Equipment

Stop making these mistakes when buying used clubs!

Published

3 years ago

Dec 22, 2020

Buying new clubs is always fun, but for many golfers, the real fun is in hunting for used clubs and finding great deals, and if you know where to look, there are lots of deals to be had. But before spending hundreds of dollars on used clubs, there are a few things to pay close attention to, to make sure you are getting the best bang for your buck, and prevent yourself from making a costly purchasing mistake.

Tips for avoiding used club purchasing mistakes

Buy from reputable sellers: This is the most important piece of advice I can offer to those looking for clubs in the used marketplace—especially if this is new to you. Although the volume of counterfeit golf clubs has gone down exponentially over the last couple of years, there are still some people looking to make a fast buck off unsuspecting golfers. Although you can’t always inspect clubs in person, some of the most obvious signs of counterfeit golf clubs are:

“Touchpoints being off” is the biggest giveaway. If grip smells like cheap rubber or solvent and seems small to size, the headcover (if it comes with one) feels light or flimsy, walk away. Counterfeiters sink most of the cost replicating the clubheads and if the other components seem off, it’s not worth it.
“Incorrect shafts” or shafts installed with the logo or the shaft bands (logoed stickers on steel shafts) facing up. There isn’t an OEM on the market that builds clubs this way and it’s your first sign that something isn’t right.
“Badge and brand colors slightly off” is another sign someone is trying to sell you a counterfeit club. Golf club manufacturers spend a lot of time and money picking colors that stand out and are hard to replicate and if something is off, it’s probably too good to be true.

**A great place to start your search is GolfAvenue.ca and as a GolfWRX reader you can save through our affiliate program: Golfwrx X GolfAvenue trade-in and purchasing program**

Make sure to confirm the club specs

When buying online, if the club specs aren’t included, make sure to ask—most sellers should easily be able to provide this information quickly.

If you are buying in person or shopping somewhere that has a large selection of used clubs, there are some things you can do to quickly and easily take some measurements to make sure you and getting clubs that match the right spec you are looking for.

Golf club specs you can check without tools:

Lengths: If lengths arent stated and you are buying in person, bring a few of your own clubs to compare.
Grips: A quick check that all of the grips match for size and style can save you money, and make sure they feel good when you go to use them. Don’t forget though, grips are an easy and affordable way to make used clubs feel new again.
Matching shafts: A quick visual inspection to make sure the shafts match up will make sure you are getting what you pay for. Along that same line, checking to also make sure the ferrules match will show whether any club in the set was repaired at some point.

When to call in a professional

One of the most important specs to make sure golf clubs, specifically irons and wedges, perform properly is lie angle and loft, but not all clubs are created equal, and lie angles and lofts can be difficult to change depending on the construction of the head.

Most modern game-improvement clubs, for example, are cast from harder materials which lead to more ball speed, but the byproduct of this is they are more difficult to bend. If you are looking at cast or multi-material heads be sure to get them checked before completing the sale.

Single piece forged irons, on the other hand, are generally much easier to adjust (up to four degrees in any direction) but it’s still a good idea to have them checked so you know what you are getting into, and so when you go out to play, you are seeing the results you expect.

Shopping for used clubs can feel like a treasure hunt and is a lot of fun—it’s also a great way to save money on equipment. Don’t get caught up in what might seem like a deal too good to be true, because it probably is, and take your time when evaluating what you are buying to maximize enjoyment on the course.

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Whats in the Bag

WITB Time Machine: Billy Horschel’s winning WITB, 2017 CJ Cup Byron Nelson

Published

48 mins ago

May 1, 2024

GolfWRX Staff

The tournament bearing the name of one of golf’s all-time greats is now known as the CJ Cup Byron Nelson. Back in 2017, it was still the AT&T Byron Nelson and Billy Horschel was still a full-bag PXG staffer. The Florida Gator leveraged those wares to a playoff victory over Jason Day securing his fourth PGA Tour win in the process.

Check out the clubs Horschel had in play seven years ago in Texas.

Driver: PXG 0811X (9 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Atmos Tour Spec Black 6 X

3-wood: PXG 0341X (15 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Black 75 6.5

Check out more in-hand photos of Billy Horschel’s gear from 2017 here.

5-wood: PXG 0341 (18 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Black 75 6.5

Irons: PXG 0311T (3, 5-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100

Check out more in-hand photos of Billy Horschel’s gear from 2017 here.

Wedges: PXG 0311T Milled (52-10, 56-10, 60-07)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400

Putter: PXG Bat Attack
Grip: SuperStroke Flatso 1.0

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x

Check out more in-hand photos of Billy Horschel’s gear from 2017 here.

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Equipment

How Cleveland Golf’s wedge selector tool improves the wedge buying process

Published

1 hour ago

May 1, 2024

GolfWRX Staff

More than most golfers would care to admit, confusion often reigns when it comes to selecting a wedge — let alone configuring an entire wedge setup. Make? Model? Loft? Grind? Finish? Two wedges? Three wedges? Four? The questions abound!

While it’s easy to get off the fairway and deep into the rough quickly, the framework question for choosing wedges is the same as the entirety of the golf bag: How should I set up my golf bag to shoot the lowest score possible?

Manufacturers, in addition to, well, manufacturing golf clubs, also understand that golfers need to make informed decisions to get the most out of their equipment. It’s with this in mind, and to help golfers answer the aforementioned foundational question about their wedge setup, that Cleveland Golf has launched its wedge selector too.

To learn more, we talked with Cleveland’s Senior Product Manager, Casey Shultz.

GolfWRX: What was Cleveland seeing in the marketplace that led to the development of the wedge selector? How do golfers benefit?

Casey Shultz: Currently, there is a lot of talk about what grind players should play and what is right for their game in that aspect of selecting a wedge. But there is more to improving wedge play than finding the proper grind. We would even argue it’s one of the smaller dials for improvement. Players can find more success with wedges designed from head shape to shaft, sole width, gapping, and then the grind. Putting a system in place that makes the process of selecting the right wedge easier is something we feel can have a massive impact, especially for recreational players.

GolfWRX: Now, in breaking down Cleveland’s wedge selector tool, the point of departure is figuring out whether you’re an RTX or CBX player. Can you briefly spell out who each of these wedges is for?

CS: For lower handicappers, the RTX series is our tour-validated line of blade wedges. These are for players looking to play a lot of open-faced shots around the green, prioritize workability, and like to flight their wedges. CBX wedges are designed to make the short game easier, while still offering some level of versatility for the mid-high handicapper looking for a wedge that will reduce chunks and add forgiveness on all strikes. CBX’s are also a great option due to them blending well in weight and shaping with more cavity back iron sets.

GolfWRX: Proceeding through the RTX wedge selector, one of the first forks in the road is wedge finish. Can you break down the finish options and the considerations for a golfer in making their selection?

CS: With the RTX series we offer Tour Satin, Black Satin, and Tour Rack finishes. Tour Satin is our most popular finish and offers the most grind options. With HydraZip face blasts on the newest RTX Wedges, glare is significantly reduced at address compared to other silver finish offerings. Black Satin offers custom skin options as personalization and is one of the more durable black finishes on the market but will have some visible wear over time especially on the sole. Finally, Tour Rack is our tour authentic raw finish that will rust over time. The Tour Rack finish also comes with the option of applying any of our Tour Crafted leading edge and sole grind offerings to the Wedge for players really looking to fine-tune their performance.

GolfWRX: Can you walk us through the rest of the RTX wedge fitting process?

CS: Once players have selected their preferred finish, we gather information on their iron set and loft preferences to determine proper gapping. A properly gapped set of wedges, both with each other and transitioning from a player’s last iron, is key to ensuring their set covers a wide range of approach yardages well. We then ask specific questions about the performance the player is looking to achieve in their sand and lob wedges to determine proper grinds for each of those wedges. Lastly, we confirm a preference for traditional or Full-Face grooves at each loft. Full-Face grooves offer a new level of versatility, especially with open-face shots, but it’s up to the player if they want to transition to this groove design. Our algorithm will then take these results and determine a set of wedges best suited to the player’s game.

GolfWRX: Let’s circle back to grinds. Is there a grind configuration across their wedges you’re seeing the majority of players choose or is it pretty evenly divided?

CS: The MID grind is certainly the most popular grind across all lofts, with the blend of versatility and forgiveness in a wide range of conditions suiting many players. In sand wedge lofts, the second most popular grind is our FULL, which has a little more bounce than the MID and is especially effective out of the sand or rough. In lob wedge lofts, the popular alternative to the MID is the LOW grind, offering max versatility around the greens. We’re also seeing more amateur and tour players opt for our Full-Face models, especially in the lob wedge lofts where they are planning to open the face and get creative around the greens.

GolfWRX: Can you take us through the CBX wedge selector?

CS: In the CBX selector, we start by determining if a player is looking to play a lob wedge or not. For many recreational golfers, a lob wedge may not be necessary for the consistent short-game performance they are looking to achieve. Next, the CBX selector focuses on ensuring players end up with a set that transitions well into their irons, while also staying within the constraints of a player’s bag setup. With new players distance, game improvement, and super game improvement iron lofts becoming stronger than those of the past, creating a properly gapped set of wedges is trickier than ever for these players. The selector tool takes the guesswork out of the equation, while also considering a player’s set makeup and interest in replacing a wedge. Finally, players are given the option of when or if they would like to transition into a Full-Face design for added spin on strikes all over the face.

GolfWRX: Is there anything else you think GolfWRXers need to know about Cleveland’s wedge selector tool?

CS: Our wedge selector tool is designed to be used in concert with our set builder webpages. At completion of the selector, a player’s recommended wedge set will automatically be applied to the appropriate set builder. From there, they can easily adjust components or build specs to every Wedge all in one place. Players can also add Tour Crafted sole and leading edge grinds to refine their performance on our Tour Rack wedges, or personalize custom characters, skins, and paintfill in the same place. It’s a one-stop shop to build the perfect wedge set for any player’s game.

This article was presented in partnership with Cleveland Golf. Check out the wedge selector here.

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Equipment

Golf fans left surprised by LIV’s choice of course for its 2024 individual championship event

Published

1 hour ago

May 1, 2024

Matt Vincenzi

On Tuesday, LIV announced their individual championship will be held at Bolingbrook Golf Club just outside of Chicago. The event will take place September 13-15.

The late announcement is seemingly due to LIV looking for the right course in the Chicago area that has the infrastructure that can accommodate a professional event.

The choice of Bolingbrook Golf Club has received some feedback on social media.

Maybe Rich Harvest Farms wasn't available? RHF is 50miles from Chicago but at least it's surrounded by farm land so plenty of space to set up

— Crawf_Indiana (@captaincrawf) April 30, 2024

Awful course choice, it's a dog track!

— Rob (@piratedwight) April 30, 2024

????#LOOK: Bolingbrook GC in Illinois, site of LIV Golf’s just announced Individual Championship has tee times available around the $50 mark.

Are you teeing it up here? pic.twitter.com/b8Lgv9ZzhK

— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) April 30, 2024

LIV fans were quick to point out that Bethpage Black, which is hosting the 2025 Ryder Cup, can also be played for a reasonable price, making the point the greens fees don’t always equate to the quality of the golf course.

During LIV’s first two seasons, LIV utilized Rich Harvest Farms in Chicago. It’s unclear why that course is off the rotation in favor of Bolingbrook.