Buying New Irons Where to Start?

[brgolf]

I'm looking to replace my irons and I'm finding it quite complicated.

First off I'm currently sporting MD Golf 3-SW which must be about 10 Years old. These were oversize, cavity backed 'game improvement irons' bought off the shelf. I've got on well with them but now I'm far from a beginner (6hcp), they are a bit worn and who is to know if they are the correct fit!. I'm fairly convinced they don't suit me as some of my distances are a bit weak although I can produce arrow straight mid iron shots at will. Needless to say they need replaced.

The problem is I find it so hard to narrow it down to what I want. I'm fairly sure I want some kind of 'player's iron'. In fact I like the look of some blades quite a lot. I like the tradition, I like the style and I like the simplicity of a nice blade like Miura Blades 2007. I like the idea that I would get a very good fitting for them. I've seen them for 825gbp and that price I like but I've also seen them quoted for 1300gbp- crazy!

Lastly I worry that for the sake of vanity or nice to look at clubs (which I would feel good about) and bearing in mind they are very good quality of course, I still wonder if I'd be doing myself a disservice by not going for something that is a bit more forgiving? There is no point in being billy big balls with the blades if they are going to cost me a stroke or any part of a stroke per round. I suppose it is a question of the gain in workability vs the punishment for off centre strikes.

This leads me to think about alternatives. Cheaper alternatives. If I could get players irons on ebay for less than 200gbp then what about that? Something like MP33s. I suppose the issues with that are performance and value. Performance an issue if the clubs are worn or old but more than that because they wont be fitted. I'll be honest I don't get how other golfers on this forum with low handicaps can go to ebay for clubs which aren't going to be fitted...are they? Maybe I am overestimating the value of a good fitting? Performance also an issue with MP33 I guess is that they probably aren't as good a club as the Miura Blades that I mentioned above. Again this is hard to quantify?

I mean for all I know I might get along like a house on fire with cheaper blades like the MP33s off ebay. Then there is cost. Is 1300 ever justifiable whenever a 200 quid set could yield great results anyway? I also worry about counterfeit clubs on ebay.

I apologise for the rambing nature of this post and it's probably hard to provide me answers. Please treat most of the questions above as rhetorical because I don't think there are any right or wrong answers. What I would like to know is if anyone can link some blades from EBAY UK such as the MP33s which look like a good deal. Titlesit/Mizuno etc all considered.

I just find it so hard to select a good set myself.

[MiniBlueDragon]

I think you're approaching this wrong to be fair. The way I'd do it personally would be:

1. Check out http://www.ralphmaltby.com/ and look through the ratings to see how sets of irons perform. Shortlist some sets you think may be suitable for you.
2. In Google, type in "CLUB review" where CLUB is one of your shortlist items.
3. Read through the reviews, watch review videos of the clubs and read forum reviews of the clubs, including those here on TheSandTrap.
4. Narrow your shortlist down to about 5 sets of clubs you think may be suitable for you.
5. Go to your local pro shop and try each set of clubs out to see what you yourself think about the weighting, look at address and the end result from swings with the clubs.
6. Rank/rate your 5 sets and then head onto eBay to see what's available and at what price.
7. Decide on a set of clubs you're happy to buy at the price asked.
8. When your clubs arrive, take them to your pro shop and get custom fitted with them.

In my opinion clubs are a personal thing and you need to actually look at the clubs in person, try them out and decide for yourself whether they're right for you.

Good luck with it. :)

[brgolf]

Cheers

I'll check out your steps later as I need to leave the house now but I will find it very helpful.

Point 8 is the big one. For some reason I didn't really consider the possibility of retrospective fitting. I suppose I could get new shafts fitted, probably longer as I'm 6ft 4. Yea, sounds like a plan.

[brgolf]

I guess I have been thinking about new irons since last year so in a way I have done a lot of thinking and research. But I did work my way through your list quite faithfully and looking back I've eliminated a lot of clubs from my shortlist after genuine consideration.

I've really narrowed it down to mizuno, miura and titleist probably in that order. I've been the the shop to see titleist ap2s and they were nice enough but varios comparisons on the sandtrap I think people put the mizunos slightly ahead of them. To that end I'm sure a lot of manufacturers make a nice blade but Mizuno seems to be cherished as the best save for Scratch Golf or Miura.

I remember looking at mp-67 last year brand new and can't really say that I found a downside. They seemed to get good reviews. But now I have had to decide on a personal question. Do I want to spend 100gbp + fitting + new shafts +new grips on MP-33 or 580gbp on MP-67/8. Truth be told if I can find some MP33s on ebay, with light use and in the knowledge that I can take them to a pro shop and get them fitted then that is probably the best option.

MP33s seem to get rave reviews. Worst case scenario I can always resell them. What do you think of these. I'm quite tall so the set that are 1/2 inch longer might be more suitable but even that might not be enough. To me, all these sets look like acceptable buys, with no particular meantion of undue wear and tear. The owners seem to indicate broadly that the clubs are in very good if not excellent condition.

Need I worry about what shafts are in the clubs if I am going to get fitted anyway? I guess they can't take a reg lenght shaft and make it longer so I will have to be looking at purchasing new shafts then!

Mizuno mp-33 Iron Set 2i-pw | eBay UK

MIZUNO MP33 IRONS, 3 — PITCHING WEDGE | eBay UK

Mizuno MP33 irons R300 steel shaft 3-PW | eBay UK

[Stretch]

I would think about the fitting first and the clubs second. Admit that's my personal bias -- I'm also a tall guy and feel like I've got a lot of benefit out of having my clubs custom fit for me -- but also think it probably makes sense for you in the long run given the way you're thinking. You like Mizuno, then take a road trip to one of the UK national or regional fitting centers and hit all their current clubs. Maybe you'll find out that blades aren't for you. Nothing to do with skill particularly, could just be your normal ball flight would benefit from a lower center of gravity. And, having gone through the process, whatever iron set does eventually float your boat will at least have roughly the right length, total weight, lie angles, swing weight and grip size for you. By the time you've retro-fit a used set off eBay, the price difference from new is probably going to be fairly minimal.

http://golf.mizunoeurope.com/store/fitting-centres-details.php

[sean_miller]

Forged blades do feel good when hit properly.  Sometimes the good vibes are an illusion. The bad shots feel so bad that the good ones seem to feel great.

I'll probably always have a couple sets of blades in the rotation, but to start my league season I'm going with the cavity backs because my teammates probably aren't interested in how my irons "feel" to me. When I play elsewhere, I'll bring my other setup which is all about the blades.

[MasterP]

Here is what I would do.

1.  Go to the pro shop

2.  Hit sets of clubs that you think you might want

3.  Hit clubs that you never considered before today

4.  Note which ones you think feel the most comfortable, hit the best, etc

5.  Come back a different day and do it again

Then you can either pick the best set in your price range, and have them fitted in the shop, or hunt on ebay and then bring them in to be fitted.

Nobody cares if you paid 300 or 1300 for the set, the only thing that counts is that you hit them well.

[Suge206]

I just bought some mp-33 irons off of craigslist for 170 USD and could not be happier.  The AP2's feel awful imo.  Blades are not hard to hit at all, at least for me.  And in taller grass they are far easier to get at the ball then some chunky clown club.  My handicap is no where near yours.

[Canuck]

Here's what I do when I am looking at a new club or clubs.

1. go handle and look at as many as possible.

2. narrow it done from there top 5

3. start hitting some. see how it feels with a 9i,7i,5i

4. once you find the club that hits right, feels right and looks right to your taste make sure you get it fitted to your lie and preference.

5. Buy them and hit the range hard.

Good luck!

PS- no one knows how much or how little you paid unless you tell them