Shea said:
@Sam
So you’re saying us hackers should go get blades?
Feel like this should be common sense from a purely physics standpoint but people fall for golf marketing so hard.
Shea said:
@Sam
So you’re saying us hackers should go get blades?
I just came to this realization the other day. Bought a Wilson CB 7 iron to test alongside my current JPX 923 HM 7 iron. The misses behaved very similarly.
@Sam
The game improvement irons are designed for extra distance and in doing so they sacrifice almost everything else.
The game improvement iron had the worst trajectory with lowest peak height, lowest spin, and the worst descent angle. Rollout was the most. It had the most distance - 137 carry and 146 after rollout. But not as much distance as one might expect from it having such low loft. It is the iron you choose if distance is your only priority. When compared size-wise with the blade, the actual groove area was almost identical to the blade. Most of the bigness was in the extra material around the grooves that makes it look chunky. The GI iron numbers are pretty poor for a player with this slow a swing speed. The loft just isn’t high enough to get good launch conditions at this speed. These GI irons actually require more speed than this. This player needs a high launch version rather than this distance-focused iron.
The player distance iron performance was in the middle, with distance a bit closer to game improvement than the blade - 133 carry and 140 total. Had much better launch conditions than the game improvement with 20 degree launch vs 16 for the GI. Looks-wise, the 245 looks very close to the blade. From my perspective, the 245 looks like the best fit for this golfer. Good launch, good descent angle. Gets a bit of extra distance without destroying the launch angle.
The blade had the best launch conditions. Best launch angle, good descent. I think best height as well but it’s hard to see from the video. Maybe he said something but he rambles too much, and I don’t want to rewatch it. Distance was 125 carry and 130 total. Good stopping power from good descent angle and most spin. Distance actually kept up pretty well but is a full club back from the 245 after rollout. Given the loft of 34 vs 30 degrees on the 245, that loss is expected. So the blade did well even with distance. The blade 6-iron matches the 245 loft. In my opinion, a player with this speed could game the blade and would simply need an extra club, which makes sense given the loft difference. But that launch is entirely because of all the extra loft the iron has. Further up the bag, the loft gets too low and the high center of gravity isn’t gonna help give it extra launch angle.
I didn’t watch the forgiveness section because it wasn’t as data-driven as AskGolfNut who does full forgiveness heat maps on the clubs. In general, the myth of the blade being unforgiving of mishits is false. The blades actually have some of the best ball speed retention because they don’t have any trampoline face. Hit it anywhere and it feels like garbage but goes the distance. The GI and distance irons sacrifice some of that consistency for extra pop off the trampoline face. Hit the side of the trampoline and you lose a bit more distance than the blade.
@Lael
TDLR for this TDLR?
Wilder said:
@Lael
TDLR for this TDLR?
Only buy GI irons if you only ever plan to play infrequently & don’t intend to invest the needed time to actually improve your strike. Essentially they hide swing flaws & while they give you a playable experience, you’ll probably not hold many fast greens or have great distance control.
@Riley
So only get GI irons if you intend to need clubs that will help improve your enjoyment of the game of golf without having to dedicate time to improving your swing? Seems like that is obvious?
Wilder said:
@Riley
So only get GI irons if you intend to need clubs that will help improve your enjoyment of the game of golf without having to dedicate time to improving your swing? Seems like that is obvious?
It depends if you want to play a higher level of golf. Some people are content shooting 100 or 90 or 80 or whatever their preferences. Other people want to be able to become a good ball striker & be able to stiff a 7 iron close & have it stop. GI irons are usually launching with low spin & even more so out of the rough.
It’s like fishing. If you’re content with a bobbing cork & some dead bait vs if you want to be able to work an artificial lure & get super accurate with your casting.
@Riley
Right. Again. This is obvious. I don’t think anyone is under the impression that getting GI irons is going to improve their skills but will help them enjoy the game more. Like do people buy new forgiving drivers and expect their actual driver swing will improve or that their results will improve? Lots of golfers just want to enjoy golf more. Some want to get better. Some want to do both and go for some compromise. No right answer.
@Wilder
The ironic part is it’s incorrectly named ‘Game Improvement’. More like ‘Game Illusion Irons.’ Alternatively, if you’re playing a blade/MB you’ll be forced to develop a better strike or else every shot will be & feel horrible.
@Riley
Yea get game improvement if you want to feel better about your game, not improve your game.
Dell said:
@Riley
Yea get game improvement if you want to feel better about your game, not improve your game.
If you’re getting better distance and your mishits aren’t as bad, you’re having more fun and playing more golf. For mid to high handicappers, that is going to make you better over time. I bought GI’s last year and went from shooting low 100’s to breaking 90. Best score 86. Now I’m thinking of trading them in.
@Tal
This comment is empty, admin should fix.
Wilder said:
@Lael
TDLR for this TDLR?
The GI iron has too little loft for a 70mph swing.
@Afton
That’s a good point. A lot of guys flip at the ball.
Wilder said:
@Lael
TDLR for this TDLR?
The GI iron has too little loft for a 70mph swing.
There are plenty of golfers with swing speeds 80+ that just don’t hit the center of the club face all the time and need help there. Swing speed is only one factor.
@Wilder
The video proves that drop-off in distance is the same across the three clubs.
Will said:
@Wilder
The video proves that drop-off in distance is the same across the three clubs.
At those swing speeds, yes.
I have a high swing speed and see no difference between a GI and a blade. They both don’t hit the target when mishit.
@Skyler
Wish I saw this last year when I bought all new Cobra GI’s. I was very self-conscious about my game and ate the cheese. My game has improved a lot since then though…
Tal said:
@Skyler
Wish I saw this last year when I bought all new Cobra GI’s. I was very self-conscious about my game and ate the cheese. My game has improved a lot since then though…
Hey man if you bought them, like then, and improve… I don’t think you have too much to worry about honestly. Enjoy them and keep improving.