Irons only round

[kinneywhat]

It's about that time during the season when my friends and I are getting bored with our home course and play recripocals most weekends instead. Last night at the bar, we were trying to think of something to make our home course seem exciting again.

 

We decided, instead of just going around on the blue tees, that we'd try moving up to the white tees and just play irons only (nothing more than a 3 iron and no hybrids off tees; no woods at all). The course will play about 300 yards shorter, but since I can only hit a 4 iron off the tee, I'm pretty sure it'll play much longer for me :)

 

We have a short course (around 6300 yards fromt he blues), so I don't get to hit many mid or long irons during a round. I'm actually really looking foreward to this and think it'll be some good practice. The way I've been hitting my driver, I might actually shoot better without it.

 

Anyone else do this? A guy I work with tees off with a 6 iron off the women's tees when he play with his wife.

[villa]

It's about that time during the season when my friends and I are getting bored with our home course and play recripocals most weekends instead. Last night at the bar, we were trying to think of something to make our home course seem exciting again.

 

We decided, instead of just going around on the blue tees, that we'd try moving up to the white tees and just play irons only (nothing more than a 3 iron and no hybrids off tees; no woods at all). The course will play about 300 yards shorter, but since I can only hit a 4 iron off the tee, I'm pretty sure it'll play much longer for me :)

 

We have a short course (around 6300 yards fromt he blues), so I don't get to hit many mid or long irons during a round. I'm actually really looking foreward to this and think it'll be some good practice. The way I've been hitting my driver, I might actually shoot better without it.

 

Anyone else do this? A guy I work with tees off with a 6 iron off the women's tees when he play with his wife.

I love things like this mate, let us know how you get on.

 

My club has a 5 iron tournament and that's the only club you're allowed to use for every shot. Some people take it really seriously and you see them practicing hitting it thin off the tee and using it out of the bunkers. It's a really fun day in all fairness.

 

Me and my mates were meant to be playing a round using equipment made at least ten years ago. To be honest, i'm more worried about the balls than any of the clubs!

[Shaitan]

I've done that before, Steve, had to ice my hands afterwards - old stuff ain't all that forgiving (especially old persimmon). Playing with just irons or only a few clubs is fun. Last year I bet my mate that I could beat him on this shortish 9 hole course for school with only a 7w, PW & left handed putter. We ended up tying at +3 each, but I was happier that I outdrove him and another mate (the lefty) with a 7w by 30yds and they both hit driver :). It's certainly fun and it makes you think how to play different shots, where not to go, and how to hit the club a lot longer then it's supposed to go (I was hitting PW nearly 150yds on some shots, without knifing it)

[packerfan1]

Sometimes an 'all iron' round...or using the woods less in an actual round is better.

 

The other night I played our local course...two par 3's...one 213 and one 204 yards (all of the par 3s are tough and long onthis course). i normally don't have the accuracy with my 3 and 5 woods (210 and 195 yards) to consistently hit the greens on these par 3s...I usually end up in trouble on these holes and regularly score a 5 on them... so I tried 'laying up' with my 5 iron on these holes. Guess what...I parred one hole and bogeyed the other!

 

Sometimes irons work better than woods in regular play (hi handicappers like me, especially), less distance but more acuracy.

[cloudlx]

I think that sounds like a lot of fun to be honest

[kinneywhat]

Well, I just got done with my irons only round. Quite honestly, I shot horrible. My score was about average, but nothing felt right. I ended up at 15 over, but that can be attributed to my short game. I felt like I was trying to swing harder to make up for hitting irons off the tee. I was fading them off the tee quite a bit and still getting into trouble occasionally.

 

I wanted to do this to hopefully get in more irons. Well,..... I hit a ton of 4 irons and a lot of sand wedges. I didn't hit my 5, 6 or 7 irons at all. Actually, I hit my 5 iron once on a 180 yard par 3, but that was it. I was actually a little disappointed in my play. It just didn't feel right most of the night. Like I said, my chipping/pitching was pretty good though and I didn't have any 3 putts.

 

It was interesting to try. Now I at least know that I prefer regular play.

[heybrady]

I played all irons once on a par 32 executive course. Actually ended up just 2 over par, which was better than I thougth. The best part was I played with my wife and some other females who never golf. Not having to worry about swinging too hard, just going out there and hitting balls really helped.

[staffordbhoy]

the course i play has a golfer non golfer nine hole comp

the golfer is allowed 2 clubs the non golfer putts

remember my dad and mom playing it late 70's early 80's

my dad used a 4 wood and 7 iron

1 under gross

[BILL12x]

I do an all 7 iron round when I play with my 9 year old. I play the red tees with him and only have my 7 iron for putting, bunkers and everything. It makes you work on your punch shots, 1/2 shots and 3/4 shots.

[jedimater]

All Irons is fun. I have played a few rounds for fun opposite hand, lefties play right righties play left. I am a lefty, my best right handed round was 92. I can hit driver about 190 with a banana slice.

 

I played a 5 iron round like the above guy said but it was a wedge and a putter.

It was very fun, I practised skulling tee shots for a bucket but I found a closed hard pw would get me out far enough that it out weighed the low percentage skull.

 

I also played a garage sale round. We had 20 bucks to buy a set of clubs at a garage sale and then play with them.

I got a set of Spalding Executive Cavity backs with Speed Slot laminated maple heads. I was at a distinct disadvantage being a lefty. Its hard enoguh to buy left handed clubs.

[trek1500]

Interesting concept…have never played just irons only but have played with a 7 club minimum…

 

Irons only would be a challenge…

 

I remember playing with a guy who would always use his 3 iron off the box and he was fairly long and accurate with it!

 

I think playing rounds like that…7 club minimum and irons only would result in more creative play….I’m all for it!

[Grimace45]

One of the clubs that I belong to is a 5000 yard par 66 layout. I usually just go out to play with a 5 iron on down and my Sunday bag. Makes for a fun round when you are trying to manufacture different types of shots.

[mat562]

I love things like this mate, let us know how you get on.

 

My club has a 5 iron tournament and that's the only club you're allowed to use for every shot. Some people take it really seriously and you see them practicing hitting it thin off the tee and using it out of the bunkers. It's a really fun day in all fairness.

 

Me and my mates were meant to be playing a round using equipment made at least ten years ago. To be honest, i'm more worried about the balls than any of the clubs!

 

I've done that before with friends. A 1980s era competition between a few of us.

 

I used an old set of Mizuno TP9s, an Eye 2 1 iron, and a couple of old Taylor Made Burners (with Titanium shafts.... remember those???) and an old Pal putter completed the bag. The only tricky part was wedges. No 60-degree jobs allowed, but a modern sand wedge is okay. Balls were older Titleists purloined from practice bags. Very scuffed Tour Balatas and yellowing Maxfli HTs. You get the idea.

 

Great fun. And, it's possible to still score well. The balls (wound, and consequently a bit aged and dead-feeling) were the biggest handicap. Also, it's amazing how much you can (and did) work the ball too. The most I move a driver in the air nowadays (at least intentionally) is about 5 yards. With the old gear, it's more like 20. Drives (even with good balls) carry about 30 yards less.

 

Call me crazy, but I think it was more fun, and skill came to the fore more often than with the modern kit.

[villa]

I love things like this mate, let us know how you get on.

 

My club has a 5 iron tournament and that's the only club you're allowed to use for every shot. Some people take it really seriously and you see them practicing hitting it thin off the tee and using it out of the bunkers. It's a really fun day in all fairness.

 

Me and my mates were meant to be playing a round using equipment made at least ten years ago. To be honest, i'm more worried about the balls than any of the clubs!

 

I've done that before with friends. A 1980s era competition between a few of us.

 

I used an old set of Mizuno TP9s, an Eye 2 1 iron, and a couple of old Taylor Made Burners (with Titanium shafts.... remember those???) and an old Pal putter completed the bag. The only tricky part was wedges. No 60-degree jobs allowed, but a modern sand wedge is okay. Balls were older Titleists purloined from practice bags. Very scuffed Tour Balatas and yellowing Maxfli HTs. You get the idea.

 

Great fun. And, it's possible to still score well. The balls (wound, and consequently a bit aged and dead-feeling) were the biggest handicap. Also, it's amazing how much you can (and did) work the ball too. The most I move a driver in the air nowadays (at least intentionally) is about 5 yards. With the old gear, it's more like 20. Drives (even with good balls) carry about 30 yards less.

 

Call me crazy, but I think it was more fun, and skill came to the fore more often than with the modern kit.

Hi mate, hope you're good.

 

I can't wait to do it although I think we'll have to go further back than ten years (otherwise we'll all stick titanium drivers in the bag). The eighties sounds about right. I've got a few old sets of Mizuno, Hogan and Ram butter knifes that have seen better days but I think they will be seeing the light of day again. Getting enough balls will be the tricky thing but i'm sure i've got a dozen tour balata's hidden somewhere.

 

I remember those titanium shafts! It's no wonder that most people stuck with steel.

[hobbes]

This topic inspired me, so yesterday I played a iron only 7 holes (out of 9.)

 

The course, Cross Timbers in Azle TExas, has moved to temporary greens while they go from Bent grass to Champions Bermuda and the course is playing WAY shorter than normal. In the 9 that I played on tuesday and the first two holes I played yesterday I found that I was driving and was left with a nominal flop onto the green. To add some spice I went with 3/4 iron off all the tees :aggressive:

 

Shot a 40 with the woods and 40 without (which is really good for me) so I think I will keep doing this from time to time just to stress different sticks.

[Grimace45]

Funny that the topic of playing a round with older gear has come up. I got a call from one of my college buddies last night asking me if I wanted to play in a rental tournament. Basically they play a 36 hole tournament at a local public muni and everyone in it has to use rental sets from the pro shop. Most of the clubs in the rental sets saw their prime in the 70s (think green painted range clubs).

[Grimace45]

Some interesting reading on the old clubs versus new clubs

 

 

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/golf/pga/20...-oldclubs_N.htm

[j_wil_06]

I work at a little par 30 course, and several times I have played with just a few clubs and done just fine. One time I played it in 3 over with just an 8 iron and a putter :aggressive:

[sboardz006]

I do this when i hit my first drive terrible lol. Don't even bother to pull it out again.

[sergizmo]

Some interesting reading on the old clubs versus new clubs

 

 

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/golf/pga/20...-oldclubs_N.htm

 

A neat idea but there is one major problem. Wound balls don't keep well at all, and have a shelf life. Seeing as the retro ball was made in 1985 it would be deader than dead by now.

 

I would have liked to have seen them use Strata Tour Ultimates or Callaway HX Blues. Extremely spinny modern era balls.

[mr_golfhead]

I've tried the old clubs Idea... I didn't grow up with persimmon woods in the bag, but I did play old blade irons... that was an easier adjustment... I ended up shooting a 95 with the persimmon woods.. I didn't get it right at first.. but I figured them out about three, four holes in.. I was hitting two more clubs into every hole!

 

as far as the irons only, i've done that in tournament rounds and scored well... I didn't use the woods and ended up shooting a 79, which on that course (stupid tree lined p.o.s.) was two strokes better than my second best round. I've done it a lot.. it's a great challenge, because you have to hit irons straight, and you put yourself a little further back on your approach.

 

The limited club, only done it once... haven't done it since... not because I didn't enjoy it, just haven't found anyone willing enough to play like that.

 

 

all things being equal these are great ways to play golf and have fun, get a good laugh, and improve your game all at once.

[mr_golfhead]

my personal favorite though, is the two ball worst ball round.. never have I ever played a more fun, challenging and frustrating round in my life.

 

My friends hate it.

[Miskatonic]

Irons only is how I played when I started to get serious about improving my game. I could hit a driver straight maybe 4 out of every 10 tee shots, so I would just hit a 4 iron from the tee box and usually for my second shot as well. Now that I am more comfortable with my irons I'm slowly working on getting consistent with my driver.

[baxr]

At my course in australia, i suggested the same game and we call it ironman.You can even use hybrids,and driving irons as well.The only problem is that some of the older golfers, feel its a disadvantage to them, as they don't hit their irons as far as the younger guy's.But what a different's to your long game.Hope you enjoy your ironman only round.