New guy trying to pick new Irons

[RobbyRas]

Hey Fellas!

Welcome to my second post!

So, this is the same old story that I am sure many of you have seen over and over again.  I'm in my mid 30's and have taken a renewed interest in golf over the last year.  With that being said, I am also a total newbie.  There is a ton of terminology that I need to learn, so there are probably some specific questions that I cannot answer.

Here is the crux of my situation. I have been using my uncle's old Golfsmiths for the past year.  These things are probably old enough to be tried as an adult.  I have updated my woods over the last year or so.  I'm hitting a Taylormade Burner Superfast 2.0 10.5 driver, Burner Superfast 3 Wood (LOVE this club) and a Burner rescue 3 Hybrid.  I recently picked up a Burner 4 hybrid and Odyssey White Ice Mini T Putter.

So, I am in need of some Irons.  I won my fantasy football league this year and am using my winnings for Irons, so I have a around $400 budget.  I see these as my gateway irons.  By that I mean that no matter what I get, they will be far superior to what I am currently using and I will either become obsessed with golf or I'll realize that I enjoy it but I will never take it too seriously.  I'm not sure if that makes any sense.

So my goal is to get the best irons I can, have them last me a few years and stay near my budget.

Here are the Irons I am considering:

Taylormade Burner Plus 4-AW

Taylormade Burner 2.0 4-AW

Calloway RAZR X HL 4-AW

I have the burner 4 hybrid so I don't need the 4 iron and I have a Tom Watson Performance Grind Wedge SW, so I am good there.

I know there are a lot of ways to make this call and a lot of factors that go into it. I don't know much about my swing speed, but here are a few things I can tell you about my game:

1. I tend to be pretty accurate

2. I hit my woods for distance, but my irons have always been lacking in that area

3. When I miss-hit, I slice it...

Ok, I know that was wordy and I appreciate you sticking it out... I look forward to some expert feedback!

Thanks!

Rob

[BENtSwing]

I was in the exact same situation at the beginning of 2013. I'm 32 and fairly athletic. I went with the Callaway Razr X HL irons (4-PW) w/ 3 hybrid. They are great clubs for a beginner. These irons do what they advertise...they go straight, high and far, and you will have fun getting around the golf course. However, after maybe 6 months of serious practicing and lessons, I became frustrated because they provided almost no feedback at all.

So...the thing I regret is that I did not take the time to find a good USED set. I think you can get a used set of these irons for $200-$250 on ebay. If you are dedicated to improving, plan on taking lessons, hitting the range often, etc. then you will out-grow them fairly quick.

I don't think you can go wrong with any of the sets you are looking at. Just choose which one feels and looks the best to you. That is my 2 cents...I'm obviously not an expert, but our situations are/were similar. Hope that helps!

[RobbyRas]

Thanks Ben... used is an idea... there is a shop near me that has used/demo clubs, but they haven't had anything that I ma interested in recently...  It sounds like we have/had similar situations, so thanks for taking the time to reply... I am leaning toward the Calloway set for no real reason... which is unfortunate because they are more expensive

[BENtSwing]

No problem Robby! Us newbies gotta stick together lol...yeah the Callaways are a little pricier, but they are good quality.

[Hammer 4]

Also don't overlook the TM R7 irons, very forgiving and easy to hit. I would also suggest used clubs. Both the Callaway, and TM are readily available on ebay. If possible, try to hit any clubs that your interested in.

BTW, welcome aboard, tons of great info. here..

[RobbyRas]

Thanks Hammer!  Yeah, there are a ton on Ebay... I may go that route... don't know much about the R7 Irons, I'll give them a onceover

[Billy Z]

I just bought a set of Callaway X-Hot irons 4-GW for $420 "like new" condition from here:

http://www.callawaygolfpreowned.com/golf/iron-sets,default,sc.html

In fact, they are supposed to arrive today, but might be delayed because of the winter snow storm?

Here is Taylormade's used clubs/iron set website:
http://www.taylormadegolfpreowned.com/golfclubs/iron-set/c_pt-7.aspx

I know Callaway gives a 1 year warranty, and I would imagine TM does too.

I chose the Callaways because I actually hit them slightly better then the TM's, and they appear to be less expensive.

Good luck to you,

Tom

[RobbyRas]

EDIT: I just came across a used set of Pin G15 Irons for a great price from a reputable seller... more fuel to the fire

[WUTiger]

First of all, don't buy irons off of eBay. You don't get to test them first, so you don't know if you'll like them.

If you went with one of the TM iron sets, you would have common equipment from the same company. Only possible drawback: Burners tend to have very strong lofts, so if you have trouble getting ball up, the Callaways might be better. If launch is not a problem, the TMs might work.

At any rate, test out these irons against each other, and see which one works best. If none of them really work, lok at other iron sets and shaft combos. You never really said why you are considering these three sets.

Consider an iron fitting. If you buy a new set (not 2014, but just not used) the fitting may be free. If you're getting semi-serious about the game, get a fitting and find out what heads + shafts you really need.

Avoid self-fulfilling prophecies. If you stumble into a set of irons you can't use, this works against you really getting into golf.

[jdb1911]

I second trying them out. I bought 3 sets of irons before I found the set I love. Went from Cleveland cg3s to callaway x22 to Taylormade burner 2.0. All 3 are great irons but I actually got fitted for the taylormades before I bought them. And although I didn't have to adjust the lie I did need a stiff shaft. And the best part is I haven't outgrown them yet. I went from shooting 125 to 100 to close to breaking 80 and I still love them.

[Hack2putt]

Just spend a few bucks and get fitted by your local 'fitter' , go through a mizuno shaft analyzer , it's usually fast and free and will get you in the ball park , then buy something that's close and looks good and fits your budget . Good luck

[Billy Z]

I agree with the folks who are saying try them out first before you buy. Although I bought off the Callaway PreOwned site, I tried my friends out on the course, range, and in the golf store first before I purchased. In other words, I knew exactly what I wanted before I ordered. I knew I like +1/2", standard lie, graphite shaft, and actually hit that very club before ordering it. If you KNOW what you want, then it's ok to order online, but if you don't know for sure, it's like pulling a one-armed-bandit.

[RobbyRas]

UPDATE:

Went down to my local shop and tried out a few different sets of irons and have my swing "dissected".

when the dust settled, I decided to got with the Cobra AMP irons.  For some reason they just felt more comfortable than the other clubs.  The price was reasonable, so I went with the 4-GW.

Thanks for all the feedback guys!

So my updated bag contents is:

Driver - Taylormade Burner Supersfast 2.0 10.5

3-Wood - Taylormade Burner Superfast 15

3 Hybrid - Taylormade Burner Rescue 19

4 Hybrid -  Taylormade Burner Ruperfast 2.0 21

5-GW - Cobra AMP Irons

SW - Adams Golf Tom Watson Grind Wedge - 56 Bounce 8

P - Odyssey White Ice Mini T Putter

[SamGray]

Congrats! Getting new irons (or new clubs in general) is always exciting. I hope they work out well for you and help you to many great rounds!

[RobbyRas]

Thanks Buddy!  I guess I got more than new Irons... the 4 Hybrid, Irons, SW and Putter are all new... the Driver has over a year on it and the 3 wood and 3 hybrid have some years as well... but yeah, i'm excited to get out and get frustrated by this game that I am beginning to get obsessed with!

Plus, I'm big into cigar and the only thing that goes better with Cigars than golf is some nice Ron Zacapa or Flor de Cana rum!

[BENtSwing]

UPDATE:

Went down to my local shop and tried out a few different sets of irons and have my swing "dissected".

when the dust settled, I decided to got with the Cobra AMP irons.  For some reason they just felt more comfortable than the other clubs.  The price was reasonable, so I went with the 4-GW.

Thanks for all the feedback guys!

So my updated bag contents is:

Driver - Taylormade Burner Supersfast 2.0 10.5

3-Wood - Taylormade Burner Superfast 15

3 Hybrid - Taylormade Burner Rescue 19

4 Hybrid -  Taylormade Burner Ruperfast 2.0 21

5-GW - Cobra AMP Irons

SW - Adams Golf Tom Watson Grind Wedge - 56 Bounce 8

P - Odyssey White Ice Mini T Putter

Awesome! Cobra makes some great clubs. I'm glad you went with the most important thing...feel. Have fun!