Muscle Back "Blade" Irons --- History and Future?

[bodhi555]

Um, ever heard the of the phrase "aim small, miss small"?

 

Aim small miss small refers to a focus technique of hitting a small target by focusing on an even smaller one. It doesn't advocate actually shrinking the target your trying to hit in the real world, only in your mind. I can't believe we have to explain this stuff.

 

"Hey Joe, you're making the greens a quarter the size they used to be. Won't that make them harder to hit?"

 

"No dude, aim small miss small"

 

Aim small miss small is a mental trick. It doesn't mean aim small by making the actual, physical target smaller.

 

This is why we wish you guys would just say "I like playing blades even though it makes no sense, and I think I play my best golf that way" rather than come up with all this insane stuff to back-justify it. Aim small miss small. Good lord.

 

My lord, how incredibly patronising.

 

Main reason I brought it up, was that I used to hand around with a couple of keen Archers - who used to aim for a target within the bullseye, as it increased their chance of hitting it. Seeing as the example of archery was used, I thought I'd pass on some wisdom from the area in question.

 

Glad to see it makes no sense to use irons I play better with. I'll switch to a set of cavities shall I, even though all my worst scores in the past 2 years have been when using them.

[pinestreetgolf]

who used to aim for a target within the bullseye, as it increased their chance of hitting it. Seeing as the example of archery was used, I thought I'd pass on some wisdom from the area in question.

 

Glad to see it makes no sense to use irons I play better with. I'll switch to a set of cavities shall I, even though all my worst scores in the past 2 years have been when using them.

 

They *aim* for a target within the bullseye *as if* they shrunk it, so if they "miss" they still hit it. They don't *actually shrink* the bullseye. A smaller sweet spot doesn't make you more likely to hit it. It makes you way less likely to hit it. That isn't aim small miss small. Aim small miss small is having a larger sweet spot and pretending your hitting a blade.

 

I have no idea what irons you should play but your rationale makes no sense. I've said at least three times golf isn't logical and making illogical decisions is fine. Just call them illogical. There's nothing wrong with that.

[NRJyzr]

who used to aim for a target within the bullseye, as it increased their chance of hitting it. Seeing as the example of archery was used, I thought I'd pass on some wisdom from the area in question.

 

Glad to see it makes no sense to use irons I play better with. I'll switch to a set of cavities shall I, even though all my worst scores in the past 2 years have been when using them.

 

They *aim* for a target within the bullseye *as if* they shrunk it, so if they "miss" they still hit it. They don't *actually shrink* the bullseye. A smaller sweet spot doesn't make you more likely to hit it. It makes you way less likely to hit it. That isn't aim small miss small. Aim small miss small is having a larger sweet spot and pretending your hitting a blade.

 

I have no idea what irons you should play but your rationale makes no sense. I've said at least three times golf isn't logical and making illogical decisions is fine. Just call them illogical. There's nothing wrong with that.

 

 

His rationale makes no sense? "Use the irons I score better with"?

 

Is this an ego thing? They didn't work for you, so you can't (or refuse to) believe someone with a higher cap could see different results? LOL

[pinestreetgolf]

who used to aim for a target within the bullseye, as it increased their chance of hitting it. Seeing as the example of archery was used, I thought I'd pass on some wisdom from the area in question.

 

Glad to see it makes no sense to use irons I play better with. I'll switch to a set of cavities shall I, even though all my worst scores in the past 2 years have been when using them.

 

They *aim* for a target within the bullseye *as if* they shrunk it, so if they "miss" they still hit it. They don't *actually shrink* the bullseye. A smaller sweet spot doesn't make you more likely to hit it. It makes you way less likely to hit it. That isn't aim small miss small. Aim small miss small is having a larger sweet spot and pretending your hitting a blade.

 

I have no idea what irons you should play but your rationale makes no sense. I've said at least three times golf isn't logical and making illogical decisions is fine. Just call them illogical. There's nothing wrong with that.

 

 

His rationale makes no sense? "Use the irons I score better with"?

 

Is this an ego thing? They didn't work for you, so you can't (or refuse to) believe someone with a higher cap could see different results? LOL

 

That rationale makes perfect sense. His "aim small, miss small" rationale makes no sense. "I focus more because its harder" makes no sense. Saying you have a physics degree, not elaborating on anything, and then going silent is frustrating. These explanations are garbage.

 

I've said a hundred times repeatedly that playing blades is fine and players can see great results from them. I have said repeatedly that these efforts to reduce those blade results to scientific theory are lacking. I have no idea why my PM grind is so good for me, but it is. I have no idea why blades are so good for you, but they are. I'm not on here talking pseudo-science nonsense about my PM grind, I'm just saying i don't know but it works. That isn't what he's saying. He's making an analogy to archery and the way our brain processes goal-orientation which isn't correct ("aim small miss small" means you just pretend the sweet spot/bullseye is smaller, you don't actually shrink it).

 

I specifically picked out a high cap earlier in the thread who said he plays blades and has had great results and said it was the best post in the thread. Because it didn't try to scientifically justify playing less-forgiving irons. He just said "I like them and I don't know why".

[NRJyzr]

who used to aim for a target within the bullseye, as it increased their chance of hitting it. Seeing as the example of archery was used, I thought I'd pass on some wisdom from the area in question.

 

Glad to see it makes no sense to use irons I play better with. I'll switch to a set of cavities shall I, even though all my worst scores in the past 2 years have been when using them.

 

They *aim* for a target within the bullseye *as if* they shrunk it, so if they "miss" they still hit it. They don't *actually shrink* the bullseye. A smaller sweet spot doesn't make you more likely to hit it. It makes you way less likely to hit it. That isn't aim small miss small. Aim small miss small is having a larger sweet spot and pretending your hitting a blade.

 

I have no idea what irons you should play but your rationale makes no sense. I've said at least three times golf isn't logical and making illogical decisions is fine. Just call them illogical. There's nothing wrong with that.

 

 

His rationale makes no sense? "Use the irons I score better with"?

 

Is this an ego thing? They didn't work for you, so you can't (or refuse to) believe someone with a higher cap could see different results? LOL

 

That rationale makes perfect sense. His "aim small, miss small" rationale makes no sense. "I focus more because its harder" makes no sense. Saying you have a physics degree, not elaborating on anything, and then going silent is frustrating. These explanations are garbage.

 

I've said a hundred times repeatedly that playing blades is fine and players can see great results from them. I have said repeatedly that these efforts to reduce those blade results to scientific theory are lacking. I have no idea why my PM grind is so good for me, but it is. I have no idea why blades are so good for you, but they are. I'm not on here talking pseudo-science nonsense about my PM grind, I'm just saying i don't know but it works. That isn't what he's saying. He's making an analogy to archery and the way our brain processes goal-orientation which isn't correct ("aim small miss small" means you just pretend the sweet spot/bullseye is smaller, you don't actually shrink it).

 

I specifically picked out a high cap earlier in the thread who said he plays blades and has had great results and said it was the best post in the thread. Because it didn't try to scientifically justify playing less-forgiving irons. He just said "I like them and I don't know why".

 

 

It makes perfect sense. Not in the way you're referring to, but because it works for him. If he adapts an archery analogy to golf, and it helps him, it makes sense. It may not to you, or to me, but that's not the point.

 

If thinking "I trimmed my toenails" causes someone to play better golf, then trimming toenails before a round would make sense, if only for him or her. Regardless of how absurd it sounds. ;)

 

In bowling, people aim for targets, frequently at the distance of the arrows on the lane (about 15 ft down). At some point during my bowling career, I took to sometimes aiming at the junction of two boards, at those arrows. It sounds absurd, and it is, but for me at the time, it made sense, because it worked for me in terms of generating results. Even if I now know it to be silly.

 

Edit:. when I bought my first set of blades, Golden Rams, I was a 20 hdcp, maybe a bit higher. Everyone thought I was nuts for even thinking about hitting them, much less actually buying a set. That first year with them, I dropped said hdcp considerably. I didn't think about why, just that they worked for me.

 

Maybe I'm channeling some departed, single digit golfer, who could only play blades and persimmons. LOL

(not a serious comment, obviously. Felt I should add that ;) )

[pinestreetgolf]

It makes perfect sense. Not in the way you're referring to, but because it works for him. If he adapts an archery analogy to golf, and it helps him, it makes sense. It may not to you, or to me, but that's not the point.

 

If thinking "I trimmed my toenails" causes someone to play better golf, then trimming toenails before a round would make sense, if only for him or her. Regardless of how absurd it sounds. ;)

 

In bowling, people aim for targets, frequently at the distance of the arrows on the lane (about 15 ft down). At some point during my bowling career, I took to sometimes aiming at the junction of two boards, at those arrows. It sounds absurd, and it is, but for me at the time, it made sense, because it worked for me in terms of generating results. Even if I now know it to be silly.

 

Edit:. when I bought my first set of blades, Golden Rams, I was a 20 hdcp, maybe a bit higher. Everyone thought I was nuts for even thinking about hitting them, much less actually buying a set. That first year with them, I dropped said hdcp considerably. I didn't think about why, just that they worked for me.

 

Maybe I'm channeling some departed, single digit golfer, who could only play blades and persimmons. LOL

(not a serious comment, obviously. Felt I should add that ;) )

 

That isn't silly at all. Aiming at the junction of the boards is smaller than an arrow. For some, this means the "miss" will be much tighter. Note, however, that you didn't narrow the lane. It was all in your own head. Blades actually narrow the lane (EDIT: This is not a knock on blades. Repeat, this is not a knock on blades. Its just explaining that shrinking the sweet spot doesn't make you more likely to hit it in the way 'aim small, miss small' means).

 

I get it. Golf isn't all rational, and silly stuff can make sense to people. But there is a line at some point or we can't communicate on this forum. If someone is going to use a pretty well known phrase like "aim small miss small" I'm not sure he can then say "yeah, i used it wrong, but that's what it means *to me*".

 

I'm all for little mental tricks to help people play better. I always hear the same song in my head when I hit my driver as my "swing thought". Makes no sense. But there is an ocean of difference between doing something in your own head that works for you and posting misleading conclusions about common phrases on a public message board where new players and players choosing equipment read the posts.

 

Blades are fine, and they look f*ing sweet. But they're not aim small miss small.

[mahonie]

who used to aim for a target within the bullseye, as it increased their chance of hitting it. Seeing as the example of archery was used, I thought I'd pass on some wisdom from the area in question.

 

Glad to see it makes no sense to use irons I play better with. I'll switch to a set of cavities shall I, even though all my worst scores in the past 2 years have been when using them.

 

They *aim* for a target within the bullseye *as if* they shrunk it, so if they "miss" they still hit it. They don't *actually shrink* the bullseye. A smaller sweet spot doesn't make you more likely to hit it. It makes you way less likely to hit it. That isn't aim small miss small. Aim small miss small is having a larger sweet spot and pretending your hitting a blade.

 

I have no idea what irons you should play but your rationale makes no sense. I've said at least three times golf isn't logical and making illogical decisions is fine. Just call them illogical. There's nothing wrong with that.

 

 

His rationale makes no sense? "Use the irons I score better with"?

 

Is this an ego thing? They didn't work for you, so you can't (or refuse to) believe someone with a higher cap could see different results? LOL

 

That rationale makes perfect sense. His "aim small, miss small" rationale makes no sense. "I focus more because its harder" makes no sense. Saying you have a physics degree, not elaborating on anything, and then going silent is frustrating. These explanations are garbage.

 

I've said a hundred times repeatedly that playing blades is fine and players can see great results from them. I have said repeatedly that these efforts to reduce those blade results to scientific theory are lacking. I have no idea why my PM grind is so good for me, but it is. I have no idea why blades are so good for you, but they are. I'm not on here talking pseudo-science nonsense about my PM grind, I'm just saying i don't know but it works. That isn't what he's saying. He's making an analogy to archery and the way our brain processes goal-orientation which isn't correct ("aim small miss small" means you just pretend the sweet spot/bullseye is smaller, you don't actually shrink it).

 

I specifically picked out a high cap earlier in the thread who said he plays blades and has had great results and said it was the best post in the thread. Because it didn't try to scientifically justify playing less-forgiving irons. He just said "I like them and I don't know why".

 

 

It makes perfect sense. Not in the way you're referring to, but because it works for him. If he adapts an archery analogy to golf, and it helps him, it makes sense. It may not to you, or to me, but that's not the point.

 

If thinking "I trimmed my toenails" causes someone to play better golf, then trimming toenails before a round would make sense, if only for him or her. Regardless of how absurd it sounds. ;)

 

In bowling, people aim for targets, frequently at the distance of the arrows on the lane (about 15 ft down). At some point during my bowling career, I took to sometimes aiming at the junction of two boards, at those arrows. It sounds absurd, and it is, but for me at the time, it made sense, because it worked for me in terms of generating results. Even if I now know it to be silly.

 

The perfect example of aim small, miss small is in putting when people say they are aiming for a dustbin size lid when putting from distance. Why not aim for the hole? Similarly, I remember switching from the UK ball to the US ball and finding the US ball so much easier to hit even though the difference in diameter was only 0.06 inches.

[pinestreetgolf]

The perfect example of aim small, miss small is in putting when people say they are aiming for a dustbin size lid when putting from distance. Why not aim for the hole?

 

Correct.

 

By NJR's logic, we should make the hole two inches wide. It'll make putting twice as easy. Better yet, make the hole the exact size of a golf ball. You'll never miss. Aim small, miss small!

 

It means your changing the size of the target in your head. Your not actually making the target smaller in objective reality.

 

Its weird all the blade guys feel the need to explain yourselves. You like your clubs. You think your clubs are best. As long as to thine own self you are true, stop trying to tell us why because you keep just getting tied in knots (because there is no why that makes sense beyond "I like them and I play well with them for some reason" which is a fine reason).

 

Got a method putter on the BST. Replaced my Cameron. Its objectively a much "worse" putter. But I use it. Why? Because it scores better. Beyond that, who knows. I like the orange on it and the insert feels nice.

 

You always sounds silly when you start with the conclusion and then set out to find the data.

[NRJyzr]

It makes perfect sense. Not in the way you're referring to, but because it works for him. If he adapts an archery analogy to golf, and it helps him, it makes sense. It may not to you, or to me, but that's not the point.

 

If thinking "I trimmed my toenails" causes someone to play better golf, then trimming toenails before a round would make sense, if only for him or her. Regardless of how absurd it sounds. ;)

 

In bowling, people aim for targets, frequently at the distance of the arrows on the lane (about 15 ft down). At some point during my bowling career, I took to sometimes aiming at the junction of two boards, at those arrows. It sounds absurd, and it is, but for me at the time, it made sense, because it worked for me in terms of generating results. Even if I now know it to be silly.

 

Edit:. when I bought my first set of blades, Golden Rams, I was a 20 hdcp, maybe a bit higher. Everyone thought I was nuts for even thinking about hitting them, much less actually buying a set. That first year with them, I dropped said hdcp considerably. I didn't think about why, just that they worked for me.

 

Maybe I'm channeling some departed, single digit golfer, who could only play blades and persimmons. LOL

(not a serious comment, obviously. Felt I should add that ;) )

 

That isn't silly at all. Aiming at the junction of the boards is smaller than an arrow. For some, this means the "miss" will be much tighter. Note, however, that you didn't narrow the lane. It was all in your own head. Blades actually narrow the lane (EDIT: This is not a knock on blades. Repeat, this is not a knock on blades. Its just explaining that shrinking the sweet spot doesn't make you more likely to hit it in the way 'aim small, miss small' means).

 

I get it. Golf isn't all rational, and silly stuff can make sense to people. But there is a line at some point or we can't communicate on this forum. If someone is going to use a pretty well known phrase like "aim small miss small" I'm not sure he can then say "yeah, i used it wrong, but that's what it means *to me*".

 

I'm all for little mental tricks to help people play better. I always hear the same song in my head when I hit my driver as my "swing thought". Makes no sense. But there is an ocean of difference between doing something in your own head that works for you and posting misleading conclusions about common phrases on a public message board where new players and players choosing equipment read the posts.

 

Blades are fine, and they look f*ing sweet. But they're not aim small miss small.

 

Not digging your blades narrowing the lane analogy. Such as I see it, the golf hole is the lane and pin deck. Nothing about what you hold in your hands changes that.

 

The golf club would be closer to the bowling ball being used.

 

 

By NJR's logic, we should make the hole two inches wide

 

 

Good Lord, where did you get that? LOL

if that's what you think I'm saying, you may want to read my comments a couple more times. :)

[1Mordrid1]

 

If you are someone who needs blades to "focus better", then great. But that is a mental quirk, or a placebo. And most people would say good for you and do whatever works and makes the game fun for you. The reallity is not everyone needs an outside force to help their focus, but some people would be better of with some kind of help.

 

But when that person tries to tell people that using blades is the only way to get better or become a good ball striker, and then in the same breath, discount the benefits of technology that has been proven to be beneficial, it then becomes hard to take that person seriously.

 

 

[pinestreetgolf]

Not digging your blades narrowing the lane analogy. Such as I see it, the golf hole is the lane and pin deck. Nothing about what you hold in your hands changes that.

 

The golf club would be closer to the bowling ball being used.

 

Its not my analogy. It was his. I agree that its a stupid analogy. Which is why I posted what I posted. The other gentleman posited that shrinking the sweet spot made you more likely to hit it because "aim small miss small".

 

The club is indeed the ball (or the pin(s), depending on how you want to define the collision), more specifically the sweet spot. Some guys would do better with a beach ball sized ball, but there might be people in the world who do better with a softball sized ball. Who knows. All else being equal I'd bet on the guy with a huge ball and a small target (which is actually aim small miss small) but that wouldn't be true for everyone.

 

Good Lord, where did you get that? LOL

if that's what you think I'm saying, you may want to read my comments a couple more times. :)

 

I confused you with the poster who has the Arsenal avatar. Apologies. You didn't say that.

[bladehunter]

Um, ever heard the of the phrase "aim small, miss small"?

 

Aim small miss small refers to a focus technique of hitting a small target by focusing on an even smaller one. It doesn't advocate actually shrinking the target your trying to hit in the real world, only in your mind. I can't believe we have to explain this stuff.

 

"Hey Joe, you're making the greens a quarter the size they used to be. Won't that make them harder to hit?"

 

"No dude, aim small miss small"

 

Aim small miss small is a mental trick. It doesn't mean aim small by making the actual, physical target smaller.

 

This is why we wish you guys would just say "I like playing blades even though it makes no sense, and I think I play my best golf that way" rather than come up with all this insane stuff to back-justify it. Aim small miss small. Good lord.

 

Seriously. ? I thought it meant for instance “ aim at a single tree 300 yard out instead of a patch of trees “. So I’m supposed to shrink the patch of trees in my mind ? Ok ?

[lenman73]

I used the term "focus" as in it helps me focus on the shot I'm trying to hit. The more game improvement iron I try to hit, the more my focus is not trying to go left. My focus with a smaller head is on a positive outcome. My focus with a gi is trying to avoid a negative outcome. It wasn't always that way, but right now I got the swing I got and am using what yields the best outcome. At some point if I can produce with my swing what I want(path and plane wise) then a more gi iron won't be as detrimental to me. I personally have never denied what gi or sgi clubs can do nor have I ever steered anyone away from them.

 

The word forgiving has been used a lot. But some need to understand that for some people having a more forging iron is not wanted or needed. I am aware that us not the case for everyone. Again, I only speak for myself. But I am what would be considered a low ball hitter by many. Have been for as long as I can remember. When I get to the tee, I see that shot and tend to play my normal shot. But when the need arises, I can take the higher route, it just isn't my normal shot. I have irons that are more forgiving and do launch the ball higher. The problem is they also go more left. So presently I am using what I'm using to achieve my desired outcome, not what someone perceives as their desired outcome. A month from now after some serious practice, my gi's may go back in the bag if they produce the outcome I want, time will tell on that.

 

Also I don't think there is anything wrong with a method putter. I have one and love it. But I would also use a putter from Walmart if I saw my putts per round go down.

[pinestreetgolf]

Um, ever heard the of the phrase "aim small, miss small"?

 

Aim small miss small refers to a focus technique of hitting a small target by focusing on an even smaller one. It doesn't advocate actually shrinking the target your trying to hit in the real world, only in your mind. I can't believe we have to explain this stuff.

 

"Hey Joe, you're making the greens a quarter the size they used to be. Won't that make them harder to hit?"

 

"No dude, aim small miss small"

 

Aim small miss small is a mental trick. It doesn't mean aim small by making the actual, physical target smaller.

 

This is why we wish you guys would just say "I like playing blades even though it makes no sense, and I think I play my best golf that way" rather than come up with all this insane stuff to back-justify it. Aim small miss small. Good lord.

 

Seriously. ? I thought it meant for instance " aim at a single tree 300 yard out instead of a patch of trees ". So I'm supposed to shrink the patch of trees in my mind ? Ok ?

 

Jesus, no. You aim at a single tree instead of the forest. You aim at the front quarter of the cup when putting instead of the entire hole. You aim at a small patch of shadow on the green instead of the entire green.

 

You have the target you'd be happy hitting (the entire green). You pick a much smaller target (a shadow on the green) so that if (when) you miss your fake mental target you hit your actual target. That's aim small miss small. Its tricking yourself so that a "miss" is really a make. Its aiming at the back of the rim instead of the entire hoop.

 

You don't shrink the patch of trees in your mind. You pick out a branch of one of the trees as the target, even though the fairway is 40 yards wide. That's aim small miss small. Its not *Actually shrinking* anything, in your mind or otherwise. Its picking something smaller out of something larger NOT shrinking the actual target down. It makes no sense in the context of shrinking the sweet spot to make it more likely to hit.

 

Picking a dimple on the ball to hit instead of the entire ball is aim small miss small. Its not playing with a marble-sized golf ball or dime-sized sweet spot so you have to aim at something that is actually smaller.

 

This has nothing to do with blades, just the misuse of the term.

[NRJyzr]

 

I confused you with the poster who has the Arsenal avatar. Apologies. You didn't say that.

 

 

At least you didn't say Manchester United. Ugh. LOL

(I'm a Liverpool fan)

[bodhi555]

If you are someone who needs blades to "focus better", then great. But that is a mental quirk, or a placebo. And most people would say good for you and do whatever works and makes the game fun for you. The reallity is not everyone needs an outside force to help their focus, but some people would be better of with some kind of help.

 

But when that person tries to tell people that using blades is the only way to get better or become a good ball striker, and then in the same breath, discount the benefits of technology that has been proven to be beneficial, it then becomes hard to take that person seriously.

 

Has anyone on this thread actually suggested that is the only way to get better? I've seen people suggest that it worked for them, but also point out that everyone is different. Personally I'd never suggest to someone struggling to hit their irons that they should try some blades, I'd suggest lessons and practice. However if someone is considering a set, I'd actively encourage them to try them as they may find them easier to hit than folklore suggests. In fact every time someone has tried one of mine, even fairly average golfers, they've striped it down the middle *shrug*.

[pinestreetgolf]

I confused you with the poster who has the Arsenal avatar. Apologies. You didn't say that.

 

 

At least you didn't say Manchester United. Ugh. LOL

(I'm a Liverpool fan)

 

I'd never do that! My wife's family is from Hale. When Katrina struck I stayed with them for a year. That was 2005 which was a good year to have to watch being in their house. Red ever since, rarely miss a game. YNWA.

 

What are they smoking at the Emirates?

[dog flog]

If you are someone who needs blades to "focus better", then great. But that is a mental quirk, or a placebo. And most people would say good for you and do whatever works and makes the game fun for you. The reallity is not everyone needs an outside force to help their focus, but some people would be better of with some kind of help.

 

But when that person tries to tell people that using blades is the only way to get better or become a good ball striker, and then in the same breath, discount the benefits of technology that has been proven to be beneficial, it then becomes hard to take that person seriously.

 

Has anyone on this thread actually suggested that is the only way to get better? I've seen people suggest that it worked for them, but also point out that everyone is different. Personally I'd never suggest to someone struggling to hit their irons that they should try some blades, I'd suggest lessons and practice. However if someone is considering a set, I'd actively encourage them to try them as they may find them easier to hit than folklore suggests. In fact every time someone has tried one of mine, even fairly average golfers, they've striped it down the middle *shrug*.

I would suggest that your last sentence was suggestive.

[NRJyzr]

I confused you with the poster who has the Arsenal avatar. Apologies. You didn't say that.

 

 

At least you didn't say Manchester United. Ugh. LOL

(I'm a Liverpool fan)

 

I'd never do that! My wife's family is from Hale. When Katrina struck I stayed with them for a year. That was 2005 which was a good year to have to watch being in their house. Red ever since, rarely miss a game. YNWA.

 

What are they smoking at the Emirates?

 

 

Yes indeed, that's a good year to begin your LFC education, LOL.

I missed out on those years, unfortunately. I picked up on them during 2007 UEFA Champions League, in the group stages. I would catch the odd random game on TV when home from work, something about LFC caught my attention. It actually wasn't results, I don't even remember much of the group stages. Watched the Final (d'oh), the next year I started following them in Premier League, and that was that. ;)

 

That was the beginning of the Fernando Torres era, as well. Not a bad time to start watching.

 

Used to play the game, but I'd never followed foreign leagues. An online golf nerd friend was a Gooner who was rather pleased about the Invincibles, as you might expect. He didn't rub it in, to his credit. LOL Chatting with him in the early-mid 2000s was as much an early push for me towards the Premier League as anything.

 

Caption Obvious says: Arsenal are a victim of their ownership, and that new stadium. Though I think Wenger got a bit of a raw deal in the blame game, I also think the game had passed him by, just a bit.

 

The guy I don't mind seeing have issues is Mourinho. Never liked him. Not nice of me, but oh well....

[the bishop]

uh oh..

[cb24]

what is it about blades the bring out the evangelist in 95% of the people that use them on this forum?

 

Ironic. Blade users talk about how they like their sticks. The Cavity Crusaders are the ones looking to convert everyone to the "True Faith." LOL

 

Cavity crusaders that’s priceless! That’s how it feels, people are offended that someone would play blades and we need to see our ignorance and acknowledge our refusal to accept science that blades are inferior, lol!

[pinestreetgolf]

Cavity crusaders that's priceless! That's how it feels, people are offended amused that someone a mid or high cap would play blades and we need to would benefit from seeing our ignorance vanity and our refusal to accept science that there is no scientific advantage and blades are inferior only best for a very, very small (but real) segment of mid and high caps.

 

Fixed it for you.

[dog flog]

Cavity crusaders don't need faith. They've got science on their side. Blade thumpers need faith and from what I've seen, they've got it. Of course not all cavity players are crusaders just as not all blade players are thumpers. Mostly we realize that as golfers, we're all on the same team.

[BiggErn]

But what if I read a Bob Rotella book? Lol

[mahonie]

But what if I read a Bob Rotella book? Lol

 

You will automatically become a better player...regardless of what type of club you play. Golf is all in the head ;-)

[dog flog]

But what if I read a Bob Rotella book? Lol

 

You will automatically become a better player...regardless of what type of club you play. Golf is all in the head ;-)

I wonder if Rotella buys off the rack.

[BiggErn]

But what if I read a Bob Rotella book? Lol

 

You will automatically become a better player...regardless of what type of club you play. Golf is all in the head ;-)

I wonder if Rotella buys off the rack.

 

Custom fit is all in your head.

[mahonie]

The perfect example of aim small, miss small is in putting when people say they are aiming for a dustbin size lid when putting from distance. Why not aim for the hole?

 

Correct.

 

By NJR's logic, we should make the hole two inches wide. It'll make putting twice as easy. Better yet, make the hole the exact size of a golf ball. You'll never miss. Aim small, miss small!

 

It means your changing the size of the target in your head. Your not actually making the target smaller in objective reality.

 

Its weird all the blade guys feel the need to explain yourselves. You like your clubs. You think your clubs are best. As long as to thine own self you are true, stop trying to tell us why because you keep just getting tied in knots (because there is no why that makes sense beyond "I like them and I play well with them for some reason" which is a fine reason).

 

Got a method putter on the BST. Replaced my Cameron. Its objectively a much "worse" putter. But I use it. Why? Because it scores better. Beyond that, who knows. I like the orange on it and the insert feels nice.

 

You always sounds silly when you start with the conclusion and then set out to find the data.

 

On some practice greens over here you sometimes get a hole that is only slightly bigger than the ball...it’s great for giving you a greater focus on target when holing out. Moving over to a normal size hole straight after, you honestly don’t think you’ll ever miss a 3 footer. I practice putting to another golf ball or a small coin for exactly the same reason.

 

I also take a 1971 Mac VIP 2-Iron to the range to practice with. After a few reps with the Mac, anything else is really easy to hit. Aim small, miss small really does have many applications. Granted some people would give up after a couple of thin hits sending harsh vibrations through the fingers and rattling the teeth. Stick with it though and you will eventually hone a decent swing...your brain will work it out.

 

To be honest, I don’t really take much notice of what other people play with...that’s up to their own personal choice for whatever reasons they have that are specific to their experience. What grates somewhat are the cavity crusaders who have no idea about anyone’s game yet insist that even Pros shouldn’t be playing blades as they are not scoring to their full potential because they’re missing out on ‘forgiveness.’ Before long they’ll want everyone to play with a full set of Happy Gilmore hockey sticks (the big mistake was getting Odyssey to sponsor it and not Ping!).

[mahonie]

But what if I read a Bob Rotella book? Lol

 

You will automatically become a better player...regardless of what type of club you play. Golf is all in the head ;-)

I wonder if Rotella buys off the rack.

 

Custom fit is all in your head.

 

Custom fit is overrated...anyone can adjust to any club in a very short amount of time. However, if you are confident in the clubs that you have been fitted for, that is a different matter...it’s all in the head (see previous post).

[1Mordrid1]

If you are someone who needs blades to "focus better", then great. But that is a mental quirk, or a placebo. And most people would say good for you and do whatever works and makes the game fun for you. The reallity is not everyone needs an outside force to help their focus, but some people would be better of with some kind of help.

 

But when that person tries to tell people that using blades is the only way to get better or become a good ball striker, and then in the same breath, discount the benefits of technology that has been proven to be beneficial, it then becomes hard to take that person seriously.

 

Has anyone on this thread actually suggested that is the only way to get better? I've seen people suggest that it worked for them, but also point out that everyone is different. Personally I'd never suggest to someone struggling to hit their irons that they should try some blades, I'd suggest lessons and practice. However if someone is considering a set, I'd actively encourage them to try them as they may find them easier to hit than folklore suggests. In fact every time someone has tried one of mine, even fairly average golfers, they've striped it down the middle *shrug*.

 

unfortunately, yes. Several times it has been stated that the only way to improve ball striking is with more demanding clubs. And as a twist on that statement, it has also been stated a couple of times that using GI clubs inherently leads to "sloppy" ball striking.

 

Now if these things were stated in a context such as"for me and my game this is what works", not many would take issue with any of it. But when it is stated with arrogance and as matter of fact, then that could be detrimental to someone new to the game or coming to the forum for sound advice.