marvin,

since this is the team titleist discussion board, many will say switch everything to titleist.  i guess you have to ask yourself why you're thinking of making a wholesale change.  if your other clubs are working well for you, there's no reason to change, but if you're one of those who likes to have the latest and greatest, then go for it.  just realize, you may pay a penalty for it...

take this example: i can tell you that my transition to the sm4 wedges continues to be a learning curve.  i was a cleveland wedge guy for the longest time, but finally had to get new wedges and the new cg-xx design did not fit my eye, so i decided to go to vokeys.  going from non-conforming to c-c grooves is still requiring some getting used to.

i guess the bottom line is unless you're a touring pro that's getting paid an endorsement from various companies, you're better off keeping the equipment in your bag that will give you the best chance to play your best golf.  There's nothing wrong with having a mixed bag...although i will throw in my endorsement for the 910 drivers :)  good luck with whatever direction you go.

-fred

Hello Marvin,

I'm in the same boat as I started playing again this year after a 3 year hiatus. I think the first question to ask yourself is why are you considering changing? What part of the game do you struggle with, hitting fairways, hitting greens, scrambling, putting? Identify what is the biggest weakness in your game and fix that first. Then fix the 2nd weakness and so on and so on.

Good luck.

I have a mixed bag.   Burner 2007 driver, Superfast 5W-4H-6H, AP1 7-PW. Vokey Spin-Milled c-c 50-08 and 54-14, SM4 60-10 (all wedges bent 1* strong), White Hot 7H putter.  My expenditure for this set was a little over $900 (including trade ins) and it performs very well.  It has evolved over time.  My two cents is not to go "cold turkey" and I am one of those that is a bit reluctant to spend over $2000 for a set of golf clubs.

I put the driver (which is an HT Draw M flex with a 44.5" shaft) alongside some of the brand new ones and they don't compare. I paid $69 for it almost 2 years ago and have been enjoying some of the best driving of my golfing existance.  

I paid $89 for the putter ($69 used plus $20 for fitting) almost 2 years ago.  I've saved 3 strokes per round on putting.

I got the 5W and 4H on clearance for $86 cash ($90 worth of trade ins).  The 6H was used ($69).  I had the fitter adjust them (cut the shafts 1/2" and put on Winn Lite Dri-Tac oversize grips).  I've been nailing my long shots now.

The cost for the irons (7-PW) was $200, including some minor adjustments to the 7-9 irons (had the shafts shortened 1/4" to hit more cleanly).  I saw the 7,9,PW in Golf Mart in the iron bin and they already had the shafts I like (DG R300).   I bought the 8 iron off e-Bay (pretty pricey).  I was playing Ping Eye 2 up until March (had them for a year after playing with do it yourself irons for almost 3 years).

All the wedges were bought new (and partially financed by returns or trade-ins) - I took advantage of the 90 day playability guarantee.

I have had the 50-08 for a year now (just made a minor adjustment recently - bent loft to 49* and shortened to 35.25" and it performs even better). That has been my primary pitching weapon for awhile.

I changed from a 54-11 (bent to 55) to the 54-14 (bent to 53) just recently and have a small learning curve (but already have nailed some up and down in 2 approaches).  I still have my 54-11 but the new wedge works better for me.

I also just recently acquired the SM4 and it stops the ball better than my 62-07 did.  I did pretty well out of the greenside bunkers on Friday (including the Friars #8 Bunker From Hell).

I'm also one of those that is of the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" school.  I played with the same clubs for 25 years (Toski persimmon 3-4 woods, X31 irons 2-PW and a dual wedge that I had since 9th grade).   I played very little golf between 1993-2003 and didn't swing a club until 2005 (didn't start playing golf again until 2006).   I also played with a Ping G2 and Titleist 975D driver, 975F 4W and 7W for 3 years.

I did what Dan W said in 2006 - short game became very good and I have refined it to razor sharp now.   Between 2006-2008 I used an 11 degree fairway wood (Trimetal) because I didn't hit a driver that well.  I used a G2  and 975D driver and between 2008-late 2010 but played a fade (the Burner turned a power fade into a  dead straight shot and I find the fairway just about all the time - why change?) 

My fairway wood play has been pretty good since 2010 (2010 was  a bit of a science project with various fww and hybrids; I still have some persimmons that I played the latter half of 2010).  I played with a Burner 7W, SQ 5 and 7H from the beginning of 2011 till March (didn't carry a 7 iron because I had a hard time with the Eye 2).   I just upgraded to the Superfast 5W 4H and 6H after getting the AP1s.  

My only weak point in my game over the past 2 years had been my middle game (the 5H through 7 iron) and I sometimes lost a stroke or two per round to a block. 

Feelings mutual... I had replaced my irons, and my hybrds were draw design and I started getting too much pull/draw, and I had gotten a 3W (...doesn't everyone?) that I couldn't hit (like most people).  Got Titleist for the adustments and because I'm left handed and most only carry 3 and 5 woods.  I didn't start out a Titleist snob, but the other OEM vendors snubbed me.  

I can get any driver from any company, so long as it is 9.5 or 10.5 loft. <sigh>.  So I added equipment as my game needed help.  In my case, it almost always comes down to Ping and Titleist.  I looked at Cleveland and Vokey wedges, but the only choices in stock other than Vokey were 52/56 degree wedges.  If what your using works, it works.  I don't need a new set of this year's iron to hit a 6I as far as my 5I - because they are only different by 1 degree and then can't hit the new 5I any better than my old 4I (which is no better than my old 5I).

If it ain't broke don't fix it. 

I too agree. Only change what was needed. In my case it was my wedges. I went from Vokey SM to TM ATV's. My irons, 3 wood, hybrid and putter are still Titleist. Still hitting a TM driver and 5 wood. Maybe down the road ...

I have to agree, don't buy everything at once.  This spring I upgraded from a Walter Hagen starter set pretty much all at once.  Well I ended up with new everything and the driver I thought that I loved, just switched last week and am paying the price now.  Go ahead with the irons for now, and then go with the rest.  Be sure though to get custom fit if your going to fork out all the cash for those irons.

well, I didn't start out planning on changing the whole bag, but . .

Last November & December:  TM r7 3, 5 & 7 woods out > 910F 17*, 910H  19* & 24* in

February:  TM r7 425 out > 910 D3 in

Feb/March:  910F 17* out > 910Fd 15* in (distance gap between the 17* and the 910H 19* too close)

March:  i-10 irons out > AP2 712 in

May/June:  after a month long battle, 910Fd 15* out, 910F 15 * in (better ball flight off the deck with the F)

June:  910H 21* in > AP2 5 iron out, 910H 24* set to 25.5*

The only carry overs from 2011 are my Vokeys and Scotty.  

Good luck with your makeover.

I have all TM clubs in my bag except for my wedges (CG15's) and putter (Yes-Sophia). I too am thinking about making a change. I'm motivated by what custom options are available out there. I'm still researching but Titleist is on my list because of their fitting system. If you're buying off the rack and like your clubs then don't change. If you're going to get custom fit for your clubs then Titliest seems to be a good alternative to TM. You may also save a few hundred dollars when all is done. TM charges $250 for a full fitting of all clubs and offers no discount towards the purchase of new clubs after the fitting. I don't believe Titleist charges close to that amount. Plus you probably can get custom clubs cheaper than TM's as well.

What ever you do get fitted if your swing is consistent good or bad. If your consistent then a custom set will improve your game. If you're all over the place and don't know why, save your money on the clubs and invest in lessons first.

Good luck!

Never have been a fan of TM irons.  

Also played with CG 15 DSG 58 and 64 wedges in 2009.   When I started varying where I play golf, found out the Vokey SM2 60-07 and 64-07 were much better after having the lie angle set to 65*.  The main reason I went to CG15 was that a 35.25" wedge fit better at the time with a 35.25" shaft. 

My two cents on making the plunge to a set of new custom clubs is to wait until you have a reasonable grasp of fundamentals.   You have to establish a swing first (even current clubs can be adjusted and fit).  Also need to find the set makeup that best suits one's needs.  Even in buying used clubs, one needs to be properly fit and the clubs have to feel good (I've made use of the launch monitors and the Adm Baker driving range is about 10 minutes away).  Places like Golf Mart offer a 90 day playability guarantee (even if the club has been modified, they take it back).   Golf Galaxy is 30 days. 

I have TM woods and hybrids and Titleist irons (AP1) and wedges (Spin Milled c-c and SM4) and an Odyssey putter.  All clubs have been dialed in for shaft length, lie angle, loft (for wedges.  Set makeup has been determined largely to side by side comparisons both during purchase (i.e., 5 wood vs 3H) and at the driving range or on the golf course (i.e, comparing the 6 iron vs the 6H and 10 wood  or 7 iron vs 34H).   What has assisted in my personal fitting process is that I constructed a set of irons that I used for 2 1/2 years before upgrading and dialing in the lie angles on a set of irons that I have had sitting around the house since 2008 (my nephew owns them now).   When I bought the AP1s I already knew what shafts worked for me and have my lengths and lie angles for my irons recorded on a spreadsheet (part of this is my dynamic fit for Eye 2 irons was Blue Dot and it even determined the best shafts were either KBS or DG R300).  I've had assistance from a local fitter during the process.

Since this post I have changed my fairway wood to 910F 19* with bassara A flex set to D3.   My Louisville HL3 34* persimmon hybrid is in place of the 6 and 7 irons (I returned the 6 iron to the store and got a gift card; the 7 iron is in the practice bag and I may bump the lie angle slightly).

I'm also bidding on a 910H 24* hybrid with Bassara A flex shaft on eBay and hope to win this Friday.  I liked the 910F so much that a 24H is a good middle club.   I ended up flattening the 7 iron by 1/2* and now I hit it very well (it is 1/2* upright and my 8-PW are 1* upright along with the Vokeys).  

Still keeping my HL3 34 hybrid in the bag.  We shall see how the 910H stacks up vs the Superfast 2.0 (I hit the latter very well at this point). 

The driver and putter will remain until they break or wear out.