Replacing my irons - Titleist or TaylorMade

[Mike79]

I got my Titleist 755 irons back in 2007. They were bought after a fitting and ended up with standard loft/lie/shaft in R flex, so basically an off the shelf set

Played well with them over the years (got to single figures in 2008) but I’m not playing anywhere near as regular now (playing around 16 hcp now - old money hcp!) so a change is on the horizon after 14 years in the bag

Was looking at something more forgiving, and was hunting down the T300 but have seen some good reviews (and prices) for the TaylorMade Sim Max (last model).

Anyone with experience between the 2? Is the T200 more comparable to the Sim Max?

Appreciate what I need to do is contact a local driving range and ask for a fitting with both sets in mind, but just asking to see if others had any thoughts on them.

 

[Ethan]

The T200 is a players distance iron. Should suit a decent player who wants to get a bit more distance, but that distance mostly comes from jacked lofts, e.g. PW 43*.

The Sim Max is a modern style engineered club designed for distance too. Lofts are quite strong here too PW 43.5*.

Your 755 has a 47* PW, so basically a club weaker.

If I was you, I would go to a decent pro and ask for some recommendations. There are lots and lots of nice clubs around, Srixon, Ping, Mizuno, Callaway etc and lots of models and you might find that the initial fun of hitting the ball a club like the Sim Max further gives way to being annoyed at the gap in the short iron end of the bag and the odd hot shot that leaps off the engineered face of the clubs.

Also, be open to the idea of a blended set, longer irons in a more forgiving model, shorter in a more players iron. Srixon do these nicely.

 

[KenL]

Have you considered Ping G425?

 

[Mike79]

Have you considered Ping G425?

Hadn’t looked at them but will likely spend some time trying out various sets to see what is best. Always feel I’m wasting someone’s time doing that though, even if I buy a set from them

 

[clubchamp98]

Hadn’t looked at them but will likely spend some time trying out various sets to see what is best. Always feel I’m wasting someone’s time doing that though, even if I buy a set from them

Ping i210 is a lovely club. But heard ping have a new one coming out soon very similar
The G425 is a bit more GI I had trouble with them around the greens chips etc.
Any club of that style now is good just need the correct shaft .
Try as many as you can

 

[casuk]

Hadn’t looked at them but will likely spend some time trying out various sets to see what is best. Always feel I’m wasting someone’s time doing that though, even if I buy a set from them

Don't think that way your spending upwards of £1000 for a set be certain you like them and they work for you loads of good choices available

 

[anotherdouble]

New titleist T series due out September/October

 

[gopher99]

Have you looked at the Mizuno 921 hot metals, there are plenty of iron sets out there to try. Don’t just limit yourself to a couple of brands, i never thought I would play a taylormade driver ever but it gave me the best performance of all the drivers I tried out.

 

[Pin-seeker]

The SIM irons aren’t very easy on the eye IMO.
They’d have to be really good for me to consider them.

 

[jim8flog]

If you like forged and are still happy with bladed shorter irons give Mizuno some thought.

They allow mix and match sets and charge per iron.

Do check lofts though and do not just go by the iron number the 7 iron in one set is not the same in another of their sets.

 

[jim8flog]

Have you considered Ping G425?

I have been looking at various clubs lately I discounted them on the basis of sole width. in much the same way I discounted Ping Eye 2s many years ago.

 

[KenL]

I have been looking at various clubs lately I discounted them on the basis of sole width. in much the same way I discounted Ping Eye 2s many years ago.

Does a slightly wider sole not make them easier to hit more consistently? I'm a decent ball striker (index 3.8) and am definitely hitting these better than my old i25.
The long irons are longer but the shorter irons not so much.

 

[jim8flog]

Does a slightly wider sole not make them easier to hit more consistently? I'm a decent ball striker (index 3.8) and am definitely hitting these better than my old i25.
The long irons are longer but the shorter irons not so much.

I recently was trying out an old set of I25 irons and and put them back up for sale for the reasons given.

I suppose it depends on what type of ball striker a player is and the type of turf. When I asked at the pro shop about G425s the pro , who knows my game quite well having played together often, simply said they would not suit me due to the sole width.

 

[Wilson]

New titleist T series due out September/October

With the current lead times on new irons, I'm waiting until then to get new clubs.

 

[Beezerk]

Have you looked at the Mizuno 921 hot metals

^^^this^^^

 

[Mike79]

Thanks for the comments - I've had a look into some more of the reviews out there, and the majority are all focused on distance and launch monitor stats - very few talk about how the clubs perform on the course. I am generally ok off the tee (typically 270ish yards), so 2nd shots tend to be 7 iron or less so I'm probably not going to benefit from a strong 7 iron which is the equivalent to my current 5 iron, which would leave me with gaps in the shorter game section of my bag.

Will have a scout about and as suggested, arrange a chat with a fitter at a local pro shop. I guess I am not necessarily looking for more distance (but won't say no!), but am looking for more forgiveness and perhaps a higher ball flight to help stop the ball quicker.

 

[Mike79]

^^^this^^^

...not yet, but seem to be worth a try

 

[sweaty sock]

Its difficult not to drop back to the 'get fit' answer. But particularly if you plan to keep the oronsfor 14 years again,why wouldn't you?

The T200's are much better than the sim max, imo. And given the age, your 755s will likely have DG R300s . So the move to 85 gram kbs's in the sim max would be jarring...

 

[Mike79]

Its difficult not to drop back to the 'get fit' answer. But particularly if you plan to keep the oronsfor 14 years again,why wouldn't you?

The T200's are much better than the sim max, imo. And given the age, your 755s will likely have DG R300s . So the move to 85 gram kbs's in the sim max would be jarring...

Tri-Spec steel shafts in the 755 irons

 

[sweaty sock]

Yeah, so the regular tri spec will be about 25% heavier than the stock Sim max, and the sim max 7 iron has 28.5 degrees loft compared to your current 35 degrees.

Unfortunately for you, you're looking to replace a quality players forged cavity back, which in my view the Sim max will never keep up with...