Set of Irons

3 irons are about a thing of the past most use hybrids...i use Calloway irons... I agree with all the other post like the old saying goes "ya drive for show but putt for dough". I use a cobra baffler for a 3 iron replacement and i love my cleveland Niblick

 

I am an avid golfer and i play Taylor made Tour Preferred.

But for a high handicapper like yourself I will suggest the following
1. Get Calloway Big Berthas - These are for higher handicappers with big thick sweet spots and high ball flights.
2. DONT GET Graphite Shafts - Unless you are over 60 and have a slow swing speed
3. Lessons good but the work on short game. Most of your scoring is in short game. Putting and chipping. You master that and you will be 10 time sbetter than most. Sure a great drive makes you feel good but if you can scramble, you will knock 10 IMMEDIATE strokes off your game in one year. When I teach people I make them do nothing but chipping and putting, because you will miss greens if you can get up and down. you will see results. Start from the green and go backwards to the tee when learning and practicing
4. Get as many hyrids as you can in your bag. Dont be macho and think a 5 hybrid is for chicks. One of my foursome is a former razorback Olineman. He plays hybrids up to a 5 and you know what he is tough to beat. Use technology to help. I have a 3 hyrbid and I love it. Check out Adams golf, they have a set for higher handicaps that have hybrids through 5.
5. Dont skimp on wedges. Get a 54 and a 58 - Dont get suckered into some crazy wedge like a 62. Even the pros bend their wedges. Most of your shots will be done with wedges (PW, A, 52,54,58). Tour pros miss greens but what separates them from us is they can wedge in shots close and 1 putt for par.

Lastly if I can give any piece of advice. DONT SWING HARD. The most common mistake a new person makes is they think the harder they swing the further it goes. True maybe but watch Ernie Els on Youtube, and tell me what is fast about his swing. Best swing in golf like Couples, tempo tempo tempo, get your hips through and always have a nice follow through. You do that you will be down the middle, sure a 300 yard shot OB looks great but now you are hitting three from the same spot. 210 down the middle is always better than 300 in the hazard.

Sorry this is long but I am passionate about golf. Do yourself a favor dont buy all those golf magazines and try all the tips in there. It will make you insane and worse. You will have more swing thoughts then you can handle. Just swing and let the ball get in the way. Tempo and follow through. Only swing thought you need.

Golf ball - I know its nice to buy the cheap TopFLights, but you are hitting a rock. You dont need ProV1's but buy a decent golf ball. If you are worried about losing them buy used ones online.

I am a whore for Taylormade golf, I play their golf ball, drivers, wedges, irons and putter and I love them all. The R9 driver you can adjust the face to help take spin out of play, it will help get the face through the target to prevent big banana slices. Wont fix it but will help it.

 

any moderately priced set of cavity irons will be fine for now.

as you develop a competent swing and learn the finer points of golf club design, and what you prefer in a club, then spring for the premium stuff.

I play Ping I-5 Irons. IMO Ping irons are exceptionally balanced and weighted.
Cleveland Wedges
Callaway Driver
Sonartec 3 wood
Ping Red Wood Putter

Oh, and do take lessons. Start with one short game lesson and one long game lesson. One of the best, most beneficial lessons ive ever taken was a putting/chipping lesson.

 

1) Don't get graphite shafts if you are halfway athletic.

2) Don't ever buy callaway clubs with the "stock" shaft. Their shafts are junk. The head designs are good but if you buy callaway you have to upgrade the shafts.

3) Buy Adams instead of Callaway. Much better price point and with the money you save you can buy a series of lessons or a decent putter, etc.

4) Get Cleveland SWs or Titleist Vokey. Don't save money on your wedges. You will need them.

5) Buy a used driver for $100 and hit the goddamn thing as hard as you can for 20 balls everytime you practice. Don't use it on the course for a while.

6) Get lessons from a guy who teaches a lot. Do not take tips from amateurs. They have no idea what the hell they are talking about even though they mean well.

7) Get a good golf instructional book. Jim McLean's Eight Step Swing is a good one for beginning golfers.

Lastly, and most importantly:

DO NOT EVER LET ANYONE TELL YOU TO KEEP YOUR HEAD DOWN. THIS IS WITHOUT DOUBT THE MOST COMMON AND MOST DAMAGING ADVICE IN GOLF.

Hope that helps!:thumb:
your resident PGA golf instructor
opcorn:

 

Another absolute headache. There must be a thousand different kinds. I am currently hitting Nike Crush. Picked up a dozen for 20 bucks. Still have most of them. Soft core, distance, firm, blah blah buh effing blah, what the hell does it all mean? Thanks for the tips, keep em coming.

 

And they usually shoot 112.

 

Personalized Golf Balls, Custom Logo Golf Balls, Golf Hats, Golf Shoes, Golf Shirts, Golf Clubs and Personalized Golf Gifts.

 

"DO NOT EVER LET ANYONE TELL YOU TO KEEP YOUR HEAD DOWN. THIS IS WITHOUT DOUBT THE MOST COMMON AND MOST DAMAGING ADVICE IN GOLF"

Except in putting.
Sorry have to disagree with you there... In putting the key is keeping your upper body completely still most importantly your head.

Want putting lessons. Watch Tiger Woods putt. Sure he is not playing his usual golf right now, but he is still the best pure putter I have ever seen.
Does the SAME routine every time and he doesnt move an inch when he putts.
Amazing to watch.

 

Find a ball you like, specially on the greens and stick with it.
Balls DO make a big difference. I play Taylormade Penta's now. Used to play TaylorMade TP blacks. Love them both.

But find a nice affordable ball that feels good around the greens and go with that.
All these "Hit em Long, etc etc" crap things do nothing, you want touch around the greens plain and simple.

Cost is not an issue, but to quote the movie Boogie Nights. "Wear what you dig"

But changing balls every shot is never a good thing. Nike makes some good priced balls.
Check out the Taylormade Burner balls about 20 bucks a box, most technology (According to golf magazine) in that price range. That and the calloway Hot series.


As for taking advice, agreed, I wont get into a "handicap" off with everyone, but the worst thing that ever happened to me was taking a lesson after all the years I have played, took me two months to fix everything he messed up. He tried to change my swing to what he wanted. Not work with what I have. I am to old to retool my swing now.

My opinion since you are new. Get some good lessons, get a swing you are comfortable with (Grip, tempo, routine) then work it and find a teacher who isnt making you swing in their eyes but working with your swing. RIght now the key is getting through the slot, hips, follow through and tempo. Work on that. The pro at my club does just that, he doesnt try to change my swing, he works with what I have. It has really made a difference.