What class of irons do you use

[Hendo007]

I use Nike VR cavity back Irons at the moment (Rick Garg castoffs a couple of years ago), My handicap is now sitting at 10.9.

I am of the opinion that I will stick with these "beginners" clubs for another season or 2 depending how it goes, but really until I get into a safe single figures. I will then look to move up from the cavity backs to more "better persons" clubs.

So my question is more for a general picture as to what everyone uses,

Classing Irons in the following way,

Pro irons - Blades etc
Inter Irons - split cavitys/combo sets.
Beginner irons - Cavity backs/game improvement clubs.

What handicap are you and what category of club do you currently use ?
Do you think my idea of changing when I get to single figures is correct or should I be looking at changing sooner ?

Whats your thoughts ?

 

[G1BB0]

Calaway X Tour forged, cavity back but not mega chunky so a more inbetween club. Suited to my h/c probably not but I hit x forged decently recently although wouldnt want to take them on the course lol

I did have a set of i10/G10 combo last year but couldnt get on with the different look between the 2 at address so not sure I would want a combo set personally.

I have promised myself to get custom fit if I get to 15 or less but would still want some forgiveness so chances are I will never own a blade iron.

 

[ScienceBoy]

I think irons are far less defined than how you have described, clubs fall less into distinct "classes" but more of a mixture of descriptions.

I really dont like the word "class" as really the right club is the club you score well with, the "handicap range" is just a guide and not set in stone. Sometimes a little help is needed getting the right graphite shaft, especially in the Driver and 3 wood.

I had only been playing 10 months when I moved to my MP-57s, they were a great club but really I could have got better with anything from a SGI to a muscleback as the clubs I had before were awful! The thing is I like my MP57s and they inspire me, few other clubs did.

If your clubs got you to single figures I would strongly advise against changing unless your coach said something or you saw a set that would inspire more confidence than your current set.

 

[Tiger]

I don't understand this. The most important things in iron play are consistency, accuracy and distance. I wouldn't change my irons unless I got improvements in those areas. Why buy a better players club just because your handicap has come down? Surely if the irons you have are good enough to get you down to single figures you should keep them. That said if you find a new set that could help you play better go for it. But your decision making shouldn't be based on the style but on the performance!

 

[Robobum]

I don't understand this. The most important things in iron play are consistency, accuracy and distance. I wouldn't change my irons unless I got improvements in those areas. Why buy a better players club just because your handicap has come down? Surely if the irons you have are good enough to get you down to single figures you should keep them. That said if you find a new set that could help you play better go for it. But your decision making shouldn't be based on the style but on the performance!

Listen to this man.

 

[MadAdey]

I do not think anyone should have a certain type of club just because of the handicap they play off. You should use the best clubs for you.

I have decided to give a set of blades a try for the winter, just out of curiosity. Always tried blades when buying new clubs but always bottled it and went for cavities instead. So far so good, hitting them really well. Going to get my pro to fit them for me this week as they are a bit short for me.

 

[Oddsocks]

Current hacking with tm tp cb, which I think are aimed at 18-10 cappers, ideally would like a mc/mb combo set but my iron play isn't consistent enough to game the change that my ego wants.

What's interesting is the 8i in my fandango shiny set goes the same distance, with the same flight as a 20 year old bladed 8i that just one got out a skip...... It's becoming clear that shiney clubs aren't as important as a solid swing!

 

[HughJars]

I don't understand this. The most important things in iron play are consistency, accuracy and distance. I wouldn't change my irons unless I got improvements in those areas. Why buy a better players club just because your handicap has come down? Surely if the irons you have are good enough to get you down to single figures you should keep them. That said if you find a new set that could help you play better go for it. But your decision making shouldn't be based on the style but on the performance!

Listen to this man.

exactly.

The worst buying decisions of some golfers is letting their ego get in the way of playing the right gear for them. The "I should play 'club X' because it's for 'x' type of player".

If your current clubs are seeing you continually improving, why on earth would you change them for a harder to hit club?

 

[duncan mackie]

What Tiger says

In addition you probably need to look a little more closely at what the top pro's play, let alone the vast majority of competing pro's round the world use day in and day out.

The primary characteristics were more around off -set (but this is starting to get a little confused as club makers are now providing huge transitions across the 'set') and launch angles (CG) but again this is starting to become complicated with increasing variation in weighting, loft and shaft length. The one that does remain is 'compact heads'.

Given that they provide the club head speed, the pro's will select shafts on dispersion (control and consistency) and feel over power.

EDIT - I took too long typing (as I was watching Paul L ... ) and Hugh has said it better!

 

[Hendo007]

Listen to this man.

So what your saying is that there is no difference between the types of clubs then ? Surely there is an advantage to being able to hit a "better players" (for want of a better description) club ? If not then whats the point in them and why do all the pro's not just user game improvement clubs ?

P.S. this thread was really just for a "general overview" of what people use not so much as a request for guidance on changing my clubs.

 

[bigslice]

i play mizzy mx200 think they are game improvement clubs, they suit my eye. got a mp62 6 iron and its a smaller head and doesnt suit my eye (doesnt give me confidence) although ive only hit once and NAILED IT to 10 feet). ive had my irons 4 seasons and in the process of changing the shafts to stiff and probably not change irons for at least another 4 seaons.
my understanding is that GI clubs have more forgiveness and desingned to get it up in the air and straight. better class of clubs the player has to work at it, but can work the ball more due to this.
some of the mizzys cross between the two and cud be a route to go.

 

[ScienceBoy]

So what your saying is that there is no difference between the types of clubs then ?

We are saying that different clubs suit different players, different courses and different approaches to the game. Ability is one factor but if you get your full enjoyment and you are improving with a set there is no need to change.

If I was to look at new clubs now it would be everything from SGI to blades, I will pick the ones which give me the best performance AND inspire confidence.

 

[LanDog]

I play quite a strange setup. JPX in the 4,5,6 and then MP-32s in 7,8,9,Pitch. I like this because I have the assurance of the JPX's forgiveness but I still get the playability of the MP-32 in the shorter sticks

 

[Tiger]

So what your saying is that there is no difference between the types of clubs then ? Surely there is an advantage to being able to hit a "better players" (for want of a better description) club ? If not then whats the point in them and why do all the pro's not just user game improvement clubs ?

P.S. this thread was really just for a "general overview" of what people use not so much as a request for guidance on changing my clubs.

What I'm saying is this better player club stuff is a nonsense. You might already have the best iron set for your game. Westwood uses i20s, Mannassero uses AP2s and that's just two examples. If you decide to look at changing clubs I'm saying forget about style and concentrate on which ones you strike most consistently, hit most accurately and offer suitable amounts of distance. In the Titleist range this may mean you are better off with AP rather than CB or MB

 

[ScienceBoy]

I play quite a strange setup. JPX in the 4,5,6 and then MP-32s in 7,8,9,Pitch. I like this because I have the assurance of the JPX's forgiveness but I still get the playability of the MP-32 in the shorter sticks

Sensible to me, pick the clubs which give you confidence.

 

[LanDog]

Sensible to me, pick the clubs which give you confidence.

Yep that's it.

 

[StrangelyBrown]

I'm playing jpx800 irons, which (in my opinion) are the least shovel-y looking game improvers that were on the market at the time. I think they're great clubs and I can't see me changing any time soon, even if I do take ten shots off of my handicap next season.

 

[One Planer]

I don't understand this. The most important things in iron play are consistency, accuracy and distance. I wouldn't change my irons unless I got improvements in those areas. Why buy a better players club just because your handicap has come down? Surely if the irons you have are good enough to get you down to single figures you should keep them. That said if you find a new set that could help you play better go for it. But your decision making shouldn't be based on the style but on the performance!

Listen to this man.

I'm going to agree with Tiger and Robo.

At the start of this season, I was playing Taylormade R7 GI irons and I loved them. If you look back over some of my threads from the start of the year, I said it would take something special to get them out of my bag. My handicap at the start of the season was 18.3, and if I'm being honest was struggling to play to it. In the first 2 comps' I went 0.1 back each time taking me back to 19.

I happened across my MP32 blades, not because I was looking, but because my dad found them in the paper and said he would treat me

First thing I did when I got them was go to the range with both sets.

After the session I decided to game the blades as they gave me a better flight (Lower than the GI), seem to give more distance (6 iron is half a club longer on comparison) and the dispersion was also improved.

I felt I could play the blades better than the GI irons, that was my first concern, after all it would be pointless gaming clubs I couldn't hit, and my scores this season have reflected this.

After going back to 18.5 (from 18.3) I ended the season on 15.7.

Play what you feel comfortable with and gives you the best results. Don't let your handicap dictate what equipment you buy/use.

 

[duncan mackie]

I play quite a strange setup. JPX in the 4,5,6 and then MP-32s in 7,8,9,Pitch. I like this because I have the assurance of the JPX's forgiveness but I still get the playability of the MP-32 in the shorter sticks

not at all strange - for decades manufacturers have tried to meet this requirement in their 'sets'. There will already be a lot less difference in the JPX 9 and the 32's 9 than in the respective 5 irons, but as long as you don't find the abrubt transition between your 6 and 7 to cause issues then it makes a lot of sense.

 

[LanDog]

Something I've wondered Gareth, is does the S&T swing suit a particular kind of iron?