How Unconventional Do You Try?

[KEV]

I think I've become much more open lately. I swore I would never try an arm lock putter but here I am now gaming one. I'm more willing to try out of the box these days.

 

[captaincaution]

Quoting these three, but so many said similar. That is really my question. You will try anything, but do you? Meaning you go into a store or decide you want new irons. Do you test things that wouldn't normally match up to your conventional style? We always hear "I will use anything if it works". How will you know?

This is a good follow up.

With the irons, I had heard great things from THPers, and I was just curious about upgrading my irons, and committed to them early on, even putting graphite shafts in them. I gamed them for well over a season.

That chipper came in the bag because I was really struggling, and honestly, Callaway/Odyssey did a good job selling the benefits of it.

I guess, what you're looking for is, you never know if anything will work until you commit to it and take it out on course. I'm just saying that having tried and gamed, for quite a while, those two products, there isn't much I wouldn't at least try and give a fair chance.

 

[baylrballa]

This might be the best putter ever, but i refuse to try it.

 

[Bjornjorg]

This might be the best putter ever, but i refuse to try it.

That is the ugliest thing this side of the Atlantic. No thanks. I wouldn't try it either.

 

[JonD]

The more I play and get to know what works for me, the less inclined I am to try something that's too far 'out of the box' for me. I've gone through some phases for sure. Had a square driver & fairways woods, tried a chipper and the smart sole wedges. There's probably others. I do oscillate back and forth a bit on levels of forgiveness in my bag, but I've gotten to a point where I usually know roughly what I want. If someone hands me something and says I have to try it, I'll give it a go, but I don't seek it out as much as I used to.

I do want to try armlock though. Anything that'll help sink more putts.

 

[Sox_Fan]

I almost never go outside of my comfort zone. If I had access to physically seeing and trying different stuff, I would likely be more open-minded. Since everything I buy is online, I stick with what I have experience with.

 

[Parrot]

I tried a belly putter somewhere around 2010-11 but that was more to protect a bad back than anything else. Kept in the bag for several months but didn't get used to it.

Other than that, I'm pretty conventional.

 

[PatsFan]

I will game almost anything if its 1 Legal and 2 Not going to make me look a complete idiot. Well I mean any more than I already do!
I have OL clubs and I am loving the Tour Divide ball.

 

[Nappy]

By accident a few years ago I tried a Sub Zero driver, not thinking it would fit my swing at all and it was magic in a bottle. Since then I've found that sometimes I play the more compact heads better.

My handicap and my swing would scream Max Head and more forgiveness, but it's funny how that's not always the case.

 

[jmix18]

I don't tend to move outside of what I've found works for me - or what I like the feel of - however THP has caused me to think more outside of the box - so that's why I'm trying out the graphite shafts with the TE irons.

THP is a gold mine of knowledge but one that I have to be careful with as then I want to try out so many different pieces of equipment.

 

[jmix18]

This might be the best putter ever, but i refuse to try it.

I was at 2nd Swing the other day and dinked around with it... it's an abomination of design in my eyes and couldn't get myself to give it a serious look.

 

[mancest]

I take a Meatloafesque stance (the artist not the food, but I do love me a good meatlof) with I will do anything for golf, but I won't do that.

I have played Cavity back wedges, graphite throughout the bag (including putter), one length irons, big mallet putters, hybrid iron sets, 2 drivers, a 7 wood a 6H and a 2 utility.... plus many other things that I am forgetting.

But I will never try a LAB putter or an armlock putter. Just no go for me (mostly because I have friends that have them and I made fun of them relentlessly for it).

So I will try anything, except the things I won't..... if that makes sense.

 

[zoveracker]

I went OL which is pretty unconventional. That is about as far as I am willing to go. They are working out great for me though

 

[nostatic]

I'm going to experiment with a 7H, even though I hit 7i fairly well.

That's either unconventional or club ho. Either way, guilty as charged...

 

[Puttmaster]

Heck ... I'm still surprised at myself for replacing the traditional Mizuno/Titleist irons with a set of Srixons. And I'm glad I did!

 

[Daluteh]

I would be willing to try anything but I think the reality is for me at least I would be far more likely to try what has already been tested. I'm not picky enough to really say no but when there are already 10 brands that make the same style of game improvement irons or max forgiveness drivers that area designed for people like me why *should* I stray outside of that comfort realm?

I think willingness to try something new is all fun and good but if these irons worked for thousands of other people they will likely work for me and they have the advantage of a better resale value being standard.

 

[YukonLiving]

I'm willing to try a lot, but haven't stepped too far outside of my comfort zone simply because I don't have the facilities up here to go and test things before making a purchase. Everything I want to try, I need to buy, and I'm learning that option is quite expensive!

At the top of my list right now is one length irons. I've been very curious there for at least two years.

 

[tehuti]

I embraced the Tour Edge ironwoods before everyone else started making that type of club. Most folks here reference the Cleveland Launcher or Cobra T-Rails. When I was too erratic with hybrids the ironwoods kept me in the game a bit.

 

[Templet0n]

Quoting these three, but so many said similar. That is really my question. You will try anything, but do you? Meaning you go into a store or decide you want new irons. Do you test things that wouldn't normally match up to your conventional style? We always hear "I will use anything if it works". How will you know?

I for sure try almost everything. There are items or release that I will admit to for one reason or another saying "nope" to and simply passing.

I would consider going with 7 wood in my bag at the end of last year a slightly "unconventional" move. Sure it is a normal looking fairway wood but for the longest time it was considered a senior or made for ladies product. I think I was very early at getting on that train and had considered it before it became a popular move this year.

I am currently playing the Mizuno ES21 wedges are really like them. Those are pretty unconventional for a wedge. They look pretty normal so that is nice.

I have also used the LAB putter, I used a long putter for a bit before the anchor ban, I would consider playing one length if the iron was the right style. So yeah.. I do try it all.

 

[BigMac]

Quoting these three, but so many said similar. That is really my question. You will try anything, but do you? Meaning you go into a store or decide you want new irons. Do you test things that wouldn't normally match up to your conventional style? We always hear "I will use anything if it works". How will you know?

If a fitter suggested something that was out of my comfort zone/conventional style, I'd give it a try. If it worked I'd bag it.

If I just walked into a golf store and saw something unconventional while I was browsing around, I'd be willing to give it a try then also. I like to try different things just to see if they live up to the hype - you never know what you might stumble upon!

I have a pretty wide comfort zone looks-wise as far as what would be acceptable in my bag, and if it worked I wouldn't care what anybody else thought of it. There are very few clubs that I consider so ugly I wouldn't play them at any price. Blades make me nervous to look down at because of the small heads and thin toplines not being a great match for my abilities (or rather, my lack thereof), but if I tried a set of blades and hit them consistently well, I'd gladly put that aside and throw them in the bag.

 

[Jason89er]

I will use anything that’s legal. I have a 9-Wood. Hybrids 5-PW. X9s I found on eBay that I love. Let’s just say I have a lot of headcovers. But I hit em high and soft. The gapping is very good. Cleveland Niblick Wedges. As I’ve said on other posts I get some looks when being paired up with folks sometimes but by the 4-5 hole they see I’m a solid player and they get up the nerve to ask about them. I’m most definitely an unconventional kind of golfer. But it works for me. And that’s the key.

 

[bull0120]

I think it makes a lot of sense to have this. If Odyssey made a 10s or 7s. I would have it.

I get some disapproving looks with my stand alone, but screw em lol.

 

[BriMac]

Putter: everything is on the table. I have done belly, armlock, LAB, claw, reverse claw, mallet, blade, etc…. Especially in the off season, I get a little nutty looking for the unicorn.

Everything else: pretty conventional. 7 wood is probably the only outlier among the people I play with, but it’s not that outlandish.

 

[Hitsnmisses]

depends on the individual purchasing power also , that influences choice . If time and money is no impediment I would spend significant time experimenting . Further l think you could make a valid argument that if you had some new equipment or innovation 100 percent gteed to give you 2-3 stroke less strokes the may sayers would be significantly less lol .
Me minds willing to experimenting but the economics and time are against it.

 

[InTheRough]

Unconventional: One length irons; hybrids down to 6; and a 48" Odyssey White Ice putter.