Choosing the correct irons

[satchmodog]

I'm just getting back into golf after a long lay off due to a number of broken bones. Before I quit swinging there were two sets of clubs I was using. (actually four sets) with the mains being my TaylorMade RAC OS and my dad's Hogan Apex Plus. I also have my old set of MacGregor Tournament Pro graphites and his old Spalding Executives. Honestly, I hit all of them very well, but obviously different. I'm getting a little more distance believe it or not from the Macs(bought in 1995) and the RAC and Hogans I get 10-20 yards less per swing.(all flex shaft save the Spaldings) Generally I push a 3 iron out to 200-250 range  for reference. I just feel like the Taylors are not the correct club for me anymore. They swing better than any of the other clubs, but I feel like I should be hitting them farther than a set of 20 year old clubs that cost 250 new, bag included.

I'm looking to buy used right now since I am not really willing to invest another grand in clubs and have my back or ankle surgeries decide golf really isn't for me. So my question is, what's out there from Taylor, Ping, Callaway and Mizuno that I can pick up used that will suit me best? I am the world's worst putter, btw. The PW and putter are the bane of my existence. Woods and irons are my friends. Presently, I'm very happy with the Burner tour 9.5, and the Techmaster small head metal driver. It's some no name club that I believe was made by Allied. I still hit the ever loving shit out of that club. It's got Voodoo magic in its shaft or something.

 

 

[chilepepper]

Check out some golf shops that take trade ins. They ought to have a monitor to try out their used sets. 

[RickPro]

20 hours ago, satchmodog said:

I'm just getting back into golf after a long lay off due to a number of broken bones. Before I quit swinging there were two sets of clubs I was using. (actually four sets) with the mains being my TaylorMade RAC OS and my dad's Hogan Apex Plus. I also have my old set of MacGregor Tournament Pro graphites and his old Spalding Executives. Honestly, I hit all of them very well, but obviously different. I'm getting a little more distance believe it or not from the Macs(bought in 1995) and the RAC and Hogans I get 10-20 yards less per swing.(all flex shaft save the Spaldings) Generally I push a 3 iron out to 200-250 range  for reference. I just feel like the Taylors are not the correct club for me anymore. They swing better than any of the other clubs, but I feel like I should be hitting them farther than a set of 20 year old clubs that cost 250 new, bag included.

I'm looking to buy used right now since I am not really willing to invest another grand in clubs and have my back or ankle surgeries decide golf really isn't for me. So my question is, what's out there from Taylor, Ping, Callaway and Mizuno that I can pick up used that will suit me best? I am the world's worst putter, btw. The PW and putter are the bane of my existence. Woods and irons are my friends. Presently, I'm very happy with the Burner tour 9.5, and the Techmaster small head metal driver. It's some no name club that I believe was made by Allied. I still hit the ever loving shit out of that club. It's got Voodoo magic in its shaft or something.

 

 

sounds like you have a fast swing, you are looking at a stiff or x stiff shaft. if you're getting used, you are limited to what's available. If you plan on playing more then once a week or once a month, you should look into game improvement irons, something with a cavity back with perimeter weighting. This will help slightly missed shots stay more on line and won't lose as much distance.

On that note, I also recommend players blades. This will tell you exactly what you are doing wrong, you get instant feedback. If you aren't hitting it pure, you will know by the exaggerated slice or hook. This will help you find your faults and work on actually hitting it in the sweet spot. Game improvement irons is like a bandaid for your swing.

My 1st set of irons were from a garage sale and they were blades. I hated golf at the start, and everyone else was beating me and improving fast with there game improvement irons. Fast forward a few years later, I am destroying all my friends because I learned to play with blades and learned to hit the sweet spot more consistently. When we compared our irons, my iron wear was dead centre, while there iron wear was all over the face. They played off the crutch of the game improvement irons and never had to improve because the club was doing all the work.

If you don't want to get good and just play and have fun, I recommend getting game improvement irons. blades take time, and it won't be fun in the beginning, but very very rewarding in the future.

I highly recommend you focus more on your putting and chipping, this is where you can shave a lot of strokes.

[satchmodog]

19 hours ago, RickPro said:

sounds like you have a fast swing, you are looking at a stiff or x stiff shaft. if you're getting used, you are limited to what's available. If you plan on playing more then once a week or once a month, you should look into game improvement irons, something with a cavity back with perimeter weighting. This will help slightly missed shots stay more on line and won't lose as much distance.

On that note, I also recommend players blades. This will tell you exactly what you are doing wrong, you get instant feedback. If you aren't hitting it pure, you will know by the exaggerated slice or hook. This will help you find your faults and work on actually hitting it in the sweet spot. Game improvement irons is like a bandaid for your swing.

My 1st set of irons were from a garage sale and they were blades. I hated golf at the start, and everyone else was beating me and improving fast with there game improvement irons. Fast forward a few years later, I am destroying all my friends because I learned to play with blades and learned to hit the sweet spot more consistently. When we compared our irons, my iron wear was dead centre, while there iron wear was all over the face. They played off the crutch of the game improvement irons and never had to improve because the club was doing all the work.

If you don't want to get good and just play and have fun, I recommend getting game improvement irons. blades take time, and it won't be fun in the beginning, but very very rewarding in the future.

I highly recommend you focus more on your putting and chipping, this is where you can shave a lot of strokes.

I'm not really sure what a lot of these designations I see on the forum are. Things like GI, SGI, players and game improvement irons. 

A friend of mine tells me I should be using my Hogans which are forged irons and a stiffer shaft. He said the cavity back on my TM clubs and the flex shafts aren't doing me any favors. Sounds like you share his opinions, so I'm interested in moving forward.

[WUTiger]

On 9/17/2017 at 4:51 PM, RickPro said:

Fast forward a few years later, I am destroying all my friends because I learned to play with blades and learned to hit the sweet spot more consistently. When we compared our irons, my iron wear was dead centre, while there iron wear was all over the face. They played off the crutch of the game improvement irons and never had to improve because the club was doing all the work.

Uhh, these guys you are destroying, what scores do they usually shoot? You have a 28 HDCP, yet you hit the sweet spot consistently on your irons?

I would suggest that if you dumped the blades and went to GI irons, you might improve enough eventually to threaten 90.

@satchmodog, it's time to try out some newer irons on the launch monitor and see which shaft/head combo works best for you. Don't be afraid of GI clubs... some former college golfers I know switched from blades to cavities because they can't practice enough anymore to get the benefits of blades, which require a very pure swing.

[satchmodog]

9 minutes ago, WUTiger said:

Uhh, these guys you are destroying, what scores do they usually shoot? You have a 28 HDCP, yet you hit the sweet spot consistently on your irons?

I would suggest that if you dumped the blades and went to GI irons, you might improve enough eventually to threaten 90.

@satchmodog, it's time to try out some newer irons on the launch monitor and see which shaft/head combo works best for you. Don't be afraid of GI clubs... some former college golfers I know switched from blades to cavities because they can't practice enough anymore to get the benefits of blades, which require a very pure swing.

I used nothing but blades until I took my dad's clubs after he died. Now I have a terrible swing after my surgeries and the blades I once loved so much cause me some grief. It's not terrible, but the strikes are so inconsistent. The shots as a whole aren't too poor, but they just feel like shit. I mean like hitting a five pound ham with a sand wedge bad. I do have a set of TM RAC OS clubs at my disposal. Those seem to be pretty forgiving. But I do need my swing looked at in a bad way. No matter what I did today, I couldn't stop slicing the ball. It may just be what it is after too many surgeries that I'll just have bad days, but it never hurts to look into what you're doing wrong.

[WUTiger]

If you're recovering from surgeries, you might get a Titleist Performance Institute swing analysis. Two people do the analysis: a PGA golf pro, and someone from the medical professions (athletic trainer or chiropractor).

You get analyzed on 29 different body movements. Then, the trainer/chiro gets you 18 workouts designed to shore up your movement weaknesses, and the golf pro helps you adjust your swing to compensate for the limiting effects of past injuries.

see: http://www.mytpi.com/

 

[satchmodog]

6 minutes ago, WUTiger said:

If you're recovering from surgeries, you might get a Titleist Performance Institute swing analysis. Two people do the analysis: a PGA golf pro, and someone from the medical professions (athletic trainer or chiropractor).

You get analyzed on 29 different body movements. Then, the trainer/chiro gets you 18 workouts designed to shore up your movement weaknesses, and the golf pro helps you adjust your swing to compensate for the limiting effects of past injuries.

see: http://www.mytpi.com/

 

That's really interesting, I'll give it a look. Thanks!!

[RickPro]

8 hours ago, WUTiger said:

 

I would suggest that if you dumped the blades and went to GI irons, you might improve enough eventually to threaten 90.

@satchmodog, it's time to try out some newer irons on the launch monitor and see which shaft/head combo works best for you. Don't be afraid of GI clubs... some former college golfers I know switched from blades to cavities because they can't practice enough anymore to get the benefits of blades, which require a very pure swing.

Uhh, these guys you are destroying, what scores do they usually shoot?

they had low handicaps, they were on the golf team with me or for another high school.

 

You have a 28 HDCP, yet you hit the sweet spot consistently on your irons?

for the most part, yes. 

 

thank you for the suggestion, but I hate the feel and look of game improvement irons. which ones do you suggest?

[WUTiger]

5 hours ago, RickPro said:

WUT: You have a 28 HDCP, yet you hit the sweet spot consistently on your irons?

RP: for the most part, yes. 

RP, are you a 28 HDCP then? I'm confused as to how you could hit your irons fairly well, but have a 28 HDCP and beat low handicappers.