Wilson Staff CI-9 Irons

[joeyshot]

I've just started getting back into golf after 5 years. I've played 3 rounds with my Dad's clubs (Callaway X-18 graphite regular stiff) and was hitting the ball reasonably well with them. Now I was still posting 120 scores, but I was hitting one or two good shots per hole and getting more consistent which was my aim. I also went up the driving range a few times and again I was happy with how I was hitting the balls.

So I decided to go and get fitted and buy some clubs of my own. I went to American Golf http://www.americangolf.co.uk/ and got custom fitted. They tried me out with various clubs in my price range and measured and analysed my swing with them. In the end they recommended the Wilson Staff CI-9 irons with steel regular stiff shafts. These were custom fitted with mid size grips (cause he said I had large hands) and the lie changed to 2 degrees upright (I'm 6 foot 4 inches).

I picked up the clubs the other day and brought them up to the driving range last night. The results were so disappointing . I was slicing and topping most shots. Out of two large baskets I hit about 5 good shots, 15 okay shots that went straight but not too far and about 100 awful shots.

Did I just waste €450? or am I being too rash? I plan on getting some lessons and I'm hoping the instructor can point out where I'm going wrong with these clubs. If anyone has any advice or comments I'd greatly appreciate it!

Thanks

[Gibby]

Seriously? You're going to blame the clubs? You're shooting 120, of course you will be hitting a lot of awful shots. You can't expect to hit solid shots a majority of the time until you get to being a bogey golfer. All i can say is practice. For a beginner, equipment doesn't make much of a difference. Right now, you just have to practice and get a good swing, that you can replicate, over and over again with consistency. It's not the arrow, it's the indian. Don't blame your clubs. Practice.

-Gibby

[joeyshot]

Oh I didn't mean to give the impression I'm blaming my clubs! I'm well aware of my limited abilities and that a better golfer would be hitting them well. I'm more wondering if I have been incorrectly fitted for my new clubs or will it just take me time to get used to the new clubs (different grips, weight, shafts and lie).

To summarise:
- I was hitting OK with the Callaway X-18s (although shooting high scores they felt comfortable and I was improving)
- I got custom fitted and got new Wilson CI-9s with 2 degrees upright lie
- Now hitting the majority of my shots horribly wrong with the new clubs

Cheers,

Alan

[trumpetgolf]

- Now hitting the majority of my shots horribly wrong with the new clubs

i.e. blaming the clubs?

[joeyshot]

i.e. blaming the clubs?

Jeez I'm not blaming the clubs, I fully acknowledge that I'm the one swinging them and a better player would be able to use them with much better results. I'm saying that with them my shots have taken a few steps backwards in my opinion and I'm wondering if there's a reason for this. Maybe the customised lie isn't correct for me. Maybe the extra weight takes some time to get used to. Ditto the fatter grips.

As I've said I'm going to get lessons with them and continue to practice, I just thought it would be a good idea to post in a forum to get other golfers experience and advice.

[shades9323]

Give it time. The Callaways you were hitting were probalby no where near the right fit for you. Now you have to get used to clubs that you are fit for. They are likely very very different. It will take some time with the new clubs to be comfortable. You didn't waste any mone. You will be fine.

[Meddle]

Well, since you only have played 3 rounds with the Callys, you probably just got hot and now are cooling off. In the long run you are really going to benefit from having those clubs fitted to you, and they are great irons, I've played with the Ci-7's and loved them. Consistent ballstriking is a result of proper instruction and lots of practice (as I'm sure you realize). You have great irons fitted to you, no need to worry about having proper equipment anymore.

[joeyshot]

Thanks shades9323 and Meddle, I guess that's what I was hoping to hear. I'll put the time and practice into them.

I played a round with them yesterday and although there were plenty of bad shots, I did start to get used to them more and managed to get 1 par and 6 bogeys and take 8 shots overall off my best round with the Callaways. And that's all I'm looking for now, just to keep moving my scores in the right direction and have more consistency.

Thanks for your advice.

[joeyshot]

Just a quick update on this. I went and had my first lesson with a PGA pro. He video analysed my setup & swing and then got me to change a few things. The results were really encouraging and by the end of the lesson I was hitting a lot cleaner and straighter. A few days later I went up to the range again and tried to put what the pro told me into practice. By the end of my bucket of balls I was striking the ball really consistently with the irons, the only one I struggled on was my 4 iron.

So again thanks for the advice folks!

[flintlock62]

I've just started getting back into golf after 5 years. I've played 3 rounds with my Dad's clubs (Callaway X-18 graphite regular stiff) and was hitting the ball reasonably well with them. Now I was still posting 120 scores, but I was hitting one or two good shots per hole and getting more consistent which was my aim. I also went up the driving range a few times and again I was happy with how I was hitting the balls.

The Wilson CI-9's are really good beginner/intermediate clubs. However, a few lessons would not hurt your game. My game improved from the mid 90's to the mid 70's. My coach said I have a very good swing, but I was making a couple of errors on address.

[USA 79S]

Joey, I was checking out the Wilson Staff web site and I think the Ci9 clubs are designed to offer some shot shaping while being more forgiving on mishits than a traditional blade. That said it looked like the Di9 were more tailored to those needing assistance in club design to help keep it straight. I think that with the Ci9 you should expect to see the mistakes you make exaggerated, while it's possible the clubs you've been using didn't reveal them so much due to them being game improvement clubs.

Two ways to look at it and decide if you made a good purchase. 1. You'll see the errors more and be forced to adjust your swing to a more correct line or 2. You wanted clubs that are designed for game improvement, and you need something else. Are you on a 30 day return policy? Can you try the Di9, and swap them out if they work better?

Have you been to this web site? http://www.wilsonstaff.com

[jlh1508]

I love the look of the CI-9's, I want to purchase them so bad, but i just bought my nickents last spring

[USA 79S]

I love the look of the CI-9's, I want to purchase them so bad, but i just bought my nickents last spring

Agreed - very nice. The FG-Tours aren't too shabby either.

I missed the OP follow up post where you were hitting them better after a wuick lesson. Glad to hear that they are hitting better for you.

[joeyshot]

Joey, I was checking out the Wilson Staff web site and I think the Ci9 clubs are designed to offer some shot shaping while being more forgiving on mishits than a traditional blade. That said it looked like the Di9 were more tailored to those needing assistance in club design to help keep it straight. I think that with the Ci9 you should expect to see the mistakes you make exaggerated, while it's possible the clubs you've been using didn't reveal them so much due to them being game improvement clubs.

Thanks USA 79S. Yeah I did research both the CI9s and the DI9s. A couple of things made me go for the CI9s, firstly when I was getting fitted I really liked the feel of them and I was hitting the ball on the simulator best with the CI9s. Also I really like the look of them, I've never liked clubs with a fat sole, I much prefer clubs with a thin sole, just an aesthetic thing.

Although maybe the DI9s would have been more suitable for my level right now, I'm putting significant time in practicing and getting lessons and so far I'm moving in the right direction and I'm really happy with my purchase. That said, when I do mis-hit a shot boy does it go wrong! I tend to come from outside to in (something my coach is trying to fix) which produces a slice, so if I mis-hit then it does go more right than the Callaways I was playing with. Thanks for your advice.