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Did I psych myself out?

SuperStroke
Hamfist

Hamfist

I promise not to murder Canadan.
Joined
Dec 7, 2014
Messages
12,160
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Location
Cleveland, Ohio
Handicap
30+
Quick recap: I'm a 30+ handicapper, I've been playing Callaway X-22s (Standard L/L/L steel Uniflex) for a few seasons. Hit a sweet shot with my irons maybe 15% of the time, most shots are "OK" to"Eeeek".
Saturday, on a lark, I hit my friend's Ping G10s (Black dot, stiff graphite stock shafts) and they felt very very good. It's hard to qualify what exactly felt so good (weight of the club, confidence at address, etc.).
Sunday I played my irons again, and played about my standard with them. However, I had a hangover from the Pings, (a Pingover?), and every shot I hit poorly, I would reflect on the other clubs, and think "Man, I would have hit that better with the G10."
So here I sit wondering if I'll ever be able to play my (perfectly functional, and easily good enough for me) Cally's without thinking about "the other one".
And on a more substantive tack: would there be a huge difference in SGI irons such as a G series Ping and something like a Mizuno JPX-EZ?
 
Welcome to club ho-dom. It is a common affliction here
 
The first item on the agenda is to make sure you already have a reliable and fairly consistent swing. If your swing changes from time to time, it'll be hard to figure out what works best for you, with or without a fitter. If you're happy with your current swing, or can foresee that there will be no more drastic changes to it, you can get yourself fitted. Just like we know if we like our pizza with or without hot sauce, there has to be something definitive about your preferences on clubs. both for personal and technical reasons.

If getting a clubfitter to help you is not possible, you can try out several brands on the range, but this will be more trial-and -error because you won't be able to place your finger on why you like or dislike some models.

I haven't tried Ping irons extensively, but Mizuno's are a little less forgiving. However, surprisingly, I can hit my MP 52's better than my bigger-headed Taylormade R9's, and I like my Mizuno's a lot better. Bottom line, try them out in addition to research and forums. There are rules of thumb, but your preferences may deviate from that.
 
Well, basically you are screwed. This is going to be in your head until you buy the Pings or hit them again and find they weren't as magical as you thought. This is a good time to remember that used clubs can be found on the cheap (the G10 will only be available as used clubs at this point but the statement is the truth ... This phenomena happens a lot).
 
tequila4kapp said:
Well, basically you are screwed. This is going to be in your head until you buy the Pings or hit them again and find they weren't as magical as you thought. This is a good time to remember that used clubs can be found on the cheap (the G10 will only be available as used clubs at this point but the statement is the truth ... This phenomena happens a lot).
Click to expand...

Even if you buy the Pings you're screwed. Because either you'll hit the same poor shots and wished you'd just stayed with your old irons... or you'll hit the Pings well and then start wondering what's out there that you might hit even better. And the cycle continues...
 
EaglevsFalcon said:
Welcome to club ho-dom. It is a common affliction here
Click to expand...

I've found home.

theoverswinger said:
The first item on the agenda is to make sure you already have a reliable and fairly consistent swing. If your swing changes from time to time, it'll be hard to figure out what works best for you, with or without a fitter. If you're happy with your current swing, or can foresee that there will be no more drastic changes to it, you can get yourself fitted. Just like we know if we like our pizza with or without hot sauce, there has to be something definitive about your preferences on clubs. both for personal and technical reasons.

If getting a clubfitter to help you is not possible, you can try out several brands on the range, but this will be more trial-and -error because you won't be able to place your finger on why you like or dislike some models.

I haven't tried Ping irons extensively, but Mizuno's are a little less forgiving. However, surprisingly, I can hit my MP 52's better than my bigger-headed Taylormade R9's, and I like my Mizuno's a lot better. Bottom line, try them out in addition to research and forums. There are rules of thumb, but your preferences may deviate from that.
Click to expand...

My swing is totally inconsistent. I know clubs aren't the answer, but so much easier than getting a solid swing.

tequila4kapp said:
Well, basically you are screwed. This is going to be in your head until you buy the Pings or hit them again and find they weren't as magical as you thought. This is a good time to remember that used clubs can be found on the cheap (the G10 will only be available as used clubs at this point but the statement is the truth ... This phenomena happens a lot).
Click to expand...
I'm going to play his again in a couple of weeks, see if it is a repeateble result. #scientificmethod
 
I think I just reported G$$$'s post inadvertently. Sorry G$$$! And yes, I know I'm screwed.
 
G$$$ said:
Even if you buy the Pings you're screwed. Because either you'll hit the same poor shots and wished you'd just stayed with your old irons... or you'll hit the Pings well and then start wondering what's out there that you might hit even better. And the cycle continues...
Click to expand...
So, I'm going to have an iron farm in the basement? I can well hear the reaction when the wife sees the clubs spontaneously multiplying.
 
Hamfist said:
So, I'm going to have an iron farm in the basement? I can well hear the reaction when the wife sees the clubs spontaneously multiplying.
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Welcome to the club. Embrace the variety and conundrum of decisions.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk
 
Hamfist said:
So, I'm going to have an iron farm in the basement? I can well hear the reaction when the wife sees the clubs spontaneously multiplying.
Click to expand...

It happens really quick without even realizing it. I just looked in my spare bag the other day and have 3 drivers, full set of Nike blade irons, 3 old wedges and 3 putters sitting in it. I knew I had some extra clubs, but didn't really think I had that much sitting around.
 
Hamfist said:
So, I'm going to have an iron farm in the basement? I can well hear the reaction when the wife sees the clubs spontaneously multiplying.
Click to expand...

As you are pondering the G10's you should also ponder the improved G15's
 
NoLine said:
As you are pondering the G10's you should also ponder the improved G15's
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There's a set of those locally that are getting a very hard ponder.
 
Hamfist said:
There's a set of those locally that are getting a very hard ponder.
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If you are thinking about it the G15 is definitely an improvement over the G10, I think the G15's hold up very well and will keep you happy for a few years.
 
NoLine said:
If you are thinking about it the G15 is definitely an improvement over the G10, I think the G15's hold up very well and will keep you happy for a few years.
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This kind of stuff does not help resist the temptation.
 
If your a 30 plus handicapper, the clubs aren't your problem probably.
 
Borss said:
If your a 30 plus handicapper, the clubs aren't your problem probably.
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Oh, I know. But it's SOOOO much easier buying new clubs to blame.

BUT, in all seriousness, might the Callaways simply be not the best club for me? I did a rudimentary fitting at a local Golf Galaxy, and he said they were appropriately fit, but might they simply be less than optimal? Not a question to help justify new clubs, but one of genuine curiosity. I keep thinking back to just how "right" the Pings felt.
 
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Counter point, sometimes new clubs make you want to practice more, which helps you improve your game. I'm not trying to tell you an enabler to justify being a club ho, but that is something that has definitely happened with me.

I've gone through a LOT of gear. It's resulted in a lot of range sessions to test it out. My ball striking absolutely has improved due to more practice. My scores have come down considerably as a result. I also look like someone who actually knows what they're doing on a golf course.

I haven't made the full break through, but that's because my 100 yard in game kind of sucks right now. Get that back to where it was a couple of years ago, and I'll be where I can realistically get (mid-low 80s).

I do think you get to a point where it's not getting wildly better. That's kind of where I'm at. I tinker with things I like to try (FWs, putters or singular hybrid), but otherwise the bag stays fairly static.
 
ryebread said:
Counter point, sometimes new clubs make you want to practice more, which helps you improve your game. I'm not trying to tell you an enabler to justify being a club ho, but that is something that has definitely happened with me.

I've gone through a LOT of gear. It's resulted in a lot of range sessions to test it out. My ball striking absolutely has improved due to more practice. My scores have come down considerably as a result. I also look like someone who actually knows what they're doing on a golf course.

I haven't made the full break through, but that's because my 100 yard in game kind of sucks right now. Get that back to where it was a couple of years ago, and I'll be where I can realistically get (mid-low 80s).

I do think you get to a point where it's not getting wildly better. That's kind of where I'm at. I tinker with things I like to try (FWs, putters or singular hybrid), but otherwise the bag stays fairly static.
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Did you have some clubs that when you swung them, felt just "righter" than others?
I'm not one to go down the club-ho path, but I AM looking for a set that will help me get better.
 
Hamfist said:
Did you have some clubs that when you swung them, felt just "righter" than others?
I'm not one to go down the club-ho path, but I AM looking for a set that will help me get better.
Click to expand...
We have all felt that. No question about it.
 
Hamfist said:
Did you have some clubs that when you swung them, felt just "righter" than others?
I'm not one to go down the club-ho path, but I AM looking for a set that will help me get better.
Click to expand...

Every club I buy is the perfect club for me, until it stops working for me. Then I buy a new one because lets face it, it can't be my swing that is causing problems, haha.
 
Mulligan9111 said:
Every club I buy is the perfect club for me, until it stops working for me. Then I buy a new one because lets face it, it can't be my swing that is causing problems, haha.
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I like the way you think. Sign me up for your newsletter.
 
Hamfist said:
Did you have some clubs that when you swung them, felt just "righter" than others?
I'm not one to go down the club-ho path, but I AM looking for a set that will help me get better.
Click to expand...

I would say "yes" as the answer to your question. What the club hoing has taught me is what is probably going to work before I ever pick it up. One could argue that it might become a self fulfilling prophecy, and if so that is fine. Occasionally I get surprised (recently had club rentals with RS1 long irons that I hit really well from a tee), but most of the time it helps me avoid bad buying decisions.

For instance, show me a 200-240 CC SGI FW, and I'm going to pretty much guarantee you that I'm going to struggle off the deck. I'm actually pretty good with the 165-175 CC ones that are viewed by most as better players clubs. I have no clue why, but I make much cleaner contact.

What I have to discipline myself better on is the mental part. I'll play with someone else, and watch them pull off a shot and think that I want to hit that shot. Case in point -- the little, mole burner, 200 yard hybrid that is about 40 yards of roll but that goes right down the middle. My dad has a 2 hybrid, plays that shot and it's deadly. He can run it in between 15 yard gaps from 200 out like it is on a laser line to the flag. So, then I'll go and seek a 2H that I can hit, and burn strokes trying to make it work.

The flip side of the equation is that no matter how terrible you are (and I'm not good), you can make a shot that someone wishes they had in their bag. For me, it's my 7w. I can hit a high launching 7w that lands up softly, even off of a tight lie. While I'm chasing that low running hybrid and trying to make it work, I'm giving up swings with my 7w. My dad would love to have that 7W shot because it's a piece of cake for forced carry. He's got no go to for 180-190 forced carry into a green or long par 3. I think that's a pretty easy shot as long as it isn't windy or the lie is bad.

In the end, you've got to play your game. You've got to build your bag to help you take advantage of the shots you do well, and avoid the shots you do not.
 
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