Players' Distance Irons versus Game Improvement Irons

[Knockglock]

Hi all,

Apologies in advance if this has been discussed before.  I couldn't really find a good discussion on the topic but I might've missed it.  What are the things that one should be thinking about when picking between players' distance irons and game improvement ones?  What sort of handicap might prefer the players' distance irons over the game improvement ones?  How forgiving are players' distance irons compared to the game improvement ones?  What else should people be thinking about in deciding between the two categories?  Note, by players' distance irons I am talking about the category as used on the Golf Digest Hot List, as distinguished from the true players' irons.  

Thank you.

2020 Hot List | Best Golf Clubs & Balls | GolfDigest.com

---

Golf Digest's annual review of the best clubs in golf. Welcome to the 2020 Hot List of gold and silver medal winners.

 

[Vinsk]

35 minutes ago, Knockglock said:

Hi all,

Apologies in advance if this has been discussed before.  I couldn't really find a good discussion on the topic but I might've missed it.  What are the things that one should be thinking about when picking between players' distance irons and game improvement ones?  What sort of handicap might prefer the players' distance irons over the game improvement ones?  How forgiving are players' distance irons compared to the game improvement ones?  What else should people be thinking about in deciding between the two categories?  Note, by players' distance irons I am talking about the category as used on the Golf Digest Hot List, as distinguished from the true players' irons.  

Thank you.

2020 Hot List | Best Golf Clubs & Balls | GolfDigest.com

---

Golf Digest's annual review of the best clubs in golf. Welcome to the 2020 Hot List of gold and silver medal winners.

 

Hello and welcome to TST. Inevitably these types of questions come and it’s usually due to someone wanting to buy a set without testing. I get that. It’s just damn near impossible to tell someone what irons will be best for them.

There’s plenty of information out there regarding the basic differences between PD vs GI irons. Some people it’s purely the looks of the PD they like over GI. Others it’s the feel.
And, different brands have different PD vs GI irons. As for you, I really recommend you narrow down some choices by looks, budget, etc...try them out and see what you like and what performs best for you. Cheers.

[Knockglock]

23 minutes ago, Vinsk said:

Hello and welcome to TST. Inevitably these types of questions come and it’s usually due to someone wanting to buy a set without testing. I get that. It’s just damn near impossible to tell someone what irons will be best for them.

There’s plenty of information out there regarding the basic differences between PD vs GI irons. Some people it’s purely the looks of the PD they like over GI. Others it’s the feel.
And, different brands have different PD vs GI irons. As for you, I really recommend you narrow down some choices by looks, budget, etc...try them out and see what you like and what performs best for you. Cheers.

Thank you!  I actually got fit for players' distance irons, but wanted to make sure that made sense versus game improvement irons before I pulled the trigger.

[Grizvok]

7 minutes ago, Knockglock said:

Thank you!  I actually got fit for players' distance irons, but wanted to make sure that made sense versus game improvement irons before I pulled the trigger.

If you objectively hit them better than what other information do you need?

[Knockglock]

1 minute ago, Grizvok said:

If you objectively hit them better than what other information do you need?

Sorry, I should clarify.  The fitter did not have me hit both players' distance and game improvement, but just thought I should be in the players' distance category and had me hit between clubs in that category.  So before I buy I wanted to make sure that made sense.  

[Grizvok]

5 minutes ago, Knockglock said:

Sorry, I should clarify.  The fitter did not have me hit both players' distance and game improvement, but just thought I should be in the players' distance category and had me hit between clubs in that category.  So before I buy I wanted to make sure that made sense.  

What doesn't make sense is the fitting... I'd want my money back.

[colin007]

I honestly don't see a huge difference - I think the PD and GI are closer to each other than PD are to blades. Remember, a lot of these PD irons are hollow construction with hot faces and whatnot, just in a slightly smaller frame

[Knockglock]

2 hours ago, Grizvok said:

What doesn't make sense is the fitting... I'd want my money back.

I'm going back this weekend to finish the rest of the fitting (other clubs aside from irons and wedges).  I think I'll ask to hit some game improvement irons as well.  But it does make me a little worried because I don't know what else I might need to be thinking about that the fitter isn't telling me.

2 hours ago, colin007 said:

I honestly don't see a huge difference - I think the PD and GI are closer to each other than PD are to blades. Remember, a lot of these PD irons are hollow construction with hot faces and whatnot, just in a slightly smaller frame

Got it, that's really good to know--perhaps I'm overthinking a decision that's not that important.  Most of the discussion I see on the topic is a comparison between blades and GI, and that difference seems a lot bigger.  FWIW, the PD clubs I was looking at were the Callaway Apexes.

[TourSpoon]

Welcome to the forum! 

I read your other thread and you did tell the guy that you would want something with some room to grow into. I would definitely see the player's distance choice the way to go with someone who is motivated to get better. I like that choice better only because they also have a more curbside appeal and appearances matter all other things being equal. Honestly, those Callys look great and are pretty forgiving. 

 

[Knockglock]

5 hours ago, TourSpoon said:

Welcome to the forum! 

I read your other thread and you did tell the guy that you would want something with some room to grow into. I would definitely see the player's distance choice the way to go with someone who is motivated to get better. I like that choice better only because they also have a more curbside appeal and appearances matter all other things being equal. Honestly, those Callys look great and are pretty forgiving. 

 

Thank you!  Really appreciate the response.  I definitely did tell my fitter that I wanted something with some room to grow into, but I guess I had never thought too much about players distance versus game improvement before, and want to make sure I'm making the right call before I drop a lot of cash on some new sticks.

[ShawnSum]

21 hours ago, Knockglock said:

What are the things that one should be thinking about when picking between players' distance irons and game improvement ones?  What sort of handicap might prefer the players' distance irons over the game improvement ones?  How forgiving are players' distance irons compared to the game improvement ones?  What else should people be thinking about in deciding between the two categories?

My entire view on equipment fittings has changed in the last year as I've worked on my own game and have experimented with different irons. My advice is get whatever irons gives you the most consistency in accuracy and distance.

[ChetlovesMer]

20 hours ago, colin007 said:

I honestly don't see a huge difference - I think the PD and GI are closer to each other than PD are to blades. Remember, a lot of these PD irons are hollow construction with hot faces and whatnot, just in a slightly smaller frame

This. 

[Knockglock]

7 minutes ago, ShawnSum said:

My entire view on equipment fittings has changed in the last year as I've worked on my own game and have experimented with different irons. My advice is get whatever irons gives you the most consistency in accuracy and distance.

That makes sense.  What did you end up with after trying various irons?

1 minute ago, ChetlovesMer said:

This. 

Got it, that makes me feel a bit better--sounds like it's not worth stressing about really.

[ChetlovesMer]

7 minutes ago, ShawnSum said:

My entire view on equipment fittings has changed in the last year as I've worked on my own game and have experimented with different irons. My advice is get whatever irons gives you the most consistency in accuracy and distance.

This is good advice. 

Many folks get "fit" for irons by hitting a bunch of 7-irons. The one that goes the furthest is the one they buy. ...IMO = Bad Idea.

[ShawnSum]

1 minute ago, Knockglock said:

That makes sense.  What did you end up with after trying various irons?

I started playing Golf again last year after a long time away from it. Jumped the gun and went straight to a "big box" fitter style store and got new irons without doing my homework. The swing I went into that store with is not the swing I have today but I walked out of that store with TaylorMade M5s at 3 degrees flat. They aren't the strongest lofted irons on the market but they are lofted stronger, anyway long story short is I bought some Titleist 620 MBs a few months ago with standard lie angle. I only bought PW-8i to start with on the MBs but I'm going to be buying more and blend the set with the 620 CBs. These irons have a level of consistency to them that I love.

[Knockglock]

17 minutes ago, ChetlovesMer said:

This is good advice. 

Many folks get "fit" for irons by hitting a bunch of 7-irons. The one that goes the furthest is the one they buy. ...IMO = Bad Idea.

Good to know!  At my fitting we checked dispersion as well and I think that the club that I was fit with was best in that category along with best in distance.  

10 minutes ago, ShawnSum said:

I started playing Golf again last year after a long time away from it. Jumped the gun and went straight to a "big box" fitter style store and got new irons without doing my homework. The swing I went into that store with is not the swing I have today but I walked out of that store with TaylorMade M5s at 3 degrees flat. They aren't the strongest lofted irons on the market but they are lofted stronger, anyway long story short is I bought some Titleist 620 MBs a few months ago with standard lie angle. I only bought PW-8i to start with on the MBs but I'm going to be buying more and blend the set with the 620 CBs. These irons have a level of consistency to them that I love.

That makes sense.  Glad you found something that you really like, and hopefully you can sell the old set!

[ShawnSum]

32 minutes ago, ChetlovesMer said:

This is good advice. 

Many folks get "fit" for irons by hitting a bunch of 7-irons. The one that goes the furthest is the one they buy. ...IMO = Bad Idea.

Yeah this is pretty similar to what I did and no one is to blame except myself with how uneducated I was at the time of the fitting. I legitimately did the complete opposite of what I believe most of us should do, I went for equipment first vs going for lessons.