Hello and blade question

[clarke_111]

Hi all,

Thought I'd join up here and introduce myself, and ask a question of you guys to boot. I've been lurking a while now but thought I'd join in and say hello.

I'm a 30 year old 18 handicapper who has been playing for around 18 months. Handicap was 24 up until 2 months ago as not played any qualifying comps. Played 3 in last few weeks and am now down to 18.4-hoping to shave a few more shots off over the next few weeks/comps. Reckon 15 is about where I should be sitting based on scoring.

Anyhow I play Nike VRS irons that I picked up when I started last year. Recently though I found a REALLY old beat up bladed 7 iron in the garage and have hit it a few times at the range-it really got me thinking about strike.

I then saw Mark Crossfields vids on YouTube around this area.

My question is, do people think getting a cheap set of blades for prac rounds and range work can help by forcing improvements in strike? Something like the Cleveland CG1 tour go for next to nothing in eBay. Any thoughts?

Cheers all,

Chris

 

[ScienceBoy]

Moving to mp-57 mid cavs really helped me come down quickly.

I need GI now though as don't play often.

 

[Hosel Fade]

Get impact tape or athletes foot spray, they cost even less than next to nothing and show you exactly where you are striking it from. I don't see the merit in getting a full set, if its just for range work one of the ex fitting cart 6 irons will do the job.

 

[JakeWS]

I just ordered a ex demo bladed 7 iron literally this morning, it was like £17 delivered for a cobra decent looking iron, with the exact thought process as you, use it at the range then hopefully when I use my AP1's on course I will be middling it a lot more.

 

[kid2]

A blade is probably the best game improvement tool you could buy.

 

[ScienceBoy]

A blade is probably the best game improvement tool you could buy.

I used to hit a bladed old 2 iron on the range, was fun.

I agree it would help, I found the best help was lots of play and practice. I still think playing with my mid cavs had a similar effect.

Let us know how it goes, I might break out that old 2 iron again!

 

[MashieNiblick]

I have also tried this but beware of doing it when it's cold. You really feel the mis-hits!

In addition I have a couple of blade putters which I practice with on the carpet (one of them is a lovely limited edition forged MacGregor Wizard/Ironmaster type, the other a well used Bullseye). They really do tell you when you haven't found the sweet spot

 

[turkish]

Have asked this question before but dunno if things like different length, swingweight etc would maybe have a detrimental effect...

In that you end up getting used to swinging a club completely different from your normal set

 

[Snelly]

Personally, I think this is a stupid idea.

I am all for focusing on improving your ball striking but would suggest that doing this with the 7 iron that you are going to use on the course is a far better idea. If you have hit 100 practice shots with your 7 iron on the range and then an hour later, pull it from the bag in a real situation, then naturally you are going to feel confident in hitting a good shot.

Practicing with a bladed iron seems like a gimmick to me and entirely counter productive.

Matt Fitzpatrick plays with Ping i25 irons and I would bet you a lot that he doesn't try and and improve his 7 iron strikes by hitting practice balls with a Mizuno blade.

I suggest you use the club you are going to use in anger for practice - this seems to be simple common sense to me.

 

[One Planer]

Personally, I think this is a stupid idea.

I am all for focusing on improving your ball striking but would suggest that doing this with the 7 iron that you are going to use on the course is a far better idea. If you have hit 100 practice shots with your 7 iron on the range and then an hour later, pull it from the bag in a real situation, then naturally you are going to feel confident in hitting a good shot.

Practicing with a bladed iron seems like a gimmick to me and entirely counter productive.

Matt Fitzpatrick plays with Ping i25 irons and I would bet you a lot that he doesn't try and and improve his 7 iron strikes by hitting practice balls with a Mizuno blade.

I suggest you use the club you are going to use in anger for practice - this seems to be simple common sense to me.

This is EXACTLY I do.

When I bought my Cleveland 588CB irons, I brought an Ex-Demo 7 iron. Same spec' for use solely on the range to groove a better swing.

Worked too :thup:

 

[Jimbop90]

I've just upgraded my Deep Red irons to MP-60's, mainly because I needed something with a stiffer shaft and they were a crazy good bargain. Massive change on paper as Deep Reds are beginners GI irons and MP-60's are aimed at mid-low handicappers, but I haven't noticed a big difference, there is a small loss of distance due to loft's. I think my ball striking will improve as a result of them, and that is my problem most of the time so I'm looking forward to getting used to them. Possibly in my head but I feel like my bad shots are less left and right with the Mizuno's, that could be the stiffer shaft I guess.

 

[clarke_111]

Cheers for the thoughts guys.

Yep, I see the point about practising with one thing, and then gaming another. Re. the Matt Fitzpatrick point (and Jordan Spieth and various other who play CB clubs) - that is true, but they don't have quite the issues I have to worry about! Pretty sure they could hit anything as well.

I was thinking this would either be used as a short drill on the range (say 10 shots to warm up, followed by regular iron prac) Or I would go the whole hog and game a set of blades for a period of time - so use them for practice, social rounds and comps - it might effect my score at first, but I assume if I start hitting them well then more forgiving irons would be a luxury to go back too (or I may not even feel I want to go back).

I just wondered how much my GI irons were masking issues in my swing and allowing me to 'get by'. Maybe there is less in it than I think though - after all a bad swing is still a bad swing. I just noticed that when I hit the old bladed iron well, I know I am swinging well, and that gives me confidence.

 

[bluewolf]

This is EXACTLY I do.

When I bought my Cleveland 588CB irons, I brought an Ex-Demo 7 iron. Same spec' for use solely on the range to groove a better swing.

Worked too :thup:

Hang on a minute.. You bought an exact version of your current 7 iron for use solely on the range? Now this may be considered naive, but why not just use the 7 iron that you already had?

 

[Snelly]

Hang on a minute.. You bought an exact version of your current 7 iron for use solely on the range? Now this may be considered naive, but why not just use the 7 iron that you already had?

I was going to ask the same question but assumed that as Gareth is somewhat obsessive, he wanted to preserve his seven iron in his set.

Seems completely insane to me but I appreciate everyone is different!

Of course I may be wrong and if so I apologise. There may be a much more sensible reason. e.g. Clubs are in a locker at the club and the range is in the opposite direction so worth having a seven iron spare to save the trip and associated hassle!

 

[garyinderry]

Some stick a grip trainer on their range club.

 

[Curls]

Hang on a minute.. You bought an exact version of your current 7 iron for use solely on the range? Now this may be considered naive, but why not just use the 7 iron that you already had?

I had a 7 iron at work, meant I never had to bring it in and out with me as the set sat with it's 7iron in the bag at home.

Changed sets and I now have a 6 iron for the same reason. Then again I have a field near work I can visit at lunch time to practice in. When the weathers nice, and Im not under pressure!

 

[JakeWS]

Some stick a grip trainer on their range club.

Exactly why I bought the second club, as my swing has started to become a bit flat so I was going to stick a grip trainer and one of those yellow things that makes sure you have the club face open on it, so that I know when I am working on making my swing a bit steeper I don't have to worry about other potential problems creeping in.

Didn't fancy shelling out another £80 on an AP1 so was buying a cheap ex demo off ebay and thought a blade would be good to try and if I can middle that every time it would lead to better ball striking on course as well.

 

[Spear-Chucker]

I'm an advocate of using a blade to practice. It worked for me but your mileage may vary OP. They're harder to hit and it's a proven medical fact they provide better feedback on the shot

Having said that, there are caveats. Any club should be suitable for you in terms of lie, shaft etc. etc. before you go spending hours hitting it and ultimately there is no, repeat, no substitute for time spent hitting the ball and learning how to make it do stuff. The proof is always the ball flight and when you are happy with that you've cracked it.

 

[One Planer]

Hang on a minute.. You bought an exact version of your current 7 iron for use solely on the range? Now this may be considered naive, but why not just use the 7 iron that you already had?

I was going to ask the same question but assumed that as Gareth is somewhat obsessive, he wanted to preserve his seven iron in his set.

Seems completely insane to me but I appreciate everyone is different!

Of course I may be wrong and if so I apologise. There may be a much more sensible reason. e.g. Clubs are in a locker at the club and the range is in the opposite direction so worth having a seven iron spare to save the trip and associated hassle!

:rofl:

The spare 7 iron lives in the boot of my car.

The range I use is 5 minutes from where I work or about 20 minutes from where I live.

Rather keep my clubs in the boot constantly, I just keep the spare 7 iron there should I fancy and impromptu range visit, which happens quite often if I'm honest with it being close to work.

 

[bluewolf]

:rofl:

The spare 7 iron lives in the boot of my car.

The range I use is 5 minutes from where I work or about 20 minutes from where I live.

Rather keep my clubs in the boot constantly, I just keep the spare 7 iron there should I fancy and impromptu range visit, which happens quite often if I'm honest with it being close to work.

Cool... As good a reason as any.. :thup: