Ok, so let us begin this journey! Well I have already begun the journey, I am trying to catch up the reader. The first thing I did was buy a new set of golf clubs. As all golfers know a new driver, putter, irons, or wedge is the easiest way to fix any part of your game. As I was always taught: it is never the archer but always the arrow. It is also important to remember that the more money you spend on golf clubs directly correlates to how many strokes you shave off your handicap. So in keeping with long held and important golf mantras, I went out and bought a really, really, expensive set of clubs.
I bought everything from a driver through a putter. To make sure I got a set of clubs that perfectly fit my swing and game, I went to Tru Spec Golf. For those that do not know, Tru Spec is an agnostic club fitter. They are expensive, but the expense directly correlates to the quality and expertise that they deliver. The service is amazing and importantly they possess the knowledge needed to help you find the clubs that will give you your best game.
I must be honest; I did not set out to buy a really expensive set of clubs. This was the second set of clubs I had made by Tru Spec. Five years ago I was fit for a set of irons and woods. I loved them. I thought the Callaway Apex irons were phenomenal. But as my game changed and my swing got better, also after five years which is an eternity in the golf club world, I thought it might be a good idea to see what was out there and if I liked something, to upgrade.
The first of two reasons why I went back to Tru Spec, was the agnostic factor. The fact that I could hit and compare so many different types of clubs. The second reason was the shafts. Five years ago the fitters put a shaft into my irons that changed everything. They were Nippon Modus Tour 120x’s. I cannot tell you why specifically, but I love them. They just feel great at impact. Their weight is perfect for me; they help the club feel solid. My love affair with the shafts helped me realize that the fitters at Tru Spec were willing and able to help me find something that I would like, that takes patience.
I actually called in sick from work so I could spend five hours hitting balls. It was one of those experiences that a golfer hopes will never end. The fun part is that your really do not know what you are hitting. I mean you have a general idea and sometimes you look, but the fluidity in which they are able to change out the heads helps stop any bias toward one OEM or another. So there I am hitting six iron after six iron, in a vain attempt to do their job the fitters tried to change shafts on me but of course my golf astuteness is even better than the Big Cat’s, so the Modus was back. Then all of a sudden I hit a club and felt the sexiest contact of the day. It was just solid, that completely flush feeling that every golfer knows, but cannot put properly into words. I raked another ball and hit another just flushed six iron. I had found my new set of irons.
Excitedly, I looked down and audibly say “Oh, Shit!”. I had noticed the top line of the club and it was beautiful, blade like in appearance, it just sat well with eye which is important for me, I hate clunky looking clubs. But as I slowly rotate the head of the six iron to see which company was going to have the honor of providing me a new set of weapons, I saw stamped the word “Miura”.
So now a debate in my head started raging, was I going to pay this much for these clubs? I had no idea the actual price but I knew it was not even going to be remotely cheap. At first I was like, “no fucking way will I spend this much money”. So I kept on hitting. Club after club, I tried to find something that felt as good as that Miura. Nothing compared.
So I took the plunge. The worst part of this was having to maybe, kind of, sort of, mislead my wife as to the true cost. But my goodness they have been worth it. My miss is usually a little thin and these clubs even when struck thin, make the ball soar. They save me strokes and help me play better, so at least in my mind they have been worth every penny.
I also bought a five wood and a three wood, both Callaway Rogues. They are, perfect for those shorter par 4’s, where driver is not the safe play. See I am already learning how to play smarter!! Then of course there is the driver. “Grip it and Rip it”, right? I bought a Ping G400 Max. You can hit that thing on the toe, heel, top, or bottom and on the whole it just goes straightish. What is interesting and why I recommend going to a great and knowledgeable fitter, are shafts. For me shafts are so important, they can either help or hurt your game. To be honest if they are not helping your game in reality they are hurting. So for the last two drivers I had been using a BB 70-gram shaft. This time I asked if I could try something lighter, because at times it seemed as if it was almost too heavy late in a round. So in the end I had a ACCRA TOURZ X455 M4 shaft fitted to the driver. It has been a great match and never have I looked back.
Expensive clubs that have been perfectly fitted will not get you too far, because as much as we would like to say it is always the arrows fault, all the blame lies clearly on the archer. So even though I have beautiful set of Miura irons, Callaway Rogue fairway woods, a Ping G400 Max (the best driver I have ever hit in my thirty plus years I have golfed), and most importantly and probably the most beautiful think I have seen, a Miura KM-007 putter. Yes, I did buy a Miura putter, it is epic. I am basically the number one putter on tour. All I have really done is spent a lot of money. To make my purchase worthy I need shave strokes off my game.