Niblick

[JackB1]

Just tried this at the PGA Superstore and I'm sold!  Because the clubhead is so heavy, you dont need to swing hard at all to make it go pretty far.  I tool one over to the short game area and chipped about 7 of 10 into a basket that was about 25 feet away.  One SW and this and you have all you need for 110 yds and in.  I took some 1/2 and 3/4 swings with it in the simulator and I notice the clubs sits VERY upright, so you have to stand really close to it on full swings....closer than a wedge even.   Be careful not to swing too hard with it, but you really shouldn't have to.  An easy 3/4 punch-like swing goes 80-100 yards.

 

I see this club being MOST usefull on chips from 50 yards out to the fringe.  Since this is a problem area for most high cappers, this club is a golden for that purpose.

 

Question........for what shots is the Niblick NOT recommended for?  Bad lies? Rough? Sand?  Has anyone tried chipping out of a bunker with it?

[icreate]

I actually tried it out of the sand once. It made great contact and got out, but you I lost the loft that a wedge has so you'd have to compensate for that. I didn't have to swing as hard with the Niblick. I guess if the pin if on the other side of the green, you'd have enough room to come out and roll toward the hole more.

[minteq]

its great out of a fairway bunker, as long as the lip isn't too high.

[philstheman]

If anyone is looking to pick one up for a good price I recommend visiting intheholegolf.com and using "GM10" as a coupon code (10%). The club qualified for free shipping and then I entered the coupon code. I paid $98 shipped for this club brand new and you receive it within 7 business days.

 

I haven't been able to take it to the course yet due to terrible weather we have had recently, but have used it at the range. I have the 42 degree (the only model offered for us lefties) and really like the results I was getting at the range. I previously demoed the club at the PGA superstore and had to have one, but they didn't have a lefty in stock so I ordered one online.

 

People shouldn't knock this club until they try it. Oh and btw, I just love saying Niblick.

[MizDean16]

I got one of these suckers out of curiosity. Normally I chip with my 7i or 9i and it has always been a strong part of my game. But I'm going through a swing change and for some reason my wedges are the worst clubs in the bag. I've literally lost 20 yards per wedge and can't for the life of me control any yardages on shots from 110 yards an in. So I bought one of these specifically for the fairway shots hoping to improve my consistency until I figure my wedges out again.

 

I've taken the Niblick out twice now to the range and I have to say that this thing is as close to point and shoot as you will find. Full swing goes around PW wedge range I've been able to swing easy and dial in the 110, 100, 75 and 50 yard markers with relative ease now. I can still put a bad swing on it but my dispersion is alot less with this club than with my wedges and depth control is much better on the range. It will be interesting to see how this works on the course with real golf balls but I must say that this club absolutely rocks. If they made a whole set of irons for these, I'd be tempted in trying them out but I know I'd definitely get a set for my wife. It would make the game much easier for her.

[roberthd]

Good thread, and it speaks to the versatility of this amazing club. Gotta try it out of the sand next, either fairway bunker or looong greenside with no lip.

 

The condescending types on this forum who hate this club have not made one decent argument against it. Let's see, it's legal, it lowers your score, it's versatile, it's well-made. I think the majority of the haters are overly-macho types who think all golfers should play 8.5 drivers with X-stiff shafts.

[tsr74]

I was so curious about this club. After reading this thread, I got the itch so bad that I had to pick one up. I traded in an old driver that's been collecting dust on a 42* Niblick. I didn't have a chance to hit it yet other than a few chips around the house. It's got a good feel to it. I'm hoping to take it the range tomorrow and stick it in the bag this weekend.

 

What kind of reactions have you guys gotten on the course? I'm expecting to get a few "what is that??"'s followed by some "can I try it??"'s. Unfortunately, I know of at least one guy that's going to tell me I wasted my money on a gimmick.

[craz-e]

I have had mixed reactions from people on the course but a guy who I played against the other week was so impressed he went out and bought one himself. He came up to me and and said thanks for bringing it to his attention

[meaks17]

Interesting concept, though I'm not sure I'd be able to justify taking any of my other clubs out to put this in my bag as my short game is pretty decent. Wouldn't mind trying one out though to see how it compares to other clubs I use in similar situations this is designed for!

[4WedgeBag]

The Niblick 10 has gone in and out of my bag for a month now. The first time I used it I chipped in for a scrambling par from a foot off the green. But, it does take some practice to figure out distance control for longer chips and pitch shots. Therefore I have put it in my backup bag until I can practice with it a little more around the greens. If it does find a permanent home, then I will probably take out my 5 wood but keep all of my other wedges. I haven't been using my 5 wood much lately so that seems to be the club I can most afford to lose. Most players take out their 50*, but I still like that club from the fairway better than the heavier Niblick.

 

In my mind, keeping a utility club like this is akin to bagging a 64* or 72* wedge. It has a very specific utility and if you can find a spot for it then do it. It will save you strokes in certain situations.

 

I find it interesting that this club is being ragged on so heavily in the "Worst Clubs in 2009" thread and yet nothing but raves here. This is definitely a polarizing product from Cleveland. But I think if more people gave it a try then there would be fewer naysayers out there.

[profsmitty]

The Niblick 10 has gone in and out of my bag for a month now. The first time I used it I chipped in for a scrambling par from a foot off the green. But, it does take some practice to figure out distance control for longer chips and pitch shots. Therefore I have put it in my backup bag until I can practice with it a little more around the greens. If it does find a permanent home, then I will probably take out my 5 wood but keep all of my other wedges. I haven't been using my 5 wood much lately so that seems to be the club I can most afford to lose. Most players take out their 50*, but I still like that club from the fairway better than the heavier Niblick.

 

In my mind, keeping a utility club like this is akin to bagging a 64* or 72* wedge. It has a very specific utility and if you can find a spot for it then do it. It will save you strokes in certain situations.

 

I find it interesting that this club is being ragged on so heavily in the "Worst Clubs in 2009" thread and yet nothing but raves here. This is definitely a polarizing product from Cleveland. But I think if more people gave it a try then there would be fewer naysayers out there.

From Wikipaedia:

 

Groupthink is a type of thought exhibited by group members who try to minimize conflict and reach consensus without critically testing, analyzing, and evaluating ideas. Individual creativity, uniqueness, and independent thinking are lost in the pursuit of group cohesiveness, as are the advantages of reasonable balance in choice and thought that might normally be obtained by making decisions as a group

[4WedgeBag]

The Niblick 10 has gone in and out of my bag for a month now. The first time I used it I chipped in for a scrambling par from a foot off the green. But, it does take some practice to figure out distance control for longer chips and pitch shots. Therefore I have put it in my backup bag until I can practice with it a little more around the greens. If it does find a permanent home, then I will probably take out my 5 wood but keep all of my other wedges. I haven't been using my 5 wood much lately so that seems to be the club I can most afford to lose. Most players take out their 50*, but I still like that club from the fairway better than the heavier Niblick.

 

In my mind, keeping a utility club like this is akin to bagging a 64* or 72* wedge. It has a very specific utility and if you can find a spot for it then do it. It will save you strokes in certain situations.

 

I find it interesting that this club is being ragged on so heavily in the "Worst Clubs in 2009" thread and yet nothing but raves here. This is definitely a polarizing product from Cleveland. But I think if more people gave it a try then there would be fewer naysayers out there.

From Wikipaedia:

 

Groupthink is a type of thought exhibited by group members who try to minimize conflict and reach consensus without critically testing, analyzing, and evaluating ideas. Individual creativity, uniqueness, and independent thinking are lost in the pursuit of group cohesiveness, as are the advantages of reasonable balance in choice and thought that might normally be obtained by making decisions as a group

 

Ha, Ha....Nice one. :D

[Terp]

I haven't been real pleased with my chipping lately and shots from 20-40 yards. So I had a chance to hit the 42 degree niblick today.

 

In fact I hit two of them off the rack because when I picked up the first club it felt light. So I grabbed a second club. I could feel a big difference in weight between them. Same club, but a big difference in the weight. I wonder what the tolerances are for these clubs.

 

Anyhow I bought the heavier club thinking it would be better from the rough and for chipping. Even a half swing pitch shot felt good. The heavier club seemed to swing itself. I'm putting it in play tomorrow and plan to give it a good test.

[smitty72]

Terp was they both the same loft? I have the 42* and love mine so far everyone that used mine was surprised how heavy it is

[jah7838]

After reading about this club and seeing it at GG, I went out and bought one. I have the 42*, and took it to the range yesterday to mess around with it. I found it more fun seeing what I could do with it than thinking I'm practicing my short game. From the same spot in the rough around the practice green, I could hit it high and let it settle close to the pin, or hit it a little lower and let it roll out. I was much more consistent with this than I was with my wedges from the rough. It was very easy. I even tried pitching it onto a green with a very large bunker in between. I hit it pretty high, and out of 20 shots, I got 14 onto the practice green and only 6 in the bunker. It will take a little time to dial in the distance, but for someone who doesn't get to practice that much, I think this club would be very helpful. I did have room for an extra club in my bag, so I'm going to be able to keep all of my wedges in the bag just in case. I can't wait to use this during a round. I'm hoping to save me a bunch of shots, because my short game has been killing me my last few rounds. I haven't been able to hit a decent pitch shot to save my life.

[59Bassman]

I bought the Bloom version for my wife a few weeks ago and took it to the range last week to mess with it. It is one seriously fun club. Pitching to a target flag about 60 yards away and the thing was a laser. Distance was a challenge at first but it was going straight in at the pin every time. I tried a few full swings with it and those are a bit harder. Tough to put a full swing on a club that upright, IMHO.

 

I'm already at 14 and don't know what I'd drop to put one in the bag, but if I ever figure that detail out I'll be sporting a chipper. :)

[Terp]

Terp was they both the same loft? I have the 42* and love mine so far everyone that used mine was surprised how heavy it is

 

Same exact club - 42 degree loft. I was surprised in the difference in weight. Even had the salesman pick up both clubs and hit them. He too noted the difference. Didn't test the swing weight, but it was noticeable. I bought the heavier club. Sometime I'll check the swing weight out of curiousity. Personally I like a heavier feel to the putter and decided to go this way with the niblick - much easier to keep the wrists steady.

[profsmitty]

I have followed the evolution of our thinking about the Niblick for several months now. The most common objections that I have heard raised about the Niblick can be summarized, I think, as the following: (1) it is ugly, (2) it is unnecessary, and (3) even if you ignore the preceding, what would I give up out of the 14 clubs I already carry to carry one?

 

The first is easiest to dismiss. I would contend that the average golfer has already given up the idea of aesthetics when we moved away from forged blades to the various cavity-backed versions that are now ubiquitous. We have proven time and time again that performance without practice is the driving consideration in club selection. Ugly rules, it seems, but if, and only if, it works.

 

The necessity of a Niblick-type club is an interesting question. There is no argument that there are other ways to accomplish what the Niblick was designed to simplify. Dave Pelz has made a cottage industry out of addressing the same problem. The continued attention being given to the approach game is obvious if you check the "help" pages of any golf periodical. The bitter truth is that Golf, corporately, still hasn't figured out an effective technique or set of techniques to help the average hacker get onto the green from 75 yards in without extensive, boring, repetitive, and frustrating practice. There may be 13 clubs in the bag (driver excluded) that can and have been used by skilled players to do this very job. Unfortunately, the average hacker regularly screws every one of them up. I would contend that if the Niblick solves this problem without a level of practice that the average hacker simply either doesn't have or doesn't choose to commit to, it would take a place with the driver and putter as the most important and indispensable club in the bag.

 

The last argument is in some ways specious. The same "what club would I sacrifice" lament has probably been applied to every club in the modern bag at one time or the other since the R&A and USGA decided to limit the number of clubs golfers were allowed to carry. I count nine clubs that are more or less off limits in most bags: driver, 5-sw, and putter. That leaves 5 clubs to get me into the best position to get the ball into the hole. Because, for the most part, modern golfers gave up on learning to hit fairway woods and long irons, we have corporately embraced the hybrid to get us from driver to 5 iron and the rest of the "scoring" clubs. How many hybrids do we really need to do that job - three, maybe? That leaves 2 club slots. I would sell my soul at times for two clubs that would get me from 75 yards in to my putter, consistently. You can have my GW, LW, and/or any other W for that matter (sorry Dave). I don't care what Tiger, Phil, or any other "+" guy says. I can't hit "Ws" consistently. I've tried for years. I quit. (By the way, does anyone doubt that the major club manufacturers wouldn't figure out a way to squeeze in a space for a Niblick-type club - possibly by relofting a GI set from an average of 4* between irons to 5*. This creates a space for one extra iron. Somehow I doubt that most of us would miss that "lost" 1*).

 

I am the ultimate traditionalist. My preferred set is a driver, 3 wood, 3-sw set of Titleist ZMs and a putter (that's 12 clubs). But if I were honest, I'd fill the extra two "slots" in my bag with a 37* and 42* Niblick. If I have any more rounds like yesterday when I hit the ball very well in a 35MPH wind but lost stroke after stroke from 75 yards in, I just might get honest, and quickly. Maybe today.

[chrisfx811]

The last argument is in some ways specious. The same "what club would I sacrifice" lament has probably been applied to every club in the modern bag at one time or the other since the R&A and USGA decided to limit the number of clubs golfers were allowed to carry. I count nine clubs that are more or less off limits in most bags: driver, 5-sw, and putter. That leaves 5 clubs to get me into the best position to get the ball into the hole. Because, for the most part, modern golfers gave up on learning to hit fairway woods and long irons, we have corporately embraced the hybrid to get us from driver to 5 iron and the rest of the "scoring" clubs. How many hybrids do we really need to do that job - three, maybe? That leaves 2 club slots. I would sell my soul at times for two clubs that would get me from 75 yards in to my putter, consistently. You can have my GW, LW, and/or any other W for that matter (sorry Dave). I don't care what Tiger, Phil, or any other "+" guy says. I can't hit "Ws" consistently. I've tried for years. I quit. (By the way, does anyone doubt that the major club manufacturers wouldn't figure out a way to squeeze in a space for a Niblick-type club - possibly by relofting a GI set from an average of 4* between irons to 5*. This creates a space for one extra iron. Somehow I doubt that most of us would miss that "lost" 1*).

 

Personally, I would love for a manufacturer to come out with a 5* gapped set of irons and/or hybrids. I could already make room for a 42* Niblick if I decide to, but would also welcome a better spaced set if for no other reason than to have less overlap and simplify my bag by removing 1 more club.

 

Hybrids spaced @ 3* are way too close, but if you skip a hybrids you have a 6* gap and at least 1" in length which tends to leave too large of a gap. Irons @ 4* are a bit close as well.

[minteq]

Excellent post. I am a low handicapper, and I love the Niblick. I used to have 3 wedges 52/56/60, and it was always a decision which to use and where. Last fall I took out the 52 and bought a 54, that made the decisions easier. I have a pretty good short game, most of the time I can get up and down, but what really gave me fits was the bump and run to a back pin from a very tight lie. It was hit or miss, the last few years I really practised it, but with mixed results, it became my Achilles heel.

 

I got the Niblick for this shot, and it has made it very easy to hit, sure I do not always hit it perfect, but even when i am off, my mistakes are really not too bad. Some players cannot hit long irons, some have issues with putting, they buy large headed putters or hybrids, that is cool. For me the issue was chipping, and this club makes it easy.

 

I was very surprised to found out how good this club was from the fairway, 50-75 yards. A smooth swing will send it dead straight, hit once, bite a little, then roll a few feet, very controllable. I still use my 54/60 wedges, but this club gives me some added shots that i struggled with before.

 

I had to get over my ego using this club. My Dad has had one for years, excellent short game, and he always urged me to try one, but my ego would not let me. If I would have only listened, my short game would hav been so much better. I am leaving for Myrtle Beach in a few weeks, and with the courses I am playing there will be plenty of opportunities for this bump and run, I cannot wait to see how it performs. :clapping:

[ahkim]

I went out and bought a 42* after reading this a few days ago. The reason why I'm trying this club is to stick those greenside chips next to the hole, not to avoid the skulls/fat shots. I'm a 9 handi and have a decent short game. I'm hoping this club will eventually save 1 or 2 strokes per round. I carry a 50, 54, 58 wedge so for my to carry this, I need to remove my 3 wood, 4 H, or 4 iron.

 

My initial thoughts:

I played the exec course yesterday and I wasnt really that impressed. Distance control was very tough, although I admit this is a brand new club so I have very little practice. I had much better control with my closed face PW. As for being straight around the greens, again, it was not the bullet I was expecting. I was expecting it to be as straight as a putter, since that's how I was swinging it.

 

From 30-70 yards out, it was a different story. Much straighter for me, although I dont like using it from more than 20-30 yards out.

 

I'll continue to play with the Niblick, but I just wanted to share that its not the instant fix/improvement I was hoping for.

[avrag]

I tried it today (42°) and I really like it. I do not know how much it will help me on the course, when I get it. But I think this is a real fun club, something like freestyle skis with the ends also bent up. I will certainly get one and then play around with it in the short game practice area just to find out what I can do with this thing. The first 20 shots today were very interesting, hitting it high and low, with more or less spin. Fun, period.

[Splitter]

For me the 42 sems to provide the most utility. As for what I moved to make room? In an effort to prompt a good laugh from those who already hate the Niblick, I pulled out my 3I for it. I can't hit it for $hit anyway and choking down on my new 3W actually works better in a lot of cases. I look at my bag and it's all wedges now! Haha

 

I'll continue to play with the Niblick, but I just wanted to share that its not the instant fix/improvement I was hoping for.

 

Is anything in golf? ;-)

[2left]

When I was 22, I learned how to golf with my 60 year old Dad who at his age could no longer drive the ball over 180 yards. One great thing about learning with seniors is they are far past the macho stage, and play to score. He gave me a chipper, which looked like a stunted upright 7 iron and actually said "Chipper" on the clubhead. He said he got it out of a used club bin for $20. He told me any time I am inside around 80 yards with a clear path to the green, I should use it to roll up to the green rather than try to pitch on. One of the most valuable pieces of advice I ever got, so I'm happy to see chippers making a comeback. That chipper is long gone, and choking up with irons never game me the same "can't miss" feeling that the chipper did.

[LeafsFanNL]

Nice story.

 

HB

[Barnes5]

I picked up the 37 - and I love this club.

 

My home course is a Links style, so there are plenty of bump and run type shots. This club has defiantly improved my chipping onto greens.

I havent tried full or half shots with it yet, mainly use a putting type stroke.

 

If you struggle with chunked or thinned chip shots, this club is worth a try.

[rover]

I picked up the 37 too. For short chipping around the green it proved excellent in my first round. I have also spent one practice session around a putting green and one at a range with it. I do need to keep practicing distance control for longer shots, but I am very impressed so far.

 

What did I pull to make room for it? None really. Truth is that I am better at all flops and pitches with my 56*SW than I am with my 60*LW so I pulled the LW as it provided me with little benefit. I shall see I guess, but my bet is that my scores will be better with my SW/Niblick combo than SW/LW.

[JackB1]

I can't recommend this club enough.  I am a +18 and often struggle with wedge shots from 100 yards in.  I use this club for everything from 120 yards (full swing) to the fringe.  It goes straight as an arrow and once you learn to "feel" your distances, you really start reaping the benefits.  "Throwing darts" is really the way I feel with this thing.  It's also great from the trees or pine straw to use to chip out into the fairway.  I almost like I have no need for my 9i, PW, GW anymore.  

 

I do keep a 58 deg. for sand and high wedge shots and I might keep using my 9i for full shots, but now I need to figure out what to do with my PW and GW :)

 

Question for you guys......should I add 1/2" to my Niblick since I do that to all my irons and wedges? Will that mess up the length for putting type strokes?