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Very Basic Beginner Set for Driving Range, Putting Greens & Par 3 Courses

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xadz

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Hi all! Been frequenting a small par 3 course and driving range recently and loving it though finding it hard to improve with the inconsistency in the clubs. I am looking at getting started with some of my own equipment, I am looking at sets and advice online that are all suggesting 9-14 different clubs that I am not sure what for! The Par 3 for example just gives a wedge(?) I think and a putter and driving range seems to give me a random assortment of irons each time I ask.

Money tight and I am fully expecting to upgrade in future once I've got a bit of a better understanding what I need but I have been looking for some basics, I have found the following. I am a 6'1" male.



Apologies if I offend anybody with something so cheap! I understand Dunlop have a bad reputation but I have to say that ~£50 is probably a limit just to get the very basics and get started, particularly as I can still borrow specific clubs. Though I have been having fun with the couple of clubs they give us at the par 3 so this must be a step up at least?

Would love some advice from somebody that knows what they're talking about to make sure I'm totally not off the mark!

Thank you. :)

Rookie
 
Also another quick Q in those particular clubs that seems to be the extent of that set other than a driver. Is it best to keep all clubs as part of same set for consistency or not really matter?
 
Welcome to the game and THP!

I did not check your links but you should look seriously at some used equipment. You may find something quite good in your price range at a garage/yard/tag/estate sale. Most people on here would suggest your irons should match (be from the same line, same shafts, etc.). Beyond that, it's what works best for you. A fella on here named luvagoodshot played a mixed set on irons for years and was quite happy with them actually.
 
Welcome to THP! You can also ty the marketplace here on THP. I started back into golf with clubs from flea markets and garage sales. I would pay a dollar or two per club!
 
Thank you! I am looking for some used sets in my area, I have found this for example: https://www.gumtree.com/p/golf-clubs/hippo-golf-bag-with-full-set-of-clubs/1262678186

Looks great but I am nervous about wasting money on something that doesn't fit. He says they are adult size but does not know much about them. How much does length of club for beginner matter? As I say I am a bit over 6 ft and the clubs that I have borrowed from courses all seem a bit short (or maybe I am just holding them wrong!)
 
Fitting will make a difference, no doubt. But you can come pretty close with a process like this - there are others:

https://www.ping.com/fitting/nflightweb.aspx

This will give you basics on club lengths and grips, which are probably the factors which matter most. (Lie angle also matters, but you have a little less leeway here with used clubs and a limited budget. Lie angles can be adjusted, shafts can be lengthened (or shortened), and clubs can be regripped. If you pay someone to do that for you, if could cost more than what you paid for the clubs. For starting out, I would try to get as close as I could to what online fittings tell you.

I only looked briefly, but Hippos appear to be rather low-end clubs. I might keep looking.
 
If all you want to do with those is go to the range and try a few par 3's while you learn the game with the intent of upgrading in the near future those are fine. I would also look for a 7 or 8 iron.
 
In the states we have Warehouse stores like CostCo or BJs that have cheap sets that will do within your budget. They aren't great, but certainly not terrible.

Do you have something similar in the UK?
 
Reframmellator said:
Fitting will make a difference, no doubt. But you can come pretty close with a process like this - there are others:

https://www.ping.com/fitting/nflightweb.aspx

This will give you basics on club lengths and grips, which are probably the factors which matter most. (Lie angle also matters, but you have a little less leeway here with used clubs and a limited budget. Lie angles can be adjusted, shafts can be lengthened (or shortened), and clubs can be regripped. If you pay someone to do that for you, if could cost more than what you paid for the clubs. For starting out, I would try to get as close as I could to what online fittings tell you.

I only looked briefly, but Hippos appear to be rather low-end clubs. I might keep looking.
Click to expand...

Thank you for that link! Shame about those Hippo's, very hard to know what I'm looking at! There was an £18 set of irons which I thought worth a punt but can't even see anything about the brand online at all! https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/101833670533277/

Figured if I could at least get a nice set of irons I can add on a new cheap hybrid and putter at least those are a bit more disposable. :)

NewGlfr said:
In the states we have Warehouse stores like CostCo or BJs that have cheap sets that will do within your budget. They aren't great, but certainly not terrible.

Do you have something similar in the UK?
Click to expand...

Those original links were to Sports Direct which I think is close, we have CostCo (although a bit scaled down I think!) and a couple other larger stores although no bargains to be had there as far as I can see.
 
Reframmellator said:
Fitting will make a difference, no doubt. But you can come pretty close with a process like this - there are others:

https://www.ping.com/fitting/nflightweb.aspx

This will give you basics on club lengths and grips, which are probably the factors which matter most. (Lie angle also matters, but you have a little less leeway here with used clubs and a limited budget. Lie angles can be adjusted, shafts can be lengthened (or shortened), and clubs can be regripped. If you pay someone to do that for you, if could cost more than what you paid for the clubs. For starting out, I would try to get as close as I could to what online fittings tell you.

I only looked briefly, but Hippos appear to be rather low-end clubs. I might keep looking.
Click to expand...

Thank you, I will keep note of that link! Shame about the Hippo's, struggling to find anything with a more familiar brand on shoestring. Happy to spend more as I go just don't want to invest a lot in clubs that are no good/don't work for me and no point getting expensive fitted ones yet since I am not even sure what I am doing. :bulgy-eyes:

NewGlfr said:
In the states we have Warehouse stores like CostCo or BJs that have cheap sets that will do within your budget. They aren't great, but certainly not terrible.

Do you have something similar in the UK?
Click to expand...

Those original links were to a shop called Sports Direct which is a big discount sports shop, we have couple of warehouse stores a smaller version of Costco and some others but no bargains to be had there as far as I can see!
 
There's also a guy selling a whole new set of Masters for £60 still in packaging.. could there be a reason they're still in packaging? Can't find any info online again. https://en.shpock.com/i/WZileIKrBm14ReFm/

This is so difficult! Maybe I just need to whack out the credit card.

PS I did submit a reply to other ones but still under moderation apparently? :arrogant:
 
xadz said:
There's also a guy selling a whole new set of Masters for £60 still in packaging.. could there be a reason they're still in packaging? Can't find any info online again. https://en.shpock.com/i/WZileIKrBm14ReFm/

This is so difficult! Maybe I just need to whack out the credit card.

PS I did submit a reply to other ones but still under moderation apparently? :arrogant:
Click to expand...
I would stay away from these.
 
Scrap Iron said:
I would stay away from these.
Click to expand...

:banghead::clap:

Anybody have any thoughts on MacGregor? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Full-Set...281364?hash=item4409ce2694:g:JhsAAOSwz~VZmv3a

Regal? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Set-of-9...sh=item1ecdad0dc8:g:34EAAOSwp5JWZ0WD#viTabs_0

Or these are a nice price and I get a nicer hybrid and putter? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Full-Set...000517?hash=item238bd75585:g:AfsAAOSwgLVZmGAo

i-have-no-idea-what-im-doing-dog_medium.jpg
 
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Admittedly, these would not be cheap to ship, but these are good quality but well-used clubs, so they are good values. Since you are just starting out, you should look for "game improvement" or "super game improvement" irons. These are more forgiving than blades because the former have a cavity back design for increased forgiveness and are cast, as opposed to forged.

Some of these are really used, but I would play them over the ones you have suggested. The Tour Edge Bazookas below are excellent clubs. I played them, albeit with steel shafts, for ten years. These are not Tour Edge's top of the line clubs, but they are in my view an exceptional value.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Bazooka-Jmax-QL-Iron-Set-5-PW-6pc-Set-Aldila-Regular-Graphite-USED-98364-/352133683920?hash=item51fccd9ad0:g:QxcAAOSwt0FZAlkO

https://www.ebay.com/itm/TAYLORMADE-GOLF-CLUBS-BURNER-TOUR-3-PW-IRONS-STIFF-GRAPHITE-/232451379759?hash=item361f2e922f:g:BLMAAOSw~M1ZlQzP

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Adams-Ovat...996517?hash=item212c59b1e5:g:rPYAAOSw4TNZlG-5

https://www.ebay.com/itm/TAYLORMADE...593046?hash=item212c815096:g:HzIAAOSwNYRZmCUA

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Tommy-Armo...sh=item569e4b185f:g:J2sAAOSwShpZdjIH#shpCntId
 
xadz said:
:banghead::clap:

Anybody have any thoughts on MacGregor? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Full-Set...281364?hash=item4409ce2694:g:JhsAAOSwz~VZmv3a

Or these are a nice price and I get a nicer hybrid and putter? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Full-Set...000517?hash=item238bd75585:g:AfsAAOSwgLVZmGAo

i-have-no-idea-what-im-doing-dog_medium.jpg
Click to expand...

My opinion may differ from some, but almost any set of clubs you can find will serve the purpose well enough for that kind of price. Don't let the club choice stress you out too much. Focus instead on enjoying the game at the par 3 course and driving range. Have some fun experimenting with your setup, grip, alignment, and swing. Find an instructor that you feel is as invested in you as you are in them. If you're like the rest of us, you'll have a shed full of clubs in no time. Above all, enjoy the journey & Welcome to The Hackers Paradise!!!
 
Our posts are crossing. MacGregor used to be one of the premier brands in the world of golf. They are no longer in business. These seem to date from around 1995 - in their declining years - and look like super game improvement irons. If I remember correctly, graphite iron shafts of that era were considerably more torque-y than steel shafts. Would it matter to you and me? I doubt it. I actually played graphite-shafted irons in the late 1990s and don't think they harmed my game at all. (I did plenty of damage on my own.) If I have my exchange rates down, that's not too bad for about 65 USD. Others on here know a lot more about late model MacGregors than I do, but you may have found something there.
 
@xadz, where are you from in the UK?

I've got my old set of Benross irons that I'm looking to sell, they're brilliant clubs - all recently regripped with Lamkin Z5 grips, SW-5i, I can post some pics if you'd like? I've got an old putter I could throw in for free as well.
 
Deano said:
@xadz, where are you from in the UK?

I've got my old set of Benross irons that I'm looking to sell, they're brilliant clubs - all recently regripped with Lamkin Z5 grips, SW-5i, I can post some pics if you'd like? I've got an old putter I could throw in for free as well.
Click to expand...

Hi @deano I am in Southampton, a little way but not impossible. :)
 
xadz said:
Hi @deano I am in Southampton, a little way but not impossible. :)
Click to expand...
Cool. Let me get some pics up and I'll find out about how much it'll cost to send them and we can go from there.

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
 
Hi buddy,

Sorry for the late reply.

Here's a link to the gallery of the pics. I took some of the putter too, which I would be happy to throw in for free.

https://postimg.org/gallery/mpmgyjue/

I'd be looking at £65 including P&P, let me know what you think.
 
Just bumping this. Will chuck them on the bay or something if not, thanks.
 
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