[JMorgan]

I need a new set of clubs.  Or, rather, maybe I just need to shuffle a few things around.  I need to reconsider my wedge configuration.  I feel like I am cheating in the rare instances that I use my lob wedge but maybe I'll cheat some more and buy one of those 64 degree Ortiz-made sweeties.  My wedge configuration shall soon be: 60,64,70.  I hate my putter.  I really think I putted better with a 1950s era Calamity Jane cum miniature golf model instead of insert technology.  I want to add a few irons.   I hate my 5,7,8.  Factually, this does not make sense, on average.  Does new technology really matter?  How am I getting better if the technology is covering for my gaffes?  Aren't we all getting worse but buying forgiveness?  What skills are we acquiring with our new clubs?   

[John Moore II]

I have some clubs you can buy if thats what you are asking...Otherwise, I am not sure what you want. Yes, there are benefits in technology. The Pelz by Ortiz wedges are good, but if you want ultra durable wedges that really spin the ball, go to the Pelz website and get the orignal Pelz wedges, they feel funky, but they never wear out. With irons, Cobra has some new irons out that are very forgiving and easy to get the ball airborne.
--Most of all, don't listen to me, go talk to your club pro (I'm a pro myself, but I have no clue about your game to make any equipment recommendations) and he/she can tell you what is best for your game and ability.

[Garland Bayley]

IMHO the advantages of the latest super dooper technology is miniscule. Tom Wishon's book semi-convinced me the best thing you can do is get properly fitted. IMHO the differences between equivalently targeted clubs of the different brands are essentially meaningless. That being said, he of course produces his own brand. However, clubmakers I have communicated with say he produces clubheads that are very attractively priced compared to the near equivalent competition.

[Will MacEwen]

JMorgan, I have never understood the concept of inserts in putters, but I tend to be contrarian.

The new MacGregor Blades look very nice, and are available LH.


http://www.macgregorgolf.com/mt_pro-m_irons.asp

(I hope it is okay to post the link)

[JMorgan]

It seems we have crossed a technological threshold where human ability and adaptation have been reduced to such a degree that an average handicapper can exhibit wide variations in his swing and still hit the ball to the same target. 

[John Moore II]

I think (no offense to anyone) that technology becomes a stand-in for ability when a golfers is either over a 18 handicap or over about 50 years of age. However, I agree with Garland--Fitted clubs can help augment anyones ability...even Tiger would play worse with a set of off the rack clubs that were not correct for him.

[Garland Bayley]

I think (no offense to anyone) that technology becomes a stand-in for ability when a golfers is either over a 18 handicap or over about 50 years of age. However, I agree with Garland--Fitted clubs can help augment anyones ability...even Tiger would play worse with a set of off the rack clubs that were not correct for him.

Balderdash!

I fit both of your categories and I hit my so call game improvement clubs all over the planet, just like I hit my blades.

IMHO, it is the finely tuned player like the tour pro that is most sensitive to the changes in technology.

[Ash Towe]

I must admit I have some Ping I10 irons on order.

I have nearly always had the brand.  There fitting service is what attracted to me initially and it certainley made a difference.  For my current set I went through the process and came up with identical results.  The ones on order we sent the serial numbers to get the same specs.

[JMorgan]

IMHO the advantages of the latest super dooper technology is miniscule. Tom Wishon's book semi-convinced me the best thing you can do is get properly fitted. IMHO the differences between equivalently targeted clubs of the different brands are essentially meaningless. That being said, he of course produces his own brand. However, clubmakers I have communicated with say he produces clubheads that are very attractively priced compared to the near equivalent competition.

Garland, did you notice that Tom Wishon's driver finished behind almost every manufacturer in the latest Golf Digest equipment issue?  Is he trying to make some money by imitating the very sources he criticizes? 

[David Stamm]

I only bought one new club last year and that one was used. I don't plan on buying any new clubs this year. My set up is:

Taylor Made 580XD 10.5 degree w/ Graffolloy Pro Launch Blue shaft
Taylor Made Rescue Mid TP 14 degree
Hogan CFT Hybrid 19 degree
Hogan CFT Hybrid 24 degree
Hogan BH-5 irons 5-PW
Hogan Colonial wedges 50, 54, 58
Scotty Cameron Del Mar 2 Mid Slant


My driver and woods are old but work and I just don't feel a need to change.

[Garland Bayley]

IMHO the advantages of the latest super dooper technology is miniscule. Tom Wishon's book semi-convinced me the best thing you can do is get properly fitted. IMHO the differences between equivalently targeted clubs of the different brands are essentially meaningless. That being said, he of course produces his own brand. However, clubmakers I have communicated with say he produces clubheads that are very attractively priced compared to the near equivalent competition.

Garland, did you notice that Tom Wishon's driver finished behind almost every manufacturer in the latest Golf Digest equipment issue?  Is he trying to make some money by imitating the very sources he criticizes? 

Since Tom Wishon's driver is only a component head, to make it to that party means it was probably better than all the others.  Think Jackie Robinson and the major leagues.
Tom Wishon is one of the top people in the industry. I would say there is a good chance he leads in patents on new ideas. Instead of letting his work make money for Wally, Ely, etc., he might as well let his work make money for himself.

[Patrick Hodgdon]

I'm with David...

As a college student/caddy my set has slowly evolved but not much. I got a steal on my driver, my sister won her school's raffle at their golf fundraiser which is how I got the putter, and I picked up my Mizuno blades for $150 used. I got the wedges as demos from the club I caddy at around 60% off. The fact that I only play once a week doesn't allow myself to justify buying anything new as much as I want to. If I could I'd upgrade to a combo set of Mizuno MP-30's/37's and maybe new cleveland black pearl cg12 wedges.

My Set consists of the following:

Driver: Taylor Made R7 Quad TourPreferred with a Tour-500X Mitubishi Rayon Extra Stiff Shaft (Easily my best ebay purchase ever at $163 new, retais at something like $700)
4 Wood: 17* Sonartec
2 Hybrid/Iron: Mizuno Fli-Hi 18*
3-PW: Mp-14's with Rifle 6.5 Extra Stiff Shafts
Gap Wedge: 52* Titleist Vokey Black Nickel
Sand/Lob Wedge: 58* Titleist Vokey Oil Can
Putter: Scotty Cameron Studio Design 1.5

[cary lichtenstein]

I have 4 hybrids in my bag and my 1st iron is a 7, pretty be=ig change from a couple of years ago.

I no longer carry a 3 wood, can't get it in the air consistently enuf, so I bought a 5 wood and lengthen it.

[Paul Jones]

I will buy the new Titleist AP2 Irons once available later this month.  I have not bought new irons in about 6 years.

Paul

[Jamey Bryan]

My last "game improvement" irons were graphite shafted King Cobras which I bought sometime in the early 90's.  While I owned them, I went from a 9 to about a 16.  In 01 or so, I bought some Minzuno MP 33's with a rifle shaft.  Over the course of two years, I dropped to a 5.  Currently I'm back up a bit but that's all my ***ed up swing!!  I tried a hybrid to replace my 1 iron, but the shaft somehow broke for the second time (I have a rule against fixing any club more than once).

Current bag changes based on where I'm playing, but available are:

Driver:  Titleist D2 9.5
3 wood:  Callaway Steelhead 3+
5 wood:  Taylormade

Irons:  1-PW  Minzuno MP33 Rifle Stiff
Wedges:  55degree, 58 degree (30+ year old Sam Snead Special Wedge that doesn't have any grooves left), and 62 degree

Putters:  New 2 ball mallet, Scotty XXX mallet, ugly as hell Odesey pronged thing that is a great weapon if I don't make a crucial putt (3 putters.....  tell you anything?).

Jamey

[Steve_Lovett]

Jamey - I count 16 clubs...  Do you rotate your long irons out in favor of the fairway woods?

I have a new FT-5 Callaway Driver.  I hit it better than any driver I've ever had, but it's only in my bag sometimes because I HATE the sound it makes.  My Titleist 905 is fine, and sounds much better.

[Eric_Terhorst]

I'm getting my wife new Callaways and ordering up a game-improvement lobotomy for myself

[Karl Bernetich]

I'm going for MP-60s.  Mr. Moore - got a set of those ?

I grew up caddying.  Whenever you got a bag, the first thing you did was look at the wedge.  If there was the "right kind of wear" you were in for a good day.  I always wanted to wear the chrome on a set of clubs (I'm not that good).  Well it took me 10 years and I finally did.  The last year or 2 the 7 / 8 and PW showed wear.  COOL ... now guess what ... I need new clubs !!!   Actually, who am I kidding.  I'd be better served by a putting instructor and / or a head coach !

Back to caddying.  I would caddy for the same crummy golfer, playing the same crummy golf year-after-year -- with brand new clubs each year.  It ain't the clubs !

However, technology makes a big difference IN FORGIVENESS.  Blades vs. cavity backs.  400+cc vs. wooden head or small block drivers.  Hit it in the center of percussion every time and the ball doesn't care if it's hit with a 1" dia. rod or a 460 cc Ti head.  The basic physics are the same.

So, back to the thread. I'm buying new clubs this year ... MP-60s
And I'm interested in a putting coach in the Philly GAP area.  SE PA, DE or SJersey.  Any recommendations ?

[Jason Connor]

I guess ultimately what I am asking is, at what point does technology become a stand-in for our abilities? 

I see a lot of bad golfers with very expensive equipment.  Maybe they'd shoot 115 instead of 105 without their $400 drivers, I don't know.  Or maybe they'd hit it into the edge rather than the middle of the lake.

But I can't help think that four $100 lessons would be worth more to their games than their drivers.

Especially putters, I never really understood spending all that money when aim and speed are more important than any material (I've been using the same TP Mills since 1989).

Funny tale: Last summer I was at a club and they had Titleist drivers half off.  I thought, I may look into one of these after my round.  I proceeded to have the best 9 holes of my life and thought, "Maybe what I've got in my bag isn't the problem."  Maybe the greenskeeper's easy pin placements cost the pro a sale!

[David Neveux]

I have recently revamped my set and actually just finished up completing the set on sunday.  Through some good contacts and good friends I was able to completely grab a new set for about 800. 

TaylorMade Burner TP 9.5 with stock shaft X-stiff (Brand New)

Cleveland Launcher 15 3-wood
(I forget the name of the shaft, It was originally bought to replace the shaft in my driver which mysteriously broke over some bush at redlands mesa in route to bandon) The head is relatively new as cleveland replaced it because the face caved in

Cleveland Hibore 19 degree 5 wood (Brand New) Stock shaft stiff

Cleveland Hibore rescue 22 degree  (Brand New) Stock shaft stiff

Mizuno MP60 irons 4-pw
(Bought a demo set from Walnut Hills that had hardly been hit except for the 9 iron which I demoed for half the summer at $300)  Thanks again Vic.

Cleveland CG14 54 and 58 (Christmas Gift)  I had a 52, 56, and 60 previously

Odyssey 2ball blade putter

Both Hibores were bought new for 100 each, IMHO a great club at a great deal. 

[Matt OBrien]

I must admit... I have to many sets of clubs. I think i get caught up in the technology and i dont focus on the game. I just ordered 2 new sets to go along with the 3 I already had.
 
My set now includes 

Titleist D2 10.6
Adams Idea Pro 2i
Adams Idea Pro 3i
Adams Idea Pro Gold Tour prototype 3-pw
Mizuno 52,56,60
Bettinardi BC2 putter

If anyone is interested in clubs please contact me. I need to sell some

[John Moore II]

Karl--No, I do not have MP-60's, though I do like the look of them with the hybrid blade/cavity design. I used to play Mizuno, but recently I have switched to Titleist.
Ideal set (though I can't currently afford it)
Titleist D-2 7.5* Graffaloy Axis S-flex
Titleist 906F2 15* Graffaloy Epic Fairway S-flex
Titleist 585.H 19* Graffaloy Epic Hybrid S-flex
Titleist ZB Forged 4-PW TT Dynamic Gold SL S-flex
Titleist Vokey Spin Milled 55*, 60*, 64* TT Dynamic Gold SL S-flex
Titleist Cameron SquareBack

Yes I know Titleist/Vokey doesn't make a 64*, I'd have to custom bend it myself

[David Neveux]

Edit,

My irons are the 67's, I wanted the 60's but couldn't pass up the deal I got on these.  I do however really like them, and even though I haven't played them for a whole season, they are a definite upgrade from my old cleveland TA2's.

[Grant Saunders]

I managed to track down a second hand set of ram tour grind blades on ebay. They cost me $33 to buy and $55 to ship them to New Zealand. They need re-shafting with something more suited to my swing but I cant wait to play with them. I will stand down the set of DCI 990's I have used for the past 8 years.

I also picked up a second hand titleist 905s driver at the end of last year. I chose it based solely on trajectory and workability. I hit my old ping g2 about 30 yards longer but grew frustrated with the lack of shots I could play with it.

I play less golf now than I ever have but I think a few pured shots with a set a blades will get the juices flowing again and I may hit the courses with a re-newed passion.

[Jamey Bryan]

Steve:

I rotate out either the 5 wood and a long iron or a couple of irons based on the course being played.  The 1 iron rarely makes the cut unless there're a couple of expected shots in the 220-230 range that call for a run-up.  The par three distances dictate the other club(s) that comes out.

Jamey

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