OT: Golf 2.0

[John Agar]

I went out and looked at new clubs today. Not in a huge hurry, not sure when a sale might start. Looking at getting a full set of senior graphite. I hit some balls today with steel and graphite shafts and I really liked the feel of graphite......after using steel my whole life. Last set I bought was about 25 years ago and I use them still but they are steel. Nearing retirement so might be time to switch to graphite I think. Likely will be my last set I ever buy.

Just an fyi...

I had a fitting 2 years ago...

I assumed graphite or some composite variant would be the ticket...

The best shaft was a steel/composite shaft a lot of tour pros use...

Problem... they were over $300 a shaft for each club...

The 2nd best and close in feel, distance and ease to swing...

A Japanese made lightweight steel shaft... much cheaper...

Nippon Shaft model 950GH Neo... Nippon Shaft | Realizing Pro Golfers' Tour Dreams

They have graphite/composite as well as a Hybrid LW steel/graphite if you want to break the bank...

Happy hunting...

 

[buggs]

I went out and looked at new clubs today. Not in a huge hurry, not sure when a sale might start. Looking at getting a full set of senior graphite. I hit some balls today with steel and graphite shafts and I really liked the feel of graphite......after using steel my whole life. Last set I bought was about 25 years ago and I use them still but they are steel. Nearing retirement so might be time to switch to graphite I think. Likely will be my last set I ever buy.

Interesting side story maybe of minor benefit to you.

I bought clubs in 2017 for myself. My last set prior I purchased in 1999. Both sets are steel shaft, both sets are stiff flex.

I was having a bit of an inconsistent year last year, really very much overthinking my game quite a lot. I was doing a lot of dumb things that really aren't productive in golf - one of which was slowing down my swing to try and take clubs shorter distances than what I normally hit. Taking it a bit easier with swings than I would have, say 10 or 20 years earlier. Was thinking jeez, maybe the stiff shafts were something of a mistake and maybe I should move to graphite as I'm getting close to retirement as well.

Was golfing last summer with a guy who made an odd comment, something along the lines of: "you're way more athletic than your swing is currently indicating; maybe you should just hit the ball like you can and let the loft determine the distance". Guy seems to be pretty knowledgeable about golf and so the rest of the season I did just that. Game improved fairly substantially. As it turns out the only thing that had diminished in regards to my swing speed was inside my head.

I'm sort of the same point this season, not swinging quite right just yet. But I'll attribute that to exactly zero practice time and only two rounds. When I swing like I can, the ball does nice things.

I'm not much of a golfer but this seems like a scenario where you should get some swing analysis done to see what the suggestion is for your swing speed. Obviously what feels good goes a long way into making you happy. I'm just suggesting that maybe you won't breakdown quite so quickly physically.

 

[Hunter368]

Just an fyi...

I had a fitting 2 years ago...

I assumed graphite or some composite variant would be the ticket...

The best shaft was a steel/composite shaft a lot of tour pros use...

Problem... they were over $300 a shaft for each club...

The 2nd best and close in feel, distance and ease to swing...

A Japanese made lightweight steel shaft... much cheaper...

Nippon Shaft model 950GH Neo... Nippon Shaft | Realizing Pro Golfers' Tour Dreams

They have graphite/composite as well as a Hybrid LW steel/graphite if you want to break the bank...

Happy hunting...

Interesting side story maybe of minor benefit to you.

I bought clubs in 2017 for myself. My last set prior I purchased in 1999. Both sets are steel shaft, both sets are stiff flex.

I was having a bit of an inconsistent year last year, really very much overthinking my game quite a lot. I was doing a lot of dumb things that really aren't productive in golf - one of which was slowing down my swing to try and take clubs shorter distances than what I normally hit. Taking it a bit easier with swings than I would have, say 10 or 20 years earlier. Was thinking jeez, maybe the stiff shafts were something of a mistake and maybe I should move to graphite as I'm getting close to retirement as well.

Was golfing last summer with a guy who made an odd comment, something along the lines of: "you're way more athletic than your swing is currently indicating; maybe you should just hit the ball like you can and let the loft determine the distance". Guy seems to be pretty knowledgeable about golf and so the rest of the season I did just that. Game improved fairly substantially. As it turns out the only thing that had diminished in regards to my swing speed was inside my head.

I'm sort of the same point this season, not swinging quite right just yet. But I'll attribute that to exactly zero practice time and only two rounds. When I swing like I can, the ball does nice things.

I'm not much of a golfer but this seems like a scenario where you should get some swing analysis done to see what the suggestion is for your swing speed. Obviously what feels good goes a long way into making you happy. I'm just suggesting that maybe you won't breakdown quite so quickly physically.

Thanks guys for the feedback.

Update:

Through the weekend I went to two golf shops, hit a bunch of balls in their test ranges, the experts gave me feedback on the data on my swings. Results were while I might not be a strong as I used to be (25 years ago when I bought my last clubs, steel shaft) I'm still plenty strong enough according to them that I 100% should stick to steel shafts for many more years.

So I ordered myself some Callaway full irons set (5-PW, SW, PW), driver and a hybrid (I'm not a fairway wood type of guy). I'm going to keep my current putter bc I like it and I can always buy additional add on clubs for my set as desired. My clubs arrive in 2-3 days directly from Callaway (currently they have a Fathers Day sale on, so Happy Fathers Day to myself). Excited to get out there and hit balls. This will be the best clubs I ever owned by a wide margin, I see them as a long term investment in my entertainment and retirement in 5+ years.