Why Treasure Hunting For Golf Clubs Never Gets Old

One facet I believe most people in golf media tend to ignore when talking about new clubs is price. Yes, I could equally be accused of ignoring the subject, but that doesn't mean I don't appreciate the gravity of the fact that, when it comes to the newest of the new golf clubs, prices are expensive.

Generally, how it goes when a new product is released is we talk about technology, materials, manufacturing, launch and spin characteristics, and then, at the very end, nonchalantly mention it costs half a mortgage payment.

But, here’s the thing about golf clubs that I love - if you know where to look and what to look for, you can find amazing deals on amazing gear across the price spectrum. This is the exact reason I have always enjoyed the Skratch series Range Pickers (my fandom goes way before I ever dreamt of working for Skratch), because it gives golfers insights into how to shop for used clubs, and shows that you can enjoy the game with older gear.

In many ways, I compare this continued interest in older clubs to the growing interest in cars that predate the new and (many times annoying) digital functions cars have today. These older cars are way less expensive to buy than a brand new one, perform great, still get good gas mileage, are cheaper and easier to repair, and are a blast to own. Not only that, but owners of these cars tend to build communities around them.

PS - If anyone has a line on a late 90s Mercedes E55 AMG, or a BMW 325i Touring. Hit me up.

Golf has this too, and it manifests itself in a lot of different ways: golf course design, style, travel, and gear, specifically those who enjoy certain eras of equipment, whether it be persimmon or slightly newer models that predate any adjustability.

For myself, my teenage years were filled with lots of golf, but I was never quite in a position to get brand new clubs from any of the major manufacturers - used clubs sure, but new? No way. Deep down, I never felt it was necessary to ask my parents for a $2000 set of golf clubs so I could head over to the local muni to try and break 80, just because I really wanted them.

But now as an adult, with a little extra disposable income and a desire to reconnect to my youth (yep I'm getting old), the clubs I grew up wanting to use: Titleist 9-series drivers, early 2000s Ping, Titleist, Mizuno irons (who didn't want a set of MP32’s?), and even those classic Scotty Cameron putters, are now very much within grasp.

All of those aforementioned clubs (except the Cameron Putters) can be had for cents on the dollar, heck I just bought a Titleist 983K in fantastic shape for less than the price of a dozen mid-range golf balls. Sure, it's older and not as forgiving but this is the same driver Ernie Els used to breaking the scoring record around Kapalua in 2003—and that's a pretty cool distinction to have, if you ask me.

Credit: Ryan Barath

And thats exactly what makes these clubs special—they tell stories.

Sure they're not the ACTUAL clubs used to mark historical moment in time, but they mark the passage of time none the less. And if you don't mind scouring the far reaches of the internet or your local used club store to find something that connects you to a long gone era, then I promise you're gonna find some treasures along the way.