Disadvantages of game improvement irons?

[Golfnut1957]

I don't know about actual disadvantages, but in my case I was always put off by big fat soles and a ton of offset. I'm talking soles a broad as a 5 wood and offset that screams........left.

Mizuno bless them recognised a gap in the market and produced the pro version of their Hot Metal irons. The sole and top line aren't OTT and are camouflaged with chrome. The offset is marginal, smaller than some of their players distance clubs, such as the JPX Forged and the 245. , and of course they send the ball miles.

The thing about that distance though is is isn't something particularly unique. I currently rotate two sets of irons, the Hot Metal Pro and a set of TM P7MC (blade like cavity back for those not in the know). The 6 iron from the HMP and the 5 iron from the P7MC are roughly the same lofts, HMP-25* and the P7MC a touch weaker at 26*, and guess what they both go the same distance.

So, as @Orikoru says, I get to play my 47* TM PW as a gap wedge or my 42* HMP PW as a 9 iron. As long as I don't forget what is in the bag, all is good.

I do know which look and feel the best though.

 

[Orikoru]

I would have thought the opposite would be the case

Agreed.. I always thought you wanted more weight to get through rough. Hence why some people swear by hybrids for it.

 

[RichA]

I don't know about actual disadvantages, but in my case I was always put off by big fat soles and a ton of offset. I'm talking soles a broad as a 5 wood and offset that screams........left.

Mizuno bless them recognised a gap in the market and produced the pro version of their Hot Metal irons. The sole and top line aren't OTT and are camouflaged with chrome. The offset is marginal, smaller than some of their players distance clubs, such as the JPX Forged and the 245. , and of course they send the ball miles.

The thing about that distance though is is isn't something particularly unique. I currently rotate two sets of irons, the Hot Metal Pro and a set of TM P7MC (blade like cavity back for those not in the know). The 6 iron from the HMP and the 5 iron from the P7MC are roughly the same lofts, HMP-25* and the P7MC a touch weaker at 26*, and guess what they both go the same distance.

So, as @Orikoru says, I get to play my 47* TM PW as a gap wedge or my 42* HMP PW as a 9 iron. As long as I don't forget what is in the bag, all is good.

I do know which look and feel the best though.

Don't mind a bit of sole and bounce but really dislike offset. Might try the HM Pro next time I'm shopping for irons.

 

[jim8flog]

One of the simpler things (depending on design) is the GI irons will often have a lower centre gravity to help get the ball in to air. This additional height is something that some players will not want as it may well also affect distance.

One thing comes down to the player , if you are are highly consistent striker of the ball why would you want a GI iron.

 

[BubbaP]

I don't know about actual disadvantages, but in my case I was always put off by big fat soles and a ton of offset. I'm talking soles a broad as a 5 wood and offset that screams........left.

Mizuno bless them recognised a gap in the market and produced the pro version of their Hot Metal irons. The sole and top line aren't OTT and are camouflaged with chrome. The offset is marginal, smaller than some of their players distance clubs, such as the JPX Forged and the 245. , and of course they send the ball miles.

The thing about that distance though is is isn't something particularly unique. I currently rotate two sets of irons, the Hot Metal Pro and a set of TM P7MC (blade like cavity back for those not in the know). The 6 iron from the HMP and the 5 iron from the P7MC are roughly the same lofts, HMP-25* and the P7MC a touch weaker at 26*, and guess what they both go the same distance.

So, as @Orikoru says, I get to play my 47* TM PW as a gap wedge or my 42* HMP PW as a 9 iron. As long as I don't forget what is in the bag, all is good.

I do know which look and feel the best though.

I thought offset would be mentioned earlier.
Guess the theory is most better players deliver lower dynamic loft compared to higher cappers. But looks also.
Expect they'll be exceptions in both categories though.

 

[Golfnut1957]

One of the simpler things (depending on design) is the GI irons will often have a lower centre gravity to help get the ball in to air. This additional height is something that some players will not want as it may well also affect distance.

One thing comes down to the player , if you are are highly consistent striker of the ball why would you want a GI iron.

I understand that Mizuno and Wilson both produce blades with a low CofG, this makes for a blade which is relatively forgiving and definitely launches high. On the other hand I once read that both Callaway and TaylorMade produce blades with a higher CofG which results in a blade which is extremely workable as preferred by the very good player, but as I can attest, having owned blades by all four manufactures in the recent past, the TM and Cally blades are not forgiving in the slightest and are not for the merely good player.

 

[sunshine]

What are the downsides to using game improvement irons?
Realistically why doesn't everyone use them if they make the game so much easier.

GI irons are designed to help get the ball in the air. I'm guessing a good player with a fast swing speed is going to hit the ball miles into the sky with a GI iron, and will find it harder to flight it down or control trajectory in general.

I'm guessing, because I'm not a playa.

 

[GreiginFife]

The lines between pure blades and cavity/hollow/muscle backs is getting narrower every year which makes this a more difficult question for me.

Used to be small compact = blade and better player and big chunky = GI and worse player. But now GI heads are getting smaller and more compact, the so called Player’s distance segment. The days of Ping garden tools are pretty much gone.

Beyond the pure blades, as Sunshine says above, it’s mainly getting the ball airborne and better players that like more controlled flight will not like that.

Most others can probably gain from using anything but pure blades. I enjoy playing the Caley irons as they are not big chunkier but aren’t hard to hit either.

Not saying higher hc players can’t/shouldn’t play blades but as someone said, why make a hard game harder?

 

[Dunesman]

The big disadvantage, one might say only one, is the ego hit.
Top players dont 'work' the ball anymore anyway as its a discredited strategy. But ditching a lifetime's conditioning that the closer one gets to blade the more serious a golfer one is, or at least aspiring to be, is hard to shake off. Its what has driven the hollow body, cavity disguised as a blade drive by the manufacturers. And the 'combo set', surely, short of funsarium, one of the saddest things one ever sees on a golf course - for dreamers who so desperately want a hint of blade in their bags, but know in their heart they havent the game to commit all the way down the set.

 

[Burnsey]

The big disadvantage, one might say only one, is the ego hit.
Top players dont 'work' the ball anymore anyway as its a discredited strategy. But ditching a lifetime's conditioning that the closer one gets to blade the more serious a golfer one is, or at least aspiring to be, is hard to shake off. Its what has driven the hollow body, cavity disguised as a blade drive by the manufacturers. And the 'combo set', surely, short of funsarium, one of the saddest things one ever sees on a golf course - for dreamers who so desperately want a hint of blade in their bags, but know in their heart they havent the game to commit all the way down the set.

I'm one of the saddo's you dislike so much.

Never read so much tosh in one paragraph. I'll post a demo of where to find your return key in another post.

 

[Backache]

And the 'combo set', surely, short of funsarium, one of the saddest things one ever sees on a golf course - for dreamers who so desperately want a hint of blade in their bags, but know in their heart they havent the game to commit all the way down the set.

If you take into account wedges I suspect most folk have a 'combo' set.

 

[WorldHandicapSystem]

For me it’s partly looks. But mostly the offset, sole design.

I find GI don’t spin anywhere near enough and try to counter that by launching far too high. As you get better and have better control over low point and strike location the “players” irons give more control over the flight of the ball.

Comical as usual. Especially from someone chopping it round off a 20 index

The big disadvantage, one might say only one, is the ego hit.
Top players dont 'work' the ball anymore anyway as its a discredited strategy. But ditching a lifetime's conditioning that the closer one gets to blade the more serious a golfer one is, or at least aspiring to be, is hard to shake off. Its what has driven the hollow body, cavity disguised as a blade drive by the manufacturers. And the 'combo set', surely, short of funsarium, one of the saddest things one ever sees on a golf course - for dreamers who so desperately want a hint of blade in their bags, but know in their heart they havent the game to commit all the way down the set.

 

[patricks148]

I would have thought the opposite would be the case

not in my experience on links courses.

 

[Dunesman]

For me it’s partly looks. But mostly the offset, sole design.

Looks are a relative judgement framework that the manufacturers have created for you.
Had the larger, deeper cavity, offset club been marketed as for higher skilled players they would have the appealing, aspirational, aesthetic attraction. And blades considered ugly, old fashioned, lacking in 3 letter acronym tech, of the game improvement club. Which of course wouldnt have been monickered game improvement, but probably as 'players' clubs.

 

[RichA]

Looks are a relative judgement framework that the manufacturers have created for you.
Had the larger, deeper cavity, offset club been marketed as for higher skilled players they would have the appealing, aspirational, aesthetic attraction. And blades considered ugly, old fashioned, lacking in 3 letter acronym tech, of the game improvement club. Which of course wouldnt have been monickered game improvement, but probably as 'players' clubs.

No.
Even 30 years ago when I was a twice a year golfer and knew nothing and cared less, I knew that my Howson oversize cavity backs were pig ugly while my mate's Mizuno blades were very pretty.

 

[Dunesman]

Ludvig Åberg would never play cavity back irons. What next, put a 7 wood in his bag as well ? Of course not. With his iron play, and how he needs to work the ball, as a player, he could only play blades, and all the way down to 2 iron too.

 

[Beezerk]

I really don't understand all this talk of not being able to "work" the ball with cavity back irons, an out to in club path with an open face is going to fade all day long regardless of the club, same if you're trying to hit a draw, it's just physics.
As far as I know all cavity backs do is not punish the off centre hits with huge distance loss like blades do, maybe heel/toe hits go a tiny bit straighter with cavity backs but it's negligible.
I'm more than happy to be corrected.

 

[sunshine]

The big disadvantage, one might say only one, is the ego hit.
Top players dont 'work' the ball anymore anyway as its a discredited strategy. But ditching a lifetime's conditioning that the closer one gets to blade the more serious a golfer one is, or at least aspiring to be, is hard to shake off. Its what has driven the hollow body, cavity disguised as a blade drive by the manufacturers. And the 'combo set', surely, short of funsarium, one of the saddest things one ever sees on a golf course - for dreamers who so desperately want a hint of blade in their bags, but know in their heart they havent the game to commit all the way down the set.

Maybe if you read some of the other posts in the thread it would help?

 

[Bunkermagnet]

I really don't understand all this talk of not being able to "work" the ball with cavity back irons, an out to in club path with an open face is going to fade all day long regardless of the club, same if you're trying to hit a draw, it's just physics.
As far as I know all cavity backs do is not punish the off centre hits with huge distance loss like blades do, maybe heel/toe hits go a tiny bit straighter with cavity backs but it's negligible.
I'm more than happy to be corrected.

I would say you are correct sir.

There's plenty of tour pro's who play a "GI" club and even hybrids now which were rediculed by many for a long time when they came out.
Didn't Westwood play with his i10 irons on tour for quite some while?