Game improvement or player distance

[krootking]

Hi guys. Just a bit of advice. I am currently playing off 18-20 but really intend to dedicate my time over the next 6-12 months to improve my game.

I have very old clubs, my irons are 18 years old so I went for a fitting and had the choice between ping g440 or i540s. The g440s were more consistent but the i540s felt better with good strike. The coach said the g440s would be more forgiving and work for me as a mid handicapper but the i540 would give me more scope for improvement as a more players club.

I don't particularly want to replace my irons again for at least another 5 years. Not sure if I should get for the longer term or the clubs that work best for my level now.

Cheers for the advice.

 

[Taz]

Any reason why you're only looking at Pings ?

 

[krootking]

Any reason why you're only looking at Pings ?

I tried Taylor made, srixon and calloway clubs and those were the two that felt the best and I hit most consistently on the trackman.

 

[Lucifer MorningStar]

Nobody can really make a recommendation as there is to many variables. Handicap imo is irrelevant when choosing irons to a certain extent. I know several very low handicap players that play Game Improvement irons, their theory is the more forgiving and more help from their clubs the better as even good players hit bad shots. I’m inclined to agree with them and I’d go for the GI irons over player distance irons, whose not to say you buy the PD irons and turns out in the long run they’re not what you thought.

 

[Oops!]

If you look ( ! ) at an iron and then play it : Do the look and the feel feel alike (good) for you, or do you feel differentes ?

Some decisions are made unconciously, so you have to find these in order to make the right one for you … good luck !

 

[Burnsey]

Personally, after reading your post, I would (quote) 'dedicate the time 'to get out, practice, play and possibly tag on some lessons with your current set and see where you get to.

The i540's may then be more suited. Maybe not, but that's what I would do.

In fact, I would buy a set now, a set when my HC dropped by 1 and another three through the year, because I am completely bonkers

 

[Oops!]

No way ! The i540 are ugly as hell !

Whoever is responsible for their design - especially after the absolutely gorgeous i530! - should be tarred and feathered and then quartered ! I have no idea what Ping was thinking !

But hey, everyone has different tastes, and there’s no accounting for taste !

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I'm a 17 capper and would say go for the clubs you hit the most comfortably. Golf is hard, get all of the assistance you can get.

If you get down to 10 those clubs don't suddenly become redundant. You can still use them.

One slight contradiction to the above. You have to like your clubs. You could have the perfect set of irons but if you don't like them you will look down on them and start to dislike them more and more. That then affects your game. If the i540s are an itch, get them. If they are too hard to use, holding you back, sell them, take the hit, buy the G440s. Sometimes you have to go through that phase.

 

[nickjdavis]

Here is a thought for you...

The G440's wont suddenly stop working when you get to high single figures/low teens.

You are supposed to be trying to make the game easier...buy the clubs that make it more enjoyable NOW.....not the ones that MIGHT make it more enjoyable IF (not when) you get down to a handicap level that they are allegedly suited for.

 

[Oops!]

I'm a 17 capper and would say go for the clubs you hit the most comfortably. Golf is hard, get all of the assistance you can get.

If you get down to 10 those clubs don't suddenly become redundant. You can still use them.

One slight contradiction to the above. You have to like your clubs. You could have the perfect set of irons but if you don't like them you will look down on them and start to dislike them more and more. That then affects your game. If the i540s are an itch, get them. If they are too hard to use, holding you back, sell them, take the hit, buy the G440s. Sometimes you have to go through that phase.

Thank you, that‘s what I ment in #5, but you put it so much better in words … !

 

[krootking]

If you look ( ! ) at an iron and then play it : Do the look and the feel feel alike (good) for you, or do you feel differentes ?

Some decisions are made unconciously, so you have to find these in order to make the right one for you … good luck !

Thank you. They both felt good. Good contacts felt better on the i540s, more crisp, but that happened less consistently. I am leaning towards the g440. I think it will be better for me confidence.

 

[Orikoru]

Nobody can really make a recommendation as there is to many variables. Handicap imo is irrelevant when choosing irons to a certain extent. I know several very low handicap players that play Game Improvement irons, their theory is the more forgiving and more help from their clubs the better as even good players hit bad shots. I’m inclined to agree with them and I’d go for the GI irons over player distance irons, whose not to say you buy the PD irons and turns out in the long run they’re not what you thought.

Agreed. As an amateur golfer I'm happy to keep using forgiving irons for as long as possible. I've reached 10.8 playing these and I'm not arrogant enough to believe it was all my doing and the clubs weren't helping.

Plenty in years gone by will have jumped the gun to 'better' irons then realised how much the game improvers were helping when their handicaps start going up.

 

[krootking]

Here is a thought for you...

The G440's wont suddenly stop working when you get to high single figures/low teens.

You are supposed to be trying to make the game easier...buy the clubs that make it more enjoyable NOW.....not the ones that MIGHT make it more enjoyable IF (not when) you get down to a handicap level that they are allegedly suited for.

Yes I think that's what I will do.

 

[AbereiKeres]

If I were you, I’d go with the G440s. At 18 to 20 handicap, forgiveness and consistency will probably help your scores more right now than the occasional perfect strike feeling. You’ll improve faster with clubs that make misses less punishing, and they’ll still be solid for years even as your game gets better.

 

[Lucifer MorningStar]

Agreed. As an amateur golfer I'm happy to keep using forgiving irons for as long as possible. I've reached 10.8 playing these and I'm not arrogant enough to believe it was all my doing and the clubs weren't helping.

Plenty in years gone by will have jumped the gun to 'better' irons then realised how much the game improvers were helping when their handicaps start going up.

Exactly my point just because a handicap gets lower doesn’t mean you suddenly need players irons. Use what gives you most forgiveness and makes the game a bit easier at every level. I’m contemplating switching my clubs in next month or so and I’ve got my eye on GI irons. I want to play boring consistent golf , I’m even contemplating going to a graphite shaft. I hit a high ball anyway and always played heavier shafts but the way my body is crumbling at the moment I’m happy to swing easy and let the club do the work

 

[Burnsey]

I'm different to the way many of the comments point in respect of game improvement irons.

Certainly not saying I'm right, but I hated them - no control, distance all over the shop and damn ugly.

I strike my irons well, so maybe that is part of it, but my score is more affected with poor course management and the odd fat or thin - nothing a GI iron could make any better.

My GI 7 iron went 170, but ran about another mile. My current set is 140 on the nail shot after shot after shot. So, my struggle was always after the 160 5 iron, which I've tinkered with and filled the gaps to my driver.

I may get laughed at taking a 5 iron on a 155 par 3, or a wood any longer than that, but it works for me. Will I get longer in time - not noticably. Could I get longer with GI irons - yes, but at the cost of something I don't want to lose.