Top 5 Best & Worst Golf Purchases

[Majmike]

Top purchases

1.  My first Ping blade putter in the 80s.  

2.  Callaway Triple Track putter and ball.  I can't remember my last 3 putt.  

3.  Ping glide wedges which really are easy to chip with. 

4.  My first Ping driver with big head in the 90s.

5.  My golf classes at John Jacob's golf school in AZ.  

      Best bang for your buck IMO. 

My worst purchases 

1.  Titleist Volkey wedges, maybe be great for pros but extremely inconsistent for me.  

2.  Numerous Nike shoes or clothing which were not durable and costed too much

3.  Callaway adjustable head hybrids which felt dead(profile shows I have them but not any longer)

4.  Any driver I ever bought which did not have a upgraded/premium shaft.  Almost everyone was very inconsistent but for the ones where I spent the money to install a better shaft then they performed a lot better.

5.  Spending money to play any Jack Nicholas or Pete Dye designed golf course.  

 

 

Edited March 22 by Majmike
Update info

[poprocksncoke]

Late entry since I forgot about probably the #1 worst golf purchase I ever made.

 

Ping Eye 2+ irons.  After my Ping Eye 2 irons were stolen I got the +'s and they weren't even close to the same.  

[Golf Dawg]

BEST:

1 Mizuno JPX 919. Custom fitted birthday present from my bride.

2 Srixon Soft Feel balls. Work great and love them off club faces. 

3 Vokey SM 7 wedges and online fitter. Still not consistent, but work better than stock set or “gimmick wedges” (see below).

4 ANY Sun Mountain golf bag. 

5 Cliqgear 3.0+ cart - pimped out, with Alphard Golf Club Booster V2. The only way to fly for a push cart mafioso!

 

WORST:

1 “Gimmick wedges,” including Callaway, Tour Edge, and *gulp* The Alien. They didn’t help my short game.

2 Recycled golf balls. YRMV, but don’t work for me.

3 Too many golf “how to” books. Bought most of the biggies, screwed my mind into my shoulders. Still seek consistency by mantra now is “just hit the ball.”

4 Cheap golf gloves. ‘Nuff said.

5 Go Golf Skechers (1st gen). Clunky, hot, no arch support and NOTHING like Go Walk versions for comfort. 

[DymnDog]

1 hour ago, TJ Hall said:

A 68 degree wedge…wow!  That thing must have been laying wide open

But you can also flip pancakes with it! 

[The1_n_only_eli21]

Expensive golf clothes , you can get good golf clothes at Walmart, Target, Ross, Marshalls vs PGA store 90 for a polo on the low end. No thanks. 

[ChiefMikeOfficer]

Oh, and how could I forget this in my "worst" list?? Short Par 4 subscription ($100+ value for $45!) - should have known to cancel after shipment #1, because that was a disappointing shipment, but then they gave me a free box and I kept it for more than 6 months. I've kept exactly 2 items from those boxes -- one Devereux polo that is a blend of golf and casual, but I never really wear it (to their credit, this made my look closer at Devereux and have bought stuff directly), and an Under Armour fleece QZ that is comfortable but looked like a promo overstock (only found that model at places like graphics/print shops, not an actual retailer). The glove was good enough, but just used it as a range glove; the Callaway shoes felt cheap and went straight to Goodwill, along with many of the other clothing items. After a few consecutive disappointing months, I came to realize I didn't like the "surprise" / lack of control - I'd prefer to pay a bit more and choose exactly what I want. 

[Preeway]

20 minutes ago, ChiefMikeOfficer said:

Oh, and how could I forget this in my "worst" list?? Short Par 4 subscription ($100+ value for $45!) - should have known to cancel after shipment #1, because that was a disappointing shipment, but then they gave me a free box and I kept it for more than 6 months. I've kept exactly 2 items from those boxes -- one Devereux polo that is a blend of golf and casual, but I never really wear it (to their credit, this made my look closer at Devereux and have bought stuff directly), and an Under Armour fleece QZ that is comfortable but looked like a promo overstock (only found that model at places like graphics/print shops, not an actual retailer). The glove was good enough, but just used it as a range glove; the Callaway shoes felt cheap and went straight to Goodwill, along with many of the other clothing items. After a few consecutive disappointing months, I came to realize I didn't like the "surprise" / lack of control - I'd prefer to pay a bit more and choose exactly what I want. 

I’ve been tempted by the Short Par 4 deal as well but I’m also not a fan of random stuff and hoping I like it. 

[JRDuck40]

Seeing quite a few guys list Vice golf balls on here. I can attest to that as well. Thank god I never dropped anything on them. Was gifted and also won a dozen at a tourney last year. They went one of two ways, directly into my kids' bags to be lost almost immediately or into a 5 gallon bucket in my garage that I donate to a friend of a friend that has a par 3 in his backyard. 

Not a fan of vice whatsoever. 

[Erin B]

Best

1: Ping 410 LST IMHO the best driver Ping has ever made

2: Ping Anser Sigma (30 years ago give or take) I always come back to that putter

3: Steadfast Shafts I don’t care what some of you think about Steadfast. The shafts I’ve bought are money for me. Newton are good too.

4: Titleist DCI 990 irons I played these irons longer than any other irons I’ve had. My old Mizunos are a close second. My New Level irons are new so the verdict is still out. 

5: Callaway Paradym TD I like this driver over all my previous Callaway drivers and I’ve had a lot.

Worst

1: Warrior custom golf woods, they just plain sucked

2: Olimar 3 wood (crown broke within 6 months)

3: My first set of clubs. Dunlap and they sucked

4: PXG Drivers, every series before the dark ones. They suck for me.

5: Most every golf glove I’ve purchased. I’m not a fan of most gloves except the Titleist Footjoy combo that had the magnet ball marker on it. I don’t like wearing gloves. I prefer gloveless, even though I bought the Rooster MGS gloves to try. 

[SnowmanReese]

Best 

1. Ping G425 3-wood - ball blasts off the face and straight

2. Vice golf balls - buy when the 5:1 or 3:1 sales are on.  Love these balls and the savings

3. Jordan golf shoes - only golf shoes that don't give me heel blisters

4. Ping Scottsdale TR Anser 2 putter - been using since I started golfing.  Most consistent putter I own.

5. Srixon ZX5 MK2 irons - flight and consistency has greatly improved.  love the sound and feel.

Worst

1. Footjoy golf shoes - For some reason keep buying different FJ shoes even through every pair gives me heel blisters.

2. Velcro fastening putter covers - Cover falls off every time I play.  Only magnetic covers from now on.

3. Expensive golf balls - Perform the same as Vice balls but hurts my wallet/soul when they go into the water/woods.

4. Titleist carry bag - Used a few years and in that time the strap broke, the cooler pocket liner broke, a few zippers broke, one leg of the stand broke, and the dividers frayed.

5. Sun Mountain carts - Have gone through three different carts in last 5 years.   Maybe I have been unlucky with parts breaking but at least the customer service has been phenomenal!

[Shlax]

To me, most of my what I consider as my best purchases are affordable/underrated pieces of gear. On the contrary, a bad purchase is simply something where I didn't get my money's worth. Fortunately, I don't have a lot of things that come to mind that were straight-up bad golf purchases.

BEST

1. Driver: Callaway Rogue ST Max LS 9* with Aldila Rogue White 130 MSI 70X shaft (my current driver). I got fitted for it and it was at a time where my old driver was ruining my life. Simply having a lower spin head with less loft and a stiffer shaft completely changed my game off the tee.
2. 3-wood: TaylorMade Sim Max 15* with Fujikura Ventus Blue FW6S (stock build). I ordered this 3W online without having ever tried it. I simply didn't have a 3W in my bag, it was on sale and I knew that the Sim line was appreciated by many. To this day, I can't see myself swapping this club for anything. I would be afraid that any upgrade wouldn't perform as reliably.
3. Club cleaning brush with water (link here). Talking about affordable stuff. I got this because I got tired of coming back home and spending 10-15 minutes cleaning out my clubs after rounds. With this tool, I keep my clubs deep-cleaned during the round and at the very worst, I quickly clean them in the parking lot prior to leaving.
4. Wide brimmed golf hat (link here). I now have a few from Titleist, Puma and Ciele. It simply helps save my ears and neck when I'm not as rigorous as I should be with re-applying sunscreen during a round (plus, I like the style).
5. Leather golf shoes (link here). I take some time to mention leather as the water resistance of genuine leather shoes is generally very good. I used to wear canvas/mesh shoes as I rarely play in the rain but playing in the morning, dew sweeping rounds used to get my feet completely wet by the first 3-4 holes. This isn't the case anymore with those Nike shoes.

WORST

1. Cotsco (Kirkland) golf gloves. Yes, you get 4 gloves for an unbeatable price, but these 4 gloves combined don't  even last longer than most decent regular golf gloves +  they get grimmy very quickly.
2. Costco (Kirkland) golf balls. Yes, you still get 24 3-piece urethane balls for an unbeatable price but they are hard a rock (even more than Top Flite XL 2000 and Pinnacle Gold IMHO, despite their compression index being around 93) and spin like crazy. They are very good around the green, but terrible off the tee.
3. Garmin Approach S60 watch. Very expensive golf watch for the few features that it offers. The Garmin Golf app is basic and provides virtually no input regarding advanced statistics (e.g., strokes gained). I changed it last year for a Shot Scope X5 watch with club sensors and couldn't be happier!
4. Personalized ball markers and divot tools. Useless/gimmicky and wayyy too expensive for what it is. I got it as a gift but I would never have paid for that.
5. Golf lesson at my local driving range. There is no course affiliated with this range. It's simply a range in the middle of the city where most people go for fun or an activity (like going bowling if you're not an avid bowler for example) and only a few go to actually practice or take golf lessons. I took an hour long private lesson with the "head pro" at my range and I had specified my skill level and what I wanted to work on prior to the lesson. Unfortunately, I did't get what I was hoping for with that single lesson and I didn't book another one as I felt that the instructor's golf skills and knowledge weren't enough to help me. I then went for a single lesson with the head pro at my local course and THAT lesson was eye opening!

Edited March 22 by Shlax
Typos

[RTH1]

#1 worst; Lynx Irons, inspired by Couples winning the masters, finally my dad took them off my hands to replace his Browning 440's, Thanks pops,

#1 best; $25.00 flea market sand wedge in 1987, has a lamkin perma wrap grip . still going strong, great for backyard practice.

[Mexi Fry Golf]

Best:

1) Crush Resistant Practice Balls, perfect for practicing chips and pitches around the house while exercising the pup simultaneously 

2) Vessel Player IV Pro Stand, by far the best carry experience I’ve ever had even with mainline tour stand bags

3) GFore Galavan2r Golf shoes, so comfortable straight out of the box and great looks

4) Scotty Cameron Tei3 Longneck Newport 2, my dream putter for sure can’t wait to eventually get it refurbished 

5) Bettinardi HLX 3.0 Wedges Blue Smoke Finish, absolute beauties and perform great, but I feel like I never see them!

Worst:

1) Odyssey White Hot EXO Rossie, great looking  just felt like I was hitting marshmallows off the face

2) Callaway Epic Flash Sub Zero Triple Diamond, first off what a mouthful, second definitely hit bombs but the sound was atrocious

3) An unpaid fitting, my newbie golf self was so eager to finally get new clubs and the fitter just wanted to sell so just ended up getting something that didn’t work for me at all

4)Frogger club brush, the actual brush itself is amazing, absolutely love it. The reason this is in worst is because of the clip attachment, idk if it’s just me but I lost 2 in back to back rounds. 

5) Golf Pride Align Grips, I loved the concept and got them put on my gamers, ended up hating the feeling of the ridge in my hands, especially on wedges when manipulating the club face at set up 
 

 

[RickM71]

4 hours ago, ChiefMikeOfficer said:

Love that this thread is getting new action and was highlighted in the forum email - definitely a topic I'd overanalyze, so instead of five, here's a few of each off the top of my head:

Best: 

Bushnell Hybrid Rangefinder - the first iteration wasn't great because of a single, shared, rechargeable battery, so once dead, the laser doesn't work. The newer version has the more classic, replaceable battery for the laser, and rechargeable for the GPS, so if the GPS dies, the laser still runs. It was a game changer at the time. 

Garmin Marq Golfer - It has a ton of embedded golf features, but in a versatile, full-featured, everyday smart watch (including things like activity tracking and other sports features). It's a splurge, but not as bad as it seems if the alternative is smart watch + golf watch. This let me retire the Bushnell in favor of a new toy. 

LAB Mezz XL - bought for a reasonable price off of LAB Outlet with "good enough" specs. Opened my eyes to how good this brand is. Still plan to get a real LAB fitting one of these days ..

Worst: 

Game Golf Pro - hands down the worst golf product I've ever used. 

Puma Solelace shoes - still memorable 5 years later. An eyelet broke when tightening for my second round, making them useless (Puma replaced them for me and let me pick a different model).

Honorable mention: This contraption. Not a purchase by me, but a joke gift from my dad. But, it's on the market, and should be considered one of the worst golf products made (no offense if you have one for real )

As a kid I had the golf rake. Put it on the extra long ball retriever, blindly put it in the water hazard, walk backwards and often could get a dozen balls in one pull. 

[19tholeAl]

  BEST: *Eagle Eye Gen5 Range Finder $115. I'll put it up against a Bushnell any day of the week.

           *MaxFli Tour golf balls. To me a no brainer with the 2 to 4 dozen discount at Dick's/Golf Galaxy. See no real difference compared to ProV's. Of course, I'll play ProV's when I find or get them free.

            *Pyramid Mallet Putter. I don't see or believe the claim that it corrects toe or heal hits, but it had a great feel to it and I did actually put better, especially my 5 footers. It's in the closet now because I spent $300 for a Mizuno M. Craft...lol.

            *SQAIRZ golf shoes. Nick Faldo is the spokesperson. Love the fit and quality. I have two pairs, solid for cart golf and a lighter mesh for walking 9 or 18.

            *Kirkland golf gloves 4 pack. Although one always seems to fit a little tighter than the rest but with price point, when one gets a little dirty, I just throw it away.

WORST: * Those stupid "Gain Up To 5 Yrds" tees. I don't think so! Waste of money when you can bend over and pick up a wooden one for free.

              *Not a purchase, but not fully understanding the bounce and grind aspect of wedges, especially the sand wedge.

               *Mid-Size grips. Don't know why I thought I had to have mid-size grips. Wasn't till I bought new irons and woods this year that I realized my swing is better with standard.

               *The original Steadfast driver shaft (facebook). The shaft was raw, no finish so it looked cheesy. Also, it seemed very thick most of the way down until it tapered at the tip. Thought it had horrible feed back when striking the ball. 

             

 

            

          

             

Edited March 22 by 19tholeAl
formatting

[Beakbryce]

Best

1. Wilson 1200 complete set. Only thing I could afford at the time I was starting. Got me on my way.

2. All the Callaway clubs in my current bag. GBB Epic woods, BB 19 hybrids, Rouge ST Max irons, Odyssey 11 putter. I don't replace clubs often as I don't need to. Everyone of these clubs could be called a favorite. My wife purchased the original GBB woods when I retired from USMC as a present. Have gone with Callaway ever since.

3. Vokey wedges. Still rocking SM6. Continually trying new shots with these. They are a huge part of new learning experiences, which keeps the game fresh. I kinda laugh at the whole replace your wedges every 75 rounds. I am not spending $450-600 twice a year for wedges.

4. Skycaddie GPS. Have owned a couple of these for so long I don't remember when I bought the first one. So many things you can figure out with their units on the course. I realize they have a subscription cost. When my present one quits working will look at free alternative apps on the phone. Maybe. Probably not. I reckon by then they will have software that allows club distance numbers etc. and analysis as part of their software. Hint, hint folks at Skygolf.

5. Alphard motor unit for my Rovic. Made walking so easy. 

6. Sorry, need more than 5. I'm older and have played golf for a long time so forgive me. I rocked Ping Eye 2 1-PW with a Wilson R90 SW for 15 years of play. I think I outgrew the shafts on the Pings but loved those heads. Replaced with Callaway X-12 with stiff shafts. Loved those as well.

Worst

Like many others, several putters that worked for a couple of months and then realized who was putting them. Snarky rascals!  

Otherwise, I just don't change anything that often so new technology has always helped my game just that little bit.

 

Edited March 22 by Beakbryce

[Jeremy26]

5 hours ago, tanmanbarber said:

Best

1. Ping G400 3 wood
2. Ping G430 LST driver
3. Trunk organizer
4. Apple watch (GPS and score tracking)
5. Golfers lift off

Worst

1. Vice Tour golf balls 
2. Putter fitting from Golf Galaxy 
3. Balzee
4. Green monster driver
5. 68 degree wedge

The Balzee!!! I forgot about that thing!! Wow, did it suck

[19tholeAl]

2 hours ago, Jeremy26 said:

The Balzee!!! I forgot about that thing!! Wow, did it suck

Wait a minute...I like the Ballzee. I think it works perfectly to clean up the ball on the green. Uh, you do moisten it..I know, stupid question. Anyway, a clean ball is a happy ball........

[FallenSaber]

On 6/8/2018 at 8:28 AM, txgolfjunkie said:

Kind of a spinoff of the Club Hoes Anonymous thread, but what's your top 5 best and worst golf purchases over your golfing career?

 

Best:

5. Ping Ketsch (the OG)

4. Sonartech Hybrid. Still have it!

3. Callaway FT Tour Driver. A freaking Hammer. 
2. KBS C Taper shafts. Who knew these fit me so much better than DG?! 

1. Bridgestone J15 CB irons. Buttery smooth.

 

Worst:

5. Cleveland CG Red irons. Felt like garbage...even on the sweet spot. 

4. Callaway Big Bertha Alpha 815 driver. Forgiveness?!? We don't need no stinkin forgiveness! 

3. Yonex Phil Mickleson 8802 style putter. But it had a graphite shaft!!

2. Master Grip knock-off zebra putter. For the low, low price of $29.99!

1. Nike Sasquatch driver...sounded like a tin can. Ugly as sin. 

I loved my Sumo 2 driver! Probably my favorite driver of all time and currently looking to possibly pick one up from the used market for nostalgic reasons. It was loud as hell but it was awesome! 

[mackdaddy]

On 3/21/2024 at 3:40 PM, DRLEONARD58 said:

Oh I like this game and reading everyone's responses!

Best:

- Ping G2 7 Wood. I just love this club and always seemed to hit it good no matter how I was playing.

- Ping Eye 2 irons. I used these irons for almost 20 years (just typing that sentence out makes me feel so old)

- LAB Mezz Max. I was always a decent putter, but this putter has lowered my puts per round significantly.

- Clinch Golf Tactile Golf. I love the material, the durability and the fit so much that I bought a new one for this year and will hopefully be able to do so for years to come.

- Full Metal Markers Divot Repair Tool + Marker. I like the strength of the magnet holding the marker on the side of the repair tool and the foldout design.

Worst:

- Big Max Dri Lite Hybrid Tour Golf bag. I wanted to love it, but coming from an old Ping Hoofer I realized that the popular bags are popular for a reason and I might be looking at an upgrade significantly sooner than I had anticipated.

- Footjoy Hyperflex Golf Shoe. I just don't love the fit and feel of these shoes. I should have returned them but I didn't realize how much I didn't like them until after my first round of golf.

- Titleist StaDry Performance Towel. It is larger than I expected it to be, and so it largely stays in my bag as a backup towel and rain hood.

- Vice Pro "Go Nutz" golf ball. Nothing against the performance, but I thought these were all white golf balls with Green writing and markings but I was wrong. I am somewhat of a purist when it comes to golf balls and don't particularly like logos on golf balls.

- Full Metal Markers spare markers. I almost never swap out styles and no one else cares what marker I use, so mostly these sit in my bag.

I also had Irons I loved for 20 years.  I just sent them to theironfactory.com now they are back in my bag and the love affair is back on. Way more cost effective than the two set of irons I have tried in the intervening years.

They came back like new.

[mackdaddy]

Just now, mackdaddy said:

I also had Irons I loved for 20 years.  I just sent them to theironfactory.com now they are back in my bag and the love affair is back on. Way more cost effective than the two set of irons I have tried in the intervening years.

They came back like new.  Fresh chrome and grooves.

 

[GR Gambarimasu]

Cool topic and fun to read!

Best (in no particular order - well maybe in order, as longevity surely has its place!) :
- Original Callaway Big Bertha 3 wood , Memphis 10 shaft bought in first fitting recommendation
( now it's 30-years old and am still using it now!) 
- Odyssey 912 Putter - first one I had & used to take $$ off buddies for 30 years on the greens - built confidence in my putting to recently 'invest' in Evnroll EV2 inline slant hosel (gravity grip) when the old Odyssey finally bent
- Golf Pride Tour Wrap Grips - perfect level of tackiness in heat & softness in cold - way better than the new ones
(no longer made but can still get some online to regrip irons & add to new wedges)
- Titleist StaDry stand bag - fits perfect in my SUV, provides enough space, easy to pull clubs in/out when on a cart, and works in all weather conditions from heat, humidity, rain, & occasionally snow playing 365 days a year where I have lived in Japan
- www.goodgoodgolf.com polos and Q-zips - great material, patterns, and fit and high-quality performance function in the diverse weather conditions over those "same" 365 days 

Honorable mentions:
- 4+ Callaway Steelhead metal fairway wood bought used for $10 in a barrel outside of Golf Partner Hiroshima
- FootJoy GTxtreme golf gloves with the "pebbled-grip" pattern and extra pad at the heel of the palm - even better than the smooth, non-pebbled WeatherSof line from FJ 
- Titleist (expensive at the time!) DCI irons I invested in but then had clubs to play for 25 years before upgrading
- the 2 'partial' memberships I've bought in 2 different countries that pushed me to get out there and golf more!
- my 10 x Monday group lessons for 90 minutes each after work ($250 total!) when the pro almost instantly tweaked things in my swing (with easy to recall and self-check cues) to improve my driver control and iron strikes serving to make playing and scoring better and more fun

Worst:
- pro-level Cleveland wedges before the more forgiving weighting of cavity-backed RTX-3 & now CFX/ CBX Zipcore ones were available
- the 3-iron in that Titleist DCI iron set - could never hit it ... still have it ... only to fish things out that fall between the cupboard and the fridge - as I did not want to subject the friend who I gave the rest of the set to it! LOL!
- basically ANY other golf gloves I've bought, at any price, (except for the Mizuno ones I wear in cold & winter)
- the Pro V1x's I was buying (then losing many of!!) when playing earlier on at a 24 handicap on the irretrievable hillside/gully & mountain/valley layouts and often white-staked out-of-bounds off fairways on courses in Japan
- the $10 (each!!!) Adjustable Height Control Golf Tees from Alta with a little triangular plate you can adjust and set to limit the depth you can put the tee in the ground - also intended to help you with aim (when practicing only - as I am pretty sure they would not be legal in play) but even with bright green and red and orange heads on these tees, they can be lost over the edge of tee boxes or practice areas in Japan!

[Bobbers]

Worst:

Can't remember who made them but there was a driver that had an almost hollow center; there was a concave opening about the size of half a golf ball.  Sounded bad, performed worse.

Nike "Slingshot" iron set.  Didn't fit my swing or something but I had to struggle to get five yards of distance between clubs.

A set of Ping Zing irons with hard tip, stiff flex shafts.  Again, shame on me, no idea what I was thinking.  Took them on a golf trip to the Biloxi area, it was soggy the whole trip, probably never got an iron to fly higher than 20 feet off the ground.  "Splat" is the sound I remember most from that trip.

"Dimple" grips.  Might have been Avon, not sure, they were black with gold paint filled dimples.  Offered no traction or "grippability" at all.

Best:

I think the Maxfli Tour S ball and I, based on a few holes a couple of weeks ago (six inches of snow since then, dammit) are going to get along very, very nicely.

Cleveland CBX wedges have worked pretty well the past two seasons.

Edel offers a round putter grip.  Helps me focus more on the head alignment and not have to deal with the typically misaligned flat face putter grips.  Small change admittedly but a major plus in my putting.

 

[Hendu33]

Hard to remember all these but here we go:

BEST:

5. Callaway Big Bertha driver (Hard to miss a fairway very workable)

4. Cleveland  TA5 irons (loved the sound on a well struck ball)

3. TaylorMade Tour Irons from 2012 (Still in use but thinking about upgrading hard to leave the one you love!)

2. TaylorMade Spider putter (10 years old but who cares I putt well with it)

1. TaylorMade Stealth II ( Gained 12 yds as soon as I put in bag. I am 66yrs young but I carry my drives 260yds with this club. It's my fountain of youth!)

Worst: 

5. Nomad Irons ( Not sure why I bought these but I did as they were a Ping design knockoff.

4. Nike Sasquatch ( I did not purchase but won at a tourney. Took about two months to give to the next victim!)

3. Nike golf shoes early Tiger Woods( Most uncomfortable shoe ever)

2. Nike One golf Balls ( No need to explain)

1. Strata Golf balls ( Even though I played these a lot I hated how felt off the wedge and putter) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wor 

[Barrio6]

I'm sure there is at least five but the one's the kept me up at night'

Worst,

1. Hogan PC blades with a stiff shaft. (my hands still hurt decades later from swinging these)

2. Nike golf balls

3. TaylorMade R5, 7, and 9 series drivers

 

Best

1.Maxfli tour golf balls cg, and tour x (thank you my golf spy)

2.TaylorMade Sim2 max D driver

3. Ping zing 2 and Ping zing crazy e

4. ICON golf cart with lithium battery pack

5. Ping irons i3 O size blue dot (which I let my son use, I don't believe I'll see them again ;(

 

 

[JRDuck40]

On 3/22/2024 at 10:41 AM, ChiefMikeOfficer said:

Oh, and how could I forget this in my "worst" list?? Short Par 4 subscription ($100+ value for $45!) - should have known to cancel after shipment #1, because that was a disappointing shipment, but then they gave me a free box and I kept it for more than 6 months. I've kept exactly 2 items from those boxes -- one Devereux polo that is a blend of golf and casual, but I never really wear it (to their credit, this made my look closer at Devereux and have bought stuff directly), and an Under Armour fleece QZ that is comfortable but looked like a promo overstock (only found that model at places like graphics/print shops, not an actual retailer). The glove was good enough, but just used it as a range glove; the Callaway shoes felt cheap and went straight to Goodwill, along with many of the other clothing items. After a few consecutive disappointing months, I came to realize I didn't like the "surprise" / lack of control - I'd prefer to pay a bit more and choose exactly what I want. 

I was suckered into one as well. The stuff wasn't all that bad, but just the fact that they make you call in, sit on hold for 30 minutes and then they pitch you again and again on not canceling. Not worth the headache! 

[TylorJudd]

On 3/22/2024 at 10:05 AM, Shlax said:

To me, most of my what I consider as my best purchases are affordable/underrated pieces of gear. On the contrary, a bad purchase is simply something where I didn't get my money's worth. Fortunately, I don't have a lot of things that come to mind that were straight-up bad golf purchases.

BEST

1. Driver: Callaway Rogue ST Max LS 9* with Aldila Rogue White 130 MSI 70X shaft (my current driver). I got fitted for it and it was at a time where my old driver was ruining my life. Simply having a lower spin head with less loft and a stiffer shaft completely changed my game off the tee.
2. 3-wood: TaylorMade Sim Max 15* with Fujikura Ventus Blue FW6S (stock build). I ordered this 3W online without having ever tried it. I simply didn't have a 3W in my bag, it was on sale and I knew that the Sim line was appreciated by many. To this day, I can't see myself swapping this club for anything. I would be afraid that any upgrade wouldn't perform as reliably.
3. Club cleaning brush with water (link here). Talking about affordable stuff. I got this because I got tired of coming back home and spending 10-15 minutes cleaning out my clubs after rounds. With this tool, I keep my clubs deep-cleaned during the round and at the very worst, I quickly clean them in the parking lot prior to leaving.
4. Wide brimmed golf hat (link here). I now have a few from Titleist, Puma and Ciele. It simply helps save my ears and neck when I'm not as rigorous as I should be with re-applying sunscreen during a round (plus, I like the style).
5. Leather golf shoes (link here). I take some time to mention leather as the water resistance of genuine leather shoes is generally very good. I used to wear canvas/mesh shoes as I rarely play in the rain but playing in the morning, dew sweeping rounds used to get my feet completely wet by the first 3-4 holes. This isn't the case anymore with those Nike shoes.

WORST

1. Cotsco (Kirkland) golf gloves. Yes, you get 4 gloves for an unbeatable price, but these 4 gloves combined don't  even last longer than most decent regular golf gloves +  they get grimmy very quickly.
2. Costco (Kirkland) golf balls. Yes, you still get 24 3-piece urethane balls for an unbeatable price but they are hard a rock (even more than Top Flite XL 2000 and Pinnacle Gold IMHO, despite their compression index being around 93) and spin like crazy. They are very good around the green, but terrible off the tee.
3. Garmin Approach S60 watch. Very expensive golf watch for the few features that it offers. The Garmin Golf app is basic and provides virtually no input regarding advanced statistics (e.g., strokes gained). I changed it last year for a Shot Scope X5 watch with club sensors and couldn't be happier!
4. Personalized ball markers and divot tools. Useless/gimmicky and wayyy too expensive for what it is. I got it as a gift but I would never have paid for that.
5. Golf lesson at my local driving range. There is no course affiliated with this range. It's simply a range in the middle of the city where most people go for fun or an activity (like going bowling if you're not an avid bowler for example) and only a few go to actually practice or take golf lessons. I took an hour long private lesson with the "head pro" at my range and I had specified my skill level and what I wanted to work on prior to the lesson. Unfortunately, I did't get what I was hoping for with that single lesson and I didn't book another one as I felt that the instructor's golf skills and knowledge weren't enough to help me. I then went for a single lesson with the head pro at my local course and THAT lesson was eye opening!

+1 on wide brimmed hats, massive game changer. Live rocking these

[BallsLeon]

Worst:
5. Adidas MC80s - Love how these shoes look, but they eat my heels. They are on simulator-only duty now.
4. Odyssey Eleven Tour Lined S - Never even rolled this putter before buying it, by all measures it's a great putter just does not fit me at all. 
3. Too Big of a Golftec lesson pack - I could've just done the swing evaluation, or a handful of lessons to get the GolfTec gameplan. The scheduling/hours of availability are also restrictive to get your lessons in within the allotted time.
2. Winn Oversized grips - These were a bandaid to bad feeling clubs. My hands are no where near large enough for them, and I am back to standard size.
1. Wilson SGi Box set - Would have been better off buying some used clubs, felt terrible, no pop, and the bag & putter fell apart

Best:
5. Groove-it - Super convenient and easy to use, now I keep my clubs clean between shots
4. Iron fitting - This was part fitting and part lesson, really enjoyed the process, and I think the instruction + new irons have stepped up my game
3. GolfTrk Membership - Indoor simulator facility with a PuttView green that I can practice/play whenever. Closer to me than any range, and let's me play a lot more golf.
2. GolfTec Swing Evaluation - Got me started on my path to improvement, and really get a look at how I was swinging the club.
1. Bagboy Nitron - Completely transformed my golf experience. Now I walk whenever possible and find that routine much more preferable to riding around in a golf cart

Edited March 25 by BallsLeon

[ChiefMikeOfficer]

3 hours ago, BallsLeon said:

Worst:
3. Too Big of a Golftec lesson pack - I could've just done the swing evaluation, or a handful of lessons to get the GolfTec gameplan. The scheduling/hours of availability are also restrictive to get your lessons in within the allotted time.

I did the same with GOLFTEC initially -- bought the 10+practice bundle, pushing close to a grand, only to find our location was almost always booked when I was available (I think I used the practice one time because of that). I did end up getting through all of the lessons, but only after the coach let me extend beyond the expiration date. Since then I've never bought anything more than a 5-pack of lessons -- they seem to hate selling in packs that small and don't apply the discounts, but it's hard for me to justify anything more than that. 

[Donn lost in San Diego]

Best --

1.  LESSONS.  LESSONS. LESSONS.!!!  Don't be stubborn!  Take lessons.  Try Rob Manning at Encinitas Ranch in San Diego or Brian Bobbitt in Sorrento Valley (San Diego).  If your 1st or 2nd person doesn't click, try another person.  My 1st two didn't, my next two were great.

2.  FITTING FITTING FITTING.  1st time was a tiny 1 man shop near a great golf course.  I bot 3 fitted irons at first, they worked, so I went back and bot the fill ins.  2nd fitting at Carlsbad Golf Center, moved up to Ping I 500 irons.  Again started with 3 clubs, love them, filled in 2 more.  Lessons first, fitting 2nd.

3.  DEMO CLUBS  Bot 5 clubs for $35, they were 2 or 3 year old, Callaway and Adams drivers and woods, near mint.

4.  Another bunch of clubs at a swap meet.  Included a David Musty hand made wood putter I used for 5 years and an ancient Don Martin Up-n-In chipper that I still use 10 yrs later.

5.  Ancient original, Ben Hogan Sand Wdge, the chrome Sure Out 56 x 12 or 14 bounce.  Huge sole.  Works on 1st swing almost every time.  The heavy sole creates hi momentum to keep the clubhead moving after impact. 

 

Worst --

1.  Like someone else, I paid for a round at a fancy (Johnny Miller) design at Oakland Airport.  Can't see a fairway from the tee box.

2.  Not quite as bad but played at The Crossings in Carlsbad a friend had small discount tix.  Should have used the ladies tees.  Lost a dozen balls.   (My goal is to be good enough to play there by end of this year).

3.  A new 3 wheel cart, bot it, hurt my foot, have to ride cart.  I will donate it if I'm still riding after my toe surgery to finally fix the arthritis.

4.  In a swap meet package of clubs, a Perpetual Motion training club.  Too heavy, it re-injured a muscle tear.