low/high handicap clubs

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Mick47

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I've been playing for 2 years now off 28hc, had a few lessons and am not improving, not particularly bothered by this as I play more for the exercise and the banter.
Thing is I've been playing with a set of Big Bertha irons (reg graphite shafts) which are ,according to many posters, suited to higher handicappers and therefore suitable for a beginner.

Ok so call me a knob if you like, but a couple of weeks ago-on a mad impulse- I grabbed Jammy Dodgers Missi MP57s when he advertised them in the for sale section. Wrong choice I hear you cry, and I admit that after the deed was done I had serious misgivings, after all if I can't hit a cavity back straight how on earth did I expect to do better with irons aimed at low handicappers.

I've been away on holiday in the meantime so today was my first chance to try then out, wasn't expecting to do very well at all and had resigned myself to popping them on ebay as soon as I'd confirmed the reality of of my error.
Wow! what a surprise not only could I hit them they also went straight, beat my PB by four shots. Ok 92 isn't setting the world on fire but I'm a happy bunny.

Question is: By most forumers logic, my purchase should have been a bad mistake, so why wasn't it?
 
Expectation. You didn't expect to hit it well, so you weren't worried about the results.

Or you're a ball striking genius.

It's deffo one of those things.

Good shooting by the way :thup:
 
As the Mog said, could be new shiny syndrome.

The 1st time I played with my MP57's (good choice BTW ;)) I was 2 over gross after 9 holes (off a handicap of 19)...I then proceeded to shoot 14 over on the back nine :whistle:

Not come anywhere close to that since, but have had my head and swing messed with and finally getting back to enjoying the game and hitting the ball properly.

Hope they continue to perform well. They're great clubs even if they aren't as forgiving as some.
 
Did the 92 include putting and chipping like a God?
Or was the rest of your game upto its usual standard?
 
Gil_Emott said:
Did the 92 include putting and chipping like a God?
Or was the rest of your game upto its usual standard?
Click to expand...

No the greens are pretty bobberly at the moment so I'd have to say my putting was poor, my chipping was about my average. I only used the driver 3 times and all 3 drives were shocking resulting in 2 lost balls. So all in all I'd have to say the irons saved the day and were the main reason for the improvement.
 
Well done and hope it lasts.......:thup:

But they wouldn't be My recommendation for a 28 H/Cap beginner

Saying that, there is NO right or wrong clubs for each handicap bracket, especially if u get fitted properly
 
Maybe they suit you. Maybe you make decent contact with your old irons but you balloon it, and come up short.

At the end of the day its not how, its how many.
 
Well done and a good choice me thinks. The problem is that game improver irons can help some high handicappers and other times they will not be any easier to hit than other irons.

They claim to have a larger sweet spot and be more forgiving and thats ok if your high handicap is based on striking the iron badly and not from the middle of the head most of the time, i too suffered this and decided to lose the Ping G10 irons ( shovels )

When i visited the store i told the shop i played off 18 ( i dont ) and asked to try the Mizuno JPX 800Pro and the Wilson Ci9, Di11 ETC

The set i wanted and liked as they had smaller heads ( sole ) was the Ci9, and after trying them based on hitting them well i purchased them. Since then i have played well using the Ci9 and like you are chuffed to bits i changed.


To get your handicap down i believe you need

1. a good confident short game
2. Fairly decent off the tee
3. Sensible course management

For me i struggled hitting my irons fat for years until i discovered a way to improve my swing, since then the rest of my game gets more attention and i can see my game improving this year beyond my dreams
 
murphthemog said:
New shiny syndrome. You focused a bit more, as they are new. Once they get familiar, they may not perform as well.
Click to expand...
I would be thinking this too.

plus - maybe the BBs were just a bad club for you personally, that doesn't mean that a huge shovel is bad per se, just the Callies, but if you'd picked up a G20 you'd be smashing it.

Also you've left graphite shafts behind, they could have been awful for you too.

One thing is for sure, if you're off 28 and think you're going to perform better with a muscleback than a GI club, you are almost certainly in for a rude awakening :-(
 
maybe the shaft is more suited to your swing?

have to love mizuno's feel like butter when you catch them off the button.
 
My take is that you are probably better than the BB's now and they are hindering you in terms of flight and possibly even shaft. They are designed to be easy to hit and get airborne and I think from what you have said your ball striking is getting better. I don't think personally they are the right club and that an halfway compromise, Cally X series, R11, G20 etc, even the JPX 800's would have been a better bet. I guess if the magic wears off, stick them up for sale and look for something else is the best option. Well done on the PB though
 
HomerJSimpson said:
My take is that you are probably better than the BB's now and they are hindering you in terms of flight and possibly even shaft. They are designed to be easy to hit and get airborne and I think from what you have said your ball striking is getting better. I don't think personally they are the right club and that an halfway compromise, Cally X series, R11, G20 etc, even the JPX 800's would have been a better bet.
Click to expand...
Think this is much more like it, you've swung from one end of the spectrum to the other, without even trying something in the middle.
 
After exploring what was best for me as a beginner 18 months ago I too went for the Big Bertha irons. I love them. In my first full season I took 7 shots off my handicap, came 7th (out of 400) in my club's order of merit and won 5 comps. When the qualifiers start I think i'll take at least 3 shots off my handicap with the improvements I have made over the winter.

So if you are just starting out I would highly recommend Big Bertha to get you going. I'll be using them for the next few years and hopefully they will take me into single figures!
 
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