My friends have joked for years that I’m the "old man" of the group – even going back to our freshman year of college when I was 17. I like what I like, and I stick with it. It’s why I can apply at least three scenarios a day to a "Seinfeld" scene and the "Enter the Wu-Tang (36 chambers)" CD is still in my car (yes, CD).

This also applies to my golf clubs, and I’ve had the same TaylorMade Burner irons and hybrid since 2008.

Now, I do like them. I had them fit for my swing down at the TaylorMade Performance Lab at Olympia Fields Country Club in the south suburbs of Chicago back in the late summer of ’08, and as any golfer can attest, your clubs are an extension of your body.

I tried on two other occasions to get new irons, but it just didn’t feel right.

There was sentimental value too – these were the sticks that led to the best rounds of my life.

But, in golf years, 2008 is a lifetime ago.

Technology has come so far with the face and shafts of clubs that you’re almost doing yourself a disservice to hang on to the past with your old clubs.

So, I decided it was time to give an upgrade another shot, this time with the Wilson FG Tour M3 irons and hybrid, which replaces the 3-iron.

(You can begin price shopping or comparing these irons here.)

Before I could even consider leaving my trusty TaylorMade’s in the basement for good, two things had to be done:

They had to look right. There’s a reason clubs are designed: They’re supposed to look cool, both in your bag and in your hand. They need to fit your eye.

I had to get fit again. I’ve had a major knee surgery since 2008, and your body changes as you age. I know my swing isn’t the same as it was back then, and my clubs probably needed an adjustment.

I got fitted down at the Wilson Innovation Center just outside of Chicago (you can find and took a peek at the M3 irons. My favorite color is black (and love the matte black look on cars), and these clubheads are sleek. I’m not a fan of yellow, but it’s understated – and I can’t see it when I line up a ball. They are thin at the top, too, so your eye isn't pulled off the ball when you're setting up.

The indoor hitting bay said I was gaining yardage – which I expected – but the numbers shocked me. I took it with a grain of salt, though. Let’s see how these things play on a course, out in the elements, I thought.

So, I took the clubs – the hybrid, six irons, and four wedges – out onto the courses around Milwaukee.

Here is when I really notice the differences in the upgrade. With my old set, I would pull my pitching wedge at 120 to 125 yards, without hesitation. My 9-iron was an easy 140-145.

Now, when I get just inside that 150-yard marker, I’m pulling the pitching wedge. The gap wedge is now the 120 club.

This was stunning to me, and has completely changed my game.

Shorter clubs are designed to give you greater control of your ball, and greater accuracy.

You don’t have as long a swing. You’re not trying to "kill" it. As someone who has covered golf for over a decade, I’ve seen how new technology can help the tour players, but it was still stunning to experience it first -hand.

The increased distance has carried through the set, too, as they are as easy to hit as my old clubs but with the added benefit of a longer shot.

The shot dispersion on my longer irons is dramatically reduced too, which is amazing considering the added length.

That’s hard to really measure on the course, so I hit a couple of buckets over at Storms Golf Range, located at 16210 W. Wisconsin Ave. in Brookfield. This was something I had seen on the indoor monitor at Wilson, but it’s a different feel to see live. Even shots I felt were mishit weren’t landing that far off from ones I felt I hit clean.

For those wondering about spin, I haven’t noticed a huge difference in playing clubs with the new United States Golf Association-mandated grooves.

The late summer may seem like a strange time to look for new sticks, but it’s the only time of year I’ve ever changed – largely because retailers are starting to mark items down in preparation for the new season.

Golf clubs are an expensive investment, and not one to take lightly – I don’t, hence the six year period between sets – but you can reap the benefits of a end-of-year closeout, especially if you’re like me and you had held on to your older clubs.

I also gave the Wilson Nexus Carry Bag (you can find this for around $160) a whirl, as I’m a devoted walker. It’s ridiculously light and comfortable, and the hinged base is an amazing addition. Not only does it keep your bag steady on the ground – which is important of course – but as someone who consistently travels with his clubs in the trunk, the stems and the base can take a pounding without bending.

The hard handles at the top and side make it very easy to pick up and move around, and there are a variety of pockets for your yardage-finders, a lined side pocket for your rings or watch, as well as an area for a bottled drink.

I’m someone who carries a lot of balls, however, so I did find that the area devoted to that wasn’t as big as I’d like, but you can fit 12-20 pellets without much issue.

The few times I’ve ridden in a cart, it hasn’t fit on the back perfectly, with the base sometimes resting on the edge of the cart, or it turning sideways. But, it’s a carry bag, so I don’t mind that occasional inconvenience.

Carry bags aren’t for everyone, but if you do walk more than you ride, this bag is a solid investment.