Post by Richie3Jack on Jan 28, 2010 21:52:47 GMT -5
Usually when people talk about old irons vs. new it comes down to distance and forgiving. I've also mentioned with today's irons having stronger lofts, lower COG on the clubface, lighter clubs, longer shafts, more upright lie angles, etc.
Another thing I found amazingly different between today's clubs and my 1963 Hogan IPT's is the leading edge on the face. I will probably do a video post on the blog showing all of the differences I can see, but I hope that the differences in the leading edge shows up.
The vintage Hogan irons have an extremely sharp leading edge. You would really have to feel it yourself to grasp the difference.
What I kind of found funny about it was reading the Tom Wishon e-mail that he sent in response to his experience with looking at Hogan's personal set of irons.
Wishon noted that the leading edge was really sharp as well, but also noted that 'any other golfer would hit them fat 80% of the time.'
I actually disagree quite a bit with this statement or at least the severity of this statement?
You really only hit shots fat when you start catching turf with the club too early. If you hit the ball first and then take a divot somewhat properly, you're just not going to hit it fat. And call me crazy, but I think most PGA Tour pros today could hit irons with a sharp leading edge and never worry about it.
But, I think the mentality of clubmakers...and I have a ton of respect for Wishon...is to make clubs as easy to hit as possible.
I think part of that is fine, but I also think there's an issue if it's at the expense of something fundamental in the swing, like hitting the ball first and then taking a divot. I think when you 'reward' golfers for either flat out 'violating' golf swing fundamentals or not being very precise with golf swing fundamentals, that's a bad thing.
As I mentioned in the Equipment Specs Thru the Years blog post, I think Hogan's swing was partly developed because of his equipment. Hogan's clubmaker Gene Sheeley said that Hogan had X-Stiff shafts that were tipped 2 INCHES *before* he rid himself of the hook.
It's my assertion that Hogan did things like that with his equipment as a way to get rid of the hook. But when he went to extremes like this, it forced him to use his pivot and make it a powerful pivot. Then when he finally found out how to rid himself of the hook, his pivot had developed so well and he turned into a legend.
That's the thing I like about the razor sharp leading edge...I think it can help promote better low point control over time and one of the things I really like about the leading edges is that it's great in the deeper rough.
3JACK
Another thing I found amazingly different between today's clubs and my 1963 Hogan IPT's is the leading edge on the face. I will probably do a video post on the blog showing all of the differences I can see, but I hope that the differences in the leading edge shows up.
The vintage Hogan irons have an extremely sharp leading edge. You would really have to feel it yourself to grasp the difference.
What I kind of found funny about it was reading the Tom Wishon e-mail that he sent in response to his experience with looking at Hogan's personal set of irons.
Wishon noted that the leading edge was really sharp as well, but also noted that 'any other golfer would hit them fat 80% of the time.'
I actually disagree quite a bit with this statement or at least the severity of this statement?
You really only hit shots fat when you start catching turf with the club too early. If you hit the ball first and then take a divot somewhat properly, you're just not going to hit it fat. And call me crazy, but I think most PGA Tour pros today could hit irons with a sharp leading edge and never worry about it.
But, I think the mentality of clubmakers...and I have a ton of respect for Wishon...is to make clubs as easy to hit as possible.
I think part of that is fine, but I also think there's an issue if it's at the expense of something fundamental in the swing, like hitting the ball first and then taking a divot. I think when you 'reward' golfers for either flat out 'violating' golf swing fundamentals or not being very precise with golf swing fundamentals, that's a bad thing.
As I mentioned in the Equipment Specs Thru the Years blog post, I think Hogan's swing was partly developed because of his equipment. Hogan's clubmaker Gene Sheeley said that Hogan had X-Stiff shafts that were tipped 2 INCHES *before* he rid himself of the hook.
It's my assertion that Hogan did things like that with his equipment as a way to get rid of the hook. But when he went to extremes like this, it forced him to use his pivot and make it a powerful pivot. Then when he finally found out how to rid himself of the hook, his pivot had developed so well and he turned into a legend.
That's the thing I like about the razor sharp leading edge...I think it can help promote better low point control over time and one of the things I really like about the leading edges is that it's great in the deeper rough.
3JACK
