• Equipment

  • Iron technology - do we really need it?

It isn't the arrow it's the Indian.

I've played with all kinds of irons and except for not liking wide soles on firm turf or thin soles on grass like zoysia the rest is really a non factor.

I learned this as a kid caddying when I watched one of the adult caddies shoot one over using a set of baloney slicer hickory shafted irons and a at least 20 year old persimmon small headed driver which had a steel shaft. The driver was from the time when clubs were transitioning to steel but to make them look like hickory they had a coating on the shaft which made it look like wood.

I learned that day if you can play you can play and if you can't no amount of money spent on the latest design will make you a player. All that will happen is you will be a well equipped hacker.

    I play to a 12 hcp. I've played Adams, Callaway, Ping and Acer GI irons all to a 12. I also play to a 12 with my Wishon 555 and SMT 303 MB blades. As I've gotten older I've replaced 3, 4 and now 5 irons with hybrids but still view my 6-PW blades as "scoring irons" (170 yards in)

    Believe it or not the trouble I had with GI irons was distance control. When I pured one the ball travelled a good 20 yards past the target. If I miss with my blades I might come up 5 yards short. Most courses I play long over the green is dead or OB. A little short is never much of a problem and when it is I club up just in case.

    Seems pretty obvious to me that the 12 hcp is what happens inside my head and not influenced much by the design of my irons 🙁

      I can answer this one pretty good.

      I just got new irons this year. Previous to that I used ping eye2. This year I've hit more greens and have eliminated the big hook that would arise.

      Better ballflight too. Some of that comes from the fact that the old irons were made to perform with old balls. Just like today's irons and woods perform better with newer tech balls.

      This year I have not shot over par with them.

      I did a test...took my eye2 irons and hit both a pro v1 and an old Titleist Professional. The pro v1 went high and spun back off the green. The professional actually went a couple yards further, lower flight and pretty much stayed within a foot of its pitchmark.

      I think if u buy new irons every year...or 4 sets a year, u will not be able to see any improvement.

      WTF is wrong with everyone? I wanted to buy, or build, new irons this winter so I could get on the Champion's tour next spring.

      76-81 ain't gonna cut it, and now I find that new clubs won't help knock that down to 66-71.

      Asshats.

      ADMIN.....LOCK THIS DUMB THREAD!!

      wait a minute.....maybe single lengths...........everyone is talking about standard clubs here.

      newrider I play to a 12 hcp. I've played Adams, Callaway, Ping and Acer GI irons all to a 12. I also play to a 12 with my Wishon 555 and SMT 303 MB blades. As I've gotten older I've replaced 3, 4 and now 5 irons with hybrids but still view my 6-PW blades as "scoring irons" (170 yards in)

      This is also true for me to a point. If I use hybrid irons all the way thru the 7i, I have played with a muscle back or cavity back blade from 8i down (130 yds in) and score about the same.

        Iron technology helps to a degree with forgiveness. If I had an old 1960's blade and new SGI CB I am sure I would score better with the CB. Larger hitting surface, perimeter weighing and a larger sweet spot. Plus the SGI clubs hit the ball higher and land softer. Plus today you can use hybrids to fill the slot of the 3-6 irons. If you have a very bad swing not much can help you but if you have a decent repeating swing the new irons can help, although mostly with forgiveness. I find it strange that you are the one starting this thread Steve since you are one of the biggest iron ho's on this forum. :-)

          I need the added forgiveness. Don't swing as fast as I used to, so naturally I don't hit the ball nearly as high as I used to either. I need the higher launch, and I know I'm not gonna get it with a true player's iron.

          I love the looks of Mizuno irons, and the MP-25 line specifically... if I had the swing, that's what I'd have in my bag.

          Can't answer the question. G25 irons are fantastic. Been in my bag since they came out.

          It is apropos that you started this tread now. I am looking for a new set of irons for next year. The main reason is more forgiveness. Been looking at the PING G series and Callaway Steelhead XR series. Golf stores around here just don't as many different iron sets as they used to. Hard to demo a set if they don't carry it. I could get a demo 6 iron but that would be a lot of demo 6 irons if I went for what I am looking for. When I say next year that is really a misnomer as I play year round. So in truth I am looking for a set now for now. By the time I decide and then order them it will be close to Christmas. Merry Christmas Gus.

            I am playing Callaway Fusion pro irons from 2005 with factory installed original brushed Project X 5.5. For as little as I am able to play, I can hit these far more accurately further than I could my Titleist 681 blades with the same limited amount of practice.

            I would like to try a set of the Wishon single length "sterling" irons, as my irons are my Achilles' Heel of my game. Regardless of iron set, I can hit a 7 and 8 iron well, so I am intrigued by the single length.

              brsmith I am playing Callaway Fusion pro irons from 2005

              I remember them!
              😉

                ronsc1985
                Agree 100%
                Recently was paired up with maybe a 70 yr. old, probably an 8/9 hcp.
                Irons...30 year old Mac's, stiff steel shafts...
                I took a look at his 9 iron.
                The sweet spot a dark brown circle the size of a nickel... ouch.

                He did game a mallet putter and a relatively new Cally driver though... ;-)

                rob

                    letthebigdogshunt

                    Like I said before, the G irons are stupid easy to hit. The fact that resorts use them as rentals tells otoh that they want a club that's easy to hit so their guest has a memorable time at the club.

                    Someone mentioned them being an improvement over the G30. I agree, they have much better lines, better color and perform at least as well. Feel is a huge improvement. I've hit the G30 and I agree it does feel/sound clicky. The G irons feel solid....I think you'd love them.

                      I most certainly am going to test drive them before the year is out. Thanks.

                      mainuh Recently was paired up with maybe a 70 yr. old, probably an 8/9 hcp.
                      Irons...30 year old Mac's, stiff steel shafts...

                      I see that all the time in my men's leagues here in FL. Honestly, my iron play is still best with my Eye 2 irons. I just put some graphite Acer shafts in a set of Mizzy MX200 heads I found on eBay and I am liking the feel a lot, but I don't hit them any better than the old PINGs.

                        Provisional
                        Nice! I pulled the ZZ-Lite shafts out of mine, had the heads retumbled and I put in PING CFS shafts. They are literally, like new.

                          Provisional
                          Not my bag, just thought they do LOOK good , but local Play it again store has several sets and now I'm thinking ...Are they better than my Raptures?