When to Get New Irons?

[Nave]

I found multiple “New Irons” threads, and I decided to post to the most recent one.

It would be great if I can get some feedback on this decision: 

Here is my situation:
- Bought my current golf set around 120 rounds ago (+ more practice range sessions)
- It includes a regular flex steel shaft iron set and a flex shaft FWW and driver.
- I had no idea what I was buying back then as long as it was cheap and looked decent

Recently I broke 80 for the first time
- I took lessons, my swing speed (108 mph average) and accuracy have increased
- I did a swing sequence analysis as well

Decision: 
My coach says that in my video analysis he can see that my iron shafts are bending a bit, and that my driver shaft is flexing way too much. (I don’t see or feel any of that).

My clubs are in good condition, but will a change in the shafts really make a difference?
(My original plan was to play 300 rounds with my current set first).

[Carl3]

5 hours ago, Nave said:

I found multiple “New Irons” threads, and I decided to post to the most recent one.

It would be great if I can get some feedback on this decision: 

Here is my situation:
- Bought my current golf set around 120 rounds ago (+ more practice range sessions)
- It includes a regular flex steel shaft iron set and a flex shaft FWW and driver.
- I had no idea what I was buying back then as long as it was cheap and looked decent

Recently I broke 80 for the first time
- I took lessons, my swing speed (108 mph average) and accuracy have increased
- I did a swing sequence analysis as well

Decision: 
My coach says that in my video analysis he can see that my iron shafts are bending a bit, and that my driver shaft is flexing way too much. (I don’t see or feel any of that).

My clubs are in good condition, but will a change in the shafts really make a difference?
(My original plan was to play 300 rounds with my current set first).

With a 108 mph swing speed, I think it makes sense to fully evaluate your set. What clubs are in your bag and what shafts are they fitted with?

[Vinsk]

6 hours ago, Nave said:

My clubs are in good condition, but will a change in the shafts really make a difference?

Shafts can make a significant difference to your ball striking. But as @Carl3 asked, what shafts do you have? This matters because flex changes from brand to brand. A regular in one brand may be a stiff in another. 

[Bucki1968]

I am by no means an expert but I did stay at the Holiday Inn last night and I believe that the shafts in any golf club (wood or iron) are absolutely the "engine" that makes that club go. This is only based on my personal experience. I recently popped a new shaft in my driver and literally gained more distance and accuracy. And another thing I have learned when it comes to shafts, you get what you pay for.

[Nave]

Thank you @Carl3 @Vinsk @Bucki1968 

The shafts on my Taylormade M2 clubs are:
Irons: REAX Steel by FST High Launch R-Flex 88 shaft.
Wood: REAX Flex-R 55
Driver: Fujikura XLR8 Flex-R Pro 56

Recently I received a shaft only as a gift for my driver, but it is just lying there:
Hexcel-Hextow - HZRDUS RDX-Smoke 6.0/3.5’/MidSpin/60g

I do not know what any of the names or numbers mean.

I appreciate your feedback guys.

[Vinsk]

Paging @Typhoon92

[Bucki1968]

58 minutes ago, Nave said:

Thank you @Carl3 @Vinsk @Bucki1968 

The shafts on my Taylormade M2 clubs are:
Irons: REAX Steel by FST High Launch R-Flex 88 shaft.
Wood: REAX Flex-R 55
Driver: Fujikura XLR8 Flex-R Pro 56

Recently I received a shaft only as a gift for my driver, but it is just lying there:
Hexcel-Hextow - HZRDUS RDX-Smoke 6.0/3.5’/MidSpin/60g

I do not know what any of the names or numbers mean.

I appreciate your feedback guys.

The Smoke shaft is a different flex (6.0 is stiff I believe) than the shaft you have in your driver now. It's also heavier (60 g as opposed to what I'm assuming the "56" means in your present shaft). 3.5'? I am assuming that's where it's tipped? It's going to feel very different from the present shaft. 

[ChetlovesMer]

2 minutes ago, Bucki1968 said:

The Smoke shaft is a different flex (6.0 is stiff I believe) than the shaft you have in your driver now. It's also heavier (60 g as opposed to what I'm assuming the "56" means in your present shaft). 3.5'? I am assuming that's where it's tipped? It's going to feel very different from the present shaft. 

3.5 is the torque rating. 

[ChetlovesMer]

9 minutes ago, Bucki1968 said:

The Smoke shaft is a different flex (6.0 is stiff I believe) than the shaft you have in your driver now. It's also heavier (60 g as opposed to what I'm assuming the "56" means in your present shaft). 3.5'? I am assuming that's where it's tipped? It's going to feel very different from the present shaft. 

 

1 hour ago, Nave said:

Driver: Fujikura XLR8 Flex-R Pro 56

Recently I received a shaft only as a gift for my driver, but it is just lying there:
Hexcel-Hextow - HZRDUS RDX-Smoke 6.0/3.5’/MidSpin/60g

I do not know what any of the names or numbers mean.

I appreciate your feedback guys.

    -  The HZRDUS RDX-Smoke 6.0/3.5’/MidSpin/60g wieghs in at 59 grams.

    -  The Fujikura XLR8 Flex-R Pro 56 weighs in at 58 grams. 

Not sure you'll notice the difference in the weight. I know for sure I wouldn't. 

The Hzrdus is a true Temper product. Not sure how their "stiff" compares to Fujikura's "regular". 

In theory the Hzrdus has a high kickpoint and the Fujikura has a mid kickpoint, but even that's not truly defined by any industry standards. 

 

[Bucki1968]

1 hour ago, ChetlovesMer said:

 

    -  The HZRDUS RDX-Smoke 6.0/3.5’/MidSpin/60g wieghs in at 59 grams.

    -  The Fujikura XLR8 Flex-R Pro 56 weighs in at 58 grams. 

Not sure you'll notice the difference in the weight. I know for sure I wouldn't. 

The Hzrdus is a true Temper product. Not sure how their "stiff" compares to Fujikura's "regular". 

In theory the Hzrdus has a high kickpoint and the Fujikura has a mid kickpoint, but even that's not truly defined by any industry standards. 

 

Not sure if I'm right about this but the weight can fluctuate between a few grams? I have a Smoke shaft that is 62 g (60g on label)?

[ChetlovesMer]

4 minutes ago, Bucki1968 said:

Not sure if I'm right about this but the weight can fluctuate between a few grams? I have a Smoke shaft that is 62 g (60g on label)?

60 on the label is the series weight. The weight will differ depending on the stiffness you select. For example if you get a Hzrdus Smoke Black 60 in Extra-Stiff (6.5) it weighs 61 grams, If you get it in Stiff (6.0) it weighs 59 grams, if you get it in regular (5.5) it weighs 59 grams. The average of those is about 60. So, it's the 60 series Hzrdus Smoke Black. 👍

Edited September 1, 2022 by ChetlovesMer

[Carl3]

At the risk of irritating some people on this site I will post the MPF for the M2 irons:

Being that these are ultra Game Improvement I would venture that if these are stock shafts they might have been selected to accommodate a player with a lower swing speed.

I am not an expert or even half-compentent in this area. Simply providing some entertainment until the experts arrive.😀

Edited September 1, 2022 by Carl3

[iacas]

Just now, Carl3 said:

At the risk of irritating some people on this site I will post the MPF for the M2 irons:

I don't think it irritates anyone… I just think they don't have a whole lot of meaning these days.

[Nave]

56 minutes ago, Carl3 said:

a player with a lower swing speed.

 

My ignorance/interest in swing speeds is limited to what I was told my swing speed is.
I looked up the averages online and I am not much wiser, because so many sources say different things.

Considering the above comments, I assume this:
1. It may be worth doing a club fitting session to determine if new shafts/irons are helpful?
2. Keep my current driver*. No need to try that new shaft I have received? [Hzrdus Smoke (it is the Red model)]

*makes me wonder why the coach in the lesson said “your driver shaft bends too much during your swing”

Edited September 1, 2022 by Nave

[DrvFrShow]

If your driver is flexing too much during your swing it could affect your shot spread on off center strikes. So how is your shot dispersal?

Replacing steel shafts + grips in your irons will cost a lot less than a new set of irons. I would tell your coach you're thinking about reshafting your irons and ask him which shaft he'd recommend. If you want new irons, 

Driver shaft: since someone gave you a shaft that's rated stiff and is closer to your spec than what you have in your driver, I'd ask your coach if that shaft would suit you. The M2 driver is still a decent driver even tho it doesn't have "twist face". I'd bet there's about maybe 3 yds difference between it and Stealth. 

[Nave]

43 minutes ago, DrvFrShow said:

If your driver is flexing too much during your swing it could affect your shot spread on off center strikes. So how is your shot dispersal?

Replacing steel shafts + grips in your irons will cost a lot less than a new set of irons. I would tell your coach you're thinking about reshafting your irons and ask him which shaft he'd recommend. If you want new irons, 

Driver shaft: since someone gave you a shaft that's rated stiff and is closer to your spec than what you have in your driver, I'd ask your coach if that shaft would suit you. The M2 driver is still a decent driver even tho it doesn't have "twist face". I'd bet there's about maybe 3 yds difference between it and Stealth. 

Great feedback, thank you!

Not sure how accurate this data is - my  tracked shot dispersion over 10 rounds is 32% Left, 46% Fairway, and 22% Right (see image). When I try to hit my driver really far, that’s when I get ridiculous OB shots.

I’ll definitely look into reshafting instead of buying new clubs.

I have no brand or tech preference - I’d love to keep my golf game old school and result focused.
Most definitely I’ll not buy into the “our best club ever” and “even more forgiving than before”.

 

[Zippo]

12 hours ago, Nave said:

Recently I received a shaft only as a gift for my driver, but it is just lying there:
Hexcel-Hextow - HZRDUS RDX-Smoke 6.0/3.5’/MidSpin/60g

If it's an M2 TaylorMade driver it's a pretty simple thing to have an adapter tip and grip put on the shaft. Then switch them out and try it for yourself.

[ChetlovesMer]

8 hours ago, DrvFrShow said:

The M2 driver is still a decent driver even tho it doesn't have "twist face". I'd bet there's about maybe 3 yds difference between it and Stealth. 

I belong to a small unofficial group of golfers who believe the M2 is a much better driver than the M4, M6, and the first SIM. 
I find twist face hard to look at behind the ball. To my eye twist face... especially in the M4 looks like it's going to hit the ball off my lead shin. 

It's my opinion that Taylormade has dialed back the twist face over the last 2 generations of drivers, or found a way to hide it so it doesn't look so goofy behind the ball. In the SIM2 and Stealth the twist face is way less noticeable. That's just my opinion, but I'm certainly not the only one who holds that opinion. 

To your point, if you hit the ball in the center of the clubface, I'll bet no difference between the M2 and Stealth. The rules haven't changed, so on a perfect strike physics is physics. There will be a difference of course in sound, feel, and looks. I'm also going to suggest that the way it reacts to your particular misses may be different. It might actually be better for some folks. Sometimes in an effort to improve one type of miss, the manufacturers actually make the driver worse for another type of miss. 

Anyway, that's a long winded way of me saying I agree with you. The M2 is a good driver. In my opinion it is one of Taylormade's bests.