For those mid/high cap looking for irons/drivers to play

[scotte]

A true and funny story.

I got a perfect answer today for those who ask on this forum about playing super game improvement clubs. I heard it from my instructor, and man, it just made sense to me. So I thought I would share this in hopes that it will help people think about how to approach buying new equipment.



The short answer, buy and get fitted for super game improvement (big offset, big thick sole) clubs if you want to keep your high/mid handicap swing, but buy a traditional golf club if you really want to learn to play golf.



Now, before you flame me, read how this answer came about.



Today I went to take a lesson from my instructor, I don't know if I can say his name, but if you read GolfDigest you know him.



After the lesson we were both going to lunch, and we started chatting about how each others days were going and what was interesting in our lives today. My instructor says: "I had this new golfer come in yesturday and he said his goal was to break 100, so he went and got fitted for all new Callaway clubs with his BS swing (my instructor actually said BullS#$%) and now when I teach him how to play golf he can go and get fitted again because none of his crooked clubs will work."



Thanks for reading, I hope it helped inspire your thoughts,



Scott

[golfernut78]

i completely agree with what your instructor said. i bought my pro combos, and most people, including the nike reps at different demo days, said i need to play a game improvement iron and not the pro combos. since that time i've droped my handicap by 11.4 and am extremely comfortable and confident with my irons and my iron play.

 

if only i could putt better, have a better touch with the short game, and not make little mistakes big problems.

[Furrankee]

Game improvement clubs are the worst. Closed face and a 1/2 inch offset? That's totally going to encourage your out to in, opened faced swing forever.

 

I remember the first set of irons I bought. They were the Gary Player Knight irons, with weight in the toe and a significant amount of offset, ruler fitted grips (dunno what you call them). Total game improvement irons. I just remember what the sales guy said. "These irons are good." He demoed them, hitting them into the netted screen which produced a loud thud. He kept on doing it to demonstrate its worthiness. Haha, I was such a sucker for them sales guys.

 

I remember bringing out those gold finished irons and showed them to my cousin. His first words were, "gold irons? Do you still have the receipt?"

[tigermj]

I've got the same experience.

 

I am in my 4th session of golf lessons and slowly we are in the process of being able to establish the correct swing plane and my instructor also told me at start of my lessons that game improvement irons are really helpful if you are really new and just want to enjoy the game and your aim is simply to see your ball fly high from the ground no matter if it over the green etc.

 

Most of my shot now is pulled to the left even if I am in the ocrrect swing plane my instructor just told there's nothing wrong with the plane i am at its just that he said that the irons might be too closed for me now plus the offset since we slowly corrected the squaring of the face at impact for now. But my instructor is kind enough to not tell me to get a player's iron now to develop more on the shaping of the ball towards dropping down my handicap. He just told me that use my irons for now but have my swing exagerrate to the right at impact to compensate the offset.

 

just my $0.02

[CallawayMoe]

I think GI and SGI clubs get a bad rap in this forum. There are many Pros particulary LPGA pros who use GI clubs and there are even some Seniors who use SGI clubs. I believe you can outgrow clubs as your skills progress and comfort level changes and I also believe that "players" irons fit some people better. But, to suggest that you have to have "players" irons to learn and ingrain a proper swing path is absolutley ridiculous.

[Dyno]

Didn't a certain someone shoot 59 with a certain set of shovels? :crazy:

[scotte]

Yea, I see what you are saying, I think my teacher was meaning that here is a guy who is just starting out and going with game improvement stuff, and expensive game improvement stuff. I think he meant that the guy shouls start off with a cheap or used set of traditional clubs to learn on, rather than getting shafts fit and lies bent, and things to help a improper swing.

[scotte]

Dyno, the coarse record at my club was shot by a guy with ping isi shovels, he went to them as he got older and not as good, but he still shot the coarse record.

 

 

 

I think my teacher meant that this guy he was talking about was starting off with getting clubs fitted the first day he started swinging.

[Leftygolfin]

One thing that I have learned is the clubs have nothing to do with it at all. I have been the biggest club ho over the past few years going thru Dozens of sets and several thousands of dollar trying to find the perfect set. I finally pulled my head out and decided to work on my swing a little more then my equipment. Don't get me wrong, I still love trying the new stuff but I now understand that it is not going to make me a tour player if I don't swing it right. Thats my 2 cents.

[rhnh7063]

I wouldn't say that clubs have nothing at all to do with your game. It's true that if you give me Tiger's bag, I'm not going to suddenly play like Tiger, but when I upgraded from my $200 Dick's generic clubs to a good set, I saw a vast improvement in my striking ability.

[CallawayMoe]

Clubs ARE important for every level of golfer, pro and amatuer. You have to like the look as well as the feel. Over the last few years I have experimented with "players" irons. I find that I hit them fine but don't feel as comfortable over them as I do my current GI irons. Once the comfort level goes, you get tense and then you know what happens. On the flip side, I play with a guy in my handicap range who plays with MP-60s. He loves them and scores well. Really, it all boils down to preference.

 

One last thought, if GI and SGI clubs are so easy to hit high, straight, and long, why don't more people play them? It may be easier but not easy. The fact is, it is NOT an easy game!

[phillypete]

I have to agree but disagree slightly...

 

When I went about taking up golf I went out and picked up some GI irons (Callaway) and some forgiving woods. I actually think this is the right step at first. Golf is a real hard sport to learn, so I think everything that one can do to start having fun on the course should be done in the beginning. If I had a set of blades back then I probably would have got discouraged and quit.

 

Now after about a year or so (after breaking 100) I decided I wanted to get serious about getting better. So I go myself some less friendly irons. I did this basicly to ensure that I would be punished for anything but a pure swing. I was willing to accept higher scores for the time being for the betterment of my game.

 

I definitely see myself going back to a GI iron once I believe my swing has been completely grooved. Then there will be no reason to punish myself for slight miss-hits because at that point I will be playing for score and fun.

 

*****

 

I see and treat non-GI clubs as a training aid.

 

I just find it funny that we all run around throwing money in the wind looking for the most forgiving drivers, yet try to play the most unforgiving irons.

[sergizmo]

It's a different situation for every player.

 

A little while ago I decided to get some super GI irons, Callaway Big Bertha '04's with steel. To be honest I didn't hit them all that great in the sim. I figured there was so many GI features that would allow me to hit the ball high and straight with greater regularity that after a couple of practice sessions I would get the hang of them. Well, after no fewer than 5 range sessions I was still hitting them fat/thin, left/right, low, etc... It was a total mess. In fact, I was hitting my OLD Wilson Sam Snead Blue Ridge blades better.

 

The same process had been repeated about 9 months prior to this with some Nicklaus super GI irons, but of course I figured the Berthas would work out so much better because they were Callaways. Wrong.

 

I've finally settled on some BeCu Eye 2's that have been reshafted with shafts that are softer than the old Ping ones. They do have quite a bit of offset and more weight in the sole than a players club, but the sole is nowhere near as thick as the GI models. Results so far have been great.

 

Of course on the flip side most of the LPGA plays Pings or Callaways, and many of these are the super GI model (Berthas, G5's etc...). They are obviously fantastic strikers of the ball. I also remember Monty shooting 64 at the British a couple years ago with some Berthas.

 

The moral of the story, hit a variety of irons, off turf if possible, before choosing a set. The conventional wisdom of "GI for beginners/high handicap players, blades or players cavities for low cappers" doesn't always apply. Play what works for you, regardless of what other people say or think.

[piwil]

Most of the people in this forum talk more than they can play. Too much ego involved when it comes to equipment. Just play whatever irons that for your swing. Big Bertha or MP-33.