Club design choices for fast swing, picker...?

[Brian_N_Cols_OH]

HI all,

I tinker with building my own clubs and it's time to change irons.  My head is swimming with all of the factors and I know I probably need to try a fitting or two.  Thing is, I also know that there are fitting biases and I don't want to get caught going the wrong direction.  I'd like some thoughts about the physics of clubs for my particular game as I used to be a low handicapper with a lot of power, but now am older, fatter and play less.  I hit the ball extremely high, so I am just not convinced that a game improvement iron improves the things I need.  Would love some thoughts - I know there will be differences of opinion but I love gaining insight...

- 53 yrs old, overweight but fairly strong (I powerlift with a trainer)
- Driver swing used to be about 110+, last I checked I'm closer to 105 when I really go after one
- I hit my irons mostly straight (no fade, draw) and super high - the launch looks like more of an arc instead of driving to a peak
- Almost no divot, I suspect I catch the ball right at the bottom or even coming up
- For wedges, I seem to have better success with less sole/bounce
- I currently hit an 8 degree driver and hit it much farther than lofts in the 10 degree range - can still get it 300 on occasion
- 8 iron roughly 150, but probably losing distance due to trajectory
- I can hit a fade on command with longer clubs but can rarely draw one - still play a straight ball mostly
- Was a 5 handicap in high school but probably more in the 12 range now - tough to tell since I only play once per week
- Swing hasn't changed a lot since back then - I hit it super high back then too, just a little further

So, I really feel like I may be better suited to a cavity back iron that's NOT a SGI.  I look at the thick soles on those clubs and wonder if my "picking" style of swing is giving me more inconsistency.  Since I'm playing some GI irons now and not hitting them as well, I'm wondering if the game improvement concept is for different types of swings as I know very few golfers that hit it as high as I do.  I currently have a set of Maltby KE4 SSI irons, but honestly I'm inconsistent at best.  I used to play a smaller profile iron like the old Tour Edition irons way back years ago.

I realie that I probably should change my swing, but that ship sailed - I don't play often enough.  I need to find the best fit for what I have and make it work.

Would love some thoughts - thinner sole, less bounce, higher COG?  Or do those really matter much (maybe not)...?

Brian

 

[null]

Definitely sounds similar to my fitting (though I swing a bit faster).  Narrower sole will definitely benefit you.

Do you have the ability to get fitted or at least hit some different irons?

[Micah T]

When you miss, what’s your miss? Fat? Thin? Sounds like you repeat the same face/path, but when you don’t, what happens? I just went to my buddies fitting, and he’s a sweeper. His miss is fat, and the wider club sole does him no favors; the cog being low just induced his miss. He ended up in combo p790-p770 set with kbs 90 tour shafts. You swing it faster and by all accounts are a better ball striker, so maybe the players cavity section of irons would be a good place to poke around. Happy hunting!


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[Hook DeLoft]

I play with a guy who just turned 70 a few months ago, but still hits the ball extremely well.  Your swing sounds like his.  He rarely takes a divot and hits the ball very high with all his clubs.  I'm guessing his swing speed is still in the low to mid 90's.  He plays Honma forged cavity backs with a narrow sole. 

I have been taking lessons and have learned to hit down on the ball in the last year.  But when I was a picker, a wide sole was the worst thing for me.

[release]

Brian,  Your description of yourself is a mirror image of when I was 53.  I also favor a fade than a draw from the tee.  Small or no divot with iron shots ( yes, even fairway woods and hybrids ).  I was also fairly strong for my size and age, comparing to my peer.

I was still using X flex in my driver ( Graphite design Pershing X flex ), one of my all time favorite.  Rifle 6.0 in the irons.

Although after I pass the age of 51, I drifted away from the blade style in the irons and spent most of the rounds with Callaway X14 P.S.  with the 6.0.  I split the bag with blades in the Summer and X14 Pro Series in the winter.  Got other game improvement irons later on but never really could change over from the more traditional look of the irons.

I was watching the video on changing the shaft of the Titleist P 970 within this forum.  The topline, sole , bounce.... all reminisce what I used to and still like to see.  You might want to consider this or similar style of iron heads.

Or pick up a used set of X-14 P.S.  the bore through shaft is more demanding with the re-shafting.   

  

Edited April 27, 2021 by release