New Irons!

[ScratchSRL]

Hi Guys,

New to the forum, but not to golf, I have just posted my hello, coming back to golf after a year and half break, I was playing off scratch and am looking to get back to something similar. I am completely rebuilding the bag and will definitely be getting fitted.

My main predicament as I assume is most is the main sticks in the bag, the irons.

I have played with a few sets of irons, AP2's, CB's and most recently Nike Pro Combo Irons.

The main issue I have with the pro combo irons is they were badly fitted IMO, I am playing with X100's XP's and I am hitting the ball RIDICULOUSLY high, to the point where I could have a pint whilst waiting for a 4 iron to pitch.

I am looking at the X100 SL's due to a pro friends advice, who said the kickpoint is one of the lowest on the market,

Now comes to my main issue, I have pretty much decided on the Ping S55's they look amazing, and I feel give me the forgiveness for a set I will be using for the next couple of years whilst I try to get back to scratch. However have looked at the new CB's looked at the AP2's and a set of Mizzys;

So, are the S55's a good choice for someone playing off a low hcap looking to get it back to where it was?

Cheers

SRL

 

[Deleted member 15344]

What do you currently use

 

[nemicu]

Hi Guys,

So, are the S55's a good choice for someone playing off a low hcap looking to get it back to where it was?


SRL

in short - yes.

 

[ScratchSRL]

the last irons i properly used were the nike pro combos, cb 4-6 and blade 7-pw. With x100 xp shafts, but now im getting back into it with range practice, they just dont seem to fit the way i play, im striking really well but hitting it so high.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Are they the irons you used to get to scratch ?

 

[the_coach]

the last irons i properly used were the nike pro combos, cb 4-6 and blade 7-pw. With x100 xp shafts, but now im getting back into it with range practice, they just dont seem to fit the way i play, im striking really well but hitting it so high.

Thats more likely not down to the irons but that your adding extra loft through impact, so the club head is getting to the ball fractionally ahead of your hands, or the club head & your hands are reaching impact at the same time & the shaft is in line so more vertical. All these things add loft to the club face but if you strike the ball from the middle of the face it still feels like quite a reasonable strike.

Yet it means you get too much height (launch angle) straight from the face & it goes a ways too high. The harder you strike the higher it goes & not forwards so much, as your just upping the spin rate a good ways so the ball climbs, but you don't get good forward travel so you're losing a bit of distance, & there's no piercing trajectory on the flight to give you proper flight & distance.

You need to get more weight on your lead leg both coming into & through impact combined with the hips properly clearing left, so that allows your arms & hands the space to come through to get to the ball first with a forward leaning shaft. (ideal is forward leaning shaft with an iron of between 6º & 10º of forward lean)

Doing this will give you the trajectory, piercing flight & good distance without the extra unwanted height, whatever irons you are using.
Yes say MB or CB will give you a flatter trajectory than big game improvers but only if they are struck as outlined above with a good degree of forward lean in the shaft, because through impact you have your weight on your lead leg & your hips clear properly, from transition down, the lead foot leg & hip start the downswing sequence, the body turn arms & club follows.

The complete opposite of the takeaway where the shoulders arms & club start the move & the feet knees & hips follow going to the top of the backswing.

 

[fundy]

Hi Guys,

New to the forum, but not to golf, I have just posted my hello, coming back to golf after a year and half break, I was playing off scratch and am looking to get back to something similar. I am completely rebuilding the bag and will definitely be getting fitted.

My main predicament as I assume is most is the main sticks in the bag, the irons.

I have played with a few sets of irons, AP2's, CB's and most recently Nike Pro Combo Irons.

The main issue I have with the pro combo irons is they were badly fitted IMO, I am playing with X100's XP's and I am hitting the ball RIDICULOUSLY high, to the point where I could have a pint whilst waiting for a 4 iron to pitch.

I am looking at the X100 SL's due to a pro friends advice, who said the kickpoint is one of the lowest on the market,

Now comes to my main issue, I have pretty much decided on the Ping S55's they look amazing, and I feel give me the forgiveness for a set I will be using for the next couple of years whilst I try to get back to scratch. However have looked at the new CB's looked at the AP2's and a set of Mizzys;

So, are the S55's a good choice for someone playing off a low hcap looking to get it back to where it was?

Cheers

SRL

why if you are hitting it too high would you want a low kickpoint in the shaft? surely you want a higher kickpoint?

 

[fundy]

Thats more likely not down to the irons but that your adding extra loft through impact, so the club head is getting to the ball fractionally ahead of your hands, or the club head & your hands are reaching impact at the same time & the shaft is in line so more vertical. All these things add loft to the club face but if you strike the ball from the middle of the face it still feels like quite a reasonable strike.

Yet it means you get too much height (launch angle) straight from the face & it goes a ways too high. The harder you strike the higher it goes & not forwards so much, as your just upping the spin rate a good ways so the ball climbs, but you don't get good forward travel so you're losing a bit of distance, & there's no piercing trajectory on the flight to give you proper flight & distance.

You need to get more weight on your lead leg both coming into & through impact combined with the hips properly clearing left, so that allows your arms & hands the space to come through to get to the ball first with a forward leaning shaft. (ideal is forward leaning shaft with an iron of between 6º & 10º of forward lean)

Doing this will give you the trajectory, piercing flight & good distance without the extra unwanted height, whatever irons you are using.
Yes say MB or CB will give you a flatter trajectory than big game improvers but only if they are struck as outlined above with a good degree of forward lean in the shaft, because through impact you have your weight on your lead leg & your hips clear properly, from transition down, the lead foot leg & hip start the downswing sequence, the body turn arms & club follows.

The complete opposite of the takeaway where the shoulders arms & club start the move & the feet knees & hips follow going to the top of the backswing.

wow thats some assumption about a guy playing off scratch without seeing him swing a club or hit a ball

 

[Deleted member 15344]

wow thats some assumption about a guy playing off scratch without seeing him swing a club or hit a ball

Not a new thing for the forum

 

[ScratchSRL]

Sorry fundy, I meant high kick point. And to the comment about swing above, I'm pretty sure its not that. I will upload a swing video, I hit it pretty steep however I have never had this. I have been informed that the XP shafts aren't right for me, and if i want to get back down to scratch I would assume that my swing is going to stay near enough where it is, so I think custom fit is the way to go, however wanted some opinions on iron heads as local golf shops always seem to try and sell me titliest or callaway.

 

[Foxholer]

wow thats some assumption about a guy playing off scratch without seeing him swing a club or hit a ball

What? One suggestion? Followed by the-coach's usual clear, step-by-step approach of how to overcome it?

In my terms...Are you sure you aren't simply getting a touch too much behind the ball at impact?

@OP You are confusing me slightly. DG make XP shafts (XP95 and XP105s with the numbers indicating their weight) that are spec-ed for High flight, but there isn't an X100 version of these. SLs are spec-ed for low flight and do come in X100 so may well be a good fit. They are Tip Stiff and lighter than traditional/normal X100s (110gm cf 130). SLs spin more than traditional DGs. A Pro mate plays SL and his flight is a great penetrating one, but I'm sure he could do that with any shaft! I have a feeling your mate got it the wrong way around too. as Fundy says, Low Kick point => higher flight; high kick point ==> lower flight.

Have you considered that it might be the Range Balls that are causing the flight?

I'd suggest you do a bit of real golf with the clubs you know before spending cash on clubs that you don't! S55s are indeed clubs for you level, but why make the game harder! The Pro Combos are great clubs imo.

Finding a Fitter might be a good idea. And there's a lot more choice in shafts these days too. KBS C-Tapers or Tour-V might be alternatives as well.

Good Luck

 

[ScratchSRL]

Sorry no Idea where I got the XP from they are standard x100, I have been on a course with them swell and the guys that I play with find it hilarious, The pro combos are/were good for me, however I feel like getting properly custom fit and feeling ultra confident with the club in my hand will be the best bet, as these arent setup right for me, my ball striking has never been better, and its just ballooning, driver isn't, 3 wood isn't. I have to try and hit a punchy shot just to get a decent ish looking ball flight

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Short answer. Try before you buy. Go to a Ping fitter if you have your heart set on them and hit some, ideally on a monitor and a range so you can see the numbers and the actual flight. If you can go somewhere with a decent choice of shaft options then so much the better. Lovely looking clubs but a little beyond my playing ability (for now!)

 

[Snelly]

In answer to your question, I have tried the S55 Pings and they are nice but I preferred the i25 irons over them, notably because when fitted with the True Temper S300 shaft, they flew noticeably lower and a little further. The height reduction was crucial to my choice.

I would recommend going to the Ping workshops in Gainsborough so that you can try both heads with a broad range of shafts. I have just been through this process and it worked very well and the end result was excellent.

 

[ScratchSRL]

Cheers for the advice Snelly, the irons are the most important to me, so definitely worth it. Ill have a look into it, excited to go and hit a few different irons. Will probably end up going with something completely different.

 

[Foxholer]

Sorry no Idea where I got the XP from they are standard x100, I have been on a course with them swell and the guys that I play with find it hilarious, The pro combos are/were good for me, however I feel like getting properly custom fit and feeling ultra confident with the club in my hand will be the best bet, as these arent setup right for me, my ball striking has never been better, and its just ballooning, driver isn't, 3 wood isn't. I have to try and hit a punchy shot just to get a decent ish looking ball flight

Does seem like a job for a fitter/Pro! I've never heard of anyone ballooning X100s! Ping Gainsborough seems like the way to go - and they are more likely to be used to your sort of level requirements. I'd be willing to put a pound on you coming out with I25s though. The latest S5? (7?, 9?) are actually nice looking though, something I didn't think I'd ever be able to say about Pings!

 

[ScratchSRL]

I love the look of the s55's i25's aren't my bag from initial looks, its either going to be a chop and change of shafts in the nikes orrrr titleist cbs, orrrrrrrrr my preferred choice the s55's never had ping and i don't like the idea of changing club brands but they seem from reviews to be the best of the bunch so far. So many more to have a look at though!

 

[patricks148]

I bet you go for the Pings

 

[ScratchSRL]

I bet I do too!!!!

 

[ScratchSRL]

Guys, I will no doubt be selling my Nike Pro Combo Irons, really good nick X100 shafts, at some point, but can't list to the forum! And can't bare putting them on ebay, I want to know they are going to a good home! haha! Enjoying the forum so far by the way!

Cheers

SRL