Upgrade from SGI irons

[Mulligans]

Hello all!

Long story short, I currently play at about an 8 handicap but believe I have been as low as a 6. I would like to get serious about golf and lower my handicap, although I am struggling and I am not sure if it is my equipment holding me babac

I currently play SGI irons and I am wondering if this would be the best upgrade for me.  I rarely mishit and can land greens just fine. What will player irons help me achieve  (accuracy)? (Distance)?   I'm not super long with any club but I do think a few more yards out of every iron would be nice. I don't know if it is my sgi irons or my aim but at 120 yards getting within 10 feet is a challenge. 

Would player irons give me a little more distance and accuracy?

[Jeremie Boop]

Welcome to the forum. What irons are you currently using? As for "player's irons" I don't believe that you need to necessarily jump straight to something like that. There are plenty of options between SGI irons and player's irons to choose from. As per my normal response to any question about new clubs, I strongly suggest finding a place to get fitted. Preferably a place that uses a launch monitor and fitting carts. Be open minded and try all sorts of options. Don't get stuck on the idea of blades or cavity backs, something like ping G or I series, titlest ap1 or ap2, callaway apex, etc all are fantastic clubs. Pick whatever gives you the best numbers. If you find more than one give you very similar numbers then go with what looks best.

[Mulligans]

I use Taylor made burner irons. Cleveland wedges.  I guess here is a hypothetical question. If a scratch golfer jumped to a sgi iron how many strokes do u think they would lose?  Assuming they use player irons. 

[Jeremie Boop]

1 minute ago, Mulligans said:

I use Taylor made burner irons. Cleveland wedges.  I guess here is a hypothetical question. If a scratch golfer jumped to a sgi iron how many strokes do u think they would lose?  Assuming they use player irons. 

It's hard to say if they would lose any. Typically the only thing you really lose by using SGI irons is "workability" or the ability to shape shots and/or hit lower trajectory shots. Typically player irons have lofts that are weaker than SGI irons so people will tend to hit the ball a bit shorter with them. For example, Titleist AP2 irons are considered more of a player's iron. The loft on the 7 iron is 34*. By comparison, the TaylorMade aeroburner SGI 7 iron is 29.6*. Because of the weighting in the club head the Aeroburner 7 iron will probably still have a higher launch and peak height while traveling further. However, because of the stronger loft they tend to have less spin. This is good for distance, but bad for being able to stop and hold on approach shots. This is why I advocate for more of the middle of the road clubs that split the difference between a full on player's club and the SGI irons.

[Mulligans]

That's probably the way I will go. I know whatever I get I'll probably lose a few strokes at first. I'm okay with that as long as eventually I gain a few strokes. 

[arturo28mx]

Try Ping i irons. 

[BigUnit68]

I play a GI iron and I'm around 7-8 hcp (mainly because of putting).  You don't "need" a players iron but if you did not get fitted for your current set or you haven't for awhile, I would do that way before settling on a specific iron.

Make sure the indian is right before blaming the arrow.

[Mulligans]

I'll get fitted again first, thanks! 100 yards or less I'm pretty happy with my game, and can't imagine getting much better. Then again those are my Cleveland wedges and putter. 

My problem is mostly holding greens from 150 and general left to right accuracy. I rarely birdie any hole because I almost always have to chip onto the green after my approach. Usually drop a stroke on par 3.  IF I do birdie par 4s it is if I hit my drive within 100 yards. 

[Jeremie Boop]

6 minutes ago, Mulligans said:

I'll get fitted again first, thanks! 100 yards or less I'm pretty happy with my game, and can't imagine getting much better. Then again those are my Cleveland wedges and putter. 

My problem is mostly holding greens from 150 and general left to right accuracy. I rarely birdie any hole because I almost always have to chip onto the green after my approach. Usually drop a stroke on par 3.  IF I do birdie par 4s it is if I hit my drive within 100 yards. 

I'll warn you if you have trouble left and right then players irons are probably going to not be a good bet for you. They'll end up turning more on off center strikes. They will, however, stop on greens faster due to being higher spin usually.

[Mulligans]

Usually there left or right of where I am aiming on the green. They hit, and then roll off the back or the side. I don't have a problem hitting the green just keeping the green. 

[BigUnit68]

1 hour ago, Mulligans said:

Usually there left or right of where I am aiming on the green. They hit, and then roll off the back or the side. I don't have a problem hitting the green just keeping the green. 

Are you sure you're hitting the ball solid on approach shots? How are you not holding greens even with an SGI club? I get back spin on my GI short irons from solid strikes. Never had issues with that.

Sure sounds like you could use an updated club/shaft fitting.

[Lihu]

8 hours ago, Mulligans said:

Hello all!

Long story short, I currently play at about an 8 handicap but believe I have been as low as a 6. I would like to get serious about golf and lower my handicap, although I am struggling and I am not sure if it is my equipment holding me babac

I currently play SGI irons and I am wondering if this would be the best upgrade for me.  I rarely mishit and can land greens just fine. What will player irons help me achieve  (accuracy)? (Distance)?   I'm not super long with any club but I do think a few more yards out of every iron would be nice. I don't know if it is my sgi irons or my aim but at 120 yards getting within 10 feet is a challenge. 

Would player irons give me a little more distance and accuracy?

Not just challenging for you. Even the players on the PGA Tour have trouble getting within 10 feet. I presume you mean something less than 10 yards?

http://www.pgatour.com/stats/stat.339.html

 

2 hours ago, Mulligans said:

I'll get fitted again first, thanks! 100 yards or less I'm pretty happy with my game, and can't imagine getting much better. Then again those are my Cleveland wedges and putter. 

My problem is mostly holding greens from 150 and general left to right accuracy. I rarely birdie any hole because I almost always have to chip onto the green after my approach. Usually drop a stroke on par 3.  IF I do birdie par 4s it is if I hit my drive within 100 yards. 

Nice, but I'm sure still outside 10 feet.

http://www.pgatour.com/stats/stat.074.html

 

1 hour ago, Mulligans said:

Usually there left or right of where I am aiming on the green. They hit, and then roll off the back or the side. I don't have a problem hitting the green just keeping the green. 

You and most people who manage to hit them. People who can hold greens well generally have a very high swing speed to generate enough spin to hold greens like that.

 

Just curious who's telling you that you need to be that accurate from 120 yards?

[WUTiger]

On 5/23/2016 at 11:02 AM, BigUnit68 said:

I play a GI iron and I'm around 7-8 hcp (mainly because of putting).  You don't "need" a players iron but if you did not get fitted for your current set or you haven't for awhile, I would do that way before settling on a specific iron. ...

@Mulligans... consider going to a GI iron. In comparing iron categories, the SGI gets you in the vicinity of the green even when your swing is off. Player's irons, however, reward excellent ball strikers with ability to land much closer to pin on good shots. The GI irons split the difference. Definitely get fitted to make the most of new irons.

Here are my past comments on this subject: SGI vs. Player's tradeoffs