I have an older (mid-late 90’s) Callaway BJ-1 (Bobby Jones) blade putter. Love that thing.
Also have a recent-ish Taylor Made Spider-X, in that nice copper color. Got it maybe 3-4 years ago, at $350.
I switch them out depending on what I see for speed on the putting green beforehand. Slower gets the TM, faster gets the Callaway.
Also have (somewhere) an original Big Bertha, and a TM Ti-Bubble. My current driver is a Sim2, as is my 3-wood. My 3 has a bigger head than the old bertha and ti-bubble.
Also have an old 2-iron I still love. Wilson Staff RM with their “fat shaft”. In the right spot, it’s a keeper. Although I do have a replacement in my bag for it that isn’t technically a 2-iron, but it’s close. (TM “driving iron”)
Still have an adams tight lies from 98-99, and remember that Viper lob wedge? Yeah, got one of those too. Granted, I don’t use either of those any more, not the old drivers.
When I first started out as a kid in the mid 80’s, my old man would take me out occasionally. Loved it. I mean I wasn’t anywhere near even being decent, but still loved to play. He had an old set, but it wasn’t different than any others really, since that was back before metal woods were a thing.
When I was first starting out in the Navy, I got to play A LOT. Got out of boot camp late fall, and was in “school” for 18 months. First school was at night. 4-midnight. So that spring I started playing on my own before classes. Went and got a wilson starter set, some shoes, and a bag. They only had a display available in lefty, so they just threw the clubs in the bag. When checking out, I thought the total was a tick low. Didn’t think anything about it and figured the running total in my head was off. Shrugged it off, but walking out to the truck it still kinda bothered me. No security was running put the door, so I kept going. Get in the truck, and check the receipt, they didn’t ring up the bag. So I was right. I was also a lowly E-3 still, half broke, and well, $150 was $150. That was 7 rounds with a cart at the base course. Turned on the ignition and drove off.
I played every day from there on out, weather permitting. Finished second school in late may/june. Thinking I’d be out on orders soon, I played my butt off over the “free week” I thought I had. But not so fast my friend. The canoe club was short on funding, and had to prioritize. I was going into a “hold status” until October when the new fiscal year started.
Just great. However, it worked out peachy. The “hold crew” didn’t get much thought, or really have anything to do. We came in at 8, played spades for an hour, and left. Perfect! More golf, and I could still play every day.
After about a week, I find out one of my new friends also loved to play, was a scratch golfer, and happened to also be a lefty. He was also willing to teach me. So now I had a daily playing partner, and would be learning a lot. It was funny, he’d be teaching me while I’m trying to break 100, and he was shooting 3-4 under.
Anyway, I got pretty damn decent in that time. I wasn't shooting lights out, but I was consistently under 80, even had some at or just below rounds on occasion. It was fun. A lot of fun. Then I got orders, off to Norfolk for one more school and sea duty. Nothing can ruin your game like sea duty. Still played, but down to a round a week, maybe two if I was lucky. Played some nice courses though. Nothing super hard, although Damn Neck had a lot of water, but they were all kept in an immaculate condition. To me that goes a long way, compared to a city course with dormant grass and needing attention. But I digress, back to current reality, and gear.
Talk about a big deal when the metal started showing up. Been an arms race since, but starting to slow down a good bit and the jumps between series are significantly less in terms of distance.
Thinking about it, the equipment side has come a long way in a relatively short time in the grand scheme of things.