Equipment
Bargain Challenge: Putting together a set of clubs for $500
You have a golf trip planned in two weeks. One day after work, you head to your car to hit the range and get some grinding in for the trip. As you walk to your car you notice your car has been broken into and your clubs are gone. Not good. You need new clubs for the trip but aren’t in a position to shell out the $2,000-$3,000 for a brand new set. What are your options? I recommend hitting the used market.
Every year, thousands of used golf clubs go on the market. Some of the clubs had a rough life and some have barely been hit. As an exercise to see what you can get for your dollar, I browsed one of the web’s largest used golf equipment sites (3balls.com) with a budget of $500 for a full set of clubs in my specs. What I found was really interesting.
Rules: 14 clubs for under $500 shipped. As close to my specs as possible.
Driver
Since I play a low loft driver with a low launch, low spin shaft, I knew I was in for a challenge with finding a driver. Once I took a minute to search, I found this beauty of a driver. I remember hitting the Ping G10 back in the day, and it was one of the most forgiving drivers at the time. Plus, it was very close to my specs at standard length, 7.5 degrees, and a mid-launch Grafalloy shaft.
Wood
While searching for a 3-wood, I had two things in mind, I needed a X-stiff shaft, and I needed it to be heavy. After about five minutes, I found this great Titleist 913 with a heavier X-stiff shaft. Normally I play a 13-degree 3-wood, and this 3-wood would allow me to loft it down to get the desired flight. Really a solid deal for $50.
Hybrid
In an ideal world, I’d be hitting a 2-iron or a driving iron here. The problem is that driving irons can sell for $100-plus fairly easily, so that was out of budget. After searching, I found a nice 17-degree hybrid from Ping with an X-stiff shaft. The shaft is a little lighter than I would like, but it is not a bad pick up for 80 bucks.
Irons
I knew I would want to spend the majority of my money on some solid irons. After searching, with the parameters being a 3-PW set with X100 shafts, I found this great Titleist combo set. I current play a MB/CB combo from another company, so this set fits well with what I am looking for if I was to replace my current set. All of this for $200.
Wedges
Wedge shopping was hard because I needed a lob wedge with good grooves and a gap wedge that wasn’t trash. I got really lucky with the Ping lob wedge. It is in very good condition which is really what matters for the grooves since I will be using it greenside. Since it is blue dot, I can get it sent to ping to be adjusted for my specs. For the gap wedge, I picked up a heavily used 52-degree. Ideally, I would have more money for a slightly better grooved GW.
Putter
Can’t go wrong with a White Hot in my preferred length. Not much more to say.
Total
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- Kevin Tway what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wells Fargo Championship. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Ping G430 LST (10.5 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
3-wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 80 TX
5-wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 (18 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 90 TX
Irons: Wilson Staff Utility (2), Titleist T100 (4-9)
Shafts: Mitsubishi MMT 100 TX (2), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (4-9)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F @47, 52-12F @51, 56-14F), SM7 (60-10S)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (48-56), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 (60)
Putter: Scotty Cameron T-5 Proto
Grip: Scotty Cameron Black Baby T
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Plus4
More photos of Kevin Tway’s WITB in the forums.
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Editor’s note: This is an excerpt from a piece our Andrew Tursky originally wrote for PGATour.com’s Equipment Report. Head over there for the full article.
The timing of Lowry’s putter changeup was curious: Was he just using a Spider putter because he was paired with McIlroy, who’s been using a Spider Tour X head throughout 2024? Was Lowry just being festive because it’s the Zurich Classic, and he wanted to match his teammate? Did McIlroy let Lowry try his putter, and he liked it so much he actually switched into it?
Well, as it turns out, McIlroy’s only influence was inspiring Lowry to make more putts.
When asked if McIlroy had an influence on the putter switch, Lowry had this to say: “No, it’s actually a different putter than what he uses. Maybe there was more pressure there because I needed to hole some more putts if we wanted to win,” he said with a laugh.
To Lowry’s point, McIlroy plays the Tour X model, whereas Lowry switched into the Tour Z model, which has a sleeker shape in comparison, and the two sole weights of the club are more towards the face.
Lowry’s Spider Tour Z has a white True Path Alignment channel on the crown of his putter, which is reminiscent of Lowry’s former 2-ball designs, thus helping to provide a comfort factor despite the departure from his norm. Instead of a double-bend hosel, which Lowry used in his 2-ball putters, his new Spider Tour Z is designed with a short slant neck.
“I’ve been struggling on the greens, and I just needed something with a fresh look,” Lowry told GolfWRX.com on Wednesday at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship. “It has a different neck on it, as well, so it moves a bit differently, but it’s similar. It has a white line on the back of it [like my 2-ball], and it’s a mallet style. So it’s not too drastic of a change.
“I just picked it up on the putting green and I liked the look of it, so I was like, ‘Let’s give it a go.’”
Read the rest of the piece over at PGATour.com.
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Equipment
Webb Simpson equipment Q&A: Titleist’s new 2-wood, 680 blade irons, and switching to a broomstick Jailbird
With seven career wins on the PGA Tour, including a U.S. Open victory, Webb Simpson is a certified veteran on the course. But he’s also a certified veteran in the equipment world, too. He’s a gearhead who truly knows his stuff, and he’s even worked closely with Titleist on making his own custom 682.WS irons.
On Wednesday at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship, I caught up with Simpson to hear about his experience with Titleist’s new prototype 2-wood, how Titleist’s 680 Forged irons from 2003 ended up back in his bag, and why he’s switching into an Odyssey Ai-One Jailbird Cruiser broomstick putter this week for the first time.
Click here to read our full story about Simpson’s putter switch on PGATOUR.com’s Equipment Report, or continue reading below for my full Q&A with Simpson at Quail Hollow Club on Wednesday.
See Webb Simpson’s full WITB from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship here
GolfWRX: It seems like you’ve been a little all over the place with your irons in the past six months or so, and now going back to the 680’s. Is that just a comfort thing? What’s been going on with the irons?
Webb Simpson: Titleist has been so great at working with me, and R&D, on trying to get an iron that kind of modernizes the 680. And so the 682.WS took the T100 grooves, but kinda took the look and the bulk and the build of the 680’s into one club. They’re beautiful, and awesome looking. I just never hit them that well for a consistent period of time. It was probably me, but then I went to T100’s and loved them. I loved the spin, the trajectory, the yardage, but again, I never went on good runs. Going through the ground, I couldn’t feel the club as well as with the blade. So last week, I’m like, ‘Alright. I’m gonna go back more for…comfort, and see if I can get on a nice little run of ball striking.’
So that’s why I went back.
View this post on Instagram
OK, that makes sense. I know you had done some 2-wood testing recently. Is that in the bag right now?
It’s like day-by-day. I used it at Hilton Head every day. Valero, I used it one round. And this week, me and my caddie will do the book every morning, and if it’s a day where we think we need it, we’ll just put it in and take the 3-wood out. I love it because it’s a super simple swap. Like, it doesn’t really change much.
Yeah, can you tell me about that club? I mean, we don’t really know anything about it yet. You know? I haven’t hit it or anything, obviously.
It has grooves like a 3-wood. Spin is perfect. And it’s honestly, like, everything is in the middle of a 3-wood and driver number. Trajectory, spin, carry, all of it. So, a Hilton Head golf course is almost too easy to talk about because, you know, there, so many holes are driver 3-wood.
Valero, our thinking was we had two par-5’s into the wind, and we knew that it would take two great shots to get there in two. So instead of hitting driver-driver, we just put it in. And I used it on those holes.
Hilton was a little easier because it was off-the-tee kind of questions. But Colonial will be a golf course where, you know, there’s a lot of driver or 3-woods. It’s kind of like a backup putter or driver for me now. I’ll bring it to every tournament.
So it’s, like, in your locker right now, probably?
Well, it would be. It’s in my house [because Webb lives near by Quail Hollow Club, and is a member at the course.] It’s in the garage.
Oh, yeah, that’s right. Do you know what holes you might use it out here if it goes in play?
Potentially 15, depending on the wind. Second shot on 10. Could be 14 off the tee. The chances here are pretty low (that he’ll use the 2-wood). But, like, Greensboro would be an awesome club all day. I’m trying to think of any other golf courses.
There’s plenty that it’ll be a nice weapon to have.
It’s interesting, the wave of 2-woods and mini drivers. Like, it’s just really taken off on Tour, and all the companies have seemed to embrace it.
Yeah. The thing I had to learn, it took me, like, at least a week to learn about it is you gotta tee it up lower than you think. I kept teeing it up too high. You need it low, like barely higher than a 3-wood. And that was where I got optimal spin and carry. If you tee it up too high, you just don’t get as much spin and lose distance, I don’t know if that’s just a mini driver thing.
And you obviously have a Jailbird putter this week. What spurred that on?
Inconsistent putting. I’m stubborn in a lot of ways when it comes to my equipment, but I have to be open minded – I just hadn’t putted consistently well in a while. And I’m like, ‘Man, I feel my ball-striking coming along. Like I feel better; for real, better.’
If I can just get something in my hands that I’m consistent with. Being on Tour, you see it every year, guys get on little runs. I can put together four to five tournaments where I’m all the sudden back in the majors, or in the FedExCup Playoffs. You can turn things around quick out here. I’m like, ‘Man, whatever’s going to get me there, great.’
My caddie, David Cook, caddied for Akshay at the Houston Open and he putted beautifully. Then, I watched Akshay on TV at Valero, and he putted beautifully. And, I’m like, ‘I’m just going to try it.’
I’ve never tried it for more than a putt or two, and I just ordered what Akshay uses. It was pretty awkward at first, but the more I used it, the more I’m like, ‘Man, it’s pretty easy.’ And a buddy of mine who’s a rep out here, John Tyler Griffin, he helped me with some setup stuff. And he said at Hilton Head, he wasn’t putting well, then tried it, and now he makes everything. He was very confident. So I’m like, ‘Alright, I’ll try it.’”
And you’re going with it this week?
Hundred percent.
Alright, I love it. Thank you, I always love talking gear with you. Play well this week.
Thanks, man.
See Webb Simpson’s full WITB from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship here
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Duncan Cheslett
Dec 27, 2018 at 1:12 pm
This guy went one better.
A set of clubs for £25 ($30)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrmZ1v_N0ns
Big White Eggplant
Dec 20, 2018 at 11:03 pm
The guy talking about the Wal Mart set is trolling. Don’t take the bait. It would have been a better experiment if the clubs had to be made in the 1999s.
ChipNRun
Dec 20, 2018 at 12:27 am
It’s hard to play this game with the limited graphics of this Comment box. I assembled a set for $632 – including a bag which is a handy way to carry clubs. The specs were for someone who wanted basically S-flex, right-handed clubs.
I can’t paste the JPEG summary grid for the set with Comment box limitations. Here is line-item report:
* Titleist 909D3 Driver 10.5°/ $49
* Tour Edge Exotics EX9 4W 16.5° / $51.99
* Tour Edge Exotics EX9 3H Hybrid 19° / $51.99
* Titleist CB 714 Forged Irons 4-PW / $244.99
* Edel TRP Trapper 50* & 55* & 60* Wedges / $99
* Ping ANSER 2 Putter / $49.00
* GoPlus Blue 4-Divider Stand Bag / $45.99
(Shipping costs, when not free, totaled $41.00
Rick
Dec 17, 2018 at 1:03 am
I can afford a better driver if I spend less on those Hybrid and fairway 3 wood. Maybe enough for a Golf balls, tees and shoes… don’t forget lunch!
Loc
Dec 15, 2018 at 1:26 am
Don’t you need a bag to carry these, lol!
Kirk
Dec 15, 2018 at 1:12 am
Very easy to build a great bag for cheap, golf clubs drop off quickly once you move away from current year….after owning all current stuff last 5 or yrs now my gamer bag is all 3 yr or older clubs…(do have new stuff but not played consistently) and there is no loss anywhere in performance….can buy brand new set of Hopkins cb irons for $199, new gear is nice to have but extremely highly over rated usually by those who have inconsistent games….anything within last 10 yrs is sufficient if you have anything that resembles a decent swing….
bj
Dec 14, 2018 at 7:31 pm
905R 8.5
Vsteel 16.5
Adams boxer 20*
R9TP irons 4-pw
TM Y Cutter wedges 50,54,58
cameron futura or odyssey 2ball 33″
James
Dec 14, 2018 at 8:47 pm
So? Did you buy all that for under $500?
Maxflier
Dec 14, 2018 at 5:29 pm
“Bargain” condition clubs can be pretty rough sometimes…
shawn
Dec 14, 2018 at 6:59 pm
… particularly the chipped and scarred graphite shafts on the driver and fairways. Be prepared for a clubhead flying off the shaft or snapping the shaft at the hosel. Never a s s ume the graphite shafts are secure and solid. Caveat emptor…
Shallowface
Jan 14, 2019 at 9:55 am
Agree completely. $500 is a lot of money if one ends up with a bag full of junk. When I read something like this I come to the conclusion that it’s no wonder so many people are broke if this is any example of the decision making process they use in making purchases.
Jagbor
Dec 14, 2018 at 3:58 pm
OR you could just go to a reputable custom clubmaker,like me, and I can build a set that is actually fitted to your game/swing etc. All the shafts would be the same instead of a mixed bag of…… Anyways…a bit ridiculous in my opinion…sorry
Dave r
Dec 14, 2018 at 3:47 pm
Hey Ogo are you the Smiz in cogneto . Relax buddy
ogo
Dec 14, 2018 at 7:00 pm
Who is “Smiz”? … in congeto[sic] …. lol
Dave r
Dec 14, 2018 at 7:35 pm
Sorry ment to say incognito the Smiz sometimes went postal on here (lol) also
Scott
Dec 14, 2018 at 11:31 am
You need better car / home insurance. You should be able to get your set replaced with a $250 or $500 deductible instead of sorting though a rummage bin.
SkiBum
Dec 14, 2018 at 1:55 pm
It’s a hypothetical, it’s not about car insurance. And the clubs he acquired are hardly “rummage bin” quality. Hey, it’s everyone’s choice. If people want to open your wallet and overpay for new release, they’ll add 10 yards, overhyped clubs, have at it. The club makers are hoping people will fall for the hype. But as Trey showed, with a little searching on the internet, you can put together a whole set for about the same as that new driver.
Hell, if that Web.com Q school guy could shoot 63 and qualify for the tour using a made up set after his clubs were stolen, it helps to prove the old saying, “it ain’t the wand-it’s the wizard wielding it”
James
Dec 15, 2018 at 8:04 pm
If your insurance covered replacement clubs would you buy the same clubs you already have?
Speedy
Dec 14, 2018 at 1:59 pm
Bingo!
Gerald Teigrob
Dec 14, 2018 at 4:54 pm
I would stay away from Ping myself and I was able to get some demo Cobra irons from my golf course as an employee for trading in my own clubs – Adams Redlines and Adams A7 irons. So I ended up with better clubs (Bio Cells and Baffler XLs) than I came in with.
Sydney
Dec 14, 2018 at 10:58 am
I think you can do better than “bargain” condition…. unless you are brand new to the game, why buy woods with sky marks and irons with worn grooves?
joro
Dec 14, 2018 at 10:56 am
Newer is not alway better, just more expensive.
golfer
Dec 14, 2018 at 10:55 am
Adams.
fanboy
Dec 14, 2018 at 9:46 am
had to do this in college after a mishap with clubs. Put together a bag built around some nice used ping irons and hand me downs from teammates for less than 400$ and used it in competition.
James
Dec 14, 2018 at 9:43 am
I’m thinking the author got a skewed deal on his clubs… usually clubs that are senior flex, EXTRA STIFF FLEX and left-handed are significantly less expensive to buy used. I’d like to see a similar set-up with Stiff shafts. Bet we’re talking around $800 now.
Cyril Zupan
Dec 14, 2018 at 8:46 am
Good work….
Nothing wrong with those setups!
Lots of good shots left in those sticks!
shawn
Dec 14, 2018 at 12:50 pm
Not for a 15 y.o. boy who is just starting the game! Get him new clubs from Walmart and he will be happy.
Dad
Dec 28, 2018 at 3:39 pm
Shut the hell up Shawn. Literally no one wants to read your shit comments.
Rob Ever
Dec 14, 2018 at 12:27 am
Everything in my bag is used. My bag is used. I don’t buy much from shops like 3balls as their trade in prices are low and their resale prices are high. Find a local shop that deals in used clubs and you’ll walk out with a full set of clubs and a bag too!
ogo
Dec 14, 2018 at 12:57 pm
Obviously you are not a WRX forum gearhead who looooves his exotic golf clubs… all made in China even though they are branded with a USA or Japanese company.
Simms
Dec 14, 2018 at 12:16 am
Whats really sad is to take that same idea and look at the trade in value places sale used clubs offer verse what they sell them back for…that $500 comes at about $250 or less in trade in value…..if you have any time at all Ebay will save you the most…
Aristotle
Dec 13, 2018 at 9:49 pm
“I recommend hitting the used market.”
-Socrates
Tommy
Dec 13, 2018 at 6:31 pm
A few months ago I took on the challenge to put together the best set I could for a friend’s 15 year old son who is taking up the game. Here is what I was able to purchase, mostly on eBay (including from some larger resale companies). All of the purchased clubs are in excellent 9/10 condition and the driver and 3 wood were virtually new. Here is what I was able to put together for $290
TM Burner Superfast 2.0
Cobra Bio-Cell 3-4 FW
Adams 9031 Pro Black Hybrids- 20*, 23*
Taylormade R7 Irons 4-9, SW
Cleveland CG10 PW- 46*, 54*
Cleveland 588 Black -60*
Ping Karsten Anser 2
New SuperStroke TX-1 Grips
Titleist Stand Bag
Includes all headcovers, etc
Robert S. Sewell
Dec 13, 2018 at 6:21 pm
What about a bag?
ogo
Dec 13, 2018 at 6:07 pm
Why is the Odyssey putter $65 while the full set of Ti tleist 3-PW irons only $200 ?!! You can buy a brand new $25 Walmart zinc die cast knockoff that will do the job equally well… unless you are ashamed and need a used status putter for your fragile ego!!!
ogo
Dec 13, 2018 at 6:12 pm
HEY.. GOLF WRX STAFF…. WHY IS THE FORUM SWEARBOT FILTER SO SENSITIVE TO A PERCEIVED SWEAR WORD BURIED IN A LONGER WORD…. LIKE “T I Tleist” ????!!!!!!
CAN’T YOU FIX OR SHUT OFF YOUR STUPID FILTER TO ELIMINATE THIS LUDICROUS SITUATION ??!!!!!
RJ
Dec 14, 2018 at 8:57 am
Hey OGO – Are you sponsored by Nitro Blasters Golf from Walmart?
Shopping for golf clubs st Walmart is like saying a Yugo is the same as a Corvette.
ogo
Dec 14, 2018 at 12:54 pm
… and you are obviously a gearhead who has impeccable taste and solid opinions on overpriced OEM clubs…. from Japan.
ogo
Dec 14, 2018 at 1:00 pm
I bet you looove to shop for new golf clubs on a weekly basis at yer local big box golf store… and you know all the sales people with whom you can discuss all the technical stuff.
Funkaholic
Jan 17, 2019 at 8:43 am
OGO just say you are too poor to play this game even at a discount and move on.
ogo
Dec 13, 2018 at 6:06 pm
Why is the Odyssey putter $65 while the full set of Titleist 3-PW irons only $200 ?!! You can buy a brand new $25 Walmart zinc die cast knockoff that will do the job equally well… unless you are ashamed and need a used status putter for your fragile ego!!!
JP
Dec 13, 2018 at 5:41 pm
Best and most spot on article I’ve seen here in a while. Good job.
Hard to debate any of those choices. All well done
Chris Stallard
Dec 13, 2018 at 5:37 pm
Fantastic choices…. only query I have is hybrid is $80 and driver is $50…. I’d try to flip that around and perhaps get a better driver
ht
Dec 13, 2018 at 5:22 pm
love this! I have this conversation with my buddy all the time and, in my opinion, I think it can be done cheaper
Adam
Dec 13, 2018 at 4:16 pm
Fully endorse the Odyssey. I game an Odyssey White Hot that I bought on eBay for $22 and it’s awesome and works for me like magic. Would not give it up even if someone handed me a $500 putter right now.
ogo
Dec 14, 2018 at 1:02 pm
… but how can you flaunt your status clubs if they are not bought new?
Seth Mischke
Dec 13, 2018 at 2:40 pm
Would totally bag that set up and feel great about it! Overrated technology CAN be.
Shu
Dec 13, 2018 at 2:19 pm
I started this same experiment last year and my original goal was under $100. I quickly realized this would be harder than I thought so I raised it to the price most spend on a new off the rack driver ($400). Goal was to shoot around my handicap (4) with the setup. Mainly to prove to my friends that keep blowing money on new clubs that learning how to hit them is more important. Current setup is Titleist 910 driver, Adams rpm 3 wood, Adams hyrbid, Titleist 762 3-P, Cleveland 588 wedges, Oddyssey putter. Total cost was around $350. It’s actually been a pretty fun project.