Iron advice

[nmartyn]

Hi all - i'm stuck on which Irons to go for.

Callaway X-20's
Nike Slingshot 3d
Nike Sumo's

I'm a beginner so want a forgiving club - which looks half decent! these are the ones i've researched which fit the forgiveness category - which would you recommend (or any others i should consider?)

 

[TonyN]

Dont know about the other 2 but X20's are aimed at mid to low handicapper players and not really for beginners.

Have you had chance to try any cause really it should be the ones you hit the best!

If you want a forgiving club, have you considered Big Bertha irons instead of the X20's? They are aimed at higher handicappers/beginners and are alot more forgiving!

 

[RGuk]

X-20s...no comparison.

The reason is simple.....I've hit them all, and would say that X-20s are the best irons I've ever tried. If you are a beginner there's no better choice, apart from Big Berthas maybe, but once over the initial stages of learning X-20s will be OK.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I'd suggest the G10's if you are looking for a premium name. Otherwise you could look at the Nicklaus range (If you go to American Golf they will try and flog them to you anyway but thats another post!) or the Wilsons have good reviews. Other than that Mizuno are also well known for their forgiving clubs.

Basically the consenus on here is to try before you buy preferably on a range and not just in a bay in the shop. You need to be able to see how the ball flies and not just rely on a computer to tell you haow far and what direction you hit it.

As a beginner it is dependant on how badly you have been bitten by the golfong bug. You may want a middle priced set now to see how you get on and once you like the game and your handicap goes down look for a trade in and go for a better model (maybe custom fitted)

 

[TonyN]

Dave I was considering getting rid of mine!

Only if I found some others out there better than mine!

 

[theeaglehunter]

I would say x20s as well, I am not a huge fan of the Nike irons in general. Have you considered the Ping G10s? I think they are great. If you struggle to get the ball off of the ground though or something basic like that the big berthas Tony suggested would be a good idea. It depends how much of a beginner you are. What scores do you play to roughly, this will help us help you?

 

[nmartyn]

my iron play is pretty decent - my consistency lets me down i guess - especially with my driving and putting.
in terms of my average scores its hard to say, done 2 full rounds recently scoring 98 and 103 but i tend to play on a 9 hole course a couple of evenings a week scoring around 45.
i'll consider any club for most prices - just want to be confident that its a forgiving club which will aid my game but not too 'pro-like' that i'm going to struggle to connect cleanly.

 

[TonyN]

Any chance of you trying any clubs out anywhere?

 

[nmartyn]

i'm not sure - got a lesson this weekend, i'll ask my pro what he has for me to try but only a small shop/range at epping so not sure if he'll have many demo clubs.
i hit a few balls in american golf today - the nikes and the callaways but you can't really tell from that i guess.

 

[RGuk]

Dave I was considering getting rid of mine!

Only if I found some others out there better than mine!

No chance......at this end of the market it's all about what you like. i.m.o. there's very little between the top irons, but I have a soft spot for all things Callaway over Ping etc. although I prefer my G5 to my FT-3

 

[TonyN]

I hit a PW from the Taylormade Rac's yesterday (wash my mouth out in a min) and must say it was a lovely feel from a club that weighed less than mine.

I love my X20's and all things Callaway but some titleist irons seem tempting!

You really should try get to a fitting centre or atleast an AG with a range before you decide. Other tahn that if you cant, I would reccomend the X20's but dont write of the Big bertha irons. You should get last years set at a very decent price as the 08's are now on sale.

 

[nmartyn]

thanks all - looks like the x20's are edging ahead although i'll definately try to give them all a whirl on the range!

one more question - the custom fit option, what does this involve?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

From what you have said about your ability I'm fairly certain the X20's will be okay for you. The G10's will certainly get the ball in the air or if you are fairly ok with price I'd look at the R7's from Taylormade.

The secret is to shop around. If your pro hasn't got anything in try another club locally. As I said before and cannot stress enough you have to hit them outside to gauge the ball flight and the feel. They have to feel right, look right and most importantly fly right

 

[theeaglehunter]

custom fit is a must in my opinion and the majority of others. There are a few who disagree but I would go with the general trend and get it done- it is usually free so what have you got to loose. Just buy your clubs from a registered, reputable fitter.

There is quite a serious difference of opinion on here though, so hopefully an argument doesn't break out.

 

[TonyN]

Custom fit involves you spending abetween 45 mins to 1hr with a PGA approved fitting pro. If its a good centre. They will have a vector launch monitor which can tell you all sorts about how you strike a ball. Like backspin rpm, side spin rpm, distance your shots carried etc. Also the pro should have a wide selection of shafts, grips club heads etc and be able to build your perfect set of irons/ driver etc. He will measure you in all sorts of places and get the clubs built to suit you.

What I would recommend though is have a course of lessons first before you buy any kit as if your swing or set up need changing dramatically then after being fitted out, the clubs may not suit you.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

In its simplest form the custom fitting will involve measuring you to find out wheter your lie (the angle the club sits to the ground) is flat (toe of the club off the ground) or upright (heel off the ground). In either case the lie will then be modified.

The next thing will be to find the best shaft to suit your swing particularly your swing speed. There is a myriad of different shafts and flexes so I'm not going to go into detail other than in basic terms if you swing slowly you will want a shaft with a higher kick point (whippier in old money) and vice versa if you swing fast. This is only a generalisation. Make sure you try both steel and graphite if possible.

The other things that will get checked are the grip size (dependant on the size of your hands) and things via the computer like launch angle, ball speed, ball spin etc.

Again this is a very simplistic outline but you need to discuss it further with someone who knows what they are doing like a PGA pro. If you go to American Golf or similar try and get the manager to do the fitting and no some shop urchin who has only had the basic training

 

[TonyN]

Custom fitting is like buying a suit. If you want the something that best suits you, you go to a taylor and get fitted out properly, if not you ask ya maa to go to asda and pick one for you and hope it fits.

I support custom whole heartedly as When I bought my FT-I the pro proved to me the shaft was as unsuitable as possible, then gave me a different shaft to try in an FT-5 and the results where unbelieably better. He anylised my swing and it took him 3 or 4 mins to get the right one.

 

[welshjim22]

I would go and try some Callaway big bertha 08's instead of the x-20's i got a custom set in March having started playing in Feb. Now i am hitting the ball reasonable well for a beginner. They get the ball quite high very quickly. Similar in style to the X20. Highly recommended.

 

[wilf_74]

i think the x20 will be fine, forgiving, look nice, not too chunky and have growing room as u improve.

Just my humble opinion!

 

[nmartyn]

just been speaking to my local AG and they're going to do a deal on my Nike Sumo driver as a trade in on a new set of X-20's.... how much they offer me is another question but if i get more than £100 i'll be pleased.
only had it a couple of weeks and i'm a long way off having the balls to use it on the course so seems a sensible option