Biggest single equipment change that helped your score

[Vater]

I’ve been teetering on holding on to equipment that will work for me if I practice more and get more range of motion. 
 

But in the past few years I’ve been more honest with myself and made changes like getting rid of my 4 iron in favor of a hybrid among 3-4 other changes. 
 

If you had to pick one thing, e.g. using a 4/5 wood instead of a 3 wood, using lighter/graphite shafts, putting more hybrids into play, etc. - what would you say has made the most positive impact on your score?

Edited December 17, 2022 by Vater

[Dan Drake]

Figuring out driver. 

 

Specifically the shaft that suites me the best and that, for whatever reason, allows me to "know" where the clubface is just a bit better.  

 

Oh sure, I still hit it off of the planet sometimes, but far fewer times than I used to and I hit it further as well.  Every single penalty stroke that doesn't happen is a stroke gained.  Add into that the incremental strokes gained from hitting it a bit further, and you have a monumental difference in score.  

Edited December 18, 2022 by Dan Drake

[fixurpitch]

Finding the right putter. Finally found one that I have full confidence in. I approach each putt now believing I have a chance to make it. 
 

Don’t get me wrong. Switching to graphite iron shafts have been a big help. So has a 7 wood in the bag. But I’d swap every iron, wood, and ball in the bag to keep the putter. 

[Midway Nole]

Moving to lighter steel shafts in my long irons. They’ve allowed me to hit down more, increasing spin and shortening rollout. 
 

I’m a picker and I’ve been fighting 3-6 iron since high school. No mas.

[BYK]

Honestly, the biggest thing/change that has helped me is the lack of change.  As with many here, I'm always tinkering with new stuff.  Sticking to ol' reliable and resisting new toys has actually been the best thing for my scoring in a long time. 

[mat562]

Honestly? Probably thickening up the grip under the right hand when I was around 14. I was always a pronounced drawer of the ball, but feeling a bit more heft under the right hand straightened out my flight and let me move my game on. There were other things too, swing-wise, but I've thickened up my grips for thirty-odd years now, and began doing so three decades before Golf Pride made the staggeringly innovative technological breakthrough that is Plus4.

[R.Patrick]

Heavier SW and swapping from players distance irons back to forged cavity backs that I have much better distance control with.

[MachineHack]

Having a reliable 240 yard club. In my case an ole reliable ping g30 2h.

 

especially since almost all the course I play are tight fairways in my area 

 

I can always count on that club to get me in play 

[iNeedMoreGolf]

Its pretty much all important to tune right lol i guese i would say putter and irons were a big difference once i found what worked.

[Drivingrangehero]

Not so much a club, but the Howard DIY Driver tune up has made me straighter, longer and more confident off the tee, so it’s not technically an equipment change but an altering of the equipment I already had👍

[chinaski]

Rangefinder. Basically really learning my yardages; especially with wedges and partial/flighted shots. 

[bekgolf]

3 hours ago, Dan Drake said:

Figuring out driver. 

 

Specifically the shaft that suites me the best and that, for whatever reason, allows me to "know" where the clubface is just a bit better.  

 

Oh sure, I still hit it off of the planet sometimes, but far fewer times than I used to and I hit it further as well.  Ever single penalty stroke that doesn't happen is a stroke gained.  Add into that the incremental strokes gained from hitting it a bit further, and you have a monumental difference in score.  

 

QFT (Quoted For Truth) 

 

If I'm having trouble getting off the tee my score blows up.  Lots of tree lined fairways here with no forgiveness for a bad tee shot. 

[black bnr32]

Adding the 1 iron.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

sike

[hammergolf]

Hands down, it’s putting the 7wd in the bag for me. I’m not huge into stats, but the 190 - 205 area has always been a weak spot in my bag. Played the 19* hybrid a few years with mixed results, and finally committed to trying a 7wd. After about 4 swings, I was convinced. First shot with it in the bag was a 205yd par 3, hit it to 4ft and it’s not leaving the bag. I’ve lost count how many good shots and birdies I’ve made with that club. It’s taken a weak spot in my game and made it a strength. I’ve worked with it and learned how to flight it down if needed, how to chop it out of rough if need, and work it if I have too. But from the fwy it’s a scoring club for me. Beautiful high, straight, shots.

[SteelieD]

1. Graphite in my irons

2. Adding a 7 wood

3. Admitting that I’m old (see #’s 1 and 2)

 

Honorable mention: Ditching the Scotty for something that works (for me). 

[ARL67]

1.

Figuring out the Driver, which for me is an odd routine that has proven to be very reliable.  I setup on the ball, then move the  club-head closer to me so the toe is at the ball. I raise the head, then swing 2 feet past the ball, briefly hold it there, then take the club-head back and make a swing.  My thoughts are that I want to return the club-head to where I was 2 feet past the ball.   This somehow also keeps my front foot planted, vs my previous error of a lateral slide.  This method has proven to be a real fairway finder for me, and I now consider my Driver the best, or 2nd best, club in my bag

 

2.

I used to be a Lob-Wedge guy for almost every shot inside 80 yards. 

Now I use a GW and play lower runners to the pin if there is green to work with.  I have a ton of confidence in my GW, and once I'm greenside, I expect to get up and down.  My GW and Driver are the best 2 clubs in my bag.

[bogey69]

Lab putter, hands down.  

[Tiptx1122]

This is a very hard question to answer, I like every single club in my bag as they all perform so well for if I'm putting well my scores stay low. My irons always get me on the green of close enough to save par...most of the time. My wedges do help but this is my weakest area not the clubs fault, just not enough practice. My Driver and fairway woods can make me or break me as there always seem to be that one hole that keeps me humble as there is very few time I can play without a bogie or double sneaking in because of one bad shot. I just can't find fault with any club that is in my bag as I can't remember ever saying that before. 

[PureDivots]

Moving from Srixon z785s to Mizuno JPX Forged 921. Iron play is by far the weakest part of game. The little bit of extra distance and forgiveness has been noticeable in my scores. 

 

Honorable mention Project X LZs. The perfect iron shaft for me. 

[mantan]

 A driver I trust always goes a long way. Like everyone, if I can get consistently off the tee (and have full confidence I will), the rest of the game is much easier.

 

As far as a single club, it was the Cleveland Halo Hy-wood.  I was always inconsistent with fairway woods.  My 4-hybrid is my security blanket club.  I feel more confident with it than a 5 or 6 iron.  But very rarely are you 200 yards out on a par 5.

 

The Hy-wood was the first club I felt good about pulling out from 225 yards in any situation.  It immediately impacted my par 5 scores.  I have gone for more par 5's since I bought it than the last 5 years combined.  My par 5 scoring dropped significantly.

[Mike_Honcho]

not necessarily an equipment change so much as knowing when to use which club as opposed to just trying to bomb away.  if my 3w gives me the fairway and a 7i in, it's an easier shot for me than the extra 20yds into the rough and maybe not getting a shot off my 9i

[miles2go]

A totally non-wrx reply, but moved from player’s cavity backs to Taylormade M-1’s which I guess are game improvement irons.  Getting much higher ball flight from 5-6 irons and more distance all around.  Scoring irons are point and shoot.  Was barely hanging on to a single digit handicap and recognized that I needed some help. Getting old sucks too. 

[Jayjay_theweim_guy]

4 hours ago, mat562 said:

Honestly? Probably thickening up the grip under the right hand when I was around 14. I was always a pronounced drawer of the ball, but feeling a bit more heft under the right hand straightened out my flight and let me move my game on. There were other things too, swing-wise, but I've thickened up my grips for thirty-odd years now, and began doing so three decades before Golf Pride made the staggeringly innovative technological breakthrough that is Plus4.

Related, don't be afraid to try midsize or jumbo if your hands fit it.  Finally moved to midsized, this last regripping session, and I couldn't be happier.  The middle finger barely touching palm test is a good one.

 

Flip side, my putter grip is frankly too big.  The bummer is, since it's an LAB, changing anything about it is a large PITA.  So for those, definitely try the grip out first before you order...  I'll deal, but it is annoying.

Edited December 18, 2022 by Jayjay_theweim_guy

[Jayjay_theweim_guy]

Honestly, besides driver and putter (though I grow more delighted with my 3W the more I use it) it's not so much an equipment change once I knew what was good enough:  it's shortening my swing, and keeping everything in balance, that has helped me the most.  I can still be violent and fast; but it works a lot better if I keep everything "in front" of me.  90% length, in balance, with me staying behind the ball while my hands go in front, has worked well so far.

 

Still want graphite iron shafts tho'.  But I can wait.

[Mitchell]

In early 2000s, when golf balls progressively started spinning less, made the decision to switch to a bit more loft in driver and fairway wood to maintain accuracy and keep ability to vary trajectory and shape if needed. For my game, low spin is highly overrated.

Edited December 18, 2022 by Mitchell

[mantan]

1 hour ago, Jayjay_theweim_guy said:

Related, don't be afraid to try midsize or jumbo if your hands fit it.  Finally moved to midsized, this last regripping session, and I couldn't be happier.  The middle finger barely touching palm test is a good one.

 

Flip side, my putter grip is frankly too big.  The bummer is, since it's an LAB, changing anything about it is a large PITA.  So for those, definitely try the grip out first before you order...  I'll deal, but it is annoying.

 

That was aa huge one for me as well. I had no idea for 20 years of playing golf that my grips were too small. I always struggled with grip pressure and had more than one instructor and playing partner tell me it looked like I had a death grip on the club.

 

Another instructor saw my fingers digging into my palms and I suggested I try a bigger grip. The difference was night and day. 

[nitram]

A 1-1/4-inch PVC Slip Coupling and a Milwaukee INKZALL Marker, to mark a line on the ball.

[Pym]

*58 SW but not until I got a lesson and learned how to use it. Typical amateur high lofted wedge mistakes but after learning and practicing technique being able to pitch and chip with *58 has made a huge difference. The biggest difference is using it from long grass around the greens resulting in much more consistent short pitch shots. 

[pak]

Callaway Apex DCB’s with shafts lengthened by 1/2”. They are extremely forgiving and I am hitting more gir.

[PedronNiall]

Using available data, plain and simple.

 

Got a SAM putter fitting along with some other insights via other tools. Ended up moving to a different grip, added some weighting in the shaft & on the blade itself, both of which increased consistency.

 

I also had some of the similar issues mentioned by others regarding grip size, so if I have to technically say one thing it's this. I'd gone back and forth a few times, but not only is a midsize more comfortable for me just by feel, it's what comes up when using measurement recommendations rather than the old guesstimate of going by glove size--which puts me in standard. No more death grip, no more unexpected extra draw, and much more consistency with my short game as well vs standard. I also moved to using Star Grip's non-taper model, which added even more comfort and dampening.

 

Next will be driver/shaft combo testing and at some point seeing what the numbers say about using graphite for my irons. I don't have any joint pain but I like to practice and play a lot and all the related data says my body will thank me later so no harm in taking a look.

 

There's a point where analysis paralysis can come into play, but it's been worthwhile taking advantage of obtainable, useful data where I can.