Jump to content
IGNORED

Upgrading Irons?


Note: This thread is 3162 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

Recommended Posts

I know this has been asked 1000 times but I searched a little bit and decided to post

I currently have a set of Cleveland TA4 irons that I bought when I graduated High School in 1999.  I'm curious how much has the technology changed in the past 15 years on irons and would buying a new set really benefit me.  When I strike them well, they seem to be pure and I hit my 8 iron around 145 with them.  Now that I am rebuilding my swing and playing alot more, the thought has been entering my mind that maybe an upgrade is in order.  I don't have a huge budget, it would be in the $400 range probably if I did upgrade.  I just want to make sure it is worth it.

Obviously I know the money would be better spent on lessons, but I feel my swing is really coming around just with the work via this site.  I just want to make sure I am not being hampered by outdated technology.

- David -

Driver: Callaway Big Bertha Diablo

Woods: 3W - Callaway X2 Hot

Hybrid: 4 Walter Hagan

Irons: Callaway X-Hot 4 - AW 

Wedge: 52* - Cleveland CG15 Zip Black, 60* - Generic 

Putter: Odyssey White Hot #3

Link to comment
Share on other sites


I just replaced Cleveland quad pro irons which are around the same age as yours. I replaced them with Adams xtd irons. They are much longer and more forgiving. The Clevelands were good irons for me and my dad before me but when I started hitting more recent irons it was hard to deny how well they performed.

DRIVER- Tour Edge EXS 220
3W- Adams Tight Lies 2
Hybrids- Cobra F8 19 *

Utility- Sub 70 699U #4
Irons - Sub 70 739 5-PW
Wedges- Tour Edge CB Pro 50, 54, 58
Putter- Cleveland Huntington Beach Soft #11

Ball- Titleist DT Trufeel

Link to comment
Share on other sites


The options are better today then they were 15 years ago, however, the newer technology is not going to magically make you a better player... Maybe a few strokes at best. For $400, you could pick up a really nice set of lightly used irons
Link to comment
Share on other sites


You want a good set of cavity backed iron given your handicap. You can get a really nice set of irons on Ebay. Stick with the name brands and you can't go wrong. Go to a golf store, try the different irons then look on Ebay, you'll save a bundle.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


I might have to try some out at the golf shop to see what the difference is with newer clubs.  That is probably the only true answer.  The placebo effect might just be enough.  I was looking around on 2ndswing.com a little bit but it gets a little overwhelming with all the choices.

- David -

Driver: Callaway Big Bertha Diablo

Woods: 3W - Callaway X2 Hot

Hybrid: 4 Walter Hagan

Irons: Callaway X-Hot 4 - AW 

Wedge: 52* - Cleveland CG15 Zip Black, 60* - Generic 

Putter: Odyssey White Hot #3

Link to comment
Share on other sites


I suppose I'll browse for a Driver too.  Mine is 6 years old and I hit my X2 Hot 3W as far as I do my driver, just alot more accurate so I have put the driver away.  Do drivers go dead after awhile?

- David -

Driver: Callaway Big Bertha Diablo

Woods: 3W - Callaway X2 Hot

Hybrid: 4 Walter Hagan

Irons: Callaway X-Hot 4 - AW 

Wedge: 52* - Cleveland CG15 Zip Black, 60* - Generic 

Putter: Odyssey White Hot #3

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Do drivers go dead after awhile?

Unless somehow it's damaged, no, they don't "go dead". The driver is a tough club to play. If you play your 3W well, it wouldn't necessarily hurt you to just stick with that for a while and take the driver out if the bag for now

Link to comment
Share on other sites


I've been poking around, just haven't made the commitment.  Globalgolf has a set of Taylor Made Speedbladz for $260 that really are tempting me.

- David -

Driver: Callaway Big Bertha Diablo

Woods: 3W - Callaway X2 Hot

Hybrid: 4 Walter Hagan

Irons: Callaway X-Hot 4 - AW 

Wedge: 52* - Cleveland CG15 Zip Black, 60* - Generic 

Putter: Odyssey White Hot #3

Link to comment
Share on other sites


I ended up buying a used set of Callaway X Hots off eBay for $215 today. I didn't get a chance to try any clubs out, but after a bunch of research I narrowed it down to the X Hots or Rocketbladez. I tend to be a Callaway fanboy since my driver and 3 wood are both Callaways and the price was pretty good. Hopefully the forgiveness and tech improvements knock off a few strokes.

- David -

Driver: Callaway Big Bertha Diablo

Woods: 3W - Callaway X2 Hot

Hybrid: 4 Walter Hagan

Irons: Callaway X-Hot 4 - AW 

Wedge: 52* - Cleveland CG15 Zip Black, 60* - Generic 

Putter: Odyssey White Hot #3

Link to comment
Share on other sites


So my new irons I bought are a regular steel shaft (will arrive Monday), the same as my current shaft.  With my swing changes, I have started getting more hip turn and accelerating more on my downswing.  I noticed today on my film that my 8 iron is flexing quite a bit.  I have never done a swing analysis, just bought whatever and played with it.  I'm wondering that with the changes to my swing and getting new clubs, does it look like I might need to look at getting new shafts put on them?  Would it help reduce my random shots that tend to show up? Or is this amount of flex normal for a 8 iron and I've never noticed it?

- David -

Driver: Callaway Big Bertha Diablo

Woods: 3W - Callaway X2 Hot

Hybrid: 4 Walter Hagan

Irons: Callaway X-Hot 4 - AW 

Wedge: 52* - Cleveland CG15 Zip Black, 60* - Generic 

Putter: Odyssey White Hot #3

Link to comment
Share on other sites


I believe the above image is common when you shoot a swing without high speed video. Your club is not really flexing like that, it's an illusion caused by your frame rate. Also, if it really were bending that much before you hit the ball, it should straighten by the time it gets there. My advice would be you've got nice new clubs, now just start playing them without going farther down the equipment rabbit hole. Regular flex will work fine unless you have a very fast swing and late release.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

  • 2 weeks later...
Technology hasnt changed enough to force your hand. That being said it has changed some and either way you might find clubs that are better for you and your game. Dont be scared. Go look around and demo some things. And remember sometimes you dont have to spend a lot. My current gamers and favorite set of irons ever ( and ive had 8 or so) are the wilson reflex irons i bought at dicks last year for 200. Love them to death and i have a golf club problem.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

Note: This thread is 3162 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now


  • Want to join this community?

    We'd love to have you!

    Sign Up
  • TST Partners

    TourStriker PlaneMate
    Golfer's Journal
    ShotScope
    The Stack System
    FlightScope Mevo
    Direct: Mevo, Mevo+, and Pro Package.

    Coupon Codes (save 10-15%): "IACAS" for Mevo/Stack, "IACASPLUS" for Mevo+/Pro Package, and "THESANDTRAP" for ShotScope.
  • Posts

    • I had to think about this topic for a while. I don't tend to remember specific details about my putts, but a few do stand out in my mind so I guess they're worth noting. I don't know that I'd call them my favorite but it's close enough. #18 at Spooky Brook Might be the hardest 4' putt I've ever had. Pin was back right and I hit my third shot just to the right of it. The green slopes fairly severely back to front. I read the green but I knew the putt anyway as I've seen it before. I told the guys I was playing with that the putt was it was going to break almost 3' and if it doesn't go in I'd have a longer coming back up for par than I was looking at. It went in. #12 at Quail Brook I'm not even sure how to describe this green properly. It's not quite a two-tiered green, but the back and front are separated by a ridge that goes across the middle of it, with the green sloping harder off the front than the back. You can generally putt from the front to a back hole location but good luck keeping the ball on the green if you putt from back to front. On this particular day, I was looking at the latter. I had to putt up into the apron due to how the ball was going to break and that helped slow the ball down enough to hit the hole at the perfect speed. One of the rare birdies I've seen on that hole. #2 at Hyatt Hills Short par 5. This makes the list because it's the first eagle putt I've ever made, which funny enough happened the day after the first eagle I've ever made. I've made two eagles in all my life and they came on back to back days. I wasn't even planning on playing golf - it was a Monday - but I was doing some work at the place I used to work at when I was younger and catching up with some of the guys I've known for years. They were going out to play in the afternoon and had a spot available. I used to see these guys every day for years but we've never played together, so I said I'm in. I hit a really good approach shot into slope that separated the two tiers on the green and spun the ball closer to the hole. Had roughly 8' left to the hole, a downhill right to left breaker. One of the guys said, "You've got to make this, I've never seen an eagle before," and I said, "I've never made an eagle putt before." And then I made it. #17 at Stoneleigh @GolfLug's post reminded me of my own heroics on #17 a couple of years ago. The hole was back left, in the bottom tier. I hit my approach short of the green and flubbed my chip so it stayed on the top tier. I read how the putt was going to break after the ramp (is that what you call it?), then read my putt up to that point. It needed to basically die at that point because if it hit the slope with any kind of speed, it would long past the hole and possibly off the green. I hit the putt perfectly and holed the 40-footer center cup. #6 at Meadow at Neshanic Valley, #15 in the Round This was during the stroke play qualifier of my tournament. It might be a little bit of recency bias and I hit some really good long putts in the four rounds I played, but this 7-footer was my favorite putt of the entire tournament. The hole was cut on the top of a ridge. I hit my tee shot short right but hit a pretty good chip just long and below the hole. Play had backed up at this point, with the ladies waiting on the tee while we were finishing up. I hit the putt just a hair on the high side and it curled around the hole, fell back a couple of inches and stopped on lip. We all looked at it incredulously, "How does that not fall in?" Before I took my first step towards the hole, the ball must have thought the same thing and decided to drop.
    • I don't remember a ton of putts, but I've thought about this a bit and came up with 2 good ones. #5 at Mid-South: 2017 Newport Cup I remember the putt pretty well, but the surrounding details are a little hazy. I believe this was in my singles match against @cipher, and it was a hole he was stroking on. I had hit a mediocre approach to the front of the green and had what must have been a 50 foot putt to a back pin. If I remember correctly, @cipher was pretty close for an easy par at worst. I had @mvmac help me out with a read, which ended up being a great read by him. Hit the putt and jarred it for birdie. It was perfect speed, too, would have been an easy 2 putt if it hadn't gone in. I think we ended up tying for the hole. But I rarely make putts that long, and doing it to steal half a hole was really nice. #3 Fox Hollow (Links): 2023 Match Play This was on the third extra hole of a scratch match against a legitimate 0 handicapper. We had tied after 18 holes and traded pars on the first two extra holes. On the third extra hole, he had about 30 feet for birdie; I had about 25. We were on pretty much the exact same line. He missed his putt just on the low side, and I conceded the par. I felt good over this putt - I knew the break well and just needed good speed. I hit a great (not perfect) putt, and BAM, back of the cup for the victory on the 21st hole. I will say that the speed wasn't great, as it would have been a few feet past if it didn't hit the cup. But I wanted to give the ball a chance and take a bit of break out of it. I went on to win the match play tournament, which is my only tournament victory in a scratch event.
    • there will be lots of changes.  i mean, look at newey past, each team fell off a cliff when he moved on i think max is the magic bullet   if red bull loses him then whee are they going for drivers?   lots of young talent but he is a proven winner and i’m sure top engineers love to work with him  
    • I too, like @GolfLug, remember great wedge, iron shots, or my missed putts, more than my made putts. My most memorable recently, would be: #17 Old Course St. Andrews (last year) I had been putting awful all day (I started 3 putt, 4 putt, 3 putt, 3 putt), but found a putting stroke on the back 9 and was 1 under on the back going into 16 and of course I 3-putted it for a bogey. Got to 17 and my playing partner just hit it into the hotel, so I went a little more left and decided to not try and hit it over the hotel.  And as soon as my ball was in the air, I heard one of the other caddies do the chicken noise.  LOL My shot was a little more left than I wanted, about 185 yards, I hit a 6-iron and it was drawing right at the flag.  The pin was just to the right of he bunker and towards the front of the green. My ball hit short (and just missed going into said bunker) and stopped about 15 feet left of the hole. Had a little left to right break and as soon as I hit it, I knew it was in.  Birdie on the road hole, looked at the caddie and said not bad for a Chicken.  Parred 18 (missed 10 foot birdie putt) for a 35 on the back 9 at the Old Course. #18 Springfield G&CC Last year while playing in our season long match play event, my partner and I get the 18th hole needing to win the match to move on into the knockout round.  We are tied going into 18.  A tie and we lose on overall points by .5.  Our teaching pro is on the other team (very good golfer), so we were pretty sure we needed a birdie to have a chance to win the match, I hit on of the best drives I hit all day and had about 135 yards to the pin, but it was in a place where you didn't really want to be long.  So I hit a PW and it landed just short of the flag but released about 12 feet past the hole, so have a devilish putt coming back down the hill.  Our competitors were away and the pro missed his birdie putt by inches, I thought it was in when he hit it.  So after reading the putt, which probably had a 2 cup left to right break, I made the putt to win the match.   #15 Springfield G&CC A few years back, was playing in the first round of the Club Championship (against the previous years runner-up) and my putter was balky all day.  Got to the 15 hole, 2nd Par 5 on back, and was 3-down with 4 to play.  We both hit good drives, both hit good second shots and we both hit decent 3rd shots.  I was about 15 feet and he was just a hair longer.  He missed his putt, I had another slider putt down the hill, with about a foot of right to left break and made the putt.  I birded the next hole, to go 1 down, but not a memorable putt as I only needed a bogey to beat him on that hole, he had all kinds of issues going on.  Lost on 17, as he birdied it, right after I missed mine to lose 2&1.
    • Wordle 1,049 3/6* ⬜⬜⬜🟩🟨 ⬜⬜🟨🟩⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩  
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Welcome to TST! Signing up is free, and you'll see fewer ads and can talk with fellow golf enthusiasts! By using TST, you agree to our Terms of Use, our Privacy Policy, and our Guidelines.

The popup will be closed in 10 seconds...