Vintage Sticks for a Beginner

[Kathy Marie]

Hello Everyone,

 

I posted in Resolutions and Revelations that a very dear girlfriend wants to do more than minigolfing--I'm so excited!!!! :) Since I've decided I have zero teaching qualifications, I won't be teaching her the golf swing--but she's seen my hickories and she thinks they're neat.

 

Would you start a adult beginner with vintage equipment? Did you start your kids with vintage? Why or why not, and how did it work out for your child?

 

Also, is there any research on the easiest way for adults to learn golf? Since I still have a lot to learn myself, I'm interested in your answers too!

 

Many thanks,

 

Kathy Marie

[Kirasdad]

KM,

Hmm...very good question, and as much as I like vintage equipment I would have to honestly answer, no I wouldn't start out your friend with vintage clubs. Learning golf can be a frustrating experience, and the help that relatively modern gear can provide would be invaluable for someone just starting out. It will make the learning curve less steep, if you will. Now I say relatively modern for there is no need here to run out and buy a set of Rocketballz, or anything of that nature. I'm thinking of something like a partial set of Ping Zing 2s in a ladies length would be a good choice. You might be able to find some singles on ebay or a listing of 6,8,9,pw for cheap. There is always someone with a listing like that. They are really good clubs with lots of forgiveness and very good shafts, and in that model, I believe you can get a regular shaft as opposed to the stiff shaft that was in all their offerings up to that point. Couple those with a five wood maybe, forget the driver for now, and go with a higher lofted, shorter shafted fairway wood, and a putter of her choice to round out the bag would be a good way to start.

I would also highly recomend lessons from a good LPGA professional. A woman will understand her (and your) needs, have a great bedside manner, and not over teach. This should be simple and fun, not complicated and laborious. A good male teacher is not easy to find. I'm a good player who has taken a number of lessons over the years and the good teachers don't grow on trees. They seem to have systems they are pushing or insist on "remaking your swing to increase lag" sort of thing, aka cocky know it alls. Maybe it's just Southern Calif. but many of these guys want to be the next Butch Harmon. A good woman pro will listen and do what you want, teach the basics.

When progress is made and a repeating swing is developing, if you wanted to go vintage I would say the Hogan Radial would be a great choice. Easiest vintage club there is to hit, and you get that great Hogan feel and quality control. Also with a little patience you might find a set with the number 1 shaft, which is specifically designed for women.

I hope you find this helpful, and I'm sure the others will weigh in with ideas as well.

Good luck!

[Ol_Pardner]

KM, Liked Kirasdad's reply, he's particularly right about the Hogan Radials for beginners. When it comes to shafts however, a couple of questions that should be considered, such as how atheletic is your friend and how tall is she? A friend of mine is very atheletic, played basketball in her youth, is an avid league tennis player now, and plays a set of Jack Nicklaus Golden Bears, from Nicklaus Golf, not the old MacGregors, with men's regular/medium shaft and modern woods with graphite shafts. She has no problem hitting them. She took up golf for the business networking advantages. She is 6' tall, lean and muscular.
Have noticed Ladies Hogan Medallions and others listed on ebay lately. In case you're wondering, among the reasons that so many of us are devoted to Ben Hogan golf clubs is the consistency in quality and production practices found in a matched set of irons, from the longest iron to the shortest wedge, thus eliminating the requirement to make swing or grip adjustments from one club to the next.

[super20dan]

there is so much vintage lady gear to choose from. best is the price is so low cause people cant give it away.. i have several ladies sets i dont know what to do with.hoping to get my daughter interested but no luck.

[jimmyjames]

I set up my ex wife with a Taylormade Burner 2007 ladies 13* driver, Ram Lady hybrids 4,5 and 6, Callaway X-16 4-SW with lady graphite and she picked out a pink Wilson ladies putter. I don't think this bag cost us more that $250 and she did really well with it. As far as vintage vintage I highly doubt any of the old gear is worth it because it won't be anywhere near as forgiving and the older gear tends to be very heavy.

[HoldenCornfield]

[quote name='jimmyjames' timestamp='1389196590' post='8422043']
I set up my ex wife with a Taylormade Burner 2007 ladies 13* driver, Ram Lady hybrids 4,5 and 6, Callaway X-16 4-SW with lady graphite and she picked out a pink Wilson ladies putter. I don't think this bag cost us more that $250 and she did really well with it. As far as vintage vintage I highly doubt any of the old gear is worth it because it won't be anywhere near as forgiving and the older gear tends to be very heavy.
[/quote]

My wife, who is 4'11" and 92 lbs, opted for a junior set. She's much happier with the lengths and weight of them.

[Kathy Marie]

[quote name='HoldenCornfield' timestamp='1389229689' post='8425263']
My wife, who is 4'11" and 92 lbs, opted for a junior set. She's much happier with the lengths and weight of them.
[/quote]

*sigh* Dang, Holden, I [i]so wish [/i]I had bought a junior set out of the gate!!! First time out I was wandering around and found the kids sets, one included my height. Sales dude: "You can't buy that one, you're not athletic enough for it." I kid you not! What's worse is I believed it...

Why aren't any specs available on these things? How do you shop intelligently if all you know is "3 Wood" "4 Hybrid" "9 iron"??? Are all those clubs really the same?? I've read on the boards about how a vintage 5 iron is today's 6 or 7 iron, haven't seen much about differences between vintage/current woods and drivers.

Is there a Ralph Nader of Golf Clubs? I need a consult, I think...

[Kathy Marie]

[quote name='jimmyjames' timestamp='1389196590' post='8422043']
I set up my ex wife with a Taylormade Burner 2007 ladies 13* driver, Ram Lady hybrids 4,5 and 6, Callaway X-16 4-SW with lady graphite and she picked out a pink Wilson ladies putter. I don't think this bag cost us more that $250 and she did really well with it. As far as vintage vintage I highly doubt any of the old gear is worth it because it won't be anywhere near as forgiving and the older gear tends to be very heavy.
[/quote]

JimmyJames, what would be "vintage vintage" gear be in your book? 80's, 70's? Wood woods, steel shafts?

And how did you know what to buy your wife?? I mean you've really mixed it up in her bag, TM, RAM, Callaway and Wilson, four lines. You don't see that much any more, people buy the whole set at one place. So how did you know what you wanted from where?

[Kathy Marie]

[quote name='Kirasdad' timestamp='1389161652' post='8420571']
KM,

Hmm...very good question, and as much as I like vintage equipment I would have to honestly answer, no I wouldn't start out your friend with vintage clubs. Learning golf can be a frustrating experience, and the help that relatively modern gear can provide would be invaluable for someone just starting out. It will make the learning curve less steep, if you will. Now I say relatively modern for there is no need here to run out and buy a set of Rocketballz, or anything of that nature. I'm thinking of something like a partial set of Ping Zing 2s in a ladies length would be a good choice. You might be able to find some singles on ebay or a listing of 6,8,9,pw for cheap. There is always someone with a listing like that. They are really good clubs with lots of forgiveness and very good shafts, and in that model, I believe you can get a regular shaft as opposed to the stiff shaft that was in all their offerings up to that point. Couple those with a five wood maybe, forget the driver for now, and go with a higher lofted, shorter shafted fairway wood, and a putter of her choice to round out the bag would be a good way to start.

I would also highly recomend lessons from a good LPGA professional. A woman will understand her (and your) needs, have a great bedside manner, and not over teach. This should be simple and fun, not complicated and laborious. A good male teacher is not easy to find. I'm a good player who has taken a number of lessons over the years and the good teachers don't grow on trees. They seem to have systems they are pushing or insist on "remaking your swing to increase lag" sort of thing, aka cocky know it alls. Maybe it's just Southern Calif. but many of these guys want to be the next Butch Harmon. A good woman pro will listen and do what you want, teach the basics.

When progress is made and a repeating swing is developing, if you wanted to go vintage I would say the Hogan Radial would be a great choice. Easiest vintage club there is to hit, and you get that great Hogan feel and quality control. Also with a little patience you might find a set with the number 1 shaft, which is specifically designed for women.

I hope you find this helpful, and I'm sure the others will weigh in with ideas as well.

Good luck!
[/quote]

Kirasdad, [b]thank you so much![/b] It's *extremely* helpful indeed! Are there other models you like from Ping line besides the Zing 2? And no 7 iron, is that correct? Are there any other mfrs whose gear you could also recommend?

And are Pings better than (gulp) TaylorMade 360 cavity backs? I guess I'm wondering if I should think about getting some Ping myself if you think so highly of them. I know that debates rage about the differences between bladed iron sets; are there significant differences between cavity back sets??

I do have a pet theory on golf club pricing, having seen a ladies set at $600+ drop to $160 the day after the industry show. I'm thinking golf clubs may be like architecture, it takes ~50 years for an architectural style to be well-regarded. I'm wondering if the same might be true of golf clubs or possibly the cycle might be shorter. But it does seem to me that prices are lowest for 90's golf gear, do you have any thoughts on that?

And an LPGA pro, got it. I will start making inquiries.

Lastly, in your opinion, how would you know a beginner is ready to try vintage clubs? When they get 50% good hits, 60%, more? When their swing looks like __________? Or, they quit doing _____________?

Or...?

Thanks again,

Kathy Marie

[Kathy Marie]

[quote name='Ol_Pardner' timestamp='1389166677' post='8420711']
KM, Liked Kirasdad's reply, he's particularly right about the Hogan Radials for beginners. When it comes to shafts however, a couple of questions that should be considered, such as how atheletic is your friend and how tall is she? A friend of mine is very atheletic, played basketball in her youth, is an avid league tennis player now, and plays a set of Jack Nicklaus Golden Bears, from Nicklaus Golf, not the old MacGregors, with men's regular/medium shaft and modern woods with graphite shafts. She has no problem hitting them. She took up golf for the business networking advantages. She is 6' tall, lean and muscular.
Have noticed Ladies Hogan Medallions and others listed on ebay lately. In case you're wondering, among the reasons that so many of us are devoted to Ben Hogan golf clubs is the consistency in quality and production practices found in a matched set of irons, from the longest iron to the shortest wedge, thus eliminating the requirement to make swing or grip adjustments from one club to the next.
[/quote]


Hello, Ol-Pardner!

My friend is much taller than I but neither of us is athletic like your friend--kudos to her, she's an excellent example for us all methinks.

I'm well aware the board loves Hogan but I've not heard much praise for the Radials here. I've seen some Princess irons at my local thrift, they were pretty beat up, there were only a few & so I let them go. Now of course I'm wishing I'd grabbed them.... (shrug) I do have 3 different M&F model irons from RAM golf and if I can find some calipers I want to measure those puppies. They are so close to identical I'm almost positive the only things altered were the stampings on the clubs. Same thing for a couple of loose clubs from Spalding and I think I recall clubs of distinction saying Wilson used the same forgings for it's male and female Dynapowers in one listing. It was a man's set with one woman's club in it, bent to the correct loft for it's new mission.

Do any of the Hogan woman's models remind you of the men's models?

I must say the thing I most remember around the boards about the Radials were that they are Ugly. But probably so were Pings when they first came out, so new rule: Pretty is as pretty does.

Thanks Ol-Pardner,

K

[Oldplayer]

Don't start anyone with vintage or old blade style irons or small headed woods. As the first reply rightly stated it makes the learning curve too steep.
There is a ton of used gear around. If you can find a good teaching pro, when they have a look at the pupil and their size and ability they would be in a great position to recommend a suitable setup.
Even on a budget they should be able to give some very good recommendations.

[BIG STU]

[quote name='HoldenCornfield' timestamp='1389229689' post='8425263']
[quote name='jimmyjames' timestamp='1389196590' post='8422043']
I set up my ex wife with a Taylormade Burner 2007 ladies 13* driver, Ram Lady hybrids 4,5 and 6, Callaway X-16 4-SW with lady graphite and she picked out a pink Wilson ladies putter. I don't think this bag cost us more that $250 and she did really well with it. As far as vintage vintage I highly doubt any of the old gear is worth it because it won't be anywhere near as forgiving and the older gear tends to be very heavy.
[/quote]My wife is the same size as yours. I started her out with a set of Titlette (Titleist ladies blades) which are about 1976 vintage or so with a set of early TM ladies woods. I bought the whole shooting match for about $25 several years ago. I did have to cut them down for her. Since we closed the golf shop I had some hybrid heads and built her some hybrids with Harrison ladies pink shafts. She found her a Mizuno Ladies composite driver that is cobalt blue and she likes it. She is not really a serious golfer and don't care for instruction she just likes to hit it and have fun. She also found her an Anser style Ray Cook putter she loves and I cut it down for her like she wanted and she wanted some lead tape in it like most of my clubs so she got it too. She does not hit the driver but 150 or so but she chips ok and putts well but most of all she has fun

My wife, who is 4'11" and 92 lbs, opted for a junior set. She's much happier with the lengths and weight of them.
[/quote]

[rvgolfer]

For most beginning golfers, their primary goal is just to be able to move the ball down the range or course, and to not have mishits. Most beginning golfers have trouble getting the ball up in the air, whether its from a tee or off the fairway. Handicapping them with vintage blades or drivers less than 12 degrees doesn't make much sense to me.

If you don't know how far the ball will go, and your ball striking is inconsistent, its really not necessary to have a full set. Were I starting my wife out today as a beginner, it would be a 12 degree driver, a 5 wood, a 4 hybrid, and 7,8,9,w, sw and putter. And most likely, she wouldn't really need 5 irons, but just for appearance would want to have them in the bag. If one or two were missing, from the 7,8,9,w,sw, it really wouldn't cause too much of an issue, so finding a nice incomplete set wouldn't be all that much problem.

Good instruction is far more important than the set of clubs, having fun is next. Realize that if the beginner can develop consistent ball striking, and have fun, and really begin to like playing golf, a different set of clubs is in the future, no matter what the first set was.

[Wriggles]

KM

My advice for anyone starting out is to go to the local Goodwill, look in the bin and buy several 7 irons of different models. Thrifts sometimes have nice stuff for a dollar or two. Last year, I bought 3 Callaway drivers (older models) in excellent condition for $5 and tax total. Anyhow, I digress. Sign up for a community college class, to learn proper grip and stance. Then, get some practice balls and practice in the backyard. After a couple lessons, pick the seven iron you hit best, and play nine holes with just the seven iron. (Maybe take a putter with you.)

It may not be fashionable to play with one club, but learning to play a difficult game is much easier with one club. Once you get the hang of it, buy more clubs. Good used clubs are very cheap, even in second hand golf shops. A nice ladies' set will not break the bank. Many may disagree, but club fitting and the latest equipment will only frustrate the golfer. Too many golfers will buy the latest equipment with fittings, and play poorly, then blame the clubs. A good golf game cannot be bought. Go out with the thought of having fun and getting exercise. (Walking is the way golf is meant to played. Riding takes a lot of fun out of the game, I think.)

I play with a very minimalist kit, Driver, 3W, 7I, PW, and putter in a small Sunday bag. Sometimes, I'll add an additional iron or substitute one for another. I've been playing minimalist for over a decade, and I haven't looked back. Funny, when I was a beginner in the 1960's, I'd be ashamed to be seen with only 3 or 4 clubs in my bag. Played for decades with the 14 clubs in a huge staff bag mindset, buying new stuff every so often, thinking the latest clubs would help my game. It just doesn't work that way.

Good luck!

[Kathy Marie]

[quote name='Oldplayer' timestamp='1389352054' post='8433929']
Don't start anyone with vintage or old blade style irons or small headed woods. As the first reply rightly stated it makes the learning curve too steep.
There is a ton of used gear around. If you can find a good teaching pro, when they have a look at the pupil and their size and ability they would be in a great position to recommend a suitable setup.
Even on a budget they should be able to give some very good recommendations.
[/quote]

Hello, Oldplayer--

Please accept my apologies for the delay, my girlfriend is a Woman On A Mission and we've hit every golf shop between here and Timbuktoo, some of them twice. Been a very busy few days, shopping marathons are work!

And I got the message loud and clear, No Vintage Clubs!!! She Who Must Not Be Named (SWMNBN) has decided on New Clubs, used will NOT do--so that's that. She also doesn't like steel shafts, when she soled a graphite shafted club she commented favorably on how light it was, "not like the ones you brought." Ah, well! I think she might opt for a graphite shaft in the putter if she could...

As for a teaching pro, the same name keeps coming up as being a specialist in beginners. And when I ask about local women teachers there is the identical befuddled look and "Well, there *used* to be one at...." comment. Apparently PGA pros move around a lot?

Kathy Marie

[Kathy Marie]

[quote name='rvgolfer' timestamp='1389360591' post='8434205']
For most beginning golfers, their primary goal is just to be able to move the ball down the range or course, and to not have mishits. Most beginning golfers have trouble getting the ball up in the air, whether its from a tee or off the fairway. Handicapping them with vintage blades or drivers less than 12 degrees doesn't make much sense to me.

If you don't know how far the ball will go, and your ball striking is inconsistent, its really not necessary to have a full set. Were I starting my wife out today as a beginner, it would be a 12 degree driver, a 5 wood, a 4 hybrid, and 7,8,9,w, sw and putter. And most likely, she wouldn't really need 5 irons, but just for appearance would want to have them in the bag. If one or two were missing, from the 7,8,9,w,sw, it really wouldn't cause too much of an issue, so finding a nice incomplete set wouldn't be all that much problem.

Good instruction is far more important than the set of clubs, having fun is next. Realize that if the beginner can develop consistent ball striking, and have fun, and really begin to like playing golf, a different set of clubs is in the future, no matter what the first set was.
[/quote]

RVGolfer--

Thanks so much for giving your take on a beginner set, that's [i]very [/i]helpful! We've been looking at boxed sets and just getting the specs can be an issue, much less comparing them. I want SWMNBN to have a set that works so she can learn quickly. have more success and fun. Realizing these might be replaced--well, if so Hurrah! That means she's growing in the game!! What I hope to avoid is getting a set that sabotages her...

Kathy Marie

[Kathy Marie]

[quote name='Wriggles' timestamp='1389379129' post='8436225']
My advice for anyone starting out is to go to the local Goodwill, look in the bin and buy several 7 irons of different models. Thrifts sometimes have nice stuff for a dollar or two. Last year, I bought 3 Callaway drivers (older models) in excellent condition for $5 and tax total. Anyhow, I digress. Sign up for a community college class, to learn proper grip and stance. Then, get some practice balls and practice in the backyard. After a couple lessons, pick the seven iron you hit best, and play nine holes with just the seven iron. (Maybe take a putter with you.)

It may not be fashionable to play with one club, but learning to play a difficult game is much easier with one club. Once you get the hang of it, buy more clubs. Good used clubs are very cheap, even in second hand golf shops. A nice ladies' set will not break the bank. Many may disagree, but club fitting and the latest equipment will only frustrate the golfer. Too many golfers will buy the latest equipment with fittings, and play poorly, then blame the clubs. A good golf game cannot be bought. Go out with the thought of having fun and getting exercise. (Walking is the way golf is meant to played. Riding takes a lot of fun out of the game, I think.)

I play with a very minimalist kit, Driver, 3W, 7I, PW, and putter in a small Sunday bag. Sometimes, I'll add an additional iron or substitute one for another. I've been playing minimalist for over a decade, and I haven't looked back. Funny, when I was a beginner in the 1960's, I'd be ashamed to be seen with only 3 or 4 clubs in my bag. Played for decades with the 14 clubs in a huge staff bag mindset, buying new stuff every so often, thinking the latest clubs would help my game. It just doesn't work that way.

Good luck!
[/quote]

Thanks Mr. Wriggles!! :-) I know there are folks working on playing minimalist bags, following your lead as it were--kudos to you! I wish we could find a large supply of used lady clubs but everywhere I've inquired, I'm told women don't trade in their kit like men do. These places get in one used lady set every 3-6 months and they're gone in a flash. Even walking in the shops, two didn't have any used clubs for ladies. The locally owned emporium did, their combined women & kids used section was 1/10th the size of the men's section.

We bought tickets to the local golf show, hoping that perhaps we could get some clubs there, show specials and what not. Have you--has anyone-- gone to a golf show and bought clubs?

Thanks,

Kathy Marie

[Ol_Pardner]

KM, among other suggestions, Wriggles "nailed it" on the Community College course suggestion. That really is a good suggestion for someone taking up the game as an adult. Whether its at a community college, university, or even some golf courses, all from time to time will offer a "Clinic" for beginners. Of course, it is a marketing tool for the provider, trying increase their traffic, or number of rounds played, but still a service.
Usually 1 evening a week for 8 to 10 weeks, for a couple of hours groups of like- minded individuals of similar abilities get some instruction and hit golf balls on the range, under the watchful eye of a golf professional. Usually reasonably priced, you're likely to be around more golfers of differing abilities, but more beginners than experienced. Some colleges even offer the courses for credit. [Here I can proudly say what "Beginning Golf" at the University of Alabama meant to me: I earned the only "A" I made at the UofA, and it kept me off of the "Inverted Dean's List," for 1 more semester. I had been playing for about 10yrs, and had played on the high sch golf team.] My Mother--a non-golfer--participated in a couple of these clinics, at different courses and really enjoyed them. She learned to play, wanted to play for exercise and family-time, and achieved her goals. At one of them, the "graduation" was a 9 or 18 hole "twilight" tournament among the participants and each brought a guest. You can also find some networking possibilities at these clinics.
I'm hoping that SWMNBN is not like my current students--a 4 y.o. and 22 y.o. twin bouncers [literally, their former profession]--who expect to be ready to play a competitive round in 3 weeks! After all, they've made holes-in-one(s)--putt-putt; and mastered several online golf games. [Needless to say, the 3 wk window has moved a couple times in the last month+.]
I don't know about the 'modern' clubs, but one of the biggest differences between men's and women's clubs is in their respective clubface lofts. For instance, I took an old Taylormade woman's 3 wd, 'pulled' the shaft, and replaced it with a man's shaft. At 17 degrees of loft, it was considered a woman's 3 wood. By men's standards, it is now a 'strong' 4 wood, or a weak 3 wood. [a club's Loft is considered strong, when it is a lower number, than as typically 'standard.' By old stds: 19*+ was a men's 4 wds, and 3wds were usually 15 to 16*. It would be considered weak, by Men's modern stds, where 3 wds, range from 13* to 15*s.] And sometimes, the clubheads for women's clubs are slightly smaller, or more compact, as in the case of the 3 wood above. [btw: makes a great, small utility wood, easier for me to hit than some hybrids.]

[Kathy Marie]

[quote name='Ol_Pardner' timestamp='1389663922' post='8455497']
KM, among other suggestions, Wriggles "nailed it" on the Community College course suggestion. That really is a good suggestion for someone taking up the game as an adult. Whether its at a community college, university, or even some golf courses, all from time to time will offer a "Clinic" for beginners. Of course, it is a marketing tool for the provider, trying increase their traffic, or number of rounds played, but still a service.
Usually 1 evening a week for 8 to 10 weeks, for a couple of hours groups of like- minded individuals of similar abilities get some instruction and hit golf balls on the range, under the watchful eye of a golf professional. Usually reasonably priced, you're likely to be around more golfers of differing abilities, but more beginners than experienced. Some colleges even offer the courses for credit. [Here I can proudly say what "Beginning Golf" at the University of Alabama meant to me: I earned the only "A" I made at the UofA, and it kept me off of the "Inverted Dean's List," for 1 more semester. I had been playing for about 10yrs, and had played on the high sch golf team.] My Mother--a non-golfer--participated in a couple of these clinics, at different courses and really enjoyed them. She learned to play, wanted to play for exercise and family-time, and achieved her goals. At one of them, the "graduation" was a 9 or 18 hole "twilight" tournament among the participants and each brought a guest. You can also find some networking possibilities at these clinics.
I'm hoping that SWMNBN is not like my current students--a 4 y.o. and 22 y.o. twin bouncers [literally, their former profession]--who expect to be ready to play a competitive round in 3 weeks! After all, they've made holes-in-one(s)--putt-putt; and mastered several online golf games. [Needless to say, the 3 wk window has moved a couple times in the last month+.]
I don't know about the 'modern' clubs, but one of the biggest differences between men's and women's clubs is in their respective clubface lofts. For instance, I took an old Taylormade woman's 3 wd, 'pulled' the shaft, and replaced it with a man's shaft. At 17 degrees of loft, it was considered a woman's 3 wood. By men's standards, it is now a 'strong' 4 wood, or a weak 3 wood. [a club's Loft is considered strong, when it is a lower number, than as typically 'standard.' By old stds: 19*+ was a men's 4 wds, and 3wds were usually 15 to 16*. It would be considered weak, by Men's modern stds, where 3 wds, range from 13* to 15*s.] And sometimes, the clubheads for women's clubs are slightly smaller, or more compact, as in the case of the 3 wood above. [btw: makes a great, small utility wood, easier for me to hit than some hybrids.]
[/quote]

Ol_Pardner, SWMNBN is like a sister to me and I think is aiming for fun, exercise, being outside in the beauty of nature and maybe some social networking as well. Thanks for highlighting the Community College courses, here's hoping they will be advertising at the golf show! I loved your college story, as well as your mom's learning to golf saga. I appreciate your sharing them--the twilight tournament sounds especially cool, I've gone only during the day.

About the lofts and shafts and club specs, my eyes are crossed from trying to make sense of it for her. What reading I've done on GolfWRX suggests more loft, more flexible shafts, lighter (which she wants anyway) and cavity backs (the Ping Zing 2 Kirasdad suggested.) Wriggles' and rvgolfer's suggestions of buying non-sets works a treat if you're buying used, but going new I think we're looking at boxed sets from a cost standpoint. I do think lessons >>> clubs, especially now at the beginning.

Last but NOT least, I am feeling a bit... well, uneasy continuing to post about this here. This is the VINTAGE forum after all and the forum wisdom is "no vintage clubs for the beginner." Fair enough, but doesn't that make this thread off topic here then?

I don't want to impose on your hospitality....

Kathy Marie

[Kirasdad]

KM,

I went out to my garage today and found something that you might be interested in. I have a set 2-9 of Wilson Patty Berg ladies irons. They are, I believe, from the late 50's. I date them by the fact that they have True Temper Rocket shafts and no PW, which was a specialty club in those days. Also the leather grips (which need some conditioning) are from that era. If you would be interested in them, I would gladly let you have them for the cost of shipping, probably between 15-20 dollars depending on where you live. I've had them for awhile, picked them up at a flea market for a song with the idea that my daughter might want them, but she's only ten, and has four clubs that she happily employs, and are all the clubs she needs. It would be probably 7 or 8 years before she could swing the Wilsons, and if she's interested in golf then she'll want a set of "warpdrivetothenextgalaxy" irons from Taylor Made so I can let these go to someone who might appreciate them now, such as you.

PM me (personal message on golfwrx) if you are interested.