Keeping a Blade in the bag?

[dog flog]

[quote name='mahonie' timestamp='1439723979' post='12146866']
Is this where we are heading?

[attachment=2908708:tennis funny.jpg]
[/quote]Alright, that's two minutes for unsportsmanlike meme-ing!

[T.Beau]

From Tom Wishon

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quote name='TomWishon' timestamp='1436379809' post='11911172'


Many years back in the 80s, former tour player David Graham wrote a book to advise golfers in their equipment selections. One of his misguided points was his advice that less skilled players should use a blade muscleback type iron. Reason he gave was because the severe off center hit performance would teach those players to make better swings to improve ! I remember we used to joke around about this as being the Parris Island Boot Camp school of fitting. if it doesn't involve pain and suffering, the golfer isn't going to get better!!

I know as a club and shaft designer, I always approach my job to do everything I possibly can on my game improvement designs to help make bad swings result in better misses. Reason is because this game is really hard for most people to ever expect to get good at playing. We're all at a disadvantage in this game to begin with because it is so difficult for so many of us to achieve really good, solid, correct swing characteristics. And then even for the few who do, no one hits all the shots on center and no one repeats their good swing motions every time. So with this in mind, there is nothing wrong with using the most forgiving head designs combined with the absolute best fitting analysis to obtain clubs that will reduce the frequency and the severity of bad shots from bad swings as much as possible.

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[T.Beau]

In keeping w. the pain and suffering negative feedback approach to better learning how about:

Keeping a taser in the bag?

Just tase yourself when you experience the negative feedback of a miss hit. The learning will come even faster when using blades because of the higher frequency of misshitting. In addition, the taser could be used for its other intended purpose. a true multi function learning tool

[buzlin]

[quote name='T.Beau' timestamp='1439820614' post='12154012']
From Tom Wishon

<paste>


quote name='TomWishon' timestamp='1436379809' post='11911172'


Many years back in the 80s, former tour player David Graham wrote a book to advise golfers in their equipment selections. One of his misguided points was his advice that less skilled players should use a blade muscleback type iron. Reason he gave was because the severe off center hit performance would teach those players to make better swings to improve ! I remember we used to joke around about this as being the Parris Island Boot Camp school of fitting. if it doesn't involve pain and suffering, the golfer isn't going to get better!!

I know as a club and shaft designer, I always approach my job to do everything I possibly can on my game improvement designs to help make bad swings result in better misses. [b]Reason is because this game is really hard for most people to ever expect to get good at playing. [/b] We're all at a disadvantage in this game to begin with because it is so difficult for so many of us to achieve really good, solid, correct swing characteristics. [b]And then even for the few who do, no one hits all the shots on center and no one repeats their good swing motions every time.[/b] So with this in mind, there is nothing wrong with using the most forgiving head designs combined with the absolute best fitting analysis to obtain clubs that will reduce the frequency and the severity of bad shots from bad swings as much as possible.

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[/quote]

The thing is, I don't disagree with either viewpoint. Who ever this David Graham guy was obviously has knowledge and experience that he think works for him and other. Obviously Wishon has great depth as well. Both sides are correct, but both sides are wrong in attempting to fit everyone into a single learning category. Also, the first bold sentence is a generalization to help Wishon's make his point. This in no way characterizes all golfers, especially many on this site. The only thing that I agree with across the board is the second statement, so in general the most forgiving club a player enjoys (operative word) playing would be correct guidance.

[T.Beau]

[quote name='buzlin' timestamp='1439823692' post='12154330']
[quote name='T.Beau' timestamp='1439820614' post='12154012']
From Tom Wishon

<paste>


quote name='TomWishon' timestamp='1436379809' post='11911172'


Many years back in the 80s, former tour player David Graham wrote a book to advise golfers in their equipment selections. One of his misguided points was his advice that less skilled players should use a blade muscleback type iron. Reason he gave was because the severe off center hit performance would teach those players to make better swings to improve ! I remember we used to joke around about this as being the Parris Island Boot Camp school of fitting. if it doesn't involve pain and suffering, the golfer isn't going to get better!!

I know as a club and shaft designer, I always approach my job to do everything I possibly can on my game improvement designs to help make bad swings result in better misses. [b]Reason is because this game is really hard for most people to ever expect to get good at playing. [/b] We're all at a disadvantage in this game to begin with because it is so difficult for so many of us to achieve really good, solid, correct swing characteristics. [b]And then even for the few who do, no one hits all the shots on center and no one repeats their good swing motions every time.[/b] So with this in mind, there is nothing wrong with using the most forgiving head designs combined with the absolute best fitting analysis to obtain clubs that will reduce the frequency and the severity of bad shots from bad swings as much as possible.

<end paste>
[/quote]

The thing is, I don't disagree with either viewpoint. Who ever this David Graham guy was obviously has knowledge and experience that he think works for him and other. Obviously Wishon has great depth as well. Both sides are correct, but both sides are wrong in attempting to fit everyone into a single learning category. Also, the first bold sentence is a generalization to help Wishon's make his point. This in no way characterizes all golfers, especially many on this site. The only thing that I agree with across the board is the second statement, so in general the most forgiving club a player enjoys (operative word) playing would be correct guidance.
[/quote]

David Graham is a hall of fame golfer. He won the us open (at Marion I think) w. a winning score of 273. I know this because I used to swing Daiwa Advisor DG273 blades. as did Ian Baker Finch, Tiger for a while and some others. As a sidenote, these irons were actually cast...they didnt mention that because no one would have bought them assuming them to be inferior for being cast but no one could tell they werent forged. they were cast from soft carbon steel.

I think Nick Faldo also is from the David Graham school of punishment learning. Or maybe WAS would be more appropriate

[CelliniEvo]

I play mizuno mp-30's 3-9 and still play a mp-33 blade pw.....I hated attempting to chip with a cavity backed pw.

[birdiemachine85]

2 years ago I played a set of straight blades, improved my ballstriking considerably.

 

This year I moved into a smaller cb iron and took my good ballstriking and forgiveness to the course with my best golfing summer yet.

 

For next year I decided to finally purchase my first new set (first set over $200 !) and get something fitted to my swing that I could keep for awhile. Well, after reading about all of the success stories of lower handicap players using GI irons and having crazy success with them at golf galaxy I decided on some Ping G25's White dot, 3-LW (only really wanted the 4-UW but it was an epic ebay score!).

 

My question is, while my ballstriking is solid now, will it deteriorate by using these ultra forgiving irons? I always pay attention to where I am hitting it on the face, but I worry that I won't care as much if the results are still good.

 

Has anyone kept a blade 5 iron in the blade to continually work on ballstriking during trips to the range? Or even gone as far as to practice with nothing but blades to hone in the swing while gaming GI irons on the course?

 

Any thoughts and advice will be appreciated!

Blades definitely improve ball striking. I;ve been playing them for 15 years (mp33/nike forged), and I don't think I would ever switch. I would say that its easier for bad habits to creep up with CB irons because you get away with more, but you should know. Don't get me wrong though, ping irons are good, and not as forgiving as some other ones i think, so i would still give them some credit.

[the.batman]

I've always have a blade- but I keep it in my pocket, not my golf bag!

 

I have always and probably will always play blades. Grew up on them, and can't allow myself to "give in" and get some GI irons. Maybe when I'm really old and have no ball striking ability left I'll try CBs... Nah- who am I kidding, I'm a purist

[RAT]

2 years ago I played a set of straight blades, improved my ballstriking considerably.

 

This year I moved into a smaller cb iron and took my good ballstriking and forgiveness to the course with my best golfing summer yet.

 

For next year I decided to finally purchase my first new set (first set over $200 !) and get something fitted to my swing that I could keep for awhile. Well, after reading about all of the success stories of lower handicap players using GI irons and having crazy success with them at golf galaxy I decided on some Ping G25's White dot, 3-LW (only really wanted the 4-UW but it was an epic ebay score!).

 

My question is, while my ballstriking is solid now, will it deteriorate by using these ultra forgiving irons? I always pay attention to where I am hitting it on the face, but I worry that I won't care as much if the results are still good.

 

Has anyone kept a blade 5 iron in the blade to continually work on ballstriking during trips to the range? Or even gone as far as to practice with nothing but blades to hone in the swing while gaming GI irons on the course?

 

Any thoughts and advice will be appreciated!

I have kept several different 6 iron blades to do just what you are saying. Practice with the blade and play my Wilson Staff V2 Tour irons that are forged. The blade does just that , keeps me concentrating on striking the ball center and it helps tremendously .My friend has many different sets of irons CB, MB and I mean the top name brands latest editions and yet he keeps going backto his Wilson Fg 17 blades and kills it . The sweet smack of the blades and the flight and distance is better than the latest on the market irons.He falls for all the 17yrds more and yet goes back to the 17's . You have to admit that maybe there is something to the Blade type club. Some think I can't hit a blade BUT if they would learn and train with a blade I know it will make you a better ball striker and lower scores.