Going up upgrade from 1995 DCI irons.

[Used2PlayALot]

I bought them in 1995, and they are still perfectly fine for my game (+15)
However, they are stiff shaft.  They have never truly been the right club.

I went to Golfsmith and had a guy check out my swing. 
My swing speed is about 85-89mph. 
He said it's nice and smooth and regular flex shaft is right for me. 

I sort of like using 20 year old irons, actually.
I don't really want new irons.  
But, I want to have irons that are regular flex shafts.

I might look for a set of DCI's with regular shaft, but they might be so old and beat up by now.
What popular irons from the last 10-15 years can I look for on Ebay to get a good deal?  
Any cavity backed set from the last 20 years is fine, I just want regular flex.

What model/brand will be the easiest to find in good shape and at good used price?
The best bang for the buck?

[Piz]

Have you considered re-shafting your DCI's?  A new Dynamic Gold R300, in tapered or parallel tip, costs 20.99 plus shipping.  You could outfit your old, reliable, heads with a set of shiny, new, regular flex, shafts...as a reward for 21 years of loyal service.  

[Used2PlayALot]

Yea, I suppose, but that would cost more than a replacement set, right?     If I just did 5,6,7,8,9,W that would be $120.

After I started this thread, I started browsing used Tommy Armor 855's, and I began to realize that I appreciate the "loyalty" of the DCI's.    The reality is that I will never golf again like I did in my 20s, nor do I care to.  I enjoy a few casual rounds a year now, and I have moved onto other pursuits in life.  

It would be weird to play with some random replacement set.  Like an old instrument, I appreciate that my DCIs have been with me for my entire golfing adulthood.  These DCI's were with me when I was at the top of my game, something I will never reach again.   I used them to climb to my personal peak, and I still have them long after that time has passed.  

So, maybe it's not about money, but doing what I want.  I guess what I want is to simply snap my fingers and make my trusty DCI's have regular shafts.  So, I guess that is the answer.

There is something tangible about keeping the DCI's, even if it costs more than getting a replacement set.  At one point in my life, I was hitting pure with these very clubs.  Not that I ever was this way, but I can never blame the club on any mishit, since I have hit every club in that bag perfectly, at one time or another.  With some random replacement set,  while far off my peak, it could be easy to start blaming the clubs for what is clearly a change in my game, many years after the fact.  

So, maybe I do keep the DCI's after all.    I will need them regripped also, so add that to the cost.   On the plus side, getting my clubs custom fit and reshafted would allow me to get them spec'ed exactly to my size and swing.  This would not be the case with a set of random clubs off Ebay.  So, in that way, getting a reshaft and regrip is superior to buying a random set of clubs, due to the personal fitting aspect.  

I think you just helped me decide what to do!    It makes a lot more sense than buying new used irons.

 

Edited July 14, 2016 by Used2PlayALot

[Piz]

Great!..no sense retiring a set only just old enough to drink.  As for the cost...I do my own club work and do not know what the going rate is.  For me the cost would be between 26 and 27 bucks per club: shaft + grip + ferrule, tape, solvent, epoxy, etc...Hopefully, you can get some sort of package deal from a shop or outlet.  I know the number is starting to climb but remember that you already own a very high-quality set of club heads...heads that could easily double the cost of the project were you buying rough equivalents from a component supplier.  And you are right...you'll be getting a set built to your specs.  All things considered...cue the theme music...it seems like the right thing to do.  Cheers.

[WUTiger]

Why not visit some golf shops - Atlanta has plenty - and try some used irons? Ask your golfing pals which shops have decent fitters.

Since you've played DCIs, you might try some Titleist AP1 irons - about four generations are now in the used club zone.

In Callaway, the XHot and newer XR iron families might be something to consider. If you worked through Callaway Preowned, you could try them out and return them if they didn't work out for you (see details of return policy).

Besides iron heads, you'll need to find what kind of shafts you want. Lots more variety these days.

Happy hunting!  Don't be afraid to enjoy your trip to new irons. 

[70sSanO]

I haven't played Titleist, but I hit the first generation AP1's and thought they were pretty sweet.  I ended up with a poor man's version in the Wilson Ci7's.

That said the cavity on the 716 AP1's may look a little closer to you DCI's.

John

[boogielicious]

On July 15, 2016 at 2:21 PM, 70sSanO said:

I haven't played Titleist, but I hit the first generation AP1's and thought they were pretty sweet.  I ended up with a poor man's version in the Wilson Ci7's.

That said the cavity on the 716 AP1's may look a little closer to you DCI's.

John

I reviewed the 716 AP1 here. They can be found on E-bay.

https://thesandtrap.com/b/clubs/titleist_716_ap1_review

[Used2PlayALot]

I spoke to a local club fitter.  He told me that re-shafting irons would cost me $500.  

He also said it's idiotic b/c new modern irons will outperform in EVERY way.  Longer, higher, straighter.  He stated this with strong matter-of-fact conviction.

It looks like I will be in the market for new irons.   The problem is I wish I could get a fitting for some basic parameters (flex, length) and then just buy used clubs for 25% of the cost.   Instead of dropping $800 for a set of custom fit irons.

He said, in that case, don't waste $100 on a fitting and just go buy used clubs.  Don't get a fitting unless you are ready to drop $800 on a new set of fitted irons.  I understand everything he says, but it's still tempting to try to cheat with a set of used irons, esp. if my fitting is fairly generic.

Edited August 8, 2016 by Used2PlayALot

[newtogolf]

$500 is a high price, you could buy a used set of irons with the shafts you want and have them pulled.  I wouldn't expect to pay more than $250 for used shafts and labor, though you might have to add an additional $50 for grips too.  

There are a lot of good options out there in the used equipment market that will be newer and have the shafts you want in them.  I'd suggest you first compare regular and stiff shafts as I'm guessing your reason to switch is to increase your iron distances, so just to make sure you'll see the difference you're expecting.  

[IanW]

15 minutes ago, Used2PlayALot said:

I spoke to a local club fitter.  He told me that re-shafting irons would cost me $500.  

He also said it's idiotic b/c new modern irons will outperform in EVERY way.  Longer, higher, straighter.  He stated this with strong matter-of-fact conviction.

It looks like I will be in the market for new irons.   The problem is I wish I could get a fitting for some basic parameters (flex, length) and then just buy used clubs for 25% of the cost.   Instead of dropping $800 for a set of custom fit irons.

He said, in that case, don't waste $100 on a fitting and just go buy used clubs.  Don't get a fitting unless you are ready to drop $800 on a new set of fitted irons.  I understand everything he says, but it's still tempting to try to cheat with a set of used irons, esp. if my fitting is fairly generic.

Titleist clubs are fairly similar. I have the 710 AP2s. I have found zero difference in the results from getting fit for the 712s or 714s. So I never bothered 'upgrading'.

My guess is you can go get fit for some new Titleist irons, then look for used ones of the previous generation with the same specs.

Good luck though if the fitting results in clubs 3 degrees upright with some weird shafts. You won't be finding those on the used market and you will bust a club or two trying to bend them. Result: You end up spending money on replacement heads and should have just bought the new ones :)

One of the best things I ever did for my golf game was to get a full set fit for me. I then knew I couldn't blame the club and instead focused on my swing.

[Used2PlayALot]

First, I think no club can help you if you have a flawed swing.  I think lessons are worth 10x vs. equipment.  

I started playing again after a 15 year break.  I only play a few times a summer.  I have a set of stiff shaft  Titliest  DCI's from 1995.   I can just keep using them.  Sometimes I hit to the right, but that can be due to a million reasons.    Now, I was thinking I might replace the irons since my swing speed is probably even slower today, and I never should have been using stiff to being with.  

My swing speed is currently 85-89 mph based on a driver fitting at Golfsmith (I bought a used RocketBallz for $40 with a regular shaft and had it cut down an inch).    So, I know I need regular flex. 

Local club fitter said new modern irons will outperform my DCIs in EVERY way.  Longer, higher, straighter.  He stated this with strong matter-of-fact conviction.  He said either get a fitting and buy new irons ($100 + $800) or just go blindly buy anything used, as it will be a huge step up from the current irons.  I get dig that.  

Here is my dilemma.  If I get a $100 iron fitting, the only option the fitter will give me is a new set of clubs for $1000 (5-9, SW, hybrid).    It's just hard to justify blowing that kind of cash where there are SO MANY USED MINT CLUBS FOR SALE ONLINE.    The value add is the fitting.  But, what if my fitting is pretty generic and I just need a basic set of irons in regular flex?  Maybe that gives me 80% of the benefit.   I can regrip and have them cut off an inch if needed for $7/ea.I figure if I just get the shaft flex and length right, this is like most of the benefit anyway, and I can do this for $200 and not $800.  

So, if I decide to cheap out, how do you suggest I blindly buy a set of used modern irons?  Any brands?  Any general method to determine club length?    

[sirhacksalot]

One of the most reputable fitters in my area charges just $40 for a fitting and thats waived if you get work done from him.  Maybe call around and see.  If you are Paying for a fitting meaning its not included in the "new clubs" they are basically stealing from you if you are not allowed to get your specs and then go and find used clubs that matched.  Likewise if you get a free fitting while shopping for new clubs and then go and buy clubs with the same specs, elsewhere that's basically stealing from the fitter.

also a good mom and pop fitter may have pulls from someone upgrading to a different shaft and you may be able to get pulled shafts for much cheaper and sometimes the grips are still good to boot.

[Used2PlayALot]

I can get the $100 fitting and then try to find used clubs, but he was sort of eye-rolling (expected)

Even if the $100 fitting just tells me length and flex, that's worth it for me.   It's not like I need to go find exactly some set that has 3* loft angle or whatever fine tuning.  I am like a 20-25 handicap right now (mid 90s on a good day, 105 on a bad day), so fine tuning only means so much right now.   

[WUTiger]

Is this clubfitter the only one in your county? Any other shops around?

[70sSanO]

Since you got a driver fitting at Golfsmith, why not go down there and try out some irons, both new and used, and take your DCI 7 iron with you to compare.

I spent a couple of months trying different irons, both new and used.

Once you have an idea of the clubs you like, spend the $50 at Golfsmith to get fit.  If they have used clubs you like at the right price, fine, otherwise take the numbers and go find a set online.    There are tons of specs online so it is pretty easy to compare different irons.

You can also do an online static fitting to get you in the ballpark.

John

Edited August 9, 2016 by 70sSanO