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Niblick Unboxing & Thread

SuperStroke
Jarick: Good write up. It sounds like you are a long hitter, so if you can tighten up your approach shots and work on the short game, your score will drop like a rock.

Here's a tip for you with chipping on the 42. Don't put it back in the stance like you would a traditional chip shot. Play it in the middle of your stance like you would a putt. Maybe you're already doing this, but I suspect that you are not given you mention having to hit the ball harder and also mention having it end up off line. If you "putt" with that 42, the ball will hop a few times, kind of check up and then roll on a pretty straight line almost where you aimed it. Get that shot down, and that 42 is deadly.

I probably chip in one every 3 or so rounds with the 42 despite virtually no practice. I'm to the point where I'd actually be 3 feet off the green in the fringe using the 42 than trying to lag up with a putter from just on the green.

Use the same tip when pitching with the 49. That's contrary to what you are taught with a traditional wedge, but I've found it works a lot better with these. Again, due to the alignment aid on the "flange," you should be good at getting the ball headed down the right line.
 
I've taken these to the range a couple times since that post, and have really been terrible with them.

The 42 I struggle with getting a predictable roll-out on the chips. Sometimes too short, sometimes too long. Flying to the hole with my 58* or a bump and run with a short iron seems to be more consistent for me.

The 56 was great on the course that one time, but for chipping practice it's been a mess. #1 problem is the bounce is way too high for me, and the result is I was blading half my shots with it. I had to put the ball way back in my stance, and that hurt my distance control. After about 20 minutes, I switched to my 58* and was hitting every shot really pure. I was even able to put the ball forward in the stance and hit a lob really nicely.

Since then, my short game with my ATV wedges has been great. I played 18 holes and only had one mishit (shank on an uphill lie). Otherwise I got up and down twice and had some good looks if my putter was cooperating.

In a way, it almost seems like the Tour Striker practice aid, that had the leading edge rounded so much that it forced you to forward press and hit down on the ball.

I'll try to use them again on the practice green.
 
I'm jumping into this thread as I have a 49 now and a 42 on the way. The 42 is going to be in direct competition with my Smart Sole C, which I am pretty adept at.

When my 49 arrived, I noticed that in my chipping practice (about 12' from the hole off of a mat that is about 5 feet from the end of the putting stripe, so it has to carry the gap and land and roll) that the 49 was instantly better for me accuracy wise than the C was. Hard to believe for me but the results did not lie.
 
I spent an hour chipping in my basement on carpet, and noticed the 42 was putting just too much spin on the ball to roll it. 56 too much loft. 49 might be ideal.
 
Jarick said:
I spent an hour chipping in my basement on carpet, and noticed the 42 was putting just too much spin on the ball to roll it. 56 too much loft. 49 might be ideal.
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I think anything that causes the ball to hop or skip is invariably going to put a little spin on it. This spin could in theory make it offline with respect to the roll. This is true not only for chipping, but also for putting (check out a putter like the Rife versus a standard putter).

I've not really noticed that problem with the 42. I play it up in my stance like a putter and use a pendulum putting motion. It normally hops 2-3 times and then settles into a fairly straight roll.

The 37 generates even less hopping. That one is more like 1-2 hops and then a fairly smooth roll. If the 42 hops too much, maybe try the 37. That one is admittedly a bit tougher to find.
 
My clubs are in my trunk, so I've ended up spending more time with these.

I found that if I put the ball further back in my stance and use a putting stroke with the 42, it works really well. The distance seems pretty good and it's mostly on line.

I have yet to take it on the course though. I haven't had a good range session in a while, so maybe I will try and get one in tonight.
 
The Niblick 42 has arrived and will do battle against the Smart Sole C for a spot in my bag.
 
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