Have irons progressed much over the years?

[MarkE]

I've been playing a set of original Ping Eye irons(circa 1980 I believe) that I came across in the shed. Can't remember where I got them and had never used before. Anyway, they are lovely and apart from the very obvious weak lofts compared to modern sets they compare favourably.
So although Drivers, fairways' putters and balls are like chalk and cheese comparing old and new, irons seem pretty much stuck with very slow progress. Is this just the nature of irons in that theres only so much you can do to improve them?

 

[Hacker Khan]

I'm guessing the latest 7 iron from Ping probably goes about 15 yards further than one from the 1980s (for the average golfer) and offers a lot more forgiveness. So that's progress to me.

 

[MarkE]

No doubt, but the newer irons are a good one to one and half club stronger in loft. Just as an example, the Eye 9 iron is 46 degrees whereas most modern PW are 44 degree or less. I'm getting similar distances, loft wise as in a modern club. Possibly not quite as forgiving as modern offerings, but for 25 years of advancement, theres not much in it.
This is just an observation, i'm all for new shinies as the next person.:thup:

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I would say that the shafts will have change more significantly than head design. There has been a lot of work on peripheral weighting and so definitely more forgiveness but shafts are definitely better (certainly many are much lighter)