Irons for new senior

[Sclaffer]

My first post and looking for some feedback on choosing a set of irons. 

I took up golf again a year ago at the age of 60, after a 35 year lay off.

I am very slight, swing speed 95mph and my handicap is 17 but that will improve when I fix my short game (40 putts per round).

 Currently using Ping s58 with regular graphite shafts. I know they are not GI but I find them easy to use, longer and mishits are less painful than any other club I have tried.

I have tried Ping eye 2 and eye 2+ with stiff steel shafts but timing seemed a lot more difficult.

I like the s58 but there is no sand or lob wedge. I tried a g15 7iron and loved it but then there is no 2 or 3 iron (home town is called the windy city).

Questions:

Would I give up distance moving from s58 to say G20?

Graphite shaft should be less tiring and less jarring on hands that are starting to get a bit arthritic?

Graphite shaft might give me give me a little more distance over a steel shaft? Any idea how much on a 27 degree 5 iron?

Seems to me I should just stick with my s58?

Thanks

[WUTiger]

The only way to tell for sure is to do a side-by-side tests of the different irons. Get on a launch monitor, and see what the numbers say, and how the feel compares.

And, hit more than just the 7i. Do 3-5-7-9 to see how distances vary up and down the line.

As for the SW and LW, the original Glide series wedges are on sale, and Glide features four different sole grinds.

Graphite shafts for irons offer a lot of variety these days. And, the last couple of years the graphites for irons have much better balance and solid feel than the original feathery offerings. Several low-scoring senior golfers at our club have gone over to graphite iron shafts to cut down on shock to the elbows and tendons.

No 2i or 3i? Consider a driving iron if you don't like hybrids. (Note: If you can find a single club, the G15 | 3i is 20* loft - less than the S58).

Let us know what happens!

Edited October 27, 2017 by WUTiger
Insert G15 specs.

[Club Rat]

I used True Temper Sensicore shafts for years which help reduce shaft vibration.

Keep in mind, that the feel of vibration in the shaft often provides the golfer with a lot of feedback into his or her swing. For golfers that rely upon this feedback – you may want to consider using them in certain clubs only, or not using them at all. In any case, on cold, damp, or humid days – you don’t necessarily want to feel the vibrations. It is a personal choice, but excellent for older people or those folks with physical swing pain issues.

There are also a number of manufactured club set offerings that come with vibration dampeners already installed. But, the price of these clubs tends to greatly exceed the cost of a club technician installing them in your shafts. We utilize one of two different dampening system types: ProSoft and True Temper. True Temper inserts are patented and can cost $36.00 for a set of 8. ProSoft inserts are a much less expensive option and perform nearly as well in our tests. These run $16.00 for a set of 8. Installation for either type of insert is a $5.00 per club fee as grips need to be removed and replaced during the installation process. This would be an ideal time to change into new grips.

There are special golf grips for players who suffer from arthritis and joint pain. Such grips are required to have a special vibration dampening capacity, so that the impact is not transported to the fragile joints of the arthritis-suffering player. These grips are meticulously manufactured and technologically evolved so as to offer maximum shock-absorption capacity.

It is also advised by experts that arthritis-suffering golfers use special oversized grips, which are offered by many big golf product brands like PrecisionFit Golf, Kelmac, Enflow, Star, and Feel, all of which are guaranteed to assist you in you fight against arthritis. Then there are also the innovative reverse taper golf grips meant to ease your swings and relax your hold on the club so that you are comfortable even by the end of your game.

Another important factor that should be considered while choosing your grip is the extra weight that it will add to your already-heavy golf club. And it is crucially advised that people prone to joint pain go for the lightweight ones that will ease out the pressure that the club weight generally induces. And a great product that will provide the much-needed relief in this regard is the Dual Durometer Lite, which promises a good 20% reduction in the club’s static weight, at the same time enhancing its swing weight so that you can get the big punch in your shot without applying as much force. These grips are carefully designed and constructed, from reliable materials, so as to minimize the impact of vibrations, and to offer maximum comfort to golf players.

[TRACON]

Golf is 10% equipment and 90% “shoulder to holder.”   I’d say go with a cavity back modern club of your favorite brand.  You won’t notice the difference between many models because your old (like me) and we don’t have the power the 21 year olds do.    

[Kingkat1954]

Senior golfer here. Just tried a "iron fitting" with launch monitor and several clubs and shaft combinations. Clubs were Taylor made M2, Callaway Steelhead XR, and Ping G. Fitter suggested Graphite shafts, saw immediate swing speed increase. Adjusted for lie, was simply a choice of which club I liked best. 

These were game improvement clubs. A step up from my current Ping G30's. Get fit for proper irons and you should see improvement. 

 

[arturo28mx]

I'm 60, average build, but I cannot use graphite shafts. They are just too light for me. Yo need to feel the clubhead to have good tempo. So I use steel shafts but the lightest I could find which are XP 95 in regular flex. This is what worked for me.

[MarvChamp]

  On 11/4/2017 at 6:29 PM, arturo28mx said:

I'm 60, average build, but I cannot use graphite shafts. They are just too light for me. Yo need to feel the clubhead to have good tempo. So I use steel shafts but the lightest I could find which are XP 95 in regular flex. This is what worked for me.

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And Nippon makes great steel shafts including lightweight. Very consistent in their manufacture. My pro installed mine in my MX-200's one soft step from regular and spine-aligned, etc.. All this made a real noticeable difference. I'm sold. -Marv

[Buckeyebowman]

  On 11/4/2017 at 6:29 PM, arturo28mx said:

I'm 60, average build, but I cannot use graphite shafts. They are just too light for me. Yo need to feel the clubhead to have good tempo. So I use steel shafts but the lightest I could find which are XP 95 in regular flex. This is what worked for me.

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Since graphite shafts are so light, and increase the swing weight of clubs, how could you not feel the clubhead when swinging a graphite shafted iron?!

[MarvChamp]

  On 11/5/2017 at 12:15 AM, Buckeyebowman said:

Since graphite shafts are so light, and increase the swing weight of clubs, how could you not feel the clubhead when swinging a graphite shafted iron?!

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And THIS is why my MX100's and my current JPX's have graphite shafts! They sure suit me, just like the light Nippon steel shafts and I can feel the clubhead. The graphite technology has truly advanced. -Marv

[Lihu]

  On 10/27/2017 at 4:03 PM, Sclaffer said:

I am very slight, swing speed 95mph and my handicap is 17 but that will improve when I fix my short game (40 putts per round).

Currently using Ping s58 with regular graphite shafts. I know they are not GI but I find them easy to use, longer and mishits are less painful than any other club I have tried.

I have tried Ping eye 2 and eye 2+ with stiff steel shafts but timing seemed a lot more difficult.

I like the s58 but there is no sand or lob wedge.

Expand  

Not knowing anything about your game other than your handicap, I'd stick with your S58 since they are comfortable for you. I doubt the club is holding you back since you seem to score okay.

Graphite is much more forgiving of mishits. That's likely why your S58 feel better than the Eye2 with steel shafts?

Just get a somewhat matching LW and SW. Maybe just specialty wedges?

[Sclaffer]

First of all thanks for the replies. It is pleasing to see how folks offer advice to a complete stranger. I recon I should work with my Ping S58s until I can pick up a used set of something like graphite shaft G25s. I might never find such a thing in South Africa - you guys in the USA are lucky you have such a huge market. On the question of feeling the club head: I read opposing view about its importance. I have never had much idea where it is. Maybe this is why I am so inconsistent. I could sort of feel the club head in my old regular steel shaft D3 swing weight irons but not in my newer graphite shaft C8 swing weight irons. I can feel a bad or good strike with the newer irons, but not what the club head is doing. Being in South Africa, sending my clubs to Ping for adjustment is out of the question. If I try lead taping my S58s to increase swing weight a bit and assuming it does help, does anyone know if I can add weight myself in the tuning port? (to make it look tidy) 

[Sclaffer]

Re changing the swing weight of my Ping s58s: the dealer in Johannesburg said they change the insert in the tuning port and charge R250 per club. With freight there and back that is out of the question.

So I dug out my old 1975 Wilson Dynapower irons, which are regular flex D4, and shot my best 9 holes in over a year. Why do I keep trying different irons? (we all know the answer to that!). 

Seems to me that if you can make half decent contact, what works for you is far more important than club age, cost, looks, GI, SGI, etc, etc. 

 

[onthehunt526]

Callaway Rogue? I ain't going to get them, I'd say if you're clubhead speed is 95 mph, honestly try out Tour Edge Hot Launch 2 irons or even the new HL3. If you don't mind spending $600 for irons, try the Exotics EXd. 

Mostly to be honest, it's not the club, it's the guy using it. 

[Mr. Desmond]

  On 1/18/2018 at 3:54 PM, Sclaffer said:

Re changing the swing weight of my Ping s58s: the dealer in Johannesburg said they change the insert in the tuning port and charge R250 per club. With freight there and back that is out of the question.

So I dug out my old 1975 Wilson Dynapower irons, which are regular flex D4, and shot my best 9 holes in over a year. Why do I keep trying different irons? (we all know the answer to that!). 

Seems to me that if you can make half decent contact, what works for you is far more important than club age, cost, looks, GI, SGI, etc, etc. 

 

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How about tungsten tabs or lead tape in your S58 cavity -2g of lead tape is a swing point.

  On 1/18/2018 at 11:56 PM, onthehunt526 said:

Callaway Rogue? I ain't going to get them, I'd say if you're clubhead speed is 95 mph, honestly try out Tour Edge Hot Launch 2 irons or even the new HL3. If you don't mind spending $600 for irons, try the Exotics EXd. 

Mostly to be honest, it's not the club, it's the guy using it. 

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How did the new Rogue Irons get mentioned here? If you like more forgiveness and retention of ballspeed over more of the face, that's where the new irons help. If you hit the sweetspot consistently ... keep what you have.

[cooke119]

If you are hitting your 58s as well as you say I wouldn't go to anything else unless you have the money. I'm 66 and have a slow swing speed as well, I have Ping G25s with graphite shafts (stock) and love them. They are an older club as well, but as mentioned above it is 90% the Indian not the bow and arrow. Whatever you decide to do I would be sure to get fitted, that makes a difference. That is an issue with buying used clubs, they are not fitted for you.

 

[onthehunt526]

  On 1/19/2018 at 2:46 PM, Mr. Desmond said:

How about tungsten tabs or lead tape in your S58 cavity -2g of lead tape is a swing point.

How did the new Rogue Irons get mentioned here? If you like more forgiveness and retention of ballspeed over more of the face, that's where the new irons help. If you hit the sweetspot consistently ... keep what you have.

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I thought maybe he wanted some forgiveness because he was talking about naybe getting the G20 irons. 

[Tim S]

I am 68. For the past 18 months I've been on a journey to find my perfect set. I also have wrist tendonitis, which only hurts if I make a flippy swing.

I tested clubs against each other---AP1 and AP2 and other newer irons against various older clubs going back to the 1980s. I tested for accuracy, distance, dispersion, and ease of swing and controllability. All informal tests involved my swing and likes/dislikes.

I'm 6'3" and hit a driver an average of 250.  

The irons I eventually settled on are 2002 Ben Hogan Apex Edge forged irons (which look VERY similar to the AP2s and various Mizuno irons, like the MP-53s, and are just as sweet and forgiving). I have Hogan Apex graphite regular shafts at 75 grams and midsize Lamkin Classic grips to help with my tendonitis. The shafts hit the ball high with spin.  

All my testing was done outdoors (range and course) by myself with no club fitter or sales environment. 

I am not convinced that today's "advanced" irons hold any benefit for a man my age over the vintage irons I chose. I almost went with the Ping Eye 2 or 2+--which came in 2nd in my testing--but I wanted forged irons. 

The Maltby Playability Factor (MPF) put these Hogan irons at Conventional, along with the AP2 irons. So they are not GI irons, although that is how the Hogans were marketed back in the day. The Ping Eye 2 irons are ranked Super Game Improvement.  

 

Edited January 24, 2018 by Tim S