Utility 4 iron

[Voyager EMH]

Maybe we should all buy vintage blades, that way we can be split between those that can and those that can’t use them.
If you struggle tough luck and maybe consider giving up because you won’t enjoy your golf anymore…but at least you’re using old clubs with the correct loft.

That's been done before.
The split was those who played golf and those who didn't.

 

[spongebob59]

As it happens there's a code for 20% off golfbidder items through eBay so I've taken a punt on the u510 and if it doesn't work out I can return it .

 

[Voyager EMH]

Unicycles are even harder but I bet even with practice, most of us wouldn’t use them

But really trying to become competent at unicycle riding would improve one's balance, strength and coordination which might pay off in other physical activities.

"Trying" to do the difficult thing can often make the easier thing even easier.

Like an athlete running with weights or training at altitude.

 

[Singlefiguregokfer]

As it happens there's a code for 20% off golfbidder items through eBay so I've taken a punt on the u510 and if it doesn't work out I can return it .

Good man
Ignore the haters, try something to make you enjoy your hobby
Golf’s not a pissing contest, it’s meant to be fun.

 

[Voyager EMH]

I have a 3i hybrid but as I hit the 4 iron really well so thought Id like to try something in between an iron and hybrid .

As you can see below, I have a 20° hybrid. My longest iron is a 21° which gives me about a 10 yard gap between the two and that works for me.
I think a utility 4 iron is usually around 21-22° so that would probably work for me too, if I went for it. As long as the shaft is a bit shorter than my 20° hybrid, otherwise there might not be suitable gapping.

 

[Singlefiguregokfer]

That's been done before.
The split was those who played golf and those who didn't.

So the 99% on here who don’t use rusty old blades aren’t golfers?

 

[Voyager EMH]

So the 99% on here who don’t use rusty old blades aren’t golfers?

Ridiculous comment.
There used to be shiny new blades or nothing else. That was my point.
Nothing to do with today's choices or today's golfers.

 

[Singlefiguregokfer]

Ridiculous comment.
There used to be shiny new blades or nothing else. That was my point.
Nothing to do with today's choices or today's golfers.

Perhaps, rather than trying to be clever, you should be more explicit!

 

[Voyager EMH]

Perhaps, rather than trying to be clever, you should be more explicit!

I apologise for my shortcomings.
I will take some time to give what you say my utmost consideration.

 

[Singlefiguregokfer]

I apologise for my shortcomings.
I will take some time to give what you say my utmost consideration.

Good idea, otherwise people will think all you do is go on about old clubs ad nauseam

 

[Orikoru]

They just need to learn to do it rather than seek to deem it not possible for them.

I was quite clearly, to me, not naturally talented at golf at all.
I had a desire to become competent and I persevered and learnt how to learn in order to improve rather than say to myself that some aspects of the game were beyond me.

It was the same for my dad and older brother who started playing in 1969. They learnt how to hit their bladed 3-irons.
Dad never got below 21 handicap, but he did not entertain the fear and dread of long irons.

What a load of nonsense. Most of us don't have hours upon hours of free time to practice and get to a level of fantastic ball-striking - we just want to enjoy our rounds of golf. The object is get the ball in the hole, it doesn't matter what bats you use. Use the ones that work. What possible benefit is there in 'learning' to hit a 4 iron when a hybrid already does the job?

 

[spongebob59]

Good man
Ignore the haters, try something to make you enjoy your hobby
Golf’s not a pissing contest, it’s meant to be fun.

When you get to my age it often is a pissing contest as well

 

[Redtraveller]

I’ve a Ping crossover 2 iron which is very easy to hit

Same here

 

[Voyager EMH]

What a load of nonsense. Most of us don't have hours upon hours of free time to practice and get to a level of fantastic ball-striking - we just want to enjoy our rounds of golf. The object is get the ball in the hole, it doesn't matter what bats you use. Use the ones that work. What possible benefit is there in 'learning' to hit a 4 iron when a hybrid already does the job?

And there is the continuation of the myth that a fantastic level of ball striking is required to play an ordinary shot with an ordinary club and that it either takes a very long time to learn to do or some extraordinary level of ability to do what thousands of people used to just get on and do, because there was no alternative.

And to join in with this type of reasoning I shall say that there is no point trying to get better at golf because your handicap just goes down and that makes golf harder and having a higher handicap makes golf more fun, because you can be competitive without having to try very hard.

I stopped using bladed long irons for competitive golf in 1992.
But I've experienced the improvement to my game by practicing with them in recent years.
Really improved the accuracy of my swinging by practicing with less forgiving clubs.

But ignore my nonsense, I've clearly lost my way and know nothing about what it takes to become a better golfer, or what made me the golfer that I am.
I've just been a blundering oaf who got lucky somehow playing with ridiculous clubs.

 

[Orikoru]

And there is the continuation of the myth that a fantastic level of ball striking is required to play an ordinary shot with an ordinary club and that it either takes a very long time to learn to do or some extraordinary level of ability to do what thousands of people used to just get on and do, because there was no alternative.

And to join in with this type of reasoning I shall say that there is no point trying to get better at golf because your handicap just goes down and that makes golf harder and having a higher handicap makes golf more fun, because you can be competitive without having to try very hard.

I stopped using bladed long irons for competitive golf in 1992.
But I've experienced the improvement to my game by practicing with them in recent years.
Really improved the accuracy of my swinging by practicing with less forgiving clubs.

But ignore my nonsense, I've clearly lost my way and know nothing about what it takes to become a better golfer, or what made me the golfer that I am.
I've just been a blundering oaf who got lucky somehow playing with ridiculous clubs.

I wouldn't normally accuse you of this, but just generally speaking - a 4 handicap telling high handicappers to 'just learn' how to hit 3 & 4 irons comes across as condescending. Personally I don't even own a 4 or 5 iron as I knew I have no use for them - I'm happy with the 7 wood and hybrids that I have. Obviously we want to improve at golf across the board, but I can't see the point in trying to use a 4 iron that you struggle with, while you already have a different tool that does that job adequately. You'd just be hampering yourself. You seem to have this attitude that it's somehow better or more worthy to use long irons than hybrids/woods, that's the part that's total nonsense. It would be like saying to someone with a mallet putter than they need to practise using a blade putter in order to get better. You use what works the best, it's that simple.

 

[Smokey Lomcevak]

The U510 is about as chunky as they come. I have the 2 for the tee which is great but I struggle with it off the deck. The sole is really wide which I don’t like. I still haven’t hit the Srixon but would love to give the 3 iron a go. If the old versions are good enough for Mr Scheffler…

 

[Jigger]

I have the U505 and it’s more forgiving than my JPX 4 iron but I don’t get more distance than I expect of my JPX.

In the winter it gets swapped out with a hybrid but might keep the hybrid in this year.

 

[nickjdavis]

I've cleared my locker out at the club and found all manner of old assorted bits i'd forgotten I had....

TM V-Steel 13* Tour Spoon with a steel shaft
A special edition Titleist 55* copper wedge

and perhaps more relevant to the thread as a whole...

..a Cleveland LDI 21* (more of a driving iron) and a Fourteen Hi-660 3 iron (thikn the loft is 20* but its more of a utility iron than a driving iron).

Might see if I've got a couple of suitable shafts lying around in the shed and build the latter two up into full clubs and see what they are like.

 

[Hobbit]

As it happens there's a code for 20% off golfbidder items through eBay so I've taken a punt on the u510 and if it doesn't work out I can return it .

You’ll enjoy it! Swing smooth and you’ll be surprised how easy it is to hit and how far it goes.

Enjoy!

 

[Voyager EMH]

I wouldn't normally accuse you of this, but just generally speaking - a 4 handicap telling high handicappers to 'just learn' how to hit 3 & 4 irons comes across as condescending. Personally I don't even own a 4 or 5 iron as I knew I have no use for them - I'm happy with the 7 wood and hybrids that I have. Obviously we want to improve at golf across the board, but I can't see the point in trying to use a 4 iron that you struggle with, while you already have a different tool that does that job adequately. You'd just be hampering yourself. You seem to have this attitude that it's somehow better or more worthy to use long irons than hybrids/woods, that's the part that's total nonsense. It would be like saying to someone with a mallet putter than they need to practise using a blade putter in order to get better. You use what works the best, it's that simple.

Your view is the majority one, I believe.
But to me it is the tricycle view.
You are far less likely to fall off a three-wheeler, so why bother to learn to ride a two-wheeler that is far trickier to balance. Just a waste of time and effort.
Riding a two-wheeler does not make you a more worthy cyclist.
This only a silly analogy - I'm certainly not advocating for everyone to be riding trikes rather than bikes.

I had to learn to use hybrids. I could have chosen not to. But 15 years ago I decided to try.
Glad I made that effort. Given me more options - more strings to my bow, if you like.
I'll have my two hybrids in the bag tomorrow, but I'll also have a Ping G10 3iron of 21° (not a blade)