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For a while now I've wanted to try the new Mizuno MP-5 iron, and our pro rang me yesterday to say he'd managed to borrow one from somebody else's fitting cart with a PX5.5 shaft (which I wanted).

He'd also made up a couple of Ping clubs from his cart just for me to compare to. An i iron with PX6.0 (what I have now) and an S55 with a CFS Distance stiff.

So last night I hit a bucket of balls on the range swapping between the 4 different clubs (his 3 plus my own club).

I really wanted to love the MP-5 but didn't even prefer it over my own club. The best of the bunch - as far as you can tell from hitting 15 balls with each - was the S55. :eek:
I've no idea if it was the head or the shaft or a combination of both, but it just felt so nice to swing. After using it my own club felt heavy and clumsy in comparison.

I've never been drawn to Ping clubs, and to be honest have probably been biased away from them purely because of the looks of the ones that all my mates use, but I could definitely live with these. They look every bit as good as my MP-69's at address, and not overly fussy on the back like some other Ping models have been.

Just spoken to the pro and he's going to leave the S55 head, the tool and all the stiff shafts he has on the cart for me to go and have a play with tonight.

Anyone else use them, tried them, or have any opinions on the S55 or the CFS shaft?
 
Yes, and I really like the s55's and the Ping i series. The ones I tried had the Ping CFS stiff shaft and it felt really solid. Much more control than with the xp95 s300 shafts I have in my Apex forged. I'm not really technical, but the heavier club/shaft just felt much more solid and I didn't fight the left hand side as much (which has been my problem iron shot this season). To me, there was not that much difference in performance between the I series and the s55's. It was just hitting on the range at my club so I don't have numbers etc, but they both flew nicely. The s55's slightly lower if anything, Neither seemed more forgiving than the other.

Interesting that you didnt like the Mp 5's as that's one I had wanted to try, along with the Srixons 745's / 945's and AP2's.
 
Lump uses them. Worth having a chat with his as he was fully fitted for Titleist blades and weeks later went back for a set of S55.
 
love mine. Had them nearly 2 years now. No different to any other players iron IMO.
They are not "long" clubs with regards to distance but I love the feel and sound on a crisp strike.
 
Interesting that you didnt like the Mp 5's as that's one I had wanted to try, along with the Srixons 745's / 945's and AP2's.

Yeah, not sure why either.

My clubs have 125g shafts.
MP-5 had 115g
S55 had 109g

So both heavier and lighter felt better to me than the one in the middle. It was odd.
 
love mine. Had them nearly 2 years now. No different to any other players iron IMO.
They are not "long" clubs with regards to distance but I love the feel and sound on a crisp strike.

I don't particularly want long. Haven't got the space in the bag to fill another gap!

I see you play X flex. Do you remember what your 7 iron swing speed was?
Was there much of a decision between S and X?
 
I don't particularly want long. Haven't got the space in the bag to fill another gap!

I see you play X flex. Do you remember what your 7 iron swing speed was?
Was there much of a decision between S and X?
Was fitted on a 6 iron, from memory I think that was 92mph.
The X just felt better, even on an off day they don't feel too stiff. I would advise trying the X if your unsure the S will be stout enough. (CFS isn't strong to flex but has a lovely feel)
 
Not sure this helps but the new mp15 and mp25 didn't feel any better compared to the tm irons I bought, the 15 were by far better than the mp25 but no better than anything else really I was very disappointed. I wanted to try the ping as I liked the 56 but got drawn away to other things.
 
Gaz,

Have you ever heard the phrase if it ain't broke don't fix it :D
 
Well tonight I was a range monkey again.

Retried the MP-5 against my club, and it's close but I still think I prefer my own.

In the S55 I tried and wasn't overly keen on....
S300
PX6.0
NS Pro Modus3

Tried and quite liked....
XP95

Really liked....
CFS Distance
CFS

The last 2 I preferred hitting to my own club. Could be coincidence but I felt more slightly off centre strikes with mine, the majority of the Ping felt middled. Was the same last night.

So, I prefer the S55 with a CFS stiff shaft to my own club, but I'm not sure if it's enough of a difference to warrant buying a set, since I still like my clubs and play well enough with them.
 
So, I prefer the S55 with a CFS stiff shaft to my own club, but I'm not sure if it's enough of a difference to warrant buying a set, since I still like my clubs and play well enough with them.

I've hit the S55 a few times this year and really like them, preferred them to the Titleist and Callaways I've tried also. Would happily play with them.

Similar to you though I hit my current irons pretty well but i hate the orange on them so planning on a change over winter, as long as I don't give anything up.

Want to try the Fly Z + forged ones as I think they're the same as my current irons just without the Rickie Fowler orange all,over them! Probably decide between those and the S55.
 
So, I prefer the S55 with a CFS stiff shaft to my own club, but I'm not sure if it's enough of a difference to warrant buying a set, since I still like my clubs and play well enough with them.

Standing still is moving backwards....

Really though, it must be the cavity helping no? Or feeling that it's helping?

It would be interesting to know is the Ping with CFS swing weight much different to you MP 69. Let's say all things are equal performance wise, swing weight might be the factor in the feel good stakes. You can be fairly sure that total weight the Ping are lighter.
 
Standing still is moving backwards....

Really though, it must be the cavity helping no? Or feeling that it's helping?

It would be interesting to know is the Ping with CFS swing weight much different to you MP 69. Let's say all things are equal performance wise, swing weight might be the factor in the feel good stakes. You can be fairly sure that total weight the Ping are lighter.

I suppose knowing the cavity is there might give a bit of confidence, but after hitting a couple of iffy ones with mine I picked up the Ping half expecting a bad hit and it didn't come.

Since they're an old model now I'm struggling to find the specs for mine, but found an old review saying they were D3.
The Ping website says the S55's are D1.

That's probably why they feel nice as I'm not particularly strong and have sticks for arms.

Aaaarrrgggghhhhhhhhh. Don't know what to do. Might ask if I can take it on the course Sunday and compare it to mine in a real situation with decent balls.
 
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