Conference 7.286::golf

    
    	I am not familiar with the Slotline irons. If you really
    	want to be able to work the ball (fade, draw, slice, hook)
    	then you probably should look at the muscleback/traditional
    	type irons. They are the ones that you see most of the pros
    	playing, they are basically a flat bladed club... You should
    	also keep in mind that this type of club will not be as forgiving
    	as your GE's are (when you hit the ball off center it isn't
    	going to go as far or as straight)...
    
    	Hope this helps...
    	Gene

    re: .0
    	Perimiter weighted clubs are not "anti-fade/slice"....When
    the principle of perimiter weighted clubs first appeared the way
    I have seen it explained is that its idea is like a tennis racket..
    The more weight around the outside gives less twisting/turning of
    the clubface because of the balance...another feature was that
    it gives a larger hitting area...with a good swing you can fade/slice
    or draw/hook with any clubs and any type of ball..
    	Perimiter weighted clubs will get the ball up in the air quicker,
    will not usually hook/draw/slice/fade as much as a mis-hit forged
    blade...which is what a person who works the ball will normally
    use..perimiter weighted clubs are easier to hit and more forgiving
    on mis-hit shots
    

    re: .2
    
    	Since perimeter weighted clubs provide more reliable results,
    	due to the larger sweet spot. And if a good swing will yield
    	desired ball movement, provided proper steps are taken for
    	fadeing or drawing. Why does anyone use anything else? Why
    	also would someone who wants to move the ball pick non-
    	perimeter weighted? Maybe I shouldn't bail out on the GE's
    	before I've spent an hour at the driving range trying to fade
    	/slice my 9,8,7 irons, hooking them sure comes alot easier...
    	I kinda shied from any further attempts thinking , " If it
    	isn't as easy to fade as it is to draw, the perimiter weighting
        must be influencing the shot some."

    I'm sure there are many good or bad reasons to not use anything
    else if these irons are more reliable...having used both I can
    only speak for myself...using a forged iron you know exactly where
    the ball is going and can tell by the feel of the hit wether you
    hit the ball correctly or not..also I found it harder to "consistantly"
    fade or draw with these type of clubs...but of course I'm a hacker
    so that is to be expected...IF THEY WORK FOR YOU USE THEM...
    

    If you are shooting in the hi-70/lo-80 range you must be doing some
    good things.  As you have already discovered, it is much easier
    to fade a long club than a short one.  I don't know exactly why,
    except that it's much easier to shut down the face of a 9 iron than
    it is to open it up an equivalent amount.  When you open up a short
    iron, your margin for error increases greatly (s---k, skull, toe,
    etc.)
         
    The real advantage of the perimeter weighted clubs is the larger
    sweet spot.  The forged club concentrates the weight in a smaller
    area.  Thus, if you are an expert level golfer who can repeatedly
    hit the sweet spot, you will get consistently longer, more accurate
    shots from the forged club.  However, you have probably noticed
    that a large number of experts are now playing perimeter weighted
    clubs.  They are just easier to hit.
         
    I say stay with your present clubs.  Get the pro to check out your
    loft and lie.  If you are getting the toe up in the air on those
    short irons, they will be easy to hook and difficult to fade.
         
    Good luck,
    Closs

    
    Isn't the selling point of the Gear Effect iron to compensate for
    a poor swing?  So if you make a bad pass, the ball will tend to
    go straight(er).  Maybe the problem is not perimeter weighted vs
    center weighted, but GE vs others.  In order to make the GE fade
    or draw you gotta put a dreadful move on it.  So the solution is
    a different perimeter weighted club?
    
    
    					KO

re: .5

}    				  However, you have probably noticed
}    that a large number of experts are now playing perimeter weighted
}    clubs.  They are just easier to hit.

I agree that these clubs are just easier to hit but take exception to
the reason a lot of pro's and better players are now using them.

	I maintain that if you earn a living at something, you don't
always have the time to practice or work at it to be the best, so
you'll use anything that will allow you to be competitive because after
all you must put bread on the table.

"Guys who hit the ball off the toe or heel, or hit shots fat or thin,
may try to play shots but in the long run their SWINGS won't let them
be successful."  

(this is from THE SHOTMAKERS an article in DEC. Golf Digest..quoted
without permission. My capitals on the word swings.)

	These clubs are the best things to come down the road for
all of us....all I'm trying to point out is that because you hit
these clubs well does not mean you have a swing that will allow
you to repeatedly hit them well...these clubs ARE designed to compensate
for SWING FLAWS....and they are only going to compensate so much...

	But after all the name of the game is to score...so give
me a set of HOGAN EDGE IRONS and turn me loose.....!!!!

re: .3

	I also found when I used ge1200's that I had a tendency to
hook/draw the ball more...In my case it was apparent that these clubs
were lighter than what I had been use too so my hand action was rolling
the face over quicker through the ball. After hitting them a few time on
the range I just adjusted and was then able to hit them o.k. but
as soon as I got tired wham the hook/draw was back. Maybe yours are
lighter than what you been use too....

	I agree with .5 though that your scoring indicates you may
not gain that much by trading-up...you got a good set of clubs now
go experiment with them and see what you can really do with them!
         

    First off, thanks for the advice.
    
    My main interest is to see if I can upgrade from the 1200GE's, for
    the improvement of ball movement. (almost sounds like Ali...)
    If someone were to reply... Oh Yeah! Get XXXX clubs, you are 
    definitely limited with the 1200's. That would convince me that
    there is good reason to change. But from the response, it seems
    almost unnecessary. The forged may bring more distance, but I am
    happy with the distance of the 1200's. The 1200's do mishit very
    well, and generally remain in play. I'd hate to give that up...
    That may very well be the Gear effect, and it maybe the cause of
    the difficulty bending the ball as KO suggests. I fear I'm sounding
    like a brat... wanting it all. 
    I think if I move the ball up, AND move it in. Which I haven't tried...
    That may allow the club to come across more square, ( to help avoid
    s___k, skull, toe,) and get enough outside/in motion to get a left
    to right bend. 
    
    If there is a type of club that really does a better/easier job
    moving the ball... I'm interested. If a different type of perimeter
    weighted club may be the answer because it's lack of gear effect,
    that'll take some soul searching before I change. Keeping in play
    reduces stress.:) and keeps the need to move the ball down.
                                     
    I have never used forged clubs and would hate to learn they aren't
    for me AFTER dropping some $$$ .
    
    	Walt