RIP - The 1-iron ?

[bakerg]

Didn't the 1-iron die off as the manufactures continued to strengthen the lofts on all irons.  Thus making the 2-iron a 1-iron and a 3-iron a 2-iron etc.....

I have not gone over to the hybrid world yet.  I hit my 3-iron so well that I would never take it out of the bag.  I am actually looking for a 2-iron to add.  But I play the Ping Zings so I might have to go the route of the new G2's.  

I believe Titliest said a year or so ago that they would no longer make 1-irons for even the PGA players.  They were actually taking 2 irons and delofting them to create a 1-iron prior to that.  

[A.G._Crockett]

DCronan,
I love watching Tiger hit that shot, but since I can't knock down an 8 iron with any success, I skipped the 2 iron stinger article as quickly as I can turn pages!  

[Dan Kelly]

DCronan,
I love watching Tiger hit that shot, but since I can't knock down an 8 iron with any success, I skipped the 2 iron stinger article as quickly as I can turn pages!  

Try hitting it with a driver. My favorite shot.

Middle of the stance.

Don't let the wrists break.

Knock 'er down.

[danielfaleman]

Modern standard forged blades; iron, loft:

1 15
2 18
3 21
4 24  
5 27  
6 31  
7 35  
8 39  
9 43  
P 47  

Older sets have the 1 at 12 degrees of loft, 2 at 16 and 3 a 19; the rest being the same.

[James Bennett]

I think the ProV1, and even the DDH dimple pattern helped kill off the #1 iron as well.  Its a lot easier to hit head-wind and cross-wind shots now, so the need for that ripping, low 1-iron has also gone  The modern day launch angle, flight path and spin rate doesn't react the same as the old balls/woods/irons.

[PThomas]

when I think of the 1 iron, I think of 3 of Jack's greatest shots:  to the home hole in the 67 US Open, the 17th at Pebble Beach, and what he calls his best full shot under extreme pressure, to 10 feet at the 15th in the 75 Masters

[Kyle Harris]

For all you self-avowed purists... I throw David Feherty at you.

http://www.golfonline.com/golfonline/features/feherty/columnist/0,17742,486000,00.html

I'd play ANY cow pasture with Hamish McShug's patented Splattergaurd Niblick!

[Evan Fleisher]

I'm amazed in a way that the same group of guys who are such purists about golf courses seem as a general rule to be so into the latest and greatest in equipment technology.

My personal goal is to have my bag look exactly like Willie Dow's.  Anyone who's seen it will know exactly what I mean.  Most of his clubs are older than Ben Hogan.

At that point, I'll have arrived Shivas Irons-like into what a golfer should and can be.

Speaking of Shivas, what kind of purist carries a freaking long putter?!?!?  

Mike, if Old TOm Morris himself had discovered the long putter after a few years of ginching everything inside 4 feet, I guarantee that he'd have gone to it.  

This is the part you guys always seem to forget -- the very nature of the game is to do whatever it takes (within the rules) to get the ball in the hole.  Chicago Golf Club -- "Far & Sure".  They've been chasing that concept -- and doing anything they can to attain it -- since this game was created.

USing a broomstick is just the logical extension of this concept.  "Just get it in the hole, regardless of how."  What can be more "pure" than that?

*** WARNING***..."can o' worms" comment here...

Shivas,

It's hard for me to comment, being of the "cheater line" gang, but isn't this issue in the same category as that? Meaning...I long putter requires you to secure/fastner/anchor (call it whatever you want) the butt end of the club into your chest causing a fixed hinge point that does not allow for free movement of the club?

Isn't this in violation of the "spirit" of the rules...not a direct rules violation per se?  I'm no rules expert by any means, but there has been a considerable amount of talk on TV lately about banning the long putters due to this very issue.

Please educate me...

[Mike_Cirba]

Shivas,

I've had the yips...actually, after putting pretty well for about 20 years post-yipping I think I'm getting them again.  

Back in my early-mid 20s I'd sometimes hit 15 greens in regulation and shoot 78-80.  

Fortunately, my problem was as much technique as nerves and I've gone long stretches where I'm not happier to be 10 feet away than 3.  

However, regarding the long putter, I have one question.

I'm not sure which tournament it was, but about 2 months ago VJ got to the 18th hole, or playoff hole...forget which one, but he had a 3 foot putt to keep the tournament going, or to win, forget which.

I saw that he had stopped using the long putter and I said to myself, "bet he misses".

Sho'nuff, didn't even hit the hole.

Do you think he would have made it with the long putter?  I do.

Therein lies my philosophical problem with the device.

 

[Mike_Cirba]

shiv,

Oh you obfuscator of penumbras!

Don't you know that golfers were meant to suffer, and then drink some fortifying beverage, the better to suffer some more?  

[THuckaby2]

Mike, that's just S-I-C-K!The better question, Mike, is why any sane man is NOT carrying one?

Because they are more pussyish than any putter cover ever was (as you know and seemingly admit), but more importantly, they patently suck for long putts and are a crutch for short ones.  You give up all pretense of confidence when you carry one, and thus when the first short miss comes - and come it will - what do you have left?  A shredded confidence such that you will never be a decent putter again, with any implement... you become doomed to a life of claw grips, wacky putters of all lengths and shapes, reliance on everything but confidence and putting stroke.

I'd say the long putter is an absolute last resort - ok for those with the yips, the shakes, any form of palsy - but for all other golfers, ought to be utterly cryit down.  Not made illegal - hell I have compassion for the palsied - but just avoided at all costs until there is absolutely no other choice.

I haven't had a good "row" with you in too long.  This oughtta get the ball rolling... pun absolutely intended.

 

[Dan Kelly]

My current thinking , subject to change at any time, is that hybrids are stupid looking GIMMICKS that have no business in golf.  

Second-funniest line of the week (after Tom Paul's "What's a tee time?"), from a guy who putts with a broomstick!

....sometimes I honestly think all I need is a driver, a 5 iron, a 9 iron and a sand wedge.  That covers just about every shot I ever need to hit.  Sad, isn't it?

No, not a bit!

PLEASE, Shivas, take all of your other clubs out of the bag, play a couple of rounds, and report back to us on (a) your scores, and (b) your pleasure, or the lack thereof, in the playing.

[THuckaby2]

Shivas:

I had no idea how desparate you were.  OK, I will put you over there with the palsied.  You have my deepest sympathies.

Carrying two putters.   Man it is a sad, sad day when the complete ruination of a formerly proud, manly golfer is so fully revealed.

 

TH

ps - in all seriousness the idea does have merit.  But first one has to suck at short putts.  Those who don't ought to get by with one putter, and a short one at that, wouldn't you say?

[THuckaby2]

No doubt.  But once you can't put a 5 footer in, the correct answer is to drop something and carry both the long and short putters.  It works.  Knowing you have a backup provides the confidence that your stroke can't....

Dammit.  This makes perfect sense and I concur 100%.  That just wasn't much of a row.  

 

[Mike Benham]

I had no idea how desparate you were.  

Past tense? ... "are" ...

[THuckaby2]

Well corrected, Mike.  Methinks past tense was way too presumptious.

 

[Dan Kelly]

The Shivas Set:

Driver

5-iron

9-iron

Sand wedge

10 putters

[Mike_Cirba]

The funny thing about multiple putters is during a round of cart golf, when your cartmate (is that a term?...it sounds vaguely naughty) drives up ahead after dropping you off and sputters, "I'll bring your putter....er...putters".  

Or, if he fails to be so carefully thoughtful, do you ever have to run back to the cart after your first putt to retrieve the "extender"?    

Shiv...don't personalize this.  It's just fun because let's face it, you're a pretty macho type golfer otherwise.

It's like finding out that John Wayne slipped into a teddy at bedtime.  

[Dan Kelly]

It's like finding out that John Wayne slipped into a teddy at bedtime.  

Shivas's line drops to Third Funniest of the Week.

(Finally! Some rankings I care about!)

[A.G._Crockett]

USing a broomstick is just the logical extension of this concept.  "Just get it in the hole, regardless of how."  What can be more "pure" than that?

My current thinking , subject to change at any time, is that hybrids are stupid looking GIMMICKS that have no business in golf.  

Shivas,
I'm SURE that there is not really any conflict in these two statements; it just appears to ME that for the same person to say the long putter is, in ANY sense, "pure", but that hybrids have no place in the game is just a smidge contradictory.  

(In the interest of full disclosure, I am a yipper who used the belly putter for a year, but gave it up at the urging/insistence of Tommy Naccarato.  If he had seen me putt in the Member/Member last weekend, he might have changed his mind!)

[TEPaul]

For about the last 5 or 6 or 7 years I played tournament golf all the time I carried a driver, a putter and the rest irons---from a 1 iron I used all the time right on down. I think it was a line-up that was probably designed for maximum conservatism---even as short as I was. In my entire life I never really learned how to hit a 3 wood, off the tee or on the deck. I carried one for about a 3 or 4 year stretch and doubt I ever used it. When I began playing tournament golf I did carry a little lady's 6 wood and used it all the time and I could do a whole lot of things with it particularly out of rough. It was probably from the late 1950s or early 1960s and had a blue wooden head---it actually belonged to LPGA tour player Mary Lena Faulk---she gave it to me. And then one day I hit it on the 13th hole at GMGC and the entire head exploded. There are a lot of players who have some pretty weird line-ups in their bag but I might have been one of the wierdest.

My putter for about the first half of my tournament career was pretty interesting too. It was Tommy Armour's Tommy Armour putter. Today it's in the club display case of my golf club.

[PThomas]

would Hogan have used a long putter is they wre available back then?

didn't Watson not use it merely out of principle?

[Sean_A]

1 iron, what is that?

I have not carried a four iron or less for about 10-12 years.  I suck either way so I may as well dump the weight.  After I bought a 7 wood there was no need for the low irons.  Whats in my bag? Don't take the piss.

Callaway Big Bertha II, 9 degree.

AirBear 3 wood, 16 degree (I usually don't bother carrying this).

AFC Golf (no idea who this is, a knock off of the old Callaway Seven Heaven) 7 wood, don't know the loft (purchased from the barrell for $45, it has been reshafted once due to a slight mishap).

Titleist DCI 5 iron (about 12 year old version bought used for £20).

Tommy Armour 845s 6, 8 & pw.  About 20 year old version.

Titleist DCI 9 iron (I usually don't bother carrying this, actually bought it new about 10 years ago).

Ram Accubar sw (bought in a barrell for $5 about 9 years ago).  This was bought as a quick fix after my Snake Eyes wedge was nicked.  Haven't had time to look for a new wedge.

Old Master IMG blade putter (purchased about 20 years ago from a barrell for $10).

Summer balls, Pro V1 practice or logo overun balls and Callaway HXT Tour.

Winter balls, Top Flite 3000 or equivalent hardish type ball.

I am in the market for a used set of DCIs, the model that came out about 6 years ago.

I doesn't matter to me if a guy wants to putt with a broom handle or any other club.  What is important is that 10 clubs max should be the limit.  Quite convenient for my set of wrenches, eh?

Ciao

Sean

[TEPaul]

Shivas;

You don't pick up pennies? It's good luck man! Didn't you know that?  

[PThomas]

Dave -- I agree with you on the penny but disagree re frequent flier miles

I wonder if Hogan ever tried Snead's side saddle approach?

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