Hi. It’s me Oly here, with my second installment of Senior Golfing.
Like I told you last time I played most of my days with Wooden Woods. After my job change my Boss invited me to play a spring charity event with him at his Country Club, and plan to play again in the fall. When I showed up with my Wooden Woods at the Driving Range a week prior to the event; he politely asked me to get the NEW metal woods. It wasn’t costing me anything to play, in fact I would be on “Company time”. I suppose now would be the time to tell you, he was a scratch golfer, in fact had planned on turning pro, until he got married and his wife nixed that idea, because he would be away from home too much.
Time now is 1993 To placate him, I purchased a box set of Dunlops with metal woods. I could not hit those metal woods worth a darn. The rest of my game was normal for me, but there was no way I could keep up with him. The second time out he gave me his 1st gen. “BIG BERTHA”. He had a new driver I don’t know what it was, but an upgrade from the Big Bertha he gave me. Let me tell you I couldn’t hit that thing at all. I still have it. Tried to give it away several times. Nobody could hit with it. Don’t get me wrong my boss could mash the ball with it.
To move along. I never liked the Dunlops, they just felt strange to me.
While thinking about trying to relearn this game, I took to the internet. It appeared that I would be an Ideal candidate, for a set of graphite clubs. I remembered about a year ago, while walking through Dunhams Sporting Goods, I casually picked up a Callaway Hot X driver. It was love at first swing. But my gosh, the thing cost $300. Everytime I entered that store I picked up the Hot X. I had considered buying it around CHRISTmas. It was on sale for $200. But with my children, there spouses, my grand kids, and great grandchildren I decided I could not justify buying it, (not really planning to play more than I was). As it turned out I bought it on sale for $250.
I priced new sets of graphite irons, THEY were EXPENSIVE. Deciding that maybe I could find a used set on Ebay. I found 2 sets that looked good. One set started at 2 dollars. I followed that sale for about a week, Thinking although it was Callaway graphites, but it was factory set at 2 degrees flat, it couldn’t be that popular. Boy was I wrong. I went as far as $335 counting shipping and sales tax. Tax is a big thing I watch because in my state shipping is tax exempt, BUT Ebay charges sales tax on the shipping too. I don’t know why.
I then found another set of graphite irons, but it included a number 4 Hybrid. I had no idea what a HYBRID was. Off I go to you tube to find out more about this new club. Seems they were recommended highly for senior golfers. I made several bids on it. But it kept going up and up. By the way they were PING. I went all the way to $380 for these, But the bidding kept going. The minimum it would cost me to try to snipe this set away, with shipping and sales tax, would put me around $505. Quite a chunk for USED clubs. I decided to wait and see if something else came up. Meanwhile a golfer friend about 12 years younger than I told me he didn’t see why at my age and unsure how much I would play, paid about $265, (including tax) for a driver, and he said quite frankly stop looking at those expensive clubs. He was right of course. After all I did have to buy that driver after lusting over it for a year.
I may regret it. I might be delighted. I absolutely abhor DICK”S. While my significant other was shopping at Target, (another store I do not like. Because things there are so expensive). I am not fond of Wal*Mart either. Face It I DISLIKE spending money. Anyway while she was at Target, I wandered down the Dicks store, Just to look see if they had anything. I, of course headed toward the golf area. Lo, and, Behold; sitting in the aisle was a complete set of graphite clubs, both woods, iron, and 2 Hybrid clubs with a stand alone bag. The only club that isn’t graphite is the putter. The Woods are Composite. Whatever that means,. I will look it up later. I did a quick look up on my phone. The first reference said they were made by Callaway. It was a name I knew from long ago. So, I thought for a couple of minutes. It said on the box ‘SENIOR GRAPHITE SET”. I lugged them to the checkout counter and plunked down, $250 (plus that darn sales tax But at least there was no Shipping). Oh! the brand is TOP-FLITE. I know, I know. Like I said, I may regret it and I might be happy with them.
One last thing I considered was the golf balls I have are probably 10 to 15 years old. Maybe I should buy some new ones. I used Top-Flite XLs before, and Titleist Black Dot. I quickly decided I wasn’t buying the black dot. The modern day equivalent Titlesist Black Dot is $50 a dozen, (that is about $4.50 a ball with sales tax). So i picked up a box of Titleist Tru-feel. I know nothing about them. Then I was given a box of Callaway Warbird 2. Don’t know anything about them either. Important thing is I now have 2 dozen balls. One white, and one yellow. I will throw in some of my old balls that are still in the sleeve. That way I figure I might be able to get in at least 2 rounds.
I have had the clubs a week now and haven’t unboxed them yet. Between playing pool 5 days a week and 3 great grand kids playing soft ball, (about 4 games a week; sometimes more, occasional weekends. I still am having trouble finding time to play. However I WILL make time.
See ya next week. If I have anything new.
PS:I did discover Top-Flite is now owned by DICKS. (Oh NO)! Wish me luck.