Stories of reform

[userpick21]

Every year, I hope to buckle down, find the set for me and just play, but every year I tinker needlessly. I started this year with 13 new clubs. Does it show in my scores? Nope, it’s just how I pass the time when I can’t play due to weather. 

 

So I was wondering, does anyone have a story of “club ho” reform? How’d you get there? Did you truly find something special or just grow out of it? How long did it last?

 

 

[kwcsports]

I've bought 20 sets of irons, 10-15 drivers, 20+ putters, wedges, FW's, etc.......

My scores always stayed within 5 shots. 

I put my old irons, driver, putter back in play last year and stuck with it most of the year. Scores didn't change drastically, but I had more confidence in my distances and a nice feel with my old putter.

This spring, I've stuck with my old stuff and I'm going to work on my swing this year. For me, new equipment was fun but I never got used to it before I would grab something else. I think I'm pretty much set now and won't be buying any new clubs.  

[lefthack]

I had played with the set I bought in '97 until last summer. Granted I was playing once or twice a year, at best until then. 

 

First month in I upgraded my irons and my game showed. I upgraded 2 months later, and more improvement. It's been 6 months, I am on my 2nd shaft in my 3rd set of irons AND I just bought a set of BGD irons (because I said I was gonna).

 

3 drivers, 4 fairway woods, 5 wedges, 5 hybrids, and I MIGHT be done if I get the 22* GAPR Hi or Mid. But I also might swap the shafts in the BGD's. Then, maybe I am done.

 

I feel like a combo of my playing frequently (3 days a week usually) and my iron upgrades have both contributed to my HUGE improvement in my overall game. Am I back to scratch? Nope, but I am a lot closer than I was. 

 

Once I am happy with my daily bag, I will keep it set for a while, likely. I have come to grips with the fact I might end up with 3 sets of irons and that's ok. But it's been a crazy 6 months and I'm glad my wife doesn't look at the transaction history. 🤣

 

I have also made money on every resell (bought end of last season, sold at start of this). It's an interesting journey, for sure. And I really think I'm close.

 

<edit> I am buying used and it isn't much money. Like $100 a paycheck. Example: I saw a KZG forged CB 3 iron head on eBay for $30. I add it to my watch list. A few days later, seller sends me an offer for $25. Hmm, I say $22. Deal. Next thing I know I have a 3-PW CB set and a 7-PW set of forged Blades to make the best combo ever for an average of $20/head from 3 different eBay sellers. And yet they are the best thing I've hit to date.  KZG heads usually retail for about $150 each, but the resale is awful.

Edited April 10, 2021 by lefthack

[BogeyParBogey]

You probably have to hit rock bottom for it to end.  Being here doesn't help.

 

Dave

[userpick21]

37 minutes ago, BogeyParBogey said:

You probably have to hit rock bottom for it to end.  Being here doesn't help.

 

Dave

 

I was worried this was the answer!

[dubbelbogey]

I can't help for how to stop the spiral, as I've never been one to switch gear often. I know folks here like to joke about how that just doesn't happen to WRX-ers, but I suspect there are more than a few like me who just like their tools to be familiar and comfortable.

 

In many other sports, players are loathe to switch certain parts of their gear:

 

I'll give you a couple of examples:

• Baseball gloves. Players are loathe to switch from "their" glove. Having to move on from your gamer that you've grown and fitted into for, likely, years, is painful.
• Ski boots. I raced for years and once you got a set to fit well (no small process, usually) they became an intimate part of your connection to the sport. Nobody looks to change boots once they get theirs working.

I like my clubs to be more like the above. Fit well, are comfortable, and know that there really is not much tech to drastically change one's game once a decent fit has been made. You hit enough good shots with a club, you'll then know that poor shots are likely not the fault of the club.

 

Now, I don't take this to the extreme. A modern-ish 460cc driver is, by far, the better tool than a 200cc (or smaller) driver from decades ago. But chasing the end of the rainbow is a fool's errand.

 

Some might say this is "no fun". Hey, if switching equipment really is your thing, go for it. But I think there is a lot of satisfaction to be had in having that set of tools that is "yours".

 

[Chadwickog]

The key for me was finding a different hobby/interest to shift your focus and/or money to.  That is what has helped me.

Then again I just finished building an iron set I've been piecing together for a few months for a short set.

My main bag is set for the year, though.

[sharkiesj]

1 hour ago, kwcsports said:

I've bought 20 sets of irons, 10-15 drivers, 20+ putters, wedges, FW's, etc.......

My scores always stayed within 5 shots. 

I put my old irons, driver, putter back in play last year and stuck with it most of the year. Scores didn't change drastically, but I had more confidence in my distances and a nice feel with my old putter.

This spring, I've stuck with my old stuff and I'm going to work on my swing this year. For me, new equipment was fun but I never got used to it before I would grab something else. I think I'm pretty much set now and won't be buying any new clubs.  

Hahahaha!!!! Spoken like a true club Ho! 😉  

[14max]

Reform? Heck no.  I tried it awhile ago and it didn't take.  Over the last few months I purchased enough to fill three bags.  They're all hand picked, used or lightly used, and they fit different times in my golfing life when things really clicked for me.  I don't really feel bad about all the clubs either because the whole lot still cost less than getting fitted for a brand new set...

[bruingolf04]

I genuinely enjoy the tinkering, scheming, interactions through BST. It's as fun to me as actually playing. Of course I'd like to play better, but I can spend my time tinkering on it as well. Love though whole package that is golf.

[A.Princey]

I tinkered a little, like most on here, but when I got SkyTrak I REALLY began to tinker. After awhile, I would find a club, amongst the hysteria & noise of packages arriving at the house, that would immediately click and have lasting success. I slowly began to narrow down those best ones and eventually sold off all the rest. I've been steady for almost 3 years on that same equipment now.

Edited April 10, 2021 by A.Princey

[BogeyParBogey]

1 hour ago, userpick21 said:

 

I was worried this was the answer!

 

All kidding aside I think I'm there. 

 

I've tried the newer stuff and have concluded that it just hasn't helped very much.  I'm an average guy and for me golf equipment is maxed out. I hit my 10 year old irons as well as any of the new hollow body goo filled irons of today when compared loft-for-loft.  I swing too slow for aerodynamic drivers to make a difference, 5 year old drivers like the 2016 M2 are just as good.

 

If you have speed maybe it is different.

 

When I compare different hobbies I've had:

 

Camera lenses -- Typically going from bad to good costs very little.  Good to very good costs a fair amount.  Very good to the best costs a huge amount more.  Each step along the line though you know what you're getting though.

 

Bicycles -- There's obvious benefit for the money here.  

 

If I put $1,000 into golf clubs does it really make a difference?  No, in my experience it does not.  The other hobbies above it DOES make a difference though.

 

Dave

[getitdaily]

I don't tinker a lot from March to October. From.october to March tho...

 

I hope I stand firm this coming year. My irons are new. I love my driver combo. My 3wood beats everything I put it up against so I have 2 backups now. I'll replace wedges only because I do that every 18 months or so for fresh grooves. Hybrid may also finally be settled. 

 

I feel like I'm settled and here's why. It got to be such a pain getting something new, testing it on launch monitors, testing it on the range, then testing it on the course enough to know if it beat what it was looking to replace...and then selling, shipping, etc what I bought just a few weeks earlier. It got to be too much work to test stuff. A big part of it was replacing my irons. Now that I'm a swingweight junkie, replacing them was not as quick and painless as I had imagined. 

 

So go nuts, you'll just get tired of not seeing much benefit from equipment. Especially once you find a driver and 3wood combo that are money.

[phizzy30]

3 hours ago, userpick21 said:

Every year, I hope to buckle down, find the set for me and just play, but every year I tinker needlessly. I started this year with 13 new clubs. Does it show in my scores? Nope, it’s just how I pass the time when I can’t play due to weather. 

 

So I was wondering, does anyone have a story of “club ho” reform? How’d you get there? Did you truly find something special or just grow out of it? How long did it last?

 

 

I've gotten better with my hoing.  Driver is the biggest issue though because I have a tendency to gravitate towards the latest and greatest even though tech hasn't changed all that much the last 5 years of so.  I switched to a SIM ti last year to replace my R7 TP ALE which has been in my bag forever.  Last set of irons I played for 10 years and replaced them this year maybe December last year, I can't recall, lol.  I posted a pic of the cracks in my 4 iron so I replaced it with a UDI last month.  I've had my hybrid for a long time.  My wedges I try and replace every 3-5 years.  Putter I've had for 9 years I think.  In the past, I would buy the latest and greatest every 1-2 years.  I haven't completely reformed but I have gotten a lot better. 

[GrandStranded]

2 hours ago, BogeyParBogey said:

You probably have to hit rock bottom for it to end.  Being here doesn't help.

 

Dave

This. As long as you’re posting or reading about equipment, you’re gonna buy equipment.

[GatorNate11]

I can’t tell you exactly how I was reformed, I just....was. Something just clicked one day that I wanted one set that I knew and trusted and that was it. I’ve been kicking around selling off all my spare stuff because I just don’t want or need it anymore. Not sure what steps to tell you to take, other than to say that it IS possible. I’ve played more consistently and had more enjoyment since I stopped constantly searching and tinkering and put the ownership of my game solely on me. Not changing equipment took away a huge chunk of the blame game. 

[SylvesterLundgren]

Weather ain’t getting in the way of sound practice. Why not make your skill absolute instead of some random club you hope will lead to proper mechanics. Get fit, it’s something more tangible than a club that’s getting dumped.
 how long are you going to be tired, of being tired type of situation.

Edited April 10, 2021 by SylvesterLundgren

[RogerinNewZealand]

Bogeyparbogey..lets stay away from NikonZ and Trek and stick too  cheap upgrades..used golf gear! i just grabbed a 917d3 10.5, sold the shaft so got head and cover for not a lot🙂 915 3wd is a value purchase also...need the 5 wood!

[joj]

I have this weird thing that if I’m playing great, I want to change my clubs. If I’m playing terrible, I keep my bag the same.

So, the answer to my club ho problems is to suck.  

[Mcgeeno]

The only club or equipment change I've made to that truly improved my game was the switch to single length in 2017.

 

I was an inconsistent 5 cap who went to a 0 to 1 cap within a season or two. I still tinker with my putter, woods, driver and all the other stuff but I'll likely never switch from SL irons again. It just changed my consistency and proximity to the hole.

[iNeedMoreGolf]

Ive been upgrading every year or other year probably for the past 10 years. I think its a good idea to find what you like and experiment untill you know what you trully like and can play with. That being said... most of us just switch just because we like the look and thought of a new club. Since last year i have decided to just be done with the more more more and im at peace with it. I think this peace has come from knowing performance cant get much better and i really have what i like and can play well with. Also at 32 ive just gotten tired of all the switching out. I have a tendency to go on a rampage get my fill then be done and content so this is how i have come to know club sobriety.

[lefthack]

I'm also kind of weird in that I am not new to golf, I just haven't looked at new equipment much in the last 20 years. My current iron set is from '01 and don't conform to the groove standards. But they were NOS and everything I read said they were one of the purest feeling forged iron out there. Considering what I spent to build them, they were so totally worth it.

 

So it wasn't about the latest tech, it was a search for the best feeling and I might have found it in a new old set of forged Japanese irons.

[iNeedMoreGolf]

2 hours ago, john myrbch said:

This. As long as you’re posting or reading about equipment, you’re gonna buy equipment.

My rock bottom was... i got divorced for having too many clubs around the house... constanly buying and trying selling and even rebuying... allways trying to find that perfrct launch and spin rate... distance... workability and forgivness with looks. Out all day and night at launch monitors.. even banned from some place for being there too long or too much. I just couldnt stop... i forgot about my wife and kids so she left.... and that was when my mom and dad found me in my new small apartment buried under a pile of drivers, hybrids, irons, wedges, putters and balls. I didnt say 3wood because im set on that and i only hit it 2 times maybe a round. They pulled me out of the pile and explained golfs not about what you use but how you use it. I sold it all expect for 3 bags built with the best clubs i thought for me. I got my wife and kids back... along with that im back to shooting my best rounds of 103... lifes good again. Now its just about staying on track.

[GrandStranded]

1 minute ago, iNeedMoreGolf said:

My rock bottom was... i got divorced for having too many clubs around the house... constanly buying and trying selling and even rebuying... allways trying to find that perfrct launch and spin rate... distance... workability and forgivness with looks. Out all day and night at launch monitors.. even banned from some place for being there too long or too much. I just couldnt stop... i forgot about my wife and kids so she left.... and that was when my mom and dad found me in my new small apartment buried under a pile of drivers, hybrids, irons, wedges, putters and balls. I didnt say 3wood because im set on that and i only hit it 2 times maybe a round. They pulled me out of the pile and explained golfs not about what you use but how you use it. I sold it all expect for 3 bags built with the best clubs i thought for me. I got my wife and kids back... along with that im back to shooting my best rounds of 103... lifes good again. Now its just about staying on track.

I thought this story would have a happy ending... but then the wife came back! 😤

[Roejye]

I am not a full blown club ho, but I am on that path. I think what's going to help me is the money I will have to spend to get clubs now. Being a cheapskate will cause me to actually go and hit a club now to see if it actually performs better than my current gamers. 

[jplroper]

10 hours ago, dubbelbogey said:

I can't help for how to stop the spiral, as I've never been one to switch gear often. I know folks here like to joke about how that just doesn't happen to WRX-ers, but I suspect there are more than a few like me who just like their tools to be familiar and comfortable.

 

In many other sports, players are loathe to switch certain parts of their gear:

 

I'll give you a couple of examples:

• Baseball gloves. Players are loathe to switch from "their" glove. Having to move on from your gamer that you've grown and fitted into for, likely, years, is painful.
• Ski boots. I raced for years and once you got a set to fit well (no small process, usually) they became an intimate part of your connection to the sport. Nobody looks to change boots once they get theirs working.

I like my clubs to be more like the above. Fit well, are comfortable, and know that there really is not much tech to drastically change one's game once a decent fit has been made. You hit enough good shots with a club, you'll then know that poor shots are likely not the fault of the club.

 

Now, I don't take this to the extreme. A modern-ish 460cc driver is, by far, the better tool than a 200cc (or smaller) driver from decades ago. But chasing the end of the rainbow is a fool's errand.

 

Some might say this is "no fun". Hey, if switching equipment really is your thing, go for it. But I think there is a lot of satisfaction to be had in having that set of tools that is "yours".

 

     I'm a ski racer also and thats spot on about the boots. Do to contracts I ended up switching boots and became lost, took a while but I got back on the original brand, it was like getting back home after a long road trip.  My putter, wedges and fairway woods have stayed constant, the diver and irons are another matter, hope to resolve that.

[JDCON]

Yes, yes... but hear me out. Have you tried AI in your clubs? It might be the ticket this time.

[mogc60]

I sold everything...every extra shaft, extra wedges, hybrid heads, drivers, iron sets. I just cleaned house. I kept the shafts that I know work fit me, older models that fit. I just decided to really find clubs I like and stick with them. Winter time is brutal though...I did purchase a new driver and 3 wood this year but they were the last two clubs I was looking to upgrade. I now think I’m set and I’ve really vowed to not buy anything else. I’ve always loved to tinker with equipment so this will take effort but I have had the same irons and wedges for two years so I’m on the right path. The first step is admitting you have an addiction 😂

[driveandputtmachine]

I tend to stick to a gamer set of irons(will order others to try, but they normally get sold) and I absolutely stick to a gamer three wood and one set of wedges in the growing season and one in the dormant season.

 

All other clubs are up for debate.  However this year I have decided.  No new irons at all, 7 wood and hybrid stay interchangeable, Driver to stay.  

 

I played my best golf when I didn't change my irons very often.  I am going to give it a run this year and see if I can get back to scratch or better.

[phizzy30]

13 hours ago, Mcgeeno said:

The only club or equipment change I've made to that truly improved my game was the switch to single length in 2017.

 

I was an inconsistent 5 cap who went to a 0 to 1 cap within a season or two. I still tinker with my putter, woods, driver and all the other stuff but I'll likely never switch from SL irons again. It just changed my consistency and proximity to the hole.

If you went from 5 to 1.2 cap because of the single length irons, then wow you are onto something and I may consider going that route.  Oh wait.......there's the club ho in me again.  😐