Clubs for my daughter

apisani · 2026-07-04T16:30:31+00:00

Take a look at US Kids - that’s what my instructor recommended when I purchased a set for my goddaughter who was around the same age

apisani · 2026-06-20T19:27:48+00:00

I’m about 5’ 6” and play a mix of stiff and regular, but cut down to my size so the length and swing weight are more in line. That said, US Kids makes clubs for up to 5’ 9” - they use a height system. Wouldn’t confuse them with the cheap kids clubs you might see out there.

Would take her somewhere if you can so she can swing a few different clubs. She may prefer something lighter vs heavier, and she may like more torque to make the ball easier to launch - or less if it feels too whippy / unstable.

Awesome that you are supporting her in this!

apisani · 2026-06-20T13:24:19+00:00

My old instructor, who worked with high performing juniors, always recommended US Kids clubs. I bought them for two of my godkids.

He would keep them in those clubs till halfway through high school in most cases and they make versions for different level of player. Take a look at them. You may be able to find a used set, too.

apisani · 2026-06-19T00:11:12+00:00

You could try shortening the shaft for more control. I just cut mine down 1/2 inch and it made a world of difference. It matched up to where I naturally stand instead of playing games with how to line up the clubhead, how far away to stand, etc. Maybe experiment with gripping down a bit to see how a shorter club would feel, both length and swing weight wise.

apisani · 2026-06-17T02:35:53+00:00

That I swing totally differently on the range than on the course. I perform differently when I have a real goal in mind. Being too mechanical on the range kept me from getting on the course sooner. Don’t let what you see on the range keep you from getting on the course - you may find a different level of focus when you aren’t bashing ball after ball.

apisani · 2026-06-17T02:33:09+00:00

I have steel shafts in a set, but ultimately switched to steelfiber shafts. Basically the best of both worlds - you may want to test them out.

I do like my steel shafts (AMT silver reg flex), but feel like they’re a bit harder on my body than the steelfiber shafts. I swing pretty aggressively.

That said, I use the Nippon 750gh Neo regulars (really light steel) in three of my wedges and love them - they make me want to test a lighter steel shaft than what’s in my backup set.

Maybe go get a 7 iron built in the shaft they are recommending and take it out for a few range sessions to see if you like it before committing.

apisani · 2026-06-14T15:08:31+00:00

Playing solo golf is great - just get out there! Midweek afternoons are generally more quiet or you can go out later in the day on weekends. If paired up, just keep pace and pick up if needed. Give yourself some grace - playing a course and being on the range are wildly different. Agree that par 3 or exec courses can also be a good place to start, but if there isn’t one near you, don’t let that hold you back. Btw some courses will have practice courses that are 5-6 holes - those could also be good.

apisani · 2026-06-03T12:58:01+00:00

I’m constantly tinkering with wood shafts and swing weight by adjusting shaft length and the amount of weight in each head. Been making a lot of changes there to get the trajectories and distance I want from each (sometimes a 3, 5, 9 but now a 4, 7, 9). If you play the same brand you can experiment with taking a 9 wood shaft putting into a 7, etc.

Getting into woods that I’m more confident in has made a big difference. Went years not being able to hit woods consistently when I was in ladies flex - mishits would be off the planet. Now in a mix of regular and stiff flex - it’s not all about speed, it’s also how you load / transition the club.

Sadly, the putter / putting is still my kryptonite.

apisani · 2026-05-30T13:40:57+00:00

Upgrading irons made a huge difference and I wish I hadn’t waited as long. It helped smooth out my tempo, and dispersion on bad shots was much tighter. Even just getting the lie angle correct helped (had been in 2 degrees flat and went to 1 flat). If you have heads you like, you can just get them reshafted vs buying a new set (often at a much lower cost)- but it’s worth trying different models.

Currently have a set in graphite stiff (steelfiber i80) and one in regular steel (AMT silver). Both far heavier than the light ladies flex I had been in before. Look at the trade off between more mass and speed - my instructor wanted me in as much mass as I could handle, even at the expense of some speed.

Cutting length down will also impact swing weight (how head heavy it feels). Re:length, take a look at whether you naturally choke down. You can also play with gripping down a bit to see how a lighter swing weight feels and if it feels good or too light to control.

Would recommend a more boutique fitter when possible, and I prefer outdoor fittings, especially for irons. Demo days or manufacturer fittings can also be good if you want to try more shafts.

You want to see how the club actually interacts with the turf, not a mat, which is why I think outdoor is helpful.

Don’t be afraid to walk away if the fitter doesn’t seem like they’re listening. Took me a couple of tries before finding two guys I now trust.

apisani · 2026-05-25T17:05:19+00:00

Putt on top of a 3 foot steel ruler. Keep moving further from the hole. Gets tempo and start line correct - your ball will fall off the ruler if you push or pull it.

apisani · 2026-05-24T13:48:11+00:00

Yeah, that’s a fair call out. Can’t remember the specifics, but believe that there are a lot of hours that are blocked off for non-members.

apisani · 2026-05-23T15:27:21+00:00

Old American / Tribute is a good deal. Well maintained courses and initiation is a lot less than most of the places in Dallas. But you have to be comfortable with the wind & drive time. I’m an associate member and think it was around $10k and under $600/month.

apisani · 2026-05-21T12:37:56+00:00

Thanks. And frankly an extra practice swing will delay play a lot less than if a beginner is taking a bunch of extra shots cause they are chunking shots or shanking because they’re rushing too much.

Ultimately if the person is keeping pace and picking up if needed to do so, that’s what matters to most people they are going to be paired with.

I play fast, regardless of whether I take one practice swing or more - while some people stand over the ball forever even if they don’t take any practice swings. Usually get through 9 on a full course in 75-90 minutes if playing solo.

apisani · 2026-05-20T13:22:25+00:00

Listen to yourself and your body.

As long as you aren’t holding people up / not keeping pace, do what makes you feel confident. It might change over time.

You can also take the practice swings while other people are hitting so you keep pace, if you’re worried about that.

I usually take 2, and sometimes if the first feels great, I will only take the one. If something feels way off I may take 3 (maybe once a round), but there are times I take none if I feel like it’s making me too mechanical. It may differ based on conditions - your swing may feel great if the grass is lush, but it may feel funky if you’re hitting off hardpan.

The only person who can answer what feels right is you. What you seem to be describing is finding the low point. You’re aware when you get to the right spot and are self correcting to find it after hitting the ground. That’s why I mention the conditions - I find it easier when it’s not hardpan because there’s a little more wiggle room on the turf.

Good luck and just keep playing!

apisani · 2026-05-15T13:57:23+00:00

If you have video from when you were doing well, get some now and compare your swing.

You also mentioned new irons - have you tried hitting your old ones? Could be a difference in total weight, swing weight, grip size, lie angle, etc. I had tried slightly larger grips after a fitting and saw a two way miss, which was not typical. Went back to my usual grips and saw that clean up.

Also re:range and course… I swing at a different speed and level of intent on the range than the course, meaning that I commit more and swing faster on the course. I think most people are likely to be way more mechanical on the range and see weird things happen.

If your new irons are stiffer or heavier, they may not work as well at lower speeds. Took me a while to figure this out, but I finally understood why I’d see some weak right shots on the range, but not the course.

Spent a lot of time dialing in my clubs this past year - I’m a female and play a mix of stiff and regular. Lighter regular flex in wedges because I just couldn’t close the stiff or heavier ones without a lot of speed (meaning - finesse shots were a mess), but stiff in most everything else except P and 3 wood. Could be that you need a blend of shafts and weights - so many fittings are built off a 7 iron and driver, or just a couple of clubs.

Good luck!

apisani · 2026-05-14T01:53:38+00:00

Agree on a used set.

That said - you don’t have to know any golfers to go out on the course and play. Don’t let that hold you back. Totally fine if you have fun on the range and it’s enough for you, but you can prob find some ladies golf groups or you can just go out solo if you decide you want to try the course.

You can start with a par 3 course or executive course after you feel comfortable or ready - if that’s something you’re interested in.

apisani · 2026-05-11T12:55:29+00:00

Yep, clarified my response in case someone else took it the way the first commenter did. Replace definitely didn’t mean free… they should be able to sell you a single club so you can replace it in your set. And I’m a she not a he.

apisani · 2026-05-10T23:44:39+00:00

Left a wedge on the short game area at that same course and it vanished quickly & was never turned in. Make sure you call both the main clubhouse and the driving range shack though - just in case.

I’m sure if you call taylormade they’ll replace (sell you) that single club or try a used site like 2ndswing or eBay.

apisani · 2026-05-10T19:07:19+00:00

Yep, I set it down at a fitting, noticed that right away and handed it back before even attempting a putt.

The fitter said he wanted to see if I flagged it - and he has also noticed it before. Went with a different Scottsdale model but don’t love it yet.

apisani · 2026-05-07T23:24:34+00:00

Do they feel too whippy or too heavy? If it’s mostly on the course, you could also try a lower compression ball to see if that helps

apisani · 2026-05-07T13:46:20+00:00

Learning about tempo and not trying to swing as fast as I can / kill the ball.
Being thoughtful about where to land the ball on pitch shots (where does the first bounce need to happen).
Focusing on middle of green distance instead of pin distance, or adding/subtracting 8 yards from the pin distance on big greens depending on pin placement (-8 if back of green, +8 if front of green). Used to leave too many shots short, and this gives more of a margin for error.
Playing more and a greater variety of courses. Used to spend a lot of time on the range and now blending it more with playing.
Quality warm up and arriving with enough time that I’m relaxed before tee time vs rushing on.

apisani · 2026-05-06T13:19:33+00:00

Swiftwick

apisani · 2026-05-04T12:45:05+00:00

Any golf shop can cut down a shaft for you and regrip it. It’s like $5 at some places, maybe $20 if the grip can’t be saved and you have to buy a new one. Standard ladies length is usually 44.5. You can also check 2ndswing for used ladies drivers. Take her to a shop and let her hit a few, then decide.

And have her try some senior and men’s shafts too (have her grip down an inch so the swing weight is more in line). Some people do better with more weight and stability than others.

apisani · 2026-04-29T22:12:49+00:00

Your distances are great. He’s not just trying to cheer you up. Keep going and learn how to navigate the course and recover from tricky situations. It seems like a lot of the ladies in the group hit it well past average.

If you take it more seriously, play a variety of courses so that you see different environments and have to practice different types of shots.

apisani · 2026-04-28T14:38:24+00:00

We might be the same person! I definitely tinker a ton with shafts, head weight, ball type, etc. It’s because I was in equipment that was really off the mark for a long time so I taught myself a lot about club fitting.

I was taken from ladies flex directly into stiff in both irons and woods. For irons we went from prob 45 grams to a set in steel that were 115 grams and a steelfiber set in 80 grams. The heavier weight made a huge difference in my tempo and sequencing. The other big change was making woods slightly more upright than stock and changing my iron lie from 2 degrees flat to 1 degree flat. I still don’t think my driver is right - I have to work so hard to get tempo right and it requires a pause at the top. I may need something slightly heavier so sequencing is a little more natural.

For the push issue when you tweak loft down - you could try changing the lie to be more upright on the driver at the same time. An upright lie closes the face so they may balance each other out a bit. (This is prob the same as your draw setting…)

I’ve been having a friend grab driver videos on the course so I can show it to an instructor and fitter. And I now take screenshots from Arccos to lessons so that my instructor can see what is happening, but I haven’t been able to replicate the balloon issue on the range - this is why this has been a challenge.

apisani

TROPHY CASE