[Closed] Golf bats

Linky no worky

Like bikes, best buying secondhand and from a LgolfBatS

Edit

Works now, doesn't look too bad actually

They're not bats, they're golf STICKS!

I don't mind spending more if it means not "needing" to swap out within 6 months...but at that price I'm thinking I could even replace all clubs & keep the bag (bags seem about £100) and I've only lost £100. The thinking being I'd be better informed then to drop a bit more coin.

I also like the orange colour...does golf "do" enduro?

Reviews are mixed. But as starter sets go you could do a damn sight worse. Irons look to be a fair bit better than the woods and starting out you'll be using the irons a fair bit more.

I use Wilson di11 irons, very forgiving and as a novice it does make alot of difference to how much you end up enjoy playing and thus how likely it is you'll stick with it

Call them golf sticks if you want to wind up the proper golfists. I tried it a few years ago when I realised I could get a few free days off work on all expenses paid golf days. I enjoyed it but it wasn't for me. Too slow paced. Highly skilful though when done by good stick swingers.

Just make sure there's a mashie niblick in there.

Note, I am a permanent beginner / hacker ! Starting with an el cheapo set isn't such a bad plan to see how you go. I can't comment on those specific clubs but my journey went something like this

New Wilson full set
Second hand graphite shafted Calloways
New steel shafted Nike's

Story with the Nike's is I went to the range / pro shop having been playing on and off for 7 years and hit a range of clubs with video analysis - top 2 for me where £1000 Calloways or £200 Nike's - I was more consistent with the Nikes and they where a no-brainer price wise.

My other tip would be to forget a driver and probably a 3 wood and focus on the irons and maybe a 5 wood.

There must be many decent sets second hand too, you want some perimter weighted beginner type clubs

Are you truly starting from scratch or have you played any sort of golf before?

If you are absolutely a beginner, then you probably won't use half the clubs in that bag, so id be tempted to spend the £200 on a decent half set of irons and whatever putter you like the look of. Ask the pro giving the lessons if he has clubs you can borrow. My local range has a bin full of clubs anyone can use - he'll probably only have you hitting 7 irons for a while anyway! Once he gets you set with the basics, ask him to recommend some clubs. If he has a shop, he can probably sort you out for a good price. Most pros with shops are happy to do a good deal not to lose custom (more so than bike shops, IME!).

Good luck! Golf is hard.

I shuddered when I saw 'starter set' as such things are usually shiet. They look better than most that I have seen but if you get the bug and pick it up quite quickly I think you will be swapping them sooner than you'd like.

clubhousegolf is a good online place as well as American Golf (1 shop vs many). Second hand is a good option and your local pro or American Golf shop may help you out there. Asking on here maybe an option as well, I've sold a few here.

SDIT - what the bloke belwo said about ebay! Fake central, quite good copies too.

Mrs has the female version of that package and it's well worth the price. No real bad bits, good value for money.

Once you start playing and get a bit better then you can replace the driver with a more expensive one. Gumtree good for year old bargains which folk are off loading to get the latest models. Or try American golf at the end of the year for heavily reduced clubs.

Avoid eBay for big brand new clubs as there are a massive amounts of fakes.

Spend your money in lessons and playing rather than kit to begin with. A good swing with average clubs will beat a crap swing with the latest kit every time.

Have some lessons, hit some clubs make a choice based on feel, ball flight, forgiveness etc as well as price.

don't get wrapped up spending loads on a driver, you only hit it about 12 times a round maximum, wedges, putters and irons you use far more choose them first.

Yep, total beginner. I've only really been having a quick look online, seems a bit of a minefield. Just seems the big retailers only sell full sets of irons etc. I guess asking in the shop is the way forward on that front.

Be interesting to find the cost of say a half set of decent clubs that I can keep if/when I improve. I'd much rather get less clubs but better ones. Then add more as and when needed.

Are golf clubs like bikes in that one size doesn't fit all? Ie if your not average height do you tend to need longer clubs?

You can need slightly longer or shorter shafts in the irons, with the lie also being adjusted, but unless you're very short/tall regular clubs will do to start with. As a low single figure golfer I'd suggest visiting a decent pro/retailer and getting fitted for a decent low cost set of second hand or at least knowing what suit you. Spending c£350 would see you sorted for a couple of years at least and you'd not lose a fortune if you sold them on (assuming you buy wisely). Fwiw, clubs are like bikes in that the better makes are better but by nowhere near the differential in price so for beginners there's little real benefit in paying for top end gear.

Golf? Steady on. You'll be a member of the Republican party next.

My irons and putter are adjusted for length and lie angle. However, I can play just as well with a standard set of clubs. It's also worth noting there's no such thing as standard in golf. Every manufacturer does it slightly differently. As a beginner, don't get too hung up on whether the clubs are ready right for you. If you hit a bad shot, it's your fault!

Golfs about accepting your bad shots and understanding what they're telling you. Golf is hard.

Slight alternative view on half-set. I have found that full sets can be had for quite a good price and tbh sand wedge, pitching wedge and then 9-5 you will use a lot. I have never hit a driver on a round, I use 5 or 3 wood off the tee. I can shoot 90 gross on normal tees. My point is you don't need driver etc, when you play with good players you realise its about consistency and getting the ball in the damn hole from 150 odd yards away in 3 not 6.

Note you will need to buy some shoes too.

Go to the range and have a few lessons (ideally a decent range with a reasonable shop, also beginner shared sessions ?) and practice a bit. Then talk about what to buy.

As above have fun its a bl00dy hard game but if you love the outdoors there are some wonderful places to play

I've heard of fruit bats but this is just weird.

I'd recommend you do buy a driver. If you struggle with it then by all means but woods or irons off the tee whilst you hone your swing but a driver is the biggest club face in your bag and a reasonable tee shot removes 50%+ of the trouble between tee and green. I find it easier to hit well consistently than a 3 wood but each to their own.

golfbidder.co.uk is a good source of high quality used clubs when you are thinking of upgrading.

What sort of learning curve did you find you experienced when you first started? I'm aware it's a pretty vague question as will be dependent on each individual. But let's say assuming a beginner playing/practising twice a week with regular lessons spread out every couple of weeks. How long until you'd likely be able to move from the driving range to a proper 9/18 hole course and actually get around without lookin/feeling completely out of place?

I'd also advocate learning how to use your driver consistently. I tried using a hybrid off the tee but it's a lot easier using an 8 or 9 iron to approach the green instead of a 4 or 5. What's your local course?

Not sure about paying that for a new set of starter clubs when there are so many good sets available second hand.

If you think marketing in bikes is bad it is nothing compared to golf, where amateurs are constantly being sold clubs to help cure/control their slice, etc. And because it is so easy to get hooked on golf and it is such a mental game, punters are forever buying kit and therefore there is a lot of really good kit going second hand.

For instance some years ago I bought a full set of Hogan Apex redline irons for £80 - I was having a lesson and at the end the coach mentioned they were in the second hand section and were one of the best sets of irons ever made, and they were gorgeous to use.

Personally I would favour learning with a set of clubs with as minimal cavity/game improvement features as possible as otherwise you get very little feedback during the learning process and can easily carry on developing a serious flaw. I have seen people with very good swings and good length/accuracy loose that because they have bought clubs with huge heads, etc.

Why not look in your local range to see if they have a used section, and then have a few lessons to get you started (the pro should be able to provide a club for the lessons) and then ask his advice about which 2nd hand set to buy. Plus you can try then out on the range.

The second hand route seems a good idea. I'd only go that route though if it's through a shop/pro so as to avoid being duped into buying gear that's not right for me and/or being ripped off. I'll have a chat with the instructor to see what's about.

I'm actually surrounded by courses so a bit spoilt for choice. However expressgolf.co.uk is my closest. Looks ideal for learning as has a range & 9 hole course. Be worried going along to the big courses as a learner!

I'd also advocate learning how to use your driver consistently. I tried using a hybrid off the tee but it's a lot easier using an 8 or 9 iron to approach the green instead of a 4 or 5.

Lol.....I've been playing for over 40 yrs and despite having a 5 handicap, still trying to find some Driver consistency!

Those clubs look fine to start off with, don't worry about having them tailor made, it's all sales bollox. I used standard clubs for 30 yrs and as someone said the bad shots were bad swings! Id recommend booking a series of lessons combined with lots of practice initially and see how much you like it, before making too many plans.

One thing I would say though is , you only get out of it, what you put in. It takes a lot of work to crack it.

I go to Express Golf every other day! I live up in Baildon - whatever you do don't learn at Baildon as its bloody hard work.

I've had lessons from James Hepworth at Express, really enjoyable and useful. I played off 8 as a 14 year old but gave it up to concentrate on cricket. Have started playing again now the kids have left home and am working my way back to a decent handicap again.

Try the little nine hole course at Express, relaxed dress code and you can literally turn up, pay and play. In fact, I may as well get down to the driving range this afternoon 🙂

Re the learning curve. It's different for everybody but if you have decent hand eye coordination you should progress faster; were you reasonable at squash, tennis, cricket etc?

It's also VERY worthwhile making sure you get the basics right, so stance, grip, take away and hip turn. If you understand what you're trying to do and how then you can go away and practice and a good swing is largely muscle memory with little tweaks as you progress to resolve problems /enhance your game.

Do not overlook the value of chipping and putting, it's massive. If you can chip and one put 20% of the time that's going to be a huge help and it's major for confidence as you'll find yourself 30-50yds away from the green a lot so getting up and down in 3 rather than 4 or more is key to breaking 100.

I'd be going second hand. I use to play alot about 8 years ago, got down to 6. The sticks I used back then (calloway x 16) can be had for about 40 quid second hand nowaday and will be better than those starter clubs. Throw in a 3 wood (no need for a driver at the moment) and a cheap putter and second hand bag and I reckon you could get an entire set of 2nd hand clubs for under 100 quid.

I used to play a lot when younger, low teens handicap at about the same age.

Second what others say about getting good around the greens. You'll hit 18 tee shots per round of which a proportion will be irons and another proportion won't be driver. You'll hit ca. 36 putts per round. Add in pitching and short iron play and probably 4x as many shots will be short game as they will be driver.

Yes, if you can drive well you shorten your approach, but a bad drive can cost you any number of shots with lost balls, OOB, etc. I'd swap a slightly longer second approach shot for a shorter fourth because my first ball was in the pond any day; that's how I got to play to 14 when I was a slender kid - by accepting the harder holes gave me an extra shot to reach the green and using it to make sure I stayed in play, and then finished well.

One other thing not mentioned. As a small-ish kid having thinner grips to ensure hand placement and action was good made a substantial difference. Maybe budget in if you are significantly different to 'normal'.

http://www.golf-monthly.co.uk/features/the-game/are-your-golf-grips-the-right-size-66566

Oh, and to echo what's said above. Golf is hard. To start with you can hack about and enjoy your good shots immensely. Then you start to hit more good shots, and the bad ones become a bit more painful. Then you hit mainly good ones, and the bad ones start to hurt your score badly. Then you hit all good shots and let yourself down with the odd one.

But remember - that bad one might still be a missed 3 footer as opposed to a hooked drive. Still counts as one on the scorecard.

Drive for show, putt for dough.

More often than not I play with a half/three quarter set carried in a pencil bag

Driver or strong (13 degree) 3 wood and a 5 wood

4, 6, 8 irons

PW, Gap wedge and lob wedge

Putter

Play just as well with those and live a light bag

I believe in the old mantra that the three must important clubs are your driver (or three wood), wedge and putter. If those three are going well, you can score well.

And please go and buy Ben Hogans "Modern Fundamentals" :

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ben-Hogans-Five-Lessons-Fundamentals/dp/0743295285/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1469909515&sr=8-1&keywords=Ben+Hogan

It is only a tenner and it is 5 lessons that cover stance, grip, etc.

He was one of the greatest ball strikers ever (I think Jack Nichlaus was inspired to play after seeing him practise) and the lessons are still appropriate (unlike the older books).

Golf is played largely in the head and it is easy to get flooded with conflicting pieces of advice, which often come from friends or golf magazines/sites.

Often those pieces of advice work only because you are now only thinking about one, or two, things rather than 10, and so you mind is 'quieter'.

That book really is the fundamentals, which are basically simple, and therefore helps you ignore all these tips as you can see what they are trying to do/fix/hack and therefore ignore them and just keep to the couple of swing thoughts that Hogan prescribes.

Buy it, you will not regret it...

Nice one cheers! Just ordered a copy. First lesson Monday, let's see how I get on. A couple of hole in ones and a few 300+ yard drives and I'll be happy...

You'll be itching to get on the 9 hole course within a month, if you progress reasonably you'll be more than ready. As for more established 18 hole courses see how you go. I would suggest you practice chips of 20-50 yards too, ideally if you can on a grassy area at range or somewhere quiet if you can - you can buy a bag if cheap lake balls (retrieved from lakes 😉 ) or similar to practice this with.

Good luck its a wonderful if intensely frustrating game.

Golf is played largely in the head and it is easy to get flooded with conflicting pieces of advice, which often come from friends or golf magazines/sites

This^^. I was a 10 handicap golfer as a teen, and we used to get a couple of free lessons every year with the pro. And without fail I would be at my most useless afterwards, and revert back to my old trustworthy swing, there was simply far too much going on in my head.

Tbh i don't think there was that much wrong with my swing, the fact I had no patience to putt and changed my putter every other week probably didn't help my handicap.

Head down, left arm straight and swing easy. simple really..

Well, first lesson tonight...it's certainly harder than it looks on TV! Had a 30 min lesson with a pro. Concentrated on grip and spent 40mins with a 7 iron hitting balls against a screen. Seemed to be getting a lot of shots around the 100yd mark with a handful of scuffs that went off to the sides.

Then went out on the range alone after my lesson but didn't seem to do so well! Think the club was a bit short (which he told me) so ended up "topping" quite a few. Hit one dead straight & 150yds though so that's the one I'll remember!

You'll have been lifting your head early to look for the ball. everybody does this to begin with. 🙂

And so begins the unsolicited swing advice. Ignore everything except what you're told by your pro!

I could actually feel my whole upper body lift as I swung. Felt like it was because I was having to bend over too far to get the club face flat on the floor when setting up.

Looks easy on TV: bit like Danny Hart on that super slippery very steep track in Champery, how hard can it be eh ? 😉

Club length.: How tall are you ?

Hit one dead straight & 150yds though so that's the one I'll remember!

Welcome to Golf 🙂 similar experience will keep you coming back again and again for years, perhaps a lifetime

I will avoid giving any swing tips (even though I am itching to do so) get back and hit another few balls soon

I have these for sale, if interested

[url= http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/fs%e2%80%93ot-panasonic-nv-gs40b-camcorder-golf-clubs-pics-1 ]Golf sticks, bag and shoes[/url]

Rank amateur here. I've played for 30 odd years but apart for the odd period with a bit more frequency only once or twice a year. After I bolloxed my hip I can't anymore as it gets too sore in the back 9 and the stiffness/lack of flexibility meant I struggled not to shank every shot and trying to compensate started hurting other joints.

Before that I bought a couple of hybrid clubs and loved them. So much easier to control than equivalent iron for me.

I've never tried a sport (not convinced it's a sport - certainly not the way I played it!) where trying hard was so counter productive!

Agree with that. It seemed the more I thought about setting up the shot the more likely I was to scuff it. When I just went and hit the bugger it seemed to be a better shot. Bloody satisfying when you get *the odd clean shot though. Makes a great noise off the club face!

I gave up due to frustration, mostly because I could practise well, hitting perfect shots, and then play really badly, or practise badly and then play very well.

I am not sure about only listening to the pro, most golfers aren't that bright and often just have a good swing they lucked into somewhat, and they don't always know more than the fundamentals.

The pro that recommended those clubs to me had a fantastically strong swing that would clear his drives right over the fence at the back of the range and be consistently straight. The range got a new head coach who started teaching him a slow tempoed backswing and extending his right arm downwards in the downswing to flatten it out, and after hours of practise he lost a lot of distance and accuracy and got a bit depreseed about it!

Leadbetter did the same sort of thing to Faldos swing and he ended up occasionally hitting it straight left!

I was at the range once and Ronan Rafferty was in the teaching bay a couple in front of me. He said he had been reading one of Nicklaus's books where he recommended looking at the ball mostly with your left eye, with the view that it should stop you lifting your head (my Dad had that book).

He would take a stance, which was pretty good in itself, and then, just before swinging, would drop his head to the right and stare at the ball with his left eye, like some demented lunatic.

The range teaching pro next to him wasn't saying anything, so eventually I spoke out and told him what he was doing.

He then could not stop himself from doing it !

Just like an amateur hacker on the cource who can not stop lifting his head! So it happens to us all 🙂

There are two key moves that pro golfers make that set them apart from many amateurs.

Once the club is taken fully back the first move is a turning of the hips such that the left hips rotates towards the targets and then back around.

As this happens the right elbow tucks in towards the right hip, although this happens by virtue of the hips moving - the arms have not moved at all at this point and it is this that gives the pro that late hitting position.

Even pros where their right elbow appears to 'fly' at the top of the backswing will bring it back into the hip on the downswing - often through a very pronounced hip movement - check out Jim Furyk on slomo.

From this position the arms can then unwind and release through the ball, which almost moves you head backwards and even down a bit in the extreme releasers.

Amateurs will try and hit with their arms from the top of the backswing, which throws the clubs outside the line and therefore the clubhead path is from outside to in, whereas it is from inside to out for a pro - so amateurs will slice by default whereas pros are fighting a hook as their bad shot - unless you have a weak swing like Montgomerie.

For an amateur the easiest way to start learning to hit like that is to concentrate on dropping your left heel (if you are right handed, and assuming that you lift your heel slightly on the backswing) as the first move of your downswing.

Funnily enough - the Pro at Express Golf played exactly the same YouTube clip of Ben Hogan TurnerGuy mentioned above!!

Funnily enough - the Pro at Express Golf played exactly the same YouTube clip of Ben Hogan TurnerGuy mentioned above!!

lots of pros have different swing thoughts but they all pretty much do that same move, with different amounts of emphasis.

And the relevant swing thought often changes with time, as you get used to one feeling it becomes natural and you can then overdo it to get the same feel, so you need another thought to concentrate on.

That's why pros have so much trouble and need constant tweeking.

That's why I switched to cycling, so much less frustrating and so much better for your fitness, and much, much less requirement to practise.

How often do you come back frustrated from a ride ?

vs

How often do you come back not frustrated from a round of golf?

Well an update... Tonight I'm absolutely buzzing!!

Decided on a change of pro the other week. Found the pro wasn't overly encouraging & tended to over complicate things. Happened to be in American golf buying a set of irons (Ping G25's) and the chap who was fitting me was superb. Anyway,to cut a long story short he is now my teaching pro.

So, after two lessons with the chap tonight while practising what he'd been teaching something just clicked. Managed to get over (for now at least) the nasty habit I had of hitting the ball with the face open. Was hitting ball after ball around 110 yards either straight or with that lovely left curve that he'd been trying to get me to master.

Suddenly feels like the golf bug is really starting to catch!