Are players irons really only for 'players' ?

[StrokerAce]

Last year I had a combo set of Srixon 565/765 and played the 765 end very well. I felt I comfortably could have played the 765 throughout the bag and I fluctuate between a 17-19 Index.

 

 

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The 765 might just be the most versatile and best all around club made in the last 10 years.... they are that good!

[Golfspy_CG2]

The 765 might just be the most versatile and best all around club made in the last 10 years.... they are that good!

That may be one of the truest sentences ever written on the internet.  I'm really looking forward to getting my "2nd set" soon 

[bens197]

Eleven pages of posts. I have my own beliefs but I'm also careful to avoid saying anything is absolute.

 

What I will say is if I see a 12 handicap who wants to play for money and he has a set of true blades in his bag I'm playing.

 

 

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[Har in the Hat]

You'll know when you take them out for a test drive. Either they work or don't. Before I bought my Mp25's,I was keen on buying either the AP1 or 2. But I could not hit these for the life of me. I went to local fitter and tried the Mizuno JPX and MP and knew it would be one of these. After about 2 hours of going back and forth,I knew it was the MP25.

Get what you will fall in love with.

then you can say what I say to my son whenever he tells me that he loves me,and I reply back that " I love my clubs"

😀😀

[SeeMore Putts]

Great thread so far. Always like reading about this topic.

 

So here's my question for those of you who judge* the golfers who play blades. At what handicap/level do you think think "Wow, that player is getting the most out of those irons."?

 

*judge probably isn't the right word, it sounds too harsh but I can't think of a better one right now.

 

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[cnosil]

Great thread so far. Always like reading about this topic.

 

So here's my question for those of you who judge* the golfers who play blades. At what handicap/level do you think think "Wow, that player is getting the most out of those irons."?

 

*judge probably isn't the right word, it sounds too harsh but I can't think of a better one right now.

 

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Not about handicap, it is about how well they hit the clubs. As much as I try not to judge a players equipment. if they are playing blades and they are getting poor results maybe 4 out of 10 shots they may be in over there head or need to spend a lot of time working on their swing. If you are hitting the ball well 6 out of 10 times you are starting to get into the range of playing what you want.

 

On the flipside is there a handicap that you start to look down on if the are playing super game improvement clubs?

[chisag]

Great thread so far. Always like reading about this topic.

 

So here's my question for those of you who judge* the golfers who play blades. At what handicap/level do you think think "Wow, that player is getting the most out of those irons."?

 

*judge probably isn't the right word, it sounds too harsh but I can't think of a better one right now.

 

 

... I can sum it up best by the 23 yr old kid that played #1 for his college team at Central Connecticut when I was in Orlando and has aspirations to play on the PGA Tour. He played Titleist 716 CB's and I asked him if any players on the team play MB's. His response was "None, and I can do everything with my forged CB's I can do with a MB and the CB's protect my bad swings and poor contact. Granted I don't miss the center much, but when I do why not play a club that doesn't punish me?" He then hit a 4 iron 254 over water pin high to a pin tucked over a bunker on a par 5. Dropped a ball and hit a cut that curved about 10 yds and ended up about 15 feet short of the pin. Dropped anther and hit a high draw that curved another 10 yards and ended up on the back of the green. "Why on earth would I play a MB?" 

 

... As someone that plays to a + index and played MB's the first half of my golfing career I was extremely comfortable moving to a mixed set and then a full set of Forged CB's and never felt I lost anything but gained some forgiveness. Now I play P790's and the forgiveness is just off the charts and my confidence in any shot has never been higher. So while I do not pass judgement on anyone playing MB's, I can count on 1 finger the players I have been with on the course that had every reason to play MB's. Very high swing speed with a high trajectory producing high spin and rarely missed the middle. All the rest would be better served with a forged CB or even a more forgiving iron. 

 

... That said, I know there are traditionalists that just want to play "original" equipment and others that love the challenge and those that fiend that dense solid feel that only a MB can produce. There are different reasons to play any given club, and shooting the lowest score is not everyone's goal. 

[chisag]

... I will add there is no shortage of wanna be's out there. I was looking at the CBX Iron Wood 17* 2 iron yesterday and it was taped up with all the strikes so far out on the toe they missed the grooves. Now why would anyone that can't hit somewhere near the middle, let alone the perfect contact needed to play a 2 iron, be demoing a club like that? I see it with used MB's all the time, contact marks and wear nowhere near the center.  

[Wedgie]

Great thread so far. Always like reading about this topic.

 

So here's my question for those of you who judge* the golfers who play blades. At what handicap/level do you think think "Wow, that player is getting the most out of those irons."?

 

*judge probably isn't the right word, it sounds too harsh but I can't think of a better one right now.

 

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The lowest my index has even been is 9.8. I did that playing Adams a3os SGI clubs. They were big ugly hybrid irons. When I realized I was a single digit golfer I moved to GI irons for no other reason than I thought it was time to move on. Since moving on my index has hovered between around 12.5 and 15.5 with numerous sets of GI irons. Enter Launcher HB SGI and I am trending right back to where I was with the Adams. I guess the point is maybe there never is a right time to move down in forgiveness for some of us that just want the best scores with the swing they have.

 

 

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[Puttingmatt]

Honestly, prior to Karsten Solhiem the father of the cavity back and ping, all that was available, was a blade. They are not that tough to play good golf with. Yes you need a good swing with a blade or muscle back, but as a golfer you should be striving for a good swing already

[Shankster]

.

When you can do this!

 

 

This?

 

🤝 here's to nothing but good fun from here on out!

[newballcoach]

Last year I had a combo set of Srixon 565/765 and played the 765 end very well. I felt I comfortably could have played the 765 throughout the bag and I fluctuate between a 17-19 Index.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

 

Rumour has it you might get those srixon's back again?

[chisag]

Honestly, prior to Karsten Solhiem the father of the cavity back and ping, all that was available, was a blade. They are not that tough to play good golf with. Yes you need a good swing with a blade or muscle back, but as a golfer you should be striving for a good swing already

 

 

... Those old blades with a high cg were necessary to control the rubber band wound balata balls that spun like crazy. The ball changed along with irons and todays ball is designed to be played with perimeter weighted irons. Both the ball and irons today want to go straight while it was almost impossible to hit a balata ball without some curve to it. One of the reasons so many players back then had a fade or draw as their stock shot because the ball was going to curve, so why not control it. It is a different game today. 

[Shankster]

Makes the feats they accomplished with that old stuff even more impressive. Pretty sure when I started there were still balata balls for sale in the used bucket at the course, they used to come apart mid flight a lot on me haha.

 

I think they had to make them that soft so when you hit the toe you didn't get permanent nerve damage in your hands.

 

Can you imagine hitting a Top Flite XL2000 with a 1970's blade out on the toe? Brings chills...

[Golfspy_CG2]

Rumour has it you might get those srixon's back again?

That's the rumour. Or at this point possibly waiting for 575/785

 

 

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[hckymeyer]

On the flipside is there a handicap that you start to look down on if the are playing super game improvement clubs?

 

How about a 2.6 (trending 2.2) playing Cleveland CBX (with Ping G700's on the way)?  

 

But I don't really care if someone looks down on me.  I played Speedblades for the past 3 seasons and hovered around 5-6.  I'll take any amount of ribbing someone wants to give me if it equals shaving 3 strokes off my handicap.

[GB13]

How about a 2.6 (trending 2.2) playing Cleveland CBX (with Ping G700's on the way)?

 

But I don't really care if someone looks down on me. I played Speedblades for the past 3 seasons and hovered around 5-6. I'll take any amount of ribbing someone wants to give me if it equals shaving 3 strokes off my handicap.

Yes, it is so fun to beat someone who is gaming blades while I am playing my SGI's. I don't care if they look down on me when I beat them they get this priceless look on thier face.

[revkev]

... Those old blades with a high cg were necessary to control the rubber band wound balata balls that spun like crazy. The ball changed along with irons and todays ball is designed to be played with perimeter weighted irons. Both the ball and irons today want to go straight while it was almost impossible to hit a balata ball without some curve to it. One of the reasons so many players back then had a fade or draw as their stock shot because the ball was going to curve, so why not control it. It is a different game today.

Exactly - you'd go to a tour event in the 70's or 80's and it was amazing how much they worked the ball - though normally one way - Zoeller or Watson hit a draw and you knew it - Irwin or Seve a fade - Nicklaus as well of course though his was smaller more like today's players - Sneed hit these beautiful little fades but he was 70 when I saw him - my guess is they weren't so little when he was 30.

 

Great point about the type of iron being controlled by the ball. Even though the Eye 2 was a cavity back it was workable. Not as perimeter weighted or as bulky as today's GIs.

 

 

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[deejaid]

Can you imagine hitting a Top Flite XL2000 with a 1970's blade out on the toe? Brings chills...

 

Coming into the game in the mid 80's as a kid without much money, that was pretty much my early education of the game, except for the 70's blades. Grandpa's barn was filled with 50-60's era store brands; Top-Flite, H&B, and a Wilson Sam Snead Blue Ridge 8-iron I remember vividly.

 

And the only balata's I ever hit were misshapen or looked like they were run over by a lawn mower. It was Top Flite or Pinnacle.

 

Ah, the good, ole days.

 

 

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[Shankster]

Coming into the game in the mid 80's as a kid without much money, that was pretty much my early education of the game, except for the 70's blades. Grandpa's barn was filled with 50-60's era store brands; Top-Flite, H&B, and a Wilson Sam Snead Blue Ridge 8-iron I remember vividly.

 

And the only balata's I ever hit were misshapen or looked like they were run over by a lawn mower. It was Top Flite or Pinnacle.

 

Ah, the good, ole days.

 

 

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It was the mid to late 90's for me. A ton of left over clubs and junk in the cart barn. Boss said take your pick. So obviously I picked the Wilson blades, Power Bilt Persimmon Woods and a ratty old red gator skin bag. And the ugliest titleist putter I have ever seen, I think it was made of aluminum or lead you could gouge it with your fingernail. Something soft anyways.

 

Finding the multi color PING balls out on the course was always a great treat.

 

I didn't play very well with them, much too long for for me at the time, really wish I would have hung onto them though. I can't remember which model Wilson's they were but they were classy.

 

Best job I ever had, besides the getting up at 5 in middle school summers...

[chisag]

How about a 2.6 (trending 2.2) playing Cleveland CBX (with Ping G700's on the way)?  

 

But I don't really care if someone looks down on me.  I played Speedblades for the past 3 seasons and hovered around 5-6.  I'll take any amount of ribbing someone wants to give me if it equals shaving 3 strokes off my handicap.

 

 

... Anyone that looks down on you for playing GI's or even SGI's is not a golfer. They are making an equipment fashion statement that has nothing to do with shooting the lowest score. Same thing can be said for someone that carries their bag and "looks down" on someone with a pushcart. I played with a 2 capp that hit a Fly Z XL with an offset draw producing head and the weak stock shaft along with some older Ping SGI irons. I asked him if he ever hit the "real" Fly Z and he said he used to own one but a friend of his had the Fly Z XL and he hit to straighter so it was a no brainer to switch. He pounded the ball off the tee too. 

[Shankster]

We could say the same for people that roll their eyes when someone rolls up with a full bag of blades. I think this gets more of a laughter or a “yeah right” than anyone that plays SGI's, I know a lot of initial thoughts are “poser” or “he isn't good enough”...

 

My dad has played SGI's for his entire golfing life, he was around scratch at one point, but numerous back injuries have pretty much stopped his golfing. My father in law has some “big butt” Callys and he plays great golf.

 

Then my boss strolls up with a full Jordan Speith set up, I was scared because I knew he was going to beat me, and he did by 1 stroke. The dude never practices but he can pick up his clubs and shoot near par every time.

 

I know I speak a lot about liking certain clubs, but in no way would I look down on anyone for playing old hickories to the biggest orlimar tri metal's made.

 

If it has came off that I am... I am not.

[cnosil]

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If it has came off that I am... I am not.

Hasn't come off that way to me. You play what you like to play. You and I have different perspectives. I want to play something more forgiving to minimize the effects of my swing flaws. You like the look and get you enjoyment from a players club. Nothing is wrong with either, they are Just different.

[StrokerAce]

you also have to play what you're confident in.  

confidence and belief that you can do what you're about to do with the instrument you have in your hands shouldn't be overlooked.

 

if you're using a thin tiny metal thing to project a round thing downrange and you're not sure if you can successfully pull it off it might be time to find whatever is needed to KNOW for a FACT that yes, I can do this.

 

Whether that be hickory, graphite, steel, players, players distance, GI, SGI, blades, ladies clubs, XL, senior clubs  .... whatever it might be.

 

It's a simple game - get the ball from here to there into the hole in as few strokes as possible using whatever tools necessary and within the rules of the game.

 

lastly - one should never be embarrassed or ashamed of whatever it is they have in their bag; let everyone else judge but be proud of what you have, cause it's yours and you know it works. 

[revkev]

Hasn't come off that way to me. You play what you like to play. You and I have different perspectives. I want to play something more forgiving to minimize the effects of my swing flaws. You like the look and get you enjoyment from a players club. Nothing is wrong with either, they are Just different.

I would second this post.

 

If someone is going to make the claim that it would be better for everyone to play Players clubs I'm going to disagree with the statement. If however they are going to say, it's what I prefer, they are fun for me to play, well then play on and enjoy them.

 

Golf needs to be fun.

 

@Strokerace, I guess you and I are different too. A club does not need to be the least bit appealing to my eyes for me to hit it well. I gamed the Wilson C100's for two plus years and hated them every time I pulled one out of my bag. I also played some very good golf with them. They were what I was fit for.

 

I'm not super keen on the way my G30's look but if last week's 72 pops up a few more times I'll just keep me eyes closed when I'm hitting them and laugh all the way to the bank.

 

For me it's all about what equipment allows me to shoot the lowest score. A fitter suggested irons with a wider platform for my 6 and 7 iron, more loft and lighter shaft for more spin. That's what I'm using. I trust the guys that fit me. They have a much better track record than I do.

 

 

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