Sorry...newbie question regarding game improvement irons

Been playing for just about a year...I'm somewhere in the 20-25 handicap range and rapidly improving IMO. Been hitting Taylormade RAC OS2 (2005) with stock T-Step Ultralite regular flex steel shafts. Clubs are very forgiving IMO but don't have much to compare them to.

I want to upgrade (without spending a fortune) in order to further improve. Intended on buying a nice game improvement set that I can grow into and ended up buying Mizuno MP60s with DGS300 shafts for cheap. My swing tempo is fast and I hit my irons pretty consistent and pretty long. I'd say handicap is high more due to trouble off the tee (3-4 penalty strokes per round).

I have read many reviews about the MP60's and similar models and manufacturers. Will this jump be too much for me or do you think I will be able to grow into the MP60s?

Any info will help! Thanks

There are two distinct schools of thought on your question.  One school would applaud you for going with players irons, which they would tell you force you to become a better ballstriker, have better feel, etc.  The other school would say that you should stick with more forgiving irons, whether GI or SGI irons, which will have more offset to get the ball up, have thicker soles, deeper cavity, and will remind you that several pros play GI irons such as the Ping G15's.  If I had to choose a school of thought, I'd choose the GI/SGI route, but that's just me.  I don't know anything about your game, and even if I did, it's your game so you can do what you want.

But I would be surprised, considering your handicap, if you played better with those Mizunos than say my Callaway Diablo Edge irons or any other GI/SGI iron for that matter.  I say, why make this difficult game tougher, but if you want to take the challenge of playing the MP 60s, then go for it.  You may be rewarded.  And I'll add that I have a set of the forged Mizuno MX-23 irons, so I know the allure of forged Mizunos.  You might try something in the MX series if you want Mizuno forged, but with more forgiveness generally speaking than the MP series,

Ultimately it depends on how you hit them, but those MP60s have a target market of mostly single-digit players.  IMHO you'd benefit from a more forgiving club, based on your handicap.

I swapped my SGI irons for MP-57s when I was about your handicap, and now iron striking is the part of the game I enjoy the most.  My handicap dropped about a half dozen strokes almost immediately, in large part because I no longer dreaded hitting an iron shot.  I enjoyed practicing them more.  I enjoyed hitting them on the course.  And I got better at hitting them.

Play whatever makes you happy, but plan on practicing enough that you don't have to explain yourself to the guys wearing KJ Choi t-shirts and Hunter Mahan caps.

Thanks guys for taking the time to reply.

From what you guys have said, I probably shouldn't make a jump to the MP60s yet. However, I am a student of the sport and dedicate a lot of time to practice/playing, probably more than most. My main thing is really wanting to learn and improve...not use "forgiving" clubs which ultimately is compensating IMO. But I guess there is only one way to find out. For the price I paid I can keep them on the back burner if I they don't work out.

Since you had already purchased them I thought you were just starting a dialogue.

This post (and perhaps thread) is trivial as you've already purchased the new players clubs.  But, there is nothing about those TaylorMade clubs that will hold you back from shooting in the low 80s.

One of my favorite playing partners plays to a 1.5 with a set of TM LCG irons from the 90s, he seems to move the ball and score just fine.  It's not the sticks; if I were shooting in the high 90s being able to 'shape' my shots would be just about my last concern.

Another thought:  if your handicap is in the 20s, I bet you hit your short irons at least semi-competently.  I'll bet you'll be able to hit the MP-60, at least P-8, maybe P-7 at least decently.  Those might be worth keeping in your bag.  Put the others in a safe place and get maybe some MX-17s to fill the 4-6 spots.  As you grow more comfortable with your swing, experiment with putting one more MP-60 in place of an MX-17.

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It depends a lot on how much time you will have to practice and play. I'm making golf a priority, so I swapped my X20 irons for X20 Tours. Reason: smaller heads for getting out of rough, and better feel on shots.

Only have 13 holes so far this year (three rainouts already), but I hit three iron approaches that did just what I wanted. And, I can tell on impact if it's a great, OK, or lousy shot. At range, I have better control on draw and fade shots.

If you can work on your game, a GI or SGI club makes sense. Just make sure the club works OK in test hitting it.

This is an issue that many people debate. I'll give you my story, and hope I don't bore you too much,...lol

I recently started back playing regularly last September after a 4 year layoff from the game due to back surgery. When I stopped playing in 2006 I regularly shot in the high 80's and even got in the low 80's some but would have a round every now and then in the high 90's on a bad day. When I started back in Sept, 2010 I would feel lucky to break 100 and then started shooting in the high 90's but kinda hit a brick road and stayed there. I decided to really start working on my game more and try and get better. I only play appx 4 full rounds a month on my home course BUT,... I practice appx 3 hours a day appx 27 days a month. I started working with a PGA pro instructor once a week for the past several weeks and I have seen a dramatic difference in my game,...  especially on my short game from 140 yards in. So.... first off,.... take my advise as comming from an average Joe who is working hard to improve and not from a seasoned instructor with all the answers. I would say that if you strike your wedges and short irons really well that you will probably like the MP-60's from attack wedge through 8 iron, but the longer irons may be a little tougher to hit well in the sweet spot. I had been playing a set of Callaway Fusions that I had purchased new in Jan 2005, and while I was hitting them OK,.... I really wanted something that gave me more feel than the titanium face of the Fusions offered. I went to a demo days and tried just about every iron from every major company and in the end I chose the Mizuno JPX-800 pro forged irons, because they had everything that fit what "I" was looking for. They looked great, they have that classic and famous Mizuno feel and they are still forgiving on my shots that might not be perfectly struck. I will also add that the Callaway Diablo forged irons also felt great and looked pretty good and were still forgiving. Lately several different companies have started offering forged "game improvement" irons that look good and feel good. The forged game improvement iron catagory might be worth you looking into it. And the Mizuno fitting process is one of the best in the industry as well. So,....  good luck and hope ya find something that will give ya confidance when your over the ball. It has taken a few things to bring me my confidance,....#1 was my instructor, #2 was practice, practice, and more practice, and #3 was my JPX-800 pro's.