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Rebuilding The Bag from SCRATCH!

SuperStroke
JOEE

JOEE

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I was golfing the other day when something happened to me that I thought I'd never agree to... Selling my entire golf set. I was made an offer that I just couldn't refuse. The 913 woods, AP2 irons, SM5 wedges, Scotty Cameron and even the 10.5 staff bag I had. I have some other clubs I can use in the mean time, but I thought this was a good way to get some money back before the 915 line comes out and they're worth next to nothing, despite Titleist somewhat retaining it's value above other clubs.

I figure this is a new way to test out some other clubs. This was my very first year playing so I've never tried another brand before.

I'm really interested in Nike's golf line, but don't want to spend a ton of money if they have something on the horizon... Does anyone know if they're supposed to be releasing a new blade line or another combo set sometime in the near future? As well with the Covert, should I wait for the 3.0 version to surface?

I liked the consistency I had with my previous set, but this time I'm open to mix and match. I'm single and have a good paying job, so coin isn't really an issue. I just want the best of each market. Irons, woods, wedges, putter etc. I know the set I sold was very high end, to be honest I just wanted to try something new.

The best part of my game are my irons. Currently gaming a 710 MB/AP2 split. I'm a great ball striker that plays a high draw and a good punch game if needed. What's weird is that I've tried my buddy's Callaway RAZR X NG irons once or twice and I can't hit a bad shot with them. I don't need the forgiveness with my irons, but when I use those things it makes everything feel effortless... It's strange because I hit my blades pure almost every time, but like the feel of these Callaways for some strange reason I can't explain. Moving on, my wedges are definitely my scoring clubs, I'm great inside 130 yards because of them. Around the green, out of the sand, on the fairway... Very accurate. My putting is average but where my game mainly struggles is off the tee. Keeping the ball in the fairway is a problem for me and because of how much I've worked on my draw with my irons I've began to snap-hook with the woods.

Any suggestions on some equipment that plays to my strengths/weaknesses?
 
I would start with the reviews on the home page. Just about every club made has been reviewed this year and there is a thread on each and every one.
So many companies out there have what you are asking about, there is going to be a bit of subjective preference.
I like what is in my bag, but someone else may not.
 
Not sure where to start with you, since you had a fairly current setup of some well respected clubs, not sure you are going to see a ton of differences as far as performance from what you should have experienced from your last set up.

Maybe take a look at the callaway Apex Pros if your iron game is a strong suit and your liked you AP2s
 
For woods and hybrids, I'd head straight back to Titleist or try out Bridgestone J40's. They tend to set up very square which combats the hook nicely to start, and the shaft options for Titleist will allow you to pick a stiffer/heavier shaft that should help that hook a bit as well. And the PX's that come stock in the J40's play a little stiff to flex also. I've starting using both strategies (I duck hook as well), and it seems to be working out nicely.

Out of curiosity - how does one sell their entire bag like that? Did somebody just come up to you and offer you a princely sum for the whole kit and kaboodle?? That's pretty crazy.
 
If you haven't been fitted for clubs, you may want to start with that. Driver, Irons, and wedges.
If I were starting from scratch, I would head to a custom fitter with no mfg affiliation, and see what I like and how it performs on a launch monitor.
I would also check out the Hopkins irons.
Return to the same putter, you can prob find one for sale somewhere on line.

So many good golf clubs are out there, it will come down to what you like and what feels best.
Keep Bridgestone, Cleveland, Callaway, Cobra, TM and Srixon in mind, too. Just saying...
 
I paraphrase JMan: All of the main manufacturers make high quality gear that is perfect for someone. Given that you just wanted to try something new, sounds like you may need to hit a bunch of stuff.
 
SkiBumGolfer said:
For woods and hybrids, I'd head straight back to Titleist or try out Bridgestone J40's. They tend to set up very square which combats the hook nicely to start, and the shaft options for Titleist will allow you to pick a stiffer/heavier shaft that should help that hook a bit as well. And the PX's that come stock in the J40's play a little stiff to flex also. I've starting using both strategies (I duck hook as well), and it seems to be working out nicely.

Out of curiosity - how does one sell their entire bag like that? Did somebody just come up to you and offer you a princely sum for the whole kit and kaboodle?? That's pretty crazy.
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The guy I was golfing with was filthy rich. He really liked the setup I had and asked me what I payed for it. Once I told him the retail price with taxes he offered me 85% of the value. I was wondering why he hadn't just gone out and bought every brand new, he explained how my set looked, "nicely put together" and how slightly used clubs made him look like he had broken them in himself.

Never thought I'd sell the set, it was a head turner for sure lol. I figured it was a one in a million chance to sell for a premium. I've always wanted to try out Nike, Ping and some other respectable golfing brands. I figure this is my chance to do so! Haha. I saw him the other day with his buddies as he was showing them off. Win win for both of us I guess!
 
Haha wow...that is indeed pretty crazy! Pretty sure I'd do the same thing, since I have enough clubs for 2 full sets right now LOL

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SkiBumGolfer said:
Haha wow...that is indeed pretty crazy! Pretty sure I'd do the same thing, since I have enough clubs for 4 full sets right now LOL

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk
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corrected it for you, never sold anything on Ebay but think that is my next project.
 
golfdawg said:
corrected it for you, never sold anything on Ebay but think that is my next project.
Click to expand...

Haha yeah, I'm hoping to thin the herd before I allow it to get there!

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Do you happen to have a Golfsmith, or other type of golf store close to you? If you do have one, I'd go in there and just start hitting a everything you can. It will be the best way to know what will work for you and what won't. Every OEM on the market produces high quality products, it's just a matter of figuring out which products work best for you.
 
First off, congrats on scoring that kind of 'deal' on getting the clubs sold. That is a tremendous return IMO.

Second, since coin is not an issue, and this is based on what you were playing and have discussed. The Nike irons, blade, VRS, whatever suits you, are excellent irons. I have always liked them. Callaway apex pro too are excellent. Don't forget Mizuno. Since you are single, and coin is not an issue, honestly, there's no reason not to get a full fitting. Try out as many irons as possible on a launch monitor, with different shafts in them, the whole works. Some people may disagree with me, but since you are looking at blades and muscle cavities, waiting for the new line as opposed to the current line isn't going to yield any additional benefits. That's based on my own personal experience in shopping new MC irons over the past several years compared to my now 13 year old MC irons.

As for drivers, the world is your oyster. Again, get fit. In a world of lower spin, high loft, that may work for you, and it may not. Everyone seems to be a big fan of the Callaway Big Bertha drivers. I think Ping is kind of an under the radar kind of driver. It would be hard to argue against the market dominance of TaylorMade.

Putters are totally subjective. In high school, I used a $20 putter I got from a local pharmacy, and I putted great with it. Try them out, whatever feels right is the one for you. Same with wedges. I personally am a huge fan of Titleist SM wedges, but I also consider wedges to be very subjective. Whatever feels right, whatever gives you the most confidence that you have total control over any shot with your wedge.

Good luck. Like JB said, there is so much information available on the homepage and in the forums on just about every club you can think of. Get fit for your clubs, there's no reason not to.

~Rock
 
tequila4kapp said:
I paraphrase JMan: All of the main manufacturers make high quality gear that is perfect for someone. Given that you just wanted to try something new, sounds like you may need to hit a bunch of stuff.
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Agree with this. Its hard to go wrong with any of the new equipment, just depends on what works best for you. Go to a store and hit everything, something will feel best
 
Srixon is getting ready to release their new lineup next year. Cleveland has the new RTX wedges coming out in Sept and they will be better than the current RTX. The Nike rep in our area didn't mention anything last time I saw him about next years equipment but wouldn't be surprised if they have new clubs for next year. If you can wait until the fall or late winter you should be able to demo all the manufacturers. I agree with lots of the previous posts, so much info out there it could make your head explode.
 
To answer one of your original questions, Nike has a new set of irons called MMProto's that Seung Yul Noh is testing this week. Rory had one of the MMProto driving irons in play at the open championship, but it looks like Nike is coming out with a full set. They look to be blade/pro-combo type of clubs. No idea when they might be released though, cant remember when Nike usually drops their irons.
 
Do you have a Club Champion franchise near you? If so, check out the recent thread in here from ARYDOLPHIN. If I had a game like yours in such a short period of time, I'd seek out the best local fitter I could.
 
Like McRock said, find a good pro shop with a great selection and get fitted for what you like. See if you can demo what they have on a range or course before pulling the trigger. As far as club selections go, it varies so much from person to person but one club in my bag that I can recommend without a doubt is my X2Hot Pro 3 wood. If I had all the money in the world to buy a new set today, my 3 wood (and my putter but that's too personal) is the one club that would stay in the bag for sure. I outdrive most of my the ppl i play with with that thing including myself at times lol.

I would also keep your eye out for the new G30 line as far as driver and hybrid. The G30 driver I demo'd this past weekend was awesome. Consistent distance on mishits without sacrificing overall distance in your typical game improvement driver (which Ping kind of breaks that mold anyways), while keeping spin down with the right shaft. This coming from a person who did NOT like the G25.
 
If you don't need the name brand ego booster (nothing wrong with it if you do!) take a look at the Wishon 575mmc irons. They are blades that can be done in a combo set, all muscleback blades, or all cavity backs. They are a component club so you can get whatever shaft you want. I hit a bunch and went with the KBS Tours in mine. They are custom tipped to between a Stiff and X-Stiff. Beautiful irons. Driver, Fairway, and Hybrids, I play Tour Edge Exotics in all of em. Love em. Not a big name OEM so they don't get as much attention as some of the others but they are some of the best out there IMO. Wedges are a personal preference thing to me. I went with the Cleveland 588 RTX over the Vokeys mainly due to how they felt to me. I am like you and hit the baby draw with my irons. My miss with my woods tends to be a hook as well although I've kinda gotten away from it recently. If I miss the irons it's typically a push where I slide my hips forward instead of rotating them.
 
Like was already mentioned... if you're even slightly interested in Srixon irons, wait! They're going to release their new irons soon. Several players that just participated in the Morgan Cup were lucky enough to see the clubs (no one else in the US has hit them yet) and they said that they were pretty amazing.

TaylorMade SLDR irons also went over well with Morgan Cup players...
 
If it was me...

PUTTER: something from SeeMore (though you gamed a Scotty and putters are pretty personal so you may want to stick with it)

WEDGES: wait for the new Bridgestone line

IRONS: wait for the new Bridgestone and Srixon lines OR one of the Apex lines OR try a Nike combo set (this would be 4th priority for me...personally I'm swayed by Hawk's raves about the AP1 but you say you want different stuff)

HYBOS: Cally X2hot OR the new Adams product

FW: Cally x2Hot OR Ping G30

DRIVER: You say this is your weak area so something with plenty of forgiveness...maybe the G30 or Cally Big Bertha (though rumors of the next Cally driver line persist, so maybe wait for this). Also, I would give very serious consideration to playing this an inch shorter than stock so you can hit the center of the face more often.
 
If you are taking the time to experiment then I would also see if you can seek out some of the Japanese irons, I used to use "big name" kit and while there was nothing wrong with the clubs I didn't realize just how good a forged iron could feel until I moved into my XXIO forged irons, not sure how available this type of kit is in the US, but if you can find it I would def have a swing with it

The premium kit out of japan is renowned for a far tighter manufacture tolerance than mass produced kit and from personal experience it does translate into a nicer club

Drivers - hey if you have been knocking a Titleist then why change, I know some people chop and change all the time in search of the holy grail, I must admit I fall into that category, however recently I have spent a little more time working with shaft options as opposed to wholesale driver changes, as a result I'm currently set on my 913 D3 with a GD BB6s shaft and it is everything I need and more, straight long and consistent - sometimes its better the devil you know (but in saying that I am seriously looking at G30 options as well)
 
Didn't expect this much feedback, overwhelmed and very grateful to all who have been responding!

I definitely want to catch a club right on it's release. Nothing better than knowing you have a full 2 years of having the latest and greatest of a certain line. (unless it's Taylormade lol, then you have 6 months lol!)

I'm really interested in this new Proto Nike line. I like the fact that it's resembling a blade with a bit of a cavity. The cavity will do nothing but help, can't wait to try them one day. I have gone to my local Golf Town and started hitting some of the newest Nike equipment. The Covert 2.0 is a little weird as far as the head shape, but I'm definitely getting the ball higher with lower spin as I hit it next to a demo 913 D3 they had just to compare.

This time around I'm really contemplating putting a 3 wood in the bag. I just have no use for it. My distance with my 913 was around 240-245 but my game rarely calls for that kind of shot. Anything over 225 out on an approach is usually a lay-up for me regardless as I don't get enough height with my 3 wood. I've honestly swung that club maybe once a round. I want to try putting a low lofter hybrid in my bag, 17 degrees maybe? Does that work out to a 2 iron?

I really like the Super Stroke grips I see out there now. Fooled around with my buddy's at the putting green the other day and you get a TON of feel inside 10 ft. Not sure how I feel about them with long putts, but as long as I'm still two-putting outside 10 and inside 35 ft. I'm okay with that.

Haven't been able to try out any wedges yet. I think the SM5's are going to be tough to beat, I hear nothing but positive things from them.
 
JOEE said:
Didn't expect this much feedback, overwhelmed and very grateful to all who have been responding!


This time around I'm really contemplating putting a 3 wood in the bag. I just have no use for it. My distance with my 913 was around 240-245 but my game rarely calls for that kind of shot. Anything over 225 out on an approach is usually a lay-up for me regardless as I don't get enough height with my 3 wood. I've honestly swung that club maybe once a round. I want to try putting a low lofter hybrid in my bag, 17 degrees maybe? Does that work out to a 2 iron?

I really like the Super Stroke grips I see out there now. Fooled around with my buddy's at the putting green the other day and you get a TON of feel inside 10 ft. Not sure how I feel about them with long putts, but as long as I'm still two-putting outside 10 and inside 35 ft. I'm okay with that.

Haven't been able to try out any wedges yet. I think the SM5's are going to be tough to beat, I hear nothing but positive things from them.
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Mate, I used to religiously carry a 3wood to maybe use is once or twice a round, recently I have dropped it out of the bag and replaced it with a hybrid (XXIO 17.5*) and I doubt I will go back, I find the versatility of the hybrid gives me more options that the 3 wood did - long par 3's, rough lies or even approach shots, the shorter shaft provides a more consistent shot - I may have sacrificed 10-15 in distance but more than made up for it with consistency

I recently put a Super Stroke Flatso Mid on my putting and the results speak for themselves, I find the feel great and have no trouble with distance control, I did play about will the larger grips but found them a little too large, generally they were a little too bulky, with the Flatso mid it sits well in the hand and the slight flat section of the grips gives you a consistency of placement of your grip - would def say to have a good look at one
 
If your miss with the FWs is a snap hook, try something like Nike or Tour Edge Exotics (CB line in particular). These lines often set up open.

For the rest, just go with an open mind and have fun hitting. You might be surprised what ends up in the bag.
 
When you said SCRATCH, I thought you were going with SCRATCH golf clubs. They are worth checking out. Very clean looking clubs, USA company based out of Michigan. I will probably be going to there shop this winter to look at some wedges.
 
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