Worst equipment mistakes you've made

[in3948]

Tony@CIC  what is your worst golf purchase? 

I can remember a couple instances where I purchased a putter.  One was a Scotty Cameron Oil-can putter.  It didn't work for me.  Just gimmicky. 

The other was an Odyssey mallet putter.  Good putter but not on a sunny day.  This putter blinded me on sunny days.  I tried everything to get rid of the glare.  Finally had to get rid of it.

[Dennis Webb]

Jumping to a 45" Driver shaft to gain distance. 

[Striker]

For me it was about 1984. I got back into golf with some buddies after college and I bought some Ping knockoffs ( can't remember the name.). It saved me about $200 at the time. Overall, they were not bad except they had hot spots on a few of the irons. Back in the days I normally hit a 8 iron like 155 however, every once awhile I would hit one 180. I finally got tired of know knowing how far some clubs would go so I broke down and got fitted for some pings. 

[bassman]

Buying a non-conforming Krank driver (and a 3-wood) with the owner/founder's "fitting" and "COR made for less than 105 mph club speed sales pitch"  over the phone...wasted $500...recuped but $130 on Ebay.  Contrary to the "pitch", the club hit the ball too high with more spin than any of my current crop of Cobras or PXG...less carry, less roll out.  Never again!  Actually, I came up with yet another...went to a golf school that "included a fitting" - they recommended a Callaway Hyper X driver which I bought....I lost 15 yds on my drives and was blaming "advancing age"!  Fortunately, on a Sunday after playing 18 at my local muni, Bridgestone was onsite doing a ball fitting and I took advantage of the opportunity.  At the end, in addition to their ball recommendation (a Bridgestone...surprise), the fitter said, "Even if you don't buy a Bridgestone driver, I recommend you get something different (than the Hyper X), because it's designed to hit the ball higher with more spin, something you do not need."  I drove from the course immediately to a local golf store and, after trying many, ended up with a Callaway FT...voila got my 15 yds back and gave the Hyper X to my older brother who needed the height and spin.

Edited July 8 by bassman
Added details.

[Delaware Joe]

My worst equipment mistakes have always revolved around putters. I’ve tried so many different ones in the last 20 years it makes my head spin. After playing 30 years with the same putter, I developed a case of the yips. In the beginning the yips seemed to come and go. Now they pretty much are my new best friend or stalker based on perspective. The new putters always seem to work great where I buy them, but take them home and they turn into a different animal. My neighbors and golfing buddies always come to me first before they go out shopping for a new putter.

[IanCC]

Probably the three times I’ve fallen into the delusion that a 2 iron is for me. That third time definitely isn’t a charm. 
 

Goes great once the middle is found. Extremely punishing anywhere else especially that bottom groove. 
 

Not necessarily a mistake but one was a one length 2/3 iron with my +0.75” 5 iron shaft length in it so what’s that? +1.25”? I just extended the shaft at the butt end and regripped the club. Sometimes you have to try these things (Just be mindful of the lie angle although it does take some fade away). Probably needless to say but a rocket launcher once hit correctly. 

Edited July 8 by IanCC

[Griz]

So to go against the norm, it was buying clubs after a fitting at respectable fitting company. I have had two fittings at two top name companies (not big box stores) and both times came away from each with equipment that did not work for me. The second fitting really got me with clubs that were 2x the price of the manufacturer due to the shafts that were “perfect” for my swing. Bought into the hype and regretted it. Replaced them in 6 months after giving them a few chances.  Fitter did not live up to the guarantee. Not that I was expecting a miracle of becoming scratch but there was no improvement from my old clubs besides the clue looking black shafts with new heads on them. Not sure I will get fit again but if I do the place will need to have a true grass to hit from during the fitting. 

[Joel Halprin]

Bought a used PING 3w and, after some questions, found out that it was set up for a LEFT HANDED SHAFT!!!!! YES. After correcting  the setup, hits great.

Similar issue with a PING 425 lst driver. Asked a question and the fitter said there is a setting called "flat" on the head. After resetting it look at the head and it is now just right of the max elevation set. Hits much better,

[toncol]

On 2/22/2019 at 11:45 PM, CFrazier said:

I bought a Scotty thinking it would make me a great putter since I spent $$$ on it. It didn’t. Ping is back in the bag and my handicap is down!


Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

A Scotty Newport is nothing more than his version ( or knockoff if you prefer ) of the Anser 2 anyway.  I've gamed a Newport 2 for years, wouldn't give it up, but I don't delude myself that Mr. Cameron invented it.  Could claim to have improved it I guess.    For me the worst one was a first-gen MacGregor MacTech driver that I bought off their website w/o ever being fitted.  Could never get that thing to cooperate.  Got rid of it on Ebay for half what I paid for it and counted myself lucky.

[TJ Hall]

By far the worst mistake for me, buying a Ping I20 driver.  Hit it well in the store and then couldn’t hit on the course to save my life.  Lasted only a couple months before switching it out.

[Braehead]

My most expensive mistake was the LAB DF3 - fortunately I managed to sell it again but I took a significant hit.

The upside though is that I learnt a lot about my putting style and preferences through the experiment and it's made me commit to putters with a significant toe hang and top sight line - so it's not been all bad.  

Edited July 8 by Braehead
Spelling

[ckeller52]

I bought a Callaway Driver right from Callaway when I didn't know anything about clubs. It arrived and I decided immediately that it was going back and I'd spend those dollars on a fitting. That fitting cost me a lot but I never doubted my clubs after that. 

[EMDorsch88]

Oh, where to begin... biggest mistake is probably buying the Cleveland UHX irons. Saw some images online and fell in love with them. Decided to order a set without seeing them in person. When they arrived I legitimately thought they had sent me a set of hybrid irons by mistake. Don't get me wrong they are not bad irons but the look was a big no for me. Plus they are meant to help you get the ball up which is not an issue I have. I always joke that I can hit my putter high.

Another would probably be not just sticking with a set and figuring it out. In my early 20's I kept golf shops in business with the amount of trade-ins and pre-owned equipment I bought. Now that I have taken the time to work on my game I can see it was the swing, not the set that was the problem.

Then there was the square driver era. Buying the Callaway FT-iQ, Wilson Staff Spine and Nike SasQuatch were big big mistakes. No idea why these were a thing but I am glad they are not anymore.

And lastly was thinking anyone but Adams knew how to make a hybrid in the beginning. Ok, that one is a joke but my dad still has an early Adams hybrid in the bag and every time we play I will hit it at least once. That 15-year-old Adams Idea a7OS technology still holds up against a Callaway Apex UW that is only a few years old.

[AZ86Jayhawk]

Easily not getting fit for any club I have purchased.  Every time I do this I wind up tuning the purchase to meet my swing requirements.  New shaft, grip, adjusting loft/lie angle, etc.

 

[lmatteo]

I believe the PXG 0211DC Irons 2021 purchase I made was the worst decision I ever made in buying a set of irons. They felt clunky and not solid at all. Sold them and bought a new set of Mizuno 921 Hot Metal. Like them so much that I bought a second set to store at a second home so I had a set there and didn’t have to transfer my clubs back and forth. No comparison in feel and performance!
 

[JC24]

Probably my old Nike Sumo 2 sasquatch with the square head.  I couldn't hit it at all.  Replaced with with a Callaway Razr back in the day and have used Callaway ever since.

[Up and Down]

Falling in love with a driving iron while being fit for new clubs.  Couldn't hit it a lick once I was on the course - It lasted two rounds and was replaced by a five wood.

[hajami32]

For 5 years I kept purchasing new drivers thinking that was the solution for my game, off the rack.  Finally realized I needed to get fitted for one that helps my swing path, and focus more on the wedges.  What a difference in my score since. 

[Scott Lyons]

Easy answer… tried to change the adapter on a $350 Ventus black 7x TR and used a heat gun. Got it too hot and melted the shaft… after attaching the head the driver head flew off with part of the shaft attached. Can’t stop thinking about this one. 

[jbern]

Nike Sasquatch Sumo Driver... It sounded better than it performed... and that's saying something

[The Artful Duffer]

Traded in my Tommy Armour 845's to buy a Rocketballz driver and Burner 2.0 3 wood. The driver and 3 wood stayed in my bag for one season before getting kicked to the corner of the garage. I still look at sets of 845's on ebay every now and then to replace the set I got rid of. 

[Anielson0890]

Probably just buying clubs that I “like and/or want” without getting fitted for what will actually work best for me and my swing #AllMyClubs

Edited July 8 by Anielson0890

[Ray H]

Decided I would like blades again.  Bought some beautiful Hogan Fort Worths.  Loved the look, hated the result.  Decided to get equipment to match my age.  Golf is much more enjoyable now.  Still take the Hogan Apex blades to the range, but never in the bag.

[knotthead17]

Stewart follow cart. It is so unbelievably bad it almost feels like it was intentional.  They had to go out of their way to get so many details so wrong.

[jasun28]

The worst equipment mistake I’ve made was getting fit for and buying a driver in late winter on a simulator. I’ll NEVER do that again!

[RPBRENNAN]

Bought Ping driver a few years back, absolutely hated the sound it made when hitting the ball. Even my partners commented on it.

That mistake lasted 1 season.

[Jono Horn]

I was a Taylormade driver disciple having had several over the years and very happy with them. When the Stealth came out I didn't hesitate to buy it. Persevered for almost a year even to the point where I went for lessons to try and fix a huge reduction in my fairways hit accuracy with very limited incremental distance. Now got the Ping G430 after a proper fitting (in desperation !) and it has been like flipping a switch back to old accuracy, probably even a bit better, with a few extra yards !

Lesson is not to be too brand loyal and to get fit using factual numbers !

[mardukes]

besides choosing golf clubs over a tennis racquet?

[DBL BOGI]

Without question, the worst equipment purchase I made was swayed by Tiger Woods...when he was dominating the golf world, he was playing Nike clubs. So, with no hesitation--I immediately went out and bought myself a Nike driver. Worst of all, I bought it without even taking a practice swing. Yup, I just went to the rack, pulled one out and went to the cash register. Aye, aye, aye. Never again will I buy a club without swinging it first!

[matt.baty79]

Buying a chipper. I genuinely thought this was the missing piece to my game - getting up and down from around the greens with more control etc.

In reality it was only useful from the fringe of the green, any further out and it was utterly pointless, resulting in duffs and thins pretty much every time.

It lasted 2 rounds. Second mistake was a 'tour bag'. It was so heavy and unwieldy; wouldn't easily fit on a standard trolley and would not stand up on its own. 18 holes felt like climbing Everest with a fridge on my back.