Just Curious...

Hello all,

This is my second time posting to the forum and I must say the tips I got on how to hit my woods off the fairway helped me alot. Thanks.

I am a 20 Handicap, and play with some old Golf Pro Irons and woods that I bought at (please don't laugh at me" Wal-Mart 10 years ago, My driver is a Dunlop 450cc graphite shaft driver (less than a year old).

I have been told that I have a good swing and make solid contact, but my clubs are holding my distance down. This coming from my the golf pro I get lessons from once a month, I just started taking lessons two months ago. He suggested I get some fitted clubs. I figured he probably knew what he was talking about and bought some Nicklaus EZ-up Irons and had them fitted.

My question is how much of a difference can I expect these clubs to make on my game. I have noticed a slight improvement, four strokes per round, in my game since taking lessons. Any feedback you can give me on these two topics would be greatly appreciated.

Noah

Hi Noah,

If your clubs are custom fit then you will benefit to some extent - although the degree of the improvement will be composed of many facxtors, only one of which is your nice new clubs. With that said, it is difficult to suggest how much you will improve. Custom fitting does have its advantages, and i know many people swear by it, some even go as far as to suggest that if your irons are not custom fit then you wont be able to hit them. I dont really subscribe to this way of thinking - imagine Big Ernie with a set of irons that were a little too stiff, or a little too upright, or flat etc. Can you honestly see it making a huge difference to his game - i cant. However, by having clubs custom fit you are giving yourself the best possible chance of hitting a nice shot, before you even take your grip that is.

In terms of the irons themselves, i think that the biggest improvement will come in the shots that you don't strike so well. The new irons are more forgiving and result in an acceptable trajectory and flight path when the club is struck off centre. I would imagine however, that if you took your old seven rion and your new one and you struck them both equally well with the same swing then i wouldn't imagine there would be a huge difference.

There is one more point to consider, and that is confidence. With your new irons will come more confidence, and in a sport like golf, confidence is more use to you than a 15th or even a 16th, 17th and 18th club.

Will

They will help you so much...

Take my first hole for example. It's a 90 degree dogleg to the right. It's a small landing area about 190 yards and uphill from the beginning of the tee. My 3-wood is too long and because my old 3/4/5 irons were utter ****, I was forced to hit an easy 3-wood which resulted in tops etc... and doubts in my mind. I recently bought a set of Taylormade RAC LTs [highly recommend them by the way] and can finally hit a 4 iron to the hole which caused me, my patience and my old clubs pain [only kidding, would never try and hurt any club in a fit of rage ]!

On my 4th round with them, I shot 76 which betters my previous record by 10 shots. My 15th, I used to play a 6-iron, now it's a controlled 8-iron. The change was definately worth it and I'm sure you will benefit with your change too. Good luck and hammer your handicap this season , I plan on doing the same!

__________________

First of all thanks for the feedback. I couldn't stand to wait until my league on wednesday to use my new clubs. So I bailed on work early today and hit the course, not knowing what to expect with my new hardware.

On the first tee, a 450 yard par 4, I hit driver off the tee and poked it 275 down the left side leaving me with 175. I figured on my old clubs I would hit 6 iron so that's what I took out. I did a couple of practice swings to calm the nerves since this was my first swipe using the new clubs. Once I was ready I moved into the address postition and took one last look at my target. What happend next was unbelievable. I hit my 6 iron a good 20 yards over the green dead straight over the flag. I have never hit my irons that well, so I figured it was a fluke. I went on to par the hole and moved to #2.

Par 3 165, pull out the 8 iron and let her rip. Perfectly straight and 20 feet short of the hole. Two put for par and I'm at even after two holes. Never happend to me before. To make a long story short I shot a 85 on a par 70 course that I play all the time. My previous low was a 92.

I can't believe that it could be the irons alone. I think the confidence I got from that first hit did wonders for me.

I have a set of Rac LTs as well. Man they are awesome. I hit my 3 iron well over 260 off the tee the other day. They may not be as forgiving as other clubs, but I like the feedback I get when hitting them. Plus I've never been able to shape shops like I have with these.

Yup, they're far from the most forgiving of clubs. They are easily forgiven though when you hit a ball on the sweet spot.

I love the 3-iron. I greened a 260 yard, downhill par 4 last night with it. 8 foot away for eagle, 3-putted ! It did get me a free drink from my opponent though. My mum thinks it was a waste of money. Bah, I think she's wrong when they are getting me free drinks. She won't be complaining when I start to pay all her bills.