Wide sole on my Callaway X-18s

[Gerardv]

So, I was at the range today with my five year old hitting golf balls from the grass area. He commented that the shots I hit "look like they do on TV," but I don't take a "chunk" of ground up like they do.

Granted, he is being kind about the shots looking like they do on TV. But I do hit the ball pretty straight and very consistently. My short game keeps my handicap so high.

Anyway, here is the question. Could the wide sole on the X-18s be hurting my ball striking by causing the club to bounce instead of taking a proper divot. When I hit my Cleveland CG12 and Callaway Forged wedge I get a good divot, but not with my X-18 wedge.

I could be way off base with this, but my son's comment made me think about it.

[HotSauce]

If I remember correctly, the X-18s have a very high bounce naturally. That said, I doubt it's really hurting your game.

I'm in your ball park, as I'm a very good range player, yet shoot high. I have the same issue with short game which ruins my scoring.

[skwon11]

Do you hit the ball better though with the wide sole? My next set of clubs are going to be a wider sole club (like Pings) b/c I just hit them better. For me the divots are about the same regardless.

[Gerardv]

Do you hit the ball better though with the wide sole? My next set of clubs are going to be a wider sole club (like Pings) b/c I just hit them better. For me the divots are about the same regardless.

I have no idea if I hit it better because of the wide sole, I am giong to have to get my old Tommy Armour 845s out because they have a much narrow sole and see what happens. My thought is the club is bouncing just after impact instead of making a proper divot. That's why I asked, since there are people here with a much better understanding of that dynamic than I do.

[kpaulhus]

I take a half a dollar bill sized divot with my X-18's? I some times I dont take a divot at all. I guess it just depends on how steep you attack the ball. All irons can take divots, even the SGI Fusion irons.

[Gerardv]

I take a half a dollar bill sized divot with my X-18's? I some times I dont take a divot at all. I guess it just depends on how steep you attack the ball. All irons can take divots, even the SGI Fusion irons.

I understand that all irons can take divots and do so with the X18s. That isn't the question. The question is whether the wide sole could cause the club to bounce instead of digging in and taking a divot and could that effect ball striking.

Even with standard irons I am more of a sweeper - I do take divots. So, I wonder if the wide sole can cause a problem.

[kpaulhus]

I wouldnt say its necessairly a problem, but the wider sole is there to help out Mid-High handicappers who may not strike the ball as well as others. That being said, Im sure a scratch golfer could still play fine with the X-18's having perfect ball striking abilities. I think the X-18's have a wider sole becasue they are more of a GI club? If your ball striking is good then you should be fine, but like you said about the bounce, if you are not catching the ball right, or hitting behind the ball, the wide sole can cause the club to bouce and skull the shot. I understand your question and agree that it could possibly affect your shot, but thats only if you are not hitting the ball correctly.

[Gerardv]

Got it, thank you. I bought these irons because they absorb shock and I need that due to my neck being made up of more metal than bone. At times, they deaden things too much but even my old 845s transmit too much shock so I don't have a lot of options.

Thanks for the help.

[leo3]

On a well struck shot, the divot starts after the ball, and the ball only stays on the clubface for miliseconds, so the sole should not have much effect on ball striking. The wider sole on game improvement clubs is a design feature to get weight low and back from the clubface, to promote higher shots. That is why super game improvement iron sole are beginning to resemble hybrids.

[Gerardv]

On a well struck shot, the divot starts after the ball, and the ball only stays on the clubface for miliseconds, so the sole should not have much effect on ball striking. The wider sole on game improvement clubs is a design feature to get weight low and back from the clubface, to promote higher shots. That is why super game improvement iron sole are beginning to resemble hybrids.

OK, I know the divot starts after the ball, my concern was that bounce comes nearly as the ball leaves the club face. If the club is bouncing as it compresses the ball instead of continuing to drive down through it I was concerned it could cause problems.

Clearly, I am over thinking the situation. It's all good, I pulled out my 845s and hit a few shots with the 7 iron, and my Callaway. Even though the 845s made a more pronounced divot, the shots were struck crisply with both. I am considering getting a less forgiving set of irons, I just need to find one that absorbs shock. The problem being to absorb shock clubs have to have SGI characteristics. The X-22 Tour are an option, well, as far as I can tell the only option.