It’s Happening

[CountryClubChef]

My oh my has it been a long time since I posted here, 14 years to be precise. A lot has happened in that time: moved, bought a house, got married, had kids, moved, bought another house, and now after years of career building and moving around my wife and I(at 40 years old) are building our dream home at a private golf course/community  down south with this new move and better yet… my kids are both in school now. I’ll actually be able to get back to playing 5 days a week instead of the 5 rounds a year these last few years after mistakingly moving from FL to the frigid north. 

 

My game has definitely suffered after years of putting family first. I’m really curious what clubs I’ll land on when I go in for a fitting. I have done some reading up on modern clubs and it’s wild to me that my 5 iron is the same loft as new 7 irons. Even the new “players irons” have huge heads and major offsets compared to what I’ve played. I did get some sessions with a local pro a year or two ago and he was telling me I should get some new clubs even though I was still hitting my blades fine. 

 

Has anyone else been in this situation where they’ve played blades forever and all the new stuff seems huge and strange? 

 

Currently my bag consists of:

 

Nike Sumo 5000 Driver Graffaloy Proto Black R

Bridgestone J36 Hybrid 16/19/22 Aldila VS Proto R

Bridgestone J36 Blades 5-PW PX Flighted 5.0

Mizuno MP T-10 Wedges 52/56/60

Rife Barbados center shaft putter

 

I know 100% for sure I need a new putter, driver and hybrid/woods. From what I’ve read the tech in those clubs has evolved leaps and bounds since 2008 when I last purchased clubs. My irons/wedges I’ll have to try out some of the newer stuff and see if anything feels better. Has the tech in blades changed much in the last 20 years? I really feel hesitant to stray away from blades since I’ve played them and played them well for so long, especially since once you go away from blades the lofts/offsets seem to get really wonky.

 

It seems the most popular Woods/Hybrids right now are TaylorMade/Titleist, are there any sleepers or something in the works that I should keep my eye out for? I do like the look of the SIM 2s, but when I mention those people are like “Why not the QI35s”… I know my clubs to new clubs is a big jump in technology, but is there a significant jump from clubs that came out a few years ago to now? I did read an article that mentioned Mizuno is about to release some new woods with some “breakthrough tech” soon but lacked any specifics. I have considered going back to a more traditional Driver/3wood and 2 hybrid clubs since apparently the newer woods are a lot easier to hit than they were 20 years ago. Any other woods/hybrids worth testing?

 

Looking at the current options for blades the one’s I’ll probably try at a fitting would be:

 

Mizuno S-1

Titleist 620

Wilson Staff

Taylormade P7MB

 

of these the only ones with the same loft/lie as my current J36 are Taylormade/Titleist, although the others are only off by a degree and the shaft length/offsets are fairly similar on all sets. 

 

Any recommendations on things I should try when I go in for a fitting? I’m more than willing to try some suggestions.

 

Sorry this post has gotten a little long winded… I’m just really excited that life has brought me back to the game I love. Thanks in advance for any feedback. 

 

 

[rooski]

Welcome back! Sounds like you've done some great research. Although I'd disagree that you need a new putter if the current one sinks putts. That one is more of a personal journey :)

 

You're right that blades have fundamentally not changed much, and honestly I'd doubt you'd see much difference between your Bridgestones and a modern blade, probably the best thing you'd find there would be a pretty decent shaft for you that would generally improve the experience.

 

Nowadays there's quite a bit higher variance in what you could consider a "cavity back" though, so if I were you I'd consider opening your horizons a bit more. Certainly there are some giga-sized loft jacked monsters out there, but outside of that you can get some traditionally lofted forged cavity back clubs that will feel and spin at least as nice as every blade you've ever played, with some of the benefits of modern perimeter weighting and forgiveness without you even noticing.

 

The class of clubs I'm talking about include Wilson Staff CBs, Mizunos JPX921/JPX923 line, Taylormade P7CBs, Cobra CBs, maybe even the Titleist T100, etc

 

i think you'd be doing yourself a massive disservice completely writing off modern players irons like that before you even hit them. 

[PedronNiall]

33 minutes ago, rooski said:

Welcome back! Sounds like you've done some great research. Although I'd disagree that you need a new putter if the current one sinks putts. That one is more of a personal journey 🙂

 

You're right that blades have fundamentally not changed much, and honestly I'd doubt you'd see much difference between your Bridgestones and a modern blade, probably the best thing you'd find there would be a pretty decent shaft for you that would generally improve the experience.

 

Nowadays there's quite a bit higher variance in what you could consider a "cavity back" though, so if I were you I'd consider opening your horizons a bit more. Certainly there are some giga-sized loft jacked monsters out there, but outside of that you can get some traditionally lofted forged cavity back clubs that will feel and spin at least as nice as every blade you've ever played, with some of the benefits of modern perimeter weighting and forgiveness without you even noticing.

 

The class of clubs I'm talking about include Wilson Staff CBs, Mizunos JPX921/JPX923 line, Taylormade P7CBs, Cobra CBs, maybe even the Titleist T100, etc

 

i think you'd be doing yourself a massive disservice completely writing off modern players irons like that before you even hit them. 

 

Wilson's Staff Model Blades & CB put up pretty much the exact same numbers in testing, though most do go with a combo set with the CBs in the longest irons. With those and some other modern options I would feel confident either way and wouldn't hesitate to go with the blades for the entire set. 

 

 

 

To the OP, I think you have a good start to your list. I'd also consider brands like Hogan and Sub 70 since you can order a single demo club for around $50.

 

[NRJyzr]

2 hours ago, CountryClubChef said:

It seems the most popular Woods/Hybrids right now are TaylorMade/Titleist, are there any sleepers or something in the works that I should keep my eye out for?

 

I would suggest Cobra.  If you don't mind one generation old, Darkspeed drivers and woods are great deals.

 

[ShortGolfer]

I play SGI irons.They are really forgiving.  Which means that I'll top the ball and the ball will roll a long way on the fairway, close enough to putt the ball onto the green!

Which makes chipping out of the rough onto the fairway a smart strategy.  If I chip out the bad drive only cost me one shot.

 

 

[Honman]

3 hours ago, CountryClubChef said:

My oh my has it been a long time since I posted here, 14 years to be precise. A lot has happened in that time: moved, bought a house, got married, had kids, moved, bought another house, and now after years of career building and moving around my wife and I(at 40 years old) are building our dream home at a private golf course/community  down south with this new move and better yet… my kids are both in school now. I’ll actually be able to get back to playing 5 days a week instead of the 5 rounds a year these last few years after mistakingly moving from FL to the frigid north. 

 

My game has definitely suffered after years of putting family first. I’m really curious what clubs I’ll land on when I go in for a fitting. I have done some reading up on modern clubs and it’s wild to me that my 5 iron is the same loft as new 7 irons. Even the new “players irons” have huge heads and major offsets compared to what I’ve played. I did get some sessions with a local pro a year or two ago and he was telling me I should get some new clubs even though I was still hitting my blades fine. 

 

Has anyone else been in this situation where they’ve played blades forever and all the new stuff seems huge and strange? 

 

Currently my bag consists of:

 

Nike Sumo 5000 Driver Graffaloy Proto Black R

Bridgestone J36 Hybrid 16/19/22 Aldila VS Proto R

Bridgestone J36 Blades 5-PW PX Flighted 5.0

Mizuno MP T-10 Wedges 52/56/60

Rife Barbados center shaft putter

 

I know 100% for sure I need a new putter, driver and hybrid/woods. From what I’ve read the tech in those clubs has evolved leaps and bounds since 2008 when I last purchased clubs. My irons/wedges I’ll have to try out some of the newer stuff and see if anything feels better. Has the tech in blades changed much in the last 20 years? I really feel hesitant to stray away from blades since I’ve played them and played them well for so long, especially since once you go away from blades the lofts/offsets seem to get really wonky.

 

It seems the most popular Woods/Hybrids right now are TaylorMade/Titleist, are there any sleepers or something in the works that I should keep my eye out for? I do like the look of the SIM 2s, but when I mention those people are like “Why not the QI35s”… I know my clubs to new clubs is a big jump in technology, but is there a significant jump from clubs that came out a few years ago to now? I did read an article that mentioned Mizuno is about to release some new woods with some “breakthrough tech” soon but lacked any specifics. I have considered going back to a more traditional Driver/3wood and 2 hybrid clubs since apparently the newer woods are a lot easier to hit than they were 20 years ago. Any other woods/hybrids worth testing?

 

Looking at the current options for blades the one’s I’ll probably try at a fitting would be:

 

Mizuno S-1

Titleist 620

Wilson Staff

Taylormade P7MB

 

of these the only ones with the same loft/lie as my current J36 are Taylormade/Titleist, although the others are only off by a degree and the shaft length/offsets are fairly similar on all sets. 

 

Any recommendations on things I should try when I go in for a fitting? I’m more than willing to try some suggestions.

 

Sorry this post has gotten a little long winded… I’m just really excited that life has brought me back to the game I love. Thanks in advance for any feedback. 

 

 

Try to go into a fitting with no preconceptions. You may hit blades well, but the fact that most pro's don't play blades anymore, should be an indication that there is maybe something to more modern cavity backs. At the very least consider a combo set. Even if you look at the most basic of cavty backs, such as the Titleist T100, Mizuno S3, Ping Blueprint S, or some Miura's or Vega's. And if the offset and lofts are a bit strong, by weakening the lofts it reduces the offset. 

 

Woods, everything is pretty good right now, but I am always a believer in buying the latest model. I've persoanlly had best results with Ping G440, but Titleist, Taylormade, andCallaway are all really strong. Cobra Srixon, and Wilson are hanging right with them too. Hybrids I really like Titleist, Ping and Srixon. 

 

Wedges it comes down to grooves. If the grooves are still sharp then stick with them. But if not, change them. 

 

Your putter is the one club I wouldn't change. But I am biased. I think the Barbados is one of the best putters of all time, and would still be using one if it wasn't stolen out of my bag. They were ahead of the curve with a grooved face. But putting is so personal, if you fancy a different one then why not. 

 

 

Edited July 29 by Honman

[CountryClubChef]

4 hours ago, Honman said:

Try to go into a fitting with no preconceptions. You may hit blades well, but the fact that most pro's don't play blades anymore, should be an indication that there is maybe something to more modern cavity backs. At the very least consider a combo set. Even if you look at the most basic of cavty backs, such as the Titleist T100, Mizuno S3, Ping Blueprint S, or some Miura's or Vega's. And if the offset and lofts are a bit strong, by weakening the lofts it reduces the offset. 

 

Woods, everything is pretty good right now, but I am always a believer in buying the latest model. I've persoanlly had best results with Ping G440, but Titleist, Taylormade, andCallaway are all really strong. Cobra Srixon, and Wilson are hanging right with them too. Hybrids I really like Titleist, Ping and Srixon. 

 

Wedges it comes down to grooves. If the grooves are still sharp then stick with them. But if not, change them. 

 

Your putter is the one club I wouldn't change. But I am biased. I think the Barbados is one of the best putters of all time, and would still be using one if it wasn't stolen out of my bag. They were ahead of the curve with a grooved face. But putting is so personal, if you fancy a different one then why not. 

 

 

 

Thanks everyone for the feedback. I have glanced at some of the suggestions that people have made like sub 70, hogans, Miura, Ping. The loft on the sub 70s seemed a little bit off, i don’t think the place ill be getting fitted at has hogans, Miura might be worth checking out and the Ping has this “Retro spec loft” option which I hope is available to try out. I’m really happy with the gapping of my current irons and that’s mostly why I’m trying to find clubs that have similar lofts. I have also noticed that some of the brands do offer a CB in the same loft and I have played a set of J36 combo irons before switching to the full set of blades and I’m not opposed to trying other CBs.

 

Something else that seems to be aa little more popular now is this whole “larger grip” thing. I would at least like to try some different grip sizes, but last time I. Changed my grips out I don’t remember that being a thing. 

 

The putter sadly has seen better days, I lost the head cover a few years back and the last few times I’ve played I’ve noticed that the grip is beginning to crumble apart. I’m sure there’s options to re grip a putter, but I have noticed that there are some nice looking center shafted putters on the market. It did me well, but I think it’ll go the way of my old bullseye putter. Hopefully the replacement serves me as well as the Barbados has. 

[IC3BURGH]

I don't think it is wrong to recognize that modern lofts are stronger than older clubs, but focusing on it alone ignores other design changes that have occurred along side those loft changes. A lot of work has been done to move CG in modern clubs so that stronger lofts still perform with ample launch and spin. If you can now hit a 7i further while still generating ~7000 spin, you could end up holding more greens from further out which could mean 1-2 more GIR per round.

[CountryClubChef]

5 minutes ago, IC3BURGH said:

I don't think it is wrong to recognize that modern lofts are stronger than older clubs, but focusing on it alone ignores other design changes that have occurred along side those loft changes. A lot of work has been done to move CG in modern clubs so that stronger lofts still perform with ample launch and spin. If you can now hit a 7i further while still generating ~7000 spin, you could end up holding more greens from further out which could mean 1-2 more GIR per round.

 

See, my perception of it is that they’ve changed the lofts a lot for the advertising, like a “more distance than ever!”, well no s***… the 7 iron is lofted like my 5 iron. Currently my gapping from 160 in is very consistent and accurate. I’m worried that if the loft on these newer clubs makes me hit my PW-5 iron further that it would create yardage holes. I could be wrong and I’ll listen to what the pros say at the fitting about it. 

[NRJyzr]

14 minutes ago, IC3BURGH said:

I don't think it is wrong to recognize that modern lofts are stronger than older clubs, but focusing on it alone ignores other design changes that have occurred along side those loft changes. A lot of work has been done to move CG in modern clubs so that stronger lofts still perform with ample launch and spin.

 

This is largely marketing.  The CGs are roughly the same as they've always been.

 

Modern G series Pings still have a CG higher than the Eye2.  Early G series had a much lower CG.

 

[bluefishercat]

I’d replace the wedges and regrip everything including the putter.

Then try the new stuff starting with driver.

The rest of them only need to be as consistent in distance and direction as possible, yours already are known quantities.

 

 

[imagine29028]

top end of the bag, can't go wrong with PING 

[CountryClubChef]

1 hour ago, bluefishercat said:

I’d replace the wedges and regrip everything including the putter.

Then try the new stuff starting with driver.

The rest of them only need to be as consistent in distance and direction as possible, yours already are known quantities.

 

 

 

I’m really hoping all the stuff I’ve read about newer woods is true, the whole “the new tech has advanced to basically a yard per year” If I can get 20 yards on my current driver I’ll lose my s***. I’ll probably replace my Woods/Hybrids first and then consider what the numbers show for new irons.

9 minutes ago, imagine29028 said:

top end of the bag, can't go wrong with PING 

 

If I can get a Driver, 3 Wood and probably like a 3/4 hybrids that are more consistent than mine I’ll be happy. The 440s do like a contender. 

[Tar_Heel_93]

Driver will be the biggest change. You don’t need the latest driver. Anything from the last several years with the right shaft will be a major upgrade. As others have said almost all of the big companies make good drivers. I like Pings but do just as well with Callaway, Titleist, Cobra…

 

Fairway woods and hybrids are more personal. Certainly there have been advances in forgiveness and speed but not like a driver. If you have clubs that go the right distance that you hit consistently there isn’t a need to change.

 

For irons there have been advances but they are very limited when it comes to blades. Changes to sole grind, moving CG away from the heel or lower in the head… I love Bridgestone irons, if the J36 irons still work there is no reason to change (except the grooves are not legal for competition). If you do want to change irons I recommend trying the Wilson Staff irons. They will have a similar feel to the Bridgestone irons and are very consistent. 
 

Welcome back and have fun at your fittings.

Edited July 29 by Tar_Heel_93

[mikes919]

Agreed with the last few comments. Driver should be the priority. Besides the zero torque craze, putter tech has not really changed. But once you start questioning the old one, its days are numbered. 😆

 

Hybrids haven't changed all that much, there are definitely more forgiving options available today. But there are also smaller "player-oriented" hybrids that will be really similar to your existing ones. For irons, blades are blades. But there are a ton of great CB options that are blade-ish with a little help built in.

 

I think the best move is to buy a previous-season driver, the prices are way more reasonable for a TSR, Qi10, G430, etc. I played that same Nike driver back in the day; you probably won't gain 20 yards on your best strikes. But your overall average and dispersion will increase significantly. New drivers are much more forgiving.

 

One thing to watch out for is shaft length on drivers, woods, and hybrids. Everything is longer now as "standard." I end up cutting driver and fairway lengths down quite a bit to make them playable.

[CountryClubChef]

The biggest issue with the putter is that when i use it now my hand gets stained blue from the grip coming off on my hand. I’m not emotionally attached to it enough to try and find a grip I would want to replace the current. Mizuno and Taylormade both have a putter that looks nice, I’ll have to try them out at the store to see if they suit me. 

[ScooterMcTavish]

4 hours ago, IC3BURGH said:

I don't think it is wrong to recognize that modern lofts are stronger than older clubs, but focusing on it alone ignores other design changes that have occurred along side those loft changes. A lot of work has been done to move CG in modern clubs so that stronger lofts still perform with ample launch and spin. If you can now hit a 7i further while still generating ~7000 spin, you could end up holding more greens from further out which could mean 1-2 more GIR per round.

 

Respectfully disagree.  Have now had two different player's distance sets, and found them to play true to loft, regardless on the numbers on the soles.

 

3 hours ago, CountryClubChef said:

 

See, my perception of it is that they’ve changed the lofts a lot for the advertising, like a “more distance than ever!”, well no s***… the 7 iron is lofted like my 5 iron. Currently my gapping from 160 in is very consistent and accurate. I’m worried that if the loft on these newer clubs makes me hit my PW-5 iron further that it would create yardage holes. I could be wrong and I’ll listen to what the pros say at the fitting about it. 

 

You are correct, and some brands have even gapped the 7i lower than the set's progression would suggest (see Ping i525) so that they have a "longer" 7i for the hitting bay.  Unfortunately, this works far too often - I even had this experience with a fitter who tried to sell me Ping G430 based on distance, even though my spin and descent angle numbers were garbage.

 

Irons:

 

I saw some discussion of the Wilson Staff MB and CB above, and these are both really nice clubs.  When buying my last set, I looked hard at them, but did have issues with the sole (need a little more bounce), stock shaft, and offset (need a little more offset). 

 

So I ended up going with the Mizuno JPX 923 Tour - they look like a blade (from the top) and feel like a blade, but do have players' CB forgiveness.  Newer model is the Pro S-3, which is a very sexy club.  As a former blade player, I appreciate the little bit of extra forgiveness.  

 

You referenced the Pro S-1, which fills me with lust when I look at it.  But I actually think I like the prior model (241) a little better, as I've always preferred low massed muscle-backs.  May be more attractive pricing as well.

 

Regarding lofts, in the case of my JPX, I bent the 9i 1º weak (to 43º) and the PW 2º weak (to 48º) for gapping purposes. 

 

Driver: 

 

Here's something big golf doesn't want you to know.  All modern drivers are pretty good, and it's just a matter of picking through the (generally) three options: low spin, middle of the road, max forgiveness.  But in my experience, any of the three can work for any golfer if you get the right shaft.  

 

By right shaft, I mean:

- Does it have the right feel you need for your swing sequence?  Do you need firm handle/soft tip, soft handle/firm tip, smooth even bend, or rebar? 

- Do you need a heavier or lighter driver? Drivers that are too heavy or light for the golfer introduce a number of unwanted swing issues.

 

If you can pick the right flex profile and weight, you should be able to deliver any head consistently to the ball; it then becomes a matter of head design and loft to identify the optimal spin and launch numbers.  And I do steer away from TM and Callaway as often they offer a "made for" stock shaft which is a pale imitation of the true original (i.e. Ventus Blue).  but YMMV, and possibly a "made for" shaft works for you.

 

FW/Hybrids:

 

Hybrids seem to be a love 'em or hate 'em proposition.  I hate 'em.  Recommend trying out 3/5/7W option before looking at hybrids due to higher forgiveness and better launch.  Plus you can likely shaft match between these and your driver, something that is underrated.

 

Wedges:

 

Like drivers, there are a lot of good wedges out there.  Only recommendation is to get ones with the maximum amount of bounce that works in your usual conditions, and have at least one heavy bounce wedge for sand.  

 

Putter:

 

Sorry you need to retire an old friend.  Unfortunately centre-shafted putters are a little thinner in this year's models.  However, you did identify Mizuno, and yes, the OMOI 5 putter would likely suit your eye coming from the Rife.

But I think it may be worth looking to try at least one insert putter as a contrast to the OMOI (maybe the Ping Prime Tyne C).  Inserts have come a long way in the last decade, and I've become a convert after preferring milled faces for a very long time.

 

And to all of the above YMMV.

 

 

[CountryClubChef]

17 minutes ago, ScooterMcTavish said:

 

Respectfully disagree.  Have now had two different player's distance sets, and found them to play true to loft, regardless on the numbers on the soles.

 

 

You are correct, and some brands have even gapped the 7i lower than the set's progression would suggest (see Ping i525) so that they have a "longer" 7i for the hitting bay.  Unfortunately, this works far too often - I even had this experience with a fitter who tried to sell me Ping G430 based on distance, even though my spin and descent angle numbers were garbage.

 

Irons:

 

I saw some discussion of the Wilson Staff MB and CB above, and these are both really nice clubs.  When buying my last set, I looked hard at them, but did have issues with the sole (need a little more bounce), stock shaft, and offset (need a little more offset). 

 

So I ended up going with the Mizuno JPX 923 Tour - they look like a blade (from the top) and feel like a blade, but do have players' CB forgiveness.  Newer model is the Pro S-3, which is a very sexy club.  As a former blade player, I appreciate the little bit of extra forgiveness.  

 

You referenced the Pro S-1, which fills me with lust when I look at it.  But I actually think I like the prior model (241) a little better, as I've always preferred low massed muscle-backs.  May be more attractive pricing as well.

 

Regarding lofts, in the case of my JPX, I bent the 9i 1º weak (to 43º) and the PW 2º weak (to 48º) for gapping purposes. 

 

Driver: 

 

Here's something big golf doesn't want you to know.  All modern drivers are pretty good, and it's just a matter of picking through the (generally) three options: low spin, middle of the road, max forgiveness.  But in my experience, any of the three can work for any golfer if you get the right shaft.  

 

By right shaft, I mean:

- Does it have the right feel you need for your swing sequence?  Do you need firm handle/soft tip, soft handle/firm tip, smooth even bend, or rebar? 

- Do you need a heavier or lighter driver? Drivers that are too heavy or light for the golfer introduce a number of unwanted swing issues.

 

If you can pick the right flex profile and weight, you should be able to deliver any head consistently to the ball; it then becomes a matter of head design and loft to identify the optimal spin and launch numbers.  And I do steer away from TM and Callaway as often they offer a "made for" stock shaft which is a pale imitation of the true original (i.e. Ventus Blue).  but YMMV, and possibly a "made for" shaft works for you.

 

FW/Hybrids:

 

Hybrids seem to be a love 'em or hate 'em proposition.  I hate 'em.  Recommend trying out 3/5/7W option before looking at hybrids due to higher forgiveness and better launch.  Plus you can likely shaft match between these and your driver, something that is underrated.

 

Wedges:

 

Like drivers, there are a lot of good wedges out there.  Only recommendation is to get ones with the maximum amount of bounce that works in your usual conditions, and have at least one heavy bounce wedge for sand.  

 

Putter:

 

Sorry you need to retire an old friend.  Unfortunately centre-shafted putters are a little thinner in this year's models.  However, you did identify Mizuno, and yes, the OMOI 5 putter would likely suit your eye coming from the Rife.

But I think it may be worth looking to try at least one insert putter as a contrast to the OMOI (maybe the Ping Prime Tyne C).  Inserts have come a long way in the last decade, and I've become a convert after preferring milled faces for a very long time.

 

And to all of the above YMMV.

 

 

 

Wow, thank you for the detailed response. I do think I went a little overboard with going 16/19/22 hybrid with the last set but at the time my 4 iron and 3 wood were just not doing what I wanted them to. What I’m currently thinking is 3 or 4 wood to replace the 16, one hybrid to replace the 19 and a driving iron(Mizuno hi fli, Wilson Utility, Ping iDi)   to replace the 22. This would give me a little more in terms of options off the teebox, from the rough or a fairway bunker than just 3 hybrids. I am also going to look at possibly doing a combo set with something like the Ping T/S or the Mizuno S-1/S-3 where I go with CB 5/6 and Blade 7-PW. Really depends on how things feel, last time I had a combo set I got rid of them.

 

I’ll probably play with what I have for a few months and do a few lessons with the local pro to get a better sense of where my swing is before my fitting, Maybe Santa will be kind to me with a new set of clubs. 

[ScooterMcTavish]

29 minutes ago, CountryClubChef said:

Wow, thank you for the detailed response. I do think I went a little overboard with going 16/19/22 hybrid with the last set but at the time my 4 iron and 3 wood were just not doing what I wanted them to.

 

I am also going to look at possibly doing a combo set with something like the Ping T/S or the Mizuno S-1/S-3 where I go with CB 5/6 and Blade 7-PW. Really depends on how things feel, last time I had a combo set I got rid of them.

 

I’ll probably play with what I have for a few months and do a few lessons with the local pro to get a better sense of where my swing is before my fitting, Maybe Santa will be kind to me with a new set of clubs. 

 

You are welcome - I am always happy to live vicariously through others.

 

When my 4W wasn't working right for me, I tried to find some options.  Considering how well I got along with my driver, it only made sense to get related heads with the same shaft.  And it has worked well, mainly as the shallower faces and shaft combo launch the ball in an ideal manner for me.  And my 5W, it has been an absolute money club - just gets such great trajectory with a predictable shot shape versus any 3h I've played.  And both are adjustable for the day or course.  

 

If you start your irons at 4i, you can go D-3W-5W-4i-PW-GW-SW-LW-P in your 14 spots, giving a very balanced bag.  Just need to decide what gaps you want on your wedges, though I've found cutting out my highest lofted wedge has allowed me the option of:

 

D-3W-5W-3U-4-PW-52º-56º-P

 

As mentioned above, I had my 9i bent 1º weak and my PW 2º weak, so my PW is 48º, allowing me to pull a wedge.  And honestly, a 5º gap between 8i, 9i, and PW is irrelevant vs a 4º gap.  And can honestly state that any wedge I've ever bagged above 56º has cost me more strokes than it has saved.

 

Again, YMMV.  But as I'm getting older, I'm finding I can do anything from 110-in with the 3 wedges, so appreciate more options at the top of the bag.

[BogeyTed]

Why wouldn't you try modern GI irons? 

 

A set of G440 for instance must be an absolute hoot to come back too. 

[Railroading13]

congrats OP, anything current bought through a reputable fitter will be good, just make sure you are fit properly, and it will be great!

[casey_0507]

Takomo 301mb/cb would be good to look at as you rebuild your bag if trying to control costs. 
 

Drivers just pay for a fitting, so much good gear nowadays. 

[coluccim]

The SIM 2 Max is a fine driver and at current prices even better.

 

As a blade player, it would be a disservice not to try the T100. Very forgiving for a small package.

[JAM01]

CCC- great description of your current bag, but share some thoughts about your current game. Would GI or SGI irons make golf more enjoyable, do you need a high moi driver. Is a mallet putter going to help? 

[CountryClubChef]

13 minutes ago, JAM01 said:

CCC- great description of your current bag, but share some thoughts about your current game. Would GI or SGI irons make golf more enjoyable, do you need a high moi driver. Is a mallet putter going to help? 

Been playing since I was 8, never been a long hitter. I’m a small guy, been 5’10” 145-150 pounds since high school. Suffered a major setback in my game in my 20s when I was run over by a car and fractured my spine and had to have my leg reconstructed. 
 

I’d say my iron play is very reliable, consistently hitting my numbers with very little dispersion. Anything inside of 165 is a sure thing. Really the only thing I’d like to improve on irons is stopping power. My driver and woods I’ve always struggled to get a lot of hight out of my shots but I don’t struggle with getting it in the fairway. Putting is consistent, nothing special.

 

 Now that I’m in my 40s I don’t see myself gaining much in terms of distance with my woods, I feel like 240-260 carry is respectable for a small guy with life changing injuries. Not looking to be a competitor’c just looking to enjoy myself and constantly striving to improve my game. 

[JAM01]

2 minutes ago, CountryClubChef said:

Been playing since I was 8, never been a long hitter. I’m a small guy, been 5’10” 145-150 pounds since high school. Suffered a major setback in my game in my 20s when I was run over by a car and fractured my spine and had to have my leg reconstructed. 
 

I’d say my iron play is very reliable, consistently hitting my numbers with very little dispersion. Anything inside of 165 is a sure thing. Really the only thing I’d like to improve on irons is stopping power. My driver and woods I’ve always struggled to get a lot of hight out of my shots but I don’t struggle with getting it in the fairway. Putting is consistent, nothing special.

 

 Now that I’m in my 40s I don’t see myself gaining much in terms of distance with my woods, I feel like 240-260 carry is respectable for a small guy with life changing injuries. Not looking to be a competitor’c just looking to enjoy myself and constantly striving to improve my game. 

Would an HL or retro loft set of Mizunos or Pings help the descent angle, or maybe even a ball like the Prov1x? 
 

out of the box thought - hybrid iron set? 

Edited July 30 by JAM01

[ZAS]

nice!...try a lot of clubs and make it fun!...best wishes!

[CountryClubChef]

7 minutes ago, JAM01 said:

Would an HL or retro loft set of Mizunos or Pings help the descent angle, or maybe even a ball like the Prov1x? 
 

out of the box thought - hybrid iron set? 

 

The Retro Blueprints are something I’m interested in. I’ve never struggled with getting my irons to a comfortable loft, it’s more so my Driver/fairway/hybrid clubs that i just don’t get enough hight to ever feel comfortable aiming over an obstacle. Their range is fine, playing into wind is fine. It’s also a probably a product of playing a lot of Florida golf where the only way to make courses challenging is to add length and bunkers/water so a low flight links style of golf hasn’t been the worst for me. Being able to comfortably drive 260 down the fairway and have a reasonable iron shot into the green has always worked well for me. I’m not getting a lot of eagle looks on a par 5 though. 

[Tupperwolf]

The only thing better than playing golf, is playing golf again after a long time away...

 

I'm back in the craze after almost 4 years away, since having our kiddo and moving, and now the finances have improved to where I can start rebuilding my bag as well... have fun!! It's a sickness and we're all in it together!

[Kimball]

21 hours ago, CountryClubChef said:

 

I’m really hoping all the stuff I’ve read about newer woods is true, the whole “the new tech has advanced to basically a yard per year” If I can get 20 yards on my current driver I’ll lose my s***. I’ll probably replace my Woods/Hybrids first and then consider what the numbers show for new irons.

 

If I can get a Driver, 3 Wood and probably like a 3/4 hybrids that are more consistent than mine I’ll be happy. The 440s do like a contender. 

I recently purchased a completely new bag...minus wedges that are still to come.  My old bag was over 20 years old, so we were in a similar situation.  The driver shaft might be my favorite new purchase, with my fairways right behind them, when comparing to my old clubs.  The shaft (plus new driver) just feels so great when it loads and I can feel so much more effortless power and speed. My carry numbers are now further than my previous rollout numbers which has been fun for my playing partners, lol.  The fairway woods have been an absolute game changer in terms of my ability to go for par 5's in 2, which has never been an option before.  It's been fun waiting for greens to clear from over 200 out and then delivering despite ribbing from my playing partners.  I got the Ping G440 Max 4 and 7 woods and they are so consistent, forgiving, and long.  They weren't the absolute longest I tested, but I was able to stripe it down the middle on repeat with them which wasn't something I was able to do with any other FW I tested.  The rest of my bag saw small gains compared to my old clubs but nothing spectacular.  It has been a fun few months trying to rethink my course strategy as my approach distances are so much different than what they used to be as I'm continually playing from different spots on the course compared to my recent past.  Enjoy the journey...I sure have.