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Hello All,

I'm new to the forum, almost new to golf. I started playing in september 09, with the cheapest set of clubs I could find to buy... I've had some training and I'm enjoying the game.

I look forward to applying for handicap but 1st I want to upgrade my clubs.
I've read some reviews and I was certain I should go for the Mizuno mx950 irons and the M60 fairway wood.

I live in Lagos, Nigeria and I would have just bought this things on-line and flown them in, alas I came across the term "custom club fitting" and it's making it seem like a bad idea to just buy clubs without first visiting "saville row".

I'm male, 5ft 81/2inches and weigh 215lbs. Should I wait till I'm in the states and I can get custom fitting or should I just go ahead and order the stuff on line?

Thank you.

Hi. Welcome to golf.
I too am new to golf, started in May, 09. I am learning my clubs and working on my swing...trying different clubs, irons, woods, hybrids..etc. It's a great learning process.
Talking with my instructor when I took lessons, in the middle summer of '09, he advised to hold off on custom fitting until you have played the game and developed a good swing, etc, etc. As you work on your game, things change.
A custom fit today, may not suit you tomorrow.
Being retired and playing almost daily, I see and feel things change. I have been changing my ball placement, tee heights, etc. My distance is greater than months before, putting is better...I did change to a different putter and noticed my count increased....up went the handicap!
IMHO hold off on the custom fitting....i am.

Of course on threads that follow, golfers of greater experience, will probably differ on my thoughts.
Enjoy the game.

When you decide you are going to make a long term commitment to golf, by all means have a club fitting. It will ensure that you get the most out of your swing and power.

I've been playing for almost two years and haven't been fitted yet.

My game has improved quite a bit, but now I think I'd be even better with properly fitted clubs.

An article I read in the recent Golf Digest says if you play to a 5 and haven't gotten fitted, you probably should do it ASAP.

I'm not there yet, but I already want to do it.

I think it's okay for a beginner to get clubs without a fitting because I think there's a bunch you can learn as long as you have a club in your hand.

Of course, the ideal way would be to have the best equipment right from the start!

I'd recommend you TALK to your instructor and ask him or her what they think about you being fit at YOUR current skill level. IF you change any part of your current swing or setup, you WILL change the way your clubs fit. So it's better to get your setup and swing consistant BEFORE you get fit for clubs.

Thank you very much,
Thank you very much,
Thank you very much indeed.
I particularly appreciate the promptness of the responses. I gathered that it would be smarter to get better before getting fitted so I proceeded to order the clubs and found that they don’t really come standard!
Shaft: steel or graphite (my current irons have steel shafts)
Flex: stiff or regular
Pray tell; which is which? Which set up am I better off getting used to?
Thanks again,

This is kind of a weird statement. I wonder what is so sacrosanct about a 5 handicap? Frankly, if you have any kind of repeatable swing, being fit for your swing will allow you to play better no matter if you are 5, a -5 or a 35 handicap. The only people who wouldn't benefit from a fitting would be if your have a completely different swing each and every time -- and while there are a few people out there like that, they certainly aren't common. Perhaps the other exception to this would be if you are undertaking a significant swing change and you want to wait until you've ingrained the changes to be fit.

With a reasonably repeatable swing, fitting for lie, length, loft, and shaft flex are easy to do and can allow anyone to get the maximum of their ability out of their clubs. I really like the analogy from Tom Wishon -- shoe stores stock all different kinds of shoes in all different sizes. Golf stores stock all different kinds of clubs, but rarely in significantly different sizes (short, long, different flex, flat lie, steep lie, etc.). If shoe stores ran on the same model that golf stores do, every shoe in the store would be a size 10, the average mens size, and we'd all have to try to make ourselves fit to that size. Of course, we don't do that, and golf clubs are the same way. We don't all have "average" swings, so trying to use some kind of "average" club is just as silly as trying to force your size 12 feet into size 10 shoes.

So, again, it really doesn't matter exactly what number your handicap is, what does matter is if you have a reasonably repeatable swing. The equipment can be made to maximize your personal results, whatever your personal ability is.

EDITED: I wanted to come back and say one more thing: given all of the above, one's swing mechanics are still by and far the dominant factor in determining how good the ball striking is. That is to say: a good swing is a good swing. A good swing with a poorly fit club will still end up with a better result than a poor swing with a perfectly fit club. Or to put it another way: you cannot buy a good game with just new clubs. Unless you are some type of savant, you will have to practice and drill and work to get a good game. And, for most people, they should spend their money on a series of lessons rather than buying new equipment and hoping that the new clubs will help them (now, some of that again is that most people buy ill-fitted off-the-rack clubs, see above) and then once the lessons are ingrained, then go about getting fitted. But, I just want to be perfectly clear that fit clubs helps one achieve their maximum for their current ability, but the way it improve your current ability is practice and in all likelihood lessons.

I for one have steel shafts on my irons, as well as some used woods I picked in a second hand store for pennies. The hybrids (3 and 4)and a used Titleist 3 wood I purchased used have graphite shaft.
I'm not sure about the "flex" types and pay little attention to such. Maybe I should.
However, why not search the internet regarding such flex types. I learned a great deal about "woods" which prompted me to get the 3 wood--although, I think I should purchased a 4 wood...but I always second guess what I do...

A golfer in our small club swears by his graphite irons...says I should have purchased graphite's...he is in his 70's (I'm pushing 60)...I like steel. He is the first to buy the new this and new that....always has to have the best...know anyone like that?

I still have a zillion questions...hybrids/woods? use a chipper or not? 3 wedges or not? Frankly, it never ends.....some days I just want to take out 4 clubs and that be that!

Welcome to golf....it drives one nuts....enjoy the game! It's all about the game and not the hardware! (I keep on telling myself that everyday!) LOL!

It is my feeling that EVERYONE, no matter the skill level, needs to at least do a static fitting, which means getting the clublength and shaft flex correct. These are the two most important fitting parameters. This is done easy enough by going to the PING website. The next step then would be call a component golf shop where they can custom fit your initial specs for just about any price range you are looking at. Some of the lesser fitting parameters would be just fine if they were never addressed. There are some that are intermediate in importance that should be addressed after the player has developed some consistency. Its next to impossible to offer a complete fitting to a guy who can't get the ball in the air 2/3 of the time. All you can do is take static measurements for clublength, swingspeed, transition, grip size, and the like. If you are fitting a driver, ensure plenty of loft and if you are fitting a set, stay away from longer irons, particularly 5i and on up.

I"d say to get Steel R flex shafts in your new irons..

AGoodWalk, let me say that I do completely agree with you. However, it is impossible to do a "static" measurement for swingspeed as static means still as in zero speed. But, it is easy enough to do a swingspeed measurement and as least get a shaft flex that will be in the ball park for your personal swing. And a static measurement will do the same at least getting you in the ball park for your length and lie angles.

Hi, It's me again.

I resolved to go for the following based mainly on reviews on GolfTest USA - Golf Equipment Ratings & Reviews and your comments


Ping G10 Driver Graphite Stiff 10.5°
Mizuno F-60 Fairway Wood Regular
Mizuno MX-950 Irons 3-9PGS Right Steel Regular
Odyssey White Hot XG 2Ball F-7 Putter Steel Right
Mizuno Golf Bag

Total: $880

I tried to order from golfwholesale18.com; however, the website accepts only paypal and there is no telephone contact.

Also, there's a link on the site containing quarrells about genuiness or otherwise of the clubs...

Contact us_FAQ_Wholesale Golf Equipment

Given my budget, I don't want to end up with fakes so I'm looking for other vendors. Or should I be looking at older clubs?

Please advice.

Thank you.