.  $450 isn’t near enough… got to pay to play 

Edited July 16, 2024 by Phabs

[Chunkitgood]

I’m an old guy who sometimes wishes I had spent more time learning to strike the ball properly when I was younger.  From that perspective you might consider using your credit, if is is good for used clubs, in getting a set of used compact heads with a relatively high center of gravity to use for true game improvement i.e. developing your skill at ball striking.

[ahelix]

37 minutes ago, Chunkitgood said:

I’m an old guy who sometimes wishes I had spent more time learning to strike the ball properly when I was younger.  From that perspective you might consider using your credit, if is is good for used clubs, in getting a set of used compact heads with a relatively high center of gravity to use for true game improvement i.e. developing your skill at ball striking.

it’s not good for used clubs. What’s a specific type you’d recommend? Can always just grab just a 7i to hit with. 

[JermWRX]

If you struggle off the tee or keeping the ball in play, buy a PING 10K and watch your scores come down. Best driver I've ever had, and I've had lots and lots of drivers. I've basically bought a new driver every year for the last 12-15 years. My handicap is down 3 shots since I put it in play. 

[ahelix]

did a driver fitting and tried out ping, taylormade, and callaway... ended up with the AI smoke triple diamond 10.5 with a stiff denali 70 shaft.  total opposite of what i expected--i told him i want forgiveness but i hated the ping. the callaway was awesome on mis-hits--spin stayed low on those mis-hits so kept good distance. will see how it goes on my first round out.

[tatertot]

Putter ... the correct response is always putter. New putters are fantastic. Old putters remember all your misses and misbehave.

[ahelix]

16 minutes ago, tatertot said:

Putter ... the correct response is always putter. New putters are fantastic. Old putters remember all your misses and misbehave.

 

lol he can't sell LAB putters so i bought a DF3 1-2 months ago

[subrew]

You don't mention what type of establishment you have the credit with.  Generic big box store?  Callaway's CPO site?  Somewhere else?

 

$450 is enough to consider a splurge on a set of lightly used forged irons you've lusted after.  That starts putting you in the ballpark for sets of 2-3yo forged irons like ZX5/7 combos, P7MCs, or JDM stuff like Honmas, Maruman etc.  Something you've wanted to try, but were a bit scared to give up the forgiveness of your pings for.  

 

 

[DocBrown3887]

Not an answer here but I certainly would consider finding a club that gets along well with your swing and goes 190 to combine the 5i/3h slot. You don't use this yardage much anyhow and the gapping seems fine with just a single club. So this is part of your $450 I suppose and the rest can be used to upgrade whatever else you want and you have a flex club slot based on the course/conditions you are playing in.

[tatertot]

48 minutes ago, ahelix said:

 

lol he can't sell LAB putters so i bought a DF3 1-2 months ago

See ... you're using sensible logic and rationale to purchase putters ... never do that. The best putter is ALWAYS the next putter.

[Shilgy]

On 7/16/2024 at 11:06 AM, ahelix said:

it’s not good for used clubs. What’s a specific type you’d recommend? Can always just grab just a 7i to hit with. 

Is it good for lessons?  A 19 cap hitting it reasonable distances doesn’t need different sticks.

[ahelix]

10 minutes ago, Shilgy said:

Is it good for lessons?  A 19 cap hitting it reasonable distances doesn’t need different sticks.

 

that's why i accrued it in the first place. was part of a package of lessons but i was making no progress with this coach, so i switched to someone else who's been WAAAAAY better for me. this guy would always find some new thing to try to fix, but never helped me fix my biggest issue... we just didn't connect i guess.