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Forged irons for 18 handicap?


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Hey guys, first post. anyway, I've been a casual golfer for the past couple years, until I recently made my high school varsity golf team. I currently use a cheap steel set of clubs from the 1980s but they do fine for me right now. anyway, my question is, would it be a bad idea to used forged irons as my new set. I'm not really the best contact hitter but I can get some distance. I want to try to learn to swing better on something that's not forgiving so when I start to swing right I can tell. I'm going to be starting lessons soon so I will be learning to swing and contact the ball better. do you think learning with no forgiving clubs is this a good idea? further information if you want. avg driver: 270 slight slice to the right about 8-12yds average average 3 wood: 235 slight slice right about 5-12 yds average 4 iron: 220 slight slice, no slice distance info avg 5 iron: 210 slice 15-20 yds right 6 iron average 208 slice anywhere from 0-25 yds(have hit my 6 235 with no wind) avg 7: 190 negligible slice 8: 150 negligible slice 9: 130 slice 10yd right
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Hey guys, first post. anyway, I've been a casual golfer for the past couple years, until I recently made my high school varsity golf team. I currently use a cheap steel set of clubs from the 1980s but they do fine for me right now. anyway, my question is, would it be a bad idea to used forged irons as my new set. I'm not really the best contact hitter but I can get some distance. I want to try to learn to swing better on something that's not forgiving so when I start to swing right I can tell. I'm going to be starting lessons soon so I will be learning to swing and contact the ball better. do you think learning with no forgiving clubs is this a good idea? further information if you want. avg driver: 270 slight slice to the right about 8-12yds average average 3 wood: 235 slight slice right about 5-12 yds average 4 iron: 220 slight slice, no slice distance info avg 5 iron: 210 slice 15-20 yds right 6 iron average 208 slice anywhere from 0-25 yds(have hit my 6 235 with no wind) avg 7: 190 negligible slice 8: 150 negligible slice 9: 130 slice 10yd right

235 yard (slicing) 6 iron from a high schooler with 35 year old set of "cheap steel clubs" ?? Man, I wish I had that power !! Edit - I forgot to answer the question. Here's my opinion, play forgiving clubs. There is so little downside in doing so.

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235 yard (slicing) 6 iron from a high schooler with 35 year old set of "cheap steel clubs" ?? Man, I wish I had that power !! Edit - I forgot to answer the question. Here's my opinion, play forgiving clubs. There is so little downside in doing so.

I was looking at the Adams new idea clubs. hit those pretty solid. don't like the look of them though to be honest. I like the look of forged clubs haha. I'm a hard guy to please. what clubs could you recommend that are more forgiving, but not tailored for complete beginners. btw my handicap probably isn't 18 I was shooting mid 80s towards the end of last year and I just went today and couldn't hit my clubs for crap. ended up at 107. I could hear the imaginary crowd booing me as I played.

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Callaway Apex pro Titleist AP2 The best one MP-54

:ping:  :tmade:  :callaway:   :gamegolf:  :titleist:

TM White Smoke Big Fontana; Pro-V1
TM Rac 60 TT WS, MD2 56
Ping i20 irons U-4, CFS300
Callaway XR16 9 degree Fujikura Speeder 565 S
Callaway XR16 3W 15 degree Fujikura Speeder 565 S, X2Hot Pro 20 degrees S

"I'm hitting the woods just great, but I'm having a terrible time getting out of them." ~Harry Toscano

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I've got some forged Titleist cavity back irons, about 3 yrs old.  Very nice feeling, esp on mis-hits.  Off the toe on the 8i, hardly see any difference except a few yards short.  Whether forged or cavity makes the difference in performance, i cannot say.  Look at the various cavity offerings on the market. Borrow and try a few sets.

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I suspect you're more concerned with the design of the club head rather than the manufacturing process. I would stick to cavity backs rather than blades. There are some great looking cavity backs out there that don't look like garden tools or space ships. Regarding the "forged mystique" I'll just point you here: http://thesandtrap.com/t/1358/master-forged-vs-cast-or-blade-vs-game-improvement-iron-thread/0_100
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Yours in earnest, Jason.
Call me Ernest, or EJ or Ernie.

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I suspect you're more concerned with the design of the club head rather than the manufacturing process. I would stick to cavity backs rather than blades. There are some great looking cavity backs out there that don't look like garden tools or space ships. Regarding the "forged mystique" I'll just point you here: http://thesandtrap.com/t/1358/master-forged-vs-cast-or-blade-vs-game-improvement-iron-thread/0_100

This.

In David's bag....

Driver: Titleist 910 D-3;  9.5* Diamana Kai'li
3-Wood: Titleist 910F;  15* Diamana Kai'li
Hybrids: Titleist 910H 19* and 21* Diamana Kai'li
Irons: Titleist 695cb 5-Pw

Wedges: Scratch 51-11 TNC grind, Vokey SM-5's;  56-14 F grind and 60-11 K grind
Putter: Scotty Cameron Kombi S
Ball: ProV1

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I currently play the Callaway Apex's and love them. The top line was a hair thicker but it definitely fits my eye and it was far and away the best iron I was fitted for. I also tested the Titleist AP 1 & 2 and a Mizuno set that was released the year before the JPX-EZ Forged. A combo set between the Apex Pro and Apex could be a good way to go.

Definitely get fit no matter what director you go in.

Matt Metzger - Newtown, PA

What's In My Bag

Driver: Callaway Big Bertha Alpha 815 - Aldila Tour Rogue Silver - 69g - Stiff

3-Wood: TaylorMade R11s - ProForce V2, Stiff, 76g

3 Hybrid: TaylorMade Burner - Stock shaft, Stiff

Irons: Callaway Apex 4-PW - True Temper XP-95, S300

Wedges: Cleveland Reg 588 Precision Forged, 52*, 56* & 60*

Putter: Kenny Giannini - G-4 No Neck, 34in

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When I was first in the high teens (or so) handicap wise, I thought it was a sign that I was going to be a really good player really soon. I was still on my starter set, so I went out and got Mizuno MP-57s. I thought that, because I didn't usually slice or hook my irons, it meant I was a good ball striker. Spoiler alert, I wasn't, and I spent three years playing irons that were ill-suited for my game. I was also under the delusion that the short game was more important. If you want forged irons, get forgiving ones. Maltby MMB-17s might be appropriate for you. But I think a more appropriate set for you would be game improvement, but not super game improvement, irons. You should also see what you can do about your swing path and those slices. If you have a camera, consider setting up a "My swing" thread.

-- Michael | My swing! 

"You think you're Jim Furyk. That's why your phone is never charged." - message from my mother

Driver:  Titleist 915D2.  4-wood:  Titleist 917F2.  Titleist TS2 19 degree hybrid.  Another hybrid in here too.  Irons 5-U, Ping G400.  Wedges negotiable (currently 54 degree Cleveland, 58 degree Titleist) Edel putter. 

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Mizuno JPX 850 forged are pretty sweet.

I agree, I love the look and they are pretty forgiving.   Another forgiving forged iron that you can probably find pretty cheap on the used market is the Adams Idea Black CB3's.

Joe Paradiso

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I suspect you're more concerned with the design of the club head rather than the manufacturing process. I would stick to cavity backs rather than blades. There are some great looking cavity backs out there that don't look like garden tools or space ships.

Regarding the "forged mystique" I'll just point you here:

http://thesandtrap.com/t/1358/master-forged-vs-cast-or-blade-vs-game-improvement-iron-thread/0_100

I also agree with this and will give you the "Cliff Notes". Both "players" clubs and way more forgiving clubs can be had in cast or forged. Blades and cavities are styles of clubs. Casting and forging are manufacturing processes. With casting, molten metal is poured into a mold. With forging, solid metal is heated then stamped under high pressure. Either type of club is then milled, machined, polished, painted, or whatever to its final finish. Very high quality clubs are made both ways.  Most PINGs for example are cast, even their players clubs. PING only has one or two forged lines. Most Mizunos are forged, even some of their game improvement lines.

Very good golfers including PGA tour members use cast and forged clubs. In forged clubs, you are not limited to blades. Many top players use forged clubs that have some or more forgiveness.

A top professional might be able to tell the difference in the feel of a cast vs forged club; I don't think I can. One possible advantage of forged clubs is that they are somewhat easier to bend when correcting or adjusting loft/lie. The downside of that is that they need to be checked more often for change.

Pick a club that fits your eye and has the offset and the degree of forgiveness you want; cast vs. forged is slightly less important. On the other hand if you prefer forged, there are clubs available in the full range from blades to game improvement.

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Don

In the bag:

Driver: PING 410 Plus 9 degrees, Alta CB55 S  Fairway: Callaway Rogue 3W PX Even Flow Blue 6.0; Hybrid: Titleist 818H1 21* PX Even Flow Blue 6.0;  Irons: Titleist 718 AP1 5-W2(53*) Shafts- TT AMT Red S300 ; Wedges Vokey SM8 56-10D Putter: Scotty Cameron 2016 Newport 2.5  Ball: Titleist AVX or 2021 ProV1

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The OP strikes the ball pretty well already, given the distances he quoted. He seems to hit like a single digit player, and did not report a lot of painful strikes. I'm guessing that any modern club will be more forgiving than his 35 year old clubs.

:ping:  :tmade:  :callaway:   :gamegolf:  :titleist:

TM White Smoke Big Fontana; Pro-V1
TM Rac 60 TT WS, MD2 56
Ping i20 irons U-4, CFS300
Callaway XR16 9 degree Fujikura Speeder 565 S
Callaway XR16 3W 15 degree Fujikura Speeder 565 S, X2Hot Pro 20 degrees S

"I'm hitting the woods just great, but I'm having a terrible time getting out of them." ~Harry Toscano

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... . In forged clubs, you are not limited to blades. Many top players use forged clubs that have some or more forgiveness. ...

One extremely user-friendly GI club from 2012 was the Nike VR-S Forged - cavity-back all the way.

http://thesandtrap.com/products/nike-vr-s-forged-iron-set-4-thru-pw-aw-right-4-thru-pw-aw-nippon-n-s-pro-950gh-ht-steel-regular/reviews/4374

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Hybrid:  :callaway: Big Bertha OS 4H at 22°  ||  Irons:  :callaway: Mavrik MAX 5i-PW
Wedges:  :callaway: MD3: 48°, 54°... MD4: 58° ||  Putter:image.png.b6c3447dddf0df25e482bf21abf775ae.pngInertial NM SL-583F, 34"  
Ball:  image.png.f0ca9194546a61407ba38502672e5ecf.png QStar Tour - Divide  ||  Bag: :sunmountain: Three 5 stand bag

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Note: This thread is 3218 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

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