Advantages of forged irons??

[splashtryagain]

Whilst playing today, a playing partner said his Mizuno irons were better because they were forged. It got me thinking that whilst forged and arguably better feeling surely this only comes into play once the shot has been struck. My pings feel fine, indeed proper strikes feel great and having played mizuno's in the past I can't tell a massive difference. Surely the feel elemant only comes into play once the ball has been struck, this means to me that feel could be an afterthought as my clubs tell me how I hit it wrong as well as the previous mps i used. This is not meant as an inflammatory post merely a conundrum that presented itself to me today (for some reason the wife appears uninterested in this!). What are your thoughts?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

There has always been heated debate about the pros and cons of forged v cast and playability and feel. Personally for the way I play it is neglibile and probably doesn't make a big difference. The only area I thin it would come into play would be in the short (8-PW) where feel comes more into the shot from a shotmaking perspective

 

[birdieman]

Forged is softer than cast hence the ball stays on the clubface marginally longer. That longer time on the clubface, it is argued, allows the player to shape shots more easily by imparting more fade/draw/back spin to the ball.
Conversely as more energy is absorbed in the collision there could be a slight loss of distance as the COR (purity of bounce) is less as energy is absorbed by the clubface/shaft/hands rather than to the ball.

Advantage of forged - more shot making ability
Disadvantage of forged - less distance on shots AND increased error if you hit it poorly - slice/hook etc.

 

[ScienceBoy]

Having just switched from cast to forged I have noticed a massive difference.

The distance thing has been sidestepped by getting superior shafts in the new clubs.

I now can stop anything up to a 5 iron where before every club above the PW had a fair bit of run.

I have also noticed the strikes feel purer and better, I get a lot more feel and feedback from the head.

Overall I think it has been a positive move, I am playing better as a result. Shots go higher and I have more confidence in going for greens from further out.

PS

I do hate it when people say "mine is better than yours" Everyone to their own in equipment, whatever makes you play best! Plus not everyone can afford the best, lets make this world better and keep our superiority complexes to ourselves.

 

[bigslice]

Having just switched from cast to forged I have noticed a massive difference.

The distance thing has been sidestepped by getting superior shafts in the new clubs.

I now can stop anything up to a 5 iron where before every club above the PW had a fair bit of run.

I have also noticed the strikes feel purer and better, I get a lot more feel and feedback from the head.

Overall I think it has been a positive move, I am playing better as a result. Shots go higher and I have more confidence in going for greens from further out.

PS

I do hate it when people say "mine is better than yours" Everyone to their own in equipment, whatever makes you play best! Plus not everyone can afford the best, lets make this world better and keep our superiority complexes to ourselves.

wot he said

 

[ScienceBoy]

wot he said

Pfft some people are so lazy...

 

[bigslice]

wot he said

Pfft some people are so lazy...

 

[splashtryagain]

So the switch to forged could yield more confidence (through feel and feedback) and better backspin? I have no trouble stopping a 5 iron with the ping i10 I have already and have not noticed a huge difference in spin levels between these and the mp33 I used to use, is this just me?. Is there really that much difference in the softness that a ball stays on the clubface longer? i ask because I have been considering a switch back to forged clubs (the source of this on course conversation) but on the other hand have been playing great golf with my cast clubs (typical golfer - more is never enough).

 

[ScienceBoy]

So the switch to forged could yield more confidence (through feel and feedback) and better backspin?

Could but depends on what you switched from.

A premium cast club is still a quality product and the differences might be slight.

A budget cast club cannot hold a candle to a forged club (where I moved from).

I would say that anyone with a good set of quality cast clubs such as the pings would see little difference and should stick with what they have.

If you want to part with the extra cash and want something that can also be bent to a new lie or loft (I am looking to adjust mine for lie if my pro says they need it and maybe bend the 3 more towards a 2 iron if I hit it well)

Mine were second hand, stock shaft, stock lie/loft and hardly used so were a steal at the price I paid. If I was buying new I would have gone cast without a doubt.

 

[Alex1975]

I dont think many people who play forged go back to cast, and although I made that up, Its pretty damning if its true

 

[Matty]

To be honest I reckon there's a lot of marketing bull in this.

If you change from cast to forged you are also most likely changing the club head design, the shaft, the grip etc etc. So, the 'direct' comparison isn't really fair.

That said, if someone 'feels' that their clubs suit them better then I respect that but forged will not suit everyone in terms of feels just as cast won't. That's why the 2 exist and why all the manufacturers exist with their different designs. There isn't one solution for all.

As already said, claiming 'my clubs are better than yours' is a futile argument -play what suits your game!

 

[splashtryagain]

Thanks scienceboy, i was fitted for my pings so from what you are saying there will be a negligible performance increase? Why would you have definately gone cast? they seem to cost (pings anyway) the same as forged clubs. I was looking at the KZG tour evolutions and have to be sure as they have the resale value of used uranium....

 

[ScienceBoy]

Why would you have definately gone cast?

Price generally, I think overall cast come out cheaper in the long run, I do not expect these second hand forged clubs to last long at all, maybe 3-5 years at best before they need some serious refurb as forged clubs dent and nick quite easily.

If I had been able to afford a quality new cast set I would have expected 5-10 years with them! I am not one to chop and change equipment unless it is necessary.

 

[Junior]

I switched from MP52's to I15's . . . .and no , before anyone says anythng, i do not suffer from incontinence

I can honestly say, even with decent shafts in the Mizuno's, i'm a club longer, with the pings, and don't notice any discernible difference in feel.

 

[JT77]

i have previously used mp60's and still have the 3 iron, which i really like. But I use tm r9tp which I believe are cast, my previous clubs tm tour preffs were also cast, and for me the difference was negligable. If there was such a discernable difference, then I guess the best players would all use forged clubs, but they dont, westwood still plays I10's for example.
I think it is all just down to personal preference. If I decide to change my irons again, would I go forged? maybe, but I think I would go for the one I struck the best and most consistant, forged or cast.

 

[MashieNiblick]

As a long time user of forged irons I'd say the chief advantages are

Feeling of superiority over those who use cast clubs
Ability to use phrases like "soft buttery feel" and "workable"
Clubs wear more quickly providing excuse to buy new ones more often

 

[The23rdman]

I dont think many people who play forged go back to cast, and although I made that up, Its pretty damning if its true

It's bullshit. There were tests done with all ranges of golfers from hackers to pros where they hit balls with a variety of clubs with earplugs in. As far as I recall either none or one or two could tell the difference. The forges effect is all about SOUND.

The idea the ball stays on the club longer is just silly.

I've gone back to MX15's from MX20's and MX23's as well as a host of other forged heads. The only advantage of forged is you can bend them. This is also a disadvantage on driving range mats - one of the reasons I changed. A good strike still feels lush with a good quality cast head.

Another example. I had MacGregor M455 irons, which are forged, but sounded very tinny and HARD when struck. Were they harder than my cast MX15's? Nope, but they SOUNDED it.