Fewer really bad shots with the old clubs?

[J Jack]

I grew up playing blades and wooden woods. Now, I use the monster-head driver, game improvement irons, etc. Everyone agrees that the new stuff is better, right?

 

Yet I wonder.

 

I recently played some "players" blades and, although I'm a 14hcp, I was hitting the ball fine, and, more importantly MY MISSES WEREN'T AS BAD AS THEY ARE WITH THE GAME IMPROVEMENT STUFF.

 

With the older technology, if you, say, hit a 5-iron out on the toe, it would go slightly right and travel 110 yards. With the new technology, it certainly goes farther - all the way into the trees on the right.

 

Same thing with the woods - yes, the sweet spot on my laminate Ping 3-wood is the size of a pea (and a small pea at that!) but I don't get into any trouble with it.

 

The only exception I'd make is that I really like hybrids, but those are actually a throwback to the very old clubs, I think.

 

I wonder if others feel the same way.

[Buddyjay]

Interesting thought. I wonder about this also. I've been playing since the early 70's. By the late 80's I was down to a 12 HC, but I was only playing about once every two weeks. I stopped playing completely in 1995. Took up the game again last year and bought new clubs.

Now, I have a set of Ping G-10's and am playing about twice PER WEEK and have a 10 HC. I feel like I'm hitting the ball further and straighter than ever but is it me or the clubs? I felt that I would have been even a lower (HC) by now. Are the clubs holding me back or that I'm getting older? The fact that I'm playing about 10x a month (compared to 2x) and my HC has only dropped two points makes me wonder.

Coincidently, I have been looking at getting a set of blades or slight CB to possibly take me to the next level. The Ping's are considered "Super Game Improvment" (Maltby rate of 800+)and are pretty tough to shape the ball. True blades (Maltby rate of 350) maybe a little un-necessary given the technology of today. A good compromise might be i.e. Nike VR #6 which is a blade with some forgivness. You will stil get the feedback of a blade but will also help with mis-hits.

Many pros do NOT use true blades. Pros like Billy Mayfair use Ping G-15's. Many use Titleist AP2 clubs.

Years ago we didn't have a choice, now we do. My opinion would be to get clubs like my examples and take advantage of today's technology.

[asualum]

[quote name='J Jack' date='28 May 2010 - 04:59 AM' timestamp='1275051565' post='2472613']
I grew up playing blades and wooden woods. Now, I use the monster-head driver, game improvement irons, etc. Everyone agrees that the new stuff is better, right?

Yet I wonder.

I recently played some "players" blades and, although I'm a 14hcp, I was hitting the ball fine, and, more importantly MY MISSES WEREN'T AS BAD AS THEY ARE WITH THE GAME IMPROVEMENT STUFF.

With the older technology, if you, say, hit a 5-iron out on the toe, it would go slightly right and travel 110 yards. With the new technology, it certainly goes farther - all the way into the trees on the right.

Same thing with the woods - yes, the sweet spot on my laminate Ping 3-wood is the size of a pea (and a small pea at that!) but I don't get into any trouble with it.

The only exception I'd make is that I really like hybrids, but those are actually a throwback to the very old clubs, I think.

I wonder if others feel the same way.
[/quote]

I've often wondered about the same thing. With game improvement clubs, it seems that the shots do go far, but there's always a pretty big dispersion of even well-hit shots.

I came across this posting a while back and it tends to support both of our suspicions: [url="http://www.oobgolf.com/content/the+wedge+guy/golf+equipment/5-2032-Blades_Versus_Cavity_Backs_A_Golf_Club_Epiphany.html"]http://www.oobgolf.c...b_Epiphany.html[/url]

[SpinMill75]

I have read alot of posts that suggest once you get used to playing a blade or players iron, you get tuned into hitting the ball correctly. The new GI and SGI irons allow you to mishit the ball yet get a decent result ( most of the time) , so feel kind of goes out the window.

Food for thought.

PS- I grew up playing MacGregor Blades when I was 11. As was said, there was a time when you really didn't have much of a choice.

[asualum]

I tend to think that's true. The feedback from the club allows you to groove your swing. Once you do that, the last thing you want is a club that covers up your swing flaws.

[wrmiller]

I score better with my MP68s than I do with my old WS tours. More forgiving on mishits too.