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What is the handicap breakdown for iron styles?

SuperStroke
If 75% of our shots are taken from 100 and in I think it would be safe to say that your irons are an important part of golf. Why would any 15 or higher get fit for blades? They are hard to hit for a mid to low handicapper. I think if a 15 handicap picked up blades it would make for a long day. I do think starting off one should get some kind of GI iron. Once you groove a solid swing then perhaps upgrade to a CB or MB if that's what you feel will serve you best


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Gianna1025 said:
If 75% of our shots are taken from 100 and in I think it would be safe to say that your irons are an important part of golf. Why would any 15 or higher get fit for blades? They are hard to hit for a mid to low handicapper. I think if a 15 handicap picked up blades it would make for a long day. I do think starting off one should get some kind of GI iron. Once you groove a solid swing then perhaps upgrade to a CB or MB if that's what you feel will serve you best


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You're completely right. The point however that I am making is that there could be a guy who is a very pure ball striker that would look like a scratch golfer from 100 yards and out, but can't chip or putt for his life, bringing his handicap to 15.
 
IceJack said:
You're completely right. The point however that I am making is that there could be a guy who is a very pure ball striker that would look like a scratch golfer from 100 yards and out, but can't chip or putt for his life, bringing his handicap to 15.
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So are you saying that you are a bad driver of the golf ball, and have a terrible short game, but are a scratch golfer pure ball striker with your irons? Real question here.
 
Gianna1025 said:
If 75% of our shots are taken from 100 and in I think it would be safe to say that your irons are an important part of golf. Why would any 15 or higher get fit for blades? They are hard to hit for a mid to low handicapper. I think if a 15 handicap picked up blades it would make for a long day. I do think starting off one should get some kind of GI iron. Once you groove a solid swing then perhaps upgrade to a CB or MB if that's what you feel will serve you best


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I dont think it makes a huge difference. A bad swing with a blade is going to have the same result as a bad swing with a GI iron. I was a 15 handicap playing a set of Mizuno MP-32s, decided to switch a more forgiving set of irons because I felt it would fix the problems with my ballflight, so I bought a set of MX-100s and honestly, it make little to no difference in my game. My good shots went a little higher but my bad shots were still bad.
If anything, the 100s made me worse because the offset caused me to start hitting hooks with them. With the 32s my shots were pretty straight, just not very high.
Yet another reason why a handicap index for irons isnt always the best. The problem with my game at the time that caused me to be a 15 was my horrendous shortgame and bunker play, as well as a nasty little chicken wing (which was why I hit low shots that I pushed to the right). Even SGI irons couldnt fix my swing flaws.
 
I'm with the other guys that said ball striking is more relevant than index when picking irons. The smartest thing I've heard in reference to what type of irons someone should be playing is that you should be hitting the most forgiving iron you can stand to look down at.
 
To the OP and his original post. I'm about to turn 51. When I was about your age I was standing in line to get breakfast at McDonalds. I ran into my former high school coach who is a well known golf instructor in SE Cheeseland, and now my daughter's swing coach. It had been quite some time since I had seen him, and we sat down and broke sausage McMuffins together. Talked a little golf. He asked how I had been playing through the years, and at the time of this meeting I was a little disillusioned with the game. Was shooting 79-82 literally every single time I played. He asked me what type of iron I was playing. When I told him Titleist 690 MBs he was aghast. Told me at my age I was an idiot for gaming blades and should get something more forgiving.

A couple days later I bought a set of TM Tour Burners off the rack at Golf Galaxy. Wow, did the game get a lot more fun. I shot scores I hadn't seen regularly for many years.

I have no idea what your Nike irons even look like, but I suspect you're starting to think you could get more out of a more forgiving iron, and that really, what irons fit what handicap has nothing to do with it. And you're right. You're getting old. Buy something more forgiving, R11s would be an excellent choice, and you'll be happier. Don't waste the dwindling time you have left to be a really fine player before age takes you down. Think of blades as a "I am not going bald" comb over when your hair is obviously falling out in handfalls. Shave those blades off. You'll actually look better sporting a more forgiving hair style.

Kevin
 
Great post Esox!
 
edmart82 said:
I'm with the other guys that said ball striking is more relevant than index when picking irons. The smartest thing I've heard in reference to what type of irons someone should be playing is that you should be hitting the most forgiving iron you can stand to look down at.
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Yep, that sums it up pretty well. But instead of judging by looks, I would say a golfer should play the most forgiving iron that they can hit and still accomplish what they want to accomplish. I sure don't want blades but I do want to shape shots sometimes so I'm looking to be able to control the ball some and still get some help from the irons too. As for looks, I don't care so long as they get the job done.
 
I believe it is a free country and anyone can buy any type of club even if it is not the best fit for them.

I have spent time with several club pros that have backgrounds in club fitting and teaching along with playing on the junior tour. All of them have said the same thing. They never recommend blades for amateurs. Period! Even the pros on tour are moving away from blades and going to GI clubs. Why in the world would a mid to high HCP player think they have the ability to consistently strike a ball with a blade when even the pros don’t?

I believe it is a free country and anyone can buy any type of club.
 
I have seen a number of replies about the better players using more forgiving and justification for it but nothing really as far as facts backing up why the higher handicaps should hit the less forgiving irons other than if you like the look, hit em.

My pro thinks I should continue to hit the "player" irons as long as I can continue to play to the level I'm at with them.
 
hitmanharleyk said:
I have seen a number of replies about the better players using more forgiving and justification for it but nothing really as far as facts backing up why the higher handicaps should hit the less forgiving irons other than if you like the look, hit em.

My pro thinks I should continue to hit the "player" irons as long as I can continue to play to the level I'm at with them.
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I don't know if there really is any evidence to be honest. I think what you'll see a lot is people recommending a similar style iron to what they have. That's just human nature though. We like to justify our decisions. I say get whatever you want. I think it also depends on what you consider a "player" iron. I think my Ci11's are player irons. I like to manipulate the ball flight and can do so with success. I shoot in the low-mid 70's and avg around 11/12 GIR's per round. I guess that makes me a "player".
 
hitmanharleyk said:
I have seen a number of replies about the better players using more forgiving and justification for it but nothing really as far as facts backing up why the higher handicaps should hit the less forgiving irons other than if you like the look, hit em.

My pro thinks I should continue to hit the "player" irons as long as I can continue to play to the level I'm at with them.
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But wouldn't you like to play better? I've experienced it. It's real.

Kevin
 
Esox said:
But wouldn't you like to play better? I've experienced it. It's real.

Kevin
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And you're left handed. You and harley have a lot in common.
 
Very thoughtful and insightful post Kevin, thanks
 
I think swing speed has alot to do with it. Get a high swing speed player that is inconsistent in a set of super game improvement irons setup to help get the ball up and it might be the moon ball show.
Put a low swing speed player that hits it on a dime everytime into a set of blades and distance/height may suffer do to a lack of clubhead speed to counter the slightly higher center of gravity of a blade. Shafts of course can help with this.

Some people enjoy playing difficult irons because the thrill and feel of that one hero shot a round gets them the high they are after,they want all the cards stacked against them to see if they can pull it off ( my brother )..........others want to look at the scorecard, see a great score. and feel like it was a walk in the park.
 
coolbreeze said:
So are you saying that you are a bad driver of the golf ball, and have a terrible short game, but are a scratch golfer pure ball striker with your irons? Real question here.
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No, I'm not saying that I am. I'm inconsistent of the tee, 50% straight 50% slice, a fairly good ball striker, average short game. But I'm saying someone could be amazing with all full swing shots and have a terrible short game.
 
IceJack said:
No, I'm not saying that I am. I'm inconsistent of the tee, 50% straight 50% slice, a fairly good ball striker, average short game. But I'm saying someone could be amazing with all full swing shots and have a terrible short game.
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Like Dustin Johnson.
 
Heard a stat once that said 85% of golfers never break 80 in their lifetime or something like that, would that number be better if more higher handicaps hit the more forgiving irons? Like I said I'm considering a move away from the the mid-cavity's I currently hit (I've been between a 3 and a 7 since I got them) and going to a more forgiving R-11, Adams or Wilson. I like to work the ball left and right, but more forgiveness would be a plus also.
 
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