Titleist 704 CB's and Me

[Hackzaw]

I've been playing with Titleist 704 CB's with R300 shafts for a second season now.

I'm a 12 handicap with great aspirations to reach the single digit range one day, and I do play a lot. However, I do know when I'm out on the course I'd be lucky to hit one really sweet iron shot...you know one of those buttery, smooth, juicy buggers that feel effortless. And when I do hit one of those, I think to myself...so that's how an iron shot is supposed to feel. The remaining 22 or more iron shots never feel like that one. I often miss either short or right of target.

I suppose the question I'm faced with is this....these irons are a forged cavity back, so they're supposed to allow workability but also with forgiveness, probably suited for the mid to low handicappers. Would strictly speaking, my iron striking improve with an even more forgiving iron....I don't even want to say it, but perhaps a "game improvement iron"? Let's put it this way, the thought of having to hit a pure 4 iron frightens me (don't ask about the 5 iron).

I know I miss toeside, and sometimes take a heavy divot, therefore hitting really high on the clubface. Had I been swinging a more forgiving iron, maybe it would still feel like a half decent shot with reasonable success?

[muskegman]

You may need to get your lie checked to see if your sticks are complementing your swing plane. The other thing to consider, coming from someone that plays sticks well outside of his handicap range, is that a more forgiving club means less feedback which may lead to more swing faults.

I went from shovels to these muscle-cavity-backs and immediately started improving my iron game. Just a thought. There's no way I want to go back to a bigger, more forgiving iron and I'm a pretty high handicap.

[iacas]

If you're serious about improving, I agree with what Jeff's said: you want the feel. I would check your lie and whatnot.

The 704s are, outside of Titleist's (no longer produced) 804s, Titleist's most "forgiving" iron. You're not even in the 600 range (690.CB, 680, 695.MB, etc.). The 700 series - even the 735s and the upcoming 755s - are what Titleist produces for the 10-18 handicap crowd (roughly).

So... stick with what you've got, definitely get your lie checked, and get a lesson or two. You can get there.

[SheriffBooth]

If golf feels like punishment, and you think your irons are a contributing factor, then by all means try out some new sticks. Go to a demo day and try out a variety of clubs. I just got done with a 6-week MP-60 experiment and went back to my Callaways because I liked them more, plain and simple. It needs to be about what makes you enjoy the game - different strokes for different folks.

But Iacas is right, you're already using one of Titleist's most forgiving irons, so you might be better served to take some of that new iron money and put it into a couple of hours with a pro.

[Will]

I notice your Callaway irons are the x-18 pro series. How do those compare with the x-tours?

[SheriffBooth]

The X-tours are forged and have a softer feel to them. And they have more of a traditional appearance, although the topline is pretty thick compared to the mp-60 or the 695 titleists. I've hit the X-tours a few times and liked them, but the X-18's performed just as well for me at a much lower price point.