I...I don't notice other people's gear anymore?

[Chopper Dave]

I glance but rarely engage. After working at a second hand dealer I’ve had enough conversations with gear goobers that think they are gear gods to last me the rest of my days 

[DaveMc82]

I’ll notice if someone I know who is a <5 index has changed irons or fairways. This generally doesn’t happen and is quite an event. 
 

Otherwise, I’ll only notice if something unusual/rare gets pulled out the bag eg the Scotty TE3 that appeared in a pair up’s hands the other week. 

[Port and Starboard]

Myself and about 6-7 of my golf buddies are all consummate club wagglers. 

 

We're always peeking in each others bags and pulling out clubs...............constantly lending, borrowing, experimenting, and trading.

 

I never know before heading out to the course what will be missing or added to my bag when I get back home again.

 

None of them want my Cleveland chipper though.  😉

[jda]

I play with a lot of people that I do not know - friends of friends who can be really good.  If they want to play a game for more than a few bucks, I look at what they have.  If I see a driver with a $1000 shaft, 8-10 year old irons with lead all over them, wedges that they made/worked themselves and a really nice older putter that is worn but customized, I am not too happy about giving them many at all.  Guy showed up the other day with most of these things, no glove, no warm up and his shoes not laced up - thought to myself he was going to shoot par, but he shot 70.

 

If I see a bag of all-new stuff, or stuff with a cover on every club, then I am all good.  Saw a golftec tag not long ago and also was cool.

 

I only do it for welfare/handicap reasons.  I don't really care what others play other than if something awesome comes out of a bag - rando was playing a Mizuno Cameron putter not long ago and I have not seen one in 20 years.  Another guy was teaching his son to play and he was even on 9 holes and most of his clubs had bubble shafts in them with a rear shafted putter.

[jda]

I will say that you can learn a lot by paying attention to what really good players play.  Most care about shafts more than heads in woods, compact face that can get through the grass with irons, wedges and putter that just fit their eye.  Most that I know do not play a single club off of the shelf without doing something to it.  They also play slightly older stuff since once you get it dialed with weight, length and stuff, it sucks to change it every year without a tour van doing it for you.

[95124hacker]

A random I was paired with last weekend had an Autoflex driver shaft. This being my first time encountering one in the wild, I had to ask questions.

[Auleran87]

I feel like if i'm playing the same tees as someone I can't help but look into other bags. Dunno when it'll stop

[14max]

I really don't care what others are playing since I have my own issues to deal with.

[MtlJeff]

I love clubs....i always notice and sometimes will banter with people about what they use. My experience has been most people enjoy the conversation lol.

 

If you don't notice there's nothing wrong with that, to each their own of course. 

[roundersmitty]

I enjoy commenting on someone’s bag.  Doesn’t matter if it’s brand new or old Wilson Staff blades.  It’s interesting on what people throw together and enjoy using

[2Down]

It’s a topic for conversation during a round. I ask why something is in a bag, how long and did it work as planed.  

 

‘For instance, a friend has an old wedge in the bag.  He has worn the grooves off of the face.  So i wondered if the new groove rules would apply to a club that has none but should be illegal next year. 

[jwb10]

Of course you do, it's just the side-eye now; till the fevah' returns 

 

 

 

Edited July 31, 2023 by jwb10

[aramirez24]

I always take a look because I love talking about gear. Lately I'm less inclined to bring it up with strangers as I've quickly realized 99% of public golfers don't know or don't care about what the equipment is designed to do. And for most honestly it wouldn't matter either. 

[MattM97]

I notice when something stands out, for the most part people I play with all have older sets, nothing fancy, no reason to upgrade like most sane golfers do. 

 

I've had people notice and ask about things in my bag before and I'm happy to answer questions for them but then again my bag is probably more updated and unique that 99% of bags in my area on public courses. 

[BIG STU]

1 hour ago, aramirez24 said:

I always take a look because I love talking about gear. Lately I'm less inclined to bring it up with strangers as I've quickly realized 99% of public golfers don't know or don't care about what the equipment is designed to do. And for most honestly it wouldn't matter either. 

Yep you nailed it there. Most guys in my league do not know zilch about clubs period. Now one guy works at PGASS and is a fitter and I have quite a few conversations with him. He did notice I had built me a little heater V-Steel 5 wood with a Fubuki shaft and remarked that it was why I was hitting it high. I told him I do not work for PGASS but generally know what I am doing. Of course we got a laugh. I did run into a fellow member at the Shootout Saturday and he had purchased a new Vessel bag and we had a good discussion about that and bags in general. But in general 90% of the players out there know nothing about equipment sans Joe Pro plays it on tour and it cost XXXX amount of dollars so it must be good right?

Edited July 31, 2023 by BIG STU

[jda]

Made a comment to a good player yesterday about his left dot prov1 and he was amazed that I knew what it even was.  I do also find that folks who know what they are doing are happy to talk about it.

[CDLgolf]

The older I get the less I care. I've got 1 friend who changes clubs often and we talk about gear quite often. Other than he and his clubs I don't pay much attention anymore.

Edited July 31, 2023 by CDLgolf

[Jab3384]

Count me out... I nearly walked into a pole at the driving range the other day peeking at someone's bag. 

[Mikey_HACKilroy]

On 7/31/2023 at 11:12 AM, jda said:

Made a comment to a good player yesterday about his left dot prov1 and he was amazed that I knew what it even was.  I do also find that folks who know what they are doing are happy to talk about it.

 

Any time one excels at a particular skill, talking about said skill is like paying it forward. At least that how I see it.

[Pepperturbo]

On 7/27/2023 at 7:59 AM, me05501 said:

As a confirmed gear geek and obsessive, I recently noticed that my interest in what's in someone else's bag has faded to nearly zero. 

 

If one of my regular playing partners is trying something different I'll probably notice that. But lately I've gone entire rounds playing with people who are new to me and found myself paying no attention at all to what they're carrying. Unless they have something odd like a long putter or chipper I am oblivious. 

 

Maybe this is the normal way to be, I dunno. In the past I was more curious. Now I mostly keep my nose in my own bag. 

LOL nothing wrong with that.  Probably jaded from Golfwrx posters discounting experience with labels like anecdotal.  

 

Does what people play affect my thoughts, NO.  But if he/she is a player, I still listen or peak in the bag as I walk by.  I value experience over all the sanitized OEM internet charts that show up on Golfwrx to justify a less than experienced poster.  Just sayin... have a pleasant day.