Ping G15 irons recommended by my teacher

[O.B. Right]

I started taking lessons a few months ago after trying to teach myself for about a year. I'm typically shooting in the 50's for 9 holes but practicing a lot and getting better quickly since I started the lessons.

I've been playing on a set of golfsmith ping eye2 knockoffs from 20 years ago. They are std length and lie and I definitely need something a bit longer and a bit more upright. My teacher says 1.5 deg upright and 1/2 inch longer. This week at my lesson, he brought out a Ping G15 7iron for me to try out. I felt like I really hated it.

First of all, the clubhead is huge. It looked really funny to me at address. I could probably get used to that but it was really wierd at first . .it felt awkward to swing. I had some trouble hitting good shots - I pulled and hooked a lot of them. Although I didn't hit any shots really flush, I hit a few shots that went a bit more than 150 yards. A bit less than 150 yards is my usual flush 7iron. That was wierd because the feel was so off. Every shot kind of felt like a "bonk". I was suprised to see it go past the 150 marker.

My feeling is to definitely not get these clubs. I so much prefer the feel of my current clubs that I definitely don't care about any potential extra distance. Obviously my teacher thinks I need some Super Game Improvement type clubs. I would have to admit that I am less than consistant with my irons. My biggest problems are hitting fat and blocking the long irons right. I get about 175 out of my best 4iron shots. I can't really hit the 3iron well enough to use it on the course.

My teacher is good and I'm learning a lot but I can tell he definitely doesn't remember me that much from lesson to lesson so I don't know if his club recommendation is taking into account my rapid progress or not (in 2 months have gone from slicing every shot and not being able to keep score to eliminating the slice and expect to break into high 40's for 9 anytime now).

Should I just hang on to my current clubs until I can hit them well - or should I try out some other Super GI clubs? I'm 36 years old, play and practice frequently and would want my clubs to last a few seasons, at least (ie . .I don't want to buy clubs and quickly outgrow them). Thanks for the advice and forum to go on and on about my experience with the G15's :)

[Leftygolfer]

If you don't like them don't even consider them IMO. But I wouldn't worry too much about getting too good for irons. I've seen really good players playing GI irons and bad one's playing "players" irons. Even if you get to the point where you can hit it pretty consistantly, a GI will give you confidence you don't have to hit a perfect shot to have OK results. I've played some different irons in the past couple of years. I was playing pretty good for me at the end of 2008 and wanted to get some "players" irons and got a set of Mizuno MP60s for a great deal. I was playing to around a 9 at the time and thought they would help me or force me to improve my ball striking. The only thing that happened was my misses were so much worse and much more difficult up and ins. I lost confidence and my scores rose. I sold them, tried some Titleist semi-game improvement irons (775CBs) for a bit, then I realized it really doesn't matter what you play as long as you feel confident with your clubs. I am selling those on ebay this weekend and playing my 7 year old irons I bought new. They just feel right to me and I need money at this time in my life. When I get in a better place financially, I'm going to get fitted for some irons, probably KZG irons. There is a top fitter in my area and they make some really nice irons. But the only thing that is holding me back is my swing and a bad habit, nothing to do with the clubs. I don't need to be punished for my misses to understand that.

If I were you, I'd get a set you like and feel good about. I don't know much about g15s but thought they were more GI and not SGI but I could be wrong. There are so many options in the GI irons that could work for as long as you want to use them. I wouldn't be in a big hurry to dump cash on new clubs. Just get better and keep improving.

Best of luck.

[jeffrey r]

Look, no matter what anyone says, play what you want, and you don't have to justify it to anyone but yourself. I currently have 2 primary sets of irons, Ping G5s and Wilson Staff Di9s. I had been playing the Di9s this summer, and was hitting them very well. Then I stumbled upon a used set of G5s and couldn't resist buying them. I've played them a couple of rounds, and to be honest, I play my Di9s better. It's not to say that it couldn't change, but head to head across a couple of rounds each, I simply play the Di9s better than the G5s at this point. So even though the Pings are Pings, and are still great irons, they may not be the best for me. And the G15s may not be the best for you (heck, you said you hated them). There are a ton of good iron sets out there, SGI and GI, TM, Ping, Cobra, etc. Get what you want.

[O.B. Right]

The fedex man just dropped off my used Ping I5's. I bought them without ever swinging them based on the following:

1. My research indicates they are actually pretty forgiving, even though they have small heads
2. I didn't want to go through the trouble of getting used to the larger clubhead and offset of the G13s. The I5's are very close to my current clubs - slightly larger head but a bit less offset.
3. I really need clubs a bit more upright (I'm 6'2") and the Ping dot system made it easy for me to find used clubs to fit me.

Oh yeah, I could afford them at $300. That was key, lol.

I'm going to being the process of adjusting to them today, hope to be gaming them in a few weeks. So far all I have done is look at them . .but they look really cool (kinda beat up but 100% functional, grips in excellent condition).

[Ruckus]

How the heck did you get a set of i15s for $300? That's a damn good steal, assuming they are in playable condition. Good find, you will love them (I play them when my eye 2s are mean to me).

[kennay92]

  Ruckus said:

How the heck did you get a set of i15s for $300? That's a damn good steal, assuming they are in playable condition. Good find, you will love them (I play them when my eye 2s are mean to me).

wouldnt say that good a deal? especially since there beat up... ive seen i10's in 8/9-10 condition go for 300-350

[wrx_junki]

  Ruckus said:

How the heck did you get a set of i15s for $300? That's a damn good steal, assuming they are in playable condition. Good find, you will love them (I play them when my eye 2s are mean to me).

I5's not I15's.

To the OP, don't get a club that you don't like aesthetically since you won't have confidence then. On defense for the G15's, they are ugly but sure help the ball get up in the air and straight.

[Ruckus]

Oops, thought it said i15's. If they were i15's I would check if they were stolen/counterfeit for that price.

[Meddle]

I'd agree with the general consensus, don't buy them if you don't like them. One question though, what makes you think you need new irons? You are making great progress with your current ones, so why mess with a good thing? I would only change irons if you see your current ones as having a limitation that impedes your ability to score, and to a different set that clearly overcomes it.

[O.B. Right]

  Meddle said:

I'd agree with the general consensus, don't buy them if you don't like them. One question though, what makes you think you need new irons? You are making great progress with your current ones, so why mess with a good thing? I would only change irons if you see your current ones as having a limitation that impedes your ability to score, and to a different set that clearly overcomes it.

That's a good point since I do like my old irons. However, sooo many people, from my instructor to people I've been paired up with, have told me I need more upright clubs that I decided there must be something to it. Now that I actually have both for comparison, I can see what they were talking about. At address, the shaft of my old clubs points to my upper thigh and pretty much almost touches it. With my new clubs, it points to just below my belly button.

My first session at the range was pretty awkward. The swing plane feels so different . .so much more, well, upright. The Ping on-line fitting guide said I needed 3 degrees upright but I'm really glad I went with just 2. 2 is crazy, I can't imagine 3 . .I'd be hitting my feet! Although I'm used to the flatter clubs, I have to admit that the new Pings look and feel more natural at address so I don't think they'll be that tough to adjust to. EDIT: One thing that I found interesting/annoying is the 4 iron has been reshafted with a Dynamic Gold while the rest of the set has the Z-Z65's. Although all the shafts are stiff, the DG feels like a telephone pole compared to the Z-Z65's. I am not too psyched about that but I might eventually get the whole set reshafted with regular flex shafts, anyway.

[ghalfaire]

The best way I have found to buy clubs is to hit them and see if you like them. The best way to do that is go to demo days at the local course. If you can find one in most of the major cities there is an annual manufacture's day at some course where most of the major club manufactures show up and you can compare several different brands and type. Good luck and never ever buy clubs that you don't like for whatever reason. I find the best deals on new clubs to be (just like cars) when they are changing models and trying to get rid of the inventory.

[O.B. Right]

When I used to live down with the rest of the world it was a lot easier to do things like go to demo days or go to Golfsmith and try out some clubs. Up here in Humboldt, the only place you can buy clubs is at one of the 2 golf courses ($$$$$). They usually do have a few demo clubs - usually drivers - that you can try out if you want to but the selection is as limited as the prices are high.

It's all trade-offs, I guess. If I want to play $12 rounds of golf, have to mail-order my clubs :)

[Stretch]

Keep your current clubs and keep working on that swing.

[jamo]

I think you did the right thing. I think what the pro oringinally intended when he told you to get the G15s was that you needed something in the correct lie/length, and he was just suggesting the G15 becasue of your handicap. To be honest I'm surprised so many people like huge shovels like the G series. I grew up learning with SGI clubs and if I could do it over again I would have tried more of a GI club, like the i series.

[JWL1957]

  O.B. Right said:

I started taking lessons a few months ago after trying to teach myself for about a year. I'm typically shooting in the 50's for 9 holes but practicing a lot and getting better quickly since I started the lessons.

You

should not even consider buying clubs right now. You are fighting your swing and have no idea what you will want once you have your swing figured out. I would dump your PRO as well for the moronic suggestion towards the G15's..... he's a idiot. You could progress just as well with some old blades as you will a helper club. It all depends on your talent and determination. I currently have the G15's in my bag and I love them, but they are not for everybody.

[JWL1957]

  jamo said:

I think you did the right thing. I think what the pro oringinally intended when he told you to get the G15s was that you needed something in the correct lie/length, and he was just suggesting the G15 becasue of your handicap. To be honest I'm surprised so many people like huge shovels like the G series. I grew up learning with SGI clubs and if I could do it over again I would have tried more of a GI club, like the i series.

LOL..... very true. I originally bought the I15's and liked them very much. But after playing a few rounds with a buddy of mine who had the G15's, I tried his a few times and got hooked on them. I have always been a low ball hitter due to my hands being more ahead of the clubhead than most players. I have been playing low darts since day one and got away with it because I could spin the ball pretty well. The G15's give me a slightly higher trajectory without changing anything with my swing. And yes...... they are fairly large heads though.