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How many strokes am I giving up by playing old/cheap equipment?

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greenOak

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Curious as to what you guys think about this. I've always been reluctant to dish out money on clubs, but its getting to the point where I think I might see significant improvements from upgrading (specifically my driver & irons). At this point in my golfing career, giving up a full stroke is a big deal and would prefer not to be doing so by using outdated equipment (even if it means dishing out a large sum of money on newer clubs).

TaylorMade Burner SuperFast Driver (2010)
Titleist 915F 3-wood (2014)
Callaway X2 Hot Pro Hybrid (2013)
Golfsmith game improvement irons (3i-9i) I got second-hand around 2006 (I can't find when they were released).
Mizuno JPX wedges (52 & 58 degree) (2013)
Titleist SM6 wedge (46 degrees) (2016)
Odyssey White Hot Putter (Got it around 2010, not sure of release date)
 
It’s possible that it’s none and it’s possible it’s a few. I have a friend who plays clubs that are at least 15 years old and he is a plus handicap. He could gain more performance and distance but might play worse with new stuff.

There have been big tech jumps with irons and driver for your stuff but it doesn’t necessarily mean you are giving anything up. Play what makes you happy - new or old.
 
My buddy plays irons and woods that are 25 years old. I keep telling him that he would see an immediate difference with new clubs, but he is immovable. Yours obviously aren't *quite* that ancient, but my personal opinion is that you would see some gains with more current clubs, particularly relative to distance, and probably in forgiveness as well. I think irons and driver might have the most potential to help you out.
 
I play with a guy locally that shoots in the mid-70’s with Mizuno irons and Titleist woods and putter from the late 80’s-early 90’s. The only modern club he has is a Dymo driver. He’ll hit my stuff occasionally and get good results but not good enough for him to justify the money to upgrade
 
I think it comes down to if they're holding you back in some way. Would you benefit by added distance, forgiveness, etc. Do your old clubs truly fit you well now? Would a weight or profile change alter things in a beneficial way? No way to really know those things unless you get fit or just try something else.

If you're chasing 1 full stroke, I'm going to go out on a limb and say yeah. I think that's probably out there for you. The odds something fits or performs a little better at this point, and in the end would get you moving towards that stroke or more, seem pretty high.
 
It really depends on if you think there is a specific area of your game you want or need help? Example your irons, is your dispersion pretty tight right now or is it all over? New irons and shafts could make a big difference. Go get a fitting and see what happens.
 
Based on your set up, it sounds like go for new irons. The other clubs seem fine. Also, wedges have come a long way and can be very forgiving. Demoing the CBX2 and playing the MD CB wedges have been an eye opening experience.
 
Snickerdog said:
It really depends on if you think there is a specific area of your game you want or need help? Example your irons, is your dispersion pretty tight right now or is it all over? New irons and shafts could make a big difference. Go get a fitting and see what happens.
Click to expand...

My right-left dispersion is rubbish in general, but I'm sure my swing is a huge reason why.

I hate choosing clubs after doing testing whether it be on my own or with a professional fitter. Problem is I only get to hit like 5-10 shots with each club and then have to decide how well I hit that club. Given the small sample size and unfamiliarity with each club it seems like its going to be mostly random which club I happen to hit best. It always feels like blindly throwing darts to me.
 
greenOak said:
Curious as to what you guys think about this. I've always been reluctant to dish out money on clubs, but its getting to the point where I think I might see significant improvements from upgrading (specifically my driver & irons). At this point in my golfing career, giving up a full stroke is a big deal and would prefer not to be doing so by using outdated equipment (even if it means dishing out a large sum of money on newer clubs).

TaylorMade Burner SuperFast Driver (2010)
Titleist 915F 3-wood (2014)
Callaway X2 Hot Pro Hybrid (2013)
Golfsmith game improvement irons (3i-9i) I got second-hand around 2006 (I can't find when they were released).
Mizuno JPX wedges (52 & 58 degree) (2013)
Titleist SM6 wedge (46 degrees) (2016)
Odyssey White Hot Putter (Got it around 2010, not sure of release date)
Click to expand...
The answer is zero shots given up. Besides that, clubs from 2010, 2013, 2014, or 2016 are not "old/cheap".
 
greenOak said:
My right-left dispersion is rubbish in general, but I'm sure my swing is a huge reason why.

I hate choosing clubs after doing testing whether it be on my own or with a professional fitter. Problem is I only get to hit like 5-10 shots with each club and then have to decide how well I hit that club. Given the small sample size and unfamiliarity with each club it seems like its going to be mostly random which club I happen to hit best. It always feels like blindly throwing darts to me.
Click to expand...
Right left dispersion could be several factors: Wrong lie angle, to soft or stiff of flex shaft. Yes there are swing issues also, and maybe that is the main reason, but I would at the bare minimum have the lie angles checked. It could be causing a few issues.
 
I think you'd have to account for an adjustment period
greenOak said:
My right-left dispersion is rubbish in general, but I'm sure my swing is a huge reason why.

I hate choosing clubs after doing testing whether it be on my own or with a professional fitter. Problem is I only get to hit like 5-10 shots with each club and then have to decide how well I hit that club. Given the small sample size and unfamiliarity with each club it seems like its going to be mostly random which club I happen to hit best. It always feels like blindly throwing darts to me.
Click to expand...

If you decide to upgrade your bag, maybe research some options that sound like they would be a fit and rent them so you can do an extended trial?
 
greenOak said:
Curious as to what you guys think about this. I've always been reluctant to dish out money on clubs, but its getting to the point where I think I might see significant improvements from upgrading (specifically my driver & irons). At this point in my golfing career, giving up a full stroke is a big deal and would prefer not to be doing so by using outdated equipment (even if it means dishing out a large sum of money on newer clubs).

TaylorMade Burner SuperFast Driver (2010)
Titleist 915F 3-wood (2014)
Callaway X2 Hot Pro Hybrid (2013)
Golfsmith game improvement irons (3i-9i) I got second-hand around 2006 (I can't find when they were released).
Mizuno JPX wedges (52 & 58 degree) (2013)
Titleist SM6 wedge (46 degrees) (2016)
Odyssey White Hot Putter (Got it around 2010, not sure of release date)
Click to expand...

I've really appreciated your strokes gained insight in other threads so I'll give my opinion from a strokes gained perspective.
  • I'd estimate 2010 tech driver as losing 5-10 yards. I've seen this personally M3 vs K15. 5-10 is giving up maybe 0.04 strokes for a tour pro x 14 drives = 0.56.
  • How accurate are you with your irons? Hitting 1 more GIR per round is worth about 0.40 strokes for a tour pro.
  • Amateurs have a bigger difference than this.
I'd guess about 1.5 strokes.

Dave
 
@greenOak - I stand by what I said, but new and shiny is fun too ;). Heck, maybe it’s a reason to practice more too (it turns out that way with me a lot). If you are looking for a co-sign on new stuff, plenty of THPers can help there.
 
Really depends on where your game is at but I’d say 3 strokes. I wanted to say 13 to be a smart ass but decided against it. ;) One club could be a big difference depends on what’s going on.
 
greenOak said:
My right-left dispersion is rubbish in general, but I'm sure my swing is a huge reason why.

I hate choosing clubs after doing testing whether it be on my own or with a professional fitter. Problem is I only get to hit like 5-10 shots with each club and then have to decide how well I hit that club. Given the small sample size and unfamiliarity with each club it seems like its going to be mostly random which club I happen to hit best. It always feels like blindly throwing darts to me.
Click to expand...

It's a tough situation. We've all had bought clubs that just won't work. It would be upsetting if it were a whole set of irons or woods. Global Golf let's "u try" for 50 bucks for irons and you put that money towards the set if you keep them. Also, newer used will work too. Allowing you to return them in most cases after a week.
 
depends if you play the same place most of the time or your game travels....would prob help with tightness of
dispersion in new courses, but if you play the same course all the time and are comfortable in your game, why worry?
 
Honestly with that setup you're fine except for driver. I would almost guarantee that if you went and got fit for a new driver or found one that is a year or 2 old with a similar shaft profile to what you have now you would hit it 10-15 yards longer on good shots and get more consistent distance on misses.
 
IF you were to do it, I'd start with the driver. A 2 year old model wont set you back too much. Play it for a while. See the results. Then go with the FW. Then hybrid, et cetera.
As others have asked, where is your main struggle?
As a single cap, I'm pretty sure you have a solid swing.
 
This is probably one of my biggest gripes about golf... "does new gear help" Something to be said about confidence in what you have regardless of age. For example, I LOVE my SpeedZone driver. I hit it well, but there's a bit of a natural fade on pretty much every single shot. Now for giggles I pulled out my old R7 (2004/5 was when it was released I believe) and I piped it about 8-10 yards longer than my SZ on pretty much every single shot with no fade at all when hitting side by side for about 5 holes. Why? well I can only attribute it to the fact that I'm SO comfortable with it since I used it for so long and I full on trusted the swing without hesitation. Moral of my story is that sometimes you have to shake it up, but that doesn't mean your scores will go down. Golf is hard, game what works to make you smile and enjoy it.
 
I have a friend that plays Snake Eye irons from the early 90s and will absolutely not try new clubs. Personally, I feel that some GI or SGI irons would do wonders for his game, but, hey, it's his choice.
 
Driver - more forgiveness, higher launch, less spin, more forgiveness (again) all over the face with greater ball speed retention. Better shaft. More yardage. Straighter with right head choice. More in tune with today's golf balls.

You may need to adjust your stance and ball position where ball is more forward (off lead big toe), teed higher, slightly more width in stance, upper body leaned back slightly, all done to hit up on the ball for less spin and more carry.
 
I agree with most of the comments. It comes down to personal preference. My sand wedge is at least 35 years old and I would not trade it for any other club.
 
@greenOak it's been said repeatedly that "there's a distance issue in golf!!!" "Rollback the ball!":rolleyes: <-- a discussion for another day and another thread...:)

If there was a distance issue, then the average distance an average male golfer wouldn't be 250 yards.

Sure, technology has made great increases in the past few years. Look at what's out there... 3 piece iron heads... vibration reducing hi-tech neoprene foam... reactive ball coverings... hi-tech shafts... AI generated club faces.

Has any of this contributed to improve a players game? The results are inconclusive. Anecdotal evidence above says players are able to use old equipment to play good golf.

But it's always nice to have new equipment and we're always willing to help you shop.:D We're even more willing to help you spend your money:ROFLMAO: BUT! As you can see, we don't want to see you waste it... hence the advice to get fit.

If you're not wanting or not able to get fit and you're jonesing for new gear, consider Tour Edge. They're using all the same hi-tech stuff that Callaway, TM, PING, Cobra, and the rest are using but their equipment prices are lower.

Look at Ben Hogan Golf. They're loved here by some and are a great company... and they've got a club demo program that you aren't committed to purchase.

Budgetgolf has a 90 day test drive on some of their clubs. I don't know how it works but it's an option to explore for new gear. Plus there's a THP discount:D(y)

Personally, my bag is primarily TM... RBZ driver and woods, Burner 2.0 clubs. Cleveland wedges... honestly, those clubs exceed my abilities. But! I want new. And I'm going to get new. It might be a couple of generations old but it'll be NOS and I'll be happy. Right now, I've got a Mizuno ST190 3W to replace my current TM 3W... I just need to hit it and see if I like it.

If you want new gear, get it.
 
golfboyblues said:
I agree with most of the comments. It comes down to personal preference. My sand wedge is at least 35 years old and I would not trade it for any other club.
Click to expand...
35 yo sand wedge? Sounds like a cherished club. Do you have the grooves sharpened periodically and does the club perform as it did years ago?
 
greenOak said:
My right-left dispersion is rubbish in general, but I'm sure my swing is a huge reason why.

I hate choosing clubs after doing testing whether it be on my own or with a professional fitter. Problem is I only get to hit like 5-10 shots with each club and then have to decide how well I hit that club. Given the small sample size and unfamiliarity with each club it seems like its going to be mostly random which club I happen to hit best. It always feels like blindly throwing darts to me.
Click to expand...

Our handicaps are similar, and considering your dispersion is off, I’d start with a lesson with a reputable pro. Tightening that up could help get you that stroke. In addition, he/she could help identify if something in your equipment might benefit from an upgrade.

I’ve found the difference in drivers today versus ten years ago is they’re more forgiving generally. I went from an FT9 Tour to a Rogue not long ago and my misses were far less painful. In addition, a couple lessons and new irons were significant in dropping my handicap 4 strokes in a year. Was it the irons or the lessons, I don’t know. Probably the lessons more so.

I’m not big on the fitting process either. I actually miss the old demo days (pre-COVID). A few swings on the range where I can see trajectory and feel hitting off the turf told me far more than fancy launch monitor data hitting off a mat indoors. Maybe I’m too old school.


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