Which irons do you use?

[tigerwes]

Are we guilty of putting ourselves in boxes when it comes to buying clubs, especially irons. Game improvement, distance, player irons. Maybe even snobbish when it comes to handicaps thinking you have to use certain type of club when you get to a certain handicap.

What irons do you use, what is your handicap and would you recommend your irons to other players of a similar handicap.

I will start

Callaway TCB 5-pw
7.7
Wouldn't recommend unless your are a very good ball Striker. If you are then the feel and look is superb.

 

[Voyager EMH]

Ping G10 3 and 4 iron. (These are 21d and 24d. They compare favourably with Sim Max 5 and 6-iron that are 21.5d and 25d)
Ping i10 5-PW
3.6

I would only recommend my irons to someone looking for a set (with sensible lofts for the cardinal numbers) for under £150 from ebay. You will never part me from mine, however.

 

[spongebob59]

Titleist U510 4 iron, Titleist T300 5-PW.

May not suit everyones eye but have been excellent for me.
Tempted to try the T200 at some stage.

 

[Crow]

Wouldn't recommend unless your are a very good ball Striker. If you are then the feel and look is superb.

I think you've answered your own question with your last line.

IMHO too much is talked about how certain handicaps should use certain clubs.

I'm 10.9 and to me your Callaway TCB irons look like chunky monkeys. Playing proper blades is just a matter of getting used to them, IMHO we obsess too much about shaving every fraction off our handicaps, play the clubs you want to play, you'll still be able to get the ball around the course.

Part of the issue with today's clubs is that strong lofts have reached such a ridiculous level that putting mid/long irons in the bag is akin to using an old 1 or 2, or 3 iron, hence your irons stop at the number 5 (and the TCB are quite weak compared to many new sets).

 

[bobmac]

Taylor Made T-D
Oldies but goldies
No hcp

 

[Tashyboy]

Ping G max hcap 16.2.

Would definitely recommend

 

[evemccc]

I think you've answered your own question with your last line.

IMHO too much is talked about how certain handicaps should use certain clubs.

I'm 10.9 and to me your Callaway TCB irons look like chunky monkeys. Playing proper blades is just a matter of getting used to them, IMHO we obsess too much about shaving every fraction off our handicaps, play the clubs you want to play, you'll still be able to get the ball around the course.

Part of the issue with today's clubs is that strong lofts have reached such a ridiculous level that putting mid/long irons in the bag is akin to using an old 1 or 2, or 3 iron, hence your irons stop at the number 5 (and the TCB are quite weak compared to many new sets).

I have a modern 16 degree iron, in ‘old money’ what number iron would that be?

Nb. It has 2 iron written on it

 

[Mel Smooth]

Cobra King F8's

Regular KBS shafts.

Society Handicap of 11

Cobra aren't really a "go to" brand when it comes to irons especially, when I went to have them fitted - they were the last ones i tried, but they were miles better for me than the Callaway's, Taylor Made's and Pings etc.

1st round out with them I completely miss hit an 8 iron on a 145 yard approach over water on the 2nd hole. It still hit the green, just a little right. My previous Titleists would have been in the agua.

 

[Imurg]

MP20 MMC
Remarkable amount of forgiveness in a fairly bladey iron.
They're more forgiving than the Callaway Legacy Blacks that are in the cupboard and they're fairly deepish cavity backs.
Not played "proper" CBs for a few years now so it's hard to compare but the MMCs aren't going anywhere soon..

 

[Brads]

Titleist T300
New player and would recommend them to anyone similar
Tried the T200 and loved em but the little extra help from the 300 was what I need right now. I’m also getting on at 54 so likely to appreciate that help in the future as well so it might stop me replacing them , just because , lol.

 

[AAC]

TM - P790's

They look nice and go well

h/c 13.8

 

[Crow]

I have a modern 16 degree iron, in ‘old money’ what number iron would that be?

Nb. It has 2 iron written on it

I hark back to the 1960s as being the most sensible era for lofts, when a PW was 52 and clubs then went in 4 degree steps to a 20 degree 2 iron. The 1 iron, however, was generally 17 degrees so that would be the closest.

I have this 1 iron (TPX TP200) from the late 1980s which I measured at 15 degrees.

 

[bobmac]

I have this 1 iron (TPX TP200) from the late 1980s which I measured at 15 degrees.

/QUOTE]

Sounds about right
1 iron 15
2 iron 18
3 iron 21

 

[Orikoru]

I use Callaway XR Steelheads. They're about 6 years old now I guess, I've had them for 4 and a bit. They're essentially game improvement ones. I must have been off about 22 when I got them, and I'm off 15 now (should be lower really). I liked them in the first place because they have relatively light shafts - XP95s - and they're very forgiving. I still like them now. I did a fitting for new irons (Orka) last year but it went horribly so I went away without purchasing anything.

I would never move away from game improvement irons I don't think, not completely. Iron-striking is probably one of the worst aspects of my game - I only have four of the iron set actually in the bag - and I will always want a good amount of forgiveness. I can't see switching to a 'player's iron' giving me any benefit whatsoever, it would just make the game more difficult. The only thing I'm not keen on is how strong the lofts are, which means I couldn't really hit the 6 iron, plus I have to carry four wedges at the other end.

 

[chrisd]

Titleist U510 4 iron, Titleist T300 5-PW.

May not suit everyones eye but have been excellent for me.
Tempted to try the T200 at some stage.

I've got the u505 3 iron and it's a great club, will go up to about 215/20 yards. Otherwise I have the original P790's

 

[nickjdavis]

8.9

Callaway Apex CF19

Absolutely would recommend them to players from low teens downwards.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

I play Mizuno MP20 mmc - off 2.8 index - I would recommend them

 

[evemccc]

I play Mizuno MP20 mmc - off 2.8 index - I would recommend them

What shafts do you have with these?

 

[Trodski]

Cobra forged tec black.
9.1

I’m not a very good ball striker to be honest and would trade them for something more forgiving

 

[PhilTheFragger]

I’ve used Orka GS5 CTI Flatline 80A Graphite for the last 8 years

Had an iron fitting last year with a very well respected local fitter who stocks Ping, Mizuno and Cobra and we couldnt find anything that made any significant improvement.