Wasting time and money to replace a club that doesn't need to be replaced

[llewol007]

Good luck. It is an never ending journey. I have been in your spot and have a thread up about the same darn thing. I think we are caught up with the latest and greatest and often times, the oldy by goody works and delivers. It is not a problem but one thing I wont do is pay to get fitted unless you really dont know what you should fit into. For me, I test out equipment until I catch a bug and its on to the next thing. I tell my wife she buys expensive purses, I rent golf clubs of the BST. She knows that when she sees a box on the front porch, I will be packing up a similar shape box and head to the post office. Dont be too hard on yourself. I tell my friends, it is safer than drugs and hookers. Im kidding about that last statement. Haaaa haaaa haaaaa

[rkillian]

I haven’t fallen into the trap of replacing things that work too much. I think I can honestly say that anything I’ve changed has had a performance/gapping/practical reason.

 

As far as your search for a fairway, I had a Rogue 4W. It worked but I was refunded for warranty purposes. I replaced it with an Epic Flash 5W turned to 17. I like the 5w better. 

[BlkNGld]

Buying a club that makes things worse is a requirement for Club Ho membership.

 

Along the lines of what Sean said... some of us like shiny things or have had a time that we felt that way.   Or we like the rush of having some new magic club no one else does, either just because or we think/hope that it gives us an advantage, albeit for just a while so we preorder without so much as a demo.   All of that's OK, just know it, own it, and be prepared for some disappointment, and some money lost along the way.   For the vast marjority of us, we're supposedly doing this for fun.

 

But the way I try to avoid the remorseful mistake is to always compare against what I have in same setting, same balls, and the same swing of the day.  

 

There are plenty of times I've hit something in the hitting bay and been wowed, only to come back a few days later to find that I hit my current club as well, if not better, or the new kid may feel lot better, or has that one big hit that went far, but is less consistent in distance or direction.      

That may not sound like a lot of fun, but I've gotten to where I walk away thinking that what I saved can go to something that might make it more enjoyable. 

[ChipNRun]

I would check out the Tour Edge offerings.

 

TE best known for FWs and hybrids, makes solid clubs overall. Several TE players on Champions Tour: Scott McCarron, Tom Lehman, Tim Petrovic, Duffy Waldorf...

 

The Exotics EX10s came out just before the current EXS and CBX models. Shops that carry TE often have discounted pricing on remaining EX10 versions; TE has always carried 4Ws.

 

The EX10 variants plus the EXS and CBX models have square faces and low offset. If you have higher clubhead speed try the CBXs.

 

Your 4W search involves fine-tuning, so have a fitter look at your swing and numbers if you go after the EX10, other TEs.

[tadlehmann]

On 11/5/2020 at 12:41 PM, ChipNRun said:

I would check out the Tour Edge offerings.

 

TE best known for FWs and hybrids, makes solid clubs overall. Several TE players on Champions Tour: Scott McCarron, Tom Lehman, Tim Petrovic, Duffy Waldorf...

 

The Exotics EX10s came out just before the current EXS and CBX models. Shops that carry TE often have discounted pricing on remaining EX10 versions; TE has always carried 4Ws.

 

The EX10 variants plus the EXS and CBX models have square faces and low offset. If you have higher clubhead speed try the CBXs.

 

Your 4W search involves fine-tuning, so have a fitter look at your swing and numbers if you go after the EX10, other TEs.

always been a fan of TE clubs and love the fact that 4W is a staple in their offerings.  almost pulled the trigger on CB4 awhile back.  but I thought everything they did was super low spin?

[cardoustie]

I have played 5 rounds in a row with each of my 5 remaining iron sets ... shot the same ... and different putters

for reference ...

 

- Ping s55 with Fuji mci100s

- Mizuno 919t with recoil 95s

- Callaway Spex cf16 recoil proto 95s

- Ping blueprints with recoil 110s

- today Bridgestone j15mb with DG xp115 x100

 

that was hard to admit because I love tinkering 

 

[Kevmonton]

On 11/3/2020 at 4:19 PM, tadlehmann said:

Not sure what the point of this post is.  Don't know if I've learned my lesson (or if there is one to be learned).

 

I'm a golf club aficionado (ho) like so many on this site.  This summer I built the perfect 4W on paper with help from my fitter at Club Champion.  Cost me a damn mint.  And from almost moment one, nothing was better.  The supposedly more forgiving club sprayed the ball worse than ever, even with a slightly shorter shaft.  Even though it's a higher loft, the trajectory was too low to be useful.  Ended up selling the damn thing for less than half of what I paid for it two months earlier.  

 

And all of this was to replace a club that works just fine.  I have a TM V-Steel VSII 15* that I have called "Excalibur" more than once (which I bought purely on account of the volumes of praise dedicated to it in these forums).  I've hit dead nuts perfect tee shots with this club more times than I can count over the last 5-6 years it's been in my bag.  I've also lost a fair amount of balls with it.  And because it isn't ALWAYS perfect, I tried to upgrade the violin without really thinking about the musician doing the playing.  

 

And within a week of selling that expensive replacement, I had already bought another shaft on the cheap for another "project".  After the wife and kids are asleep I find myself watching videos of various fairway woods to try to find that perfect intersection of performance / design (on paper at least).

 

So what's the lesson from all of this?  Maybe there's more than one, or maybe there aren't any out there.

1.  The biggest change for me is whether the expensive fitting places are actually worth it.  Club Champion built me a phenomenal driver.  that cost a ton too, but I love it and that makes it easy for me to justify the cost.  But after this latest episode, I'm now down to a 50% success rate.  Moreover, I can't stop thinking about the fact that I could have tried two or 3 fairway woods - buying them w/ stock offerings or buying whatever the hell I wanted off BST or eBay) for the price of this single club at Club Champion.  I'm not advocating against fitting, but I probably got lucky with my driver there and from that point it's better to experiment with lower cost / used clubs than to mount up and plow a ton of money into a single club.  Definitely appreciate whatever the WRX community has learned here

2.  Took a lesson in Sept and the pro had an almost identical V Steel in his bag that I had in mind.  He doesn't try to replace it, because it works.  Maybe that's the lesson...

3.  ...but trolling for gear is a lot of fun too

4.  Last, I'll ask for advice for a clubhead (since I've got a spare shaft I want to try).  Currently, I hit my 3W almost exclusively off the tee - but I'd like to have something that's a little more versatile so I can hit them off the deck more often.  Control (findability) is job number one - willing to leave yards on the table if it's something I can rely on time and time again.  Looking at:

 

PING G410 (I know it's a good club, decent adjustability, not in love with it)

A friend of mine has a never used Rogue 17* head.  Are these good?  Any problem with draw bias (because I certainly don't need that)

Cobra SZ or F9

Mizuno ST200

 

DO NOT WANT:

Titleist

Any "spin killer" fairways

 

many thanks all

Why not another V-Steel?

[ChipNRun]

5 hours ago, tadlehmann said:

always been a fan of TE clubs and love the fact that 4W is a staple in their offerings.  almost pulled the trigger on CB4 awhile back.  but I thought everything they did was super low spin?

 

Some Exotics are very low spin, most are lower spin. Let's take a look at more recent TE fairway woods as regards to spin:

• EXS Pro: Very low spin, low launch; beta ti cup face; taller face, shorter heel to toe
• CBX, CBX119: Very low spin due to beta ti cupface; these are bonded heads, non-adjustable
• EXS220: Lower spin; beta ti cup face with low, forward CG location 
• EXS: Depends on how you arrange the weights. Put 3 gr. in heel and 11 gr. in back, and it gives mid-launch, mid-spin, with neutral flight (vs. draw or fade). 
• EX10: High launch, lower spin, 21 gr. deep CG weight; back weight adjustable
• EX10 Beta: smaller head, high MOI, high launch, lower spin; back weight adjustable

EX10 pair and EXS220 are lower spin; EXS can be adjusted to medium spin.

 

Note: All of the above have a 16.5* head, labeled either 4W or 3W. 

 

For details see: https://www.touredge.com/exotics (For EX10 and Beta, see bottom of web page for Classic Clubs link)

[tadlehmann]

19 hours ago, cardoustie said:

I have played 5 rounds in a row with each of my 5 remaining iron sets ... shot the same ... and different putters

for reference ...

 

- Ping s55 with Fuji mci100s

- Mizuno 919t with recoil 95s

- Callaway Spex cf16 recoil proto 95s

- Ping blueprints with recoil 110s

- today Bridgestone j15mb with DG xp115 x100

 

that was hard to admit because I love tinkering 

 

that is something.  I've sold most of my old sets / backup clubs.  partially to subsidize the kinds of losses that spawned this thread.  and came *this close* to buying J15CBs before I pulled the trigger on my Cobras (Fly Z+ / Fly Z Pro combo set)

[James the Hogan Fan]

Wilson FG Tour F5 fairways. I have the 15° head adjusted to 16° with a 4 wood shaft. (I also have the 23° hybrid playing 22°) I got the head for $15 on ebay. 

 

And guess what? Mid trajectory, medium spin, super soft-feeling goodness.

 

https://pluggedingolf.com/wilson-staff-fg-tour-f5-fairway-wood-review/

 

This review says it exactly like ie it is, my experience with the club is nigh identical. 

Hit the hybrid today from the rough. Impact mark was on the toe, almost off the club. Ball went 175 of a typical 190 yards, dead straight. Not bad for a shot a ¼" from being a complete whiff. TEE is great, I own a hybrid XCG5, but it is 100% a spin killing bullet. Love it at the links course, but not my current parkland setup.

 

Coming from someone who has never been fitted, if you hadn't gotten the fitting and just played random test clubs, there would likely be doubt about whether or not a club is truly "the best" so it's a double edged sword.

 

In my experience my greatest club finds have been craigslist and fb marketplace, no ebay because it lets you get what you want too easily. But a guy on Craigslist has a handful of clubs, one of them is a wilson fybrid. I buy it for $20, it stayed in the bag 2 years, and will continue to stay in rotation with the FG's above. My driver is a random X-flex R15 because some guy took my lowball offer on it. Another nice thing about craigslist only is stuff you're actually willing to buy comes up less often, so you aren't hoing as much. And it's a ton of fun scoring well with some old garage sale club.

 

[Nixhex524]

I did this with a driver.   Had a 2017 M2 that was point and shoot.  Got my cap down to a 2.0 hitting from the fairways all the time.  I didn't love the feel or sound but I didn't hate it either.  Man, I traded the head on a whim for some garbage iron shafts to a member here... when I got them, one had a bent tip.  I tried to renegotiate and ask for a trade back but got ghosted.  That trade still haunts me but has also taught me not to rid myself of something that works because it can be really bad on the other side.  It doesn't matter what that club is, if it works, game it no matter how goofy you think it looks in the bag... I'd rather see the beauty of the scorecard!

 

That said, my 917f2 has been solid... a cannon of a 4w and good off the tee or deck.  On a whim, I grabbed a Srixon F85 off the bay, being a big Srixon fan and the hype that has surrounded this club.  I have to say, I am REALLY impressed.  It looks like it sits closed, that really worried me, but on the course it was straight bombs all day and was even super easy to hit a giant cut with from under the trees... (RIP 2017 M2).  It gets through the ground easily and looks and sounds great.   If you're open to trying it, I'd say go for it... they can be had cheap right now.  OR, KEEP THAT V STEEL and trust it!!!!!

[Mainehacker21]

I too suffer from this dreadful illness. I am just hooked on trying new things, not necessarily always the latest and greatest, just on the constant quest to find the perfect setup putter-Driver. But my problem is that I don't have endless funds to do this so a new club often means selling the old one to make up for some of the difference. Definitely a gamble.

 

FWIW I have the Epic Flash 15* 3 wood (not SZ version) and I absolutely love it. Have it set standard loft, with draw bias and it is just perfect. One of those clubs where when it gets too beat up I'd consider buying the same thing even if years old at that point. 

Edited November 9, 2020 by Mainehacker21

[Lemonde]

On 11/7/2020 at 12:30 AM, ChipNRun said:

 

Some Exotics are very low spin, most are lower spin. Let's take a look at more recent TE fairway woods as regards to spin:

• EXS Pro: Very low spin, low launch; beta ti cup face; taller face, shorter heel to toe
• CBX, CBX119: Very low spin due to beta ti cupface; these are bonded heads, non-adjustable
• EXS220: Lower spin; beta ti cup face with low, forward CG location 
• EXS: Depends on how you arrange the weights. Put 3 gr. in heel and 11 gr. in back, and it gives mid-launch, mid-spin, with neutral flight (vs. draw or fade). 
• EX10: High launch, lower spin, 21 gr. deep CG weight; back weight adjustable
• EX10 Beta: smaller head, high MOI, high launch, lower spin; back weight adjustable

EX10 pair and EXS220 are lower spin; EXS can be adjusted to medium spin.

 

Note: All of the above have a 16.5* head, labeled either 4W or 3W. 

 

For details see: https://www.touredge.com/exotics (For EX10 and Beta, see bottom of web page for Classic Clubs link)

Isn’t the EXS220 fairway not steel constructed? 

[ChipNRun]

30 minutes ago, Lemonde said:

Isn’t the EXS220 fairway not steel constructed? 

 

EXS220 fairway wood head has carbon fiber inserts in heel and toe to allow for weight redistribution to help MOI. Details, see: https://www.touredge.com/exotics  

 

[scomac2002]

On 11/3/2020 at 8:12 PM, Sean2 said:

Some people like shiny new things, whether they need them or not. I used to do a lot of buying and selling, but not anymore. A club(s) has to have a real WOW factor before I buy. 

 

I still buy lots of shiny new things.  I figure it's the crow in me.  I know that in the long run it won't do a dang bit of good, but I can't help myself...

 

The irons I'm playing started out as a disaster.  I couldn't hit a damn thing!  Then one day, I magically adapted to them and it has been pretty good (by my standards at least) ever since.

[1mcozik]

This year was the first year I went out and upgraded my driver that I was using from 2015/2016. So I bought two drivers and tried them with bunch of different shafts. Found the right combination and have the same shafts in both drivers (lol).

 

Why two different drivers? Backup driver haha.

[McSmitherson]

I just upgraded my driver this year from a custom (club champion) built driver from 2013.  The big "aha" moment I had was that I wasnt going to hit the ball 40 yards further with new technology, but the flight and mis-hits were a major improvement based on the head/shaft combo.  

 

I wouldn't expect miracles if upgrading within a decade.  But if the clubs are that much sexier, its well worth it as long as you can get more accurate and a hopefully at least a couple more yards.  I plateaued with golf a few years back and only recently fell back in love with it, in large part due to the experimental nature of trying to find the best club/shaft setup without going back to club champion, and learning to build/adjust clubs on my own.

[NoTalentLefty]

Guilty

[Luke'sdad]

Which one of us hasn't been down a similar path,especially w/fairway woods. I never got rid of my old faithful Taylormade 200 Steel 4 wood w/stock steel Rifle shaft. Couldn't tell you how many times I have returned it to my bag after another failed fairway experiment. If there is some saving grace, the used club market has gone thru the roof of late, so many of my my experiments have resulted in a great return of my initial investment.

[evoviiiyou]

This is why after a fitting, I stay off wrx for at least 3-5 rounds with the new stick. Otherwise 100% hoe time. 

[tannyhoban]

A fitter at a local store always has me hit Pings along with my choices. While I have never bought a custom set from him I have purchased Pings in same set up that I hit well there. (Trust me, I have made plenty of purchases there). I cannot hit Ping irons on the course the way I do in a simulator. And I have done this at least 5 times through the years. Never again (maybe).

 

Rinse and repeat is a constant  through the entire bag for many years.
It's an aspect of the game that I enjoy. If you don't hit em on the course how will you know?

 

Right now I am pondering what gap wedge to compliment a set of J36 5-PW I picked up yesterday. I have had these clubs before and loved them. The set is mint and I picked them up right. (Stupid cheap). I already have a nice set of King F8s. Shinier things OR the old familiar. Always one way or the other.

 

I just can't help myself. And it really does not matter in light of results. I've played off 3 give or take for quite some time. There is no perfect club dammit.

 

Mind you I have no possibility of hitting anything until next year due to recent back surgery (recovery going  well, very optimistic)

Churn baby churn.