Confessions of a junior golf club maniac

[MB19]

On 3/17/2022 at 8:27 PM, jj9000 said:

 

Offer to sell your sh to me before going to the local golf shop.  Food for thought.

JJ, I ended up experimenting with the Radspeed and then selling it to the local golf shop where they had a 25% promotion going on for trade-ins.  Sorry I didn't give you first right of refusal, but it was just too easy... and easy is good for me right now.

[MB19]

I ended up snagging a 10.5* Radspeed/Project X Evenflow Riptide CB 40 off Global Golf's eBay store for the minimum bid.  It was marketed in value condition, but it looked really good to me.  The plan was to put it head-to-head with my Daughter's TS1 10.5/Air Speeder R2 combo, after swapping out the Project X shaft for an existing LA Golf Reign Silver 40L shaft I had with a cobra adapter.  The results were somewhat unsurprising, but telling of both my daughter's swing deficiencies and what both drivers are designed for.

 

We went out to the 200 yard plaque at a par 4 at a local course, and teed up 10 balls with each driver using practice Chrome Softs.

 

The TS1 maxed out within inches of the same spot the Radspeed maxed out at--dying on the hill that protects the green complex, not quite reaching the fringe.  Call it about 180, flushed with max swing effort.

 

Where the drivers differed were with the the other 9 balls.  The misses with the Radspeed were very obvious misses, showing how much margin for error there was when using it.  She couldn't come within 15 yards of her best, and it was a sprayfest.  The misses with the TS1 were much less pronounced, with several balls within 8-10 yards of her farthest.

 

The weight of the two clubs could have easily been a factor here, with the Radspeed head weighing in at a hefty 198g with screw and weights.  The TS1 was 186g.  The two shafts, while technically one a senior and the other a ladies flex are pretty comparable in launch and weight with each having the same undersized Dry Tac grip.

 

I let my son screw around and hit with the Radspeed as well, but it was just too heavy for him to be at all effective with it.  He was a mess--lol.

 

This process ended today, when I took the Radspeed/Project X down to my local golf shop and traded it in for slightly more than I paid for it thanks to a generous promotion they are running.

[Big A HG]

There is so much info in this thread my head is spinning.  😄  I have a 7yo boy, going on 8 in late summer.  We've been casually learning the game with visits to the course every week or two for the past few years.  We're not the tallest family on the planet, but he's on his way out of his first set.  He's not not unathletic since we've been doing other sports for years (already completed 4 years of hockey, on his 4th year of some sort of baseball, etc.), but golf has not come naturally so far.  He's ready for a new set and I've been toying with just about everything you've all mentioned so far.  It seems like just keep him going with either USKG or Flynn....but then I get ideas about trying out the new(?) Cleveland junior set that seems nice.  

 

Is there a consensus on USKG or Flynn (or other)?  I might be able to check out USKG in person, but never heard of Flynn until this thread (but their stuff looks nicer than USKG...but only based on photos).

 

[Bizzle80]

2 hours ago, Big A HG said:

There is so much info in this thread my head is spinning.  😄  I have a 7yo boy, going on 8 in late summer.  We've been casually learning the game with visits to the course every week or two for the past few years.  We're not the tallest family on the planet, but he's on his way out of his first set.  He's not not unathletic since we've been doing other sports for years (already completed 4 years of hockey, on his 4th year of some sort of baseball, etc.), but golf has not come naturally so far.  He's ready for a new set and I've been toying with just about everything you've all mentioned so far.  It seems like just keep him going with either USKG or Flynn....but then I get ideas about trying out the new(?) Cleveland junior set that seems nice.  

 

Is there a consensus on USKG or Flynn (or other)?  I might be able to check out USKG in person, but never heard of Flynn until this thread (but their stuff looks nicer than USKG...but only based on photos).

 

 

I feel like a shill for Flynn, but they are much nicer than the USK UL or TS clubs...especially the wedges.

[MikekiM]

Have gone through 2 sets of Flynn and 2 sets of USK Tour series.  You really can't go wrong with either setup.  If I had to choose I'd go with Flynn due to the customization options with shaft colors, lengths, and grips.

 

 

[leezer99]

1 hour ago, MikekiM said:

Have gone through 2 sets of Flynn and 2 sets of USK Tour series.  You really can't go wrong with either setup.  If I had to choose I'd go with Flynn due to the customization options with shaft colors, lengths, and grips.

 

 

Don’t get red grips! They’ll turn your gloves pink. 

[heavy_hitter]

17 hours ago, Bizzle80 said:

 

I feel like a shill for Flynn, but they are much nicer than the USK UL or TS clubs...especially the wedges.

 

We found the quality/longevity of the Flynn Wedge better.  My son thought the performance of the USKG wedge was better.

[MB19]

Looking back on my kids' experiences with both Flynn and USKG, I think it is very much a  Coke/Pepsi argument.

 

If we are talking TS3 vs Alto, if the clubs are the right fit they will both deliver as desired.  The Flynn will be more customizable if you are ordering new, and the shafts are likely going to be better.  If buying used, the market is much stronger for USKG gear while it can be difficult to find Flynn used. 

[philsRHman]

This thread is incredible, you guys deserve a medal for taking ho’ing to a whole new level. My 11 year old, who has two sets of way-too-small, barely ever hit sets of US Kids clubs in the garage just made my year. He told me his middle school just started a golf club and he signed up. And needs new clubs lol. 
 

He’s played Rec baseball the past few years (average hitter/athlete) and has been to Top Golf a few times but I have no idea what to expect or what to get him. I figured I’d just stick with US Kids Ultralite. He’s 56”, 90 pounds. I wanted to say I don’t want to break the bank in case this is our third set of relatively unused clubs, but after 3 pages, and the fact this is GolfWRX I guess that goes out the window. 
 

Any easy quick tips? Will the UL be super whippy? I’d rather focus on something he can easily get airborne, keep it fun and easy, not even close to thinking actual performance. But if you have any suggestions I’m all ears. Might even go to PGATSS and buy 2-3 clubs just for driving range purposes (I guess Driver, Hybrid, 7 iron? Or wedge if the school club will do short game?)  and if he sticks with it, expand for Christmas. We have a consignment shop who told me he gets a lot of juniors but what I saw today was mostly Walmart (TI Tech, etc). 
 

Thanks in advance. 

[MB19]

On 10/12/2023 at 11:47 PM, philsRHman said:

This thread is incredible, you guys deserve a medal for taking ho’ing to a whole new level. My 11 year old, who has two sets of way-too-small, barely ever hit sets of US Kids clubs in the garage just made my year. He told me his middle school just started a golf club and he signed up. And needs new clubs lol. 
 

He’s played Rec baseball the past few years (average hitter/athlete) and has been to Top Golf a few times but I have no idea what to expect or what to get him. I figured I’d just stick with US Kids Ultralite. He’s 56”, 90 pounds. I wanted to say I don’t want to break the bank in case this is our third set of relatively unused clubs, but after 3 pages, and the fact this is GolfWRX I guess that goes out the window. 
 

Any easy quick tips? Will the UL be super whippy? I’d rather focus on something he can easily get airborne, keep it fun and easy, not even close to thinking actual performance. But if you have any suggestions I’m all ears. Might even go to PGATSS and buy 2-3 clubs just for driving range purposes (I guess Driver, Hybrid, 7 iron? Or wedge if the school club will do short game?)  and if he sticks with it, expand for Christmas. We have a consignment shop who told me he gets a lot of juniors but what I saw today was mostly Walmart (TI Tech, etc). 
 

Thanks in advance. 

Welcome to the thread!  We may be a little on the lunatic fringe at times, but there is some solid golf wisdom to be found by many of the guys on this thread who have helped me out so very much over the years.

 

In my very humble opinion, there are two strong options for you here--but let me start off by saying your instincts regarding the USKG UL series are correct.  The shafts are too whippy for your son, and the club heads are too light.

 

Option 1:  Go to eBay and pick out a used USKG TS-3 57" set.  If you find one at a price you can stomach, pull the trigger.  If it comes with a bag--even better.

 

Option 2:  Go to Flynn Golf's website, and go to the outlet section.  Grab a 6i and 8i with a series 3 head, and use the size chart on the custom clubs section to select the proper size for your son.  These irons are $22 per right now.  They may be a couple of generations old, but they are decent clubs with proper weighting and an excellent junior shaft/grip.  They have Wedges for $39 each for the same older series.  For $55 for the last-gen wedges, hybrids and FW woods are all available.  

 

Also, there are many parents here looking to unload their kids' old clubs.  Strike up a convo, go from there.

 

Another opinion, grab a used Ping Prodi g hybrid and/or fw wood somewhere--best period.  Skip their driver, just go USKG TS-3 used.

[philsRHman]

On 10/14/2023 at 2:52 PM, MB19 said:

Welcome to the thread!  We may be a little on the lunatic fringe at times, but there is some solid golf wisdom to be found by many of the guys on this thread who have helped me out so very much over the years.

 

In my very humble opinion, there are two strong options for you here--but let me start off by saying your instincts regarding the USKG UL series are correct.  The shafts are too whippy for your son, and the club heads are too light.

 

Option 1:  Go to eBay and pick out a used USKG TS-3 57" set.  If you find one at a price you can stomach, pull the trigger.  If it comes with a bag--even better.

 

Option 2:  Go to Flynn Golf's website, and go to the outlet section.  Grab a 6i and 8i with a series 3 head, and use the size chart on the custom clubs section to select the proper size for your son.  These irons are $22 per right now.  They may be a couple of generations old, but they are decent clubs with proper weighting and an excellent junior shaft/grip.  They have Wedges for $39 each for the same older series.  For $55 for the last-gen wedges, hybrids and FW woods are all available.  

 

Also, there are many parents here looking to unload their kids' old clubs.  Strike up a convo, go from there.

 

Another opinion, grab a used Ping Prodi g hybrid and/or fw wood somewhere--best period.  Skip their driver, just go USKG TS-3 used.

Appreciate this. I was impatient and found the US Kids outlet site. I picked up 4 UL clubs for $25 each, which seemed OK given I don't know how many times he's even going to use them, and if they're as bad a fit as I expect, they're an easy donation to First Tee, etc. I have to say, just swinging in the yard, I can already see he's far closer to a real golf swing than ever before. I still picture him as a tiny little nugget, not an 11 year old on the cusp on the big growth spurt. 

 

Just for context, I got him a "DV3 Fairway Driver" (which looks a lot more Fairway than Driver), a DV3 Hybrid, 8 iron and PW. Still need to find him a putter, and possibly a driver. I see they also have a TS3 Launch Driver, for $50 used, which I see you suggest. Might snatch that up before it's gone.

Edited October 19, 2023 by philsRHman