WHEN SHOULD I MOVE ON

I STARTED PLAYING THE GAME ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO AND LIKE MOST BEGINNERS I BOUGHT BASIC CLUBS, I HAVE A FULL SET OF DUNLOP MAX WHICH COST ME AROUND £140, I AM IMPROVING QUICKLY BUT I AM INCONSISTENT, I CAN PLAY QUALITY SHOTS THEN REVERSE TO SHOTS IM ASHAMED OFF, I AM WILLING TO BUY MORE EXPENSIVE CLUBS IF THEY WILL MAKE A DIFFRENCE TO MY GAME, IE CUT OUT MY INCONSISTENCY, IS THIS THE WRITE WAY TO GO, OR HAVE YOU GOT ANY OTHER USEFULL ADVICE

THANKS

New clubs will not make the slightest difference to your game, Adam, as you state that you already hit quality shots at times with the ones you have.

It is the player and not the equipment that determines whether or not you play well, and there is no short cut to achieving this apart from having lessons. Even that is no guarantee if you are unable to absorb what you are being told.

The fact that the majority of players are high handicappers testifies to this fact.

You are free to buy whatever you wish, Adam, whenever you feel the need. All I was saying is that a change of clubs might bring some added confidence, but unless you have a sound method then they will be no better than the ones you have.

The most imnportant part of the club is the shaft and until you know what shaft is the best for your speed of swing it is all a lottery. Getting custom fitted takes away this problem, but of course it is expensive and once again will all depend on the quality and experience of the person doing the custom fitting. If he is not interested then it is you who will pay the price.

I essentially agree with John.  I am probably at the same stage as you.  I played for three years and then had a ten year break and have come back to the game.  When i played originally I could not hit woods or driver. 

Second time around I wanted to have another go with them and not wanting to waste a huge amount of money bought Dunlop Clubs.  They were useful to train with but I have upgraded.  The upgrade has made my  good and decent shots a little longer but the poor shots are still bad.  As John says it is the technique that matters most and if you really want to become a good player invest in lessons first.

Arnold Palmer was famous not only for his record in the game, but for the fact that he played with many individual clubs as opposed to sets. How he selected them, only he would know, but when they were all tested for swingweight they were all the same, and this is, IMO the most important requirement for being able to use all the clubs in your bag, they must all have the same swing weight.

I doubt that even the most expensive clubs you will buy off the shelf are all the same and it is no good having a D 0 when you could actually benefit from a D2/3.

Clubs with the same swingweight will all feel the same and you will no longer have a favourite club. So, check the swing weight of your favourite club and get the rest matched up.

I also use the x-14's Oli, a beatifully made club which Callaway have not been able to better since they introduced it.