Clubs for the high-speed low-skill player?

[Double Dodger]

On 4/7/2021 at 3:46 PM, betarhoalphadelta said:

Of course. Already had one, and working through what I learned. Will have more as needed.

Speed is good...but, control is better. If you go to the range try hitting maybe 2 clubs less to a target. Do this with a whole bucket and that alone will make you a more consistent player. Irons are all about control. After learning some controlled accuracy you can use the speed only where it is needed. Good luck   

[inorkuo]

@betarhoalphadelta i'm in the same boat as you. i picked up the game a few years ago and i'm currently a 19 hcp working hard to improve. i play jpx 919 forged irons and and a ping g410 driver, 3w and hybrid bc i wanted as much forgiviness as possible in the woods.

[betarhoalphadelta]

6 hours ago, Double Dodger said:

Speed is good...but, control is better. If you go to the range try hitting maybe 2 clubs less to a target. Do this with a whole bucket and that alone will make you a more consistent player. Irons are all about control. After learning some controlled accuracy you can use the speed only where it is needed. Good luck   

 

Thanks. I have been finding myself clubbing up more in general. I also find that if I dial back effort 10-15%, I hit the ball equally as far and with better dispersion. So I've been trying to do that too. 

 

5 hours ago, inorkuo said:

@betarhoalphadelta i'm in the same boat as you. i picked up the game a few years ago and i'm currently a 19 hcp working hard to improve. i play jpx 919 forged irons and and a ping g410 driver, 3w and hybrid bc i wanted as much forgiviness as possible in the woods.

 

Those 919 forged are some good-looking irons. 

[platgof]

On 4/30/2021 at 11:40 AM, inorkuo said:

@betarhoalphadelta i'm in the same boat as you. i picked up the game a few years ago and i'm currently a 19 hcp working hard to improve. i play jpx 919 forged irons and and a ping g410 driver, 3w and hybrid bc i wanted as much forgiviness as possible in the woods.

yeah, but what shafts are you using???

[platgof]

The shaft weight and flex will allow you to find your comfort zone. There are so many great shafts that will work. Try the Nippon shafts in a Srixon ZX5(cult irons of the year) and see what happens. Then wait forever for it to arrive!!!

[inorkuo]

On 5/1/2021 at 9:06 PM, platgof said:

yeah, but what shafts are you using???

 

dynamic gold s300 120 in the jpx 919's.

[platgof]

On 5/1/2021 at 8:09 PM, platgof said:

The shaft weight and flex will allow you to find your comfort zone. There are so many great shafts that will work. Try the Nippon shafts in a Srixon ZX5(cult irons of the year) and see what happens. Then wait forever for it to arrive!!!

My bad, I didn't see where you have tried the Nippons. I guess they are too light for you. Nike made some great irons during the Tiger years. Yeah, go and try some different shafts. I wonder what shafts are in your Nikes?

[betarhoalphadelta]

I might need to try some different Nippon shafts... My current clubs are 20 yr old NS 950 in stiff. I suspect they're too light, and at over-length, may play to less stiffness too. 

 

When I was at PGATSS I tried the Modus 120 S, but at only +0.5" I still felt like I was hunching over the ball. So I don't know that it was a very useful test. That and my swing was dog excrement that day.

 

[Phabs]

Seems like a dangerous combo 

[betarhoalphadelta]

7 minutes ago, Phabs said:

Seems like a dangerous combo 

 

Lol yep... Ball goes a long way... I just have no clue where.

[NRJyzr]

On 4/5/2021 at 6:09 PM, betarhoalphadelta said:

So... offset. I don't get it.

 

Supposedly offset is good for bad players. They say it makes the club more forgiving and gives you an extra split second to close the club face.

 

There are all sorts of fun things written about offset.  It's great fun sifting through all of it.  🙂

 

Offset will help close the clubface, but not in the manner that's hinted in the descriptions we often see.  The effect of offset is to move the CG farther back, away from the ball.  In the dynamics of the swing, the CG will try to align itself with the shaft.  With it farther back, it will cause the clubhead to move forward, which also helps to close the face at the same time.  It will perhaps make you hit the ball a bit more to the left for a RH player, but it will really cause an increase in trajectory.

 

As you read that, keep in mind it's a paraphrased description by a dumb accountant, not an engineer or physics student.  😉

 

As I've read through this thread, I was thinking it sounds like you would be a good fit for something like the Ping i200 or i210.  They are both quite forgiving (as high or higher MOI than most forgiving stuff from the time of your last fitting), and don't have the flexible face thing that may add some inconsistency for a higher speed player.  

 

Something like an older Ping G series would be forgiving, but I find them less interesting due to the loft progressions, and they're only about the same MOI as the i210, at best.  I also doubt you'll need the assistance with trajectory you'd get from the offset.  😉

 

Couple random thoughts in the morning, as the caffeine is kicking in...

 

[NRJyzr]

duplicate...

 

Edited May 4, 2021 by NRJyzr

[betarhoalphadelta]

Starting to think that I might be a good candidate for single-length...

 

At my skill level, reduction of variables would seem to make a lot of sense. I can hit long irons, but I certainly wouldn't call it a strength or something that I do consistently. But everything 7i down I actually do make pretty good contact on a consistent basis. 

 

Thinking about getting fit for the Wishon EQ1-NX 4H and 5-GW at either 37.5" or 38" (current 8i), and then looking for SW and LW elsewhere matched at 37" (current PW). 

[chocolate_rehab]

On 3/25/2021 at 9:27 AM, betarhoalphadelta said:

 

Yeah, that's the hard part. I may get thrown off WRX for saying this, but I don't want to be on the constantly-revolving golf club carousel. 

 

It's more that I'd rather buy the right thing once and then live with that for a decade. Note: that doesn't mean I need the latest-and-greatest. If a fitter has some aging inventory that works and they're willing to make a deal on, I'm not going to be a snob and against the idea because the 2021 model is just SO much better than the 2019 model... I'm playing 20 year old clubs now lol!

 

I'm not against the idea of used clubs either... The question I have is where would I find used clubs with specs that are even remotely close to what I need for my size/weight/strength? 

 

For example I just googled "where to buy used clubs" and it pointed me to 3Balls and Callaway Pre-owned. But looking at sets in that +1" range on 3Balls there's only one iron set, and two in the +0.5" range. Callaway I expanded the search to +3/4, +1, and +1 1/4, and I got more sets, but they were almost all Apex / Apex Pro / Apex MB, which probably aren't good given my need for forgiveness. As much as I see that Apex Pro 4-PW in KBS Tour 130 Steel at +1" in X-Stiff calling my name, I don't think it's a good purchase lol 😉

 

There is a Steelhead XR Pro set 4-PW in +1 with the TT XP 105 in S300 flex at a +2* lie angle (similar to my current set) on there at a pretty reasonable price... <$400. But I don't know if the Steelhead XR Pro is still a little too aggressive for someone who needs forgiveness...

 

Honestly, you're the perfect candidate to get a good fitting and go with their recommendation. You'll get to hit anything and everything, which is fun, but also will ensure you've tried things and come out with what you like. Everyone's game is different, and you might get fit into irons you wouldn't have expected.

 

Given the fact that you're in a unique position with a lot of speed but a high handicap, as well as tall/broad, it's worth the expenditure. Especially as you keep clubs for 20 years. The expense spread out over many seasons of golf is worth it, whereas someone who gets fittings constantly but is a club ho is wasting loads of money.

 

Don't buy used from 3balls or globalgolf or Callaway Preowned - those clubs can be any spec and you'll recoup the investment in your own custom clubs over time. Good luck.

Edited May 11, 2021 by chocolate_rehab

[betarhoalphadelta]

I had my fitting with a Wishon shop and pulled the trigger on the EQ1-NX single length. 4h, 5i-GW. All in 37.5" (+1), with Modus3 120g in stiff and GP MCC+4 midsize grips.

 

They do their fittings for the single length with 5i, as many golfers they fit have trouble generating the speed to launch it at the lower lengths. I didn't have that issue. Launch/spin were fine for 5i, and I was consistently carrying 190 and getting about 205 with rollout, which is about the distance I expect for my own 5i. 

 

What I will say is that regardless of shaft, hitting >70 balls in an hour, I've never flushed so many 5i in my life. The advantage of playing a club 2" shorter than my own 5i (and then 2.5"/3" shorter than my current 4i/3i) made contact a breeze. 

 

The simplification of swinging ONE setup, ONE ball position, and ONE swing plane for all irons I think will be a help for me when it comes to playing consistently well. 

 

Time will tell, as obviously I haven't gotten the clubs yet nor played with them. But I'm feeling pretty confident with my purchase already.