aerospace_ray

In my 50's here. Switched several years ago and have been quite pleased. At first I did not have comfort partly due as I went with too light a shaft and my feel was out of sync. I did some research/testing and switched to SteelFibers and have not looked back. For me I get the benefits of graphite yet achieve the steel like feel I loved. I also like Paderson graphite and a few Robin Arthur graphite models (fairway woods). Most of friends that I golf with love UST Recoils and speak highly of those.

Last couple of decades I have only used what I deem a #3 wood (i.e. 13-16 deg loft) off the tee for accuracy purposes. Years ago when I got into club fitting, club making I learned a lot regarding necessary swing speed and angle of attack needed for me to get a #3 wood off the deck with sufficient carry distance. I have never had overly impressive swing speed and just rarely could get #3 woods off the deck (includes shallow and mid-deep face varieties). But I have had many #3 woods that all things equal I probably should have only been teeing off with those in place of my drivers. My fairway wood of choice starts at ~18 deg (call it 4 wood,5 wood or whatever) give or take pending design/shallow face with my swing dynamics. I do play with several friends that can easily game a modern #3 wood and they all have the following in common -- they are tall and have +105 swing speed (driver) with good grooved swings.

I have learned this (lighter shafts don't always equate to increase performance) through trial/error over many years. Spent a small fortune it seems on lighter exotic shafts, club heads only to learn that I have a certain total weight driver and/or shaft weight range which I swing efficiently with consistent swing speed and center contact.

I like my clubs to have the same "feel" and/or close enough that I don't notice it durning my swing. Especially picky regarding my driver, fairways and hybrids. Use the same model / flex shaft and same type matching grips/sized. Possibly more lenient with higher lofted wedges. I still want the same grip but I have rotated different shafts in the GW to LW. Good luck with your set makeup.

I would first want to test some "like" irons somewhere with comparable weighted/flexed steel shafts. Your speed blades are good irons to tinker with imo. The shafts I would try with speed blades (I hit them years ago) would be Project X Rifle in R+/115 gm. If I remember the steel shafted speed blades I hit got up in the air pretty easy. The Project X Rifle might be firm enough without being too heavy in "feel" to balance the higher launch of the irons --- again, good iron design to tinker with regarding shafts. Might also be pulled sets available online as its a popular iron shaft. Sure KBS and TT, Nippon have good offerings as well regarding steel shaft choices. Also Steel Fiber's in the I80/I95 models may be good as well but could be on the pricey side for what you are looking for. Good luck.

I have never seen a graphite shaft "wear out" from normal play going back at least 30yrs. I have had to reshaft numerous steel, aluminum Easton -( anyone remember those? )due to getting bent/warped. Now where I do caution my friends that like to reshaft alot is with the graphite shafts as the shaft tips can change size/diameter if one does not properly pull & prep the shaft tip. Can't count how many times I get asked to fix an improperly pulled/damaged graphite shaft. Many times I can't the damage is so bad. Sent from my SM-N960U using MyGolfSpy mobile app

I have had this happen a few times over the years both with component club heads and name brand/OEM. Two things I found with mine, one the club head was weighted heavily towards the heel (maybe manufacturing tolerance thing) and second, the club head's lie angle was significantly different from rest of irons in set. First I took a club head that sat level and did the balance test (unscientific test on my part to locate the clubs balance point/center of gravity) and compared it to the club head that closed while sitting at rest. That showed me the difference in balance point between the two club heads. Lie angles were all in family and so I chalked that experience to being the weight distribution of the club head. The one club head had a more heel sided balance point compared to iron club heads in the set (same brand/model). The second experience was the club head in question had more than 2 degrees upright lie angle so I guess it sat different because the lie angle was so upright. Must not have matched the sole radius (curvature of the club sole) regarding weight distribution due to being upright. That is totally a guess on my part. I did bend the club head flat a degree or so but it still sat uneven or mildly closed. That was a component club head back in the early 90's. Never had another component club head do that. Regardless those are my guesses/experiences. Good luck on what you discover.

You might reach out to: https://www.golfclubfinder.com/driver-wood . Probably other club find help with a web search. Hopefully others will chime in and point you in right direction. Good luck.

I have experimented with them and have a perspective from my experience. At first I thought they were the grips I needed. Kinda like the first few times you roll a brand new putter, you have a different "feel" and for whatever reason the "new" just works. Then your body gets use to the change/comfortable and reality kicks in. I like how the jumbo's felt, and they held up very well in humid/wet weather. My challenge is I am a "feel" player with very much active hands (yes I time my flip on flop shots). I can not with oversize grips---others can I just could not. Where I loved the jumbomax grip is my driver, very solid center strikes. I would say try a few first before going all in. And if I could do what Bryson does it would be a no Brainer[emoji3]. Good luck Sent from my SM-N960U using MyGolfSpy mobile app

So I won't necessarily put my example in the horror story category but it made me realize how good a quality, one on one personal fitting can be a positive experience (fitting that you request/schedule, not show up to a demo day that claims fittings..... ) Note, I am experienced with fitting (both old school static, modern trackman/monitor numbers and ball flight patterns). I like to geek out and discuss fitting/golf tech and outdoor driving range demo's don't always deliver at least in my experience. Every now and then there will be a club from an OEM that I am interested in testing that I don't have readily access to. So a couple of times I have attended driving range "Demo Days". What I have found is many times the persons in the tents know zero about fitting variables, lack quality shaft/club-head model offerings to test and seem more interested in just letting you test a club or two and rush you if there are others waiting to hit. I get that its a demo day but I just wanted to mention this type experience in case someone has the impression they will automatically receive top notch fitting from a OEM club tent with people managing it. You might, I did not and while most of the people representing the companies are nice they may not be legit fitting professional nor be able to give you the time needed to make correct assessments based on your abilities/swing. My advice is to call, make an appointment and request a competent fitter with club/component knowledge (shaft/grips/etc) as well as knowledge regarding fitting fundamentals. Good luck.

My response based off how I perceive your questions/post: Based on personal 40+ year experience the only OEM brand that I would buy off the rack/stock is PING. Pick a decade back to the 70's and I could game/hit every iron in the set from a PING set. What they called standard, regular flex, standard size grip I could easily make center strikes and get the ball in the air reasonably straight. I have never had a playing partner complain about a stock PING (off the rack) other than they hit a little high in the wind (mainly 70's-mid 90's / balata balls). I gamed either the Black dot or Red dot. Was not fit to either back in the day, just purchased one or two sets of each. I have played many brands over the years. Currently game multiple brands including PING clubs. The Pings that I currently do play are based off fitting variables and tailored to my game/ability. I have been building/fitting for several decades so I am not in the group that buys off the rack blindly..... I may buy off the rack and then adjust according to my needs (re-shaft/bend lie angle, etc). Realize that is not what you are looking for with your original question/post but wanted to share. If you asked me for another choice besides PING, I would lean close to Callaway Big Bertha (woods to irons). Started with early 90'S models through todays offerings. Those were the next closest that I could/would invest in without worrying about quality or clubs not fitting me throughout the entire set. The discriminator for me with Callaway vs the Ping is with the long irons both back in the 90's and today's offerings. Due to my ability and/or swing speed (slow range) I battled consistency getting the long irons in the air combined with inconsistent carry distances vs the Pings. Probably had to do with stronger lofts and longer club length from the Callaway's. The Callaway woods and mid irons down were near spot on regarding being able to hit, hit straight and get up in the air like I needed in stock offerings. Absolutely loved the War Bird FW's as they performed very consistent from any turf condition I faced. Again off the rack club, no adjustments.

Wishon 919 F/D & Snell MTB-Black Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

I usually guage my values from what they sell for on ebay and from 1st link below. Probably other sites, golf forums with knowledge & views regarding collectible value. 2nd link obviously from Cameron website. Good luck. 1. https://www.cameronheadcovers.com/ 2. https://www.scottycameron.com/putter-headcover-archive/ Sent from my SM-N960U using MyGolfSpy mobile app

I have mentioned before on various forums that I consider myself a Wishon disciple regarding club fitting if you will. Having read nearly everything he has written, produced over his design career. IMO he was ahead of the curve (like Mr. Maltby) regarding club fitting and design. Some of us began our fitting decades before video, definitely Trackman/etc. I very much appreciate technology and proper application to fitting and club design, club making. I do not think he is outdated as he is still active (although he sold his company). Ralph Maltby also sold GolfWorks (he has an excellent newer book worth reading). Tom Wishon has a very good paperback new book (Cap'N Clubmaker --Experiences & Insights From A Life In Search of the Perfect Golf Club) that discusses more in depth his views on club fitting, design and industry career. In many ways I look at Tom Wishon like a Karsten Solheim in that they both were frustrated about a certain segment of the golf industry and became pioneers through their designs and company firsts. IF anything I think what Tom Wishon writes compliments all of us while considering purchasing a club and/or getting fittings. I consider myself better educated consumer by reading/researching his work. Kinda just like reading MGS forums and reviews.

I have love/hate relationship with these. Obviously when they work it near perfect. But I have had some grips cause a mess. Convinced internal grip had some coating or something that did not mix well with the water activated tape. Those experiences for me were several years ago. Last few years all positives. Just my experience. Sent from my SM-N960U using MyGolfSpy mobile app

I use them near religiously when playing steel shafts. Consider myself very sensitive regarding feel. And I like the ProSofts better than older Sensicore. Have friends/customers that can't tell a difference. Just an area where we each differ. Many just prefer to go graphite route and eliminate one extra variable regarding club makeup. Sent from my SM-N960U using MyGolfSpy mobile app

Have reviewed several post in this thread. Agree with most as its just rude to hold others up. But I think a lot this starts in the club house. When the golfer and/or group checks in they should be reminded whether verbal or signs posted that slow play is to be avoided if at all possible. And to let others play through. Not all courses have marshals to enforce and keep checks on pace of play. I have witnessed some golfers threaten the pro-shop people that they will take their business elsewhere and no one challenges them. IF it were my course I would tell them to leave or play with etiquette and respect for others. And I would call BS on their threats to do business elsewhere. If they come once they will be back again or they would not have been there in first place. I would rather run a business/course with high standards and demand respect from all than foolishly take money from a few that will ruin the day for the rest of the golfers that do play with respect to others. Lastly I do tend to hold on the view that a single has no standing but with caveats -- time of day that round occurs and possibly high traffic days when course is full. Truth is when you mix singles with groups of 3-5 then you always can have pace of play challenges. Courses can do their part by managing times for both a little better. And I play fast and to lower hdcp but know there are days/times its not conducive for me to play as a single. Either I pair up or practice -- choice is mine. Just my views and experience from 40+ years playing.

I have taken many of the SS putter grips off with cutter you referenced. Just as others suggested be careful. Cut slow and go back over the original cut lines , again slow. Steel shafts easier imo. If graphite just take your time. Good luck. Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

I would suggest persons interested in learning/identifying the GolfWorks to OEM realationships should read Ralph Maltby book, My Life in Golf. Lots of OEM Golfworks collaboration over the years. Its a pretty good read with examples that I think several post in this thread inquire about/suggest. Regarding MGS testing Maltby/GolfWorks, its not like you go into a retail golf store and see Maltby TS1, TS2, etc lines (I would be in favor of this though). MGS tests clubs that are commonly available in retail golf outlets. Probably could test other brands/variants. IMO those models (Gofworks/Wishon) are meant to be fitted/built to spec of the golfer interested. Note, I love Golfworks/Maltby and Wishon club heads. I just don't put them in the mainstream OEM category. I fit and build those fine brands more individually.

Thank you. Been saving, waiting for months for this particular bag. Ping had it on its website seems like forever and finally when it became available I was lucky enough (this time) to get one.

My Ping Hoofer Tour bag arrived today.

To date I base desired putter head weight on type putter/grass I am using it for. Probably not the best answer for your questions but if I may I will share some of my madness. I believe in good quality putter fitting (i.e. SAM) provided the putter also feels right. I have argued with instructors and while I agree with most of my putting stats I receive from a fitting I still have to have a "certain feel" with the putter and putter club head weight is a huge contributing factor for me. For blade/very small mallet type putters I prefer light head weight and normal/smallish pistol type grip (think Ping Blackout grip/Danny Edwards Royal Pebble Grain styles). I historically have strong arc stroke and a light club head weight Anser style putter (~< 345 grams) is my gammer of choice with a 8802/Macgregor Ironmaster being a slight alternative. Again those are light club head putters and I use them on faster/hard breaking bent grass type greens. In recent years I have began to use larger mallet/heavier putter head/MOI style putters with +370 grams and Tour Lock back weights (~75-100 grams). Think high MOI Bobby Grace mallet and/or Odyssey TT 10 style putters with larger grips and a modified shorter/less arcing putting stroke. I actually prefer this for the slower bermuda and/or shaggy winter over seeded greens that don't break as much and are slower.

Yes I can shorten grip positions on club for my shot needed. When I learned golf decades ago this was routinely taught as there were not clubs exactly 3 or 4 degrees, etc gapped in a set of irons/wedges. For example I think of what was called half shots. Not everyone can grip normal length iron and swing "slower" to adjust for in between distances. But someone could "choke" down an inch or two and make more comfortable swing. That was taught to me. Of course one may need to alter ball positions in stance as lie angle changes, close/open club face. Caveat the golfers with great hand action/club face control do not necessarily have alter their stance, etc as much while shortening their grips. That is my experience/observations. Today there are so many "fill in the gap" options like gap wedges, lob wedges, etc. I am from era when those were not readily available/common and you had to learn to manufacture a particular shot so to speak (ie I only had 48 deg pw / 55 deg sw). Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

Thanks for comments. Years ago I read the book The Laws of the Golf Swing that I guess Mike Adams co-authored with Tomasi and Suttie. It is one of my favorite instruction books that I review periodically. I really like how Mike Adams explains various parts of the swing/putting. Now I am wanting to read more of his instruction since watching the Fold video. Just amazing if one can identify something from full swing and establish correlation/adjustment for one's putting stroke. Might really help lots of golfers improve.