Newsgroups: rec.sport.golf
Subject: Beginner'S Clubs
Date: Tue, 07 Apr 1992 23:14:00 -0600

David Delorme said:

DA>There's been a lot of talk lately about the clubs the pros
DA>use.  But I'd like to see some discussion on clubs that beginners
DA>should use - particularly ladies.

DA>My wife has expressed a slight interest in learning golf.  So, I've
DA>been looking for a good beginner's set for her.  I can't really see
DA>paying $300.00 or more for a set since my wife has never played before
DA>and may not even like the game.  However, I would like to get her a
DA>set that would be good to learn with.

DA>I went to Herman's and found a set of Northwesterns.  The beginner's
DA>seven piece set was priced at $125 and the full set around $200.
DA>That seemed like a good price, but I have never heard anything about
DA>the clubs.  Does anybody know anything about these clubs?  Anything
DA>good?  Anything bad?  Are there any other good ladies beginner's clubs
DA>people could recommend?  What does one look for in ladies clubs
DA>as opposed to men's clubs?

Just humble opinion here--my wife and I are both hooked on golf  and
we both started with Northwestern clubs.  Northwesterns seem to have
captured the  low-end,  starter,  mass-produced  market  with  clubs
readily  available at K-Mart, Wal-Mart, or other "high quality" golf
shops <GRIN>.

The basic differences between men's and women's clubs are  cosmetics
(black  for men, blue for women), length of the club shafts (women's
are usually 1 inch shorter for all clubs) and maybe flex (more  flex
for women's).

If  cheap  is  what you want (and a reasonable set of clubs to learn
on), then by all means buy a Northwestern starter set.  But, *DON'T*
buy  them  at  Herman's.  Go to any of the discount stores and buy a
starter set (usually 1,3 wood , 3,5,7,9 irons,putter).  You can find
them  for  about $80.  OR, better yet--check out the garage sales or
the classifieds and you might find some better clubs WITH a bag  for
less than $80!  And don't go crazy with expensive golf balls either!
So-called "X-outs" will do just fine for beginners.  (Beginners tend
to lose more than a few in water hazards).

If your wife continues to enjoy the game, THEN consider moving up to
a new set of clubs.  After I "outgrew" my old Northwestern clubs,  I
moved  up  to a set of Wilson Staffs(which oddly enough, I bought at
Herman's--on sale of course).  Now, since I can make my own clubs--I
probably  would  have custom made my own set instead of buying them.
But, that's water under the dam now.  However, I *MAY* get  to  make
my wife's new "move-up" golf clubs.

If  you do move up to that next level of clubs (a FULL set) for your
wife (probably  $180-$300--I  wouldn't  buy  Northwesterns  in  this
range) , don't forget to spend some money on golf lessons PERSONALLY
taught by a pro (group lessons are a joke except  for  just  getting
your feet wet).  Both my wife and I have agreed since we do play the
game a lot--to BOTH go for lessons SEPARATELY  this  year.   Believe
me,  trying  to teach your wife GOLF is as dangerous as teaching her
to drive a car (and vice-versa if the wife knows how to GOLF first).
<GRIN>

Golf is a game  that  can  be  miserable  if  you  haven't  got  the
fundamentals  down---if  you  spend  your time whiffing at the ball,
hitting more of the ground than the ball, looking  for  lost  balls,
etc.   etc.---you'll only frustrate yourself, your playing partners,
and  that  group  behind  you  (glaring  and   groaning).    Another
tip--start out on 9-hole courses!  They're usually more tolerable of
folks just learning to play.


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From Minnesota--highest per capita of golf nuts in the Nation!
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