Has anyone bought Snake Eyes or non-mainstream irons that conform to the new groove rules?

If you did find some, what brand and model are they?

I want to get fitted for new Irons at Golfsmith but don't have the money for the mainstream brands. I want to have irons that conform to the new rules because I want to stick with one set of clubs for the next 10 years (at least). Trust me, I have had 6 sets since 2002 and I am sick of buying used clubs that aren't fitted for me because I can't and could never afford the new mainstream irons. I have borrowed knock-offs and have hit some snake eyes and found them to play just as good as the mainstream. The Golfsmith website is not specific on whether the grooves on their irons are conforming to the new rules. Thanks for your responses in advance.

I'm not sure if they conform or not, but why couldn't you just find a used set that hasn't already been custom fit and go from there?

Thanks but I thought I was doing that with 2 of my previous sets "buying used that had not been fitted...". But when I went to get them bent (after lie angle testing), I was told that they would either go back to their original setting through "memory" or they couldn't be bent.

Interesting...I would ask your local pro for advice then...my best guess

If they can't be bent they are a brittle cast steel. A quality modern cast head should be bendable. (Many older cast clubs are not.)

The "memory" part doesn't make sense.

The person to ask is the shops club repair man since he does the bending.

Did you try Maltby or Wishton?

Tin Man,

Quote from the Tom Wishon authorized golf fitter in my area (PrecisionFit Golf Kerrville/San Antonio,TX) http://www.precisionfitgolf.com/Page_Pricing.html

Quote

"Since I have experience. qualifications, certificates, tools and equipment, I'm able to offer value-added services which increase both the value and the price of the product I offer. My typical graphite shafted set of irons are priced from $900 to $1,250 (though it can be much higher). Individual drivers start from $335, but can cost as much as $600. Golfers work hard for the their money and my clubs are not inexpensive, but I believe they are an excellent value for several reasons." End Qoute

The Maltby site below is much more affordable

http://www.golfworks.com/category.asp_Q_C_E_1_A_c2c_E_ln

The Tom Wishon experience is EXACTLY what I want but I can't AFFORD it right now. I appreciate the man's honesty. I wish I had spent the last year saving up $1500 so that I could set up my appointment to be fitted, have all of my clubs spined, be told my launch angles and distances, and have the true "pro golfer" experience.

Thank You very much for suggesting it. I would definately do it if I had the money. I will suggest it to my rich golf buddies.

I think Golfsmith will get me the "bargain priced" version for now. I can save up the money and be ready for the Tom Wishon thing in a couple of years.

I never expected Wishon to be that expensive!  That's getting into Miura, Henry Griffif  territory.

Are all Wishon fitters that high or just this one guy?  Can you buy the heads and shaft them yourself?

One final thing:  Do you HAVE to play with the new groove rule?  I bought a used set of forged irons on E-bay, had them re-shafted, re-gripped - Total cost $300.

you dont HAVE to but if you were gonna do any tournaments then you would need the correct grooves

If you go to Golfsmith's site and look at the specs or overview for each of their irons it shows says if there conforming or not.  I looked at the 685's and the Python XLD and they are conforming.

What brand/model if irons did you or do you have?  Most cast or forged irons can be bent at least a little, some are just more risky than others.

Look at the videos of the Ping factory and watch them belting the cast heads with mallets if you think you can't bend cast heads.

Both of the Maltby irons in my sig, the KE4 U30 (431 SS) and the TE Forged (1035 steel) have conforming groves.

The KE4 iron set (4-PW, GW) can be bought for $180 from Golfworks, or the TE Forged (3-PW) for $260 (both come with heads, shafts, ferrules and Lamkin R.E.L. 3GEN grips), then have Golfworks assemble the set for $40.  Bam, a new set for either $220 or $300.  If I were you I would at lest figure out what length you need and have Golfworks built to that length.  Then if you needed to have the lie adjusted, that could be done locally at a minimal cost.

And yes, most all modern cast clubs can be bent.  I adjusted the lie of the KE4's up to 2.5° with no problem.

He talks about bending starting around 6:25

Everyone Thanks,

Tin Man, First, and again, I am very appreciative, Thanks for your replies. Please check out the video.

In the video that was included by Glock35ipc (by way of Shorty), at 6:23 minutes in, he talks about bending/adjusting the loft and lie. At 7:06 (turn up the volume at 7:00 minutes) he actually says "because it has a memory". So the loft and lie adjustments for one of the old used club sets I had, (Ping Eye2)  must have been the one with the "memory" the clubsmith told me about. He said it would go back to it's original lie in a few weeks/month.

Glock35ipc/Shorty. Thanks.

My reasoning for wanting the new grooves is that I want to keep my new future set for at least 10 years and I hope to improve enough to actually play in some tournaments in 4 to 5 years. So if I am going to spend another several hundred dollars, why not get the new grooves?

I am going to check out Dbwood's suggestions and I will take a second look at the Maltby's meantioned Glock35ipc. Tin Man seems to like the Maltby's too.  I will also see how Golfworks pricing compares to the 15% discount offered through Sep 11 at Golfsmith.

Lastly (for Dbwood), the Titliest DCI-B Irons I have (when paired with my used Pro V1x balls) generate a lot of spin. Being in hard pan, drought stricken, and windy San Antonio, TX, I use a low trajectory skipping and check up type shot when I'm within 30 yards of the pin. I'm a 12 handicap but I can't be doing that with pure talent. I am sure I am getting help from the plentiful deep square grooves on my DCI-B's combined with a high spin ball. When I get the new groove conforming clubs someday, I will now for sure.

Maltby's website and book are excellent for learning about clubs. However, I have never seen one of his clubs, or Wishon's.  What they write makes sense so I trust them over the hype that's being thrown at me by salesmen and magazines. I trust either one can design a good club.

The local Golfsmith doesn't have Snake Eyes in the store, doesn't want to discuss them and I had to talk them into giving me a catalog.

Funny you should say that about Golfsmith. I called the store in Austin, TX today. I waited "forever" for the salesguy/floor person to get on the phone, I called right after opening so maybe they had a rush of customers. (They are 105 miles away in Austin, TX) I asked about the iron heads and shafts and about being fitted. The salesguy was pretty short with me. That is WAY different from my last in store experience a few years ago trying to find a cheap but true Golf rain suit. He couldn't wait to get off of the phone. I figured he had customers in front of him BUT I had to wait a long time so if that were the case, then I should have been giving the same respect. I am still going to make the trip Saturday, but if the service is lousy, ....then I won't buy there.

I built for myself and use Maltby, Snake Eyes, and Wishon gear.  Of the 3, Maltby's the only one that's modestly priced.  All 3 are high quality.

You list your handicap as 13 so I'm going to guess you're not looking at the Python irons at Golfsmith.  If you're looking at the 685OS, they're $30 a head, add a Dynamic Gold shaft for $17, a grip for $5, ferrule, glue, tape, $1, you've got $53 a club or $425 in materials for a 8 club set.  You can go a few bucks lower or much higher on the shaft.  If you find a guy like your local Wishon guy he's probably going to need at least $20/hour, even if it takes him only 20 hours for a thorough fitting and build you're looking at $825 or so.  It kinda makes the Wishon guy's prices seem not so out of line.  If the Golfsmith guy can do it cheap and knows what he's doing you might have something there, otherwise, for $825 you can get a new set of semi-customized Mizuno's, (they'll fit you for length and lie for free wherever you buy them, I think).  And there's no resale value in component clubs.

I like Glock's idea the best.  Get Maltby's at Golfworks and have them built for you, you'll save money and can have them fitted at your leisure.  They'll be new and conforming.  And if you don't like them they'll give you your money back.  The only drawback is that you're stuck with the shafts and grips that come with the "club pack" price, (I like FST shafts and Lamkin grips so I wouldn't feel "stuck").  If you want something different than what comes in the "club pack" then you lose the "club pack" discount and you're back to paying list price.

Just some thoughts.