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Why do you change clubs so often?

SuperStroke
coolbreeze said:
I think a lot of people love tinkering and its part of the fun of golf, but for me I think if I want to get better at this game and become the golfer I want to be, I need to play the same clubs.
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A: No tinkering, no golf for me. It's the same reason why I work in the tech field for extremely demanding and challanging clients. New gizmo's with old challanges solved.
B: I love how dedicated you are to becoming a kick behind player Breezy. You and Buck have an excellent attitude about it and it's fun watching the progress you both make. However it's an entirely different way at looking at the game then I do. That's the great thing about golf in general, the different ways of looking at the game and getting different things out of it.

arydolphin said:
2 short answers:
1) People like new things. Some people buy new clothes, some buy new cars, some buy new golf clubs.
2) It's much easier for people to buy new clubs and think they will improve than for people to get better by "digging it out of the dirt." For those that are content to just play the game for fun, why not get some enjoyment out of new clubs?
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1: YES!
2: Sometimes clubs do make players better. It's amazing how often I hear or see "I was fit for this so what the fishcake is happening?!?". You were not fit for that unless a monkey did it. Bad fittings are rife out there. Good fittings and the resulting equipment change can often see immediate effect.

Zenger said:
it's all about confidence.
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A good point as well.

Rekimoto said:
Honestly, if I had the financial means I would buy ALL the clubs. Every club, ever made, I would own it.
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I love this statement so much it's not funny.
 
I like changing equipment because it's fun to try new things. I love golf and my clubs are a big part of that love- Plain and simple. It seems like you also appreciate new clubs with your i20's, atvs, and betti.
 
Ive had my RAC OS irons since 2006, love em. I must admit i do loooove a new Driver though...
 
FrankA said:
I want to start off by saying I really don't like your tone in your original post. This has to be one of the most judgmental things I have seen on this site. I imagine you and I play a very different game. You see distances that I can't imagine and our bad shots are very different. I hope we share a similar enjoyment in the game because I truly love it, including the equipment side of things. I probably have more money than sense sometimes but I've worked for it and after I pay all of my bills I spend it on the things that I want. I buy new equipment because I do like new things and I hope it will help me in my game. But I also take lessons on a regular basis and practice very regularly. Have I made equipment mistakes in the past, maybe/probably, but some of us have to find our swings regularly, only to have them quickly run away again. Things we can hit well at the store or in demo and seem great can change. We all try, but we are not as successful as you are in our endeavors.
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This is a great post. I agree with you 100% Frank and I too struggled with the early portion of the OP. This person that appears to be passing judgement ("shaking head"), has done the exact same thing frankly. He has irons that are new. He is currently forum testing ATV wedges and bought one himself and they are new. Why? Did his previous irons not work out as well?

I believe that some make changes too often. I really do. But I also believe that is part of the love for them and that judgement should not be passed because they are enjoying the game of golf the way they do, which might be different than how someone else does. As long as they love the game, that is all that should matter.

Pkielwa said:
Here's my deal on this: each year I tote my clubs to a demo day and put my clubs up against what's new on the monitors. So far, in the last three years, I've found four drivers and three sets of irons that have been sequentially "better" fits for me. Whether it was a newer shaft, or head and shaft technology, whatever, I've been able to get better numbers each time. Well, why wouldn't I purchase then? Yeah, some purchase because of marketing, but some don't. To me, the monitor at an outdoor fitting, with multiple shafts/heads to find what's best for me, is why I buy. JB even replied to a post of mine earlier this year when I was implying that "new" equipment may not actually be new- it might just be re-badged. He took offense to that and said with the r&d and stuff he's seen and heard from the companies about new equipment is that it is actually new. Well, then it's not just a marketing ploy. The changes are truly changes. So with that in mind, it's possible that one COULD conceivably find a "better fit" each season. Anyway, I change when the numbers show me I should, and recently, that's been each season.
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Not exactly what I said really, but thats okay. Something can still be new and still be all marketing.
 
I very rarely buy new clubs unless it's a wedge. I bought a putter on a whim a few months ago because something was going on with getting my lines and needed a long scoring line to help re train my eyes a bit. I bought a 3wood because it was on sale and mine was 8 years old. Really though if you like gear and can get it, I say go for it, you're only on this rock for a little while and life is too short to not have cool golf clubs.
 
I'm a middle of the roader here. Although I think the OP somewhat took the position that everyone who changes clubs expects a drop in HC or sub par rounds. I only change for better results in MY game. I just went through 4 putters (3 of thhem the old school blade style) and settled on a Method Drone. It just rolled better than the rest. Has my score dropped dramatically? No. Am I more confident and happy? Yes.

Although, if everybody bought a bag of clubs and used them until they qualify for the senior tour, THP would only be about 10 threads long. :D
 
Being more of a hacker lately than a real golfer, I personally buy new stuff looking for an edge, which may or may not help me out of a slump. It usually works for a while, at least during the honeymoon period. :D I think the better golfers tend to keep stuff/equipment longer. They are better Indians than myself, which allows them to keep their equipment longer. Now me on the other hand, is one who tends to play more like a squaw during menopaus, so I keep search for that magic arrow.
 
I love trying different clubs, it's become a hobby for me :)
I typically bargain hunt for used clubs, if they don't work for me I turn around and sell them usually breaking even (sometimes a small profit). Also, if you don't try different things how do you know you truly have the best suited for you?
Example- I thought my forged Mizuno MX-300's were the best irons ever, I used them for a couple of years with a lot of success. Then on a whim I tried a Bridgestone demo 6 iron, my first thought was: Wow, I didn't think it could get better than my Mizunos, but boy was I wrong!
Bottom Line- I try new clubs because I CAN and it's FUN! :good:
 
Bottom line is that technology can ALWAYS improve human flaws...and any club/driver/putter that is this year's model will always have technology that should correct your own human imperfections :bashful:

That is the main reason why people swap out clubs so often. Of course there is also the psychological aspect too where having the latest and greatest makes you more confident and in a game which is so mental you cannot underestimate this.
 
Equipment swapping has been a hobby for me over the past year that has raised my interest in golf. I like new (to me) things, and seeing how different companies try and solve the same problems. I feel the same way about vehicles, electronics, etc.. In and of itself, keeping up with the trends with equipment has been one half of the fun of the game. As long as someone isn't spending money irresponsibly on equipment, then I say more power to them.

I do not think that changing is really going to improve my game. I don't think that getting the newest $500 driver is suddenly going to give me 50 extra yards. Those things can only be done via practice. To a certain extent, I actually think club swapping can hold back one's game because you never get settled in with a set.

For the best golf scores, I'd probably advocate finding a set that works and learning how to use them. I'm best when I walk up to a shot and know what is going to happen before pulling it off.

I do think finding that set can be an iterative process though. For a high handicapper like me, it's been important to identify the clubs that are consistently involved with bad shots and remove them from the bag. I'd quit golf for 10 years and came back into it last summer. I've done a lot of work on my bag and my game over the past year and think that I'm finally getting both in a little better shape. It's been an iterative process though.
 
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Just because we can!!! I wonder about the same thing...some of my buddies who are loaded, they change their equipment almost every year...but like my, I can't afford to do it, so I don't.
 
InHartWeTrust said:
So, I've been toying around with the thought of creating this post for quite some time...but, I have held off as I was afraid it would be taken in the wrong context. Alas, here I am typing this, and here is the thread. What the hell is going through some of your heads with all the equipment changing? haha

All sarcasm aside, I am asking truly from a curiosity standpoint. I am just looking to better understand it, I guess? To me, it is a very interesting phenomenon...I can't wrap my head around how the thought process wouldn't be to find properly fit clubs that you like and grow with them, and into them. Build some rapport with them, love them a little so they can love you back.

My cousin is the same way as a lot of people here. I went on a road trip to his bachelor party this weekend and was paired with 3 of his friends during a morning round of golf on the trip. I asked "So, is Jon still buying new clubs a few times a year looking for the answer to his dogsh!t golf swing?". They all laughed and nodded. They told me he had 2 sets of irons in his trunk this morning and was in the parking lot trying to decide which set was right for that day's round. Really, dude? When you're swing is not fine tuned...one club set isn't any more right "for the round" than the other. But I digress, his buddies and I got into a good general conversation about the club ho'ing habit; something I would like to have with all of my friends here at THP who share this same passion for purchasing new clubs. A lot of their group of friends are this way...to me, it just doesn't make sense.

For me, it is very simple: Get properly fit, and past that if you can hit one club successfully, you can hit them all. Sure, you might prefer one over the other, or see slightly better numbers with one set up over another; but if it is anything dramatic, you likely didn't do your homework when purchasing the other set in the first place. What it boils down to, IMO, is that outside of small variances here and there, you're either good with them all, or the opposite is true.

I see the masses here (and in real life) changing this, changing that, buying this to replace that, and so on. Why? Do you expect the club to make you better, or is it just a habit/addiction? Serious question here.

Personally, and I hope this does not offend anyone as I do not intend for it to, nor should my opinion matter to you whatsoever...but personally, I find myself shaking my head a lot while reading some threads. It seems as if a lot of golfers are searching for the answers through new clubs, and often times this is even explicitly stated. "Oh, well I am hitting all shanks with xxx club so I am going to run to Golf Galaxy tonight after work to buy this. I am certain a new xxx club with xxx shaft will give me more GIR's." False, a shank is a swing problem, not an equipment problem. Same with blocking shots right, hooking them left, topping them, or chunking them.

If purchasing is the "search for the answer to the golf swing you want", more power to you, I honestly mean that. I often times have passing thoughts on "Man, I would like to pick one of those new xxx clubs up", but 99.9% of the time I don't. Why? To me there is no true added benefit.

In closing, fellow THP'ers...please enlighten me on how you believe the club is going to fix your swing that is producing the shots you aren't happy with? Or, is it just simply a matter of grasping for straws and using new clubs to keep the hope alive?

Now let me throw a few disclaimers out to avoid the obvious responses. If you're an 18 and playing hard to hit irons, 1) yes, switching to forgiving irons will help, but 2) you made a bonehead move when you purchased the first set.
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Asks the man with the i20 irons.

If your handicap continues to go down, who cares how you get there. If you can afford them why should anyone have a say in that. Someone ask me once how many sets of clubs I have had in my life. Answer, as many as I wanted.
 
Staying up with the latest and greatest is not only fun, but important if you want to stay in the loop of what technology is creating. That's not to say your game will improve, but I would say it actually could. There's been numerous times I've went into a THP testing saying "Good Luck" to a new club without much hope it would kick my old solid performer out. Case in point, the ATV 56* wedge and Burner 2.0 3 wood. Both out performed clubs that I thought could not be beat.

I certainly can't afford to switch much or often, but sure feels right seeing that shinny new club in the bag!
 
I will demo many clubs, but I always compare them to my present set. For example, I have a Cleveland Launcher Driver that is 6 years old. It still out performs almost every driver I try. The TM Rocket Balls driver with a $300 shaft is the ONLY one in the last few years that out performs it, by a good 20 yards. Am I going to buy it? Not for THAT high price. I'll continue to hit 1-2 more clubs to the green.

However, I DO try to update my bag as often as financially possible. I purchased a used 2011 Mashie M3, because it is SO much better than my 4 iron. I got used AW wedge to fill a yardage gap. I need a good 3W, but it will have to wait. I may need to change my shafts in my irons, but, again, shafts will have to wait.

If I DID have unlimited funds, I'd have to have at least 2-3 more rooms for all the clubs I'd buy!!!!!! Of course, I'd be single if I even tried that!!!
 
There are 2 parts that make or break your game: equipment and technique. If you're always tinkering with your swing then it makes no sense to swap equipment because you're changing both variables. If you get better was it the technique or the equipment? Assuming you're keeping the same swing technique then the only other variable (for the purpose of my blanket statement) is equipment. There is some magic equipment combination out there that will provide the best possible results. Think about it, every shaft, iron/driver has some minute difference that makes it different from everything else. Alas club-ho's change out equipment in an attempt to find that magical combination. The part where your argument makes sense is "If there is some perfect combination out there...HOW WILL YOU KNOW ONCE YOU'VE FOUND IT?" As for getting fitted and then just getting better..."How do you know that the fitting combination is in fact ideal?" You only can try the available equipment and then buy the best combination but what if a head or shaft that comes out 6 months later might have been a better combination?

I think what the OP is trying to ask stems back to my opening sentence. Why are we putting more time into equipment instead of technique? And I answer- There are very few people that have the means to get VERY good. The people that have the time and money don't have the youth/energy. The people that have the youth/energy, strength, etc.. typically don't have the time and money to dedicate. There are very few people who are very good who are in their early 30's who have a "9-5" job, spouse, and family obligations. Ever notice the studs around here either aren't married (i.e. have time), are awesome because they grew up playing (typically comes from a semi-wealthy family), or are just independantly wealthy. All of those examples are not the "norm". I'm in the not enough time/money bracket, and since I simply don't have the time to dedicate to practicing/playing more often my only other hope is equipment. I actually am not a club ho but rather am explaining the train of thought for those who are.
 
JB said:
This is a great post. I agree with you 100% Frank and I too struggled with the early portion of the OP. This person that appears to be passing judgement ("shaking head"), has done the exact same thing frankly. He has irons that are new. He is currently forum testing ATV wedges and bought one himself and they are new. Why? Did his previous irons not work out as well?

I believe that some make changes too often. I really do. But I also believe that is part of the love for them and that judgement should not be passed because they are enjoying the game of golf the way they do, which might be different than how someone else does. As long as they love the game, that is all that should matter.
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How do you know how often the OP has changed equipment? I actually have no idea so maybe you're right in calling him hypocritical, but what if his last irons were his gamers for the past 3-4 yrs? And if you play/practice often, don't you need to change wedges yearly anyway to get maximum performance? It could be perfect timing for the ATV's as well as a marked improvement to whatever he was using before...
 
I struggled with the OP a lot and thought about what he said before I fired from the hip with both barrels. One hand there's the disclaimer comment but then a few lines later there's the open palm slap with a smile. It could've been worded better or even asked in the pondering thread.

I buy new stuff because I can. I don't buy a lot new stuff anymore because I've found what works for me, for now. You can bet your ass though if I start struggling with something out of the blue that's not swing related I'm going straight to the new club rack. It's fun to buy new stuff or even used stuff and share your thoughts on it. If it wasn't for that then there wouldn't be a THP and we wouldn't be having this discussion.

It's the same as when you go buy a new adidas polo, do the ones in your closet not work anymore, are you suddenly sweating more etc etc? No, it's because you want them and if you have the means to get it then go for it.
 
I don't.

My prior set of clubs were a law school graduation present from my parents. This past year - for the first time in 20 years - I changed out my bag. Every purchase has been made with an eye toward using technology to help me enjoy the game more - SGI type irons, switched out long irons for hybrids, modern technology woods/driver, etc. The sole gratuitous purchase was a used 2nd driver which has more loft, which I shortened in a attempt to create a fairway finder. I am beginning to ponder a Seemore putter but otherwise think my club purchasing days are over for a while.
 
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For someone who has gotten back into the game this past year after a long break from it, I'm trying to determine what works best for me. I have tried a lot of new equipment in the past year and the demoing and comparing and talking about new equipment has turned into a hobby for me. I think for a lot of people on here, they feel the same way. It's just fun to try new stuff just for the sake of it. I usually don't buy anything without doing my due diligence, but I will buy something on a whim if my impulses and curiosity get the best of me.

This year I have an entirely new bag except for my putter. My irons, wedges, driver, and 3w are my first new club purchase since 1999, so I was probably due for an update. The new equipment has piqued my interest to play more and get better and I have learned a lot about my game and what sort of equipment works best for me in the process. Being properly fit has increased the enjoyment I get out of the game. It has also been quite a learning experience for me as equipment has changed a lot since 1999.

I have found a set of irons that I'm very happy and have no plans of changing in the near future. When I got my new set, I went with a pw, uw, sw, lw setup at the fitter's suggestion. After using this setup the past few months, I have realized that I might be better of with a 3 wedge setup so I can add another long iron to fill my gaps on that end of the bag. After I figure my wedges out, I imagine my bag will be set for a while...until the next shiny piece of equipment catches my eye, that is.
 
Easy answer getting new stuff is fun. I enjoy getting new things I work hard for my money so I use it to buy things for myself.
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I've often wondered the same thing. Not necessarily even from those on golf websites, just people I run into on the course and friends I play with.

For me it is two fold. 1) I simply can't afford to buy new stuff. I'm lucky I've built the bag that I have when I had the extra money. If I had the disposable income I suppose I would be more willing to change certain things here and there. I would certainly demo and test many things to see if there is anything I could play better than what I have. 2) The other thing is that I simply don't get to play very much anymore. The last set of irons I got it took me about a season and a half to really figure them out; how far I could hit them, how I needed to move the ball, what the limitations were, etc., etc. No more than I play now, it would take 2-3 years to get a new set figured out to the point where I am now with my current set. At least now, when I do get to play, I know what I'm capable of. I really don't want to have to figure it all out again. If that deprives me of 6-8 yards or a touch of accuracy, so be it.

I have a friend who could afford anything he wanted but he doesn't change for the same reason. He is so good with distance control and accuracy, his game would suffer for a year with new clubs and he just doesn't want to do it. He still has two of the first style of TM Rescue hybrids that were released. He's so good with them, there is no reason to change.

I played in a pro-am last week for our local Web.com Tour event and played with a long time Titleist staffer. He kind of chuckled when I pulled out my 983 driver and mentioned that he remembered playing a few seasons with it. I was looking in his bag and noticed he had 710 series irons and the 710 driver, even though the 712s had been available. He also had an old Callaway Steelhead Plus 5-wood that he's had since the late 90's. He said he thought it was one of the best lines of fairway woods ever made and was curious (as am I) why if an OEM has a great design and product, why they change it. Just keep making the same thing over and over if it is popular design and works for the masses. Maybe just repaint it or call it something different each time. I also asked him since he has access to anything new that comes out, are the new clubs really better from year to year. He just kind of shrugged and said not really; they were for a time, but now everything's maxed out and there really isn't that much they can do anymore. He said he just prefers to get something he likes and play with it for a couple of years rather than change all the time.

To those that can and do change, more power to you. I don't get it myself. I'd rather be dialed in with what I have and know exactly what I can do with them than be chasing a few extra yards. I hit plenty of (what I consider) perfect shots if I swing how I'm supposed to. New clubs aren't going to make that any better. If I swing right, the ball goes where it should, I don't need a new club to help with that.
 
StLCardsFan said:
I've often wondered the same thing. Not necessarily even from those on golf websites, just people I run into on the course and friends I play with.

For me it is two fold. 1) I simply can't afford to buy new stuff. I'm lucky I've built the bag that I have when I had the extra money. If I had the disposable income I suppose I would be more willing to change certain things here and there. I would certainly demo and test many things to see if there is anything I could play better than what I have. 2) The other thing is that I simply don't get to play very much anymore. The last set of irons I got it took me about a season and a half to really figure them out; how far I could hit them, how I needed to move the ball, what the limitations were, etc., etc. No more than I play now, it would take 2-3 years to get a new set figured out to the point where I am now with my current set. At least now, when I do get to play, I know what I'm capable of. I really don't want to have to figure it all out again. If that deprives me of 6-8 yards or a touch of accuracy, so be it.

I have a friend who could afford anything he wanted but he doesn't change for the same reason. He is so good with distance control and accuracy, his game would suffer for a year with new clubs and he just doesn't want to do it. He still has two of the first style of TM Rescue hybrids that were released. He's so good with them, there is no reason to change.

I played in a pro-am last week for our local Web.com Tour event and played with a long time Titleist staffer. He kind of chuckled when I pulled out my 983 driver and mentioned that he remembered playing a few seasons with it. I was looking in his bag and noticed he had 710 series irons and the 710 driver, even though the 712s had been available. He also had an old Callaway Steelhead Plus 5-wood that he's had since the late 90's. He said he thought it was one of the best lines of fairway woods ever made and was curious (as am I) why if an OEM has a great design and product, why they change it. Just keep making the same thing over and over if it is popular design and works for the masses. Maybe just repaint it or call it something different each time. I also asked him since he has access to anything new that comes out, are the new clubs really better from year to year. He just kind of shrugged and said not really; they were for a time, but now everything's maxed out and there really isn't that much they can do anymore. He said he just prefers to get something he likes and play with it for a couple of years rather than change all the time.

To those that can and do change, more power to you. I don't get it myself. I'd rather be dialed in with what I have and know exactly what I can do with them than be chasing a few extra yards. I hit plenty of (what I consider) perfect shots if I swing how I'm supposed to. New clubs aren't going to make that any better. If I swing right, the ball goes where it should, I don't need a new club to help with that.
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What is the HCP of the friend who could but chooses not to play the latest equipment? Is he a low single digit too?
 
I love hearing a tour player say "everything's maxed out" and then watch them each week in the trailers talking about how things could be made differently. Always makes me chuckle a bit.

A lot more can be done to manipulate ball flight than just higher COR. We heard the same thing when the COR was set at a limit that nothing could change and I have yet to see any top player still use one from that original year. I guess they dont always practice what they preach, or in this case a golfer preached.
 
Ole Gray said:
Now me on the other hand, is one who tends to play more like a squaw during menopaus, so I keep search for that magic arrow.
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I gotta admit, that made me laugh out loud! Where the hell did you come up with that one lol?
 
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