I've kind of shifted my thinking on this kind of issue.

I was in a big-box sports retailer yesterday. As I'm browsing the golf balls looking for the supposed clearance of the Strata TL Tour, I noticed a sales associate that I know through basketball (and a little golf) talking to a guy about buying some clubs. This is not a pro shop, so none of the sets are more than $300 - which includes bag, sticks, and 3 free logo balls and a hat!

Needless to say, the clubfitter in me was very curious as to how the sales rep was going to go about selling these clubs. It wasn't a bad presentation - he 'fit' the fellow with a 5 iron, noted whether or not the club was too toe up or down, explained that it points to lengthening or shortening, etc. Now, obviously the sales rep knows a little bit about the importance of fitting (he's had his clubs "worked up" - his term, not mine).

Now, I believe that I've got the perfect system for beginners. It's a long-debated point about whether or not you buy clubs first and then take lessons, or whether you take lessons and then buy clubs. I've become dichotic on this one, embracing both sides. Either get a set built to TLT spec for you, and take lessons with them, OR, buy your conventional set, and only use the club that you feel absolutely most comfortable with to groove and learn how to swing. (Then get the rest of the set built to TLT once your lessons are over).

Not everyone has the coin to get fitted clubs. Perhaps they just need cheap sticks to whack the ball around the course. In this case, I find outlets like gigagolf.com, pinemeadowgolf.com, and even the MCM brand from MyClubMaker.com suit these golfers just fine. If your goal is to go out and have a good time with your buddies, whack the ball around regardless of your score, then these are the perfect sticks for you. I wouldn't encourage you to spend any more money on your golf game than that. Make sure you're buying logo-overrun balls, cheap balls, balls you find in the gunch, etc... golf isn't about being good at this point. For these players, the cheapie set by an online fitter works just fine.

For the guy who isn't coming in with a "I'll try it and see if I like it" attitude, (kind of like myself - I realised I'll be doing golf-things because of business for a while, so I'd better get good at it), then to me a fitted set is a requirement, and off the rack clubs won't do. You may be able to buy some cheap clubs from an online retailer as referenced earlier in my post, and try to have your fitter/builder retrofit them, but if you want the highest quality, you need to buy a quality component head.

The issue with the pinemeadow, gigagolf and MCM branded stuff is that coming out of the foundry, the technical tolerances aren't that great. In other words, lofts, lies, and weights could be far from spec. All heads have tolerances, but cheaper heads have wider tolerances. This is what seperates quality components from cheap heads - the tolerances are tighter AND because the materials are better (again, tighter tolerances) it's easier to bring these heads back to spec for loft and lie, and even some designs make it easy to bring weight back to spec (with an internal weight port like Wishon designs).

IMO, under no circumstances should anyone be playing Nike, TaylorMade, Callaway, Titleist, Mizuno, Cobra, Ping, Cleveland, Nickent or Srixon unless they're being paid to. Companies including SMT, Wishon, Eidolon, Alpha, Geek, Bang and even the SnakeEyes line from GolfSmith and Maltby/Toski lines from GolfWorks are every bit as well built as the names you recognize, but without the huge marketing budgets that we the golfer have to pay for. I guarantee that because you're playing Nike blades, you're not playing the same clubs as Tiger. You may be playing the same head design, you may even be playing the same shafts, and the grips look the same. But I'll promise you the headweights, swingweights, lengths, lofts, lies, and wraps of buildup aren't the same between your blades bought from the proshop or from tgw.com and Tiger's clubs hand-made by Tom Stites.

Find a good fitter who deals in quality components, and like the ING Direct guy says - "Save your money".

Better save my pennies then.

What's your handicap Bri?

Almost to a fault, fitting helps higher cappers the most visibly.

It helps introduce more consistency to their games, and helps smooth out their 'full swing ailments'.

To the more accomplished, lower cap player, the benefits are not as easily visible. I've spoken quite a bit with a +1 capper, and while he can play pretty much any set, he plays best with a set that's more fit to him and his game. For him, it's the difference between shooting 74 and 71. Now, for the average amateur, is it a big difference? I know for the guy fighting for his card, those 3 strokes are the difference between a cut and a paycheque, or even a win and a 5th place finish.

I have yet to hear about someone who went with a TLT fit set and wanted their old clubs back... and the originator of the series has had hundreds of fittings...

Surely for a connoisseur like Brian these are the answer...

http://www.onlinegolf.co.uk/golf-clu...og/1691pog.asp

Actually the way this thread has developed raises some other thoughts.

Clearly, contrary to what we often told, it is possible to buy a better game. The question is how much are we willing to pay for 5, 10, 15 strokes improvement. Unanswerable perhaps, or, as Ben says it depends on circumstances; are we talking about getting out of Q-school or breaking 100?

The linked site (tutelman?) from one of other threads has some interesting views (well I thought so ) on the cost and fairness of technological advance.

Of course if I was to go the big OEM route next time round, and I doubt it, then for sure I'd buy the previous model year - and the 50% discounts available for doing so show the marketing budget that we pay for on the latest models better than almost anything else.

ps ignoring the special edition bull that set shows another advantage of Bens proposition for me - I wouldn't be paying a 3, 4 and possibly a 5 to stick in the garage and could spend the money on some wedges.

is that because they are celebrating 100 years. Come on Robin, I was probably riding my first motorbike when you had your first pair of long pants

I have not been playing competitions during the last 12 months, due to back and sciatic problems I decided to give it a rest for a bit, I had been playing club, team, society and social matches and had been Vice Captain in one of the two clubs I play. I was playing between 7 and 8 HC the year before but would probably struggle to do that at the moment. I am planning on getting back to competitions again this season.

So now we look at why you're an 8.

It's the thing that drives me most nuts about asking about a handicap.

I have a swing speed of 108 when I'm lazy, 118 when I step on it. I carry the ball anywhere between 240 (an ok strike) to 260 (hit it well) and play 20 yards of left to right movement with my driver.

I'll pull a modern 9 for 150y carry when my swing isn't rusty.

3 putts are a rarity in my game.

What's my handicap?


Now lets add: I get up and down 20% from the grass. I do not get up and down from the bunker. I only hit 2 or 3 fairways. I take 3 or 4 penalty strokes per round, not associated with rules violations.

What's my handicap?


Finally, I try the hero shot in just about every instance, consider yardage to the flag and little else standing over the ball.

What's my handicap?



Now, what to the rags tell us for a guy with my handicap?

) Short hitter
) Inconsistent ball striker
) 40+ putts
) Zero short game


For me, learning how to get up and down (ie short game practice) and course management are why my scores are as high as they are (and a sketchy, fragile mindset).


So, thanks for reading my rant. Brian, why are you an 8?

Why not? I have worked hard at it!

I do nothing remarkable Ben.
I play the low risk percentage game. I have given up on hero shots and if in trouble either play into the fairway or take an unplayable.
On a good day I make around 25 putts.
I am fairly good at hitting centre green from 120 yards in.
I like pitching and chipping.
I play hybrids fairly effectively up the fairways.
I have worked hard in the sand and am getting much better at it.
I am fair with the driver, on a good day I can shape it a bit. Hit a good number of FIR.
Have improved my mental attitude to the game.
I practice a lot, at least 3 times a week.

That's about it, I just keep working at it hoping to reach that elusive 1 or 2 but I have to accept that age is against me now and I will struggle to stay where I am.