0:00 - 2:42 Intro 2:45 - 16:31 Are new golf clubs a WASTE of money? 16:33 - 22:58 Tour Golf is HARD! 29:18 - 39:36 Should golf pros earn more money? 39:40 - 44:16 FASTEST Clubhouse member! 44:51 - 47:24 AMAZING hole-in-one 47:25 - 52:47 Very ANGRY viewer emails us 53:31 - 54:07 Does Guy HATE LIV Golf? 57:59 - 1:02:27 Guy CHEATED at golf 1:02:31 - 1:09:49 How to get MOTIVATED to practice golf!
With the topic of 2nd hand golf on the pod becoming more frequent... feel like a colab with Simon from SAS golf would be a great edition of the pod and then something on your channel doing something with 2nd hand golf clubs would be great
I think getting a fitting is 100% worth it, mainly for the shafts and angles (which IMO are the most important bits) more than just getting new clubs, but once you're fitted there is no point changing until they have seen better days. I had my old clubs for 9 years, and got fitted for a set 2 years ago. Before I always used to look at newer and "better" clubs, but I don't even look at clubs now because I know mine are fitted for me.
Exactly I'm more concerned with grips and wraps than new clubheads. Once you are fitted for the right shaft bend profile, a new club is not as much of an improvement. Get fitted is a good idea.
@@str8nashtygaming466 you get fitted with new clubs and you buy new clubs. Club head and shaft needs to be exact. Some ppl get fitted but get the prior generation club head in order to get some discount. In the end, they are not happy with the result. You spend more with fitted club and use several years versus you buy every year and get frustrated on the course. It's pretty easy choice.
@@jackychuang4692 gotcha. I just started playing, and I've been using a starter set. I want to get some better clubs, so I wasn't sure on the process. Does it matter where I go to get fitted? Would I be better off going to a pro shop, or can I goto like a dicks sporting goods and get fitted?
@@str8nashtygaming466 you can search local fitter with good reputation. Some fitter will waive fitting fee if you make transaction with them. In this way, you can try different head / shaft combo and choose the combo with best result. It's way more cost efficient than buying off the rack or buy based on someone else's comment/feedback. Good luck
New clubs for me have minimal changes from previous years. But it does one thing gets me excited to play a little bit more. It might even be psychological of getting rid of the old driver that is marked with sky ball mark or paint scratch.
We used to test golf clubs, especially Drivers by taking them on to the course in the 90s pre launch monitors. It very quickly became apparent that no driver stopped you hitting a slice, hook or top. I remember Mr Ryan putting tape on to the top of the club to stop sky marks 🤣🤣🤣 Happy days 👍
Lads have a hole in one story. I am new to golf this year haven’t played nearly as much as I’d like to get better and I’m currently off 26.2. A few weeks ago I went out for nine holes after work on my own in a buggy which I have done a couple of times. Was playing really well and nailing my m6 which I was using for the first time. I made par on index 1 16th and then tee’d it up on the par 3 17th. No practice swing or anything like I’d usually do an over think things just hit the purest 6 iron I’ve ever hit. It took one bounce and kicked slightly left and straight in. Stood alone I felt sick that this had happened on my own !! No reaction I just drove up took a pic got the ball and text my wife and my best mate. I haven’t told anyone else as if someone of my level told me they’d a hole in one alone I’d be like I’m sure you did mate😂 I’m still upset about it every time I think about it
Gongrats on your first hole in 1! Just started playing golf myself in June and after a whole lifetime (31) years of saying golf was for old timers I've been addicted. My home course last month told me we'd played that course alone 18 times this summer. And I've played much more all around and still have not made a hole in 1. I'm breaking 100. Breaking 90 on some easier courses but I live in the mountains in Canada and a lot of our courses have a lot of elevation and hills. Lots of off lies to get good at. Addicted to golf though! All I watch on UA-cam and do in my spare time now haha!
Something I have thought about Tiger for a long time now: he was soooo good at taking the new tech in clubs, which exploded in the mid 90's, and using them to make shots no one had ever seen before. He was absolutely brilliant, a technical artist even, at exploiting the new technology which defined club making in that era. Someone like Tiger can make the most of every new tweek club makers are coming up with, but that is beyond most of us! Great segment, guys. Keep up the great content. Something I would love to see is more talk about the ladies tours. Their golf is different from the men's game and I would love to see you get a guest on to talk about that. Also, I see it changing a bit with some of the youngsters coming up. Their swings are starting to look more similar to what I see from men. Steeper angles of attack in irons and more aggressive driver swings which will lead to average distances rising. Thanks!!
I got a new set of clubs this year. Everything new from lob to driver. Got fitted and definitely play better as a result. However, I won't even be looking at new equipment for 10+ years. My old clubs were good but not as forgiving as I needed.
What’s funny is I used to change clubs every other year. Now I look for retro clubs and just go back to my older sets to mix and match my bag. This I have found gives me the best bag for my ability without forking out loads of money every 12 or 18 months. Currently play - Epic Flash driver with a 43” shaft, Srixon 5 wood, Ping G425 22 Hybrid, Callaway Stealhead XR 5, 6 and 7 irons, Mizuno MP18SC 8, 9, P, Taylormade Grind wedges and a 5 year old V line putter. Mix of Jumbo grips and midsize. Suits me and keeps me in love with game! Love the channel gents, keep it coming.
If you're playing a lot of golf, you're going to wear down the grooves on your irons (and especially your wedges) eventually and will need to upgrade... Here's a Driver anecdote for you to compare to the one Guy told. I have a first gen Taylor Made Rocketballz driver (came out in 2012). My driver swing speed hovers around 110 and I hit that driver on average 265 yards carry. pure strikes I can push 275, mishits can be 240-250. I went to get fitted for the new TSR3, same club head speed and was averaging 280+ with pure hits reaching 300 carry. Also the TSR was producing more consistent strikes, I had a series of 3 hits all land within 5 yards of each other where the Rocketballz was extremely inconsistent with the direction.
I’ll counter the point of new clubs don’t make a big difference. I think if it’s apples to apples comparison (loft, shaft, etc.) I agree. However going from cavity back irons to forged, or regular flex 12 degree shaft to stiff 9 degree can make a huge difference! Long story short, pay for a fitting then take those specs and buy used clubs that fit your game ⛳️
I rented an hour on a GC Quad to test out the ball speed on my driver collection. After testing drivers made from 2002 to 2013 (Titleist 975 J-VS to a Taylormade R1) and everything in between, the ball speed was within 2 MPH of each other.
I still use my Titleist 905 R. I really think it’s the shaft fitting your swing that makes the difference. My 905 R has the Graphite Design YS-6+ stiff shaft in it, and I can’t find another shaft/head combo that I hit better. That driver is approaching 20 years old.
I’ve gotten new (fitted) irons two years ago and went from a very traditional 47* pitching wedge to a modern traditional 46* pitching wedge. Granted I’ve worked on my swing but I’ve picked up nearly 20 meters distance and the difference was instant. Srixon zx-7’s are worth a go. That worked for me for what that’s what worth. Only crappy thing was I needed new wedges for gapping😅
As an American I appreciate the fact you speak the word amateur correctly. Thank you, it’s for that reason only I became a subscriber. In all seriousness you two bring an absolutely fantastic podcast.
As an Englishman in the UK, I prefer the 'English' pronunciation of 'amma-tur', as opposed to 'amma-chure'.......but I'm not precious about it ! Not sure it's a case of right v wrong !
I’m a pretty high level golfer, but I play on the amateur level. When it comes to not making enough money, I think anyone who wants to compete locally, the competition is enough. Prizes are nice but not the reason I play. For local pro events, I understand people complaining about not making enough money, but we run into the women’s soccer conundrum of what is something worth to the world compared to an individual
I recently bought a set of golf clubs from an old friend who passed away. Since getting them I’ve played or practiced 8-160-290 balls every day. The clubs totally clicked every switched in my brain about golf. Seeing shots mentally instead of outcome play, dropped 20 or more shots in just several months. The bulk of the set is adams v3 wedges and low irons, 4,5,6 hybrids and Taylor superburner 9.5 driver and 3 wood. I kept my callaway 3 and 4 power stroke irons and putter. Not sure how they rank, but for me these clubs made all the difference. Fascinating to think about the level of skill of the pros.
I love it when someone looks into my bag to see what I'm playing with. Driver= Titleist 910 D3, Fairway woods= Callaway Warbird 3+ & 5, Irons= Ping Isi-K 3-L, Putter= Ping Anser. The looks I get. Get told I need to update, but hcp sits from Scr to 2. I know what they do, so I will stick with them.
I just have my R9 460 (and Callaway Big Bertha War Bird 12 degree) in the bag. As I get older I don't need more distance, I need better vision to see where the ball went.
I have the same problem and I don't even hit very long. Had a couple of lovely shots recently where I had forgotten to put my glasses on and lost a ball that could have been just a foot of fairway but had no idea where to look. I nearly lost one which was 200 yards, dead centre of fairway, because it felt like I had hit it right but hadn't.
Had a £5 wilson driver from a 2nd hand bin, finally figured it out and was hitting pretty consistently. So thought id splash out on a callaway epic flash and now i cant hit driver to save my life
i think the difference now is perhaps getting proper fittings are more reliable and available. Combinations of different shafts, heads proportion to your swing can improve consistency, dispersion and feel which translate to confidence. i think that is the difference.
Great podcast. Whilst I love the banter and the golf stories, particularly the chat about old golf clubs taking you back to your youth, the thing that really made me laugh was......the word bifter! Not heard that for years 😂. Brought back a fair few memories, including the absolutely honking Dunlop Loco Crazy Long driver I had with the yellow shaft back in the day! 🤣
Great episode guys! I'm always curious about new tech. I'm still hitting Ping Eye 2 green dots from around the early 90s, and I tell myself that until I can't consistently shoot sub 80 (I'm in the high 80s now), there's no need to upgrade. Probably could shave a few strokes here and there with new tech/grooves, but I feel like my money is better spent on practice and lessons.
I got a golf set when I was 15 from my parents and used it till I was 25. Got a new set for my 35th and the 3 wood was as big as my old driver. They aren't kidding that the drivers have gotten so much bigger, it's a trip.
Guy, I have the same story with Taylormade 2 hybrid that I got as a birthday gift from my girl, I kept it in the bag for 12 years. In 2021 it finally broke me on the 2nd shot from 210 yards on #12 a par 5, after I mishit it one more time I threw it across the fairway as far as I could and drove off. I was coming up #15 which is parallel to #12 when a guy drove up and said did you leave a 2 hybrid, I gave him the head cover and drove off. Best decision of my life on the golf course.
I just back into golf after a nearly 15 year absence and I decided to buy myself a Taylormade RBZ 5 wood second hand before playing my second round of golf since retirning. I teed it up on the first tee at my local public course having never hit it before and hit a lovely fade up the left of the fairway that drifting right into the middle of the fairway and bounded on 231 yards. Couldn't have felt better in that moment. Walked away from the first hole with a par - then ended up with a triple on the Par 4 S.I 1 2nd hole. But that's golf for you. The club itself performed tremendously and felt so comfortable to use compared to the early 2000s hand me downs I still had from my junior days. I do think that pretty much any clubs from the past 10+ years are equally good though I'm planning on buying a early 2010s driver, hybrid and then an Odessey Putter to round out my bag. And certaintly for around £50 a club I think second hand is worth it for any golfer coming into the game fresh after a long absence. Stuff from 2012 onwards still looks ridiculously new and futuristic to me in a really good way.
Hi guys I've just bought a new driver after testing the Callaway rogue finding I'm hitting it 25 to 30 yards further admittedly gone from a 10 and 1/2 degree driver to a 9 degree and my dispersion is very minimal never realised how the technology has moved on and the face is more forgiving this allows me to reach long par fours its the first time I have never paid for a new driver but can't believe the difference it as made to my game .Great contents guys love the podcasts 👏👏👏👏👏⛳
I still have the following drivers R7 super quad R9 super quad R11s R15 Not one bit of different in distance. M1 M3 M5 Sim Max Sim Max 2 All used with Tour ad di 7x shaft no difference in length The only difference was the move from M5 to Sim Max was slightly straighter drives . From my R11’s PB to Sim Max PB is about 10 yards on average no difference at all , I’m just a slave to advertising lol 😂 😂
Very good answer to Ricks question regarding prize money. I agree 100%. Its like playing loto, ether take a chance or don’t. But don’t complain afterwards about it
Recently got fitted for the first time, the main value was getting shafts that match my release. Especially in my driver. Now that I have that set though I doubt any new equipment will be worth changing to for a long time.
Just upgraded from my TM burner 420 (02’) to the titleist TS2. Got the TS2 for $120 on eBay in mint condition. If you keep checking eBay you can find some amazing deals. Love the content Rick.
Here's a thought, based both on observation and personal experience: the obsessing over new clubs, trackman data etc etc all comes from not getting out on the course enough. It comes from being stuck behind a computer or only being able to hit the range instead of teeing off, and trying to get that ball into the hole is a few shots as possible. Every time I play, I forget all about getting new clubs. Well...I do need a new driver haha
Started golfing this year and I have a Titlist 983k! I was planning on getting fitted for a new driver in October since it is my oldest club. Second guessing that now! Might keep it a bit longer.
I'm a Greenkeeper thats starting golf again, had a few years off the golf course work but back cutting and playing daily . Bought 2nd hand PXG proto 10.5 driver and put up against my old John Daily Wilson Firestick killer whale 1995 ish and the fire stick wins!!! Crazy just different weight noise . Also play with ping zing black ⚫ 1994 clubs. New grips perfect 👌
I just updated my set. My previous set was made in the late 80's and was a Fuzzy Zoeller Power Bilt set. Obviously the technology of golf clubs has made leaps and bounds since then. So for me, replacing the set made a lot of sense. But would I replace a set of near top-of-the-line clubs for the latest and greatest that was less than 10 years separated from my existing set? Nope. I don't play well enough to make it worth it and frankly Rick has proved the case as he has hit pretty much the same head and ball speed at 280 on a good day over the last 3 or 4 drivers he has had in the bag.
Id like to see a retro review on the best clubs from the past 15 years that would still be good today. Covering from driver to putter. You see some players on the pga and lpga that still game clubs like the titleist ap2 and ping g400. I think alot of people will relate to it. Also has rick ever tried the 2014 ping rapture 3 wood (13deg)?
I took golf up again and kept my ping G2 (2006) for a while and upgraded to a new one. Not a massive difference other than the shaft change from stiff to X flex. The G2 is still a great driver.
I have a Callaway Big Bertha Fusion bought used... new grip on it... I am into it for 135 USD..... on rainy days I will go to Golf Galaxy and hit the new Drivers..... I haven't hit a $300, $400, $500+ that is incrementally better...I hit the ball far enough (relative to my age, hitting middle tee boxes) being in the fairway serves me just fine. Keeping that forgiving Fusion for the foreseeable future... I am going to continue to lift weights/jog/stretch/work on my core, my flexibility, working on my back flex.... this will keep my distance more so than a new driver IMO
I used an Adams 2005 Redline RPM 10.5 driver until several years ago. I switched to a used Big Bertha 816 Alpha Double Black Diamond only because the Adams had a fade bias which didn't help me. Callaways tend to have a draw bias which suits me better. I got the Callaway from Callaway Pre-owned. I hit the Callaway no farther than the Adams, but more consistent and so higher average length (more consistentI. I had first bought the 3 wood on sale (on stock unused). I bought the matching 5 wood on Ebay. I bought Callaway 2011 RAZR X Forged irons from Callaway Preowned as well. I found out later that is the iron model Jim Furyk shot a 58 with on the PGA Tour. It has older higher lofts which I like. All of the clubs work great. I have no need for new clubs.
Curious topic. I'm playing a 15-year-old Callaway FT5 and Adams IDEA A4 irons. I'm just as crap now as I was when I bought them, but at the range and on the course, I hit my 8 iron 155 and carry my driver 260 if I hit it well. If I don't, it's in another area code. I went to a fitting day for a major brand, and with their latest and greatest game improvement voodoo and fiddly bits, I hit the 8 iron 155 and carried the driver 260, demonstrating that a well-struck ball was about the same and I can mishit anybody's new tech. Nice to have shiny things, though.
I was playing a Ping Eye 2 5 wood (inherited from my grandad) for the last 20 years - I only changed it for a new Ping G425 driver and 5 wood at the start of the year. Such a reliable club for me - would hit it 200 yards every time, dead straight. Was almost a shame to retire it.
I just started playing again after a 30 year break. Dragged the clubs out.......1,3 and 5 Eye 2 woods with Beryllium Copper Eye 2 Irons. Just had them re-gripped.....the look in the pro shop when they saw the woods was priceless. Still good enough for me but interested in trying the new drivers. The 5 wood is special......I still love gripping down on it and using it like I suppose what they would call a hybrid? now perhaps. So much new stuff......range finders etc etc.....like coming out of a 30 year coma in the golf world.
I was a member at Crosland Heath for a few years and Chris Hanson was there as a junior and turned pro just before i left. He put in so much effort with his game and was an amazing player and a really nice guy to play golf with. It’s a shame he didn’t manage to keep his card. Was good to hear that he’s trying again. Good luck Chris if you’re reading this!
I still use my ping i3+ irons with Cleveland cg15 wedges cobra driver & hybrid with the Taylor Made Rossa Monza putter they are years old & I wouldn’t change them at all they work for me
When I got my fitted TSi3, I seriously just hung out with it. It was sitting in the living room resting next to me just in case I needed to grab it and take a swing and enjoy it's beauty. LOL
Excellent debate about new verse old clubs. Honestly, I buy golf clubs when my old one’s start to look scratched and worn out not because I feel I’m missing out on performance. I think that says it all at least for an amateur golfer like me. 👍🏾
YES! I like to buy used. But its easier to change up the shafts now so I can change the shafts more than the heads. And I can mix all my shafts with all TM products. For me the shafts being changeable are the game changer.
I have a Question, a clubfitter told me that the drivers which come new to the market must past the test of the R&A I think but they test the clubs with a speed of 115 mph. So that means you get the best results at a clubhead speed from 115 mph or above. Who of the amateurs does really swing it that fast and isn’t it a disadvantage for all the golfers who swing it slower?
At about or maybe a bit before time stamp 13:47 you mention a type of fitting where it measures your entire bag as you play a round of golf. thats a great idea that maybe could be incorporated with cobra connect and a shot tracer or something. Anyways it sounds like a million dollar idea rick, love the videos and club reviews especially :D have a great day!
New irons offer decreased lofts and latest design. We buy them for fashion. Drivers can be a bit more consumable depending on whether or not it was damaged before. Im still playing my Ping Eye2s and Anser putter. I do have a Sim2 Max driver though, it replaced a Ping i20 driver.
I purchased my first set of irons back in 91-92, Taylor Made ICW5 irons. They are blades. I learned to hit them over the year with a pro in Miami, ended up being about a HDCP of 12-14. As nicer clubs came out i made a couple purchases and always ended up going back to my blades. To this day 2022 I still swing those irons and hit them just as good as anyone out there hitting todays Irons.
I've bought two new sets since I started playing close to 15-20 years now. Cobra hybrid set as my first learner set and just a little over a year ago bought Ping G425 irons, Callaway woods and Wilson wedges. This year I changed out my putter for one that better suits my putting stroke. The goal was to buy a set that will last for a long time and are more than capable of keeping up as I continue to lower my HC.
44:51 That hole-in-one was at Big Sky in Pemberton BC. I love that place. I've only played there once. I played it on the last day of my bachelor party (i.e. totally exhausted), I had a 4 hour drive through the mountains home looming after the round (i.e. anxious), and shot a 97 (very bad for me)... and I STILL absolutely love that golf course! An absolute must if you're ever in the Vancouver/Whistler/Pemberton area.
New clubs V old clubs. I just built my teenage son a set for £310, I for fun I swapped with his bag too out and broke 80 to show him what he has.. Used wedge sett £60, Adams Blues 6-PW £70 , Odyssey 2 Ball Putter £20!, 5 Hybrid MD ST20 £25, (7 wood , 3 wood and driver XR16 £100) , Mottocaddy Waterproof cart bag £30, waterproof zip to fit ball pocket £5. I cannot see 5-10 yards difference between them and my 2021 bag, SIM2 set up. which cost 5-6 times more.
Even with my nice Adams irons w/hybrids and an old ping putter....I still can't NOT have my old beat to hell Wilson Staff 5 wood...because it is my very consistent 190-200 yd clubs that I hit really straight. It looks weird in the bag with the other really nice clubs but I just can't let it go. 🙃
Bit of very recent experience and something that was not mentioned on the show: the old clubs might still work but they might have degraded over time. Case in point: the shafts in my 14 year old set (irons as well as hybrids / woods) had become very stiff. After having them measured it turned out I was playing between x-flex in my irons to something that was described as “off the normal scale stiff” in my 3 wood. I actually need regular flex. After testing (and then buying) the Ping G425 irons with the the R-flex Alta shafts (tipped and frequency matched) my dispersion was much tighter and I gained significant distance. While the driver was still OK from a technical standpoint (that shaft had not degraded that much) the difference between the Big Bertha 460 and the Rogue ST Max was about 25 yards for me. End result: handicap 37 down to 24 within 5 months.
Guy, I completely agree about the TaylorMade Rescue! No matter what I did it was low and left. Over the years I would try to game it but it never resonated with me.
One of my favourite golf experiences, a little like Rick's want for getting back to a relaxing Par 3, is to just spend a couple of hours early in the morning chipping and pitching around the practise green. It really clears the head, and just gets you back to you the ball and a target.
Fitting is the only thing you'll need especially if you aren't a frequent golfer. I'm currently getting fitted for clubs only because my current clubs are 12 years old and in those 12 years have taken abuse and are very worn. I have a 910 D2 driver and Adam cb2 irons. Great performing clubs but they have seen better days. All the faces are very worn (losing performance) and to me personally believe I have gotten my use out of them and I'm ready for something new. If they were in good condition still I would no doubt get fitted for new shafts, grips, weights etc. with my current swing and be done with it. Once I get these new set of clubs, I wont even bother looking new new ones until yearrrrrs later.
My take on new clubs -- I think its worth doing, even if just one time, but its not necessary often. For some context, I'm still relatively new to golfing seriously, and I don't currently own a properly fitted set. Sometime after the new releases come out I plan to get fitted and order a set, whether its of the new 2023 clubs, or stuff from 2022. I think the most important part is the fitting, but its not necessary from the get-go. Until a player is skilled enough, its not worth getting a new, fitted set of clubs (unless they can afford it with no issues), because they won't be able to effectively use them. What I've done - and what I think all new golfers should do - is get a starter set of clubs and learn with them. I use a boxed set, but you could also get a very nice used set that performs the same function. The goal is to build up the fundamentals and get decent enough that you can play a confident round, even if you don't have a high score. Essentially, use them to learn how to golf. After this, you can get fitted, because having properly sized clubs does matter in terms of performance. I'm 6'5", and everyone I've talked to thinks I need at least +1" on most clubs, if not 1.5 or more. That length difference has a big effect on posture and therefore your swing, so I really do think a fitting is worthwhile. This is where new clubs come in - its far easier to get properly fitted for new clubs than an older set, since the older clubs are out of production. I think going to the shop to buy new clubs as a one-time-thing is totally worthwhile, but after that its not necessary to constantly buy new clubs (barring a massive breakthrough with technology). Now, I'm sure we all know a guy who buys new stuff all the time. I have a friend who got a brand new set of P790s, along with Stealth woods, and decided to replace the wedges 3 months later. All the power to you if you can do this! Not everyone can afford it though, so its important to make it known that spending this amount of money is totally unnecessary and doesn't really help all that much.
I would like to see you talk more about senior golfers, and i mean those well over 70 like myself. I am finding it very hard to justify continueing to play as my game has gone down hill and my swing is like using a stick. I play with guys who are almost 80 and they hit further than me. I am giving buying used clubs one more chance and they will have A Flex shafts, will let you know how i go.
Rick proved this point with his video series of drivers over a 5 year period. Generally, the differences were minimal. Might be time for another series of videos comparing drivers over a 10 year period.
The point on getting fit after a few rounds of golf was exactly what I did with my current set. I played with a friend of mine who is a scratch handicap but also a club fitter and overtime he tracked my shots and results for a few round then went to the bay to get fitted with a good picture of my game in mind.
The newest clubs in my bag are my Mizuno ST-190 driver, a PXG 0211 DC 60°, and a Cleveland RTX 4.0 56°. Everything else is older Adams stuff. CB1 irons 4-GW, Tight Lies 3 wood and 5 wood, Speedline 22° Hybrid. They're as good as just about anything on market today. LOVE LOVE LOVE Adams gear!
Im a 22 handicapper (ish) My driver IS the Titleist 983K driver 9.5 degree. My Arcos shows my smart distance is 229 (I top a lot on the tee!), and max length 279.. I personally don't see the point in buying new at my level. BTW.. I'm English (From Astley, Manchester) and pronounce amateur as amatcher.. we are from up north.. that's how WE say it! Carry on as you are!
Depends on your game I would think. I’m 58, had major back surgery 15 yrs ago, 24 handicap and gave up on driver because I just couldn’t hit it. Then I found a Taylormade 320i 12* loft at a thrift shop for $5. With a little shift in my stance and a consistent ball (ERC Triple Track), I lace it 240 yds straight as a pin. That works for me! Tried 50 balls at the range with my sons TaylorMade Sim2 and just couldn’t hit it. Could maybe get it to work but for another 10-20 yds, maybe not worth the time. I can still reach the greens on a par four with a mid iron from the whites. Good enough for me. Unless you want to gift me a new driver to try, I’m going to stick with my 2007 Driver.
i play with 2006 nike sling shots (16 year old clubs). I went to to get fitted for irons yesterday, i tried taylormade, ping, callaway, and mizuno. I picked up 14 mph ball speed and 30yds on my 7i; some of the yd gains are from the loft change, but some of it is from ball speed. I was hitting around 130yds with my 7i and my miss hits were like 110 and WAY right/left vs I was hitting 160yds with the mizuno with my miss hits going 150yds and still in the fairway. I ordered the mizunos. I think it made a huge difference, ymmv though.
Very true on the memories. My Dad introduced me to golf and at the time was playing all Hogan's, Apex I believe and I can still see them in his bag. He had Hogan woods as well with the "speed slot". He would have been 85 in August so in his honor I picked up a full set of 1973 Apex irons and woods. Played 9 holes at my local course, shot 40 and hit a drive 266 yds with a 50 year old drive, clubs or the man? Or maybe some divine help ;-)
The old golf club conversation reminded me of when Rick played St Andrews with a set of clubs he bought in the town of St Andrews on a budget (i forget the number but he had to piece together a full set w/bag and balls included) and the proceeded to use them on the old course and did pretty well with them aa I recall. What is the old saying: “it’s the Indian, not the arrow”
I used to think new golf clubs were a waste of money. I just got a full-set through the bag except the putter. I can honestly say my ceiling has gone waaay up due to the fact the clubs are technologically better. Im not sure what theyve done but they definitely have improved the equipment significantly compared to 5-10yrs ago.
I have a ping k15 from at least 10 years ago and I can’t get rid of it. I can’t hit anything else as well. I reshafted it a few times and I love it. I can’t justify the money of a new driver when it hits so well
As someone who returned to golf after 3 year spell out with an injury, I’ve a mixed view on the new club debate. I had old mitsishuba irons and bought king speedzone irons brand new and saw a massive difference, had an old Dunlop putter and purchased an odyssey white hot 2 ball and again saw massive differences however have stuck with my 12 year old Cobra driver as I tried multiple brands of new drivers and just didn’t see the same improvements and therefore haven’t dropped £££ on something new. I think it’s all about confidence and trust in what you are hitting!
I’m currently using a Taylormade Burner that I bought from a friends neighbour, the main reason I would buy a new driver now is because I can get fitted for it, but after that, there would be no need to buy a new driver for god knows how long
I'm still playing a Titleist 910 D2 which I got fitted back in 2010/11. Love this club.. haven't tried the latest TSR but have tried newer models over the past few years but didn't see a significant improvement in distance that would warrant spending £400-£500.
Me too. My friend spent $500 (he is the cheapest guy on the planet) to but a new Callaway Rogue. He is as consistent as ever, but I still can get it well past. "It's not the arrow it's the Indian".
Great pod video as always. I really appreciate the time stamps! Super handy when I accidentally back out of the video , and need to find the spot where I was when I jumped out.
Didn't play for about 10 years, so 2 years ago when I started playing again I bought a packaged set of Callaway Warbirds from AG. I sacrificed distance for forgiveness. I now feel that I need to buy new clubs to improve my game. I'm not much shorter than friends with much better clubs, and i'm always competitive, but still feel compelled to spend a daft amount of cash. Probably should save my money 🤔 great episode btw 👍
I don't know about drivers, but I hit my titleist 712 mb's for ten years, got fitted for new sticks yesterday and it turns out they've lost plenty of pop. ball speed was noticeably down compared to the new ones on center strikes, so take that for what it's worth. I believe clubs can last a long time, but after 10 years I could notice the difference in pop quite easily.
I still play my Ping ISI irons, from 1997. I still hit my Callaway 460 driver, from 2008(red n black one). And… I still play near scratch golf with them. It’s NOT the club people. The modern irons only go further because of extreme lofts on them. My 5 iron is basically todays 7 iron. And let’s be honest…. 1.5 smash factor is the limit on driver strength. That happened a long time ago.
0:00 - 2:42 Intro
2:45 - 16:31 Are new golf clubs a WASTE of money?
16:33 - 22:58 Tour Golf is HARD!
29:18 - 39:36 Should golf pros earn more money?
39:40 - 44:16 FASTEST Clubhouse member!
44:51 - 47:24 AMAZING hole-in-one
47:25 - 52:47 Very ANGRY viewer emails us
53:31 - 54:07 Does Guy HATE LIV Golf?
57:59 - 1:02:27 Guy CHEATED at golf
1:02:31 - 1:09:49 How to get MOTIVATED to practice golf!
Is that LFC hat you are wearing? Loving it!. You got a new fan, Guy. Lol
I got a comment reply about winning something and a telegram address, this legit?
With the topic of 2nd hand golf on the pod becoming more frequent... feel like a colab with Simon from SAS golf would be a great edition of the pod and then something on your channel doing something with 2nd hand golf clubs would be great
I agree with this comment 💯
Not a coincidence Lol, Rick knows how to milk the system 🤑🤑🤑
Check the number of Golfbidder challenges Rick has done. They date back over 6 years now.
Great suggestion, SAS is a superb channel.
100%
Love the banter, the improv! Guy is actually a very talented speaker! Effortlessly eloquent and quick!!
I think getting a fitting is 100% worth it, mainly for the shafts and angles (which IMO are the most important bits) more than just getting new clubs, but once you're fitted there is no point changing until they have seen better days. I had my old clubs for 9 years, and got fitted for a set 2 years ago. Before I always used to look at newer and "better" clubs, but I don't even look at clubs now because I know mine are fitted for me.
Exactly I'm more concerned with grips and wraps than new clubheads. Once you are fitted for the right shaft bend profile, a new club is not as much of an improvement.
Get fitted is a good idea.
Did you get fitted and buy a new set? or did you buy your clubs and then get them fitted?
@@str8nashtygaming466 you get fitted with new clubs and you buy new clubs. Club head and shaft needs to be exact.
Some ppl get fitted but get the prior generation club head in order to get some discount. In the end, they are not happy with the result.
You spend more with fitted club and use several years versus you buy every year and get frustrated on the course. It's pretty easy choice.
@@jackychuang4692 gotcha. I just started playing, and I've been using a starter set. I want to get some better clubs, so I wasn't sure on the process. Does it matter where I go to get fitted? Would I be better off going to a pro shop, or can I goto like a dicks sporting goods and get fitted?
@@str8nashtygaming466 you can search local fitter with good reputation. Some fitter will waive fitting fee if you make transaction with them. In this way, you can try different head / shaft combo and choose the combo with best result. It's way more cost efficient than buying off the rack or buy based on someone else's comment/feedback.
Good luck
New clubs for me have minimal changes from previous years. But it does one thing gets me excited to play a little bit more. It might even be psychological of getting rid of the old driver that is marked with sky ball mark or paint scratch.
No marks allowed on clubs..👍
We used to test golf clubs, especially Drivers by taking them on to the course in the 90s pre launch monitors. It very quickly became apparent that no driver stopped you hitting a slice, hook or top.
I remember Mr Ryan putting tape on to the top of the club to stop sky marks 🤣🤣🤣 Happy days 👍
Lads have a hole in one story. I am new to golf this year haven’t played nearly as much as I’d like to get better and I’m currently off 26.2. A few weeks ago I went out for nine holes after work on my own in a buggy which I have done a couple of times. Was playing really well and nailing my m6 which I was using for the first time. I made par on index 1 16th and then tee’d it up on the par 3 17th. No practice swing or anything like I’d usually do an over think things just hit the purest 6 iron I’ve ever hit. It took one bounce and kicked slightly left and straight in. Stood alone I felt sick that this had happened on my own !! No reaction I just drove up took a pic got the ball and text my wife and my best mate. I haven’t told anyone else as if someone of my level told me they’d a hole in one alone I’d be like I’m sure you did mate😂 I’m still upset about it every time I think about it
A hole in one is a hole in one, don't matter if no one saw it, you did, and that's all that counts. Enjoy it bro!
Never happened mate
Gongrats on your first hole in 1! Just started playing golf myself in June and after a whole lifetime (31) years of saying golf was for old timers I've been addicted. My home course last month told me we'd played that course alone 18 times this summer. And I've played much more all around and still have not made a hole in 1. I'm breaking 100. Breaking 90 on some easier courses but I live in the mountains in Canada and a lot of our courses have a lot of elevation and hills. Lots of off lies to get good at. Addicted to golf though! All I watch on UA-cam and do in my spare time now haha!
That’s what it’s all about! Great story
@@marrto 😂😂😂exactly
Something I have thought about Tiger for a long time now: he was soooo good at taking the new tech in clubs, which exploded in the mid 90's, and using them to make shots no one had ever seen before. He was absolutely brilliant, a technical artist even, at exploiting the new technology which defined club making in that era. Someone like Tiger can make the most of every new tweek club makers are coming up with, but that is beyond most of us!
Great segment, guys. Keep up the great content.
Something I would love to see is more talk about the ladies tours. Their golf is different from the men's game and I would love to see you get a guest on to talk about that. Also, I see it changing a bit with some of the youngsters coming up. Their swings are starting to look more similar to what I see from men. Steeper angles of attack in irons and more aggressive driver swings which will lead to average distances rising. Thanks!!
They’ve done it already. Watch the Ince Memet podcast
most of us can't afford to play every day. If we could there would be 1000s of tiger woods.
Tigers secret was…..not drinking & smoking during golf & actually being physically fit…& not having to play Balata golf balls. 😂
Top presenting, story-telling and conversational rapport from Guy. Great podcast as per, love it guys!
I got a new set of clubs this year. Everything new from lob to driver. Got fitted and definitely play better as a result. However, I won't even be looking at new equipment for 10+ years. My old clubs were good but not as forgiving as I needed.
What’s funny is I used to change clubs every other year. Now I look for retro clubs and just go back to my older sets to mix and match my bag. This I have found gives me the best bag for my ability without forking out loads of money every 12 or 18 months. Currently play - Epic Flash driver with a 43” shaft, Srixon 5 wood, Ping G425 22 Hybrid, Callaway Stealhead XR 5, 6 and 7 irons, Mizuno MP18SC 8, 9, P, Taylormade Grind wedges and a 5 year old V line putter. Mix of Jumbo grips and midsize. Suits me and keeps me in love with game! Love the channel gents, keep it coming.
If you're playing a lot of golf, you're going to wear down the grooves on your irons (and especially your wedges) eventually and will need to upgrade...
Here's a Driver anecdote for you to compare to the one Guy told. I have a first gen Taylor Made Rocketballz driver (came out in 2012). My driver swing speed hovers around 110 and I hit that driver on average 265 yards carry. pure strikes I can push 275, mishits can be 240-250. I went to get fitted for the new TSR3, same club head speed and was averaging 280+ with pure hits reaching 300 carry. Also the TSR was producing more consistent strikes, I had a series of 3 hits all land within 5 yards of each other where the Rocketballz was extremely inconsistent with the direction.
I’ll counter the point of new clubs don’t make a big difference. I think if it’s apples to apples comparison (loft, shaft, etc.) I agree. However going from cavity back irons to forged, or regular flex 12 degree shaft to stiff 9 degree can make a huge difference!
Long story short, pay for a fitting then take those specs and buy used clubs that fit your game ⛳️
I rented an hour on a GC Quad to test out the ball speed on my driver collection. After testing drivers made from 2002 to 2013 (Titleist 975 J-VS to a Taylormade R1) and everything in between, the ball speed was within 2 MPH of each other.
I still use my Titleist 905 R. I really think it’s the shaft fitting your swing that makes the difference. My 905 R has the Graphite Design YS-6+ stiff shaft in it, and I can’t find another shaft/head combo that I hit better. That driver is approaching 20 years old.
Had to download a British slang dictionary. Had never heard "numpty" before today. Love all y'all's content. Always informative and entertaining.
I’ve gotten new (fitted) irons two years ago and went from a very traditional 47* pitching wedge to a modern traditional 46* pitching wedge. Granted I’ve worked on my swing but I’ve picked up nearly 20 meters distance and the difference was instant. Srixon zx-7’s are worth a go. That worked for me for what that’s what worth. Only crappy thing was I needed new wedges for gapping😅
As an American I appreciate the fact you speak the word amateur correctly. Thank you, it’s for that reason only I became a subscriber. In all seriousness you two bring an absolutely fantastic podcast.
As an Englishman in the UK, I prefer the 'English' pronunciation of 'amma-tur', as opposed to 'amma-chure'.......but I'm not precious about it ! Not sure it's a case of right v wrong !
I’m a pretty high level golfer, but I play on the amateur level. When it comes to not making enough money, I think anyone who wants to compete locally, the competition is enough. Prizes are nice but not the reason I play. For local pro events, I understand people complaining about not making enough money, but we run into the women’s soccer conundrum of what is something worth to the world compared to an individual
I recently bought a set of golf clubs from an old friend who passed away. Since getting them I’ve played or practiced 8-160-290 balls every day. The clubs totally clicked every switched in my brain about golf. Seeing shots mentally instead of outcome play, dropped 20 or more shots in just several months. The bulk of the set is adams v3 wedges and low irons, 4,5,6 hybrids and Taylor superburner 9.5 driver and 3 wood. I kept my callaway 3 and 4 power stroke irons and putter. Not sure how they rank, but for me these clubs made all the difference. Fascinating to think about the level of skill of the pros.
I love it when someone looks into my bag to see what I'm playing with. Driver= Titleist 910 D3, Fairway woods= Callaway Warbird 3+ & 5, Irons= Ping Isi-K 3-L, Putter= Ping Anser. The looks I get. Get told I need to update, but hcp sits from Scr to 2. I know what they do, so I will stick with them.
I just have my R9 460 (and Callaway Big Bertha War Bird 12 degree) in the bag. As I get older I don't need more distance, I need better vision to see where the ball went.
I have the same problem and I don't even hit very long. Had a couple of lovely shots recently where I had forgotten to put my glasses on and lost a ball that could have been just a foot of fairway but had no idea where to look.
I nearly lost one which was 200 yards, dead centre of fairway, because it felt like I had hit it right but hadn't.
Had a £5 wilson driver from a 2nd hand bin, finally figured it out and was hitting pretty consistently. So thought id splash out on a callaway epic flash and now i cant hit driver to save my life
i think the difference now is perhaps getting proper fittings are more reliable and available. Combinations of different shafts, heads proportion to your swing can improve consistency, dispersion and feel which translate to confidence. i think that is the difference.
Great podcast. Whilst I love the banter and the golf stories, particularly the chat about old golf clubs taking you back to your youth, the thing that really made me laugh was......the word bifter! Not heard that for years 😂. Brought back a fair few memories, including the absolutely honking Dunlop Loco Crazy Long driver I had with the yellow shaft back in the day! 🤣
Great episode guys! I'm always curious about new tech. I'm still hitting Ping Eye 2 green dots from around the early 90s, and I tell myself that until I can't consistently shoot sub 80 (I'm in the high 80s now), there's no need to upgrade. Probably could shave a few strokes here and there with new tech/grooves, but I feel like my money is better spent on practice and lessons.
I got a golf set when I was 15 from my parents and used it till I was 25. Got a new set for my 35th and the 3 wood was as big as my old driver. They aren't kidding that the drivers have gotten so much bigger, it's a trip.
Guy, I have the same story with Taylormade 2 hybrid that I got as a birthday gift from my girl, I kept it in the bag for 12 years. In 2021 it finally broke me on the 2nd shot from 210 yards on #12 a par 5, after I mishit it one more time I threw it across the fairway as far as I could and drove off. I was coming up #15 which is parallel to #12 when a guy drove up and said did you leave a 2 hybrid, I gave him the head cover and drove off. Best decision of my life on the golf course.
I just back into golf after a nearly 15 year absence and I decided to buy myself a Taylormade RBZ 5 wood second hand before playing my second round of golf since retirning. I teed it up on the first tee at my local public course having never hit it before and hit a lovely fade up the left of the fairway that drifting right into the middle of the fairway and bounded on 231 yards. Couldn't have felt better in that moment. Walked away from the first hole with a par - then ended up with a triple on the Par 4 S.I 1 2nd hole. But that's golf for you.
The club itself performed tremendously and felt so comfortable to use compared to the early 2000s hand me downs I still had from my junior days. I do think that pretty much any clubs from the past 10+ years are equally good though
I'm planning on buying a early 2010s driver, hybrid and then an Odessey Putter to round out my bag.
And certaintly for around £50 a club I think second hand is worth it for any golfer coming into the game fresh after a long absence.
Stuff from 2012 onwards still looks ridiculously new and futuristic to me in a really good way.
Hi guys I've just bought a new driver after testing the Callaway rogue finding I'm hitting it 25 to 30 yards further admittedly gone from a 10 and 1/2 degree driver to a 9 degree and my dispersion is very minimal never realised how the technology has moved on and the face is more forgiving this allows me to reach long par fours its the first time I have never paid for a new driver but can't believe the difference it as made to my game .Great contents guys love the podcasts 👏👏👏👏👏⛳
I still have the following drivers
R7 super quad
R9 super quad
R11s
R15
Not one bit of different in distance.
M1
M3
M5
Sim Max
Sim Max 2
All used with Tour ad di 7x shaft no difference in length
The only difference was the move from M5 to Sim Max was slightly straighter drives .
From my R11’s PB to Sim Max PB is about 10 yards on average no difference at all , I’m just a slave to advertising lol 😂 😂
The product placement in the fall back in love with golf was hilarious.
Very good answer to Ricks question regarding prize money. I agree 100%. Its like playing loto, ether take a chance or don’t. But don’t complain afterwards about it
This was a great episode! Laughed my head off several times. Love the story about your latest unsubscriber 😂
Recently got fitted for the first time, the main value was getting shafts that match my release. Especially in my driver. Now that I have that set though I doubt any new equipment will be worth changing to for a long time.
"A couple of cheeky biffders" had me dying 😂😂😂
Just upgraded from my TM burner 420 (02’) to the titleist TS2. Got the TS2 for $120 on eBay in mint condition. If you keep checking eBay you can find some amazing deals. Love the content Rick.
Ebay swoops always available
"I don't even know if that's right anymore" had me rolling...lol
Here's a thought, based both on observation and personal experience: the obsessing over new clubs, trackman data etc etc all comes from not getting out on the course enough. It comes from being stuck behind a computer or only being able to hit the range instead of teeing off, and trying to get that ball into the hole is a few shots as possible. Every time I play, I forget all about getting new clubs. Well...I do need a new driver haha
Started golfing this year and I have a Titlist 983k! I was planning on getting fitted for a new driver in October since it is my oldest club. Second guessing that now! Might keep it a bit longer.
That's a pretty good club. I played with far worse for decades!
I'm a Greenkeeper thats starting golf again, had a few years off the golf course work but back cutting and playing daily . Bought 2nd hand PXG proto 10.5 driver and put up against my old John Daily Wilson Firestick killer whale 1995 ish and the fire stick wins!!! Crazy just different weight noise . Also play with ping zing black ⚫ 1994 clubs. New grips perfect 👌
I just updated my set. My previous set was made in the late 80's and was a Fuzzy Zoeller Power Bilt set. Obviously the technology of golf clubs has made leaps and bounds since then. So for me, replacing the set made a lot of sense. But would I replace a set of near top-of-the-line clubs for the latest and greatest that was less than 10 years separated from my existing set? Nope. I don't play well enough to make it worth it and frankly Rick has proved the case as he has hit pretty much the same head and ball speed at 280 on a good day over the last 3 or 4 drivers he has had in the bag.
Id like to see a retro review on the best clubs from the past 15 years that would still be good today. Covering from driver to putter. You see some players on the pga and lpga that still game clubs like the titleist ap2 and ping g400. I think alot of people will relate to it.
Also has rick ever tried the 2014 ping rapture 3 wood (13deg)?
I took golf up again and kept my ping G2 (2006) for a while and upgraded to a new one. Not a massive difference other than the shaft change from stiff to X flex. The G2 is still a great driver.
I still hit my G2 and i3+ blades.
I have Calloway Forged X (2007) Irons and a Taylormade R11 Driver and Three wood. Both over 10 years old but they still get the job done!!!
Funny that you went to reminiscing about old clubs and mentioned half my bag. Sumo sq driver and RAC LT irons. The irons are a dream
I have a Callaway Big Bertha Fusion bought used... new grip on it... I am into it for 135 USD..... on rainy days I will go to Golf Galaxy and hit the new Drivers..... I haven't hit a $300, $400, $500+ that is incrementally better...I hit the ball far enough (relative to my age, hitting middle tee boxes) being in the fairway serves me just fine. Keeping that forgiving Fusion for the foreseeable future... I am going to continue to lift weights/jog/stretch/work on my core, my flexibility, working on my back flex.... this will keep my distance more so than a new driver IMO
I used an Adams 2005 Redline RPM 10.5 driver until several years ago. I switched to a used Big Bertha 816 Alpha Double Black Diamond only because the Adams had a fade bias which didn't help me. Callaways tend to have a draw bias which suits me better. I got the Callaway from Callaway Pre-owned. I hit the Callaway no farther than the Adams, but more consistent and so higher average length (more consistentI. I had first bought the 3 wood on sale (on stock unused). I bought the matching 5 wood on Ebay. I bought Callaway 2011 RAZR X Forged irons from Callaway Preowned as well. I found out later that is the iron model Jim Furyk shot a 58 with on the PGA Tour. It has older higher lofts which I like. All of the clubs work great. I have no need for new clubs.
Very valid question and very well answered by Rick's with no commercial agenda. 👏
Curious topic. I'm playing a 15-year-old Callaway FT5 and Adams IDEA A4 irons. I'm just as crap now as I was when I bought them, but at the range and on the course, I hit my 8 iron 155 and carry my driver 260 if I hit it well. If I don't, it's in another area code. I went to a fitting day for a major brand, and with their latest and greatest game improvement voodoo and fiddly bits, I hit the 8 iron 155 and carried the driver 260, demonstrating that a well-struck ball was about the same and I can mishit anybody's new tech. Nice to have shiny things, though.
I was playing a Ping Eye 2 5 wood (inherited from my grandad) for the last 20 years - I only changed it for a new Ping G425 driver and 5 wood at the start of the year. Such a reliable club for me - would hit it 200 yards every time, dead straight. Was almost a shame to retire it.
I’m with ya. And the 7w is amazing as well.
I just started playing again after a 30 year break. Dragged the clubs out.......1,3 and 5 Eye 2 woods with Beryllium Copper Eye 2 Irons. Just had them re-gripped.....the look in the pro shop when they saw the woods was priceless. Still good enough for me but interested in trying the new drivers. The 5 wood is special......I still love gripping down on it and using it like I suppose what they would call a hybrid? now perhaps. So much new stuff......range finders etc etc.....like coming out of a 30 year coma in the golf world.
I was a member at Crosland Heath for a few years and Chris Hanson was there as a junior and turned pro just before i left. He put in so much effort with his game and was an amazing player and a really nice guy to play golf with. It’s a shame he didn’t manage to keep his card. Was good to hear that he’s trying again. Good luck Chris if you’re reading this!
I got a new mixed bag of wedges this past summer & noticeable improvement. Still using Hogan FtWorth irons & Epic woods. Invest in new golf balls!
I still use my ping i3+ irons with Cleveland cg15 wedges cobra driver & hybrid with the Taylor Made Rossa Monza putter they are years old & I wouldn’t change them at all they work for me
Hahaha, from USA here. Thought the old angry email guy was hilarious, and your response was spot on. Just keep being you, enjoying your show.
The Rick Shiels performance center is the name of Rick and Guy's new pub
When I got my fitted TSi3, I seriously just hung out with it. It was sitting in the living room resting next to me just in case I needed to grab it and take a swing and enjoy it's beauty. LOL
Excellent debate about new verse old clubs. Honestly, I buy golf clubs when my old one’s start to look scratched and worn out not because I feel I’m missing out on performance. I think that says it all at least for an amateur golfer like me. 👍🏾
YES! I like to buy used. But its easier to change up the shafts now so I can change the shafts more than the heads. And I can mix all my shafts with all TM products. For me the shafts being changeable are the game changer.
I have a Question, a clubfitter told me that the drivers which come new to the market must past the test of the R&A I think but they test the clubs with a speed of 115 mph. So that means you get the best results at a clubhead speed from 115 mph or above. Who of the amateurs does really swing it that fast and isn’t it a disadvantage for all the golfers who swing it slower?
My driver is a Cleveland Hibor from the early 2000s. It has the recessed top and i love the funky look.
At about or maybe a bit before time stamp 13:47 you mention a type of fitting where it measures your entire bag as you play a round of golf.
thats a great idea that maybe could be incorporated with cobra connect and a shot tracer or something.
Anyways it sounds like a million dollar idea rick, love the videos and club reviews especially :D have a great day!
47:55 that look Guy gives the camera 😂 Michael Scott-esque
New irons offer decreased lofts and latest design. We buy them for fashion. Drivers can be a bit more consumable depending on whether or not it was damaged before. Im still playing my Ping Eye2s and Anser putter. I do have a Sim2 Max driver though, it replaced a Ping i20 driver.
Re Cole Donovan - Mount Currie is in British Columbia .. I think he was at the Big Sky golf club. Spectacular scenery.
I purchased my first set of irons back in 91-92, Taylor Made ICW5 irons. They are blades. I learned to hit them over the year with a pro in Miami, ended up being about a HDCP of 12-14. As nicer clubs came out i made a couple purchases and always ended up going back to my blades. To this day 2022 I still swing those irons and hit them just as good as anyone out there hitting todays Irons.
I've bought two new sets since I started playing close to 15-20 years now. Cobra hybrid set as my first learner set and just a little over a year ago bought Ping G425 irons, Callaway woods and Wilson wedges. This year I changed out my putter for one that better suits my putting stroke. The goal was to buy a set that will last for a long time and are more than capable of keeping up as I continue to lower my HC.
44:51 That hole-in-one was at Big Sky in Pemberton BC. I love that place. I've only played there once. I played it on the last day of my bachelor party (i.e. totally exhausted), I had a 4 hour drive through the mountains home looming after the round (i.e. anxious), and shot a 97 (very bad for me)... and I STILL absolutely love that golf course! An absolute must if you're ever in the Vancouver/Whistler/Pemberton area.
New clubs V old clubs. I just built my teenage son a set for £310, I for fun I swapped with his bag too out and broke 80 to show him what he has..
Used wedge sett £60, Adams Blues 6-PW £70 , Odyssey 2 Ball Putter £20!, 5 Hybrid MD ST20 £25, (7 wood , 3 wood and driver XR16 £100) , Mottocaddy Waterproof cart bag £30, waterproof zip to fit ball pocket £5. I cannot see 5-10 yards difference between them and my 2021 bag, SIM2 set up. which cost 5-6 times more.
I recognized the golf course from the Green Noodle story! That's Big Sky in Pemberton BC, Canada. What a marvelous place.
Even with my nice Adams irons w/hybrids and an old ping putter....I still can't NOT have my old beat to hell Wilson Staff 5 wood...because it is my very consistent 190-200 yd clubs that I hit really straight. It looks weird in the bag with the other really nice clubs but I just can't let it go. 🙃
Bit of very recent experience and something that was not mentioned on the show: the old clubs might still work but they might have degraded over time. Case in point: the shafts in my 14 year old set (irons as well as hybrids / woods) had become very stiff. After having them measured it turned out I was playing between x-flex in my irons to something that was described as “off the normal scale stiff” in my 3 wood.
I actually need regular flex. After testing (and then buying) the Ping G425 irons with the the R-flex Alta shafts (tipped and frequency matched) my dispersion was much tighter and I gained significant distance.
While the driver was still OK from a technical standpoint (that shaft had not degraded that much) the difference between the Big Bertha 460 and the Rogue ST Max was about 25 yards for me.
End result: handicap 37 down to 24 within 5 months.
Guy, I completely agree about the TaylorMade Rescue! No matter what I did it was low and left. Over the years I would try to game it but it never resonated with me.
The funniest match I played was inter club and the opponent described each hole intricately as we went round - funniest but true sportsmanship....
One of my favourite golf experiences, a little like Rick's want for getting back to a relaxing Par 3, is to just spend a couple of hours early in the morning chipping and pitching around the practise green. It really clears the head, and just gets you back to you the ball and a target.
Fitting is the only thing you'll need especially if you aren't a frequent golfer. I'm currently getting fitted for clubs only because my current clubs are 12 years old and in those 12 years have taken abuse and are very worn. I have a 910 D2 driver and Adam cb2 irons. Great performing clubs but they have seen better days. All the faces are very worn (losing performance) and to me personally believe I have gotten my use out of them and I'm ready for something new. If they were in good condition still I would no doubt get fitted for new shafts, grips, weights etc. with my current swing and be done with it.
Once I get these new set of clubs, I wont even bother looking new new ones until yearrrrrs later.
My take on new clubs -- I think its worth doing, even if just one time, but its not necessary often. For some context, I'm still relatively new to golfing seriously, and I don't currently own a properly fitted set. Sometime after the new releases come out I plan to get fitted and order a set, whether its of the new 2023 clubs, or stuff from 2022. I think the most important part is the fitting, but its not necessary from the get-go. Until a player is skilled enough, its not worth getting a new, fitted set of clubs (unless they can afford it with no issues), because they won't be able to effectively use them. What I've done - and what I think all new golfers should do - is get a starter set of clubs and learn with them. I use a boxed set, but you could also get a very nice used set that performs the same function. The goal is to build up the fundamentals and get decent enough that you can play a confident round, even if you don't have a high score. Essentially, use them to learn how to golf.
After this, you can get fitted, because having properly sized clubs does matter in terms of performance. I'm 6'5", and everyone I've talked to thinks I need at least +1" on most clubs, if not 1.5 or more. That length difference has a big effect on posture and therefore your swing, so I really do think a fitting is worthwhile. This is where new clubs come in - its far easier to get properly fitted for new clubs than an older set, since the older clubs are out of production. I think going to the shop to buy new clubs as a one-time-thing is totally worthwhile, but after that its not necessary to constantly buy new clubs (barring a massive breakthrough with technology).
Now, I'm sure we all know a guy who buys new stuff all the time. I have a friend who got a brand new set of P790s, along with Stealth woods, and decided to replace the wedges 3 months later. All the power to you if you can do this! Not everyone can afford it though, so its important to make it known that spending this amount of money is totally unnecessary and doesn't really help all that much.
Just changed my New-ish Cobra Speed Zone Extreme Driver out of the bag, back to my 10 year old Bridgestone TourStage ViQ - Sending my drives again !
I would like to see you talk more about senior golfers, and i mean those well over 70 like myself. I am finding it very hard to justify continueing to play as my game has gone down hill and my swing is like using a stick. I play with guys who are almost 80 and they hit further than me. I am giving buying used clubs one more chance and they will have A Flex shafts, will let you know how i go.
Rick proved this point with his video series of drivers over a 5 year period. Generally, the differences were minimal. Might be time for another series of videos comparing drivers over a 10 year period.
Loved how the advert for the film ‘Air’ came on at the moment you said Nike when I was watching this 😁
The point on getting fit after a few rounds of golf was exactly what I did with my current set. I played with a friend of mine who is a scratch handicap but also a club fitter and overtime he tracked my shots and results for a few round then went to the bay to get fitted with a good picture of my game in mind.
The newest clubs in my bag are my Mizuno ST-190 driver, a PXG 0211 DC 60°, and a Cleveland RTX 4.0 56°. Everything else is older Adams stuff. CB1 irons 4-GW, Tight Lies 3 wood and 5 wood, Speedline 22° Hybrid. They're as good as just about anything on market today. LOVE LOVE LOVE Adams gear!
Im a 22 handicapper (ish) My driver IS the Titleist 983K driver 9.5 degree. My Arcos shows my smart distance is 229 (I top a lot on the tee!), and max length 279.. I personally don't see the point in buying new at my level.
BTW.. I'm English (From Astley, Manchester) and pronounce amateur as amatcher.. we are from up north.. that's how WE say it!
Carry on as you are!
Depends on your game I would think. I’m 58, had major back surgery 15 yrs ago, 24 handicap and gave up on driver because I just couldn’t hit it. Then I found a Taylormade 320i 12* loft at a thrift shop for $5. With a little shift in my stance and a consistent ball (ERC Triple Track), I lace it 240 yds straight as a pin. That works for me! Tried 50 balls at the range with my sons TaylorMade Sim2 and just couldn’t hit it. Could maybe get it to work but for another 10-20 yds, maybe not worth the time. I can still reach the greens on a par four with a mid iron from the whites. Good enough for me. Unless you want to gift me a new driver to try, I’m going to stick with my 2007 Driver.
i play with 2006 nike sling shots (16 year old clubs). I went to to get fitted for irons yesterday, i tried taylormade, ping, callaway, and mizuno. I picked up 14 mph ball speed and 30yds on my 7i; some of the yd gains are from the loft change, but some of it is from ball speed.
I was hitting around 130yds with my 7i and my miss hits were like 110 and WAY right/left
vs
I was hitting 160yds with the mizuno with my miss hits going 150yds and still in the fairway.
I ordered the mizunos. I think it made a huge difference, ymmv though.
Very true on the memories. My Dad introduced me to golf and at the time was playing all Hogan's, Apex I believe and I can still see them in his bag. He had Hogan woods as well with the "speed slot". He would have been 85 in August so in his honor I picked up a full set of 1973 Apex irons and woods. Played 9 holes at my local course, shot 40 and hit a drive 266 yds with a 50 year old drive, clubs or the man? Or maybe some divine help ;-)
The old golf club conversation reminded me of when Rick played St Andrews with a set of clubs he bought in the town of St Andrews on a budget (i forget the number but he had to piece together a full set w/bag and balls included) and the proceeded to use them on the old course and did pretty well with them aa I recall. What is the old saying: “it’s the Indian, not the arrow”
I used to think new golf clubs were a waste of money. I just got a full-set through the bag except the putter. I can honestly say my ceiling has gone waaay up due to the fact the clubs are technologically better. Im not sure what theyve done but they definitely have improved the equipment significantly compared to 5-10yrs ago.
Hippo giant 400cc got a shout out! I still have that driver and a full set of hippo irons, wedges and putter 🤣❤ love them to bits
I recently went from a callaway XR driver stiff shaft to a Stealth+ extra stiff, easily added 20-30 yards! Huge difference
I have a ping k15 from at least 10 years ago and I can’t get rid of it. I can’t hit anything else as well. I reshafted it a few times and I love it. I can’t justify the money of a new driver when it hits so well
I’ve just been gifted a Taylormade R11S Driver and am loving the sound it makes at impact and the fact that I’m driving further.
As someone who returned to golf after 3 year spell out with an injury, I’ve a mixed view on the new club debate. I had old mitsishuba irons and bought king speedzone irons brand new and saw a massive difference, had an old Dunlop putter and purchased an odyssey white hot 2 ball and again saw massive differences however have stuck with my 12 year old Cobra driver as I tried multiple brands of new drivers and just didn’t see the same improvements and therefore haven’t dropped £££ on something new. I think it’s all about confidence and trust in what you are hitting!
I’m currently using a Taylormade Burner that I bought from a friends neighbour, the main reason I would buy a new driver now is because I can get fitted for it, but after that, there would be no need to buy a new driver for god knows how long
I'm still playing a Titleist 910 D2 which I got fitted back in 2010/11. Love this club.. haven't tried the latest TSR but have tried newer models over the past few years but didn't see a significant improvement in distance that would warrant spending £400-£500.
Me too. My friend spent $500 (he is the cheapest guy on the planet) to but a new Callaway Rogue. He is as consistent as ever, but I still can get it well past. "It's not the arrow it's the Indian".
Great pod video as always. I really appreciate the time stamps! Super handy when I accidentally back out of the video , and need to find the spot where I was when I jumped out.
Didn't play for about 10 years, so 2 years ago when I started playing again I bought a packaged set of Callaway Warbirds from AG. I sacrificed distance for forgiveness. I now feel that I need to buy new clubs to improve my game. I'm not much shorter than friends with much better clubs, and i'm always competitive, but still feel compelled to spend a daft amount of cash. Probably should save my money 🤔 great episode btw 👍
I don't know about drivers, but I hit my titleist 712 mb's for ten years, got fitted for new sticks yesterday and it turns out they've lost plenty of pop. ball speed was noticeably down compared to the new ones on center strikes, so take that for what it's worth. I believe clubs can last a long time, but after 10 years I could notice the difference in pop quite easily.
Im still using the ping g30. Irons are going on 12 years old and still solid. I'm a sucker for new wedges about every 2 years though.
I still play my Ping ISI irons, from 1997. I still hit my Callaway 460 driver, from 2008(red n black one). And… I still play near scratch golf with them. It’s NOT the club people. The modern irons only go further because of extreme lofts on them. My 5 iron is basically todays 7 iron. And let’s be honest…. 1.5 smash factor is the limit on driver strength. That happened a long time ago.