I have a serious question for you. What effect do you think it would have to PRACTICE with one set of irons, and PLAY with another set? Assuming the shafts are pretty much the same flex and weight. The reason I'm asking is that this is what I've been doing lately. I have one golf bag with my COURSE SET OF CLUBS, and I have a smaller stand bag with a second set of irons and wedges I use to take to the practice range. I do it for the simple reason IT'S LESS HASSLE, having two bags of clubs. Before I had extra sets of irons, I didn't have a choice, so I just picked a few clubs from my course bag, and put them in a easy to carry stand bag when I went to the range. Now I just pick up the range bag and it's all ready to go, no hassle.

But is this HURTING MY GAME?

I think it's pretty easy to say IT CAN'T HELP. But does it hurt one's game? What do you guys and gals think?

Hmmm, interesting question Don. I guess to me, I would think that the biggest hurt would be in 2 areas: 1) the lofts/lie/offset angle - if they differ the second set will play different and carry the ball different distances. maybe not much different but still different. 2) just the general how comfortable you are with them - if you practice with the other set and get used to how they perform, you wouldn't have that with the second set. I don't think I'd play as well with my new set if I practiced all the time with my old ones. But I could probably play as well with either one if I used them all the time.

I think it depends on what you are working on. I think it would be alright for just ball striking as long as they were the same design like, Cavity backs or blades.

Distances would probably be off. But as long as you get repeatable distances from your swing with either set that shouldn't matter.

Distance isn't an issue, since all practice is on a range, and all I work on is hitting the ball IN LINE with my target. My eyesight is so bad, I can't see the ball land, so I really don't know how far I'm hitting any of my clubs at the range. Just as long as I hit the ball on line with the target I'm set up to, and contact is good, that's my main goal. I'm thinking I try playing a round after a session at the range with the practice set, and play the practice set on the course, and see if my iron game is better.

87, What might be good, would be to practice with a set of blades, (Mizuno MP33's) and get good with them, due to lack of foregiveness. Then play with a set of cavity backs (MP 30's)of the same make with the same shafts and swing weights. Since you don't get away with mishits with the blades, you'd be forced into making good solid ball contact. Then when you play with the CB irons, you'd have all that practice with un-forgiving irons to help you with your swing,only now you'd get away with some minor errors. If this was done right, you'd be forced into playing good shots, and when you did make a small error, you'd get away with it on the course. Should help with your confidence level as well.

Any Opinions ???

I think the key thing which you mention, Don, is swing weight. Since the golf swing is so much about "feel", it could mess with you if the two sets didn't have the same weight (and probably the same shafts would be ideal). I have tried hitting more of a blade iron w/steel shaft and then hit my irons and found that it threw me off a bit because they were so radically different. Drivers, not so much of an issue.