Strange feeling at Dick's Sporting Goods

[Robert L.]

Today I got the strangest feeling. I was at Dick's Sporting Goods and checking out what they had for clubs. Every time I held a club and tried to waggle it I got this feeling that these clubs felt unnatural to me, for lack of a better way to describe the feeling. The driver heads felt stupid large, the irons felt stiff, the wedges felt like they would never work, and the putters had grips that were way too big. Now I'm sure these clubs would probably work fine on the course, but I'm still looking forward to playing my vintage clubs.

 

Anyone else feel like this?

[deejaid]

I was in Dicks’s last week looking for a hooded sweatshirt and didn’t even look at the golf section.   Modern golf really has nothing for me.   I’ve continued to buy modern clubs and I just end up selling them.  I’ve yet to find anything that can knock the Peerless Palmer irons out of my bag seeing as my Peerless have no bounce and low profile heads I don’t see anything made today that is remotely similar.

 

If vintage style clubs work for you feel lucky.  You can spend $100 on a set of irons instead of $1000 and not have to fall into the yearly product cycle replacement.

[Foozle]

11 hours ago, Robert L. said:

Today I got the strangest feeling. I was at Dick's Sporting Goods and checking out what they had for clubs. Every time I held a club and tried to waggle it I got this feeling that these clubs felt unnatural to me, for lack of a better way to describe the feeling. The driver heads felt stupid large, the irons felt stiff, the wedges felt like they would never work, and the putters had grips that were way too big. Now I'm sure these clubs would probably work fine on the course, but I'm still looking forward to playing my vintage clubs.

 

Anyone else feel like this?

I am with you on this. I grew up with blades and persimmon before stopping playing in 1996 when family arrived. Titanium was giving rise to slightly increased club head size at that point but when I started playing again around 2013 the whole golfing landscape had changed beyond recognition and clubs (woods and irons) had reached grotesque proportions. I was completely unable to adapt and although "forgiveness" was the by word, I could not develop any confidence in my ability to play them. Unnatural or alien is a good description. It was a very easy decision to stick with what I knew and liked and I have played vintage exclusively ever since. I do get some odd looks and comments and frequently embarrass myself when the lack of forgiveness highlights the weaknesses in my swing but I happily sacrifice the odd red face for the joy of pure strikes with blades and persimmon - on the increasingly rare occasion they occur! 

[BIG STU]

On 7/6/2021 at 7:49 PM, Robert L. said:

Today I got the strangest feeling. I was at Dick's Sporting Goods and checking out what they had for clubs. Every time I held a club and tried to waggle it I got this feeling that these clubs felt unnatural to me, for lack of a better way to describe the feeling. The driver heads felt stupid large, the irons felt stiff, the wedges felt like they would never work, and the putters had grips that were way too big. Now I'm sure these clubs would probably work fine on the course, but I'm still looking forward to playing my vintage clubs.

 

Anyone else feel like this?

Somewhat but I regularly play a mix of somewhat newer and vintage stuff. But really to play pure vintage is to take out my 4 metal woods ( now) and subsitute my persimmons. Well on the putter it could be sketchy as far as purists are concerned. It is a rusty 1997 Scotty but no problem I can subsitute one of my numerous Ironmasters

[Fellaheen51]

Haven't been into a DSG in years.  Not my first inclination when shopping for anything sporting goods related.  Certainly not golf clubs or associated stuff.  Trying out implements in a hitting bay does nothing for me.  Furthermore, there's a Top 100 LGS across the street from the closet Dick's that I go to when I want to swat (test) some new stuff.  Just for S & G.  Something I find mildly entertaining.    Outdoors, on their range, albeit off mats.  Need to see the ball fly in open space.  With my pedestrian golfing abilities, really don't discover any clubs that I find THAT much better than what utilize currently.  Sort of confirms that I'm OK with the mixed WITB for the time being.  And if one factors in costs, no way in he(ll) would I be interested.  The worst equipment experience would be forking over significant funds for new, only to discover after a few rounds, they don't play any better than the ones in service prior.  Often acquired on the relieve cheap.  Then experimented and tweaked to suitability by me.  Don't need no LM to tell me what I should be using.  

 

Not much of a vintage implement golfer these days.  For some reason, I reserve my wood and blade outings almost exclusively to the fall.  Find it an enjoyable time of the year to play some vintage clubs.  I'm under no false illusions though, I do not play them as well as my more contemporary clubs.  A nutted ball off a persimmon driver is a wonderful experience.  But the 1 in 10 times it happens is no way comparable, in distance or repeatablity to drives with my modernist tin can on a stick D (400 Max).  At certain times I enjoy chasing the experience.  Out of sight of the usual suspects that I play golf with.  No pressure.  A solitary experience by choice.  

 

That's not to say I play a full assortment of modernist clubs.  Defining classic and vintage is very subjective.  By my assessment, playing 25 year old irons is pretty darn classic.  The main putter is newish, but could grab one that is 50+ years old (029 Anser).  I wasn't a golfer during the days of persimmon and blade.  Although certainly old enough of age.  Thus, have no fond remembrances of vintage implements from the days of yore.  So the entirety of this classic/vintage thing was a discovery for the first time beginning about 8 years ago.  Found it intriguing in a contrarian sort of way.  And that the discovery could be pursued on the cheap.  There's always something else on the horizon yet to be uncovered.

 

 

[cold_war_era_golfer]

I only go to Dick's for tees and balls when I need them in a pinch.

 

I do look at the new stuff just as I do when I'm paired up with golfers on courses.  It all looks so strange to me.  I like it that way and I want to keep it that way.  

 

I golfed a little in Junior High mid 1990s so I'm sure I swung a metal driver.  But I didn't really start golfing until last year with ping eye 2s and then quickly 50s and 60s blades/persimmons.  I made a promise with myself to play only vintage this year.  Sure there have been a few times I get paired up with shock and awe swingers but I really have no desire to touch that stuff.  I putt like Arnold Palmer, my Jones bag has 1 strap and my putter is 35 inches long which seems SUPER long compared to the stuff I see.

 

 

[@_the_crook]

the nearby DSG gets a look now and then.

Shoes, socks, cleats, the odd grip.

their heavyweight long sleeve compression shirts are nice in the fall/winter months.

 

PGASS  and GG are about thirty minutes away and only blocks apart. 

a guy could do some wallet surgery there.

[Christen_The_Sloop]

I've got a lot of golf shops near me. Luckily there are some specialty JDM type places, there are a couple big box places and a few good used shops. Love the used shops for finding $50-100 sets of classic irons. Modern players CBs and even MBs rarely get me excited. Mizuno, Titleist, Srixon, TM and Callyway all make a few sets that are really nice, don't get me wrong. I find it hard to believe that any released right now are going to exceed the performance of my current Tourstage MR-23 CB. Why the hell would I change them out? The 40 odd other sets in my house might have something to say... 

 

If you look at the offerings from the big OEMs you would have a hard time differentiating them. I think I could do it, but it feels like everything in them has been run through an algorithm. They are going to satisfy the demands of 99.3 percent of golfers, in other words you are getting a large helping of vanilla ice cream. 

 

Older clubs operate outside algorithmic parameters. They are pleasing in their imperfection. And they flat out perform. 

[Hernasco]

I stop in the Dick's store near me once in a while to see what is on the shelves, but I rarely end up buying anything. The golf section has a little work area for gripping clubs and has a loft and lie machine that has been "broken" for several years per sales clerks...no body seems to know how to use machine or they are just afraid to mangle customers' clubs adjusting them. It is a shame that the Dick's doesn't seem to care.

[Pepperturbo]

I won't go in Dicks Sporting Goods, for reasons I won't go into here.  I know of others that won't either, for the same reasons.  They are losing at least $$$ a year from me and a few friends, as well.  It adds up.

[Soloman1]

On 7/8/2021 at 8:30 PM, Christen_The_Sloop said:

I've got a lot of golf shops near me. Luckily there are some specialty JDM type places, there are a couple big box places and a few good used shops. Love the used shops for finding $50-100 sets of classic irons. Modern players CBs and even MBs rarely get me excited. Mizuno, Titleist, Srixon, TM and Callyway all make a few sets that are really nice, don't get me wrong. I find it hard to believe that any released right now are going to exceed the performance of my current Tourstage MR-23 CB. Why the hell would I change them out? The 40 odd other sets in my house might have something to say... 

 

If you look at the offerings from the big OEMs you would have a hard time differentiating them. I think I could do it, but it feels like everything in them has been run through an algorithm. They are going to satisfy the demands of 99.3 percent of golfers, in other words you are getting a large helping of vanilla ice cream. 

 

Older clubs operate outside algorithmic parameters. They are pleasing in their imperfection. And they flat out perform. 

 

That was my favorite hobby in Japan. Such great finds at places like Hard Off. They had a rack of new (old) clubs every few days, even 30 year old irons that had never been hit. It was fun!

[scomac2002]

2014 was the last time that I actually went into a big box golf store and hit anything into their bays.  Was trying a bunch of the current crop of drivers out versus  the then 4 year old model I was using.  Didn't see anything in the results to warrant spending the $500+ to upgrade change.  

 

I have acquired some other clubs of that vintage and newer via the resale route, but they're currently out of the rotation.  It seems that the rumour of my demise was greatly exaggerated.  I can still effectively wield stiffer and heavier clubs than what the talking heads suggest I should be using.

 

As far as vintage goes, I too am a late comer to the game so the blades and persimmon era came well before the time that I ever set foot on a golf course -- if you don't count afternoon tea at Royal Turnberry in 1969.  Started getting into the vintage kit around 2015 and had great fun acquiring far too many clubs at very cheap prices.  I haven't played a vintage round since 2017 following a severe back injury, but definitely have a hankering for such.  As my friend @Fellaheen51 above regales, fall is the best time of year for those outings.  In fact, I have a Pittsburgh Persimmon just waiting for a test drive to flush out my modernist 80's bag that sits patiently in the corner of the basement.

[Ghostwedge]

DSG for golf is just a really scaled back version of Golf Galaxy. (Same owners)

Its all in your " comfort zone" for golf. If you don't like, can't afford or just refuse to prefer the modern game, that's fine.

I'll take my PowerBilt persimmon drivers out to the range once a year and let the kids check em out, hit a few balls, etc. They're horrified at the results. Not crazy about a 5 wood sized wooden head and a stiff steel shafted club.

I can still hit em about 200-220 quail high, alas think I'll keep the Ping G400 in the bag. Like to be a lot closer to the green these days.

 

 

 

 

[Fairway14]

On 7/6/2021 at 4:49 PM, Robert L. said:

Today I got the strangest feeling. I was at Dick's Sporting Goods and checking out what they had for clubs. Every time I held a club and tried to waggle it I got this feeling that these clubs felt unnatural to me, for lack of a better way to describe the feeling. The driver heads felt stupid large, the irons felt stiff, the wedges felt like they would never work, and the putters had grips that were way too big. Now I'm sure these clubs would probably work fine on the course, but I'm still looking forward to playing my vintage clubs.

 

Anyone else feel like this?

 

Comparing new versus vintage golf equipment I believe modern graphite shafts combined with metal wood club heads are significantly easier with which to hit consistently straight longer yardage shots than the former steel shafts w/wood head clubs. For most players, a modern 3-wood head with 43" graphite shaft is likely the ideal club for tee box shots. Golf balls are the other piece of golf equipment where I believe modern is significantly better than vintage.

For irons and putters I believe vintage may be as good or better for most players than the current clubs. Specifically, in the past 20 years I believe 

most new iron designs have too large a head, making them relatively difficult to swing-square-at-impact. And putter head weights have become too heavy, which I think diminishes a player's sense of touch-feel.