Golf Thread 2014 - All Things Golf!

[minghis]

I've just bought some nice new Ping G30 irons and despite having them properly fitted by the Pro I'm not hitting them as cleanly as my old irons.

In fact, I'm struggling with them. Slices, shanks even and some weird divots. Should I be worried or will they take a while to get used to?

[Rosscow]

bodhi said:

Must admit I'm never one to get too excited about the release of a new range of golf clubs - I've had my current irons 10 years and don't particularly wish to part with them, but every so often a new release comes along to make me think very hard about that. These got announced on Monday:

http://www.nike.com/us/en_us/c/golf/stories/2014-0...

Must admit I'm loving the look of the Vapor Pros. If they do a 1 iron (no sign so far) I could be VERY tempted when they appear later in the year.

I can't get excited about anything from Nike if I'm honest - normally avoid like the plague, especially when it comes to golf.

[Rosscow]

minghis said:

I've just bought some nice new Ping G30 irons and despite having them properly fitted by the Pro I'm not hitting them as cleanly as my old irons.

In fact, I'm struggling with them. Slices, shanks even and some weird divots. Should I be worried or will they take a while to get used to?

How long have you had them for?

[bodhi]

Rosscow said:

I can't get excited about anything from Nike if I'm honest - normally avoid like the plague, especially when it comes to golf.

Heh, the only club in my bag that doesn't have a swoosh on the bottom is my putter. Add in the clothes, shoes, bag etc I probably look like a right wannabe Tiger/Rory, but they seem to fit my game better than anything else I've tried.

[Rosscow]

bodhi said:

Rosscow said:

I can't get excited about anything from Nike if I'm honest - normally avoid like the plague, especially when it comes to golf.

Heh, the only club in my bag that doesn't have a swoosh on the bottom is my putter. Add in the clothes, shoes, bag etc I probably look like a right wannabe Tiger/Rory, but they seem to fit my game better than anything else I've tried.

It's weird isn't how people have different views on manufacturers!

[SpeckledJim]

Golf clubs are a bloody swizz. It's all rubbish.

The basic physics of good and bad were established decades ago. All they're doing now is shuffling shapes and humps and hollows back and forwards and putting different stickers on them.

If there was a continual drive towards 'perfection' then you'd see small incremental changes, with this year's model basically indistinguishable from last year's.

There's none of that. They put much more effort into making the club look new and different than they do on making it better.

And they only get longer because of creeping, quiet loft inflation.

Shaft technology is much more important that club heads.

[Cbull]

SpeckledJim said:

Shaft technology is much more important that club heads.

Really? I've seen a few you tube videos talk about shafts. According to them pro’s shafts barely make any difference, especially for non pro’s plus the consideration of price. Even to the extend between Stiff and Flex, I seen a recent video showing a good golfer swinging 3 shots with each and the results shown the Flex gaining 4 yards.
Personally I have no idea and just go from what they say. What difference would a £30 shaft and £300 shaft do?

[minghis]

Rosscow said:

How long have you had them for?

Last Thursday, played 2 rounds with them so far.

[Rosscow]

minghis said:

Rosscow said:

How long have you had them for?

Last Thursday, played 2 rounds with them so far.

Yeah I think you need to give them a little while longer.

I've had my new Ping i25's for a couple of weeks and am only really starting to enjoy hitting them now.

[Rosscow]

Got my new GPS watch, looks and feels nice! Looking forward to trying it out

[Carl_Spackler]

SpeckledJim said:

And they only get longer because of creeping, quiet loft inflation.

http://www.alanscustomclubs.com/_pdfs/12mythsBook....


Page 7

Table 1—The Dreaded Vanishing Loft Disease

Evolution of Men’s Wood & Iron Lofts—Industry Average

Club 1960s–70s 1980s Early 1990s 1997+
(degrees) (degrees) (degrees) (degrees)
1-iron 17 17 16 16–17
2-iron 20 20 19 18–20
3-iron 24 23 22 20–21
4-iron 28 26 25 23–24
5-iron 32 30 28 26–27
6-iron 36 34 32 30–31
7-iron 40 38 36 34–35
8-iron 44 42 40 38–40
9-iron 48 46 44 42–44
PW 52 50 48 46–48
SW 56 56 56 55–56
Driver 11 11 10 9–10.5
3-wood 16 15 15 13–14
5-wood 22 21 19 17–18
7-wood 28 27 23 20–21

[PHuzzy]

Speaking of ridiculous loft, I managed to bag myself a set of TM RocketBlade(z()) irons on ebay for a price I'm pleased with. Did read many reviews from amateurs and testers and consider them perfect for me. Hopefully I can bond with them and take my +15 into single digits over the next year or so.

Departing my bag, a set of Cobra S9s. They served me well over the last 2 years.

Anyway a gratuitous shot before I get them filthy tomorrow.

[bodhi]

Rosscow said:

bodhi said:

Rosscow said:

I can't get excited about anything from Nike if I'm honest - normally avoid like the plague, especially when it comes to golf.

Heh, the only club in my bag that doesn't have a swoosh on the bottom is my putter. Add in the clothes, shoes, bag etc I probably look like a right wannabe Tiger/Rory, but they seem to fit my game better than anything else I've tried.

It's weird isn't how people have different views on manufacturers!

And this topic would be bloody dull if we didn't.

Although I accept I'm a bit of a freak, strangely more comfortable with a 1 iron in my hand than a 3 wood. Judging by the complete lack of new irons they make a 1 iron for, I suspect I'm about the only person left who uses one.....

[StescoG66]

Carl_Spackler said:

http://www.alanscustomclubs.com/_pdfs/12mythsBook....


Page 7

Table 1—The Dreaded Vanishing Loft Disease

Evolution of Men’s Wood & Iron Lofts—Industry Average

Club 1960s–70s 1980s Early 1990s 1997+
(degrees) (degrees) (degrees) (degrees)
1-iron 17 17 16 16–17
2-iron 20 20 19 18–20
3-iron 24 23 22 20–21
4-iron 28 26 25 23–24
5-iron 32 30 28 26–27
6-iron 36 34 32 30–31
7-iron 40 38 36 34–35
8-iron 44 42 40 38–40
9-iron 48 46 44 42–44
PW 52 50 48 46–48
SW 56 56 56 55–56
Driver 11 11 10 9–10.5
3-wood 16 15 15 13–14
5-wood 22 21 19 17–18
7-wood 28 27 23 20–21

Playing devils advocate here - could this be as a result of advancing shaft and ball technology? Balls have been designed to get more airborne for a while, coupled the more understanding of shaft flexes, kick points etc. Could this grgadual de-lofting be as a result of these advancements? I also concede is more likely to be down to marketing ....

[cheddar]

SpeckledJim said:

Golf clubs are a bloody swizz. It's all rubbish.

The basic physics of good and bad were established decades ago. All they're doing now is shuffling shapes and humps and hollows back and forwards and putting different stickers on them.

If there was a continual drive towards 'perfection' then you'd see small incremental changes, with this year's model basically indistinguishable from last year's.

There's none of that. They put much more effort into making the club look new and different than they do on making it better.

And they only get longer because of creeping, quiet loft inflation.

Shaft technology is much more important that club heads.

I switched from my £200 beginners set to a £2000 set of Williams clubs with Fujikura shafts 5 years ago and the gain in distance with each club was very real, whether it was down to sneaky loft changes I can't tell you but I do agree with you about them 'shuffling shapes and humps' to create perceived improvements.

My irons have cutouts containing small blocks of 'Densimet', it's the same metal used to ballast F1 cars, the second heaviest in the world and my hybrids woods have winglets and diffusers to 'improve aerodynamic efficiency through the swing' (downforce????).

Most of it's cobblers, I'm coaching a beginner female golfer who's using a £50 secondhand set of lady's clubs and I hit them just as well as my super expensive F1 inspired set.

Our grip, posture, swing, hips, alignment and timing make ten times more difference than a change to the latest carlos fandango hyper clubs.........

[DuncanM]

bodhi said:

And this topic would be bloody dull if we didn't.

Although I accept I'm a bit of a freak, strangely more comfortable with a 1 iron in my hand than a 3 wood. Judging by the complete lack of new irons they make a 1 iron for, I suspect I'm about the only person left who uses one.....

I would genuinely cry if I lost my Titleist 962 1 iron

[DuncanM]

Carl_Spackler said:

http://www.alanscustomclubs.com/_pdfs/12mythsBook....


Page 7

Table 1—The Dreaded Vanishing Loft Disease

Evolution of Men’s Wood & Iron Lofts—Industry Average

Club 1960s–70s 1980s Early 1990s 1997+
(degrees) (degrees) (degrees) (degrees)
1-iron 17 17 16 16–17
2-iron 20 20 19 18–20
3-iron 24 23 22 20–21
4-iron 28 26 25 23–24
5-iron 32 30 28 26–27
6-iron 36 34 32 30–31
7-iron 40 38 36 34–35
8-iron 44 42 40 38–40
9-iron 48 46 44 42–44
PW 52 50 48 46–48
SW 56 56 56 55–56
Driver 11 11 10 9–10.5
3-wood 16 15 15 13–14
5-wood 22 21 19 17–18
7-wood 28 27 23 20–21

Ha! Even that's out of date, new 7 irons have 30deg of loft, which is 1deg stronger than my 6 iron!

[Rosscow]

My 7 iron is 33 degrees!

[DuncanM]

Rosscow said:

My 7 iron is 33 degrees!

mine is 35, a lot of the new Callaway and Taylor made are 30 on the dot

[JamesNotJim]

Cbull said:

SpeckledJim said:

Shaft technology is much more important that club heads.

Really? I've seen a few you tube videos talk about shafts. According to them pro’s shafts barely make any difference, especially for non pro’s plus the consideration of price. Even to the extend between Stiff and Flex, I seen a recent video showing a good golfer swinging 3 shots with each and the results shown the Flex gaining 4 yards.
Personally I have no idea and just go from what they say. What difference would a £30 shaft and £300 shaft do?

If you hit a Project X shaft and then hit a Nippon shaft you would be able to tell the difference within a few shots.
The shaft is the engine of the club, get the engine right and it matters very little what head you use.
I started the game with Callaway Uniflex shafts, with a well hit shot a PW would go 155yrds. Which is frankly ridiculous, but bad shots went all over the place. I then moved onto Stiff shafts, distance came down but dispersion was still poor. I have finally moved onto X stiff shaft this year. Distance is up (Non cranked lofts Ping S55) and dispersion is about as good as it gets for a club golfer.
If your going to get anything fitted, make it the shafts!