Conference 7.286::golf

More news about what's new in golf products. This time a report (in three 
parts) from the PGA Show in Florida, which BTW is closed to mere mortals, 
only club pros are invited.

Tavo

PART 1

                       In The Aisles

Direct from the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Florida, GOLF
Magazine editor Jim Frank reports on what's new in golf equipment for
1996.

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              Sunday, January 28 - 3:30 PM
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If tee shots and long fairway shots intimidate you, the Top-Flite Golf
Club Company wants you to fight back with their Intimidator woods. The
original Intimidator driver, introduced last year and used by Lee
Trevino and Payne Stewart, has been joined by a model for left-handers
as well as a 45-inch model with an ultralight shaft. Like all the
Intimidators, the secret is a titanium insert mechanically interlocked
into a stainless steel head.  Fairway woods--a 13-degree fairway
driver as well as a 3-wood, 5-wood, and 7-wood--have a power bar on
the sole that helps cut through long grass while keeping the face
strong.

Most woods are wider across the top of the head than the bottom.
Turning that head design on its head, Adams Golf introduces its Air
Assault driver and Tight Lies fairway wood. The patented
design--longer across the sole of the club than the crown--lowers the
center of gravity, making it easier to get the ball into the air.
That's especially important on fairway-wood shots, where the 16-degree
Tight Lies club excels. It will dig the ball out of long rough, divot
holes, any lie you can imagine, and get it into the air without
sacrificing distance. No wonder it has become a favorite on the Senior
PGA Tour.

Two is the magic number at Titleist, which takes two-piece ball
technology a step forward with the introduction of its HP2 Tour and
HP2 Distance balls. The Tour ball, for the better player (like Corey
Pavin, who is playing it), combines two-piece ball distance with a
soft balata feel and a high spin rate. The Distance model has a
high-energy core and durable cover. They are joined by the new
Pinnacle Distance Series--the Extreme (when distance is all that
matters) and Oversized (for extra yards plus control). And for
seniors, ladies, and others who drive the ball under 180 yards, the
new Pinnacle Equalizer is designed to get the most out of slower swing
speeds.

One of the first companies to fit clubheads with inserts is GolfGear
International. Their massive new Ti-Gear Titanium Forged Face driver
features an insert forged from titanium and fused into a cast titanium
shell. The aerodynamic head design stabilizes the swing and helps the
club cut through the air for more power and stability at impact.

You could argue that no one knows more about equipment than the
caddie, who totes the bag and hands clubs to his player. Trading on
this intimate knowledge, the Professional Tour Caddies Association
plans to market a line of golf accessories, beginning with the Pocket
Caddie, a five-in-one on-course tool: It cleans grooves, brushes away
debris, repairs ball marks, marks the ball, and helps keep grips dry.
Best of all, net profits from its sale will fund caddie charities and
provide health and retirement benefits for caddies and their families.

The Precept Titanium driver from Bridgestone is designed for the mid
and high-handicap golfer seeking distance with control. The oversize
head has a low center of gravity and light weight, so the ball comes
off hot at impact. Titanium also is light enough to allow redesign of
the head with more weight around the shell, which reduces twisting on
off-center hits.

Yonex, a company that made its name in graphite, has moved into
titanium with the release of the Super A.D.X.  Titanium woods and
Super A.D.X. Titanium Hybrid irons.  The woods feature Yonex's
WideBody design, and are available in driver, 3, and 5-wood. The irons
place a super-light titanium face within a cast steel head to create a
20% bigger effective hitting surface. The combination of light
titanium in front and heavier steel all around make for extreme
perimeter weighting, which results in more accurate shots.

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Saturday, January 27 - 4 PM
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Golf may have begun in Scotland, but most North Americans don't think
Scottish when thinking about golf gifts.  Links of Scotland, a
consortium of manufacturers from across the sea and supported by the
government, is trying to change that. Among their wares are
hand-crafted clubs;  hats, scarves, cashmere sweaters, and other
wearables;  preserves, table mats, pewter flasks, jewelry, golf
towels, artwork, even golf holidays, from a wide variety of native
companies. And you don't have to call Scotland to order. They have a
toll-free number in the U.S., 1-800-421-5721. Ask for the catalogue.

Another company from the birthplace of golf, but with a strong
American presence, is Sunderland of Scotland, world-renown for its
rainwear. (Remember, it rains a lot over there, so they should know
what works.) Besides rain suits, Sunderland has made a name for itself
with Weatherbeaters, 100% waterproof wind/rain shirts in a choice of
colors and styles. (The houndstooth prints are new, in blue, green, or
red.) They also have a full range of weathergear for ladies, some
pretty wild prints, and shirts and suits featuring Gore-Tex.

Ping is back with its new ISI iron. Make that irons, because the line
actually features three irons of the same design but in different
sizes and materials that affect playability and feel. The ISI is
moderately sized with a head of copper or nickel for the better player
who wants more feel and the chance to work the ball. The larger-headed
ISIk is stainless steel and designed for the average player looking
for forgiveness. You can mix and match among the three metals to suit
your needs, such as more game-improvement in the long irons, more feel
in the short. The shared head design includes a cavity filled with a
starburst of metal stripes and a bulge of weight just above the sole.
Despite all the perimeter weighting, the club looks small and
thin--almost blade-like--when set down at address, quite a departure
from recent Ping efforts. There are also six wedges to choose
from--pitching, lob, and four sand wedges with varying amounts of loft
and bounce.

The Swiss may not have produced many world-class golfers (in fact, I
can't think of one), but they do know how to make world-class knives,
and have found a way to make one with a golf purpose. The Golf Utility
Kit from Swiss Army Brands is a small pouch that contains a groove
brush, sun and bug-repellent creams, bandages, a USGA Rules book,
spike-wrench tool, and a Swiss Army knife with one blade, a pair of
scissors, and a divot-repair tool. If you intend to camp out on the
course, catching and filleting dinner from the local water hazard,
you'll need one of their bigger knives.

It may be golf's version of the ugly duckling turning into the swan.
Cleveland's original VAS irons were among the most
unusual-looking--yet innovative--clubs released in the last few years.
They also helped staff player Corey Pavin clean up, highlighted by his
U.S. Open victory last year. The next generation of the club, just
released, is called the VAS+, and while it features the same inset
hosel, vibration absorption system, and oversized hitting area, it has
been redesigned to look much more traditional, almost elegant. Hard to
believe it's the same club, but they play at least as well, which is
why Pavin made the switch on his own to the new set.  Cleveland also
has taken the wraps off its VAS Titanium driver, incorporating
vibration dampening and the inset hosel, which helps square the club
at impact for straighter shots.

I hope Snake Eyes hasn't christened their new putters the Saint Series
because they'll make you holier than your opponents. Even if they
have, the St. Victor (a traditional design) and the St. Divine (a
mallet head) use a copper alloy and aircraft-grade aluminum,
respectively, to produce the most feel and forgiveness.  Both putters
are fitted with the same shaft used in the company's best-selling
wedges, with an offset hosel to give the golfer an unimpeded view of
the ball and clubface. I'm sure Snake Eyes executives will want you to
believe their new putters will make your time on the greens a
religious experience.

Golf has its Walrus, Great White Shark, and Golden Bear.  Now comes
the return of the penguin, which for any of you who don't remember the
Tour back about 20 years ago, means the return of golf apparel from
Munsingwear. Around since 1954, Munsingwear and its penguin logo were
big news when television discovered golf. But the last few years made
the bird an all-but-endangered species. No longer. The bird is back,
wearing a peacock's array of colors, patterns, and styles. The market
is much more crowded than it was 40 years ago. We'll watch and see if
this bird takes off.

Another fine old name still very much alive is MacGregor Golf, which
continues to add to its VIP line of irons and woods. The VIP Oversize
Plus iron combines cavity and muscleback design, slightly enlarged
with more weight moved to the outside to resist twisting and enhance
forgiveness. The Superlite VIP Titanium driver is an oversized head
with 10.5 degrees of loft, on an ultralite graphite shaft. Two new VIP
putters bring back classic designs from the 1950s, including one based
on the original master model for the famous Ironmaster IMG 5.  There's
even a new VIP ball, a two-piecer with extra spin (look for an
aggressive consumer trial program).

I've got some good news and some bad news for my wife.  Dear, I'm
bringing you some jewelry from the show, lovely, gold earrings with
shiny circles in a host of colors and designs. The bad news is the
circles are detachable ball markers, which stick to magnets that
remain on the ear. It's a terrific idea, especially for women who love
the game, and I got a kick out of the name of the company producing
them--Make Your Mark Golf Accessories. Unfortunately, I think I'll be
making my own dinner for the next month.

People who think John Daly recorded only one win last year are but
half right. Besides his British Open victory at St. Andrews, Daly won
the hearts and minds of the golf world, resulting in phenomenal sales
for Wilson's Invex driver. Now, to borrow Wilson's phrase, the "Invex
Invasion Continues," in titanium, of course. The new ti model has a
20% larger head on a 45-inch, ultralight graphite Firestick shaft, and
the same bi-metal technology between the hosel and clubhead that puts
more weight behind the hitting area. The Invex also boasts the
distinctive clam-shell shape on a choice of drivers (8.5, 9, 10.5, and
12 degrees) and fairway woods (17 and 22 degrees).

Twenty-five years ago, Paul Trevillion redefined putting with his
revolutionary book, "The Perfect Putting Method." The book will be
rereleased in a few months, but his split-handed style has found a new
medium in video, called "Missing...Impossible!" The 60-minute tape
shows Trevillion explaining his method, which he has proved in
thousands of tests and contests over the years. This putting guru also
has designed what he calls the Punch Putter to complement his
technique. Call GolfSmart at 1-800-637-3557 for more details.

Ram Golf has unveiled two new titanium drivers, and one is grand,
indeed. First, the Big Eye Ti driver, 45 inches long and with an
oversized clubhead, but only 11.35 ounces in weight(and $100 less in
cost than most of the other ti drivers unveiled this week). The other
is at the other end of the price spectrum, going for $1,000. It's the
FX Ti-Forged, made of pure aerospace-grade titanium and forged with
the most expensive and precise process possible. Ram execs say this
club is 1.5 times stronger than cast titanium heads, which means less
energy loss at impact and the chance to redistribute weight away from
the face. A unique threaded-hosel design and new graphite shaft
complete the grand design.

The PGA Tour is expanding its brand into a full range of products to
cover golfers from head to foot and beyond.  Russell, known for
athletic wear used in other sports, will produce a full line of
apparel with the PGA Tour logo. Other companies will turn out PGA Tour
brand golf bags, gloves, accessories (towels, head covers, etc.),
socks, outerwear, and raingear, plus bag tags, briefcases, money
clips, and other personal keepsakes.  Watch for the Tour togs and
trappings in department stores, PGA Tour shops, selected pro shops,
and tournament sites.

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Saturday, January 27 - 2:30 PM
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Just as Greg Norman is more than a golfer--superstar, international
conglomerate, media god?--so the Greg Norman Collection is more than
just a line of golfwear.  Yes, there are polo shirts, sweater vests,
and hats (with shark logos galore), but there also are racks of
clothing that lift this collection into the realm of "lifestyle."
Cashmere sweaters (some woven with silk); leather bomber jackets;
suede shirts; even luggage. Multipurpose, multicolored, and
multimillions in design, take a look if you live by the words that are
emblazoned on many of the goods--"Attack Life!"

Speaking of logos, my current favorite tag line, woven into the back
of baseball caps from Odyssey Golf: "Golf Is Not Brain Surgery."

The folks at Lynx Golf aren't afraid to admit that the Black Cat
stability weighted irons, introduced last year, saved them from
extinction. But they're still here and stronger than ever--market
share in irons jumped from 3 to 10 percent in 1995. So it's time for
the next step, Black Cat stability weighted woods. Available with
heads of titanium or stainless steel, these new woods are
aerodynamically designed, with more weight and the center of gravity
moved forward in the head so it stays stable at impact. The sole is
also smaller than many, so it doesn't drag or dig on the ground. Of
course, these woods are fitted with the same "Flare" graphite shafts
that debuted with the irons: The shaft flares out toward the tip,
further increasing stability. Lynx also announces new Black Cat irons
for women, and the extension of their long-term contract with Fred
Couples, who is playing the irons and, officials say, will being
experimenting with the new woods upon his return from Asia next week.

No matter how many times I hear this, it never ceases to amaze. The
golf ball stays on the clubface for 450 microseconds at impact. How
long is that? Score 100 in an18-hole round and the ball has been on
your clubs for less than half a second.

The USGA deserves all the kudos it can get for running our national
championships and maintaining the handicap system that lets me work
out a fair match against the good players--with strokes, of course.
But the USGA still has a lot of golfers scratching their heads about
the Slope System, that mathematcial morass for figuring out your
handicap for a particular course. Enter "The Converter," a
USGA-approved handicap calculator that is nothing more than a round
slide rule (it attaches to your bag like a bag tag). Line up your
handicap index with the course's slope rating and you can see if
you're giving or getting strokes from your brother-in-law the cheater.

While most of the big club companies are trying to sell mass-produced
sets in the millions, a number of companies are more concerned with
selling one set at a time and insuring each is perfectly fit to the
golfer at the other end of the grip. King of the club fitters is
Slazenger, which has more than 300 specialists (usually local club
pros) around the country who need about an hour to calculate the
perfect specifications for you. The options are infinite: more than
3,300 different clubheads, 75 shaft-flex options, and don't ask about
lengths and lies.  Gary Blaisdell, vice president and principal
developer of the fitting system, says, "it's not complex, it's
complete." And competitive in price and turn-around:  Clubs are ready
in three days. By the way, if you are more familiar with the Slazenger
name on balls and wondered whatever happened to those hot spheres of a
few years ago, company execs apologize and say the shortages are over
and the balls are in your favorite shop.

Ladies clubs, ladies balls, ladies clothes, ladies gloves, why not
ladies shoes? Lady Fairway announces a new classic shoe called
Medinah, a tan and white wing tip with a removable white-tan kiltie
(that's the funny little flap thing that flips over the laces). Does
it mean anything that the announcement was made the same day that the
PGA Tour announced that the Tour Championship is going to Medinah,
outside Chicago, in 1999?

If you don't carry a divot tool, don't play the game. Or at least
learn how to use one of the little pronged devices, or a tee, to fix
ball marks. One of the lightest yet sturdiest repair tools I've seen
is called Green-Save: I stole a couple off their desk today, along
with a pamphlet that gives the rights and wrongs of ball-mark repair.
Don't pull on the center or sides of the mark; that raises the center,
which will be scalped by the next mower that comes along. Instead,
stick a repair tool or tee outside the back of the mark and pull the
toward the center, not up. Then pull both sides of the indentation
toward the center to close the hole, finishing up by gently tapping
the mark down with your putter. Remember, don't pull up; DO pull
toward the center. I've done my good deed for the day.

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              Friday, January 26 - 5:00 PM
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Nick Faldo is understandably modest about his expectations for 1996.
But if he does well, he'll thank the new Mizuno T-Zoid driver, which
he's had in his bag for several months. Faldo used the T-Zoid at the
Mercedes Championships in early January, where he hit 51 of 56
fairways. "This driver offers a combination of distance, feel, and
workability that I just haven't found anywhere else," Faldo says. "I'm
getting 5 to 15 yards extra distance on every drive. I'm getting a
much stronger, penetrating flight and a good first bounce--the ball is
jumping forward more--because it's coming out at a good launch angle
with a reduced spin rate." Faldo was at the Mizuno press conference
announcing that Mizuno is adding four fairway woods to its T-Zoid
line--a strong 3-wood, regular 3-wood, 5-, and 7-wood; all the T-Zoids
feature a bar on the top of the head to keep it more rigid at impact;
internal sole rails that lower the center of gravity for a better
launch angle; and a groove-and-dot pattern on the face for optimum
backspin. Mizuno also announced a T-Zoid titanium driver and that 1987
Masters champion Larry Mize will be playing the woods.

They're called Blackspin and they produce backspin aplenty. They're
the new wedges from Odyssey, featuring a black, trapezoid-shaped
insert made of a secret compound mixing Odyssey's patented Stronomic
material (standard in its very successful line of putters) with an
abrasive for better feel and control. And it will never wear out, they
claim. Two models are available--a 56-degree Sand/Fairway wedge, and a
61-degree Lob wedge, both with a brushed-finish stainless-steel alloy
head, milled face, and slightly offset hosel. It's also been fitted
with a special "black-platinum" steel shaft from True Temper.  Also
new from Odyssey is the DF992 putter, which has already won a
tournament on the European Tour--the 1995 Volvo Masters European Tour
Championship. So it may not be brand-spanking-new, but you know it
works.

Possibly overshadowed by the news of Cobra Golf being purchased by
American Brands (parent of Titleist/Foot-Joy and other companies) a
few weeks back is the introduction of the King Cobra Ti titanium
oversized woods. Cobra is betting the bank of titanium, doing away
with all but one driver in steel. The new clubs are cast for 100% pure
titanium, which they say is 40% lighter than steel, which allows them
to be, on average, 16% bigger that the stainless-steel King Cobra
woods. That light and that strong is a dangerous combination, supposed
to produce a larger sweetspot, better weight placement, more distance
and more accuracy. Cobra is already one of the big hits at the PGA
Show thanks to their huge, two-story booth (there's a coffee bar
upstairs) and the reputation of main man Greg Norman. The Shark is
playing this weekend in Asia, but his image is all over the Cobra
booth.

First day prizes. Best new product name. Mud Weasel. I had to track it
down, hoping it was a specialty club for burrowing out of the much. No
such luck: It's a ball retriever that can grab four balls at a time
and extends nearly 15 feet in length. I could have used it earlier
this week.  Oddset new product. Power Jaw. It's a mouthguard-like
device that gives you "optimum bite control." Place it between your
upper and lower teeth to reduce tension in your jaw and down your
neck, letting you really take a rip at the ball. It's also good over
critical chips and putts. Of course, there was an orthodontist on hand
to explain why it's not only good for your game but good science.

I had the chance to talk to Ely Callaway, head man at Callaway Golf,
and a legend in the business thanks to the success of his Big Bertha
woods and irons, and last year's hit, Great Big Bertha woods. After
$400 million in sales in '95, when Ely talks, everyone listens, and
he's talking about titanium, which is the metal of choice for the GBB.
"There's a good future in titanium in the right club, if you use it
for specific purposes and in a good design. We think titanium works
very well with the same design features that made our original Big
Bertha successful--no hosel, the bore-through shaft, and our special
sole-plate design. But the metal lets us make the club 25% larger; we
couldn't do that with any other metal without making it much heavier."
Mr. Callaway's troops also are showing off a slightly redesigned Big
Bertha iron. "The most obvious change is the new graphite shaft," he
says, "the best shaft we've ever developed.  It's lighter, so we can
put more weight in the head. We also lowered the head's center of
gravity, and altogether that means the ball gets up in the air easier,
which is important for the average golfer. He also might like that
we've dropped the price by 15%." Amazing when you consider Callaway
sold $141 million of the original irons last year. What's next? "We
could be looking at another metal entirely, something other than
titanium. We don't know what it is yet," said Ely, smiling like the
Cheshire Cat.

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Friday, January 26 - 3:00 PM
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In their continuing effort to "own the short game," Alien Sport, maker
of the best-selling Alien Ultimate Wedge, unveils The Uniform Touch
CHamber--TUTCH--putter system, designed to be easily aligned while
giving the golfer good feel and distance control. The head is made of
an aircraft-quality alloy, and fitted with a "stabilizing chamber"
that runs behind the entire width of the face, producing a big
sweetspot. Add to that the aluminum-titanium-graphite shaft and the
TUTCH proves incredibly resistant to twisting at impact. The wide,
deep head also has five broad stripes to help alignment.
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Looking to get "in the groove"? Rockport's new "Groove" is a step
forward in golf-shoe technology. It's a shoe for walkers, one pound
lighter than most traditional golf shoes, reducing two tons of
pressure on your legs over an average 18-hole round. The Groove also
features an entirely new spike system, strips of spike that slide in
and out of the sole--no threading and unthreading--and let you choose
between conventional and spikeless support. Grooves between the spikes
let the shoe, and your feet, flex naturally as you walk, yet remain
stable during the swing. They won't be in the stores for a few months,
but for a sneak preview, take a look at Jack Nicklaus's feet during
this weekend's Senior Skins Game.
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More from the world of putters. Carbite Golf mixes its metals,
specifically heavyweight tungsten and lightweight titanium in the same
head. The resulting Dual Density putters are available in heel-toe and
"bulls-eye" styles.  Tungsten at the heel and toe and titanium in the
sweetspot put 70% of the weight at the ends, maximizing "moment of
inertia"; that's just a fancy scientific term that means the head
won't twist as it hits the ball.
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Walkers are already familiar with Izzo Systems, pioneer in the
dual-strap technology that makes carrying your own bag easier. Last
year, Izzo unveiled its new "Cruiser" golf bag for walkers. In a few
months, they're coming out with clubs to fill those bags, made by HD
Golf, the brainchild of well-known club designer John Hoeflich
(formerly of Tommy Armour, Titliest, and Head Golf).  Hoeflich's
upcoming irons and woods feature what he calls a Graf/Hex face--metal
and graphite intertwined in a hexagonal shape. The result is less
weight in the face, which means more around the rest of the head for
clubhead speed and perimeter weighting. Watch for them late in the
spring.
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Top-Flite launches its Hot XL line of balls, with a "hot" new core,
new dimple designs, and a new cover for longer distance. If you'd
rather have a little more spin, pick up a dozen Top-Flite's Tour SD
balls (90 or 100 compression) between January 29 and April 30, 1996,
and save $3.

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Friday, January 26 - 1:00 PM
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Nike Golf is making a number of introductions at the show. Its new Air
Zoom line of golf shoes - available between $50 and $150 retail
-features smaller air pillows in the sole than found in Nike's
basketball and other sport footwear, and some models have Gore-Tex
liners and fine English leather uppers. The other big news is the
formation of what Nike executives call their "Global Foursome," four
players who will wear Nike apparel and carry the Nike message - young,
aggressive, stylish - around the world. The big dog in the group is
superstar Nick Price; he's joined by young New Zealander Michael
Campbell (who made his mark at last year's British Open), and Peter
Jacobsen, who has been wearing the "swoosh" since Nike entered the
golf market a few years ago. The fourth player - expect it to be a
young American - will be announced soon.

    
    Tavo,
    
    	Thanks for posting, interesting reading. While watching some
    news show that showed highlights of a golf expo somwhere? Someone
    actually admitted to the following question. "Will any of these
    new clubs or technology, really improve your golf game?" They
    answered it as NO and said its all mental. If you buy a new club/s
    and it makes you feel like you can hit it and gives you confidence.
    The odds are that you will improve your game a little. Its not the
    clubs that make you better, its the mental attitude that makes you
    better. You could have a PGA pro, play a round of golf using anybodys
    clubs and he will shoot right around even par. Golf clubs don't
    cure hooks/slices, a swing change correction will.
    
    Ron

Ron,

I kind of agree with you. A bad swing is a bad swing and no club is going to 
fix it.

When asked experts have said that there have been few revolutionary 
improvements in golf over the years. The ones I remember are:

Steel shafts - provide consistency in a set of clubs. This was difficult with 
wooden shafts

two-piece ball - Distance and durability

Perimeter weighted irons - foregiveness on missed (but not by much) shots

In my golfing years (about 11) I have only found one club where I have notice 
a noticable improvement and that is with the bubble. And my partner and 
handicap can attest to that. (It may be mental, I know, but if the results 
are good, I don't care :-). If you feel good with a club you are going to 
play well with it... and viceversa. I could never big big head clubs. I have 
a hard time looking down at ping zing2's or Big Bertha irons.

I have another set of irons, Wilson staff (blades) and there you can see and 
feel a difference, no one with a handicap in double digits should play 
blades. (That is why I left them with my sister in Mexico :-)

Tavo

I've found the Bertha woods are MUCH easier to hit a reasonable shot than
old non metal woods and most metal woods. Its also very easy to hit the
Betha driver off the fairway. The problem I have with them is that I already
hit the ball fairly high and the Berthas are designed to help people get the
ball in the air. The result for me is lost distance, so I'll be looking for
something else this year that will keep my tee shot and fairway woods down.

As a comparison, my "real wood" 3 wood goes about 230. The Bertha goes
only about 210. Same goes for the driver, I lose about 20 yards sometimes.
In fact, I carry the driver, 2 wood and 3 wood because of this problem.
Its frustrating to know that I can hot my old 3 wood past all but my best
drives with the Bertha driver. And, a well hit 2 iron goes as far as the
Bertha 3 wood.

This is probably more to do with my swing, because other low hndcp golfers
I know do not have this problem.

(By the way, in mid season I'm a 5 or 6.)

The thing about the Berthas is that the miss-hits are not nearly as bad
as with my old woods. 

... also, blade irons are much harder to hit than perimeter weighted irons.
I would say that almost noone should try to play the old tour blade irons.
There is no room for error. If you always hit the sweet spot there is little
difference. But most of us are not like Ben Hogan ... who wore a spot the size
of a dime on the center of his 2 iron!

I would say any perimeter club is fine. The next important thing is the
shaft. The shaft needs to match your swing. Most golfers should use
normal flex. Very strong golfers with powerful swings should use a
stiffer shaft for more control. A more flexible shaft can create more
clubhead speed - but can be harder to control.

Then there is the ball. The solid "2 piece" balls are hotter and go
farther. They wont spin as much, which means they wont hook or slice
as much ... and wont be as affected by the wind as "tour balata" balls.
But, this also means they are also hotter around the green and will not
stop as well on the green.

I find all the difference in the world when comparing the new Professional
Titlest ball to a 2 piece Ultra around the green. But if its windy, I'll
play the Ultra.

    re. .6
    
    I also hit a rather high shot with my woods.  Even so, I find the Big
    Bertha War Birds fantastic.  I use a 9 degree firm flex driver and
    three metal.  I also have a Heaven Wood, but it doesn't seem to get
    much use since I sprung for a full set of BB graphite irons.
    
    I can easily exceed the distance I got with a 'woods' and a metal
    shaft.  I also find the irons in the normal flex to be great (my sand wedge
    is firm though) but the metal woods are all firm.  A normal flex in
    woods would drive me crazy and I would feel like I had much less control.
    
    Remember, that the War Birds have a higher center than the original BB
    woods.  That lowers the trajectory of the ball over the older model. I
    thought the original BB metal woods went too high for me, also.
    
    Frankly, I think the BB irons are as close to stealing as you can get. 
    I love the short and long irons and I can certainly tell if I mishit on
    any of them.  I went through two sets of Pings and I wouldn't play them
    again if you paid me - after playing the BB irons.  Compared with my
    Ping Eye 2's and Zing 2's, the feel with BB irons is fantastic.  If you
    need more feeling then I would suggest taking a self-help seminar.
    
    Bottom line:  I hope everyone out there hates the looks and feel of the
    BB irons and never buys them.  I would love to be the only one playing
    these clubs.  :^)   Now, if I could only putt...
    
    Regards,
    Bob
    
    P.S. I am the world's leading expert on what I like best.
                                                                      

    
    	I agree that there's a HUGE difference in the BB's and the
    	War Birds.  Alot has to do with the new shaft.  I lost 20
    	yards and hit them way too high with the BB's.  I'm not a
    	long hitter by any stretch but the War Bird's brought me
    	back to where I was.  
    
    	Tom
    

... I was talking about Warbirds in .6. I hit the BB's even higher and shorter.
I think I'm going to try Cobras.