say it's so!!!

[daddymack]

I just read a thread where it seemed to imply that so sets of clubs don't get as much loft as others. Is it true that all 56 degree wedges are not created equal?

I'm new to the game but i have never been able to get the ball up high. I at the point where it gets in the air but not nearly like some others do. I mean I have read a ton of books and my form and technique is textbook ( At least in my mind), just not a lot of loft.
I have a pretty cheap set I bought at Dicks 199.00

If this is true it can help me move on to the next step of getting better.

1 of 3 new post.

 

[Bravo]

Well Daddy, sometimes sets of irons will be a bit strong/weak on their lofts - which means they may be 1-2* higher/lower than the "standard" loft for a given club.

Years ago, there were lofts for each numbered iron that were considered to be 'standard' even though no 'published standard' from some sort of sanctioning body existed. It was a De Facto standard. by usage over time.

In the past ten years, companies have bent this definition of standard for a variety of reasons. However, a "given 5 iron" from manufacturer to manufacturer should be No more than 1-2 degrees different. Its not like you are goingto get a 5 that plays like a 3 or a 7...

It is almost universal in new players - that they have a problem getting the ball airborne. I dont know why but I have seen it a thousand times...

Do Not worry about equipment being your problem. Don't think that buying a new set of clubs will solve it. I could take your Dicks starter set and hit shots over trees, houses and small office buildings.

Get lessons...practice...play...lessons. For many players here, the season has just begun.

Regardless of how strong/weak the lofts are on your set - this is not the issue with you failing to "get it up"

 

[Rockford35]

Every manufacturer has a "better method" to game improvement. And for many, it's increasing loft.

Callaway, for example, uses a 4* seperation for their Big Bertha game improvement clubs. The PW plays at 50*, whereas most "standard" PW's are 47 or 48*. So, the Callaway set plays "shorter", but more accurate and straighter as the more lofted clubs are easier to hit.

That being said, the 3 iron plays more like a 2 iron as after the 7 iron, the lofts become stronger. The wider soles of game improvement irons allow the user to get the ball off the ground much easier. And let me tell you, they really do. I would have kept mine had the short irons not been so much shorter. When you hit your irons short as I do, you need all the help you can get!

Hope this helps.

R35

 

[Loop]

daddymack, have you tried positioning the ball near your left foot? All my iron shots goes pretty high with that position.
And are you sure you're hitting the ball pure? If you're thinning your shots and you wouldn't know (beginner's club gives less feedback than other irons), this may explain why.
I don't know, I'm just guessing here...

 

[bdcrowe]

One thing that got the loft differentials started was the perimeter weighting, lower COG irons. The lower COG gets the ball up higher than standard blades and musclebacks, so most Game Improvement irons will have stronger lofts than player's clubs.

 

[daddymack]

daddymack, have you tried positioning the ball near your left foot? All my iron shots goes pretty high with that position.
And are you sure you're hitting the ball pure? If you're thinning your shots and you wouldn't know (beginner's club gives less feedback than other irons), this may explain why.
I don't know, I'm just guessing here...

I tried putting the ball farther up in my stance but I was told that it's better to have it back when using irons.

I'm not hitting the ball pure thats for sure. half the time it just runs along the grass right after i make contact. The other half i can get it maybe 10-15 feet off the ground which is a major improvement for me.

I have given up on trying to hit down on the ball. I just can't do it.

At the range today i seen a guy with the most awful swing. It looked like he missed the ball everytime, but he hit it and got a ton of loft on them.

I just dont get it. people say the short game is the hardest. I chip and put fairly decent. I got good touch on my short pitch shots. i just got to find a way to overcome this.


Thanks for letting me vent.

 

[Loop]

I'm pretty sure your full swing sucks (sorry to be blunt here mate ).
BUT your chipping and pitching seems okay. Grab your most lofted wedge, put the ball in the center or just near your left foot as if you were pitching.
Normally your short pitch shot has some height on them, right?

Now make a half backswing, (make sure you **** your wrists), accelerate through impact, hit the ball and followthrough with the same height you had in your backswing.
Don't change your tempo, just make it as smooth as you can.
The important thing is to make a really clean contact.
Once you've mastered that, go on to make a 3/4 backswing. Always strive to make clean pure contact, but don't change your tempo or swing more agressively.

If you've arrived to that point, now all you've got to do is change clubs. Progressively use your 9 iron, then 8, 7, 6, then 5, but with same tempo, 3/4 backswing and clean contact. You'll get plenty of loft.

The thing with the full swing, always do things slowly at first so that you ingrain the correct sequence of movement, and get a feel of what is good contact. Chippping and pitching is sort of a mini full swing.