Game Improvement/Better Player Equipment

[Doctorfro]

Yep, Ping i10 its all of the above

You know, I've been playing Ping since 1990. The i10 doesn't have great eye-appeal for me for some reason. I liked the i5 better. Actually hit the i5s on a demo day and was puring them. Truth is it shouldn't matter what they look like as long as you can hit them correctly.

Been doing a little homework since I started this thread and I'm probably seeing more clearly now. There are some clubs by Mizuno, Cleveland, Adams and Ping that I need to look at. Even Callaway has some that seem to be "critically acclaimed" although for some reason I've never been a big fan of the Callaway irons even though when I tried them I hit 'em pretty good. The whole driver thing is another issue. Really considering going with a tour model instead of the regular. The closed face is causing some directional issues and compensations that I'm not liking.

[PLLand55]

Doctorfro,

Keep me in the loop as to what you find. I am in the EXACT same boat as you, and it looks like are playing skills are =. I am looking for all the same things you are. Forgiving, soft feel, straight for the most part, but if I have to hit a fade or draw I can do so. Look is also important to me. Like you I am not into the thick top line.

On the driver side, I am hitting the regular Burner, but put a custom shaft in it. There is a guy in Lake Charles, LA who does shafts, and I can say his efforts have lowered my ball flight and given me much more roll (reduced backspin). My misses aren't as bad either. I would suggest getting the right shaft for your driver when you take that route as well. It's very important, and I am sure everyone here would agree.

[Doctorfro]

Iron wise I'm intrigued by the Mizuno MP-57, Ping i10 or i5. The Adams pro irons may be an option. I now have my interest piqued by the Titleist AP-1. Going to try to hit some of these tomorrow.

Still searching for that driver that you can drop behind the ball and swing away. Too many closed-face drivers or ones with funny shaped heads. Tonight I hit the new Taylor made that is not on the market yet. Hit it ok but nothing to write home about. It was a Taylor made night at GG. Really busy or I might have put a few more swings on it.

[r7 425]

Today I think "workability" ia over rated. Ireally think if a club fit's your eye and you feel good over it, play those clubs. There is an element of snobs out there that think unless they are swinging BLADES then they are something less than they are. Last time I looked, golf is about how many not how you got there. comfortable.

Yea ive been saying it for a while...There are people out there that should NOT be playing forged blades...its only degrading their scorecard..They think that they can be a "player"...Wrong --Forged Blades when hit on the toe go absolutely nowhere...the distance loss is incredible on a mishit--and the clubs in general have a stiff feeling if not struck in the center....I think that only tour guys should be playing forged blades because the mis hit factor is astronomical...i also know that some people prefer the feel of a forged blade...but the risk definately outweighs the reward...personally whenever i see a guy playing a forged blade--i just wonder where their ego has gone

[marpr]

this is an age-old arguement guys.

each-to-their own i guess.

[PLLand55]

Iron wise I'm intrigued by the Mizuno MP-57, Ping i10 or i5. The Adams pro irons may be an option. I now have my interest piqued by the Titleist AP-1. Going to try to hit some of these tomorrow.

Let me know what you think about the AP's. I may go out to a neighboring CC to their demo day. I know Titleist will be out there. Take care.

[Doctorfro]

Guess the whole thing takes alot of experimentation because a big factor is lie angle. I play 3 degrees up now. But I think my swing has changed over time and I may not need that much upright . Last night I picked up my son's G2 7 iron (black dot, standard) and flushed it. Is that because it fits my swing properly or because I put a swing on it that fit the club? Does that make sense?

I'll pose another question: How many of you own a driver that when at address you set the club down and it sets up square? Mine doesn't and when at a TM demo night at GG I picked up one of their drivers and it was like it pointed straight left. The Callaway BB 460 is supposedly designed to set up square at address. Thoughts?

[irspow]

Good luck finding any square clubs these days. Almost everything is set up hooded because people aren't willing to learn how to swing a club correctly. My Ping driver was supposed to be "square" but on my workbench proved to be 2 degrees closed. Luckily, a friend of mine was proficient at adjusting this. Even still the face is set slightly back of the shaft.

They never used to make clubs that way. Everything now is ridiculously oversized, hooded, and delofted. The club making industry is breeding bad golfers with their garbage equipment in my opinion. If you never took a lesson and adapted to today's latest technology, you would indeed be left with a ugly and inefficient golf swing. Sad.

Why don't baseball players use bats the size of telephone poles? How about the NBA making the hoop about three feet in diameter so that casual players can sink a few more baskets? It's just silly. The only people benefiting from all of this garbage are the club manufacturers not the average player. Average handicaps haven't changes at all in over forty years. Think about that the next time you are told to dump a thousand on the latest driver gimmick.

Sorry, just rambling, but those pimps at Callaway and the rest aren't doing anyone any favors. Every other sport standardizes their equipment and lets the talent of the athletes determine how well they play. The USGA and R&A; must be getting some pretty big envelopes behind closed doors to allow this farce to continue.

Tom

[nykfan4life]

Good luck finding any square clubs these days. Almost everything is set up hooded because people aren't willing to learn how to swing a club correctly. My Ping driver was supposed to be "square" but on my workbench proved to be 2 degrees closed. Luckily, a friend of mine was proficient at adjusting this. Even still the face is set slightly back of the shaft.

I couldn't have said It better myself.

[hypergolf]

Irons with offset, closed-faced drivers, etc. Then you have all the better-player equipment. Why can't they marry the two "genres" together? Or maybe they do but I just don't see it or know what it is.

I didn't read all the above replies so I am not sure if someone has already mentioned this but Ping makes a good combination of both playability and workability IMO.

Also, believe it or not, I have seen lots of tour players using game improvement clubs (eg: Ping G5, Taylormade Burner (non TP), Taylormade r7 iron (non TP), hybrids, etc) I think some golfers have ego problems (which I did when I first started out) but now I play with clubs that gives me best performance. I played with a guy who carries all player's equipments (all Titleist) the other day and he scored 95 and I scored 84... I won $20 per score difference and he has a lower handicap than me....

[Doctorfro]

Well, I played really well overall today. Iron play was the best it's been in a long time. Driver wasn't great but it wasn't bad. Makes me think I'm probably crazy for wanting to change equipment.

[PLLand55]

Well, I played really well overall today. Iron play was the best it's been in a long time. Driver wasn't great but it wasn't bad. Makes think I'm probably crazy for wanting to change equipment.

I struck my irons pretty well today too. It's funny how one day I am all about buying game improvement irons, because I hit my irons bad, then the next day I decide to stick with a player club.

I think my final decision is to get 5-6 in the AP1 and 7-P in the AP2. Now I need to figure out which shaft is right.

[Doctorfro]

Finally got to the golf store and hit some clubs. Didn't have alot of time but I hit the AP1s. Oh my goodness. I only hit one bad shot. Every ball strike was pure and straight. Have to get more time to hit more. Traded my Titleist 3w for the Callaway X hot. Much more forgiving and geared for what I wanted to use the 3 wood for (basically a narrow fairway driving club). Anxious to get back out and play.

[Bradenator]

I should find out soon enough if I have made a horrible mistake. I have been playing with the same set of Ping Karsten II's that I have had since I was 12 years old. A lot of good rounds with those clubs, and my fair share of round best forgotten. At the encouragement of the wife, I am going to start getting back into the game, start competing on the amateur level, etc...and she insisted that I get new equipment. Man, how lucky am I?

Over the years, I managed to learn to shape shots pretty effectively with those old irons, but am hoping to get a bit more distance and workability, without feeling that I need to absolutely pure every shot every time to stand a chance. Picked the TM r7TP's. Seemed like a good balance, and just felt good. Haven't had a chance to play a round yet, but I suppose we'll just have to see. Since I've only played 2 sets of clubs (the Karstens, and a set of Jr. Chi Chi Rodriguez clubs from my childhood), I am kind of excited at my first upgrade in, well, pretty much ever!

[Doctorfro]

I should find out soon enough if I have made a horrible mistake. I have been playing with the same set of Ping Karsten II's that I have had since I was 12 years old. A lot of good rounds with those clubs, and my fair share of round best forgotten. At the encouragement of the wife, I am going to start getting back into the game, start competing on the amateur level, etc...and she insisted that I get new equipment. Man, how lucky am I?

Dude! Who is your wife? Mine is very supportive to a point. When it comes to equipment it just bugs her anytime I suggest something new. It's like I buy new equipment all the time (which I don't). But check out my sig. I'm playing the same irons for 14 years now. Have gone through some changes in the woods but I played my original Callaway BB for 16 years! I do change putters every 3 to 4 years.

But seriously, the new technology is going to blow your game away. You're getting ready to hit a new level. I'm excited FOR you.

[Bradenator]

Dude! Who is your wife? Mine is very supportive to a point. When it comes to equipment it just bugs her anytime I suggest something new.

I told you I was lucky! I kept telling her that I didn't want to be one of those guys that is collecting clubs, and always changing equipment to try to fix a swing problem....Then she reminded me that my clubs were older than most of my playing partners! After I came home with the irons, she then asked "Why didn't you get any new woods?" I must have saved a bunch of kids from a burning building in my previous life or something!

Thanks for being excited. I really can't wait to get a few rounds under my belt. The computer at the shop had me 20+ yards more distance than my Karstens, so that might take a bit of getting used to- I think I can get over it, though!! So, to keep the wife happy, I suppose I am in the market for some fairway woods as well. Looking for the same mix of playability and a bit of forgiveness so I am not completely miserable on days that I can't seem to hit the ball on the screws. Upgraded my driver a few years ago, and am pleased with it. My current fairway wood is just that....a MacGregor persimmons 4 wood. I have the whole set (1,3,4,5), and swap a wedge for the 3 wood on courses with longer 5 pars, but am thinking a 3/5 combo would be better, and allow me to drop the 2 iron. Man, I've got it rough....

[SwinginCaveman]

Then I guess I have to ask this question.

I bought a set of Nike CCi's last year because I was just getting serious about golf again and they were dirt cheap. They're cast, not forged, but I've been having trouble hitting them. Would they be considered a "blade" or are they one of those combo irons that use a little bit of both? It never occured to me why I'm not hitting them well. I'm also the kind of person who doesn't really care to work the ball. I'd like to learn how to do it but it would be like a flop shot for me; only use it when you need it.

Not to hijack the thread, but advice?

[Lefty731PM]

Then I guess I have to ask this question.

Ever heard of Google?

http://thesandtrap.com/equipment/clu...t_irons_review