Dirtsquirrel

Looks like a lot of epoxy inside the shaft up where it snapped off. Read somewhere that using too much epoxy when glueing the head on forces glue up the inside of the shaft crating a "break point" when the shaft flexes. I'm sure some experienced club builders or repair guys could weigh in on this.

Wow- once Tiger gets ahold of this he'll be unbeatable!

Maybe you can get a deal and just buy the demo set. It is possible that buying a standard set and lengthening them could not work out as well for you.

The G2 thru to G15 irons are remarkably similar in how they play. More differences in the shafts offered. I too would also look at the I3 irons especially the I3 oversize which are stupid easy to hit long and straight and very inexpensive. Some good information on ping iron shafts posted in the ebay guides to buying used ping irons if you do a search. Some of the Ping shafts play a bit soft to flex rating which might be a problem for you. I do not hit the ball as far as your distances and personally find Dynamic gold S300 shafts too stiff (but Dynamic gold R300 just right and still heavy enough for the feel I want) Ping ZZ65 for me is a bit too stiff feeling but I like both the Ping JZ in stiff and Ping Awt in Stiff which could make the latter two play a bit soft for you. The Ping TT lite in stiff too light for my swing in the short irons on the set that I tried as did the Ping AWT in regular flex. The Ping Rapture Irons are definitely worth a look. Many consider the cushin shaft inserts to be a desirable bonus when buying used pings. One thing for sure there are lots of used Ping irons in great shape out there and more coming up almost every day on 3balls golf, so be patient and wait for exactly what you want. Read the descriptions carefully and ask questions if not sure. The times that I have called Ping customer service they were helpful and forthcoming with information and suggestions and have shaft spec and swing weight on file by serial number for every set sold. Hope this helps a bit. Cheers

Looks like a pretty good deal. Even better since it sounds like he is open to a lower offer. One of my buddies is bagging the 580 xd driver and still outdrives most guys using newer equipment. Pretty sure that is a stiff shaft in the irons. TPM putters have a following as do many of the Cleveland wedges and Titleist fairways. If you're not sure find out if the seller has a driving range nearby and would meet to let you hit some balls to see if they work for you.

I20 sets are starting to turn up more frequently at 2nd Swing and Three Balls but you could be waiting a long time to find a green dot set with a shorter length shaft since the it is more common for the upright lie angles to be lengthened. That being said it would be problematic to have a set 1/4 inch too short but 1/4 inch too long you probably would never notice the difference if you got standard length and choke down 1/4 inch. If you haven't ordered already is there another Ping fitter in your area that you could go to and recheck your result?

You will be charged for shipping, new grips, cutting shafts, and lie adjustment. Seems to me this will add up to close to the $200 you would be saving over new. Custom fitting and length should be free if you buy brand new Pings. I have heard some fast delivery times for special orders on new irons so will likely get the brand new set in your hands a bit sooner and be certain of the shaft flex, swing weight and club head integrity.

Whether to get blades has been knocked about for as long as cavity backs have been available as an alternative. I am a mid-handicap and do not see a huge difference in scoring switching back and forth between SGI irons and full on forged blades. I do find that I maybe play a bit more conservatively in the type of long iron shots I take on when playing blades. Sometimes my feel and touch seem better around the greens with blades and my distance control and accuracy can seem better too on short and mid irons. Depending on the course I will replace the blade 3 and 4 irons with SGI irons which are as easy to hit high and long as any hybrid. One thing for sure- trying to play a forged blade with a shaft that is too stiff will seriously impact your ability to execute anything resembling a decent iron shot. Maybe that is why most of the late model blade sets that I see traded in for resale or in the local consignment shop have s300 or 6.0 flex shafts. If you want to give the blades a go spend the time hitting different sets and getting fitted before making the investment. Kind of a luxury to have more than one set of irons when I only golf once or twice a week. If I had to keep only one set probably would let the blades go. Having a backup set, it is fun to put something completely different in the bag to change things up.

350 or lower looks reasonable if he will let you try them for at least 18 holes to see if they are really a good fit for your game. Not really a problem to find a great set of irons at that price so you can afford to be selective.

I agree with any of the Karsten series as fair value for 40.00 and would probably consider them myself if red or black dot. Keep in mind that an older set like this will usually require new grips and may not be the best lie angle or shaft choice for your stature and swing. As a Ping fan I have bought and played with Karstens but for a main set of gamers would not want anything older than Eye 2.

I need to ask Lblack14 - what iron is that? Gets my vote for sure!

If you are right handed try closing your stance a bit by either moving your left foot forward about 2 inches perpendicular to the target line or by moving your right foot back a similar amount. It seems too easy but when I do this it changes my shoulder alignment enough to promote an inside to out swing path and a slight draw without having to introduce new swing thoughts or club face positions.

I just did a search on eBay of the iron sets listed using "inch" in the search line and came up with a set of Taylor Made Burner Plus that are 1 inch short of standard. This might not be a bad place to start if you stick to the Top Sellers and Power Sellers in USA only and pay close attention to descriptions and shipping costs. Typically clubs non-standard length although less common do not have as much buyer interest. Set your price limit and avoid getting caught up in a bidding war-there will be another set. Best to have a Paypal account for EBay though. Why not check out the used club or demo club section at some of the golf stores where you can try hitting them into a launch monitor and get some advice with the fitting? It is usually cheaper to have clubs shortened than lengthened and typically will need new grips either way. If you are patient and take your time looking you can save a lot of money and wind up with a set of clubs that will really help you out with your game. Good luck

Since you are only 30 minutes away if you do find that you need them fitted might as well take them in to the pro shop at Joe and Leighs. Best to phone ahead. Looking at the website for their brick and mortar store it is very impressive. Have fun with the new clubs.

The design looks very similar to Cleveland VAS 792 irons from 20 to 25 years ago. Never tried a set but they were said to be very forgiving and straight.

If you are not 100 percent confident it may be worthwhile to hit the same club with an R300 shaft and compare the launch monitor results. It looks like you may be missing a bit of distance with the S300.