Ultra game improvement irons TEST.

[RGDave]

OK, so those of you that have nothing better to do than read and digest random typings on this forum might like to know how I've been getting on.

This could be a long one!

A while back, I decided to spend £200 (or less) on some ultra-super-cavity-highlaunch-easy-to-hit irons (in somewhat "Top Gear" style - with the money for my missus Birthday prezzie).

I have always wanted a set of Callaways (or maybe Pings ) that are supposedly designed to "enhance" the game of those of us not so gifted. I've avoided spending half a grand purely because in the old days I never had it, and these days I'd rather spend it on lessons or green fees.

So, with a set (3-SW) of Callaway X-18s, I have been prowling the fairways (well, the rough too ) with a set of not so shiny sticks. It has been a blast.....I have never enjoyed playing so much as the last month or so. My scores have been good (for me) and I'm still in the club pairs matchplay and will contest the semi-final in a while.

Decisions have been slow in becoming clear but I have learned a bit. I took 4 irons from each set to have a hit this morning and now need to make up my mind.

This is what I have to choose from

Mizuno MX-900s and Callaway X-18s.

and closer up

I have been playing on and off with both sets and have not struggled at all to whip one set out and stick the other in.

There is absolutely no question in my mind that the Callaways are the more reliable club in terms of results. They are straigher (actually, they only really DO straight - albeit straight left and right) and it's almost laughable how easy the ball gets up and on it's way. If you were to stick me a 5 iron distance from the green and say "choose an iron", then I'd take the X-18, every time, no argument.
However put me 100-150 from the green and say "choose a club" I would opt for the Mizunos. They feel nicer to set up to, the ball rises a tad and the flight is just lovely.

Distance-wise, the Mizunos win hands down. Flight wise, the Mizunos win hands down. Around the greens, the Mizunos win hands down. Shaping wise neither is great.
Bad shots are bad shots......(not that I play too many).
Good shots are good shots....(I play a few!)
Shots in-between are difficult to assess but there is ONE particular reason for choosing the Callaways - and that is when I miss the greens, I'm missing them MUCH closer. In turn, I'm then having better up and down chances - my scores with the Callaways have reflected this.

CONCLUSION.

For dodgy shots, the Callaway clubs are really tremendously forgiving. They manage to carry better and straighter off centre...so much so that it's impossible to ignore the benefits. On my way to a +5 gross the other day (on a long and tricky course), I got up and down SO many times. It's also interesting to note that when playing a longer course, I'm hitting longer irons into the greens and still have a fair chance of up n down, whereas with the Mizunos, I was used to pitching on as opposed to chipping.
The Mizuno irons are also a cavity GI club (as many will point out) but if you believe in the MPF ratings, then the MX-900s are classed as "conventional" with 501 as opposed to 1040 for the X-18s.

I really don't know which set to play with. I have always maintained that really good shots are made better with good irons. I think most of us would agree that "forgiving" clubs probably help to offer consistent return on less good shots.

Playing well (as I seem to be just now) then I think I would go with the Mizuno set. Playing less well, the Callaways seem unbeatable. I intend to use the Callaways for the semi-final and for Sunday's game. After that, it's vacation time for these bats. If my game falls apart, I'll swap back. If my game holds up - watch out in the for sale section.

Mostly, it's been fun. REALLY fun. Lots of golf, lots of good shots, lots of annoyingly straight irons.
Last 5 rounds under 79 including some truly memorable birdies. Long may it continue.

 

[Oddsocks]

Why not mix a set between both sets to make your ideal set.

 

[pokerjoke]

Glad to see your playing well and enjoying the game because thats really what its all about.I can see your dilema but the decision should be quite easy,your mind will tell you to go with the best looking the ones that look the best in your bag,your heart will tell you the ones you should be playing with,and as the saying goes follow your heart.

 

[stevek1969]

Good to hear your getting results Dave but at the end of the day the clubs don't know your handicap. The clubs you are using 2 of the guys i play with have exactly the same ,one plays of 3 and the other 5,the one of 3 swears by the Callaways bearing in mind he was scratch for a number of years,he says he's trying to make the game easier for himself, why stuggle with blades that are only good for spreading butter when you can have the Callways that make things easier.

At the end of the day a valid point by a good player,and maybe one that a lot more golfers should look at.

 

[Mike_j_golf]

If u dont need to sell a set why not use the Callies up to the 8 iron and the short irons from the muzinos I know a lof of the pros use a different club in there longer irons for the more forgivness why not u.
Mike

 

[Matt_B]

As a Mizuno player, I'd actually opt for the Callaways in this instance. But it comes down to whatever you feel comfortable with.

Or like someone else said, have a mixed setup so you get the best of both worlds. Callaways for the long game, Mizunos for the short game.

 

[RGDave]

Hey! Thanks for the replies (and bearing with me )

I talked to my pro about it and his opinion was that I should at least try a game with half and half. He said I should totally disregard any distance benefits (of course) and maybe use the short irons from the Mizuno set but if I'm getting on so well with the 7/6/5 Callaways, why not use them.

I'm still intrigued why I don't hit many left.....it wasn't so long ago that I was saying offset clubs were evil! The grips on the X-18s are a little too thick for me, so maybe that has a very small effect too.

I just can't wait to play again. It's amazing what a bit of confidence can do.

I appreciate your thoughts.

 

[kid2]

Hey Dave,
Why not just sideline the Mizzy's for 2 or 3 months and see what way your scores go.....If the callaways are more forgiving than the Mizzy's from a maltby standard there must be some reason that your playing well with them.....
Also not that im being nosey or anything but if you work long hours and get the odd nights crappy sleep before rounds and also have kids then the added forgiveness of the cally's will only help rather than hinder you.....

I know there are some on here that shun GI Irons saying that they prefer feedback on bad shots but why make the game any more harder than it has to be....Lets face it i dont think any of us are going to be pushing to get on tour in the near future......If your lucky enough to be playing 3 or 4 times a week then more power to those players.They can justify playing with blades or players irons and wanting the added feedback that they give.

As you said to me when i had the dilemma of changing from the players Irons....Use what will help you.....If the cally's are straighter and the dispersion is tighter then its a no brainer especially in summer conditions....

I know that my Cobra's have minimal offset on them but there rediculously straight also not that i ever try to shape the ball although one day i might but i get enough feedback from the S2's to let me know when iv not caught one out of the middle.

 

[RGDave]

Also not that im being nosey or anything but if you work long hours and get the odd nights crappy sleep before rounds and also have kids then the added forgiveness of the cally's will only help rather than hinder you.....

That'll be me.

I must admit, I had no warm up or anything before Wednesdays game. I kicked off with 5 pars followed by bogey then a birdie. I was amazed. Short game saved me t.b.h. but at least I was close enough to be chipping, not pitching.

I was 1 under for the 4 x par 5s. None of them were reachable for me, so wedge/9i/8i/wedge set that up nicely.
Played two of them 4 iron, 4 iron.....

I might have a go tomorrow with the Mizuno clubs - a quick back 9 at mine ought to reveal any issues.

Thanks!

 

[JustOne]

I'd go with the Callies..... or half/half if the yardages are consistent.

 

[GB72]

This is exactly why more companies should sell by the club rather than whole sets and integrate their ranges, after all even some pros opt for a more forgiving club for the longer irons. I suspect alot of us would suit game improver irons for the longer clubs, something less forgiving but with more feel and control for the shorter irons and a set of specialist wedges.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Dave,

Not wishing to throw a spanner in the works but do you not think that these good scores are more a result of a decent run of form following the work you've been doing on your swing and that in fact you would probably get the same results with a more "challenging" club without such a cavity.

Not looking to be contorversial but just ofering a different viewpoint

 

[RGDave]

Dave,

Not wishing to throw a spanner in the works but do you not think that these good scores are more a result of a decent run of form following the work you've been doing on your swing and that in fact you would probably get the same results with a more "challenging" club without such a cavity.

Not looking to be contorversial but just ofering a different viewpoint

No problem. I understand where you are coming from. I have been working hard on my swing, yes, and certainly the better form off the tee and short game has nothing to do with irons. As I said, the final decision has yet to be made.....and I guess this will ultimately depend on my next game with the Mizuno clubs, which won't be for a few days yet. However, I do feel very positive about the mid-irons in the Callaway set. It is hard (somewhat obviously) to judge the benefit of playing with a certain club over another when they are both GI irons. If missing a GIR but getting up and down seems to happen less often being further from the flag, I guess I need a measure to test this. My good shots were always good, it's the near misses that interest me.