The STi2 set arrived late yesterday, and with a 6:09am tee time set for today, I had to take them out to the course unhit. For the 1st time in a long time, I used someone else to assemble (the Maltby Custom Shop). Standard graphite length, 1/2* upright, slight loft adjustment to 21,24,27,31,35,39,44,49. Aldila NV85 stiff shafts. Length and SW came as requested (D1-D2) although the PW and GW did get up to D4, which is fine by me. The length is 1/2" longer than my TS1 set, hoping that would add some distance to my long irons.

LOOKS: Better than expected. The copper penny in the back is matte, and looks better in person. At address, these do not look like SGI irons. The top line is thicker than my TS1, but it is thinner than the TS2 & KE4+.

FEEL: As I expected, they are a bit harsher than the TS1 on misses. But when stuck solid they feel very good. Definitely not a Mizuno forged feel in any sense, but a very good feel for a cast head.

SOLE: The sole is a bit wider than the TS1/TS2 sole. In play though, it did not cause me any issues.

PERFORMANCE: As stated in the "what did you buy" thread, since I was going into this round without any range time, I expected issues due to the longer length and -30 gram shafts. Wrong. I was dead on from the start with these irons. Hit 8/9 greens on the front nine, with the only miss being a PW that flew right over a back pin, over the green and bounced into a bush for a double. I was 2 under heading into that hole, rats! For the full 18, I missed 4 greens. 3 of them were dead on line, but long. The other one was a 5 iron that faded just a bit more than planned, off the green, but pin high and just 20 feet from the hole. I did get the hoped for 1 club boost in distance. The last par 3 was a good indicator - 182 yards, and it took a perfect TS1 4 iron to get there. Today I hit a perfect STi2 right at the pin, landed just past the back fringe. I'm not saying the STi2 is longer than the TS1, but with my clubs, 1/2" longer , 30 gram lighter shaft and a 4 iron loft 1* stronger, I got +10 yards from it.

It was a shockingly good start for the STi2 set.