Iron Covers

[BallerNate]

I’ve seen a few guys on WRX make comments about how much they hate Iron Covers. Just asking why people dislike them so much?

 

I personally hate club chatter marks and dents on my Irons, so I use Iron covers to protect my clubs. To me it’s just protecting my investment, but have also bought a new bag this year with 14 dividers, so that should help also.

 

Just curious about the dislike for Iron Covers and what you guys do to protect your clubs, or do you just not care about the club chatter/dings?

[ChipNRun]

A lot of correlation between iron-cover users and slow play. And people who lose iron covers mid-round are even more irritating than those who can't remember to pick up their wedges after putting out. (Iron covers are small and even harder to find than errant wedges.)

 

A former small-college golfer gave me an interesting take on iron covers. Before he went on the road for school matches, he would put on the iron covers before his bag went into the transport shell.

 

At the tournament site, he would take off the covers, and leave them off until he cleaned irons after final round. Then, covers went back on for trip home.

[Nessism]

1 minute ago, ChipNRun said:

A lot of correlation between iron-cover users and slow play.

 

You have got to be kidding me.  In all the various threads we have had on iron cover usage, and there have been dozens, this is the first time I've heard that claim.

[Nessism]

The "cool kids" think iron covers are for geeks.  Whether or not to use them depends on your sensibilities.  I've used them before in a past life but got sick of messing with them.  Now I use a bag that holds my clubs from chattering into one another and that's a reasonable compromise for ME.  Your mileage may vary (and probably will.)

[golfschnell]

Agree this thread has been beat to death over the years, but yes slowing down play has been discussed, and I have experienced "that guy" who lost 2 during a round and added about 15 minutes to our round.  You want to use them knock yourself out, but for me they are tools that are slammed into the ground intentionally so it seems counterintuitive and unnecessary.  If you are concerned about resale value, maybe these are not the clubs for you.  Akin to putting a cover on your hammer inside your toolbox.  Woods are different because you are protecting their graphite shafts from being ruined by iron heads.

[BraxtonFullerton]

Pretty much what everyone else here is echoing is what I've heard complaints about. People taking forever to get the cover off, realizing they grabbed the wrong club... putting cover back on, grabbing right club, taking cover off, then getting ready for the shot.

I use iron covers because my clubs stay in my trunk all golf-year and they're forged. They'd be dented to hell without them. As I use them on the course I take them off and stuff them into a compartment in my bag or cart. At the end of the round, I check/clean the clubs and put the covers back on and into the trunk.

It's more of a trend to hate on them rather than rationally discuss the benefits of using them.

[BallerNate]

26 minutes ago, ChipNRun said:

A lot of correlation between iron-cover users and slow play. And people who lose iron covers mid-round are even more irritating than those who can't remember to pick up their wedges after putting out. (Iron covers are small and even harder to find than errant wedges.)

 

A former small-college golfer gave me an interesting take on iron covers. Before he went on the road for school matches, he would put on the iron covers before his bag went into the transport shell.

 

At the tournament site, he would take off the covers, and leave them off until he cleaned irons after final round. Then, covers went back on for trip home.

Interesting, didn’t know there was any correlation between Iron Covers and slow play. My previous covers were connected in groups of 2/3 so never lost any, and my new ones are separate and I put them in my pocket when I hit. Takes 1-2 secs to put on and the same to put back on.

 

Now that I have a bag with 14 dividers, I’d consider that strategy of taking them off before rounds though depending on how much chatter there is with the new bag.

[BallerNate]

26 minutes ago, Nessism said:

The "cool kids" think iron covers are for geeks.  Whether or not to use them depends on your sensibilities.  I've used them before in a past life but got sick of messing with them.  Now I use a bag that holds my clubs from chattering into one another and that's a reasonable compromise for ME.  Your mileage may vary (and probably will.)

Very interesting. Yeah, I was really curious why there were so many snide remarks about Iron Covers on WRX. Had no idea why they are so offensive.

[BallerNate]

18 minutes ago, golfschnell said:

Agree this thread has been beat to death over the years, but yes slowing down play has been discussed, and I have experienced "that guy" who lost 2 during a round and added about 15 minutes to our round.  You want to use them knock yourself out, but for me they are tools that are slammed into the ground intentionally so it seems counterintuitive and unnecessary.  If you are concerned about resale value, maybe these are not the clubs for you.  Akin to putting a cover on your hammer inside your toolbox.  Woods are different because you are protecting their graphite shafts from being ruined by iron heads.

Had no idea this was a topic beat to death. Just joined WRX in December, and hadn’t seen any threads about it...just lots of comments about how much people dislike them.

 

To me it’s not about playing the wrong clubs, it’s the opposite...I love to maintain my clubs well and actually keep Mr. Clean and paper towels in my trunk to clean them after every round, Lol! I realize I’m probably more obsessive about the appearance of my clubs than most, but you gotta be who you are right?

[kmay__]

Twilight rounds, carry bag, walking down the fairway to the beautiful sound of my irons and wedges clanking together. Wonderful. 

 

Lol and like mentioned above, the clubs purpose is to be swung into the ground at full speed, and they are mine, I'm not saving them for the next guy. Let em breathe haha 

 

They are very much now associated with slow play, bucket hats, and cargo shorts. 🤷‍♂️ Don't hate me I don't make the memes. 

[BallerNate]

11 minutes ago, BraxtonFullerton said:

Pretty much what everyone else here is echoing is what I've heard complaints about. People taking forever to get the cover off, realizing they grabbed the wrong club... putting cover back on, grabbing right club, taking cover off, then getting ready for the shot.

I use iron covers because my clubs stay in my trunk all golf-year and they're forged. They'd be dented to hell without them. As I use them on the course I take them off and stuff them into a compartment in my bag or cart. At the end of the round, I check/clean the clubs and put the covers back on and into the trunk.

It's more of a trend to hate on them rather than rationally discuss the benefits of using them.

Interesting. Yeah, I’m the same...keep the clubs in the trunk during the season and just like to maintain my clubs and keep them looking good.

 

I’ve never lost a cover, and just takes seconds to take on/off, but good to know where guys are coming from with their dislike.

[GSDriver]

For those incompetent enough to lose covers and slow play for others, I present those who watch too much TV, can't break 100, but will plumb bob a 2 foot tap in.

[GolfNuts4]

I take flak from my playing partners because after every shot, I use a cordless buffer and shine each iron. It only takes about 5-7 minutes per shot. Seriously, people should do what they want, doesn't bother me if they use iron covers. I treat my clubs as tools and my irons look pretty beat up but work fine. I do keep my headcovers on my woods during the round. I cannot look at a scuffed up driver or fairway wood....little OCD about that.

[lefthack]

It's really simple, folks LOVE to hate on stuff. Iron covers are just an easy thing to hate on.

[BallerNate]

26 minutes ago, kmay__ said:

Twilight rounds, carry bag, walking down the fairway to the beautiful sound of my irons and wedges clanking together. Wonderful. 

 

Lol and like mentioned above, the clubs purpose is to be swung into the ground at full speed, and they are mine, I'm not saving them for the next guy. Let em breathe haha 

 

They are very much now associated with slow play, bucket hats, and cargo shorts. 🤷‍♂️ Don't hate me I don't make the memes. 

Very interesting. For me personally it has nothing to do with “saving them for the next guy”, it’s about maintaining them for myself. I think Irons are actually beautiful,  and chatter/dings takes away from their appearance.

 

I tried a few rounds without the Iron Covers, and I agree that carrying your bag would cause less damage. Had a really bad experience with a power cart on a bumpy course causing a ton of damage to my clubs this past season though, so went back to putting the covers on quickly after that.

[kmay__]

^ Yea its all good whatever you like man, I cringe when I see woods or putters with no headcovers, you wont find a ding, scratch or the like on any of my woods/putters. So what makes the irons/wedges any different? I don't know. 

 

And yea if your bombin around in the gas cart over roots and bumps everything's going to take much more of a beating for sure. I guess I grew up drooling over my dads Hogans, and they had bag chatter like 90. So I like the worn look of the irons/wedges.

Edited February 9, 2021 by kmay__
typo

[BirdieBob]

I see Bubba Watson using them now....must be Tour Issue however, so they will lower his score.

[Sean2]

14 minutes ago, lefthack said:

It's really simple, folks LOVE to hate on stuff. Iron covers are just an easy thing to hate on.

Ain't that the truth. I don't like them myself, but if someone wants to use them so what? I don't understand why some people get upset over other people's equipment choices...it's not like they paid for them. 

[Abh159]

Like kmay said there is nothing like walking down a fairway and hearing the sound of your irons clattering in your bag. For me that sound is akin to the sound of metal baseball spikes on pavement. Maybe it's nostalgia or something else but there are few better sounds in sports better than those. 

 

Personally I couldn't care less if someone uses iron covers, but that doesn't mean that I don't think they look a little ridiculous. I feel the same way about cargo shorts and belt cell phone holsters, but some people love those things. To each their own I guess...

[lefthack]

I bought my first putter cover a few months ago. Decided I should protect my $6 investment with a $5 cover. 🤣

[rondre3000]

1 hour ago, Nessism said:

 

You have got to be kidding me.  In all the various threads we have had on iron cover usage, and there have been dozens, this is the first time I've heard that claim.

Wow really? I see it all the time. Here and everywhere else (reddit, etc).

 

[BallerNate]

28 minutes ago, lefthack said:

It's really simple, folks LOVE to hate on stuff. Iron covers are just an easy thing to hate on.

Yup 100%, people definitely love to hate! I just didn’t understand why there was so much hate for Iron Covers or what makes them so offensive...

[dbelles1]

I would not use them on the course, but if i was shipping my clubs I would probably get some or stuff towels between them. Dings and dents build character and having worn clubs makes you look better to others. Irons are designed to go through the ground at high speeds so protecting them from clanking when walking/driving down the fairway means nothing to them.

[lefthack]

3 minutes ago, BallerNate said:

Yup 100%, people definitely love to hate! I just didn’t understand why there was so much hate for Iron Covers or what makes them so offensive...

 

Because it's different! Ben Hogan didn't have iron covers and Jesus doesn't mention them in the Bible, so they must be awful.

[rondre3000]

1 minute ago, MysteryV said:

Why is it ok to have a cover on your putter, your driver, and your woods, but not irons?

 

BINGO!

 

What I think the "these are tools that are slamming into the ground" lot seem to miss is that the #headcovergang isn't so much looking to protect club FACES, but the backside of their "tools" where chatter is most noticeable. I replace the headcovers on my woods to protect the shafts AND the crowns from clacking around with everything else in the bag. We spend hundreds of dollars on drivers and aftermarket shafts...who wants them to look like they were dragged behind a truck on a dirt road after just 1 season???

[GLF4EVR]

I always love reading these post.  Been a member since 2013.  Have the same set of iron covers now as I did when I became a member.  Plus I wear cargo shorts while playing.  The pockets are large enough that an iron cover has plenty of room to sit in the pocket while I hit the shot.  Does it bother me that I can feel the cover in the pocket...no.  My focus is on the shot...where it should be.  Could care less what someone thinks of what I wear or what I use.  I am 62 now.  When I was a little kid, was raised to try & keep what I owned in nice shape.  So I will use that as my excuse for the iron covers.  The shorts...they are comfortable.....enough for me. 

[BallerNate]

22 minutes ago, Abh159 said:

Like kmay said there is nothing like walking down a fairway and hearing the sound of your irons clattering in your bag. For me that sound is akin to the sound of metal baseball spikes on pavement. Maybe it's nostalgia or something else but there are few better sounds in sports better than those. 

 

Personally I couldn't care less if someone uses iron covers, but that doesn't mean that I don't think they look a little ridiculous. I feel the same way about cargo shorts and belt cell phone holsters, but some people love those things. To each their own I guess...

Well, cargo shorts are also in my regular rotation in the Summer, so I guess I’ve got haters all-round then! 😉

[driveandputtmachine]

Anyone that is slow with iron covers would be slow without them.  THis coming from a guy that hates them and thinks they are silly/obnoxious/ocd.  I would never say anything to anyone with them unless they are being a jackWord not allowed and slow already and the iron covers are making them even slower.

 

I have played with fast people playing with iron covers and in the grand scheme, maybe added a minute to our round over the course of 18 holes.

[BallerNate]

6 minutes ago, GLF4EVR said:

The pockets are large enough that an iron cover has plenty of room to sit in the pocket while I hit the shot.

Haha...YES!!! I’m a +1 on this comment for sure...so good!!

[Edsland]

I use them to and from course or when I fly with my clubs. I have a pickup truck where they’ll slide around when driving and we all know baggage handlers.