Here we go again

Linky

I like my M4 just fine, and I got it at a discount when the M5/M6 came out. Didn't notice these at the Sentry.

DJ was using a SIM.
Xander was using a Callaway Mvrick.
Reed using Grindworks.

Wash rinse, repeat. Essentially with the golf industry has become

$550.

yeesh.

I just got a good condition used 2016 M2 for $100... best driver I've ever hit. Leaving the newish Rogue in the garage .

DannyDuberstein said:

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As a guy who for 20+ years has made a habit of buying 1-2 generations old when I looking for a new driver, I appreciate the quick churn out of new models that drops prices on the old.

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This. And then if some new "tech" or "design" actually proves out over a season or two to be advantageous, there's still enough inventory of new and used clubs to do a fitting and buy what you want.

Exactly. I'm just not a sucker for the marketing. And waiting gives the opportunity to see how any technology changes prove out. Most of the changes since the advent of titanium, maxing out head size at 460cc, and maxing COR at 0.83 have been small. But where I think there have been good gains is in the area of customization/adjustability. There is no more magic tech that just bombs the ball on its own, but fitting your club to your swing as much as possible can unlock a lot.

I'm just here patiently waiting for that guy to come on here and say I just got fitted for the new Callaway club and it added 25 yards to my drive

Actually it was 42 yards.

I don't gather that anyone is upset at the club companies and their attempt to sell golf widgets. It's merely entertaining to observe the guys that are paying retail for a new driver every year or two.

To borrow your analogy, it's like buying a new vehicle every year because of the awesome new cup holder design in the console. And we both probably know someone who leases a new vehicle every 18-24 months.

Here's my driver progression:

Bubble Shaft>R5>R7 460(raffle prize)>RBZ>M4. All TM because most were hand-me-downs or free. Only one I bought was the M4, and I had a gift card.

And the bubble might be the best of the bunch!

Here's a comparison video between the M5 and SIM from the guys at TXG. Not saying I'm going to go out and buy the SIM, but the results are surprising. Having said that, everyone should go get fit when buying a new driver.

Wildcat said:

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I don't gather that anyone is upset at the club companies and their attempt to sell golf widgets. It's merely entertaining to observe the guys that are paying retail for a new driver every year or two

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exactly.

however, i would kill for a job marketing these. i feel like there is a boilerplate (longer, straighter, more forgiving, more aerodynamic!) and they just change the name of the woods/irons every year. no matter what, there is a line of schmucks like us forming to the right every year.

flogmat said:

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And the bubble might be the best of the bunch!

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Ha, I had a burner bubble for awhile back in the day and I don't think I ever hit a fairway with that gd thing.

My last steel driver and my first titanium in the mid/late 90s were both burner bubbles. The first round I ever put on that titanium driver (Ti Bubble 2) was at Bluebonnet in Navasota. That 285cc head seemed MASSIVE at the time.

TaylorMade went with a bold marketing strategy on their last line of drivers. The M5 "features a revolutionary new process of calibrating every individual head to the threshold of the legal speed limit allowed by the USGA and R&A." Assuming they didn't make s*** up about the M5, why would I spend $550 on a new driver when the old one already achieves the maximum legal ball speed?

ThreatLevel: Midnight said:

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The part that discourages me is that my game continues to be abhorrent despite the numerous technological breakthroughs in forgiveness, distance, speed, etc.

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I did a fitting at club champion and I had the fitter absolutely stumped by the results we were getting on the TrackMan. I told him...."I am really good at making golf clubs do what they are not suppose to do."

ruddyduck said:

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Wildcat said:

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I don't gather that anyone is upset at the club companies and their attempt to sell golf widgets. It's merely entertaining to observe the guys that are paying retail for a new driver every year or two

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exactly.

however, i would kill for a job marketing these. i feel like there is a boilerplate (longer, straighter, more forgiving, more aerodynamic!) and they just change the name of the woods/irons every year. no matter what, there is a line of schmucks like us forming to the right every year.

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Are there really people that upgrade drivers like iphones and get a new one no matter what? Can you get decent money back on the resale market (I was sticker shocked on a used fairway wood at golf galaxy).

Honestly, the club that blows my mind that is so expensive are the damn putters. I had my clubs stolen and have been rebuilding my collection for spring, got some m2 irons with an extra $100 off from dicks on black friday and just picked up a rogue driver. I'll probably go used on the fairway woods, and it looks like putter too. Was sticker shocked when i saw they're $200 plus now.

i don't (still hitting my m2 which i still love), but plenty of people do. i think it skews towards newer players who think golf is all about having the right equipment and can't resist those new driver siren songs (longer, faster, more forgiving, etc.).

as for putters...yeah they can get up there. check out the prices on new scotty camerons, tm spiders, bettinardis, etc. with all those you're starting at $350.

The Lost said:

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ruddyduck said:

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Wildcat said:

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I don't gather that anyone is upset at the club companies and their attempt to sell golf widgets. It's merely entertaining to observe the guys that are paying retail for a new driver every year or two

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exactly.

however, i would kill for a job marketing these. i feel like there is a boilerplate (longer, straighter, more forgiving, more aerodynamic!) and they just change the name of the woods/irons every year. no matter what, there is a line of schmucks like us forming to the right every year.

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Are there really people that upgrade drivers like iphones and get a new one no matter what? Can you get decent money back on the resale market (I was sticker shocked on a used fairway wood at golf galaxy).

Honestly, the club that blows my mind that is so expensive are the damn putters. I had my clubs stolen and have been rebuilding my collection for spring, got some m2 irons with an extra $100 off from dicks on black friday and just picked up a rogue driver. I'll probably go used on the fairway woods, and it looks like putter too. Was sticker shocked when i saw they're $200 plus now.

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I would imagine golf companies survival revolves around a large number of people replacing drivers (and other clubs) like iPhones.

dahouse said:

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Here's my driver progression:

Bubble Shaft>R5>R7 460(raffle prize)>RBZ>M4. All TM because most were hand-me-downs or free. Only one I bought was the M4, and I had a gift card.

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I played with the same Big Bertha driver (steel shaft) from 1998 until April of 2019. Granted, I probably only averaged about 2 rounds/yr from 2007 - last year.... but it still got the job done.... fairway finder and I could still poke it out there about 260 on the screws. I had to borrow a buddy's set of "loaner" clubs to play a round last spring because I didn't have mine.... first time I ever swung a 460cc head. It looked like a monstrosity at first, but after a couple of holes I started striping that bastage out there to yardages that ole Bertha had never seen. I bought it on the spot for $40 and have loved it ever since. It's a TM R9 Super-tri and I'll probably keep it until the face caves in.

"Inertia Generator"

Shelton98 said:

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dahouse said:

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Here's my driver progression:

Bubble Shaft>R5>R7 460(raffle prize)>RBZ>M4. All TM because most were hand-me-downs or free. Only one I bought was the M4, and I had a gift card.

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I played with the same Big Bertha driver (steel shaft) from 1998 until April of 2019. Granted, I probably only averaged about 2 rounds/yr from 2007 - last year.... but it still got the job done.... fairway finder and I could still poke it out there about 260 on the screws. I had to borrow a buddy's set of "loaner" clubs to play a round last spring because I didn't have mine.... first time I ever swung a 460cc head. It looked like a monstrosity at first, but after a couple of holes I started striping that bastage out there to yardages that ole Bertha had never seen. I bought it on the spot for $40 and have loved it ever since. It's a TM R9 Super-tri and I'll probably keep it until the face caves in.

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That r9 super-tri is hard to beat.

Is it just me or is the SIM just a cobra F9 with twist face?

Putters have always been $200 + and in the $300s when buying New Cameron, high end odysseys/pings.

r7 superquad as well. Helluva driver

E said:

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I just got a good condition used 2016 M2 for $100... best driver I've ever hit. Leaving the newish Rogue in the garage .

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Bought a practically new Callow Epic Flash for $350 from Calloway Pre Owned (25% off sale). They were still on the shelf new for $550...

Speaking of latest and greatest, when I got fit for my clubs at a Titleist Thursday several years ago, they fitter told me he'd just fit a guy for their high end limited edition lrons (can't recall name)..not the AP line but some one off thing they did. They were like $2,000 a set...guy ordered two sets. One for his home here and one for his home in AZ. Fitter told me the guy was a 17 handicap or something ridiculous!