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feedback on clubs to buy

• jsweetcr 1,209 Posts

  Tue, Dec 25 2012 8:23 PM

  Hello everyone and before i get started just want to wish everyone Happy Holidays

  Just about to purchase my first set of clubs and been doing some research, but thought I would post here to get some feedback from others.  As you can see I am currently level 34 Pro.  Due to the fact that, because of the country i reside in, I don't get the same ability to obtain as many free credits from videos, I want to be smart about purchase and also plan on focusing mainly on playing Ready Go's. I have played a couple already and lost 50 credits on one and made 75 on another and thats with starter clubs. So I figure with this purchase, along with some balls, and some more practice I should be able to do fairly well.  Not expecting to blaze the top ten list or anything but just have some fun and make some credits to diminish my personal cost on  subsequent  purchases.

  To the clubs, I have narrowed it down to the Ping Raptures lvl 32/33, Ping K15s lvl36/37, TM R11.  I would be willing to hear suggestions on others, but based on what I'm looking for and what I've read, this is what Ive come up with so far. Ive pretty much eliminated the Raptures, as the K15 are almost identical in most areas and slightly better in some and carry a tad more distance with the same slow meter and only slightly more expensive, so I am thinking they are worth it. The only things that might change that are fact that I can get them immediately or if someone has some earth shattering information about them that you can't see on paper.

  So it really boils down to the K15s and the R11s.  I personally am leaning towards the K15's because of the slower meter and better forgiveness.  I know most at higher levels speak highly of the R11s as hands down best club and they do have more precision, spin and distance. Seeing as I don't want to really have to upgrade until the g20s at lvl 58/59 having the extra distance may be nice, but the slow meter of the K15s just really seems attractive, plus i only have 2-3 more levels to be able to purchase them versus 6-7 levels for the r11s.  Not to mention the R11s are like 1300 credits more, so really trying to figure out if the faster meter speed will cause major problems and if the 1300 credits extra is worth the extra precision, spin, and distance, while giving up forgiveness.

  One last variable, no I don't really want to have to use balls all the time to slow meter.  I am not opposed to using winnings to buy balls, but only when i feel it necessary for that added advantage...i don't want to be buying balls every few days.

  Thanks in advance for any input, sorry for the long post and again wish everyone a happy holidays

• fmagnets 3,640 Posts

  Wed, Dec 26 2012 12:08 AM

  I'd recommend aiming for the L48 Ping Raptor 3wd, rescue and irons. They might seem a long way off, but at the lower levels you can easily knock a level or two off a day. In the meantime, you can get the L35 Ghost putter which will save you a lot of shots unless you are already brilliant with your starter putter. The 3wd is fine off the tee while you work your way up to the L58 Ping driver.

  With this route, you never need buy a golf ball. I did this up to Legend, then carried on using them until I could get the L83 Ping set (though now you can get the Rocketbladez earlier). It's a cheap route to the top if you don't mind putting the rounds in whilst being briefly uncompetitive at the higher levels. 

• courteneyfish 15,796 Posts

  Wed, Dec 26 2012 12:34 AM

  I'd wait until you reach the Master tier before upgrading as that is when you'll need help. If you must buy something now, I'd go for a 3rd wedge and drop the hybrid.

• JAMESBALDINI 266 Posts

  Wed, Dec 26 2012 1:46 AM

  HI

  The R11S also have a very high trajectory.I just shot a 30 on front 9 at cabo.You will get use to the swing meter not really that  much faster.The cleveland wedges are great and the max master putter is awesome

  good luck

  james

• alosso 21,074 Posts

  Wed, Dec 26 2012 2:07 AM

  A budget way to go at Pro/TP tier is to buy just a 3WD and use it from the tee. The lvl30 R11 and the lvl47 Rapture are good in length, trajectory and forgiveness.

  A third wedge only becomes meaningful with custom irons. Then the gap below the PW may justify this step.

  Think about custom balls!

  Even the cheapest ones improve the game, contributing a wee bit to precision and forgiveness as well as to meter slowness. I'd calculate 1 cr/9 hole game for the 10 cr sleeve. It's a step to a better game if you can afford it.

• jsweetcr 1,209 Posts

  Wed, Dec 26 2012 8:32 AM

  first off, thanks all for the feedback

   

  i actually did consider waiting until 47/48 for those, but yes it seems a long way off and being christmas i was getting itchy wanting to buy something, but see your point as i don't want to tier up to fast as well and not have access to clubs with ample distance once i change tees at the master level.

  I like the Ghost putter and was thinking of getting that and think I will, never thought about using a 3wd as a driver and wating longer

  I guess ultimately what im taking away from this is to have some patience. i think grabbing a couple clubs like the wedges and putter and maybe using some balls and holding off as loing as possible, might be a better way to go and if nothing else give me more time to asses and think about it 

   

• forcefan 279 Posts

  Wed, Dec 26 2012 10:33 AM

  Along the line of advice alosso provided: one way to go is with the TaylorMade R11S 3 Wood (L41+) 695 credits. Not cheap, mind you. But it's as foolproof, foregiving & precise a club as I've hit. If you go this route you can then ditch the Starter Driver and add another wedge, as courteneyfish suggested, and still hold on to the hybrid.

  I loved the L58/59 G20 Irons, Driver, 3 Wood. I found the meter to be slow (read: very 'dingable'). I still have the G20 Irons as an insurance policy in case I am unable to settle into using the L79 RocketBladez Irons.

  You're approximately 65,000 XPs from L59, which may seem like a lifetime, but actually won't take long if you login every day to receive the 880 XPs for consecutive days played. It'll give you time to practice shot-making, learn the nuances of the courses.

  Playing 10 credit per sleeve WGT balls worked well for me through the Tour Pro tees. I still use them from time to time.

  Decisions, decisions. Whatever you decide - good luck & enjoy!

• alosso 21,074 Posts

  Wed, Dec 26 2012 10:42 AM

  R11s may be a good advice F, I overlooked it because it wasn't there when I was in that area.

  Alas, J, if you want to advance slowly, a simple Lynx driver may do it, along with those 10cr balls.

• SHRUDE 5,835 Posts

  Wed, Dec 26 2012 4:06 PM

  A full set of Raptures + 3 Wedges did me very well until Master.

  Its a fair haul from Pro to Master..  by then you will have conquered many more aspects of the game.

  From there you would need to upgrade your Driver 1st, then Irons and finally wedges.

  GI (game Improvement) balls will also help in these early days, as will Srixons.

  GI3-S  were my ball of choice before using Srixons as a Master.

  (s) balls for spin (d) balls for distance.

  I still wont use D balls.

   

• jsweetcr 1,209 Posts

  Thu, Dec 27 2012 6:58 AM

  thanks...were those the lvl 32/33 raptures or lvl 47