theeaglehunter
Tour Winner
RE: Irons Dilemma- the decision.
Firstly thanks to all of those who replied to my post yesterday seeking help on whether to buy the Mizuno MX-25s or the Ping G10s both of which I hit equally well and were available custom fitted for a similar price. The decision was unanimous and in strong favour of the Pings, one of the sets I was hoping to find I hit well at the start of my iron purchasing process. Also apologies for what is probably going to be a fairly long post, only read it if you are interested
, and if you simply want to see my decision just scroll down to the bottom and read the final paragraph.
I went back to my pro today and talked it over with him for a while, and he said that whilst he accepts that I hit them both equally well, if he was in my shoes he would opt for the Pings, but he was keen to stress that the decision had to be on what I felt comfortable / confident with. He then granted me permission to take out onto the course a demo 6 iron in both the G10 and MX-25 (both in my suitable specification) for further testing. The weather however was noticeably deteriorating so I only played one hole (having been using both on the range and still not being able to tell them apart)which was the opening par 5 and I decided that as it was quiet I would play the whole hole (apart from putting) with the respective 6 irons, using a different ball for each, so therfore playing two balls at once. My tee shot with the G10 was definitely better than the mizuno flying with a beautiful draw flight (my prefered shape) straight onto the middle of the fairway about 160 yards down. The mizuno however was hit with more of a fade (possibly due to the fact that the clubs are less offset)but still ended up just short of the 160 mark as it ran out much longer than the almost instantly stopping Ping, but despite this felt much less comfortable than the Ping. (G10 1, MX-25 0)
As I walked up the fairway clutching just the two 6 irons and my putter I tried to look at the asthetics of the two clubs and decided in this short space of time that the Mizunos looked much better upclose viewing the faces, but at adress the MX-25 only just pipped the Ping for me. Onto my second shots. I played the Mizuno first and was delighted as a third great swing reeped the results of another great shot, this time flying dead straight and finishing up about 155 yards away. Onto the Ping and gaining a lot of confidence I adressed the ball with the club and seemed to subconciously try and hit it harder and duffed the shot about 100 yards into the right hand rough due to forgetting my swing thoguhts and simply trying to rip it. (Despite it being my error it had to be Mizuno 1, Ping 1 at this stage)
For my third shot with the Ping I was about 225 yards away from the green still, and in a fiarly nasty lie in the rough. Something I was not dissapointed with as it gave me a chance to test the club in a situation which it would most probably be used a lot should I go on to buy it. I therfore decided to try and hit it out onto the fairway about 150 yards up, taking a distance punishment for going into the rough. I therfore relaxed and unoptimistically swung the club. The result was astounding the ball flew much better than an iron shot out of the rough ever has for me and the ball settled just past the fairway mark I was aiming for up the fairway, and I was ecstatic at this result. Onto the Mizuno and I was again feeling confident for the shot having seen the true 'power of 10' out of the rough. I set up to the ball attempting to make sure that I didn't repeat my previous duff with the G10s when I was on another high and foucsed on my swing thoguht, only to find that the slight downhill lie resulted in me hitting it fat and the ball despite staying straight preceeding on a scuttling run down the fairway about 30 yards. (I had now hit a bad shot with each club a bit to my anoyance as they were both gonig like a dream on the range, but it was again due to my error -I think- but I had to be fair and made the mental score 2-1 to the Ping)
My fourth shot, and what would be my shot into the green, with the two clubs seemed a pretty simple task with the mizuno which was about 140 yards away, however I was not fancying playing a 75 yards pitch with my G10 6 iron. I strolled up to the ball which I was using for the Mizuno set up to it, took a practice swing, and having decided that a smooth 3/4 swing would be sufficient to travel the distance to the flag I made my stroke quite confident that the resulting should be good. I was very happy with the strike and found that the forged feel of the Mizunos was certainly superior to the Pings (Had to give the Mizzies another mental point for this and the score became 2-2)and the shot got up and away and seemed to be going quite well, and I'm not sure why but it ended up short of the green on the front fringe, again not something which bothered me however as it would give me a chance to play a chip shot with the club. My fourth shot with the Pings seemed a much more difficult propisition and I decided that as it was simply a test of the two clubs I would try a shot that I would not normally attempt, which would be a choked down punch shot into the green. I played it remarkably well and the ball still went off on what seemed to be a penetrating flight however the lack of power required meant that the ball was falling before I could really judge this. The ball bounced however and carried on towards the green and took a further two bounces before reaching the putting surface, on which it would run nicely up a gentle slope to a point around 15 ft from the hole. (a better shot was made with the Pings and it was therfore 3 points to 2 in favour of the G10s, but the MX-25s had one chance left to redeem itself with the upcoming chip, slightly unfair I know as it would be getting an extra shot but I had to play onto the green using that club and the Pings were winning anyway)
I played the chip shot and it was pretty reasonable from the distance it was, and finsiehd about 6ft from the cup. Meaning the jobs were done for the two 6 irons and although I felt the Mizunos didn't deserve a point for the chip shot as it was not spectacular, they could still gain a point if my <u>PING</u> putter would behave better for them than the G10s. I however two putted with the ball that the Pings punch shot had left about 15 ft away meaning the Ping was in for a 6 on a hole which I usually play in about 7 (6 sometimes, and 5 on a good day) when I have my full set of clubs. The putter also two putted for the Mizunos (bluddy ran around the rim thoguh didn't it) meaning that that ball was in for a 7. A score I was again pretty happy with but one which was not good enough to defeat the Ping, which had become my favourite ever since the shot from the right hand rough which was absolutely exquisite in my opinion, meaning that the G10 ran out a 4-2 winner in my silly little mental battle.
There is no doubt in my mind that it was the shot from the rough which did win it for the Pings as from that stage, despite trying my upmost to stay impartial, I sort of wanted the G10s to run out as winners. And that is exactly what they did meaning that my mind was made up; I had hit both clubs equally well, but you wise forumers had reccomended the Pings and the G10s had indeed run out as winners meaning that when I got back to the proshop I had the results 2-1 in favour of the Pings in my overall testing process. I therfore placed my order for a set of G10 irons from 5-SW, fully custom fitted to my specification, with a decision still to be made upon which hybrids i will buy to compliment them. Possibly the G10s themselves to make a nice set, or maybe something else. I will decide this within the next week. But my process was completed and I had bought myself some new fully fitted irons. I was thoroughly filled with a mixed feeling of elation and anticipation after making the purchase, similarly to my feelings now as I wait to collect my order from my pro.
For those of you who didn't want to read my most probably considered needless waffle (there I go again) I bought the G10s over the MX-25s and hope I live to appreciate my decision.
Firstly thanks to all of those who replied to my post yesterday seeking help on whether to buy the Mizuno MX-25s or the Ping G10s both of which I hit equally well and were available custom fitted for a similar price. The decision was unanimous and in strong favour of the Pings, one of the sets I was hoping to find I hit well at the start of my iron purchasing process. Also apologies for what is probably going to be a fairly long post, only read it if you are interested
, and if you simply want to see my decision just scroll down to the bottom and read the final paragraph.I went back to my pro today and talked it over with him for a while, and he said that whilst he accepts that I hit them both equally well, if he was in my shoes he would opt for the Pings, but he was keen to stress that the decision had to be on what I felt comfortable / confident with. He then granted me permission to take out onto the course a demo 6 iron in both the G10 and MX-25 (both in my suitable specification) for further testing. The weather however was noticeably deteriorating so I only played one hole (having been using both on the range and still not being able to tell them apart)which was the opening par 5 and I decided that as it was quiet I would play the whole hole (apart from putting) with the respective 6 irons, using a different ball for each, so therfore playing two balls at once. My tee shot with the G10 was definitely better than the mizuno flying with a beautiful draw flight (my prefered shape) straight onto the middle of the fairway about 160 yards down. The mizuno however was hit with more of a fade (possibly due to the fact that the clubs are less offset)but still ended up just short of the 160 mark as it ran out much longer than the almost instantly stopping Ping, but despite this felt much less comfortable than the Ping. (G10 1, MX-25 0)
As I walked up the fairway clutching just the two 6 irons and my putter I tried to look at the asthetics of the two clubs and decided in this short space of time that the Mizunos looked much better upclose viewing the faces, but at adress the MX-25 only just pipped the Ping for me. Onto my second shots. I played the Mizuno first and was delighted as a third great swing reeped the results of another great shot, this time flying dead straight and finishing up about 155 yards away. Onto the Ping and gaining a lot of confidence I adressed the ball with the club and seemed to subconciously try and hit it harder and duffed the shot about 100 yards into the right hand rough due to forgetting my swing thoguhts and simply trying to rip it. (Despite it being my error it had to be Mizuno 1, Ping 1 at this stage)
For my third shot with the Ping I was about 225 yards away from the green still, and in a fiarly nasty lie in the rough. Something I was not dissapointed with as it gave me a chance to test the club in a situation which it would most probably be used a lot should I go on to buy it. I therfore decided to try and hit it out onto the fairway about 150 yards up, taking a distance punishment for going into the rough. I therfore relaxed and unoptimistically swung the club. The result was astounding the ball flew much better than an iron shot out of the rough ever has for me and the ball settled just past the fairway mark I was aiming for up the fairway, and I was ecstatic at this result. Onto the Mizuno and I was again feeling confident for the shot having seen the true 'power of 10' out of the rough. I set up to the ball attempting to make sure that I didn't repeat my previous duff with the G10s when I was on another high and foucsed on my swing thoguht, only to find that the slight downhill lie resulted in me hitting it fat and the ball despite staying straight preceeding on a scuttling run down the fairway about 30 yards. (I had now hit a bad shot with each club a bit to my anoyance as they were both gonig like a dream on the range, but it was again due to my error -I think- but I had to be fair and made the mental score 2-1 to the Ping)
My fourth shot, and what would be my shot into the green, with the two clubs seemed a pretty simple task with the mizuno which was about 140 yards away, however I was not fancying playing a 75 yards pitch with my G10 6 iron. I strolled up to the ball which I was using for the Mizuno set up to it, took a practice swing, and having decided that a smooth 3/4 swing would be sufficient to travel the distance to the flag I made my stroke quite confident that the resulting should be good. I was very happy with the strike and found that the forged feel of the Mizunos was certainly superior to the Pings (Had to give the Mizzies another mental point for this and the score became 2-2)and the shot got up and away and seemed to be going quite well, and I'm not sure why but it ended up short of the green on the front fringe, again not something which bothered me however as it would give me a chance to play a chip shot with the club. My fourth shot with the Pings seemed a much more difficult propisition and I decided that as it was simply a test of the two clubs I would try a shot that I would not normally attempt, which would be a choked down punch shot into the green. I played it remarkably well and the ball still went off on what seemed to be a penetrating flight however the lack of power required meant that the ball was falling before I could really judge this. The ball bounced however and carried on towards the green and took a further two bounces before reaching the putting surface, on which it would run nicely up a gentle slope to a point around 15 ft from the hole. (a better shot was made with the Pings and it was therfore 3 points to 2 in favour of the G10s, but the MX-25s had one chance left to redeem itself with the upcoming chip, slightly unfair I know as it would be getting an extra shot but I had to play onto the green using that club and the Pings were winning anyway)
I played the chip shot and it was pretty reasonable from the distance it was, and finsiehd about 6ft from the cup. Meaning the jobs were done for the two 6 irons and although I felt the Mizunos didn't deserve a point for the chip shot as it was not spectacular, they could still gain a point if my <u>PING</u> putter would behave better for them than the G10s. I however two putted with the ball that the Pings punch shot had left about 15 ft away meaning the Ping was in for a 6 on a hole which I usually play in about 7 (6 sometimes, and 5 on a good day) when I have my full set of clubs. The putter also two putted for the Mizunos (bluddy ran around the rim thoguh didn't it) meaning that that ball was in for a 7. A score I was again pretty happy with but one which was not good enough to defeat the Ping, which had become my favourite ever since the shot from the right hand rough which was absolutely exquisite in my opinion, meaning that the G10 ran out a 4-2 winner in my silly little mental battle.
There is no doubt in my mind that it was the shot from the rough which did win it for the Pings as from that stage, despite trying my upmost to stay impartial, I sort of wanted the G10s to run out as winners. And that is exactly what they did meaning that my mind was made up; I had hit both clubs equally well, but you wise forumers had reccomended the Pings and the G10s had indeed run out as winners meaning that when I got back to the proshop I had the results 2-1 in favour of the Pings in my overall testing process. I therfore placed my order for a set of G10 irons from 5-SW, fully custom fitted to my specification, with a decision still to be made upon which hybrids i will buy to compliment them. Possibly the G10s themselves to make a nice set, or maybe something else. I will decide this within the next week. But my process was completed and I had bought myself some new fully fitted irons. I was thoroughly filled with a mixed feeling of elation and anticipation after making the purchase, similarly to my feelings now as I wait to collect my order from my pro.
For those of you who didn't want to read my most probably considered needless waffle (there I go again
) I bought the G10s over the MX-25s and hope I live to appreciate my decision.
