Ok, someone please talk me off the ledge re: new irons.

For reasons unknown to me, or perhaps its the billions of dollars being spent by advertisers, but I'm consumed with the thought of new irons this year.   I almost jumped in last year with the AP 712's and held off but the new Ping i20's keep whispering "hit me, come on, you know you want to, hit me".

The thing is, I love my current irons but they're getting really long in the tooth.   I'm playing a KZG forged CB2's with Rifle shafts.   They feel great and I hit them well but I'm concerned because the shafts are pushing 15 years old and the heads are around 12.   The groves are starting to get a little compressed but otherwise they're still in solid shape.    I think they fit me pretty well but I haven't checked the lofts/lies in a while.   Partially because I haven't noticed any anomalies that I would attribute to the clubs.

I'm getting older and probably could benefit from another full fitting with a shaft check etc.   I just look at the prices for a new set of irons and think "OUCH".   So I went online and checked some of my stats from last year and was blown away by a single stat.   I missed 44% of my fairways last season to the left.   Now I'm thinking that maybe I should just ignore the irons for another season and get a full driver fitting with a new driver.

Anyone else in a similar position?  The indecision is killing me.

Kinda going through a similar situation.  I'm just missing too many fairways.  I like my irons, but its tough to hit good shots from the left side rough.  I have decided to save and get fitted for a new driver.

You already said that you love your irons.  I would start with the driver, and see how much that helps, and go from there.

I won't buy new again. I bought clubs last year for $800 and when the new model came out this spring I could only get $340 trade in. (I traded because I out grew them - too GI. It doesn't help that the used racks are full of this model.)

I made out because they had what I was looking for used for $500. (still on the self for $800 new)

A $160 up grade difference buying used, and $460 difference if I bought new.

I'm fortunate in living in an area with a huge selection of used golf equipment, some good service departments, and no "real"  fitters. As for "fitting" - what a joke. It's try this, then this, then, this. I can do that myself.

PS: When you find a bargain on the used racks in golf supermarket like this you can't hesitate - they will not be there when you return.

I think you should buy them...let me be the devil on the other shoulder... go on, you know you want to, they will be all shiney and nice looking, look at those lines wow beautiful.  They are such a bargain and will make you feel nice and warm inside, mind you, you will have to go and play with them loads to justify them to your other half...

heres a nice picture of them:

But wait, there is more!!!

they even made the hot list: http://hotlist.golfdigest.com/detail-exec/brand/2736/product_type/205/model/48205/b/Ping/p/Iron%20set/m/i20

GOLD EVEN!

Have a look on TST for the write up: http://thesandtrap.com/b/bag_drop/ping_introduces_new_i20_lineup
AMAZING!

Say 800 USD for a set, they last you another 10 years and you use them 20 times a year thats a total of 200 times = 4 USD per time

FANTASTIC VALUE!  ITS LIKE BURNING MONEY IF YOU DONT BUY THEM!

:)

+1. Life is too short. Get a new driver and irons.

Imagine yourself in the left rough hitting that shiny new 8 iron because you're punching out.

You aren't helping

No, I have no desire to purchase brand new irons. I prefer older style irons (the 712 CBs and MBs are pretty nice though) rotating between 20 year old irons and 10 year old irons (origing shafts in both). I do check out ebay or second hand shops for drivers, wedges, and forged blades. It's rare to find what I want in nice shape. Maybe that's why I've narrowed my search to those items - can't buy 'em if I don't find 'em.

I suggest you replace the aging clubs; they have been around a while and served their purpose. However, remember that getting a whole new iron set would uproot your whole bag and make necessary some time to adjust. The new driver is a minor thing; if it misbehaves you can hit your 3 wood and still shoot OK scores right after you get it. The irons are used on every hole though, so if you have no confidence in them you're hosed.

Money wise, I think it would be OK to buy new clubs. However the time required to adjust after such a long time playing the irons will be possibly very frustrating and you won't gain much from new clubs except a slight touch of forgiveness, new shafts, and better spin from the unworn grooves. The driver will be expensive for one club but that club might give you confidence by being shiny and new looking. Drivers don't age as well as irons. In terms of performance don't expect more than a few yards and some forgiveness.

You probably swap out your underwear every 15 years whether they need replacing or not too. Heck, when I have something 15 years old, I just digitally remaster it in 3D and release it in the theaters again. Like Titanic.

Actually, the Titanic needed replacing after the first time they used it, so I'd say 15 years out of a set of irons is pretty good.

I actually looked at the 712 CB's for the first time today.   I was shocked at how much they reminded me of the DCI's I played 20+ years ago.

Did you mean that in a good way?  I still have 15 year old DCI's but will one of these days upgrade (come on bonus!!) to something that actually fits me.  The top of my list to try are 712 CB's, MB's and AP2's.

I really didn't mean it in any way.   The 712's CB's look to me to be a decendant of the cavity back design that the DCI had.   It appears that the cavity may not be as deep but if you like the DCI's you'd probably like the 712's.