Game improvement clubs...help or hinder your game?

[clint]

I've been thinking lately, which can be dangerous but I don't think so on this occassion. I was wondering what everybodys thoughts are on game improvement clubs. It occurred to me lately that the so called game improvement clubs might actually hurt your game in the long run. The reason I say this is there's not a great deal of feedback with the clubs and you're not penalized as much for mishits so it could actually lead to a sloppier swing. Does anybody else see it this way?

The reason I'm wondering is I'm a high handicapper who's in the market for some new sticks. I recently scored a job at a golf course, i.e. free golf, and I'm going to start taking some lessons to get my swing mechanics more established. So I don't want to buy a set of clubs that I can't really grow into. Now I'm not saying I want blades. Actually, I'm not sure what I want other than custom fitted.

Anyway, what do you guys think about game improvement clubs.

[warbirdlover]

My take. If you can practice and practice and want to move the ball right or left game improvement (CB) clubs will make it difficult to do so. If, however, you are like most golfers and can only get out a couple times/wk at most you'll never learn to hit these "players" forged blade clubs. The more "workable" a club the more "difficult" to hit cleanly. To accomplish both your swing must be very repeatable.

If you can't you will KILL your game with forged blades made for the better players. And you will get feedback from game improvement cavity back irons. They just are "so" forgiving they want to "get up and go straight" and it's hard to "bend" them left or right. Give me these irons any day.

[Sandy]

I'm a high handicapper too, but have made massive improvements in my first year using old 'game improvement' King Cobra Oversive irons that have less pronounced permiter weighting and a thinner sole than most modern GI irons.

Over the last few weeks I've put together a set of Cobra 3400I/XHs - deemed to be 'Super Game Improvement' - and finally got a chance to swing them this week and found it really hard to get used to. Seemed a lot less feeback on well hit shots, but shots that I thought I'd hit badly really went a lot further and had a lot less sideways movement on them. Once I get used to the totally different feel with them I suspect they'll be a great benefit to my game, as they certainly seemed to get the ball up pretty easily. It was also very noticeable how much easier the 4 to 6 irons where to hit. I suspect I may mix and match a little and go out with the 5,6 and 7 irons from the 3400 set, but keep the 8, 9 and PW from the old Oversizes that I can hit really sweetly now - at least for the time being. Going to keep practicing with the 3400 set though.

The change in lofts caught me out too! How come these supposedly superior clubs were going 10yds less per club than the old ones?

[Force]

I can tell when i get a clean hit , or a mishit with my irons. I purchased game improvment irons as something to learn to swing with. When the number of mishits i have a round go down into the 1-3 range i will look at a set of blades but untill then im happy with what i have atm.

[ezra76]

IMO, if you are really in this game for the long haul, buy a set of blades, (cheap ones) suffer through till you can hit them decent more than half the time. Pick up a set of players cavities and start whooping some a$$. That's what seemed to work for me anyway.

You bring up a good point though.

[warbirdlover]

I played 10 years with a beautiful set of McGregor muscle back blades and I stunk with the occassional beautiful shot. I didn't start scoring decently until I got cavity backs. No way will I go backwards. (But I wished I had that set of McGregors yet, I could make money on those).

[mont86]

Clint brings up a good point, I have play with regular CBs but I have only hit the super forgiving clubs a couple of time, maybe dozen, I couldn't tell the difference in them. Now I have hit blades and I can tell the difference.
Should I stick with something middle of the road?

[warbirdlover]

I would only say this. IF you are going to put in the time and effort to hit better I'd go something middle of the road like R35 has done. IF you are even more serious then go all the way but if you're like the majority of golfers (myself included) find some CB's that feel good to you and enjoy yourself!!

[mont86]

I would only say this. IF you are going to put in the time and effort to hit better I'd go something middle of the road like R35 has done. IF you are even more serious then go all the way but if you're like the majority of golfers (myself included) find some CB's that feel good to you and enjoy yourself!!

Warbird what part of the road are Tommy armour 845s silver back or King cobra cb compared too the G5

[bames]

I've played both types this year. I started out with the Ping G2s and then switched to the Mizuno MP 60. All I can say is play whichever fits your eye and instills the most confidence in your swing - that is what will improve your game and scoring. If you look down and see what you picture a golf club should look like, then that is the club for you.

In my experience with the two different clubs I noticed that with the G2s I always knew when I mis-hit the ball, the only difference is that most of the time the club bailed me out and I still hit a decent shot, so I don't think that playing GI clubs is going to make you a worse golfer in the long run. I could still hit the occasional fade and draw, punch shots, and high shots. The feel is different, the sound is different and the look is different, but I still had the same swing.

I love my MP 60s because they fit my idea of a golf club. I love the sound, feel, and look. It is easier to play a fade (I primarily play fades) with the player's club, the response is a little more sensitive and brings a little more feedback, but switching to MP 60s has made me a better golfer only because I feel more comfortable and confident. I don't think they have forced me to groove a better swing.

[mont86]

bames thats a good answer, I just have been looking at different clubs on ebay and at the pro shop and I don't like the looks of alot of the super improvement clubs plus I have been working like a madman on my game so I want to stick with a game enhancement club. I have hit atleast a dozen different clubs and only a few feel different, am I out of touch with the feel of the clubs? Except for blades, they are very distinct. And very very sweet when used properly.

[warbirdlover]

Warbird what part of the road are Tommy armour 845s silver back or King cobra cb compared too the G5

mont86

I think both of those are in the same "category" as the G5's...

[bames]

bames thats a good answer, I just have been looking at different clubs on ebay and at the pro shop and I don't like the looks of alot of the super improvement clubs plus I have been working like a madman on my game so I want to stick with a game enhancement club. I have hit atleast a dozen different clubs and only a few feel different, am I out of touch with the feel of the clubs? Except for blades, they are very distinct. And very very sweet when used properly.

I think that feel is relative and golfer specific. I will never be able to relay to anyone what I feel when I pure an 8i with my MP 60, and you will never be able to do the same either. The amount of "feel" that you experience could be much more accute than mine. So the club that produces the best results and provides the feel that you experience will most likely be different than that of mine. The best thing I've done in terms of clubs this year is choose clubs that "feel" like I want them to feel, sound like I want, and look like I want. Whichever club produced that "very very sweet" feel for you would be what I would use to narrow your search. Let us know, and if you care to hear any more about the clubs I went through during my search I'll gladly tell you more. Its always fun to talk golf!

[VtDivot]

All I can say is play whichever fits your eye and instills the most confidence in your swing - that is what will improve your game and scoring. If you look down and see what you picture a golf club should look like, then that is the club for you.


...because they fit my idea of a golf club. I love the sound, feel, and look.

...only because I feel more comfortable and confident. I don't think they have forced me to groove a better swing.

This is dead on perfect advice.

[Rockford35]

This is dead on perfect advice.

This coming from a guy with a Titleist.

What's wrong with you?

R35

PS...sound advice, Bames. This is exactly what I think of whenever someone asks for advice on buying a putter or a wedge. It pretty much covers the spectrum on any club out there. Except Titleist.