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Buying new clubs

• phred952 2,714 Posts

  Sun, Apr 19 2015 11:02 AM

  You might consider renting one of the ATV lvl 39 wedges to try them out.  I've always hated "wasting" credits on rentals, but in this case i think it will help.  It's about 75 credits for the ATV for 24 hrs..  Try the 64*  50 yd wedge, and then play in practice mode on a course where you'll have lots of approach shots with it, like the Best of Par 5.  Since you don't care about score, you can move the ball around until it's where you want to shoot from.  Use the mulligan as much as you like, to get a feel for what the wedge will do, and keep records of your shots at all swing power levels and different types of shots.  As well as amount of backspin and top spin.  And set it up for low wind, and track wind speed and direction.

  I agree with the comment about wedge meter swing not being quite as important, but it's nicer when all clubs have the same speed.  I used those ATV's until I could buy the Cleveland's  588's when they came out.   Hope this helps.  Good luck and let us know what you decide to do about clubs.

  Phred952

• 11BC2 555 Posts

  Sun, Apr 19 2015 12:08 PM

  Thanks for all the replies so far.  @ Phred, I've actually been doing nothing but playing front 9 Brandon course to try and level up Asap.  It's quite the pain in the butt taking 15 shots X 9 holes at 1 - 10 % power though!  I can get in around 54 holes an hour for 1600XP lol.

  But I digress.  I think I might rent the Clevland instead (3.5 meter!).  How do you take a Mulligan though (no clue)?  And I see people like sweet pea has 5 wedges!!  Back in my console TW PGA Tour days (average -15 or so per round) I only used a 56 and 60 (well, and default Iron PW).

  Doubtful I'll pick up more than 2 wedges in this game either.  Although, in TW PGA it was very simple to use flop shot, 2 -4 feet past pin and backspin in hole 50% plus of the time from any distance.  That's why I don't like 64 wedges -  it drastically decreased the flop shot range and hole outs.

  I'm thinking I'll wait to level 50s and rent the Max Spin and Clevlands and see which works better for flop shots/back spin and hole outs.  Which ever does that better will probably be my club.  Thanks to everyone again for the help.  If more questions I'll ask.

• 11BC2 555 Posts

  Fri, Apr 24 2015 2:02 PM

  After finishing up more videos, surveys, and throwing down $50.00 (level up boost) I've finally purchased all my clubs.

  I'm sitting with Lvl 48 Taylor Made driver, Lvl 41 Taylor 3w, Lvl 64 Nike Irons, Lvl 20s Clevland 56 and 60 wedges, and the Lvl 30 Ghost Mantra putter.  I was a bit skeptical about getting the Med trajectory Nikes but imo the 4.1 precision helps make up that difference. Even inconsistent Ding players will find it easy to get close.  Hit the Ding or 1-2 mm off gets you 0-2 yards (with good wind/elev/dist).

  To be fair, on BethPage #4 (par 5 severe uphill) I'm not able to hold Tournament greens with a 171-175 (+uphill) approach with a 4/5 iron with the Nikes...gotta play to fairway.  Aside from that hole I haven't had any other problems.

  The TM driver is a beast.  The TM 3w is nothing special (212-214 ish carry full b/s) but there's not much else available at my level and 3.5 meter speed.  The Clevland wedges are surprisingly good for such a low level.  I'm doing fine with just 2 wedges and haven't had any issues with inbetween yardage (yet).

  The Ghost Mantra putter is only "fair".  It's not bad, but it's not good either.  I'd like something with a little more precision and 20,40,60 increments for my next upgrade.

  Overall I'd say I'm very pleased.  Just played the Virtual Beth Page Transamerica Challenge and posted a nice score.....so no complaints.  For anyone reading this, It's my opinion that the best 2 clubs you can upgrade first are the Taylor Made lvl 48 Driver and a good putter.  Yes, wedges are important but if you are stuck 150-200 yards back in the fairway every hole you'll have a more difficult time.

  So Putter > Driver > Wedges > Irons > Woods.  That's my opinion.  Thanks to everyone for the help.

• 11BC2 555 Posts

  Fri, Apr 24 2015 2:20 PM

  Double Post!! Edit = deletion.

• YankeeJim 25,827 Posts

  Sat, Apr 25 2015 11:19 AM

  11BC2:

    I was a bit skeptical about getting the Med trajectory Nikes but imo the 4.1 precision helps make up that difference.

  11BC2:

  To be fair, on BethPage #4 (par 5 severe uphill) I'm not able to hold Tournament greens with a 171-175 (+uphill) approach with a 4/5 iron with the Nikes

  This becomes more prevalent when you move to longer tees. That precision is nice if you can stop the ball and Medium trajectory clubs take a large amount of spin to do that. That opens the door to bigger deviations on missed hits when you use spin balls and miss. 

   

  p.s., Play BPB #4 driver/wedge/wedge. Hit low in the fairway on your second shot to 60 yards out, or so, and you own that pin for the 3rd shot.  The low angle in the fairway takes the slope of the green out of play on the landing. :-)

• phred952 2,714 Posts

  Sat, Apr 25 2015 1:27 PM

  Glad you found clubs that will work for what you want to do here.  Good luck.

  Phred852

• 11BC2 555 Posts

  Sat, Apr 25 2015 2:43 PM

  @ Yankee

  I'm sure I'll run into problems when I hit Tour Master but hopefully I'll be close to the Lvl 85s by then!  But yeah, there are some limitations but at my current tee box there manageable.   With my current ball I always put full b/s on 3,4, and 5 irons (and they still run out 15, 12, and 10).  6 iron is hole dependent and the rest of the clubs I rarely use it.  The 8i lands 2 yards short of it's rated distance and then rolls 2 more.  9, Pw, 56, and 60 all carry and stop at rated distance (no b/s).

  So, when I reach Master how much will the Tee box jump back? 'Cause right now as long as I don't have any 3,4, and 5 iron approaches I'm looking pretty comfortable.

  @ Phred

  TY ;)

   

• phred952 2,714 Posts

  Sat, Apr 25 2015 8:07 PM

  As a Master I play from the Hard tees, 1 step below the Championship tees.

  Phred952

• YankeeJim 25,827 Posts

  Sun, Apr 26 2015 7:40 AM

  11BC2:

  So, when I reach Master how much will the Tee box jump back? 'Cause right now as long as I don't have any 3,4, and 5 iron approaches I'm looking pretty comfortable.

  I know exactly where you're at. The days up to Legend were a hoot and you could get away with playing what I used to call a "run and gun" game. Low trajectory shots that bored through winds and with serious back spin, you could assault pins. I never carried a 3W, just a driver and 4 wedges. 

  However, players in my same arena that used the high lofted G10s (at the time) shot much better scores overall. It wasn't until I switched to those G10s (now G25s) and subsequently the i15s, that I really appreciated the difference that loft made.

  Run and gun became a course management game because now it was easier to play to a spot where you know that nice, soft landing the high loft affords could get that distance to pin down on approaches. As fun as run and gun was, had I opted for the higher lofted clubs I'm sure I would have been better than I was back then. 

  If you look at the type of courses there are now, elevation becomes very important, even from the closer tees. Low trajectory clubs are affected differently by elevations and while you will probably get real good at figuring the shots out, IMO you're hurting yourself in the long run. Knowing how high lofted clubs work NOW will prepare you well for when you're hitting off the longer tees. Those level 59 G25s would be the ticket but enjoy your game as it is for now. Just know you'll eventually need a high lofted club. Makes BPB 5 and 7 birdies. GL ;-)

• 11BC2 555 Posts

  Mon, Apr 27 2015 10:10 AM

  
  @ Yankee

  I hate Pings IRL so absolutely will not play them, ever, ^^!  Having said that, I really wish the pro shop had more available clubs.  I was sticking to the Nikes because of their 3.5 Meter Speed would match everything else but my putter.

  ***Interesting note***  Really, it is.  Even though all my clubs are rated 3.5 the only clubs that actually have the same swing speed are my 3w and Irons.  The Driver and Wedges (rated 3.5!!) DO NOT have the same swing speed in the actual game.

  My driver has an ever so slight but definitely slower swing to it.  And what's very interesting is that my Clevland Wedges have a SIGNIFICANTLY slower swing.  I end up hooking them more than I'd like because when I use the same tempo as my other clubs the club actually strikes the ball around 50% EARLIER (in the final smaller swing box.....where you have left notch, center "ding", and right notch).

  My point?  It seems trying to piece together an Entire Set of clubs with the same Meter Speed is pointless because they do not react at ALL in a similar manner;  not at least in a fashion that will let you accurately predict when to "Ding it".

  In the future I'll simply purchase clubs with the best performance only.  Not performance and Meter Speed in an attempt to match everything up.