How often do people usually change clubs ?

[Boomy]

I have been watching a few videos on the new mizuno iron and was thinking about going for a fitting early next year. Would a forged iron feel noticeably better than the ping g425 because that’s why I dislike them, they go far enough but they feel horrible and firm. Also in one video the guy said there not proper forged irons, so what is classed a proper forged iron.

It might be worth googling and researching about forged irons and the differences. As I’ve commented I tried a game improvement iron years ago and they were big clunky looking things (like the G425 irons are in my opinion) but modern irons like the new Mizuno Pro, TaylorMade P790 have the forgiveness built into a lovely looking iron and much softer feeling. It’s can be a personal thing with feel as well, I have some PP’s that would hit a piece of lead on the end of a stick and not notice any difference, I do notice the feel so it is something I look for.

 

[Voyager EMH]

Whilst some of the big manufacturers claims will be nothing but blown up marketing patter, there is 100% no doubt in my mind that advances in Iron technology and design have made modern clubs more forgiving than 12/13 years ago let alone 20. The sweet spots are larger, thinner faces to improve impact off the face, heel & toe weighting etc (and generally in a lot more compact design) fundamental advances in design. Whilst the difference between the 2019 TaylorMade P790 might be nominal compared to the 2021 TaylorMade P790 the difference compared to a 20 year old Ping Eye 2 is worlds apart! If there hadn't been those advances along the way all of the staff players would still be using their trusty Ping Eye 2’s! We are seeing now some pro’s using 1/2/3 year old drivers/fairways/hybrid models which for them are better, but nobody is using 20 year old irons (or likely even 5 year old irons although I’m sure there’ll be an odd one…)
Also using one of those comparisons where a pro is hitting every club out of the middle as an example bears no resemblance to you’re average amateur comparing them. The Ping G400 driver is the most forgiving and longest driver I’ve ever used, and I’m getting older, not younger so it’s not down to me hitting it harder… or down to just the shaft.
Marketing patter is one thing to look past but genuine fundamental advances in design aren’t.

Did you mean 40 year old Ping Eye 2?
They came out in 1982, I believe. Bob Tway won 1986 PGA Championship with those.

 

[Boomy]

Did you mean 40 year old Ping Eye 2?
They came out in 1982, I believe. Bob Tway won 1986 PGA Championship with those.

Time flies when you’re having fun @VoyagerEMH ? I still think the 90’s was just a few years ago. In all honesty I’d not looked, I was more referencing the point of another poster who quoted them as being 20 year old and no different to a modern iron ?

 

[Imurg]

I have been watching a few videos on the new mizuno iron and was thinking about going for a fitting early next year. Would a forged iron feel noticeably better than the ping g425 because that’s why I dislike them, they go far enough but they feel horrible and firm. Also in one video the guy said there not proper forged irons, so what is classed a proper forged iron.

Many "Forged" irons are, but aren't.. .
Some parts of the head, either face, frame, hosel etc will be forged so that's how they can call it such.
The Mizuno 221 is forged - that's is made from a single bit of metal and hammered or squeezed into shape.
The 223 is mostly forged but from different metals and the 225 is partially forged.
Generally blades and muscle backs will be forged.
Many players distance irons are partially forged and have bits added so its not 100% the real thing.
Most of them still feel good though.
Most Pings and Callaways, certainly from a few years back, are seemingly made of one of the hardest substances known to the universe and rarely wear out.
Thats why they feel hard, even on a good strike.

 

[Hobbit]

I had a set of Ping S57 iron several years back. They lasted 3 months in my bag. Scored really well with them, my final round with them being a level par gross, but they were rock hard. There was so little feedback from them it was difficult to feel the difference between a good hit and a poor one, only the result giving it away.

 

[Foxholer]

I have been watching a few videos on the new mizuno iron and was thinking about going for a fitting early next year. Would a forged iron feel noticeably better than the ping g425 because that’s why I dislike them, they go far enough but they feel horrible and firm. Also in one video the guy said there not proper forged irons, so what is classed a proper forged iron.

The only 'proper' way you can decide what is best for you is to demo them - and decide based on your preferences (such as feeling hard being a definite negative - I'm the same).
Not sure what video/what clubs/what the guy was meaning describing those Mizzies as 'not proper forged', but he could be referring to the JPX range that is cast. They may also offer clubs (I'm not sure whether they do or don't) that are like TM790 where the only forged element is the face. The 'body' is actually cast - including the word 'forged'!

 

[Ye Olde Boomer]

I get a new set every eight to tens years, roughly. Twelve would be perfectly in line as well.

 

[Backsticks]

If there hadn't been those advances along the way all of the staff players would still be using their trusty Ping Eye 2’s! We are seeing now some pro’s using 1/2/3 year old drivers/fairways/hybrid models which for them are better, but nobody is using 20 year old irons (or likely even 5 year old irons although I’m sure there’ll be an odd one…)

If you follow that, you would have to agree that all the current clubs from all the manufacturers must be the same ? No golfer at that level is going to handicap themselves by not playing the best driver. Of course not. Yet they all play whatever they are paid to play - as they are all the same at the end of the day. But they arent going to be paid to pay 10 year old models. So they game the 'upgrade' (hell, I'm falling for the scam now) because because they are paid to - not because it is giving them something extra. But they also know it isnt harming their game. But is immaterial.

 

[Backsticks]

It might be worth googling and researching about forged irons and the differences. As I’ve commented I tried a game improvement iron years ago and they were big clunky looking things (like the G425 irons are in my opinion) but modern irons like the new Mizuno Pro, TaylorMade P790 have the forgiveness built into a lovely looking iron and much softer feeling. It’s can be a personal thing with feel as well, I have some PP’s that would hit a piece of lead on the end of a stick and not notice any difference, I do notice the feel so it is something I look for.

Feel is a cosmetic characteristic though, no more relevant to a clubs performance than it colour or swooshes and speed stripes and alignment aids. Which is not to say there is anything wrong with cosmetics. Some people value that and are will to pay, like having the latest seasons shirt. But performance is something else, and the blur between the cosmetic and the performance is where the club marketing works its magic.

 

[Backsticks]

Another interesting one from Crossfield here

Yes, interesting one thanks. A side issue in it, assuming he didnt get 'fitted' for the three used clubs, and did for his current gamer, is the uselessness of 'fitting'. They were just off the peg, and all three are the same, and would make no difference to his game whichever he bagged. Whatever about the old versus new, if there was anything in it, these three random clubs would have suffered for the lack of it. But didnt.

 

[Boomy]

If you follow that, you would have to agree that all the current clubs from all the manufacturers must be the same ? No golfer at that level is going to handicap themselves by not playing the best driver. Of course not. Yet they all play whatever they are paid to play - as they are all the same at the end of the day. But they arent going to be paid to pay 10 year old models. So they game the 'upgrade' (hell, I'm falling for the scam now) because because they are paid to - not because it is giving them something extra. But they also know it isnt harming their game. But is immaterial.

You’re argument falls short based on the fact that there are pros out there playing previous model drivers (I.e not the latest model) and also previous model fairways and hybrids due to them being better for their game. Bryson famously plays an older Cobra driver because it’s what fits his game. The other point which has been mentioned numerous times but you tend to skip passed is the fact that we are talking about irons on the OP - not drivers! and also you keep referencing pro’s…. which isn’t comparing the gains of an amateur. Stay on point, compare apples with apples ??

 

[Boomy]

Feel is a cosmetic characteristic though, no more relevant to a clubs performance than it colour or swooshes and speed stripes and alignment aids. Which is not to say there is anything wrong with cosmetics. Some people value that and are will to pay, like having the latest seasons shirt. But performance is something else, and the blur between the cosmetic and the performance is where the club marketing works its magic.

Feel is really important to me, I know that and understand that when I’ve chosen clubs. That’s all I need to know. It might be relevant for the guy asking the question too, so no harm in him finding out.

 

[Boomy]

Yes, interesting one thanks. A side issue in it, assuming he didnt get 'fitted' for the three used clubs, and did for his current gamer, is the uselessness of 'fitting'. They were just off the peg, and all three are the same, and would make no difference to his game whichever he bagged. Whatever about the old versus new, if there was anything in it, these three random clubs would have suffered for the lack of it. But didnt.

Again it’s a pro hitting clubs, he can say how they performed ‘for him’ but that bears no resemblance to the gains your average player would likely see playing newer versus older models. The pro has a much much higher chance of middling anything he hits… massive difference.

 

[Backsticks]

Again it’s a pro hitting clubs, he can say how they performed ‘for him’ but that bears no resemblance to the gains your average player would likely see playing newer versus older models. The pro has a much much higher chance of middling anything he hits… massive difference.

The average golfers issues come from poor shots that no nuance, even if it existed would save. The average golfer is not harmed by a club being 3 yards shorter or an extra yard dispersion. It is from cuts, slices, tops, etc that the size of a 'sweet spot' will have no influence on. Additionally, he is hitting it shorter than the pro, so any difference are proportionately less. If it doesnt help the pro, a club certainly isnt going to make the slightest difference to the average golfer.

 

[Backsticks]

The other point which has been mentioned numerous times but you tend to skip passed is the fact that we are talking about irons on the OP - not drivers! and also you keep referencing pro’s…. which isn’t comparing the gains of an amateur. Stay on point, compare apples with apples ??

Not skipping past it - the open specifically asks how often do people change clubs. NOT irons.

 

[Boomy]

The average golfers issues come from poor shots that no nuance, even if it existed would save. The average golfer is not harmed by a club being 3 yards shorter or an extra yard dispersion. It is from cuts, slices, tops, etc that the size of a 'sweet spot' will have no influence on. Additionally, he is hitting it shorter than the pro, so any difference are proportionately less. If it doesnt help the pro, a club certainly isnt going to make the slightest difference to the average golfer.

We are never going to agree on this so I’d rather not waste time going around in circles. The club doesn’t need to help a pro, that’s the point. The technological advances, however subtle will help a vast proportion of amateurs squeeze out an extra few yards and/or more importantly to keep the ball in play. I’ve seen it, for myself, with my game, as clubs have developed - I don’t need you tube videos to prove anything to me. It’s real, it’s happened for actual real.

 

[Boomy]

Not skipping past it - the open specifically asks how often do people change clubs. NOT irons.

A valid point, the OP does say clubs, but then goes on to highlight the G425 irons as his woods are fine.

 

[Crow]

I've probably played more sets of irons than most and I do have preferences, but they're not based on forged or cast or anything like that, my favourites are the ones that I like the look of the best.
That might sound flippant and away from the point but enjoying the look of the clubs in the bag is a big part of enjoying golf for me.

As for feel, some clubs do feel better than others, and again that's not down to if they're forged or cast.
Some cast clubs are made from far softer steels than forged ones so the "softness" of forged clubs is a bit misleading.
I'd say just about any modern club is going to feel good, you just have to choose the style of head that you want to play.

Some of my favourite feeling clubs are cast and some are forged but the difference is very small and more related to the design of the club than the softness of the metal.

 

[Foxholer]

I've probably played more sets of irons than most and I do have preferences, but they're not based on forged or cast or anything like that, my favourites are the ones that I like the look of the best.
That might sound flippant and away from the point but enjoying the look of the clubs in the bag is a big part of enjoying golf for me.

As for feel, some clubs do feel better than others, and again that's not down to if they're forged or cast.
Some cast clubs are made from far softer steels than forged ones so the "softness" of forged clubs is a bit misleading.
I'd say just about any modern club is going to feel good, you just have to choose the style of head that you want to play.

Some of my favourite feeling clubs are cast and some are forged but the difference is very small and more related to the design of the club than the softness of the metal.

I believe the concept of 'soft' has at least as much to do with the sound of strike as the actual hardness of the steel.
Totally agree about 'the look of the clubs'.

 

[Harley-D]

My forged mizunos come with "boron" included, so are clearly the best. I am never sure if that means Sasha Boron or not, but they make me laugh. I was intensly in love with them until i saw the taylor made p790,s but fortunately i cant afford them. We are all golf club harlots are we not