I dont ever really remember having the problem of hitting out on the toe with the V2s...hmmm. I know instantly when I hit on the toe with the J40s, but the results arent unbearable. I think if I get them bent a bit upright it will help me out tremendously.
I think you are going to love the KBS Tours even more once you play with them more.Now that I have had these irons in the bag for 45 holes of golf I figure I can throw in some initial thoughts on them. As a quick background I am coming from a set of Ping i10's with their stock AWT Stiff flex shaft.
Looks: I like the way they set up to the ball, I would say it's a nice classic looking iron at address. The do appear to be longer from heel to toe than my i10's which gives the perception of more forgiveness. My previous irons had a darker finish to them so glare was never an issue, it hasn't been an issue with these either even though they are chrome. As you've seen in pictures, the cavity is very nice looking. No loud colors or fancy badges on the bag, just the dual pocket cavity look and a simple inscribed B.
Feel: I had these paired with the KBS Tour Stiff shaft. It's the first time I've ever owned a set of irons with KBS shafts. I decided on KBS because at the outing I hit a slew of different irons, and one's that I really enjoyed had the KBS Tour shafts in them. Now I know that doesn't always translate, but I just thought the shaft felt very smooth and gave me solid performance. Paired with these irons they feel great. Since feel is often associated with sound it's easy to say these feel soft because when you hit them they are pretty quiet compared to my previous set. When you miss out on the toe or on the inner heel you do get some feedback letting you know that you did not hit a solid shot, but nothing that sends a huge stinger up your arms.
Performance: I had the lofts strengthened 1 degree so they are stronger than my previous set, but not nearly as strong as the irons I used in last years MC. I would say that due to the combination of iron head and shaft I am seeing some slight distance gains. I'm not talking about a full club extra, but probably a good 5 yards. The other night I dropped 4 balls at the 150 marker to the center of green and hit a 7 iron 3 times that flew almost 3/4 of the way in to the green, when I switched to an 8 iron I came about 5-7 yards short of the middle. So for me those yardages are solid enough to know what I'm working with.
The ball flight with the KBS Tour is a higher flight than what I was getting before, which would probably help equate to more distance. Since the ball flight is slightly higher I notice my shots were holding the greens better than before, in fact a lot better. It has given me a little more confidence to actually go at a pin because I feel the ball will hold rather than spring forward, or try to land it short.
The other thing I am enjoying about these is the turf interaction. I'll admit, I chickened out on going 2 degrees strong because I was afraid of hitting the ball fat constantly. Now I think I could have gone that direction. I think these cut through the turf nicely and the beveled edge on the sole seems to help from those fat shots. I don't think the leading edge is as sharp as other irons I've tried in the past.
Grips: I ordered the Lamkin Crossline grips. I think these are a good alternative to the tour velvet that come stock. The crossline grip can feel rough when they are brand new, but after a round of 2 they seem to get softer which is something I like. I played in some serious heat on Weds-Fri and I did not experience any slippage with these grips. So far I like my choice.
Overall: I have enjoyed these to this point. I think the larger blade helps inspire a little more confidence than my previous set, which is nice. I really like the performance I get out of them, esp the ball flight. Heck I've even taken the 5 iron off the tee just because I'm not afraid too
Once again thank you to Bridgestone Golf and THP for this truly amazing experience.
biggsy, I think it would have to be the shaft you were using. These irons are far from harsh. But, having the PX 6.0 in my previous set of 38's and the PX 5.5 in this set, I can tell you the iron feels COMPLETELY different!
sure thing buddy! I have heard that. this may help http://www.bridgestonegolf.com/dealer/locator
My 6 iron CH speed is 86. I agree with you 100% that the 6.0 feels boardy. So...thats why I went 5.5. Dude, I feel like I have control of the club now. it is a different ball game with that shaft in that head.
rofl....my bad dude. I love the ball flight from the 5.5 as well.
