The Comeback, Part 1 - Clubs

May 25
3 min read

Crazy how, even though this blog is called The Spanish Golfer, I haven’t really written much about golf lately. The simple reason is that I wasn’t playing. Between the crazy prices in London, weekend plans, bad weather, and not having my clubs with me, I always found an excuse not to get out on the course.

Then I went home for a weekend, played a round, hit a couple good shots, and just like that the golf bug was back. I started taking practice swings everywhere, reading about what is going on in the golf world and even added some golf exercises back into my gym routine, the same ones I used to hate. That’s when I realised I needed to start playing again. That said, I had to tackle the first problem I could control, I needed clubs.

My original plan was to bring my clubs over from Spain, but that would leave me without a set in Madrid. More importantly, it gave me the perfect excuse to build a new bag for the first time since before uni.

So I headed straight to Facebook Marketplace looking for some irons. After way too much scrolling, I found an absolute steal: a Titleist ZB Combo Set (PW–4 iron) with 130g stiff shafts for £100. The seller also had the matching 3 iron, which I picked up for another £30. I thought I was ready to go... until I remembered I also needed a glove, shoes, balls, a bag, a towel, and pretty much everything else, so back to Facebook Marketplace I went.

After a few dead ends, I ended up discovering that Sports Direct is actually the GOAT for cheap golf gear. I picked up a bag, balls, tees, a towel, shoes, and even a £15 Slazenger putter, which, surprisingly, isn't as bad as it's new owner.

So now the set is finally coming together. I still need woods, some better wedges, and probably a new putter at some point, but honestly, I’m just happy to be back. I’ve forgotten how much fun it is researching equipment and try to get a good deal.

What’s funny is that four years ago I wouldn’t have touched clubs that weren’t fitted to me. Now I’m actually excited to play with whatever I can find and enjoy experimenting a bit more, while still trying to shoot somewhat decent scores. I am fully commited to the flusher that walks up to the first tee with a shockingly old set.

I’ll probably post this week about the first course where I have put the clubs into action, and about a great app called Alba that helped me get back out on the course. I’m also thinking of starting a little series reviewing the London courses I play and sharing some tips for anyone looking to get into golf, it has actually been a lot easier than what I thought.

Speaking of tips, here are a few things I learned while building this set:

Always check Facebook Marketplace first. Golf bidder isn't what it used to be.
Use the right filters. Keywords like "stiff", "blade", or specific club models save a lot of time.
Always click on the sellers profile, there's a high change he's selling some other golf stuff and you can negotiate a bundle deal.
Ask questions. Knowing why someone is selling can tell you a lot about the clubs.
Buy big ticket items second-hand, but for things like bags and accessories, usually buying new makes more sense.
Stay safe. Meet in sensible places, ask for extra photos if needed, and be careful with personal information.

Stay tuned for my first London golf course review: Addington Golf Club. ⛳️