New Set of Irons: Need Help

[Newbie Collection Agency]

Im a 11-16 Handicap and I am going into high school. I need a new set of irons to make it easier for me to work the ball and to be more accurate. Right now my irons are a 2 year old XPC iron set. I think it is a Golfsmith brand or something...I have been looking around, Reading Reviews as well as prices and here are some choices:
CG4 (Tours or not Tours)
CG2
Cobra FP or 3100 I/H or 2300 I/M
Mizuno MP-60
TaylorMade LT2
TaylorMade R7 (Possibly TP)
Ignite Irons
and maybe some others...

If you have any comments, suggestions, reviews or anything else. THANK YOU!

[knock-down]

It's hard to tell anyone which irons they should use. You should try them all and choose the ones that best suit you.

Try going to a proshop w/ a driving range and demo them if possible.

[boodaboy16]

I'd throw in the Titleist 735 or 755. I played high school golf too. I started off with a set of hand-me-down PowerBilt blades. I wish these progressive muscle sets (i.e. Titleist 735) were around then.

[307golf]

dmonares;

Are you the type of guy who irons his underwear too?:)

[fetch]

those are all pretty good irons to buy, but if you are wanting to be able to work the ball any forged irons are the way to go. blades aren't always the best choice but any of the titleist irons are good and according to your needs i'd recommend the 755, 735, 695 or 690.

[novogolf]

Wow, those are a wide range of irons and very quite a bit in terms of difficulty.

Go to an outdoor facility and try a few irons. Dont hit indoors as that will do absolutely nothing for you. Go to a range where you can see your TRUE BALL FLIGHT (most important), hit at your own pace, and without a salesman breathing down your neck. Take your time and try to get a good feel for each club. Take a few out at a time and narrow down your choices to 2 or three. Let the club professional see you hit a few and make some recommendations. If you're lucky enough to find the iron that feels/performs the best, set up a club fitting appointment and go for it!!!

I will say that appearance is a very important factor, so be sure you like the aesthetics of the club. If you cant stand the thick topline, super wide sole, etc. dont even bother as you will not have the confidence in hitting that great shot, when you are standing over the ball at address. Golf is mental enough as is...you don't need added stress by choosing a club in which you cant stand the looks.

There's a lot more to choosing the right club fitter, etc., but as for trying different irons, etc. you have to hit them, observe the ball flight and just get a sense for how they feel. A properly fit club can make a huge difference in performance so just ask questions and try, try, try!

Good luck!

[wachesawgolfer]

You might also look at the custom fit component route. A set of Alphas or Infinities with shafts that fit you can be had very reasonably, (less than off the rack). Downside is not much resalability or trade in value but use them until they wear out. There should be some clubfitters near you.

[Shigeki]

Though there'sso much equipment choices out there, it all boils down to you & your swing, swing speed, preferences, etc. However, there is always hope because being picky myself, I went through a few sets myself until I finally settled on the one I have presently. Here are some suggestions though based on the ones you mentioned:

Cobra (they're owned by Titleist): so quality-wise, no question there. Plus they also have a forged model worth looking into.
Mizuno: Any MP series model is always good. Check out the new MP 67's...
Also, I still have 2 sets of Mizunos that like to keep because I still go back to them now & then.
TaylorMade: I might be more biased towards their TP line than anything else they offer.
Nike: World's numero uno plays them, what more is there to say? Unfortunately, most if not all tour player's sets are made by the Endo forging company in Japan or Miura. Big difference as far comapring it to irons available to the general public.
Anyways, best of luck with your search & I'm sure you'll find something that will suit you! Peace!!

[novogolf]

Unfortunately, most if not all tour player's sets are made by the Endo forging company in Japan or Miura. Big difference as far comapring it to irons available to the general public

That is not true. Tour professional clubs may have slightly different grinds, offsets, lofts, lies, etc. but with the exception of a handful of tour players, the forgings are no different from what the recreational golfer uses. I have many friends in the industry (touring side) and this is a fallacy.

[aquacooled]

I too would like to know the source of your information you post on this forum?? Are you a touring pro, rep or tour pro club fitter??

the info you posted is hard for me to swallow, please state factual information you can varify to all of us..

[Shigeki]

Just like novogolf.com, I also know some folks in the business & base what I posted on the info handed down to me, whicn in turn,I passed on to whomsoever can use or take it any which way they choose.
aquacooled: If the info is hard to swallow, then don't take it too personal. We're all in this forum to see & share info that we have. As I mentioned, whichever way you want to view the info is totally your right of choice.
As far as the irons issue, look no further than into the Japanese domestic market. Check out what's available for their side of the pond versus what's available, for example, here in the U.S.

[gas_can]

Just like novogolf.com, I also know some folks in the business & base what I posted on the info handed down to me, whicn in turn,I passed on to whomsoever can use or take it any which way they choose.

To hopefully clear up any misconceptions, let's break things down by company. My info comes first hand from the companies (who I visit annually), and in the case of Titleist and Mizuno from the Tour vans who each have a senior PGA Tour rep who I played the mini-tours with.

Just for some background there are two forging houses considered to be the tops in the world, Miura in Japan and Endo in Thailand. Miura is known for its buttery soft feel, while Endo is firmer, with a more audible "click." Everything else is forged in China at various houses still good quality. Titleist :

• Retail - 660 and 695 are forged by Endo in Thailand, 755, 735, and 775 are forged in China.
• Tour - Forged by Endo in most cases and carefully weight sorted for consistency, and Miura for the top Tour staff which request it such as Ernie and Adam Scott

Bridgestone :

• All equipment is forged by Endo Thailand

Srixon :

• Equipment is forged by Endo

TaylorMade:

• Retail - Forged in China
• Tour - Top players receive sets from Endo, there is no longer any association between TaylorMade and Miura at all.

Mizuno :

• Retail and Tour - Forged by Miura in Japan. Tour sets are weight sorted.

For the most part, there is truly very little difference between Tour and retail equipment in irons, especially with irons from Bridgestone and Mizuno. Just because an iron is forged in China does not mean it is any poorer quality. The biggest difference is the weight sorting. Tour heads are selected for specific weight tolerances so the use of tip weights is not necessary. The only manufacturers which seem immune to tip weighting these days are Bridgestone and Srixon. Secondly, the only way it's possible to get a different forging house set is to either pay big bucks to guys like the snake oil salesman at bombsquadgolf.com (and even then you can't be sure it's the truth) or become a top level tour star. In the end, It's not worth the extremely minor differences. China produces some top quality forgings for retail, so you're not really gaining much by going to a Tour set.