SGI/GI/Players/Blades Test needed please GM.

[Alex1975]

Hi all,

I have just been having a mooch around the Ask the Experts section and as usual there is a few posts asking about blades V a n other irons or blades to get me to the next level. These posts are fairly common but never have an actual outcome. The replies are always very divided “I tried it and it killed my game” or “most pro golfers don't use blades” or “I used blades from a young age and would not use anything else” and so on.

I think it would be very interesting to put together a test of some kind over a reasonable period of time and give a 28, 19(me please!!), 12, 6 and scratch player a set of SGI/GI/Players and Blades and test them both on trackman and on the course. It would need some consistency test and some distance test, some smash factor and launch angle date and so on.

I guess it would take some doing and you would need to eradicate anomalies like shafts and balls used but I think it would make for a really interesting article in the magazine and or forum.

You could find out if it was different for the shorter irons than the longer ones, I would be willing to bet there is a point where mixed sets play a very interesting roll in the market that may well have not been fully exploited by the manufactures.

I just think this would be an all round interesting golfing test and would go some way to answering the unanswerable questions we muse about day in day out.

I would be happy to help set this up, all I need is a trackman and 4 sets of irons, I guess I could give them back after if you want

What do you guys think, would this info interest you?

Al

 

[daveyc2k2]

Alex, that sounds like a great idea. I would be more than happy to help if a 17 (maybe 16 soon) haandicapper is needed.

 

[Swinger]

Interesting idea.

Not sure how feesable it would be with the need to have 4 or so custom built sets for each player to get a fair result.
You'd also need to publish the lofts of the club with the trackman data to help unskew the stronger lofts of the GI irons.

It would be good to find out which irons suit the average player and if there is much difference between the data for each set. My guess would be the SGI and GI have much higher launch angles and probably spin rates to boot. Very little difference in forgiveness and off centre hits on all clubs involved.

I wouldn't be changing my blades any time soon though, unless I get some more blades.

 

[Alex1975]

Interesting idea.

Not sure how feesable it would be with the need to have 4 or so custom built sets for each player to get a fair result.
You'd also need to publish the lofts of the club with the trackman data to help unskew the stronger lofts of the GI irons.

It would be good to find out which irons suit the average player and if there is much difference between the data for each set. My guess would be the SGI and GI have much higher launch angles and probably spin rates to boot. Very little difference in forgiveness and off centre hits on all clubs involved.

I wouldn't be changing my blades any time soon though, unless I get some more blades.

I think you could find 4 golfers that all use DG S300s, they are a pretty common bunch...

 

[thecraw]

I'll tell you right now that blades will not come out on top!

The fact that KJ Choi was using PING G15 for a good part of last season speaks volumes!!!!!

 

[patricks148]

But isn't he now using Miura Blades?

 

[bladeplayer]

I'll tell you right now that blades will not come out on top!

The fact that KJ Choi was using PING G15 for a good part of last season speaks volumes!!!!!

Quiet an interesting question by Alex alright be interesting to see results are you listening GM ??. just on your thing craw.. you seem very definate on that one mate . how come
?? im only asking as i wouldnt have a clue as to the result .. do you think what professionals play or do realy relates to us amatuers ??

 

[thecraw]

No idea Patrick, I thought he moved onto S56's however he is not contracted to play any specific brand now. The fact that he chose to play super game improvemnet bats is what I was getting at!

 

[chunkiesgreat]

If you need a 28 H/C I can be around.

I have thought about this for a while. Are my clubs that i got second hand really the best for me?

Do I need to bite the bullet and get custom fitted? Then if that is yes where do I go. Do I go to AG or somewhere in that is in the same category, or should I go to say Ping or another dedicated fitting centre.

I think it would help a newer golfer to get around all the lingo and what the differences are as it is not always the most expensive are the best for your game.

I would read and article like that anyway!

 

[patricks148]

I think i saw something in a mag the other day about him having those in the bag for such and such event!

 

[Evesdad]

Great idea, may have different results than we all think. Would have to be some sort of long term test though. Put me in the 28 hcp range! Def up for it if it comes to fruition.

 

[USER1999]

Why not just go down to AG and try a few on their monitor?

 

[Alex1975]

Why not just go down to AG and try a few on their monitor?

that would only answer one question for one person.

 

[USER1999]

But this is the sort of thing that can only ever be applicable to you personnally. All 18 handicappers are not the same.

 

[Alex1975]

But this is the sort of thing that can only ever be applicable to you personnally. All 18 handicappers are not the same.

A very good point. I still think it would make for an interesting article and may go some way to answering some of the questions about forgiveness and looks, wide soles and top lines and so on.


You know if John X 28 handicapper can hit a blade 9 iron to 6 foot but cant hit the blade 6 iron off the deck we learned something. If he then hits his SGI 6 iron to 8 foot but trips over the fugly SGI 8 iron we learned more.


dispersion will be the interesting bit for someone who can hit anything, dispersion and consistency.

 

[0]

Good idea! I'm currently swithering between going back to blades from my small cavity backs as I loved my Titleist tour pro blades and still get them out the garage for a feel..... oooeerr missus!
So a comparison is exactly what I'd love to see, dispersion/consistency/ball flight and distance

 

[brendy]

Alex, it comes down to how good a ball striker you are. This debate of Blades vs irons isnt so black and white any more.

There are combo irons, dual cavities, muscle back/blade, oversize, chunky (Callaway) etc Its not a two horse race any more and the sooner folks realise that they should use their best suited tools rather than be billy big balls, the better.
I use Titleist AP2 (Dual cavity), for me there are no better clubs out there. To someone else, Callaways X series might the best clubs out there.

 

[Mattyboy]

Count me in, in the 6 hcp range. Although I cant help thinking that sods law says that the results will be better than with my current set of irons (that are now 5 days old!).

 

[Tommo21]

No idea Patrick, I thought he moved onto S56's however he is not contracted to play any specific brand now. The fact that he chose to play super game improvemnet bats is what I was getting at!

14 times a tour winner Kenny Perry uses standard R7 irons, not TP, with KBS shafts. He likes the offset.

 

[patricks148]

Don’t TG and GM both already do this in there equipment reviews at the start of the year, comparing all the current irons, woods putters?

Anyway it’s a matter of taste, what works for you might not work for others everyone is different. I know guys off 2 and 3 who both have beautiful swings and both use great big hulking Callaways. They could both use any irons they liked with probably the same results, they just happen to like the ones they have.

I also take the benefit of custom fitting with a pinch of salt anyway. If you are a reasonable ball striker with a repeatable swing its worth it but not if you are a 20 something handicapper with no two swings the same.

Equipment is not going to make you a better golfer and isn’t the average handicap now the same as it was when everyone was using blades and persimmons woods?

I feel too any golfers are too caught up with equipment and trying to get a quick fix. Working on your game and playing and enjoying it would make more difference than changing your irons every month.

I’m shite 9 handicapper not cos of the irons I have but my swing.


Rant over