Iron Forgiveness Quantified?

[Midpack]

Apologies if this video has been posted and discussed before.

Though not a designed experiment (a robot would be better presumably), I thought this YouTube video was interesting. He uses a TM M2 7-iron to demonstrate iron "forgiveness." I have been shopping to replace my 20ish year old irons, I could certainly use more forgiveness at my advanced age. I never expect to be much better than a mid handicapper. I've hit the TM M2, Callaway XR, Titleist AP1 & AP2, Mizuno Hot Metal and Callaway Apex so far - they certainly don't feel better, but I'd be willing to trade some feel for more forgiveness. [Don't care about distance at all]

From the video, the good news is all the mishits go reasonably straight. The bad news (from my naive point of view) was somewhat heel strikes were 10 yards short and somewhat toe & thin hits were 20 yards short. I wonder if that's representative? That doesn't sound much if any different than my experience with my old clubs???

The Maltby MPF classifies the M2 as an Ultra Game Improvement iron with an MPF of 858. My old forged cavity backs are classified as Classic (difficult to hit) irons with an MPF of 387? 

I know there's plenty of marketing hype with golf equipment, as with most (consumer) products. Maybe even more than I would have hoped even after 20 years of development?

The search for new irons continues...

 

Edited July 18, 2017 by Midpack

[Shindig]

MPF is a great scale.  Maltby also makes pretty good irons if you can deal with not having a brand you'll see on TV.  I use their KE4 irons at the moment.

[WUTiger]

4 hours ago, Midpack said:

The bad news (from my naive point of view) was somewhat heel strikes were 10 yards short and somewhat toe & thin hits were 20 yards short. I wonder if that's representative? 

A couple of  years back, I tested the TM SLDR irons. Rick Shiels did a similar test, and a few months later tested the follow-on RSi1 irons - the first TMs with the vertical Face Slot technology.

When I compared Rick's SLDR and the RSi1 videos, the performance data wasn't that much different on off-center hits. RSi1 was slightly straighter, and distance difference was negligible.

The M2, however, carries a bit straighter than the SLDR or the RSi1.

Comparative forgiveness? A big difference from the blades of the 1970s. For those, anything off the toe or heel would dump you 50 yards short of the green, likely in the first cut of rough or worse.

Current Player's irons are much harder to handle on off-center hits than GI or SGI irons, but not as bad as old blades.

To gauge for forgiveness, you would need to do a side-by-side with the M2 irons and whatever other set you were considering.

Also, here are my comments from a while back on MPF vs. Hot List.

Ralph Maltby cautions that MPF only deals with clubhead structure. MPF does not take into account the type and flex of shaft in the club.

Edited July 18, 2017 by WUTiger