New Club Regrets

[MichiganMike]

Let's hear some purchase regrets.

 

Mine was a Ping G20 driver this spring. I had been using a Callaway from ~2005. It worked great for me as I could really control it, but I had the nagging feeling I was missing something without newer technology. And this site certainly didn't help. After all if you're not playing prototypes due for release in 2017, you might as well be using hickory.

 

For at least the 2 prior years I constantly demoed off the shelf drivers, but none seemed to match my old trusty. I then convinced myself a good fitting would dial things in with a new club and I'd be off and running. Come spring, a Ping Demo Day at my local range was giving free Trackman fittings. It seemed perfect as my prior unfit trials left me believing the G20 was the closest to my old trusty.

 

Come demo day, after warming up, I hit ~20 with old trusty to get a baseline. Then I hit a bunch with a variety of builds. Based on Trackman results one setup was best so I made a purchase.

 

Fast forward about 20 rounds where I never felt comfortable with the new club. My distance seemed less and I was surely spraying the ball more. I decided to retire the new club and went back to old trusty. Viola! Game and scores improved immediately. New club is now collecting dust in the basement. I'd have sold it, but I figure I'll hold it as a backup since a direct replacement of old trusty won't be easy to find.

----------

As an aside to this story, I also still have doubts about my Trackman fitting. I will admit the ball seemed to travel well with the new G20 that day, but I had to rely on Trackman for actual distance. I can't be 100% sure as I heard a lot of numbers that day, but I'd still put money on the fact that I was initially told my initial average distance baseline with old trusty was 219 (crappy range balls and I'm not long to start). Then at the end of the fitting I was told my fit club went 226 versus a baseline of just 211. I don't want want to make any accusations of intentional deceit, but something about that still irks me. 15 extra yards might be worth $300, but what about just 7 extra yards? I should have said something then, but I felt a bit rushed with other people waiting and just rationalized it by thinking 1) I misremembered the initial number or 2) the tech had dropped a different number of outliers in the different numbers.

[ptjn1201]

But what about 17 extra yards? How much are they worth?

I find the machines can only give you a general idea. Out on the course, I swing differently than I do on the range, and if I'm indoors -- it's completely different. It could be something as basic as the grip, which might be slightly different in size or feel. You're confident with your old Callaway, anything new has to earn that trust, it's going to look a little different and feel a little different, no matter how close a fitter can get to your old specs. When you're on the range, it's harder to pick out an ideal line -- sure you can line up with the mats or the stalls, but it's not the same.

And don't be too sure you can't find a replacement for your old friend -- diligent EBay research might yield many siblings.

[mizuno player]

Scratch SB1's
Love the look hated the performance and build. Came in 4 swing weights higher then I ordered.
My distance was 2 -3 clubs off from all others I've played. $$$ not well spent.
Still hope company is successful tho.........

[sblack5]

Seemore center shafted putter....went from a blade to a center shafted putter because it felt amazing to setup to......couldnt make anything with it on course.

[DickieThon]

From the other thread- I've had a Mizuno Fli Hi for like 3 months. Today the 712U photo appears. There's 100 bucks I might as well have bet on Ryan Howard hitting 50 homers this year.

[RIDuffer]

I won't use trackman for anything other than dispersion and flight height... Distance is tougher because of roll out that the trackman can't pick up... I understand 10 yds is about a club length difference in approach, but would rather see the ball 10 yds back and in the FW then hitting a shorter club out of the rough...

Worst purchase was actually a shaft upgrade to the GD AD EV series. It took me 3 years to find a use for them, swapping them in and out of heads. Finally settled chopped 5 inches of the butt into some hybrids...

[Guia]

G20s are shovels. Ugly, ugly, ugly.

[Woodridge]

Used Scotty Cameron circa 62 model 1. A license plate attached with a rubber band to a stick would have better feel. Went back to my PIng redwood zb and had 14 putts for 9 the other day.

[Guia]

I use the Circa 62 model 1 and love it, but blade putters aren't for everyone. I have a second one as my back up.

[Willie Malay]

RBZ 3 wood: great off the tee, bad off the fairway. Cleveland's new 588 wedge: saying it is harsh is being kind.

[kylemacca01]

My regrets both new purchases and selling stuff and regretting it.

The list is long

Sold j33r 460 wb73x and i dont know why?! Was an amazing club and i was killing it

Always a blade player, decided to try some mp60s for added forgiveness, instant regret!

Sold MINT tei3 santa fei, instant regret

Bought plumbers neck 500 dollar mills, knew i hated plumbers neck putters, what was i thinking?

Once traded a scotty laguna pro plat for a 50 dollar ping putter because i tried a friend of a friends and started to make everything..... Made nothing after that! Regret

[g-mont]

Every 3 wood I've ever purchased.

[rocker40]

R11s now that i see the new 913 D3 drivers...

[hoosiervolunteer]

Callaway Razr X Black driver.

I hit it great on the range the first time I tried it. I hit it terrible on the course and every range session after that. I just didn't work and I just tried and tried to make it work.

At least Cally preowned gave me 90% trade credit (thank you) and I switched to a Razr Hawk. Much much better...

Cally preowned is like a crack dealer. Just try it they say. You can always send it back if you don't like it... Crack to a club ho fo sho

[cmrl1986]

Biggest regret of this year is the Cleveland cg16 tours that I paid full retail for. I paid full retail thinking that no matter what I would commit to them. The never felt right even though I loved the looks. Got a set of Cleveland cg1 tours in the mail the other day and now I couldn't be happier. Just wish I would have found them before I lost so much on the Cg16 tours. Live and learn I guess.

[KrazyTrain18]

I wouldn't say it's a regret, but I sort of wish I waited on buying my awesome 910D2 in early August and got a 913, but I'm still extremely happy with my purchase, favourite club in my bag ! Only full regret would have to be a Callaway Razr hybrid, it was sold right away, honestly a brutal club. Only got it as it was on sale for 75 $ ! Sold it for 150 $

[D-Fuzz]

[sub]I would never buy any club based on what a computer or simulator tells me. Not that I don't believe the numbers it is giving me, I just think people get too hung up on what the numbers are. I don't mind hitting into a simulator if all I am doing is evaluating the feel of the club, but when it comes to ballflight, I would rather take a club out on the range to see actual performance.[/sub]

[sub]I guess my only recent regret was buying a Titleist 904F 13* with a DG S300 shaft. I love the head, but not such a big fan of the shaft that is in it. I used to have a 975F with a DG S300 in it and loved it, but I find this one a little too soft in the tip and I seem to like to hit hard snap hooks with it. It's easily remedied though, just need to reshaft it with a decent graphite shaft.[/sub]

[Thrillhouse]

I guess there's a reason why I have a collection of clubs in the basement!

I dunno what to say to this question. I buy clubs when something tickles my fancy, sometimes I really like it, other times it winds up buried down there pretty quickly, either way I don't lose any sleep about it.

[Brianm423]

JPX 800 Pros. I guess I really don't REGRET the purchase since my ball striking has really improved gaming those and it allowed me to realize the quality and feel of Mizuno irons. The reason I'm hitting myself is that it's only been 2 years and I want to trade them in for MPs. I'm confident my game will continue to improve every year and it just makes sense to make the move to the MP line. I was in my local store yesterday and looking down at MP 53s, 59s, and 64s made me get all tingly inside. Seriously considering trading in the 800 Pros for MP 53s or 59s. Might get more if I sell them on here...so many decisions to make!

[596]

The only club I was ever fitted to was a Ping K15 driver. The fitting was done at Ping. I can't swing a club for poop on an indoor setting. I"m tall and feel as though I'm hitting the ceiling and walls. My indoor swing has me hitting my 160 yard 7 iron 130. Yep......130 at the Ping fitting. Yet on the course I hit a 7 iron from 160, a huge difference.

Ping allows you to demo a club from the factory fitting for like 3-4 days. Since I'm 2 hours away they allowed me to demo the driver for 7 days. I took it back and tried to buy it and they said I had to go to a retailer. They pryed the club from my hands. I went immediately to 3 retailers before I found one that had the Ping K15 12* in a stiff shaft.

NO regrets ever about a club purchase. But I've only been playing 4 years.

[tdelam]

TaylorMade Burner 2.0's, I sold them and got some MC's which I kind of regretted as well, they were the best set I've played from TM but I just sold those and went with Mizuno MP59's after trying them out almost everyday this week, I love these irons!

I guess you can see my biggest regret was trusting TaylorMade to ever really deliver a decent iron. I still game my R7 Quad Pro driver, I do indeed like the old drivers they produced but I think others have surpassed them by now.

[HiSpeed48]

K15 driver. Bought it used and the prior owner had a WinnLite grip on it which apparently makes the club head feel like 5 swingweights heavier, but I didn't know that so I left it on. It felt like I was swinging a sledgehammer so I sold it. I wish I would've known about the grip sooner so I could've changed it.

Vokey 60* wedge. Sole is really wide and it just doesn't interact well with the turf for me. I prefer the c-grind on my Cally.

[gambit]

Regret purchases:
G15 driver
MP-11 Wedges
Vokey Wedges

Regret sell offs:
VC 7.2 shaft

[FairwaysToHeaven]

[quote name='Brianm423' timestamp='1351086231' post='5838367']
JPX 800 Pros. I guess I really don't REGRET the purchase since my ball striking has really improved gaming those and it allowed me to realize the quality and feel of Mizuno irons. The reason I'm hitting myself is that it's only been 2 years and I want to trade them in for MPs. I'm confident my game will continue to improve every year and it just makes sense to make the move to the MP line. I was in my local store yesterday and looking down at MP 53s, 59s, and 64s made me get all tingly inside. Seriously considering trading in the 800 Pros for MP 53s or 59s. Might get more if I sell them on here...so many decisions to make!
[/quote]

I am in exact same situation. don't really regret the 800pros, but just sold them and moving to mp's. great clubs but handicap has dropped and ready to try something new. Got $590 on craigslist so have decent amount to work with. After trying every version of mizuno and titleist I've decided on mp64 8~pw and h4 4~7. Hoping no regrets for several years.

[FairwaysToHeaven]

My real regret would be original burners.didn't last a month before switching to the 800pros

[richard t]

If I have learned one thing (about myself). That is I never even consider buying a golf club (s) unless I hit it on the range and play with it a couple times. Not saying indoor things are wrong, rigged, false, but they are not the real deal to me. Lucky, the golf store I shop with has demos you can take out for a day or two. Pay for the club, return it and get your money back. Also, have a life long friend who is a PGA teaching pro. So, when a club is not good for me it's either I did not listen to good advice or there's something wrong with the indian's swing. Still, there are some arrows in the basement that don't work. Hmmmmm?

[iH83Putting]

Adams Fast12 3 wood. It replaced a burner superfast that I could just bomb. Bought the F12 after reading all the reviews here and d@mn was I let down. Hit nothing but worm burning hooks with that thing, now it's collecting dust in the garage. Finally replaced it with a R11. Back to hitting laser guided bombs.

[bullie76]

Callaway VFT irons was my biggest and most expensive regret. Never hit them that well and they cost about $1,100.

[st997777]

[quote name='g-mont' timestamp='1351047961' post='5837255']
Every 3 wood I've ever purchased.
[/quote]

Me too.

[goliath23]

I regret buying a Scotty Del mar. I dont even know why I bought it. 2 months later an I am looking to sell it already.

I regret buying the cleveland classic. I should have just bought another G15 for cheap but I wanted a shinny new toy.

I definitely regret buying the MP t-11 wedges. I dinged up a couple of my xforged wedges so I pulled the trigger. Bad idea. They dont play well with my swing at all. Full swings arent that bad but chipping is a lost cause. I have went back to my old wedges and looking for replacements instead.