i know the difference between cast and forged. and even after reading something, which mentioned placing cast and forged irons in tour players hands without manufacturer names. In the end, feel is really no different. Although my opinion is a bit unbiased. forged irons are softer in coposition, but tend to have a little more "solid" feel even when hit pure. now notice i said solid. NOT "hard". i remember having my first set of cast irons. reasons i gave them to my dad and then bought the forged irons i have now is because i had no idea what i did wrong when i hit the face. slightly off center in either direction (heel-toe) felt like it was hit perfectly. i also couldnt control flight, or even distance very well.
with my forged irons i can do the things i struggled with before. i can now lay off of a pitching wedge and the distance actually be less with much better control. when i hit offcenter i can tell. i can even tell before i see the flight if i push or pulled the shot. (mostly pushed shots as the forged cavity back with minimal offset and might be a bit toe weight, does tend to prevent "the big hook"
My biggest question is the difference between a carbon cast wedge (8620) and a forged wedge (1018). now i know this can vary. bounce loft and so on.
the reason i picked 1018 is because im considering getting a scratch wedge. preference in finding the budget route, seeing scratch sell the 1018 for 179 bucks! WHOA!
not many companies actually do forged techniques anymore. its too time consuming and there are other less expensive, faster ways of making a club respond the same. its really all because of the supply and demand. as well as the new grooves rule which i mention next.
saying that the 8620 and 1018 have the same bounce/sole grind combination, shaft, shaft flex, and grip. What exactly are the differences? ive been told that 8620 is also being used because it holds up better which is always for tour players given the groove stipulations being enforced.meaning it might feel a bit more solid than a softer forging comparison. its nice that scratch almost gives us the exact version of each type for us to kindve give us the ability to create an opinion.