Golf Clubbing

[mole44]

I can play golf for free and I still don't wanna play. But thats cause I'm not any good.

[vaticanplum]

Originally Posted by Redhook

The actual club head isn't very important at all. The shaft is almost everything. Some club heads do have a lower center of gravity that help get the ball in the air which definitely benefits some.

I'll say

(That is absolutely as much as I can contribute to a thread about golf.)

[HumnHilghtFreel]

Originally Posted by vaticanplum

I'll say

(That is absolutely as much as I can contribute to a thread about golf.)

Well said. I would have thrown something in about making sure to get the timing of the windmill's blades down before you make your shot.

[RFS62]

If you practice hard, you're going to beat your first set of clubs to death. It's not important to get a new set, in fact it's almost a waste of money. You can get a top line set of irons used.

But you absolutely need to be fitted by a pro. Your height makes this much more necessary than it would for a 6' tall golfer. You're going to learn posture and swing habits that you'll have to change when you finally do get longer shafts and larger grips, so do it now is my advice.

I'd find a nice set of used cavity back irons and have them reshafted to fit you. And I'd wait a while before you have the lie changed. Your swing will evolve a lot in the first few thousand swings. The lie angle may differ after you work out your preferences.

But the shaft and the grip size are crucial.

And ABSOLUTELY get some lessons from a pro. It makes a ton of difference if you start right and learn the fundamentals.

[Yachtzee]

Originally Posted by RFS62

And ABSOLUTELY get some lessons from a pro. It makes a ton of difference if you start right and learn the fundamentals.

I think once I get to where Caveat is, this is my goal. I've been playing golf for years and have a nice set of clubs already, but I haven't played regularly in a long time and can no longer break 100. I think I need to take a few refresher lessons and then spend some time at the range.

I suggest that you try out any clubs you might wish to buy, if you go the new route or buy used from a golf shop. It might be tough to get a good feel because of your height, but it's worth a shot. Every brand and model feels different and some clubs just feel right for you and some don't. When I got my clubs, the place I went had a video driving range and let me try out all different varieties of clubs. I'm very happy with the ones I chose. Of course the clubs I was playing with before were hand-me-downs from my grandfather and father. Those clubs were actually older than I was.

Here's a question for you regular golfers with kids. There's a local sports program for kids called JumpStart Sports that runs programs for little ones (starting at 3 for soccer and t-ball). They've added a golf program for 4 year olds. I like the programs they run because it gets the kids out playing and getting exercise, but I'm wondering if 4 is a little too young for golf. Any thoughts?

[Redhook]

Originally Posted by Yachtzee

Here's a question for you regular golfers with kids. There's a local sports program for kids called JumpStart Sports that runs programs for little ones (starting at 3 for soccer and t-ball). They've added a golf program for 4 year olds. I like the programs they run because it gets the kids out playing and getting exercise, but I'm wondering if 4 is a little too young for golf. Any thoughts?

Good question. I taught a couple of after school golf programs for 6-10 year olds. Some 6 year olds were more mature than some 10 year olds. It all depends on the child. 4 years old is pretty young, but it is possible. I would suggest introducing the game to him/her first, if you haven't already, and see if they can grasp it or not. Heck, Tiger, started at the age of 1 so 4 is definitely possible.

Most importantly, look into the safety of the class before joining it. It can be very, very dangerous with kids swinging clubs around. They don't understand what's going on and their attention spans go away so quickly that they can't stay in the designated areas very long. Be careful!

Originally Posted by Caveat Emperor

I've done some reading on the whole fitting process, and it seems to me (and I could definately be wrong) that in-depth fitting really only benefits experienced players because they have a repeatable swing that doesn't really differ from stroke to stroke. Someone like me, without as much time on the course, grips and swings differently with every approach. Would that affect the fitting?

Also, any feelings on component clubs v. OEM stuff? I'm pretty certain going used isn't going to be too big a savings, given that I'll be likely forced to pay to have the clubs adjusted on top of the cost of just buying them -- probably better off just ordering them to spec new.

(BTW -- I'm not Yao Ming, but I am 6'10", so he's only got a few inches on me )

You are tall enough to play a real sport. Why golf. If I were 6'10", one I'd be a really tall girl, two I'd play a sport that used my physical abilities. Again, Why golf. Name one golfer that is successful (PGA Wins) that is your height. I dated an NBA player who said "golf was a recreation for guys that don't look good in a ballet outfit". Charles Barkley is admittedly "pathetic" and Jordan has reportedly lost millions in his golf betting exploits. Is there a Gym nearby?

[RFS62]

Originally Posted by ColoradoHigh

You are tall enough to play a real sport. Why golf. If I were 6'10", one I'd be a really tall girl, two I'd play a sport that used my physical abilities. Again, Why golf. Name one golfer that is successful (PGA Wins) that is your height. I dated an NBA player who said "golf was a recreation for guys that don't look good in a ballet outfit".

Cool. I usually defer to Billy Ray Cyrus for my heavy life philosophy, but hey, an NBA player.... that's right up there.

[Puffy]

Originally Posted by MWM

I play Cleveland irons and woods and wedges.

[Chip R]

Originally Posted by RFS62

If you practice hard, you're going to beat your first set of clubs to death. It's not important to get a new set, in fact it's almost a waste of money. You can get a top line set of irons used.

But you absolutely need to be fitted by a pro. Your height makes this much more necessary than it would for a 6' tall golfer. You're going to learn posture and swing habits that you'll have to change when you finally do get longer shafts and larger grips, so do it now is my advice.

I'd find a nice set of used cavity back irons and have them reshafted to fit you. And I'd wait a while before you have the lie changed. Your swing will evolve a lot in the first few thousand swings. The lie angle may differ after you work out your preferences.

But the shaft and the grip size are crucial.

And ABSOLUTELY get some lessons from a pro. It makes a ton of difference if you start right and learn the fundamentals.

Those hickory shafts still working out for you, RFS?

Originally Posted by RFS62

Cool. I usually defer to Billy Ray Cyrus for my heavy life philosophy, but hey, an NBA player.... that's right up there.

I hate to harm your achey breaky heart, but Michael Doleac majored in chemistry at Utah and was accepted to Dental School before joining the NBA. How did you and Billy Ray do in School?

[Highlifeman21]

What's in my bag?

Driver - Nike Sasquatch Tour - 8.5 Degree with Aldila NV X Flex
3 Wood - Cleveland Launch - 15 Degree currently without a shaft
5 wood - Titleist 980 F - 19 Degree with Aldila NVS S Flex

Taylor Made Rescue 3 (Can't remember the Degree off the top of my head) with Flighted Rifle 6.0 Steel Shaft

Irons - Taylor Made TP Forged Combo 4-PW with Dynamic Gold S400 steel shafts/ Back up set = Titleist 962 3-PW with Dynamic Gold X100 steel shafts

Wedges - 52 and 56(bent to 55) Degree Cleveland CG 10 Black Pearl wedges in both low bounce and high bounce; 58 Degree Callaway (Whichever one Mickelson has in his bag with the goofy sole and bounce, and the ridiculously deep grooves)

Putter - Callaway Tour Blue TT1

[Highlifeman21]

Originally Posted by Caveat Emperor

I've done some reading on the whole fitting process, and it seems to me (and I could definately be wrong) that in-depth fitting really only benefits experienced players because they have a repeatable swing that doesn't really differ from stroke to stroke. Someone like me, without as much time on the course, grips and swings differently with every approach. Would that affect the fitting?

Also, any feelings on component clubs v. OEM stuff? I'm pretty certain going used isn't going to be too big a savings, given that I'll be likely forced to pay to have the clubs adjusted on top of the cost of just buying them -- probably better off just ordering them to spec new.

(BTW -- I'm not Yao Ming, but I am 6'10", so he's only got a few inches on me )

The problem I've found with component clubs v. OEM is finding a good club builder. I'm almost to the point where I almost only trust my own work, and work I've gotten done with either Demo Vans or Tour vans. With components, you are dealing with too many pieces to be assembled, properly. You'll have the head, ferrule, shaft and grip, 3 of which can be successfull screwed up in the assembly process. Heads come in 1 piece, so it would take something special to screw that up! I'm not saying OEM is 100% perfect either. When I first started at Golf Galaxy, at least 1 shipment a week we'd have to return something that wasn't assembled properly, whether it was a grip put on wrong, or a shaft lined up incorrectly, or occasionally clubs would come in missing ferrules.

If you have a good club builder, then components can be marginally cheaper, but you need to figure out how much you're being charged for the clubs to be assembled. The only good club builder I know in Cincinnati is Etter, on Reading Rd, but the man isn't cheap.

You do bring up a good point with having to modify a used set to your height. IIRC, extensions cost something like $8 bucks a club at Golf Galaxy, and I think Etter charges $10 per club, so that adds up very quickly if you're going to get 14 clubs extended.

I want to strongly echo the opinions of many on this thread that with your height, you do need to get fit for clubs, even as a beginner. At 6'10", you'll easily be a 2+" extension. Unfortunately, most clubs manufacturers will rarely extend a club more than 2.5", unless you're going with an X flex, in which case they'll extend up to 4".

I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with Redhook about the fitting process though. The biggest thing that will determine the correct length of your golf club will be a simple wrist to floor measurement. We have fun little charts that give suggestions on the correct length given the wrist to floor measurement in relation to a height range. Most OEM sets are "fit" for a 6' male with a wrist to floor measurement between 35-36". With you being 6'10", your wrist to floor could easily be 38+", which means you'd roughly need the 2+" extension. That was a rough example I offered, but unless your fitter has a fitting club with at least a +2" extension, hitting balls as a way to fit for length might be an exercise in futility. The fitting process has two parts, dynamic and static. Static is the wrist to floor measurement, and dynamic is hitting balls, IIRC. Sometimes I get the terms flip flopped. It happens! While it would be a great advantage to hit a club that is the initial "correct" length, sometimes that luxury is not always available.

[dabvu2498]

My bag is straight out of 1998.

Callaway Great Big Bertha Driver 9 degree stiff Graffalloy Prolite shaft

Callaway Big Bertha 4+ wood stiff Graffalloy Prolite shaft

Taylor Made RCG irons with S-90 rifle shafts (sweet)

588 Cleveland Wedges 52, 56, 60

Ping J-Blade putter

[IslandRed]

Same here... haven't bought anything new since the mid-90s. I'm lucky if I play twice a year now.

King Cobra driver (10.5, I think) and 3-wood with steel shafts
Powerbilt cavity-back irons, 3-SW, with steel shafts
Very beat-up Ray Cook putter

I just don't play enough to even have a consistent bugaboo, I have the whole range of errors within a round -- hook, slice, fat, thin. My game is not only inconsistent, it's atypical. I can hit long irons better than fairway woods, which just isn't normal for someone who struggles to break 100. I putt pretty well. For me, it's all about avoiding that disaster from teebox to approach shot. My club choices -- stiff steel shafts, cavity-back irons, leaving the driver in the bag most of the time -- were all about control and forgiveness. In other words, instead of trying to maximize how good my good shots are, I try to minimize how bad my bad shots are.