Players Irons or Game Improvement Irons

[WUTiger]

In essece that is what I was trying to say in an earlier post about the

I went back and read your earlier post. Good info in it. Last spring when I was getting new irons, I had Ping I10s in first place just from reading the engineering specs on the different clubs. I10 proved to not have a whole lot of feel, and fell out of the running quickly.

When the I15s came out, I noticed they had better feel than the I10s. And, I recall the sales rep saying that I15 had smaller heads in the scoring clubs. In your estimate, how good a player would someone have to be to play the I15s?

[i-Guy]

I went back and read your earlier post. Good info in it. Last spring when I was getting new irons, I had Ping I10s in first place just from reading the engineering specs on the different clubs. I10 proved to not have a whole lot of feel, and fell out of the running quickly.

First of all I want to premise what I say going forward that I am not employed by PING…Ha! Ha!

I hear you on the i10’s as I played them for about 6 months and they are definitely a player irons and do not have the same forgiveness as the i15’s in general. I do have i10 wedges but offset and forgiveness is not as important in these clubs and I went with these for my wedges (special grinds by PING WRX shop) so that I would have the same look when addressing any iron in my bag (no black ferrule where the shaft goes into the iron head like on my i15 irons)…just something I wanted in my set… I do not have a lot of time with the i15 irons as I had shoulder surgery in January…but I had spent a lot of time at the range during the winter with a 7 iron from the PING fit cart that was very close to my specs (only difference was this iron was green dot and I am a white dot) This was prior to my surgery and I compared them to other player irons and some GI irons (I loaned out irons from EW for a week at a time and a few different times) and out of all the different clubs I was the most consistent with the i15 and I loved the ball flight ( a little higher then others but not ballooning). It just felt the most solid and forgiving as I know I did not put a perfect swing on it each time but my ball flight was consistent along with my distance control and that is what I am looking for in my iron game…is a club that will help me manage my misses. I guess long story short seeing you are a 21 HC and not sure why as there are many reasons why people HC are what they are and ball striking could be strength of yours but I think that if you aspire to be at least a good ball striker and plan to work at it with some consistency then I don’t see why you could not play the i15’s…but this is a very general statement in that I think the process of club fitting should be as follows: 1) When you set the club down does it look immediately to you like you can hit it.. 2) Does this club meet your expectations of what you are trying to accomplish in your game as follows SGI – never practice and just enjoy getting out to play golf GI – practice sometimes and want to shoot decent scores, Player irons (blades fall into this category in my opinion) – serious about practicing and improving and want to be a low HC. 3) Lastly get fitted for length, lie and shaft Hope this helps as this is just my 2 cents…

[bIGwIRE]

Get a combo set. If you don't want to switch to a hybrid for your 4I, I humbly suggest that you choose a 4I with some offset with a shaft that will increase your ball flight. Something along the lines of a Nike full cavity or the Taylormade R7 draw irons. They are both really easy to hit and get airborne. For your 5I and 6I, think about getting some type of player cavity-You mentioned Callaway- you can't go wrong with the X Tour series. Although not listed, take a look at the AP2, a really nice club.

The combo set is good advice, imo. Hit all the big names before you put down the $$. Add Bridgestone to the list, and good luck. :)

[Meddle]

I think the biggest consideration isn't what your goals are or what your handicap is, it's what you're confident in. It sounds like you want to move away from the bigger irons to something smaller and more compact, so try out irons that are like that. But don't think that if you get GI or SGI irons you will never get better, that's not the case at all. Scoring in this game is all about the short game anyway.

By the way, another vote here for the i15's, I've hit them on a few occasions and they are both forgiving and compact at address. I was also able to move the ball left and right really easily with them.

[offdacrossbar]

ill chime in here. played mp30's for 7 years. ball striking was costing me strokes. i fought it, denied it, ignored it and finally i admitted it. i wasnt a good enough ball striker to play those irons anymore.

i switched to mx23's this year. i swapped my rifles 6.0's out of the 30's and put them in the mx23's and ... nirvana. now, no more draw/hook. i can go at pins and even actually be on the right side of a pin for a change. huge monumental change in my game and so far, saving me 3 strokes a round easy and by summer, im sure it will be 5 strokes. could not be happier.

[jaj23]

This is good info here. I am just starting to take golf more seriously and have been wondering the same thing. I am leaning toward the player irons.

[sean_miller]

Okay, I am struggling with type of irons to buy. I am a 7 index . . . I assume a decade of technology improvements will also help. My pings are not long (weak lofted).

It sounds like you want the R9s (or maybe the Burners). Each iron is individually engineered to the most exacting specs - every other iron set is garbage in comparison. Plus they're way long.

[mcotter]

It sounds like you want the R9s (or maybe the Burners). Each iron is individually engineered to the most exacting specs - every other iron set is garbage in comparison. Plus they're way long.

Actually I am a bit converned about going all the way down to a 45 degree wedge with the new grooves. I really want to hit a bunch of cluibs to compare but the problem is that I am 3 degrees flat, so there are really only a couple that can be built in the fitting cart that will go there. Ping and Mizuno. I want to see th ball come off the club set up the way I would be buying it.

[colin007]

i cannot say enough about the MP-52s. they are a combo set too, BTW. 3-7 have a slight cavity cut in the back, and the 8, 9, PW are muscle backs.

http://thesandtrap.com/clubs/mizuno_mp-52_irons_review

[mcotter]

okay, i went and was fitted today with the mizuno shaft optimizer. Hit Diablos, mp52's, i15's, AP2'sand a couple passes (you see why below) with the mp58's. I know that the diablo's are not the club I want. I left thinking the 52's or ap2'S. I was absolutely flushing the ball with about every swing. I was outside on range and pro kept saying that he was surprised I wasnt closer to scratch. Then I hit ONE closer to the heel and he asked if I have a tendency when I miss to hit on the toe or to SH__K it? On cue, I started SH__king the darn thing like crazy. Never have I had such an issue. I cant believe he even said the word. Anyway, i couldnt get out of it to save my life. Now I am questioning everything. Wondering if I should go back and try the mx-300.

I dont want my ego to get me into a club that would be worse for my game than another. Should we all be playing game improvement clubs and just try to hit the ball staight. I am a straight hitter. Ping felt good, as did the ap2 and the 52/58's.

[Shindig]

okay, i went and was fitted today with the mizuno shaft optimizer. Hit Diablos, mp52's, i15's, AP2'sand a couple passes (you see why below) with the mp58's. I know that the diablo's are not the club I want. I left thinking the 52's or ap2'S. I was absolutely flushing the ball with about every swing. I was outside on range and pro kept saying that he was surprised I wasnt closer to scratch. Then I hit

Step one: get the snap fades (or lateral shots, if you prefer that term) out of your head. You probably edged slightly too close to the ball, he saw it was coming, and put the idea in your head (by purpose or by accident, I can't say). Go back tomorrow, check your ball position, do the PGA checklist (posture, grip, alignment). Stretch plenty. Take a sip of water. I bet the problem goes away.

I picked up my MP-57s when I had a handicap in the mid-20s. You list yourself as 7.0: you're quite capable of playing any club you list there. There are professionals who play game improvement irons. There are amateurs with handicaps in the mid-20s who play players' irons. Play the irons you like. You're obviously capable of hitting anything well.

I dont want my ego to get me into a club that would be worse for my game than another. Should we all be playing game improvement clubs and just try to hit the ball staight. I am a straight hitter. Ping felt good, as did the ap2 and the 52/58's.

The irons that are worst for your game are the ones that do the least for it. For each of us, that's a different club. Tiger Woods would be poorly served with a set like the Cleveland set that's all hybrids. Others would be lost with Nike Forged Blades.

[i-Guy]

Step one: get the snap fades (or lateral shots, if you prefer that term) out of your head. You probably edged slightly too close to the ball, he saw it was coming, and put the idea in your head (by purpose or by accident, I can't say). Go back tomorrow, check your ball position, do the PGA checklist (posture, grip, alignment). Stretch plenty. Take a sip of water. I bet the problem goes away.

What? That is how you fix the "S" word??? I thought I saw somewhere (Tin Cup) that you do the following:

1) Turn your hat sideways 2) Move the change in your pocket from one pocket to the other 3) Put a tee behind your left (or right?) ear 4) Swing away.

[mcotter]

What? That is how you fix the "S" word??? I thought I saw somewhere (Tin Cup) that you do the following:

I can assure you that it doesnt work. I tried it all yesterday. i had to swing to completely miss tghe ball on the inside.

[i-Guy]

I can assure you that it doesnt work. I tried it all yesterday. i had to swing to completely miss tghe ball on the inside.

It happens to the best of them and I have had my days with the "S" word...thank God they were only at the range (knock on wood)...you are just coming too much from the inside...unless you use the S&T;, I would try making sure your backswing is more to the outside so as you drop the club into the slot your downswing is not too much from the inside which makes you stuck and then you hold on for dear life which causes you to come at the ball with the heel of the club first...just my 2 cents...

[mcotter]

I'M BACK BABY!!! Went back to the course and the Mizuno rep was actually there. Hit the ball sweet. I ended up ordering the MP52's 4-W, MT10 wedges in 52,56,60. Cant wait to get them. I was torn between them and the Ping i15's. The pings were longer (stronger lofted) and a bit more forgiving, but I just liked the look of the Mizunos. Been playing ping for a long time and wanted a change. The shaft optimizer is really unbelievable.

Perhaps best of all, the swing problem that i had (extreme heel shot- not saying the other word) was gone. Shot a 78 with a double bogey today. Happy with that anytime, but especially the first round of the year.

[Shindig]

I'M BACK BABY!!!

This makes me very happy. So does that bit about your new purchase. Welcome to the club!

[i-Guy]

I'M BACK BABY!!! Went back to the course and the Mizuno rep was actually there. Hit the ball sweet. I ended up ordering the MP52's 4-W, MT10 wedges in 52,56,60. Cant wait to get them. I was torn between them and the Ping i15's. The pings were longer (stronger lofted) and a bit more forgiving, but I just liked the look of the Mizunos. Been playing ping for a long time and wanted a change. The shaft optimizer is really unbelievable.

Congratulations!!! I play the PING i15's and think they are one of the best irons on the market but I also think Mizuno makes a quailty product and if that is what fit your eye then you have made the right choice for you...I hope you continue to play well with these irons and they bring you many years of breaking 80 scores...