Question:
a year and a half to get into the 70’s is pretty fast progress. actually very fast. how often did you practice during that year and a half?
I’m sorta embarrassed to admit this, but for that first year, I was averaging about $500/mo. Seven days a week, I would be either on the driving range, hitting balls, taking lessons, and/or on the field. When I wasn’t outside, I was watching the golf channel, reading magazines, or practicing my swing inside. It literally became addictive. Luckily, my wife and I make okay money (especially w/o kids), but the time and $$’s spent became an issue (my wife is as patient as hell, but there are limits 
. Are there 12-step programs out there for people like me? Also, I played some in high school and college, so I had a bit of a foundation before getting seriously into the game a year and a half ago. If you add up all those loose months here and there, I’ve probably been playing for three years. The last six months have not been kind to me. ARRRRGGGHHHH!!!! Sorry, had to let that out. I have not once broken 85, and I now have no confidence where my shots are going. I continue to chunk it, pull it, slice it, and top it. those problems are caused by the swing, not the club. But to be honest, I am absolutely LOATHE to do so (hope I’m not offending anybody). Why? I find cavity backs and titanium woods akin to cheating. brilliant! most of the guys on the pga tour are cheating then. you need to find a different sport.
Cheating? Absolutely not. If I were on the tour and with the money involved, you can bet I would have my fingers around the latest technological wonders out there. But is the game changing because of these new technologies? Absolutely. Is it a good thing? I know many would disagree, but I would say, no. nobody can buy a game. i can guarantee that even if you do go buy some cavity backed clubs the "chunk it, pull it, slice it, and top it" will still happen. how in the hell do you think a cavity back will prevent a topped shot or a chunked shot?
Wow, it seems like I ticked you off a bit. I just like swinging blades and woods because without question, you need more athletic ability to use them. I like that challenge, and since I have confidence in my athleticism, I was able to do rather well that first year. But in the past six months, since I had to cut back on my practice times, my swing has been faltering. In re-reading my original post, perhaps I wasn’t as clear as could have been. Perhaps I should have said this: "Since I currently hit an average of only 200 balls and play on the field once/wk, is it possible, given time, to regain my swing? Or, do you need to practice daily in order to use blades?" My current swing isn’t nearly as bad as I made it sound (there’s that hyperbole thing again . I’m only off center by half an inch, but as you know, with blades, that’s a world of difference. If it turns out I can’t use blades given my limited practice times, well then… I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it . k.t. —
Response:
" IMHO blades vs. cavity backs is a vanity issue. Don’t ever think that you are "too good" for cavity backs. Most of the tour pro’s aren’t. Sticking with wooden woods is just silly, unless you drive a ‘69 Dodge Dart with an 8 track player and wear plaid bellbottoms to the golf course.
I have a set of 1958 Doug Ford autograph clubs with the original Sears red-and-black plaid bag and steel cart that I use on the occasions where I’ve driven my ‘58 Chevy to a car show near a golf course. For serious golfing, though, I’ll take my cavity-back Wilson Pro Staff set any day… Eliyahu Rooff
Response:
What a sissy…Of course you should stick to the blades…You don’t even sound suicidal yet… (G)… Obviously, you haven’t seen me on the driving range .
I thought maybe you were the guy next to me the other day…He had a couple old WOOD woods and a sunday bag of blades… He was smokin…!!! (from the ears) Never seen anybody tear up the ground so bad…Divots like a bulldozer passed thru…then he’d pound em with the club a few times… Zamuel kept his mouth firmly SHUT! (G)… Anybody have similar problems with blades? If so, what did you do and what was the result? Unfortunately, advanced cases of the disease are usually uncommunicative or institutionalised…those that remain at large are often delusional. Not really sure how to respond to that.
Not required…We have quite a few "Blades" advocates in the NG.Some of them get a *little* extreme on the subject. It’s poetic though. In a creepy, charles manson sort of way
??? thank you…??? I think…. I like blades too…But I know better than to try and PLAY them. I have a beautifull set of MacGregor Tourneys with persimmon woods, from the 50s I’m told, …Have you ever played modern clubs? They have an appeal too…I find the stark functionality of PINGS very artistic. And my Ti driver is forged…it has no souless TINK…it RINGS… ]]]Z[[[
Response:
I actually took lessons from a couple different pros the last six months, sort of as a second opinion. They seemed to have vastly different swing philosophies so I ended up hunting and pecking among their suggestions. Perhaps you're right. Perhaps I should stop worrying about the equipment, focus all my effort on my swing, and trust that it will work itself out. But man, it's hard.
okay you're first post says that you were originally shooting in the 70's with these clubs right?? but now that you aren't breaking mid 80's you'd like to believe it's the clubs ... but you were playing better with them last season so it's not the clubs, though god knows you are handicapping yourself using persimmon blocks. anyway i'd imagine the answer to your problem lies in your last statement. you're taking lessons from a bunch of different pros all with different ideas about the swing. trying different pros is fine as long as you are doing it to find one that you like and you can communicate well with, but to just pick little bits and pieces from each you might as well just be reading the bandaid sections in golf digest and save your money as the nett result will be about the same. if you want to get better find a pro and stick with him. in the meantime stick with the blades and after a couple of months with the instructor talk to him about what you need in terms of clubs as he has seen you swing/play and will no doubt be in a far better position to give you advice on the matter than any of us here. brett
Response:
I started using blades when I seriously started playing golf a year and a half ago. That was when a buddy of mine gave me his Titlelist Tour blades saying they were too difficult to hit. I consider myself pretty athletic, having played various sports my entire life, so I figured it wouldn't be a problem for me to use blades. Sure enough, I broke into the seventies after a year (and thousands of $$$$$ in green fees, lessons, and driving range).
a year and a half to get into the 70's is pretty fast progress. actually very fast. how often did you practice during that year and a half? The last six months have not been kind to me. ARRRRGGGHHHH!!!! Sorry, had to let that out. I have not once broken 85, and I now have no confidence where my shots are going. I continue to chunk it, pull it, slice it, and top it.
those problems are caused by the swing, not the club. But to be honest, I am absolutely LOATHE to do so (hope I'm not offending anybody). Why? I find cavity backs and titanium woods akin to cheating.
brilliant! most of the guys on the pga tour are cheating then. you need to find a different sport. Something close to those purespin wedges and teardrop putters. You're essentially buying your game.
nobody can buy a game. i can guarantee that even if you do go buy some cavity backed clubs the "chunk it, pull it, slice it, and top it" will still happen. how in the hell do you think a cavity back will prevent a topped shot or a chunked shot? I don't know what it is, but there's just something very special to using blades and real wood (even though you get a raised eyebrow or two). I like that feeling. And that TWACK! of real wood instead of that gosh awful TING!. Makes me feel like I'm playing golf the way it was meant.
go get you some wooden clubs and feathered balls then. What should I do? Stick with the blades because it will all iron itself out with lessons and practice?
if you actually had a good enough swing to shoot in the 70's somewhat consistently, then go take lessons until you get it back. something has changed in your swing and you apparently can't figure it out on your own. or switch to titanium and cavity backs, because, frankly, life is too short?
if you can afford it go invest in new technology. however, be sure that you fully test anything you buy. it's a bad feeling when you find out that $300 driver you just bought doesn't work for you. Anybody have similar problems with blades? If so, what did you do and what was the result?
i actually went through the same thing last week. i was hitting some golfsmith tour cavities (not blades but pretty damn close) and have been hitting them bad for about 2 months. i went back to my ping zing 2's (monstrous cavity back clubs) and got somewhat better results for the first couple of rounds. now, some of the same old problems are back and new ones have developed due to the drastically different club head/shaft combinations in the two sets of clubs. what's my point? it's the swing and not the club. a cavity back will give slightly better results on off-center hits but they won't cure swing flaws. charlie Before you buy.
Response:
" IMHO blades vs. cavity backs is a vanity issue. Don't ever think that you - Hide quoted text -- Show quoted text - are "too good" for cavity backs. Most of the tour pro's aren't. Sticking with wooden woods is just silly, unless you drive a '69 Dodge Dart with an 8 track player and wear plaid bellbottoms to the golf course. Matt I started using blades when I seriously started playing golf a year and a half ago. That was when a buddy of mine gave me his Titlelist Tour blades saying they were too difficult to hit. I consider myself pretty athletic, having played various sports my entire life, so I figured it wouldn't be a problem for me to use blades. Sure enough, I broke into the seventies after a year (and thousands of $$$$$ in green fees, lessons, and driving range). I figured this game is a cinch. I'm still a relatively young guy. Pencil me in for Q school in a couple years. BUT... !!! The last six months have not been kind to me. ARRRRGGGHHHH!!!! Sorry, had to let that out. I have not once broken 85, and I now have no confidence where my shots are going. I continue to chunk it, pull it, slice it, and top it. Not by much, but enough to regret not having chosen golf over baseball in hs. But the last couple of months, I have been seriously thinking about switching to cavity backs. But to be honest, I am absolutely LOATHE to do so (hope I'm not offending anybody). Why? I find cavity backs and titanium woods akin to cheating. Something close to those purespin wedges and teardrop putters. You're essentially buying your game. Heck, I even use REAL wood for my driver and 3 wood. I don't know what it is, but there's just something very special to using blades and real wood (even though you get a raised eyebrow or two). I like that feeling. And that TWACK! of real wood instead of that gosh awful TING!. Makes me feel like I'm playing golf the way it was meant. That is, until six months ago, when I've developed an irresistable urge to break the aforementioned clubs over my knee. So my questions are these... What should I do? Stick with the blades because it will all iron itself out with lessons and practice? or switch to titanium and cavity backs, because, frankly, life is too short? Anybody have similar problems with blades? If so, what did you do and what was the result? Thanks in advance... k.t. --
Response:
- Hide quoted text -- Show quoted text - " IMHO blades vs. cavity backs is a vanity issue. Don't ever think that you are "too good" for cavity backs. Most of the tour pro's aren't. Sticking with wooden woods is just silly, unless you drive a '69 Dodge Dart with an 8 track player and wear plaid bellbottoms to the golf course. Matt I started using blades when I seriously started playing golf a year and a half ago. That was when a buddy of mine gave me his Titlelist Tour blades saying they were too difficult to hit. I consider myself pretty athletic, having played various sports my entire life, so I figured it wouldn't be a problem for me to use blades. Sure enough, I broke into the seventies after a year (and thousands of $$$$$ in green fees, lessons, and driving range). I figured this game is a cinch. I'm still a relatively young guy. Pencil me in for Q school in a couple years. BUT... !!! The last six months have not been kind to me. ARRRRGGGHHHH!!!! Sorry, had to let that out. I have not once broken 85, and I now have no confidence where my shots are going. I continue to chunk it, pull it, slice it, and top it. Not by much, but enough to regret not having chosen golf over baseball in hs. But the last couple of months, I have been seriously thinking about switching to cavity backs. But to be honest, I am absolutely LOATHE to do so (hope I'm not offending anybody). Why? I find cavity backs and titanium woods akin to cheating. Something close to those purespin wedges and teardrop putters. You're essentially buying your game. Heck, I even use REAL wood for my driver and 3 wood. I don't know what it is, but there's just something very special to using blades and real wood (even though you get a raised eyebrow or two). I like that feeling. And that TWACK! of real wood instead of that gosh awful TING!. Makes me feel like I'm playing golf the way it was meant. That is, until six months ago, when I've developed an irresistable urge to break the aforementioned clubs over my knee. So my questions are these... What should I do? Stick with the blades because it will all iron itself out with lessons and practice? or switch to titanium and cavity backs, because, frankly, life is too short? Anybody have similar problems with blades? If so, what did you do and what was the result? Thanks in advance... k.t. -- Use blades ONLY if your handicap is from 0 to 5 or lower, any thing
higher and you use blades, your a glutton for punishment DSA
Before you buy.
Response:
What a sissy...Of course you should stick to the blades...You don't even sound suicidal yet... (G)...
Obviously, you haven't seen me on the driving range . Stand by your principles and whimper while I make my 290 yard drive straight down the fairway with my forged Ti driver and drop my approach shot 4 feet from the hole with my cheatin cavity back 7I.
Just like you "tinhorn cheaters"... never passing up an opportunity to rub it in. :) Just wait a few months till I get my swing back... and then we'll talk. Anybody have similar problems with blades? If so, what did you do and what was the result? Unfortunately, advanced cases of the disease are usually uncommunicative or institutionalised...those that remain at large are often delusional. ]]]Z[[[
Not really sure how to respond to that. Not too sure what it means, really. It's poetic though. In a creepy, charles manson sort of way. Oh well, off to the range before work! k.t. --
Response:
So then, IMHO -- based on the symptoms you described in your post, I recommend you focus on your swing and your mind. Go take a few lessons from a good pro. I try to this a few times a year regardless of how well I am hitting the ball. My guess is that they will help you isolate the inconsistencies in your swing and improve things.
I actually took lessons from a couple different pros the last six months, sort of as a second opinion. They seemed to have vastly different swing philosophies so I ended up hunting and pecking among their suggestions. Perhaps you're right. Perhaps I should stop worrying about the equipment, focus all my effort on my swing, and trust that it will work itself out. But man, it's hard. "Sure enough, I broke into the seventies after a year (and thousands of $$$$$ in green fees, lessons, and driving range)." That statement, I believe, answers your question. If you cannot continue the practice and lessons (or tune-ups as I like to call them), then you might be frustrated with the blades. And if that frustration persists, your scores will go to heck! What I like to do is keep two sets of clubs around. One set of perimeter weighted clubs for the seasons when I don't play as much and my game is more inconsistent; and my set of blades that I use when I am playing more and my mind and swing are both sharp.
I appreciate the advice. I'll give my blades a couple more months, and if I'm still spraying them all over the place, then I'll switch to cavity backs... for a while. But hopefully, it won't come to that . BTW, if you have any extra shares of AOL lying around, I'll be more than happy to take them off your hands . take care, k.t. --
Response:
I haven't been around for a while. So as I come back, I find myself already cringing yet land immediately in this great thread. -- Sincere insight, candid opinion, and this comic relief! Ah, but what's to come . . . Should I quit now, or read on? Steve
- Hide quoted text -- Show quoted text - no confidence where my shots are going. I continue to chunk it, pull it, slice it, and top it. been seriously thinking about switching to cavity backs. But to be honest, I am absolutely LOATHE to do so (hope I'm not offending anybody). Now how could that be...? Why? I find cavity backs and titanium woods akin to cheating. Something close to those purespin wedges and teardrop putters. You're essentially buying your game. Just because you call us all tinhorn cheaters, without skill or native talents of our own...? Heck, I even use REAL wood for my driver and 3 wood. I don't know what it is, but there's just something very special to using blades and real wood Yeah...they're plentifull and CHEAP!(G).... Makes me feel like I'm playing golf the way it was meant. Ah yes how did you put it... "no confidence where my shots are going. I continue to chunk it, pull it, slice it, and top it." Wonderfull feeling, obviously that's how god intended it! That is, until six months ago, when I've developed an irresistable urge to break the aforementioned clubs over my knee. So my questions are these... What should I do? Stick with the blades because it will all iron itself out with lessons and practice? or switch to titanium and cavity backs, because, frankly, life is too short? What a sissy...Of course you should stick to the blades...You don't even sound suicidal yet... (G)... Stand by your principles and whimper while I make my 290 yard drive straight down the fairway with my forged Ti driver and drop my approach shot 4 feet from the hole with my cheatin cavity back 7I. Anybody have similar problems with blades? If so, what did you do and what was the result? Unfortunately, advanced cases of the disease are usually uncommunicative or institutionalised...those that remain at large are often delusional. ]]]Z[[[
Response:
no confidence where my shots are going. I continue to chunk it, pull it, slice it, and top it. been seriously thinking about switching to cavity backs. But to be honest, I am absolutely LOATHE to do so (hope I'm not offending anybody).
Now how could that be...? Why? I find cavity backs and titanium woods akin to cheating. Something close to those purespin wedges and teardrop putters. You're essentially buying your game.
Just because you call us all tinhorn cheaters, without skill or native talents of our own...? Heck, I even use REAL wood for my driver and 3 wood. I don't know what it is, but there's just something very special to using blades and real wood
Yeah...they're plentifull and CHEAP!(G).... Makes me feel like I'm playing golf the way it was meant.
Ah yes how did you put it... "no confidence where my shots are going. I continue to chunk it, pull it, slice it, and top it."
Wonderfull feeling, obviously that's how god intended it! That is, until six months ago, when I've developed an irresistable urge to break the aforementioned clubs over my knee. So my questions are these... What should I do? Stick with the blades because it will all iron itself out with lessons and practice? or switch to titanium and cavity backs, because, frankly, life is too short?
What a sissy...Of course you should stick to the blades...You don't even sound suicidal yet... (G)... Stand by your principles and whimper while I make my 290 yard drive straight down the fairway with my forged Ti driver and drop my approach shot 4 feet from the hole with my cheatin cavity back 7I. Anybody have similar problems with blades? If so, what did you do and what was the result?
Unfortunately, advanced cases of the disease are usually uncommunicative or institutionalised...those that remain at large are often delusional. ]]]Z[[[
Response:
What should I do? Stick with the blades because it will all iron itself out with lessons and practice? or switch to titanium and cavity backs, because, frankly, life is too short? Anybody have similar problems with blades? If so, what did you do and what was the result?
I started playing golf back in 1979 when I was 22 years old. My first set of clubs were Titleist Tour Forged Irons and they were a thing of beauty. If you ever hit the sweet spot they were "like butta". It felt marvelous. The only problem was I didn’t always find that spot and when I didn’t the shot sucked (not to mention it hurt my hands). Nevertheless I got my handicap down to the 5ish range (guess what? I’m still there after 20 years of playing golf). When they invented Pings I bought a set of the original Eyes. The forgiveness was marvelous when you missed that elusive sweet spot. However, I really missed the butter feeling when I did find that G-spot, I’m sorry, I mean sweet spot. Nevertheless I stayed with the Pings. It was not until I played with a set of Callway X-12’s (which have now been succeeded by the Steelhead X-14’s) that I was able to find a cavity-back club that can give you the taste of butter when you find the sweet spot. These clubs are the best of both worlds. Since everyone’s tastes are different I don’t know of you would like the Callaways. My point is that there are some good clubs out there that have the look and feel of blades but have forgiveness also. Don’t be ashamed to play these. Not everyone on Tour plays with blades. The ones that do probably do so because that’s how they learned to play and the can afford to hit 300 balls a day to keep their games sharp. For those of us with limited practice time I say get the cavity backs and spent what little time you have on the short game. Pitching and putting has much more effect on your final score anyway.
Response:
What should I do? Stick with the blades because it will all iron itself out with lessons and practice? or switch to titanium and cavity backs, because, frankly, life is too short? Anybody have similar problems with blades? If so, what did you do and what was the result?
My first reaction to your query was…"it is not the clubs, don’t even worry about it." But that is perhaps an over simplification. Bottom line…blades are less forgiving when you don’t pure your shots. This is a simple matter of physics and is irrefutable. When I was but a wee lad in the early 80s learning the game of golf, I learned with blades. And if fact, my next set of clubs were blades as well. Truth is, I played much better golf then than I do now and that is solely due to the fact that I played more golf then than I do now (I would hit well over 500 range balls a week and a couple rounds on the course). Hence, I am a firm believer that the clubs are relatively insignificant. However, you cannot discount your belief in the clubs. If, for whatever reason, a player does not like or think he/she can hit the clubs… they won’t! So then, IMHO — based on the symptoms you described in your post, I recommend you focus on your swing and your mind. Go take a few lessons from a good pro. I try to this a few times a year regardless of how well I am hitting the ball. My guess is that they will help you isolate the inconsistencies in your swing and improve things. You stated in your post that "Sure enough, I broke into the seventies after a year (and thousands of $$$$$ in green fees, lessons, and driving range)." That statement, I believe, answers your question. If you cannot continue the practice and lessons (or tune-ups as I like to call them), then you might be frustrated with the blades. And if that frustration persists, your scores will go to heck! What I like to do is keep two sets of clubs around. One set of perimeter weighted clubs for the seasons when I don’t play as much and my game is more inconsistent; and my set of blades that I use when I am playing more and my mind and swing are both sharp. Finally, whatever you do, have fun! ;) Cheers, -Scott
Response:
I started using blades when I seriously started playing golf a year and a half ago. That was when a buddy of mine gave me his Titlelist Tour blades saying they were too difficult to hit. I consider myself pretty athletic, having played various sports my entire life, so I figured it wouldn’t be a problem for me to use blades. Sure enough, I broke into the seventies after a year (and thousands of $$$$$ in green fees, lessons, and driving range). I figured this game is a cinch. I’m still a relatively young guy. Pencil me in for Q school in a couple years. BUT… !!! The last six months have not been kind to me. ARRRRGGGHHHH!!!! Sorry, had to let that out. I have not once broken 85, and I now have no confidence where my shots are going. I continue to chunk it, pull it, slice it, and top it. Not by much, but enough to regret not having chosen golf over baseball in hs. But the last couple of months, I have been seriously thinking about switching to cavity backs. But to be honest, I am absolutely LOATHE to do so (hope I’m not offending anybody). Why? I find cavity backs and titanium woods akin to cheating. Something close to those purespin wedges and teardrop putters. You’re essentially buying your game. Heck, I even use REAL wood for my driver and 3 wood. I don’t know what it is, but there’s just something very special to using blades and real wood (even though you get a raised eyebrow or two). I like that feeling. And that TWACK! of real wood instead of that gosh awful TING!. Makes me feel like I’m playing golf the way it was meant. That is, until six months ago, when I’ve developed an irresistable urge to break the aforementioned clubs over my knee. So my questions are these… What should I do? Stick with the blades because it will all iron itself out with lessons and practice? or switch to titanium and cavity backs, because, frankly, life is too short? Anybody have similar problems with blades? If so, what did you do and what was the result? Thanks in advance… k.t. —