Opinions on new irons

[jimbo2007]

I took some time off this summer while in between jobs and really worked on my game. Much better ball striker now. Have taken my handicap down from close to 30 a couple of years ago to 17. Currently play RAC OS's but feel that I may be ready for something with a little less offset that I can grow into. Will look to demo over the weekend and already have my eyes on the Ping i5's and maybe the Taylor Made R7's.

I'm looking for something I can grow into, but something that still has a level of forgiveness, because while a better ball striker these days, I know I am not ready for blades.

Any comments on the above choices and anything to add to the list to demo would be great.

Thanks...

[Jaybone]

I owned a set of R7's (draws) this year and they are a nice club. Don' over look Mizuno's though,they have some forgiving clubs as well and they have a better feel IMO.

[Tomboys]

You may want to check out the following as well:

Callaway X-20 / X-20 Tour
Cobra FP / Carbon CB
Titleist 775 / 755

The former are listed as Game Improvement and the latter are Player's clubs. I would suggest that you find a local shop / outdoor driving range and test all the clubs. If at all possible, test them on grass. Hitting off the mat may give you a false sense of "playability".

Regardless of what you choose, get fitted. It doesn't have to be the full-bore 1 hour fitting session with the launch monitor. Just get the basics like shaft length, flex, lie angle and grip size. That should suffice for now.

Good luck,
DT

[crankyoldguy]

I just started this year, but have had the chance to play 4-5 times a week- so I too am a mid-teens handicap.

I started out with a set of custom-made clubs from Fiddler's Green our local pro shop- but felt that I had reached a plateau in that they could deliver...

I demo'd no less than 10 of the most popular clubs (Hot List, mags etc.) including the newest releases clubs from PING, Callaway, and Nike and just ordered a new set of the Taylormade Burner XDs.

For me the differences in the feel, distance and accuracy were glaring. I was hitting between 8-10 yeards longer on every club, and the loft of each shot was amazing...nothing I had been able to ever achieve. What is even more amazing to me, is that the clubs are de-lofted...most being 2-5 degrees shallower loft than the average set- and yet I was hitting high, pure, clean shots that dropped softly onto the target.

Now- I am just waiting for my set to arrive...it is going to be a long two weeks.

Give them a try if you can find a place to demo them. For those of us in the low-to mid teens, these seem like a real chance to break us into a single digit handicap.

[LSeca]

I'm looking for something I can grow into, but something that still has a level of forgiveness, because while a better ball striker these days, I know I am not ready for blades.

I would suggest Ping S58 irons.

[Leek]

Check out:

Callaway X 20 tours
Mixuno MX 25
Srixon i-701 (very inexpensive for a top of the line iron)
TM R7 (NOT DRAW)
Titleist 775 CB
Ping I10s

For a little less, some KZGs or Wishons are awfully good sticks too!

[907golfer12]

Check out Nickent irons, kind of like Srixon they are top of the line, and yet inexpensive. I have tested almost all of their irons, check out the 3DX Hybrid Irons. They feel great, and they come with a 3 and 4 hybrid in the set. Or you can check out the Nickent 3DX Pro's, they are also great irons. Good luck with finding clubs you love.

[shortgame85]

You may want to check out the following as well:

I think these are very good recomendations. I have a regular golf partner who plays to a 5 handicap. He's 48, fit and strong. He plays Cobra FP irons, with graphite shafts. So much for blades with heavy steel shafts. He teases me about the steel shafts in my irons ( the NS Pro shafts are light weight, though a little heavier than his graphite shafts ). The point of relating this to you is to say that golf is a hard game; just because you're getting better doesn't mean you can't still take advantage of technology. My friend is a great ball striker, is strong and is a single digit handicap, yet uses game improvement irons. He also practices a lot. Your greatest improvement will come more as a result of improving the indian than changing the arrows. However, I totally understand your desire to acquire new irons. Try a few. Get some that really suit your eye and confidence and then practice as much as you can. Good luck.

[fusioncal]

I highly recommend Mizuno's new MP-57 irons.

[Guest]

Find a clubfitter than deals in Wishon. You'll be thrilled.

[jimbo2007]

I took some time off this summer while in between jobs and really worked on my game. Much better ball striker now. Have taken my handicap down from close to 30 a couple of years ago to 17. Currently play RAC OS's but feel that I may be ready for something with a little less offset that I can grow into. Will look to demo over the weekend and already have my eyes on the Ping i5's and maybe the Taylor Made R7's.

Update on my search. I hit the Ping i5's and Taylor Made R7's this weekend. I really liked the i5's. I was shockingly (for me) accurate with them and very consistent with distance. One thing I notice though is that I seemed to be almost a full club shorter with them then my current RAC OS's (first generation). I know part of that is the loft differential. My RAC 6 iron is 29 degree vs 30.5 degree for the i5, but that wouldn't account for the whole difference. I wonder if anyone else has found that with the i5's. Otherwise I LOVED them.

Will look to throw Mizuno MX-25's (i think the MP-57's might be too much club for me) and Srixon I-701's (if i can find them) into the mix this weekend.