Super game improvement vs players irons dilemma

[sphna12d]

I’m in a very similar situation with the op. Last year, I was fitted for a set of Hot Metals and have been mostly happy with them. I hadn’t been practicing and playing enough so my iron game had deteriorated to the point where I was getting punished by playing the players irons. It took a while getting used to the distances of the HM’s but by the end of last season, I was really starting to see a difference on the course. I’ve still been carrying that golfwrx induced itch though to get back to forged players irons though. Knowing that I still liked the forgiveness of the HM’s, I did some research on relatively forgiving players irons and settled on my 53’s. I just scored a set in pristine almost unhit condition. Now what set do I gravitate to? I’m likely going to keep playing the HM’s for the time being but I’ve also pledged to put in more time for practice and see if my ball striking improves this year enough to consider gaming players irons again.

[sdandrea]

Better scores or better feel. Pick one.

[nsxguy]

I'm in a very similar situation with the op. Last year, I was fitted for a set of Hot Metals and have been mostly happy with them. I hadn't been practicing and playing enough so my iron game had deteriorated to the point where I was getting punished by playing the players irons. It took a while getting used to the distances of the HM's but by the end of last season, I was really starting to see a difference on the course. I've still been carrying that golfwrx induced itch though to get back to forged players irons though. Knowing that I still liked the forgiveness of the HM's, I did some research on relatively forgiving players irons and settled on my 53's. I just scored a set in pristine almost unhit condition. Now what set do I gravitate to? I'm likely going to keep playing the HM's for the time being but I've also pledged to put in more time for practice and see if my ball striking improves this year enough to consider gaming players irons again.

 

The OP made the first mistake by calling the JPX 900 Forged "Players" irons. They're not. They're GI. The JPX 900 "Tour" would be the Player's iron.

 

Your Hot Metals are the most forgiving of the JPX series, more forgiving than the Forged so therefore SGI so I'm not really sure what you mean when you say "where I was getting punished by playing the players irons" (presumably the Hot Metals you mentioned).

 

But of course you should play whatever you want for whatever reason you want. Good luck with the MP-53s. I expect the 53s are pretty close to the 900 Forged.

[nsxguy]

I need the structure of a more demanding type of club. It challenges me to strive to achieve what I know that’s possible with focus.

 

Well, at least you didn't say "Blades made me concentrate more" (although you almost kinda sorta did). :lol:

[sphna12d]

I'm in a very similar situation with the op. Last year, I was fitted for a set of Hot Metals and have been mostly happy with them. I hadn't been practicing and playing enough so my iron game had deteriorated to the point where I was getting punished by playing the players irons. It took a while getting used to the distances of the HM's but by the end of last season, I was really starting to see a difference on the course. I've still been carrying that golfwrx induced itch though to get back to forged players irons though. Knowing that I still liked the forgiveness of the HM's, I did some research on relatively forgiving players irons and settled on my 53's. I just scored a set in pristine almost unhit condition. Now what set do I gravitate to? I'm likely going to keep playing the HM's for the time being but I've also pledged to put in more time for practice and see if my ball striking improves this year enough to consider gaming players irons again.

 

The OP made the first mistake by calling the JPX 900 Forged "Players" irons. They're not. They're GI. The JPX 900 "Tour" would be the Player's iron.

 

Your Hot Metals are the most forgiving of the JPX series, more forgiving than the Forged so therefore SGI so I'm not really sure what you mean when you say "where I was getting punished by playing the players irons" (presumably the Hot Metals you mentioned).

 

But of course you should play whatever you want for whatever reason you want. Good luck with the MP-53s.

 

I guess I needed to be more clear. I switched to the HM's due to my deteriorating iron play with multiple players cavities sets. In my case, I had been playing back and forth with my older set of Snake Eyes 600 C's and a set of Bridgestone J40's (not the dual cavities). I had several seasons playing reasonably well with the Snake Eyes but the last couple of years new job responsibilities and a new relationship have meant much less play/practice time so my game was suffering. I had made the decision last year to try a game improvement set and with the positive reviews about the HM's and getting a killer deal from a local demo, I pulled the trigger on them. Also to be clear, I'm not planning on getting rid of either set. I'm just hopeful to be able to play and practice enough to regain a modicum of my former iron game so I can feel like I can game a forged cavity again and not completely embarrass myself.

[Jaygolf37]

I can attest to this dilemma as well. My indecision is between a set of G10's in AWT that I absolutely smoke, and a set of JPX Pro's is PX graphite that I can shape.

 

The thing is, I don't really ever NEED to shape very many shots anymore. With the way the courses are set up in Missouri, I need to flight them more than shape them. Distance control is key around here. Both sets do a great job of that. I carry 4 wedges for precision from 130 and in. It's not really bomb and gouge...but approaches that.

 

OP, I coach HS golf, and have told my athletes that I am going to stick with the G's for a full stretch. And they have seen me hit shots with everything from Hogan Blades to Slingshot OS's. They know I can swing the club. It's a strategic decision. As someone posted earlier, I don't have to worry if my swing isn't on point with them. They will still give me a chance. If it is on point, the G's will still perform...based on how I navigate the course.

 

But the WRX'r in me will be keeping those sexy Mizzy's as well...

[andrieddle]

Go JDM there are plenty good feeling clubs with ease of play combined

[chisag]

... No other sport goes through the kind of decisions some golfers seem to struggle with, especially here at WRX. "I have a 34" maple bat that I hit .320 using but I also have a 36" ash bat that feels awesome when I make good contact but I only hit .255 using it". Or "I can control my Prince tennis racket and hit great passing shots and pinpoint serves but my Wilson has a much better feel and the color and printing on it looks awesome although my groundstrokes are nowhere near as accurate and my serving percentage is much worse". Only golfers take an instrument that enables them to shoot their lowest score and agonizes over another instrument that looks good in the bag or much worse has a cool looking cavity or sole that suits their eye but does not perform as well.

 

... Golf is about shooting the lowest score. Those that talk about the joy of hitting an MB perfectly but much less consistently than their GI iron are not playing golf. They are involved in Club Fashion, not competition with the course, themselves or others. Of course there is absolutely nothing wrong with that, but don't say it is about playing golf. You don't get a trophy for competing at a lower level with equipment that has a great feel or look, you get a trophy for shooting the lowest score. Yes, some (many?) here will rebel at this but when you compare it to any other sport, it really is pretty obvious.

[LaymanM]

Anybody have any doubt as to which set of irons the OP will be gaming ? :D

 

MIZUNOS

I do !

I’m Anxiously awaiting PING to make a set of game improvement irons using the same steel and design as their stealth wedges ..but that’s another conundrum

 

Man that would be sweet! PING are you listening???? I would switch my whole bag back to PING. Stealth wedges are gorgeous

[tap in birdie]

Clubs don’t mean sh*t. It’s a piece of steel bent to x degrees. All this bull about irons has gotten so out of control.

 

To the OP. If you played well making a makeshift combo set why not just buy one that flows better?

[jslane57]

... No other sport goes through the kind of decisions some golfers seem to struggle with, especially here at WRX. "I have a 34" maple bat that I hit .320 using but I also have a 36" ash bat that feels awesome when I make good contact but I only hit .255 using it". Or "I can control my Prince tennis racket and hit great passing shots and pinpoint serves but my Wilson has a much better feel and the color and printing on it looks awesome although my groundstrokes are nowhere near as accurate and my serving percentage is much worse". Only golfers take an instrument that enables them to shoot their lowest score and agonizes over another instrument that looks good in the bag or much worse has a cool looking cavity or sole that suits their eye but does not perform as well.

 

... Golf is about shooting the lowest score. Those that talk about the joy of hitting an MB perfectly but much less consistently than their GI iron are not playing golf. They are involved in Club Fashion, not competition with the course, themselves or others. Of course there is absolutely nothing wrong with that, but don't say it is about playing golf. You don't get a trophy for competing at a lower level with equipment that has a great feel or look, you get a trophy for shooting the lowest score. Yes, some (many?) here will rebel at this but when you compare it to any other sport, it really is pretty obvious.

Oh, I firmly disagree. It is the person, not the sport. Try choosing a mountain bike that you'll use for all mountain. Or a target bow you also want to hunt with, or is a hunting bow you want shoot target with. Or even running shoes for XC and street. Athletes who obsess over equipment, can obsess over all equipment.

Golf is so much more than shooting the lowest score. There are enjoyment levels that have nothing about score. Clubs are one aspect. So is the course. The shoes. If you look at the advertisements in golf mags one could conclude that score is low on the list. Anyhow, one of the great joys of golf is the tinkering and the very subtle differences in equipment...

[bladehunter]

... No other sport goes through the kind of decisions some golfers seem to struggle with, especially here at WRX. "I have a 34" maple bat that I hit .320 using but I also have a 36" ash bat that feels awesome when I make good contact but I only hit .255 using it". Or "I can control my Prince tennis racket and hit great passing shots and pinpoint serves but my Wilson has a much better feel and the color and printing on it looks awesome although my groundstrokes are nowhere near as accurate and my serving percentage is much worse". Only golfers take an instrument that enables them to shoot their lowest score and agonizes over another instrument that looks good in the bag or much worse has a cool looking cavity or sole that suits their eye but does not perform as well.

 

... Golf is about shooting the lowest score. Those that talk about the joy of hitting an MB perfectly but much less consistently than their GI iron are not playing golf. They are involved in Club Fashion, not competition with the course, themselves or others. Of course there is absolutely nothing wrong with that, but don't say it is about playing golf. You don't get a trophy for competing at a lower level with equipment that has a great feel or look, you get a trophy for shooting the lowest score. Yes, some (many?) here will rebel at this but when you compare it to any other sport, it really is pretty obvious.

 

By that logic if tiger had only stuck with the eye 2s he’d have past jack in major titles in 2001 right ?

 

You can’t throw a blanket over this topic and declare a winner. You just can’t.

[BirdieRoll]

I've been in a similar situation. Finally owned up that I wasn't good enough for Mizunos. Got some PINGs. Much better. Lower scores = more fun, for me.

 

I suggest a 12 round showdown. Six with PING, six with the Mizunos. I suspect five or six of your lowest rounds will be with PING. Loser gets sold!

[anth]

The answer is in the ball flight. Don’t pick the club based on looks or feel, base it on the flight (and consistency of flight).

 

And be honest about that too. Does your game need lower trajectory wedges that curve 12 yards in the air? Or will high and straight do for the course/s you play and the level of your game?

 

For me it’s about making the game as easy as possible tee to green. Play the clubs that do that and you’ll enjoy yourself more

[mlwenzlick]

... No other sport goes through the kind of decisions some golfers seem to struggle with, especially here at WRX. "I have a 34" maple bat that I hit .320 using but I also have a 36" ash bat that feels awesome when I make good contact but I only hit .255 using it". Or "I can control my Prince tennis racket and hit great passing shots and pinpoint serves but my Wilson has a much better feel and the color and printing on it looks awesome although my groundstrokes are nowhere near as accurate and my serving percentage is much worse". Only golfers take an instrument that enables them to shoot their lowest score and agonizes over another instrument that looks good in the bag or much worse has a cool looking cavity or sole that suits their eye but does not perform as well.

 

... Golf is about shooting the lowest score. Those that talk about the joy of hitting an MB perfectly but much less consistently than their GI iron are not playing golf. They are involved in Club Fashion, not competition with the course, themselves or others. Of course there is absolutely nothing wrong with that, but don't say it is about playing golf. You don't get a trophy for competing at a lower level with equipment that has a great feel or look, you get a trophy for shooting the lowest score. Yes, some (many?) here will rebel at this but when you compare it to any other sport, it really is pretty obvious.

 

Disagree. I've been through all of the irons over the years....was told to buy G2, then I had G10, G15, Callaway XHot Pro, 714AP2, etc etc. Finally this past year I said screw it, i'm going to learn how to be a better ball striker and sold my combo set for a set of full set of MB. After some PRACTICE and DETERMINATION i've never struck the ball better in my life. Swinging a 3-4 iron instead of the conventional wisdom 7-8 iron on the range has dramatically improved ballstrikeing too. And i'm enjoying the hell out of golf (without hitting draws/fades at will) and not looking at a shovel thats 5 times the size of a golf ball and has no response/feel to it.

 

Put a little bit time in and one will get results. There's no point in buying a panfishing pole if you're going to fish muskies, but that's just my opinion.

[chisag]

By that logic if tiger had only stuck with the eye 2s he'd have past jack in major titles in 2001 right ?

 

You can't throw a blanket over this topic and declare a winner. You just can't.

 

... Actually the opposite. If Tiger had played better with Eye 2's they would still be in his bag. I can only imagine the time and effort that went into shaping his MB's into the irons he plays today but have no doubt they are the very best iron choice to shoot his lowest score. If the OP hit his JPX Forged better than his Ping G's then that would be the logical choice. But I agree with you, there is no "winner". Just clubs that help you play your best golf.

[anth]

... No other sport goes through the kind of decisions some golfers seem to struggle with, especially here at WRX. "I have a 34" maple bat that I hit .320 using but I also have a 36" ash bat that feels awesome when I make good contact but I only hit .255 using it". Or "I can control my Prince tennis racket and hit great passing shots and pinpoint serves but my Wilson has a much better feel and the color and printing on it looks awesome although my groundstrokes are nowhere near as accurate and my serving percentage is much worse". Only golfers take an instrument that enables them to shoot their lowest score and agonizes over another instrument that looks good in the bag or much worse has a cool looking cavity or sole that suits their eye but does not perform as well.

 

... Golf is about shooting the lowest score. Those that talk about the joy of hitting an MB perfectly but much less consistently than their GI iron are not playing golf. They are involved in Club Fashion, not competition with the course, themselves or others. Of course there is absolutely nothing wrong with that, but don't say it is about playing golf. You don't get a trophy for competing at a lower level with equipment that has a great feel or look, you get a trophy for shooting the lowest score. Yes, some (many?) here will rebel at this but when you compare it to any other sport, it really is pretty obvious.

 

Disagree. I've been through all of the irons over the years....was told to buy G2, then I had G10, G15, Callaway XHot Pro, 714AP2, etc etc. Finally this past year I said screw it, i'm going to learn how to be a better ball striker and sold my combo set for a set of full set of MB. After some PRACTICE and DETERMINATION i've never struck the ball better in my life. Swinging a 3-4 iron instead of the conventional wisdom 7-8 iron on the range has dramatically improved ballstrikeing too. And i'm enjoying the hell out of golf (without hitting draws/fades at will) and not looking at a shovel thats 5 times the size of a golf ball and has no response/feel to it.

 

Put a little bit time in and one will get results. There's no point in buying a panfishing pole if you're going to fish muskies, but that's just my opinion.

 

Could you not have put the same investment in practice and determination without the MBs and got a similar result?

 

Also interested to know what shot you can hit with your current MBs that you couldn’t pull off with your AP2?

[nsxguy]

... No other sport goes through the kind of decisions some golfers seem to struggle with, especially here at WRX. "I have a 34" maple bat that I hit .320 using but I also have a 36" ash bat that feels awesome when I make good contact but I only hit .255 using it". Or "I can control my Prince tennis racket and hit great passing shots and pinpoint serves but my Wilson has a much better feel and the color and printing on it looks awesome although my groundstrokes are nowhere near as accurate and my serving percentage is much worse". Only golfers take an instrument that enables them to shoot their lowest score and agonizes over another instrument that looks good in the bag or much worse has a cool looking cavity or sole that suits their eye but does not perform as well.

 

... Golf is about shooting the lowest score. Those that talk about the joy of hitting an MB perfectly but much less consistently than their GI iron are not playing golf. They are involved in Club Fashion, not competition with the course, themselves or others. Of course there is absolutely nothing wrong with that, but don't say it is about playing golf. You don't get a trophy for competing at a lower level with equipment that has a great feel or look, you get a trophy for shooting the lowest score. Yes, some (many?) here will rebel at this but when you compare it to any other sport, it really is pretty obvious.

 

Disagree. I've been through all of the irons over the years....was told to buy G2, then I had G10, G15, Callaway XHot Pro, 714AP2, etc etc.

 

I think I may have spotted your (previous) problem. :D

[juggernaut0629]

... No other sport goes through the kind of decisions some golfers seem to struggle with, especially here at WRX. "I have a 34" maple bat that I hit .320 using but I also have a 36" ash bat that feels awesome when I make good contact but I only hit .255 using it". Or "I can control my Prince tennis racket and hit great passing shots and pinpoint serves but my Wilson has a much better feel and the color and printing on it looks awesome although my groundstrokes are nowhere near as accurate and my serving percentage is much worse". Only golfers take an instrument that enables them to shoot their lowest score and agonizes over another instrument that looks good in the bag or much worse has a cool looking cavity or sole that suits their eye but does not perform as well.

 

... Golf is about shooting the lowest score. Those that talk about the joy of hitting an MB perfectly but much less consistently than their GI iron are not playing golf. They are involved in Club Fashion, not competition with the course, themselves or others. Of course there is absolutely nothing wrong with that, but don't say it is about playing golf. You don't get a trophy for competing at a lower level with equipment that has a great feel or look, you get a trophy for shooting the lowest score. Yes, some (many?) here will rebel at this but when you compare it to any other sport, it really is pretty obvious.

 

Disagree. I've been through all of the irons over the years....was told to buy G2, then I had G10, G15, Callaway XHot Pro, 714AP2, etc etc. Finally this past year I said screw it, i'm going to learn how to be a better ball striker and sold my combo set for a set of full set of MB. After some PRACTICE and DETERMINATION i've never struck the ball better in my life. Swinging a 3-4 iron instead of the conventional wisdom 7-8 iron on the range has dramatically improved ballstrikeing too. And i'm enjoying the hell out of golf (without hitting draws/fades at will) and not looking at a shovel thats 5 times the size of a golf ball and has no response/feel to it.

 

Put a little bit time in and one will get results. There's no point in buying a panfishing pole if you're going to fish muskies, but that's just my opinion.

 

I always use the longest iron in the bag at the range. Makes every other shorter club easier to hit IMO

 

 

And BTW, after hitting the 1st bucket of 2018 and 1st range session outdoors with my Pings....I've come to the decision that I will be posting my beloved 714 AP1 AP2 combo set on the BST.

[Dueller]

I too recently went from a full set of G’s to more of a traditional MB iron with a set of Srixon z765. The G’s are a great iron and I’d stand by that choice to keep them in the bag if they work that well for you. But in my case I found that getting fit correctly into the Srixon’s with the right shaft for my swing was miles ahead of my off the shelf G’s. Plus the fact the V sole of the 765’s make them great from all lies gives me more confidence over the ball. I’d say if your breaking 80 your doing a great job with the G’s you already have. If your that dead set on changing then get properly fit and get some data on how well a fitted set of what your intending to put in the bag stacks up against your current setup. Best of luck.

[rondre3000]

Play the sticks that will ultimately bring you the most joy. If it's the Ping's because you feel you will score better NOW with them, so be it. If it's the Mizuno's because they feel better and you're willing to put in the work to play them, go for it.

 

If I recall correctly, you've only played 1 round with them? Way too soon to give up on them already. I give each new set at least 3 rounds unless they feel like garbage.

[Neige]

I found the dispersion with the blades in short irons is noticeably better than with the GI

http://www.golfwrx.c...-high-handicap/

[kulreign50]

Played again today. Cold enough , wet and windy for the end of March. Got home , cleaned em’ up ..and up on the ‘bay’ ..for those that are following. Starting bid .99 we will see what happens. Thanks all that responded.

[nsxguy]

Anybody have any doubt as to which set of irons the OP will be gaming ? :D

 

MIZUNOS

I do !

I’m Anxiously awaiting PING to make a set of game improvement irons using the same steel and design as their stealth wedges ..but that’s another conundrum

 

 

[chadly643]

This has been very interesting to read. I am very stubborn when it comes to equipment and really don’t like change. I much prefer to limit variables which means I stick with clubs for a long time. It’s just how my mind works. One thing that has struck me about this entire conversation is that all the comments allude a consistent direct correlation between the iron set and scores. This very well might be the case for the OP, but for me, my iron play has the least correlation to my score. My irons tend to be much less erratic than both my tee play and my play around the greens. My scores are much more correlated to fairways hit and my stats around and on the green.

 

OP, one thing that may be very worthwhile to you is to track some more stats while you play (fairways, GIR, putts, etc.). This would give you a real good idea of the correlation between your iron play and your scores. For me, if I shot 88 one week and 76 the next it wouldn’t be because of how I struck my irons. I guarantee that the 88 would be because of penalty shots off the tee, poor chipping, and 3-putts.

 

Even now that you have decided on an iron set and put the other on EBay, tracking some more stats would allow you to identify where to focus your practice time. I like to use the Grint app for simple stat tracking.

 

Good luck, keep enjoying this wonderful game!

[kulreign50]

Anybody have any doubt as to which set of irons the OP will be gaming ? :D

 

MIZUNOS

I do !

I’m Anxiously awaiting PING to make a set of game improvement irons using the same steel and design as their stealth wedges ..but that’s another conundrum

 

Close haha, the stealth are made from 8620 steel and have a soft , solid feel. The 700’s I hit last week , are unique. They are easy to launch , but the feel and sound is like a metal wood in my opinion.

 

[kulreign50]

This has been very interesting to read. I am very stubborn when it comes to equipment and really don’t like change. I much prefer to limit variables which means I stick with clubs for a long time. It’s just how my mind works. One thing that has struck me about this entire conversation is that all the comments allude a consistent direct correlation between the iron set and scores. This very well might be the case for the OP, but for me, my iron play has the least correlation to my score. My irons tend to be much less erratic than both my tee play and my play around the greens. My scores are much more correlated to fairways hit and my stats around and on the green.

 

OP, one thing that may be very worthwhile to you is to track some more stats while you play (fairways, GIR, putts, etc.). This would give you a real good idea of the correlation between your iron play and your scores. For me, if I shot 88 one week and 76 the next it wouldn’t be because of how I struck my irons. I guarantee that the 88 would be because of penalty shots off the tee, poor chipping, and 3-putts.

 

Even now that you have decided on an iron set and put the other on EBay, tracking some more stats would allow you to identify where to focus your practice time. I like to use the Grint app for simple stat tracking.

 

Good luck, keep enjoying this wonderful game!

I also keep track of those stats as well. I tend not to have trouble off the tee nor on the green. My lost shots are approaches. Be it a poor strike or not taking the time to line up and aim correctly ( overconfident). Then I’m scrambling to save par , or worse. I dumped the other irons because I just dont have the time to invest in making them work. I’m a single father with a 4 year old. Between work and all that’s involved getting a little one squared away, I’m lucky to play once a week and practice about the same amount. Living in the Midwest , my golf season is short and if I go out early , it’s soggy wet and cold like today. My mishits are mitigated by the more forgiving set as opposed to a set that are more demanding of concentration. Today I was able to get out , bundled up , tight because of the cold, course was soggy .. I decided that although I do appreciate executing a shot with the other clubs, the feedback in my hands , the flight , etc. , when the elements , my swing , and all the other variables come into play , I’m just better off sticking with my PINGS

[Albatross71]

I say stick with the 900’s and work on your game, maybe even have your clubfitter recheck your fitting specs making sure everything really is the same. Mizuno specs are always different than everyone else. I have the 900 tours and the MP-18 blades, and there is really nothing like a Forged club. Play the 900’s and work on the game.

[OpgForce]

This is golfwrx...keep hoing and find out your preferred preferences. ie.) low offset, thin to medium top line, compact profile, etc...

[sdandrea]

I have a neighbor with an 8 handicap and rarely shoots over 80. He plays full hybrids all the way to his wedge. I'm talking SGI fat bottomed girls. He merely doesn't care what his bag "looks" like from an ego standpoint. I play SGI clubs to a 12 hc. I keep my Adams and PING G10 irons in the rotation. I still know I can hit a player's iron and play well, but not AS well as with the shovels. It's easier from the ego standpoint when yer a geezer like me and all your buds have shovels.