We've launched the new forums! Read more here

In need of a little advice about my new set of irons.

SuperStroke
aplayer

aplayer

New member
Joined
Apr 27, 2014
Messages
87
Reaction score
0
Location
essex uk
Handicap
20.9
After deciding to get a new set of irons I went to the nearest golf store to try out some people suggestions from here. After talking to a very helpful guy he tells me to try the 588 altitudes and the Benross hot 2's. He then hands me over to his manager who tells me that I should get less of a beginners set as I will out grow it with 6 months as I am a 25 handicap. He then got me to try some Titelist AP2’s and some Mizuno jpx 825 pro irons which I did not hit anywhere near as well but was told I would grow into them, is this true?
Thank you every one for all the help.
 
I think that is terrible advice. I would buy what you hit best today, because it's not like you're going to hit them worse in six months. Seriously, just terrible advice.
 
I agree with Hawk, terrible advice.
 
Agreed, terrible advice. Buy what you hit best NOW, not later. Besides, we have some fairly low handicap players on the site gaming the Altitudes - a more forgiving iron does not a worse player make.
 
Irons are not kids' shoes.
 
thanks just did not want to change clubs then change them again in six months.
 
Run away.

Altitudes and Benross are great clubs but if you're concerned about longevity as you improve, check the Altitude thread and the handicaps of the guys playing them....
 
I agree with the premise behind the 'grow out of' statement for many things, but by no means is that reasonable advise for golf. If you had no job and spent 8 hours a day on the course and practicing, maybe you would grow out of them, but even still, if they work for you, it shouldn't matter.

If I'm the salesman and I really thought they would do you no good in 6 months or a year, I'd have still told you to get the set you wanted knowing you'd come back and buy another set later. 2 sales > 1 sale
 
aplayer said:
thanks just did not want to change clubs then change them again in six months.
Click to expand...


You might look at some sets like TM SpeedBlades, Cobra Bio Cell, AP1's, etc as well. You'll still get some forgiveness and assistance with trajectory there, albeit not as much as you'll see with the Altitudes. Bottom line is though - don't spend money on something you can't work with. You're more apt to sell those off quickly from what I've both experienced and seen here in the past with other members.
 
aplayer said:
thanks just did not want to change clubs then change them again in six months.
Click to expand...
Fair point. Instead of a conclusion that it was's bad advice, let's talk it through. What would we outgrow? The forgiveness helping us hit it straight because we want to shape the ball? That seems pretty remote to me. You may decide you don't like the looks of the set and want something with a different profile, but that can happen with anything.
 
I only started golf about a year ago for work as i have to play golf days and from then started to play out of work too, i think i will try some other sets as well looks like a 45 min drive to next big golf shop is on the cards tomorrow. looks dont bother me i used to use a nike sumo 2 till i broke it. it did look like a brick and sound like a trash can but it help tame my slice so much.
 
Agree with most everyone out there, if you buy something you can't play, or feel like you can't hit well, guess what? You won't hit them well!

Get something you hit well, have fun playing and hopefully lower your handicap in the process.
 
Like others have said, I would go elsewhere to buy my clubs. I would never let a salesmen talk me into a set of clubs over a set that I was getting much better results with.
 
Hawk said:
You might look at some sets like TM SpeedBlades, Cobra Bio Cell, AP1's, etc as well. You'll still get some forgiveness and assistance with trajectory there, albeit not as much as you'll see with the Altitudes. Bottom line is though - don't spend money on something you can't work with. You're more apt to sell those off quickly from what I've both experienced and seen here in the past with other members.
Click to expand...

Agree with Hawk those would all be great choices
 
probably the worst advice ever. Sounds like they were trying to sell you an expensive set. Play what you can play now, when you out grow them, you buy the right set.
 
That "grow into it" thing is such junk.

A salesman sold a friend of mine (about a 30 handicap) some mizunos about 8 years ago using the same line. "You can grow into these."

Flash forward, my friend plays about 3 times per year (is still a 30 handicap), and he still plays those clubs.

Now, he doesn't play much, so he's not going to go buy new clubs, but I also feel like he would really enjoy himself more if he has something more user-friendly.
 
I agree with everyone else here. That is simply poor advice. Get what you hit the best and go to work! The idea of growing out of something in 6 months is ludicrous!

When I started to get back into the game I wanted something very forgiving. Three years later I have cut my handicap in half and still game the SGI irons I started with. The irons are certainly not holding me back and I would argue that the forgiveness helped me stay excited about the game.
 
aplayer said:
After deciding to get a new set of irons I went to the nearest golf store to try out some people suggestions from here. After talking to a very helpful guy he tells me to try the 588 altitudes and the Benross hot 2's. He then hands me over to his manager who tells me that I should get less of a beginners set as I will out grow it with 6 months as I am a 25 handicap. He then got me to try some Titelist AP2’s and some Mizuno jpx 825 pro irons which I did not hit anywhere near as well but was told I would grow into them, is this true?
Thank you every one for all the help.
Click to expand...

If you were a 10 year old kid who was still growing, then yes I think it's possible to "out-grow" a set of golf clubs.

Aside from that, golf clubs don't know the handicap of the person using them. So if you hit them straight and get the distance you want out of them, then I just don't see how you would "out-grow" them. Tell that manager to leave you be, and buy the clubs that you were hitting the best with.
 
Hawk said:
I think that is terrible advice. I would buy what you hit best today, because it's not like you're going to hit them worse in six months. Seriously, just terrible advice.
Click to expand...

^^^ This x1000
 
The idea of "grow into them" is utter garbage.

That being said, if the look of Hyrons or really chunky irons keeps you away, there are plenty of irons with truckloads of forgiveness in less stout bodies. Bio Cell or Baffler from Cobra, Edge from Callaway, SpeedBlade from TaylorMade, all provide a ton of forgiveness while still providing a more conventional appearance at address. Hit everything. Take what you hit today, combine it with what you like to look at best today, and make that your choice.

Trust me, if you take decent care of your clubs, the stuff you keep in the fairway will hold a fair chunk of resale value. "Growing into" a set of clubs is selling them back to the store as your ball-striking improves and you're ready for new clubs.
 
As already stated, this is terrible advice. Why? Because of this false dichotomy of "players clubs" and "GI clubs". It's a false division line in golf equipment now, generally brought on by how the different types of equipment are marketed. Marketing is about sales, not reality.

Game improvement makes some tradeoffs in versatility for those with an exceptional command of their equipment, and sometimes a tradeoff of distance for control. That's it.

Whoever counseled you bought into this BS marketing division, but didn't understand the function and utility of the clubs at all. For that reason, I would not buy from that person.

By the way, you'll get the same stuff with shaft flex. I went to a professional fitter who fit my need for a stiffer shaft flex to my exact swing shape. But when I bought a new hybrid, recently, some "fitter" at the big box read that my swing speed was 80 (on the sim) and said, "If you're a strong shaft, then I'm Mickey mouse, and I've been a pro for 40 years. Your swing speed is 80". He was so certain, but he didn't understand that: a) sims are not reliable for club head speed, and b) club head speed is only one variable factor in shaft fitting. But he was damn near angry over it. I thought he was going to refuse to sell me the club I was hitting straight right in front of him.
 
Good.Shepherd said:
As already stated, this is terrible advice. Why? Because of this false dichotomy of "players clubs" and "GI clubs". It's a false division line in golf equipment now, generally brought on by how the different types of equipment are marketed. Marketing is about sales, not reality.

Game improvement makes some tradeoffs in versatility for those with an exceptional command of their equipment, and sometimes a tradeoff of distance for control. That's it.

Whoever counseled you bought into this BS marketing division, but didn't understand the function and utility of the clubs at all. For that reason, I would not buy from that person.

By the way, you'll get the same stuff with shaft flex. I went to a professional fitter who fit my need for a stiffer shaft flex to my exact swing shape. But when I bought a new hybrid, recently, some "fitter" at the big box read that my swing speed was 80 (on the sim) and said, "If you're a strong shaft, then I'm Mickey mouse, and I've been a pro for 40 years. Your swing speed is 80". He was so certain, but he didn't understand that: a) sims are not reliable for club head speed, and b) club head speed is only one variable factor in shaft fitting. But he was damn near angry over it. I thought he was going to refuse to sell me the club I was hitting straight right in front of him.
Click to expand...

This is one of those things where a coach watching your swing matters more than a fitter with a launch monitor. My coach pointed out that a regular flex graphite shaft can't keep up, not because my swing speed is necessarily too fast, but with driver/wood/hybrid, longer clubs, my first move back to the ball is very aggressive. As he put it, "the club head never gets away from your right ear until it's too late to catch up." I'll gladly take a few less yards for being able to swing my swing and get some consistency of direction.
 
One of the biggest things that you will give up with the "beginner" iron sets is the ability to shape your ball flight as easily. And maybe that's what he was referring to when the sales guy said you will outgrow them. And depending on how quickly you become proficient at playing golf, there may be some truth to that. In other words, you are on a dogleg left your just outside of the fairway on the left and there is a tree in your line that is taking your straight shot away. Now you need to hook the shot to put the ball in the fairway or on the green. That will be more difficult with the more forgiving irons because they are designed to increase your odds of hitting the ball straighter. It's one of the main reasons that you don't see many GI or SGI irons used at the collegiate level or pro's. Because they want to be able to make the golf ball dance when they want it to. That being said, it doesn't mean you can't shape the ball, it just takes a little more. I'm playing speedblades (read the reviews, awesome) and I still manage to slice one or more likely hook one now and again. Vice versa as well. I've closed my club face, focused on in to out and still hit the ball as straight as an arrow. I agree with all of the above advice, play what you are hitting well now. Chances are you aren't looking to get on the PGA or a college team. Get equipment that makes this game easy to enjoy and at least relatively easier to play. Good luck with your decision.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top