Accepting an invite to complete a foursome, I headed out to the Chalet Hill Golf Club for an round of golf with one question in mind, "Did I make a smart investment, shifting from Game Improvement to Player clubs". On this gloomy, cool, and lite-rainy March morning in Cary IL, I prepared to face the challenges rendered by an unfamiliar course, narrow splashy fairways, and soaked greens (which proved to be EXTREMELY slow and brutal to putt on).
18-Holes, a few 3-putts, and several missed up-and-down opportunities later, I concluded today's outing posting a modest 89 (+16) - breaking 90 for the very first time. To rid any speculation, this is a legitimate score - absent some of the amateur favorites: mulligans, do-overs, and/or gimmes. Although this is somewhat a high score, it's a massive improvement of my best recorded score since I began playing 3 seasons ago 93 (+21). Not to mention, today's conditions weren't very favorable, severely impacting the short-game and punishing putting.
Considering this is merely the first round of the season, I still find myself at odds with the notion that beginners, duffers, amateurs, etc. should only play with "Game Improvement" clubs as "Player" clubs are designed with the scratch or single-digit handicapper in mind. To me, that's suggestion is the biggest load of nonsense, plagued by elitism and misconception.
I wrote this to say, if you are a mid/high handicapper considering a shift toward a "Player" club, the only feedback you need to consider is that of your game. No one can tell you if will or will not have a pleasurable experience with them, especially those whom have never seen you play nor intimately understand your strengths and weaknesses. Instead of pursuing the feedback of others, rely on the one real test - your game. Be honest with yourself and if you find that you can consistently strike your irons, you should be able to move toward player clubs and take your game to the next level.
By-the-way, it also helps that Titleist makes a superior product. I am elated about my decision to toss the X-18 iron and X-series hybrids, replacing them with AP2 and 910 woods/hybrids. I think I made a good decision despite feedback received from other "low-handicappers" (including the Titleist fitter).