Please help me !!!!

[Barney]

Please help !!!.

I play off 15 and currently play with Taylor made R7 irons with regular steel shafts. Whilst I like the clubs my distances with each one are embarrassing. Also if I try to get any further out of the club by attempting to swing faster than comfortable my game goes to pieces.
I am a 6ft male and bigger distances seems to be a real problem for me. I just do not seem to able to hit the ball very far.
From 160 I am starting to think about a 4 or even a comfortable 3 iron.
I know people will say dont worry what club your hitting if your hitting it well. I know that and I do agree.

BUT.....
I am about to buy a new set of Irons and have just about settled for some Taylor Made Tour Burners (I know, I know, There are much better looking clubs on the market but I found them very forgiving when I tested them and forgiveness to me is paramount)
My query is I obviously think I must have a slow swing speed due to my low distances with each club so should I go for Graphite shafts instead of steel to compensate and give me more distance ????

Please Help !!!

 

[Deleted member 1147]

A few questions may help people advise:

Have you talked to a pro, or, had your swing speed measured?

What flex do you have in your current clubs, and, what flex are you looking at getting in the Burners?

Why are you getting Burners - have you tried them, been fitted for them, or, just guessed they may be best?

How solid are your ball contacts - do you scoop the ball up, or, drive the club down into the ball?

 

[mackenzie]

Sounds a bit like I used to be Barney - are you getting your weight through the ball? All my weight was, and stayed on my front foot through my swing and sometimes I felt like I hit everything the same distance!

Went to my pro and now he has my weight going back and through the ball - big difference!

 

[golfwoman]

I am a newbie to golf

from what I have read tempo is one of the best things to have in a golf swing - think the guys above are right

I am going to a lesson next week to do the video analysis I think it's a great idea especially as a pro can then analyis your swing and correct bits you might not even be aware of in the second it takes to swing

 

[Macster]

Barney, you need to see a pro and get his opinions.
Dont change your clubs in search of different results cos I dont think it will make a difference, you must have some fundamental swing faults that need addressing which will undoubtably make a big difference to you.

I'm 6' too, and 15st, and have an easy tempo, but have never struggled with length particularly. ie 160yds for me is an easy 6 iron or a 7.

See the other topic on 'Lag' and see if that rings any chords with you and your swing ?

:-/

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I also play with R7's with regular steel shafts and like you having real troule with distances. I'm hitting my 6 iron about 140 and an 8 about 125. I recently got a set of Callaway X20's as well in graphite (regular) after a demo day but haven't used them much apart from social rounds as I don't want to make to big a change with competitions coming thick and fast.

I have to say that from the limited use there is not real difference distance wise. The only thing I have found is that I can make a better turn with the lighter graphite shaft. The fact that my distances haven't improved is purely down to a couple of major swing faults which my pro and I are working on. When I swing as I've been shown (but can't seem to do on a repetitive basis) I am hitting the ball a lot better and my 6 iron distance jumps to 150 yards.

The point is that I would look at your swing and discuss it with a pro before going out and buying new irons. My graphites are an investment to protect a poor back and damaged elbows and so I'm using a lighter club. Once the season is over I can get to work on using them in conjunction with the practice programme and lessons my pro has worked out.

I tried the Burners at the same demo day I got the X20's at and to be honest I couldn't get on with them in either graphite or steel. Might just have been me but having used R7's I thought they would have been easier to hit. My advice would be a) get your swing checked by a pro, b) have a lesson to correct any flaws highlighted and c) make sure you get your swing speed, spin, launch angle etc checked out to make sure graphite really is the best thing for you. You may want to think about custom fitting (groans from the forum for the CF phrase!)

 

[RGuk]

Barney.....what are you doing??? New clubs aren't going to help you...you've got to sort it out mate!
Steel vs. Graphite.........I'm a club (and a bit) up with my new graphite irons compared to my steel....but it's entirely in the loft and length......you'll be lucky to get even 1/2 a club by changing from identical lofts....
Your problem is your golf swing......goodness knows, I quit playing partly because a pro laughed at my pathetic distance. I'm 6' and weigh 15 st. but although a decent runner at school have never gone in for any sport that could possibly improve my "golf" strength. It is what it is.
Playing with a club or two more won't stop you taking shots off your h'cap...if you learn to hit the ball better.
Get a life and go for lessons.

I'm giving you the tough love thing.....I know where you are with all this.....goodness knows it hurts to carry the embarrasment of playing like a big wuss.....but improve your swing, hit it better and you'll hit it further....regardless of clubhead speed and all the rest.

Chances are it's all in the technique....go and see a pro and leave the clubs.

"Good boy - you know it makes sense" D Trotter 1981

 

[RGuk]

PS...the first birdie I made (on a par 4) was from 138 yards with a 5 iron.
Looking back.....when I finally dropped down to 9.4 (1996?) I was hitting the ball similar to now and developing 90-95 mph with driver. That's about 230-250 max....i.i.r.c. PW was 100 and then 12 yards per iron...making a 7 iron about 136 and 5 about 160....pretty poor, but enough to beat 350 of the 400 members of my club off scratch....

 

[John_Findlay]

Barney,

I agree with realgolferuk on this one. Sort out the ball striking and the distance will take care of itself. Take a lesson or two.

Hope it works out for you.

 

[Cernunnos]

When anyone starts out they can't get the irons going the distance they should, its only though lessons & hitting more & more & more balls on the range & the course, as you get the muscles you need for golf working & strengthened. Asw you learn how to coil, how to transfer your weight through the ball, as you get the swing plane closer to where it should be.

But all this needs to be learned from a pro. New kit does nothing but work on your vanity. The only reason to change equipment this early in your playing life is vanity. As little if any difference will be noticed for some time to come yet. Save your cash, invest in lessons instead for now.

 

[viscount17]

barney, as the guys have all said, see a pro first.

I have the same irons as rguk but with steel shafts, I'm pretty much the same size as well (maybe a bit heavier). My swing speed (with the irons) was measured at 88 when I got them. My swing isn't consistent but I can get 100-120 PW, 150-165 7i and up to 200 4i. I can also hit a driver a bit longer than rg (maybe) but off a slower swing.


OK, so I hit a bit further, he's the better golfer. My absolute max with a 7i has been >170 and >190 with a 5i. Personally, I'd take consistency and less length.

If it's three shots to the green on a par 5 what difference does it make which three clubs you use?

 

[RGuk]

Thanks viscount for the compliment.

I can also hit a driver a bit longer than rg (maybe) but off a slower swing.

You will hit your drives further than me if you were 88 mph with irons.....I'd say you have to be up over/near 100 with driver......I'm down at 95-ish.

 

[viscount17]

I'm not sure about driver speed rg. when I bought the r7 last October I was 88 with that (ball speed 135). since then I've had one swing lesson for the driver (last month) and the pro reckoned I was still regular shaft but speed wasn't measured. I recently lucked into a second driver, G5 stiff, so I'll see what I can do with that.