Why Don't Pros Use Iron Covers?

[tdiii]

Iron covers, ball retrievers, golf tubes, etc.  Doesn't matter, don't care. . . as long as you play quickly!  Sadly, in my experience, the more detritus of that nature in one's bag, the slower one plays.  Not always.  Sure, there are exceptions.  But definitely more often, those players play slower.  And, since most courses won't follow through with the death penalty for slow play, we all suffer for it.

I must say, I am amused at the notion of protecting one's investment with iron covers.  Seems to show a lack of commitment to one's tools of the trade.  If one doesn't want them dinged to protect resale value, then one never really intended to keep them long term anyway.  Of course your irons will not behave when disrespected like that!

[tlester3672]

Iron covers, ball retrievers, golf tubes, etc.  Doesn't matter, don't care. . . as long as you play quickly!  Sadly, in my experience, the more detritus of that nature in one's bag, the slower one plays.  Not always.  Sure, there are exceptions.  But definitely more often, those players play slower.  And, since most courses won't follow through with the death penalty for slow play, we all suffer for it.

I must say, I am amused at the notion of protecting one's investment with iron covers.  Seems to show a lack of commitment to one's tools of the trade.  If one doesn't want them dinged to protect resale value, then one never really intended to keep them long term anyway.  Of course your irons will not behave when disrespected like that!

I don't think it's a lack of commitment to my tools of the trade.  It's more of a commitment to being up to date with the latest technology.  Not many current players on tour are yanking these out of their bag:

[GolfLug]

He meant 60 Minutes the show, which gets cut into by golf running long when the tournament is on CBS.

[GolfLug]

I would estimate it take me less than 5 seconds to take an iron cover off or put one back on.

Duration of action immaterial. The DISTRACTION being the operative effect. Just for the record I have no problems with others who like/use covers. Use on.

[tdiii]

I don't think it's a lack of commitment to my tools of the trade.  It's more of a commitment to being up to date with the latest technology.  Not many current players on tour are yanking these out of their bag:

Good point.  I'd forgotten the quantum leaps in iron technology in the past 5 years.

[tlester3672]

Good point.  I'd forgotten the quantum leaps in iron technology in the past 5 years.

Come to think about it, you are right.  I guess they should just stop making any new irons. That "we just landed a man on the moon" set should work just fine.

[tdiii]

Come to think about it, you are right.  I guess they should just stop making any new irons. That "we just landed a man on the moon" set should work just fine.

Hmmm.  That's what we call in the debate game a red herring. . .

[tlester3672]

Hmmm.  That's what we call in the debate game a red herring. . .

On the contrary, it is completely relevant.  You have said that a person who upgrades his irons often is not committed to his tools of the trade.  If irons are not improving, then why make them?

[tdiii]

On the contrary, it is completely relevant.  You have said that a person who upgrades his irons often is not committed to his tools of the trade.  If irons are not improving, then why make them?

Yes.  I did say that.  But that does not lead to the conclusion that irons are improving.  How do equipment companies make money in a shrinking industry?  They hail "breakthrough technology" that really don't exist so they can sell more clubs.  It's called marketing.  And the press is complicit in it as they write reviews of products made by their advertisers.  The reality is that in the past decade there has been, at best, incremental improvements in irons.  But you know that already.  So, I'll ask you a question:  How long do you keep your average set of irons?

[tlester3672]

Generally about 5 years. So what you are telling me in other words that a tour pro is nothing more than a marketing tool for the club manufacturers. They know that the clubs are not an improvement over what they had in the past, but they are willing to put their livelihood on the line just to make manufacturers more money?

[tlester3672]

Back to the discussion, your pros do not use them. They also walk and do not ride when playing in tournaments. So if iron covers are wrong, wouldn't this suggest that we all need to walk and have a caddy as well?

[tdiii]

Generally about 5 years. So what you are telling me in other words that a tour pro is nothing more than a marketing tool for the club manufacturers. They know that the clubs are not an improvement over what they had in the past, but they are willing to put their livelihood on the line just to make manufacturers more money?

So this whole discussion is inapplicable to you.  After all, you keep your clubs for 5 years so, even if you keep them in mint condition, they are so obsolete as to be useless and therefore of no value, correct?

And, yes, a tour pro is paid to play the clubs.  And, as observed earlier in this thread, many of them do not change clubs for years. Finally, the at best incremental changes in club technology may be something a pro has the ability to sense and utilize.  You, me and all the rest of the hackers with anything short of a plus handicap. . . not the same.

[tdiii]

Back to the discussion, your pros do not use them. They also walk and do not ride when playing in tournaments. So if iron covers are wrong, wouldn't this suggest that we all need to walk and have a caddy as well?

Have you walked and played with a caddy?  Once you do, you really don't want to go back!

[iacas]

Have you walked and played with a caddy?  Once you do, you really don't want to go back!

Depends on the caddie…

[tdiii]

Depends on the caddie…

Fair enough.  I think I have a grand total 8 whole rounds with four different caddies under my belt and all were excellent.

[newtogolf]

Fair enough.  I think I have a grand total 8 whole rounds with four different caddies under my belt and all were excellent.

I'm curious what made them excellent?  I've played with caddies quite a few times (required for my home club tournaments) and can't say I'm sold on golfing with a course caddie.  A cart carries clubs just as well as they do and I prefer to read my own putts and shoot my own distances with my rangefinder so beyond retrieving my ball out of the woods and raking bunkers I don't see much value.

I guess if you're at a new course and don't know the layout they are helpful in advising you how to play each hole, but then again that's part of the game I like to do myself.

[tdiii]

I'm curious what made them excellent?  I've played with caddies quite a few times (required for my home club tournaments) and can't say I'm sold on golfing with a course caddie.  A cart carries clubs just as well as they do and I prefer to read my own putts and shoot my own distances with my rangefinder so beyond retrieving my ball out of the woods and raking bunkers I don't see much value.

I guess if you're at a new course and don't know the layout they are helpful in advising you how to play each hole, but then again that's part of the game I like to do myself.

I would not bother with a caddy on my home course, even if we offered them, other than on an occasional basis.  All the caddies I've used were absolute geniuses at finding my all too often wayward drives.  We got caddies when we played the Bandon courses, and without a range finder (not really a common thing 7 years ago) I think yardages would have been an adventure, to say the least, and their knowledge of the greens was incredible.  The caddies would team up and act as fore caddies on holes with blind tee shots, which is a real bonus.  I used one at a course in Jamaica for a couple of rounds and same deal:  awesome course knowledge and, in fact, phenomenal with club selection from just watching me play one round.  Bermuda greens were also a new one for me and would have been a huge struggle without a good caddy.  Finally, a buddy is a member of a private club in Los Angeles which required caddies.  Just a fun experience, but I would never bother on a daily basis at my home club.

[David in FL]

If irons are not improving, then why make them?

Because people will buy them.