Blades for practice, GI for games Theory

[turkish]

Just watched a Crossfield video that he's started using MP5's and wondering peoples views

If you could get a blade such as MP5 and matched like for like swingweight and length to say an AP1... so 7 Iron length, swingweight etc all the same...

do you think it would help your game in terms of learning to hit the centre repeatedly?

Or would it have opposite affect since the duffs might affect confidence?

 

[USER1999]

They would never be exactly the same spec, so no, practice with what you play with.

 

[delc]

Just watched a Crossfield video that he's started using MP5's and wondering peoples views

If you could get a blade such as MP5 and matched like for like swingweight and length to say an AP1... so 7 Iron length, swingweight etc all the same...

do you think it would help your game in terms of learning to hit the centre repeatedly?

Or would it have opposite affect since the duffs might affect confidence?

Seems a stupid idea to practice with clubs that may feel different to the ones you play with!

 

[Hacker Khan]

Silly idea for me as well IMHO. Don't quite see the logic in making something harder for yourself on the theory that it will become easier when you change to use equipment more suited to your ability. Just practice more efficiently/better with the equipment best suited to your standard. Surely that will be more fun?

 

[garyinderry]

Just practice more efficiently/better with the equipment best suited to your standard. Surely that will be more fun?

Not sure I agree with this. Plenty of athletes push themselves to the limit improve. staying in your comfort zone can be detrimental to improvement.


Weightlifters overload.
Runners have weights in a backpack.

I have spent many hours messing around with a 64 degree wedge and can hit high low all sorts. Put a slightly less lofted club in my hand like a 56 or 60 and it feels like childsplay.

Some make the hole smaller when practicing putting.

Hitting blades in practice is like having a homemade gc hm2 launch monitor as they will let you know when you miss the middle. Gi are so forgiving you could spend all practice session hitting toe shots and be none the wiser.


Ricky fowler still practices with a persimmon driver...

 

[USER1999]

Below a six iron there's not much difference to me and I've owned blades. Spending 3 hours trying to hit a bladed 3 iron and getting depressed with it is 3 hours that could be put to better use.

Not for me.

 

[turkish]

LOL it's not something I am planning on doing just a theory.... I couldn't justify buying a good set of Irons like MP5 and only using them for practice!!!

But I do agree with Gary above if you use it for practising for strike I think it could help. You would just need to have it built like for like spec with current set. As long as the duff ones you don't let it get to your head too easy.

 

[garyinderry]

Below a six iron there's not much difference to me and I've owned blades. Spending 3 hours trying to hit a bladed 3 iron and getting depressed with it is 3 hours that could be put to better use.

Not for me.

7 iron yes. 3 iron, absolutely not.

 

[patricks148]

i was given an MP32 six iron not long after starting and used to practice a lot with that, def helped with hitting an Mp32 six iron, but still sheer hite with any other club

 

[ruff-driver]

I use blades, prefer the feedback from the strike, certainly tell you about the bad strikes, where as a g.i iron may mask a bad 'un, each to their own, nothing beats a pured 3 iron .

 

[Hacker Khan]

Not sure I agree with this. Plenty of athletes push themselves to the limit improve. staying in your comfort zone can be detrimental to improvement.


Weightlifters overload.
Runners have weights in a backpack.

I have spent many hours messing around with a 64 degree wedge and can hit high low all sorts. Put a slightly less lofted club in my hand like a 56 or 60 and it feels like childsplay.

Some make the hole smaller when practicing putting.

Hitting blades in practice is like having a homemade gc hm2 launch monitor as they will let you know when you miss the middle. Gi are so forgiving you could spend all practice session hitting toe shots and be none the wiser.


Ricky fowler still practices with a persimmon driver...

I agree, but for the average amateur golfer who does not have time to practice several hours a day, unlike the professional athletes, then using the clubs they will use in real life surely will be more useful to them?

And I am not sure that the average amateur will be able to tell that easily where they have hit the ball on a bladed iron. Yes Crossfield takes great pleasure on calling it every time and yes you will know you have not hit it pure. But will you really be able to tell if you have hit it low heel, high toe etc without the use of face tape. Which is what you need to know to improve. In which case just stick face tape on a GI iron and look at that?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Did this last year. Got a set of S55's at a great price and used them for practice. Did try them on the course a few times but to no great effect. That said, I was getting better in practice with my striking and there was definitely a small improvement for a time when I went to my I25's. Sold them on for a profit but not an experiment I'd class as a huge success