Let me tell you about a man I know. He shoots 95 on a good day. He has a custom-fit set of Titleist T200 irons, a TaylorMade Qi10 driver, three different wedges with different grinds he can't explain, and a Scotty Cameron putter worth more than his first car.
That man is most of us. And that's beautiful.
The Gear Trap
Here's the thing about golf equipment: it works. The technology is real. Modern drivers are more forgiving. Game-improvement irons do launch higher. That $350 putter does have better face milling.
But here's what no one at the pro shop will tell you — the difference between a $200 driver and a $600 driver, for a golfer who shoots 90+, is maybe 3-5 yards and a degree of forgiveness you'll never notice because you're hitting it off the heel anyway.
We know this. Deep down, in the honest part of our brains that only activates at 2am when we can't sleep, we know this.
We buy new clubs anyway.
And that's okay. In fact, it might be one of the best parts of the game.
The New Club High
There is no drug on earth that matches the first round with a new driver. That first tee shot where you absolutely nuke one and think this is it. This is the club that changes everything.
By the third hole, you've duck-hooked two balls into the water and you're already wondering if you should've gone with the Callaway instead. But that first shot? Electric.
New clubs don't fix your swing. They fix your hope. And in a game that can crush your spirit between the 4th and 5th holes, hope is the most valuable equipment you can carry.
What Actually Matters
If we're being honest with ourselves — and that's the whole point of this site — here's what the gear hierarchy actually looks like for the weekend golfer:
Matters a lot:
- A ball you like and play consistently (stop switching every round)
- A putter that feels right in your hands
- Clubs that are roughly the right length and flex for your body
Matters some:
- Modern driver technology vs. that 2008 Burner (okay, maybe upgrade)
- Properly fitted irons
- Good wedges with fresh grooves
Matters almost zero:
- Matching headcovers
- Tour-level shaft profiles
- The exact same ball Tiger plays
- A $50 divot tool
Yet we spend more time researching that last category than the first one. It's not rational. It's golf.
The Real Reason We Buy
Here's the honest truth: buying golf gear is a hobby within the hobby. It's the anticipation. It's the research at 11pm on a Tuesday. It's watching YouTube reviews where a guy with a 2 handicap tells you this iron is "a revelation" as if you'll experience it the same way.
It's the UPS tracking page. It's tearing open the box. It's gripping the club for the first time in your living room and taking practice swings that scare the dog.
The gear doesn't change your game. It changes your Tuesday.
And Tuesdays need changing. So do the rounds where you four-putt from 12 feet and question every decision you've ever made. Sometimes the only thing that gets you back out there is the knowledge that your new 60-degree wedge is waiting in the trunk.
The Bogeylicious Gear Rule
Buy what makes you happy. Just be honest about why you're buying it.
If you're buying it because you genuinely need a gap filled in your bag — great. If you're buying it because the YouTube algorithm convinced you at midnight — also great. Just own it.
The golfer who shoots 92 with $4,000 in equipment and has a blast doing it is winning the game just as much as the scratch player with a minimalist bag. Maybe more.
Golf isn't about the gear. But the gear is part of golf. And that's what makes this whole thing so wonderfully, expensively, irresistibly human.
Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go check if that hybrid is still on sale.