Regardless of Irons

[flybub]

I still shoot the same scores!!

I've never kept track of my handicap until this year but I have always shot mid-high 80's, some 90's sprinkled in early season (Ohio). I have played in the same 9 hole league for 5 years and my scores have never changed 42-45. 3 years ago I went from X-14's to MP-33's, I shot the same scores for 2 years with the 33's mid-high 80's and same league scores. Last year I sold the 33's and bought X-16 Pro Series thinking I needed more forgiveness, well....I shot the same scores. This year I bought a set of MP-32's and a set of Srixon i701 (non-tour). I played league tonight with the Srixon's and I shoot 45. This drives me insane, I am taking a look at my game and my GIR are pi&& poor but I don't always give myself an easy shot in. On the scoring holes I always manage to hit bad drives and do not leave myself a shot in. Par 3's I'm ok on, I don't have a great GIR % but my Par 3 tee shots are always very close to the green if not on the fringe and I'm a descent putter averaging 1.9 putts. I'm at the point where I could hit the G15 irons or an early 50's blade and still shoot the same scores. At this point I'm thinking of playing the irons that look the best to me and go with it.

Any of you like this??

[MadGolfer76]

Ummm...it couldn't be a swing or mental issue could it???

[bmenx2]

[quote name='flybub' timestamp='1306290347' post='3260284']
I've never kept track of my handicap until this year but I have always shot mid-high 80's, some 90's sprinkled in early season (Ohio). I have played in the same 9 hole league for 5 years and my scores have never changed 42-45. 3 years ago I went from X-14's to MP-33's, I shot the same scores for 2 years with the 33's mid-high 80's and same league scores. Last year I sold the 33's and bought X-16 Pro Series thinking I needed more forgiveness, well....I shot the same scores. This year I bought a set of MP-32's and a set of Srixon i701 (non-tour). I played league tonight with the Srixon's and I shoot 45. This drives me insane, I am taking a look at my game and my GIR are pi&& poor but I don't always give myself an easy shot in. On the scoring holes I always manage to hit bad drives and do not leave myself a shot in. Par 3's I'm ok on, I don't have a great GIR % but my Par 3 tee shots are always very close to the green if not on the fringe and I'm a descent putter averaging 1.9 putts. I'm at the point where I could hit the G15 irons or an early 50's blade and still shoot the same scores. At this point I'm thinking of playing the irons that look the best to me and go with it.

Any of you like this??

[/quote]

Have you gone through a fitting and had any of these sets adjusted to your specs?

[Ripken08]

[quote name='flybub' timestamp='1306290347' post='3260284']
I've never kept track of my handicap until this year but I have always shot mid-high 80's, some 90's sprinkled in early season (Ohio). I have played in the same 9 hole league for 5 years and my scores have never changed 42-45. 3 years ago I went from X-14's to MP-33's, I shot the same scores for 2 years with the 33's mid-high 80's and same league scores. Last year I sold the 33's and bought X-16 Pro Series thinking I needed more forgiveness, well....I shot the same scores. This year I bought a set of MP-32's and a set of Srixon i701 (non-tour). I played league tonight with the Srixon's and I shoot 45. This drives me insane, I am taking a look at my game and my GIR are pi&& poor but I don't always give myself an easy shot in. On the scoring holes I always manage to hit bad drives and do not leave myself a shot in. Par 3's I'm ok on, I don't have a great GIR % but my Par 3 tee shots are always very close to the green if not on the fringe and I'm a descent putter averaging 1.9 putts. I'm at the point where I could hit the G15 irons or an early 50's blade and still shoot the same scores. At this point I'm thinking of playing the irons that look the best to me and go with it.

Any of you like this??


[/quote]

I am exactly the same. Have tried about every type of club over the past 3 years and went to MP68s early this season. Shot low-mid 80s. Jumped on the G15 bandwagon and shooting the same. Much more confident with a smaller club and am now switching back to MP68s or MP53s. Driving costs me 6+ shots/round. GIR are low but I scramble well for alot of pars....

[puttingmatt]

Relax, Identify your weakness in scoring. then practice
on improvement. Equipment is not your issue. Might
want to review your course management. Either way
you will figure it out . Good Luck !!!

[coozapalooza]

I'm kind of like this. In the past 5 years, my irons have gone from game improvement, to players, to players, to super game improvement, back to players, which is where I am now. I have TaylorMade Tour Preferred irons, and I love them. All the while my scores never really changed that much, although they're better now. I guess it's just having an iron set you're content with, regardless of type. Within reason, of course.

[wolfpack]

This is old news but 70% of shots are inside 100 yards, so maybe look there first? I agree with the irons not mattering, i am shooting the same scores with eye 2's i shot with my titleist 660's. A responsible T shot, and good pitching and putting will get you way more than switching irons every 6 months. We all have flaws in our game, maybe a little honesty would go a long way towards fixing them.

[502 to Right]

It's the Indian, not the arrow. I think iron technology is overrated.

[Guia]

Its not the irons, its the player. Change your approach of attacking the course. Plan your shots, place the ball in the most advantages position, don't use the driver on every hole, leave your self your strongest iron for approach. Think before you act.

[freehb]

I have gone through and still experience the same frustrations you have expressed. In fact my handicap has gone from 7 to 14 to 8 over the past 2 years while taking lessons and practicing quite a bit. Your ups and downs and sideways trends on scoring is part of golf. This is a fickle, fragile game. Even pros struggle e.g. ibf.... What has helped me both enjoyment and scoringwise has been to try to focus on the process and not results. Equipment can help your game but not as much as anyone would want to believe and I want to believe that that perfect club will get me to the next level.

I am a club ho. I spend to much money on golf equipment that I don't really need...and yes, when I play poorly I blame my clubs and get new ones. In my head I imagine that all my clubs (approx 4 full bags) want to be in my gamer bag and if given a chance again will perform for me. I know this is silly, even ridiculous but its fun. It also piques my interest. When I make a really stupid purchase I remind myself that I like golf equipment for a lot more than what it does for my score. I love to look at it, study it, plan around it, strategize with it, clean it organize it, etc...even though I know equipment will never give me more than 3 strokes a round I still want the fantasy that it will.

Point is i'm really just a 40 year old kid and golf equipment is my toys. Would I like to acheive my goal of someday becoming a scratch player? Absolutely, but even if that doesn't happen I have to keep reminding myself that my expectation is to enjoy myself.

Good luck and keep ho'n, I'm sure those extra 14 strokes are out there in your perfect bag....lol....you just haven't bought them yet...

[Buzzkill]

[quote name='502 to Right' timestamp='1306296355' post='3260626']
It's the Indian, not the arrow. [b]I think iron technology is overrated.[/b]
[/quote]

You got that right!

[freehb]

Btw, loved my old x16 pros! It was stupid of me to trade those in...what a great iron!

[RRFireblade]

I guess the question is how or what do you want to change about your game and how are you going to go about it ?

You have this....

[quote name='flybub' timestamp='1306290347' post='3260284']
I don't always give myself an easy shot in. On the scoring holes I always manage to hit bad drives and do not leave myself a shot in.
[/quote]

Have you identified whats going on off the Tee? Are your misses consistant? Are you playing the best options off the tee for each holes layout?

And This...

You have to be hitting the greens on Par 3 , especially anything under say 200yrds.

[quote name='flybub' timestamp='1306290347' post='3260284']
my Par 3 tee shots are always very close to the green if not on the fringe
[/quote]

Having to scramble for an up and down on 1 out of (roughly) every 4 holes a round is a tough day.

So IDK , I'm not so sure changing irons is the answer to these questions.

What say you?

[andrewchrisitan]

Take the money you put in to irons and put in to lessons, I promise your scores are gonna drop.

[SurfDuffer]

[quote name='flybub' timestamp='1306290347' post='3260284']
I've never kept track of my handicap until this year but I have always shot mid-high 80's, some 90's sprinkled in early season (Ohio). I have played in the same 9 hole league for 5 years and my scores have never changed 42-45. 3 years ago I went from X-14's to MP-33's, I shot the same scores for 2 years with the 33's mid-high 80's and same league scores. Last year I sold the 33's and bought X-16 Pro Series thinking I needed more forgiveness, well....I shot the same scores. This year I bought a set of MP-32's and a set of Srixon i701 (non-tour). I played league tonight with the Srixon's and I shoot 45. This drives me insane, I am taking a look at my game and my GIR are pi&& poor but I don't always give myself an easy shot in. On the scoring holes I always manage to hit bad drives and do not leave myself a shot in. Par 3's I'm ok on, I don't have a great GIR % but my Par 3 tee shots are always very close to the green if not on the fringe and I'm a descent putter averaging 1.9 putts. I'm at the point where I could hit the G15 irons or an early 50's blade and still shoot the same scores. At this point I'm thinking of playing the irons that look the best to me and go with it.

Any of you like this??


[/quote]



Did you happen to see my thread about irons being over rated and irrelivant. What make, model and design of irons ultimately will have little effect on most people's scores.

I have different issues than you have. I hit a lot of fairways and greens in regulation but have a hard time scoring. Short game and putting kills me. I can honestly say, I have never hit a bad shot and thought to myself "If only I had brought a set of shovels to play today, I wouldn't have hit that bad shot". A bad swing is a bad swing and the results won't change much at all regardless of make, model and design of the irons in your bag.

[eqman]

We tend to forget golf is the toughest game....there are mental and physical barriers that stop us from reaching what we wish...It`s clear that there are a particular group of abilities one needs to play golf at the highest levels...we all have some of the parts but few have them all....Equipment happens to be one small part in the puzzle and in the case of many it doesn't matter at all....Golf is far to complex to be explained by a piece of equipment ..... You may think golf is about beating your opponent but it`s really about dealing with the devils... Jim

[acquadiice]

in order to lower your score, you need to have a high GIR ANDDDDDDD be close enough to the pin to give urself an easy putt - you cant just have one or the other - unless ur a phenomenal putter and can sink 50 footers like nothing...

you need to work on accuracy and give urself a chance at a birdie

averaging 1.9 putts is pretty bad

[Vegaman]

Like somebody already said, iron tech is not that important. I play midsize cavity backs, and Im ok with these. But i have also played with much smaller "blade-like" clubs and shoot the same score. Every time we miss a shot we start thinking about more forgiving irons. Look at drivers, they are HUGE compared to just a few years ago, and supposedly MUCH more forgiving, and still I see insanely terrible tee shots every time Im out playing golf..Including from myself!

I dont have any problem with ball striking, so Im gonna go with blades next time I let the Ho in me get the upper hand. I have even noticed this: When I miss with the more compact irons I loose mostly distance and of course direction. With GI irons you sometimes get away with thin shots that fly pretty far anyway, but the problem is they usually also fly OFF LINE into water, hazards or whatever..So, your bad shots fly further with the shovels, but very often that means flying further into TROUBLE.

[skinny99]

Lesson's! You already knew it. Have a pro check your full swing and then driver and then putting and short game. $200 in lessons will help. Do you have a solid routine? Is your ball position always correct. I just got my first set of three lessons, my pro loved my full swing but quickly figured out I had no good routine for all fundamentals. I was very,very inconsistent and it has helped a ton.
Putting hasn'r got thier yet but I just started practising putting.