Cleveland 588 Altitude Hybrid Irons Preview

[Ole Gray]

With your distance, you can game 2 gap wedges.

Ole Gray, from what I know about your game, I'd probably play D and then move to the Smart Sole. If I were worried that the gap might be too wide, then stick the S in given it is 54, but I am not sure you are really going to see a huge gap.

I move from a 49 to a 56. There's about a 20 yard difference. I have played a 52 in between and it was just too many clubs at the bottom given I've only got average length. Bombers like Bamboo are the people I think benefit more from additional wedges.

I have enough wedges laying around my home to experiment and get the right combo. I will definitely have the D wedge with the set I pick up. I'm looking forward to owning a set of these before the summer is out. It's gonna happen :bomb:

 

[BamBooBender]

With your distance, you can game 2 gap wedges.

Ole Gray, from what I know about your game, I'd probably play D and then move to the Smart Sole. If I were worried that the gap might be too wide, then stick the S in given it is 54, but I am not sure you are really going to see a huge gap.

I move from a 49 to a 56. There's about a 20 yard difference. I have played a 52 in between and it was just too many clubs at the bottom given I've only got average length. Bombers like Bamboo are the people I think benefit more from additional wedges.

I'm no bomber by any stretch of the imagination. I played two gap wedges before because the DI-11 gap wedge was 46* so I bought a single Ci9 gap wedge at 50*

 

[BamBooBender]

I have enough wedges laying around my home to experiment and get the right combo. I will definitely have the D wedge with the set I pick up. I'm looking forward to owning a set of these before the summer is out. It's gonna happen :bomb:

I can't wait to hear your thoughts on them OG!

 

[Ole Gray]

I can't wait to hear your thoughts on them OG!

haha I can't either buddy! I'd play a barn pitch fork if it made this crazy game we love a bit easier :thumb:

 

[BamBooBender]

haha I can't either buddy! I'd play a barn pitch fork if it made this crazy game we love a bit easier :thumb:

So would I man...so would I. The nice thing is we don't have to, we can have these. I don't feel like I'm giving up a single thing playing these clubs, except for cool points...which I never really had anyway. haha

 

[Ole Gray]

So would I man...so would I. The nice thing is we don't have to, we can have these. I don't feel like I'm giving up a single thing playing these clubs, except for cool points...which I never really had anyway. haha

The only cool thing in golf that I really care about is scoring consistency. The pretty shiny stuff is not my cup of tea. A person can have a beautiful bag of sticks and look like a touring pro. If he can't score with the up town and popular clubs, he's hurting his game, his confidence, and his potential.

 

[Aussie Dave]

Then the 8 down seem like no brainers to me, and I say this as someone who loves Callaway irons. Why not go for more consistent runs of clubs and shafts?

As I look at your bag make up, you've got the PXVs up top, then 3 different in the middle and what I suspect are PXVs down at the bottom and then close out with the Smart Soles. I'd want to find a cut off line (like that 5H) and be consistent from that point down.

I don't really think the 8-D are going to play that much differently from the XHots. The main thing will be less offset. Down at the bottom though, you start moving into the lofts where the effects of the additional forgiveness from perimeter and rear weighting are seemingly outweighed by additional loft and spin.

Yeah I had a X Hot 3 hybrid that I wasn't consistent with so I replaced it with the 4 hybrid and took the 4-7 X Hot irons out and replaced them with the 5-7 Altitudes I'm really happy with the top of the bag love the X Hot driver and fairway wood I wouldn't swap them for anything.



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[BamBooBender]

The only cool thing in golf that I really care about is scoring consistency. The pretty shiny stuff is not my cup of tea. A person can have a beautiful bag of sticks and look like a touring pro. If he can't score with the up town and popular clubs, he's hurting his game, his confidence, and his potential.

So true.
I never really played with blades to look cool anyway, that's just what I learned how to play with. My dad was surely not going to buy me a $1200 set of Pings like I wanted back then becasue they were the cool clubs. As the years went by I thought all the new stuff was just a gimmick, and I didn't "need" anything else. I figured all the new clubs were designed to try and fix a slice (mainly), which would require the person to keep their slice swing in order to use them, not kidding I really believed that. I didn't know what I was missing till I came here a few years ago. Got me to thinking maybe I was wrong about the new clubs. Now I'm playing with set of clubs that I would have made fun of five years ago, if I bothered to even notice them at all. I guess you could say I've come full circle. I don't need to play with the Altitudes, but I sure do like it. I mean I already hit the ball high, and pretty straight, these enhance that, why not play to your strengths.

Anyway, that's what I mean when I say I don't feel like I'm giving up anything.

 

[ryebread]

Yeah I had a X Hot 3 hybrid that I wasn't consistent with so I replaced it with the 4 hybrid and took the 4-7 X Hot irons out and replaced them with the 5-7 Altitudes I'm really happy with the top of the bag love the X Hot driver and fairway wood I wouldn't swap them for anything.

I can fully understand loving the top half of the bag and not wanting to switch it. These are the toughest clubs for me to hit, so if I find some that works, then I'm going to stick with them.

I think people over think the lower irons (say 7-PW). All the ones within a particular class (i.e. SGI) with similar length and weight shafts play about the same to me. I also find that because of the extra loft and spin, I can class up in this section of the bag. Not that I do, but just that I can.

I mention this for two reasons:
1) I doubt you're going to really see much different results between the XHot and Altitude from 8-AW. Your mileage may vary, but I personally wouldn't.
2) Pick up the Altitudes and you can sell the XHots and recoup some money. Of course, this is spoken by someone who is an admitted club ho.

Bamboo: I understand what you mean about playing to your strengths. If high and straight are your game, then get sticks designed to go high and straight. It might help you dial it in even tighter.

Also, I understand what you mean about hot spots on certain SGI/distance irons. I saw the exact same thing with a set of Razr XFs that I owned. I really liked those clubs, but out of seemingly nowhere, one would suddenly fly 15 yards further than normal. It kind of zapped the confidence not knowing when it might come.

I also had a set of high end JDM irons that were so hot that I just never adjusted to them. It wasn't that they were inconsistent. It was just that everything was so hot (even when compared to specs), that I just couldn't bring myself to trust what I was seeing. They also were marked in the opposite direction from what they were. For instance, a club marked with a 6 was as long as a standard 4. My last round with them, I think I completely air mailed 4 greens on approach.

 

[Ole Gray]

I can fully understand loving the top half of the bag and not wanting to switch it. These are the toughest clubs for me to hit, so if I find some that works, then I'm going to stick with them.

I think people over think the lower irons (say 7-PW). All the ones within a particular class (i.e. SGI) with similar length and weight shafts play about the same to me. I also find that because of the extra loft and spin, I can class up in this section of the bag. Not that I do, but just that I can.

I mention this for two reasons:
1) I doubt you're going to really see much different results between the XHot and Altitude from 8-AW. Your mileage may vary, but I personally wouldn't.
2) Pick up the Altitudes and you can sell the XHots and recoup some money. Of course, this is spoken by someone who is an admitted club ho.

Bamboo: I understand what you mean about playing to your strengths. If high and straight are your game, then get sticks designed to go high and straight. It might help you dial it in even tighter.

Also, I understand what you mean about hot spots on certain SGI/distance irons. I saw the exact same thing with a set of Razr XFs that I owned. I really liked those clubs, but out of seemingly nowhere, one would suddenly fly 15 yards further than normal. It kind of zapped the confidence not knowing when it might come.

I also had a set of high end JDM irons that were so hot that I just never adjusted to them. It wasn't that they were inconsistent. It was just that everything was so hot (even when compared to specs), that I just couldn't bring myself to trust what I was seeing. They also were marked in the opposite direction from what they were. For instance, a club marked with a 6 was as long as a standard 4. My last round with them, I think I completely air mailed 4 greens on approach.

I have the Cally XF irons in my bag now. You just gave me another reason to head over to the Altitudes!

 

[ryebread]

I have the Cally XF irons in my bag now. You just gave me another reason to head over to the Altitudes!

I swear it wasn't intentional. ;-)

Your mileage may vary with them. JB and some others didn't notice that with XFs (if memory serves).

Maybe I just had a weird set (because numerous people I let hit them noticed the same thing). They were from a legit Callaway re-seller and I had not reason to believe they were fakes.

Really, that's why I'm not gaming XFs. I loved everything else about those clubs, including the hybrids. While many panned the hybrids, I thought they were highly underrated and easy to hit high, straight balls with. I just didn't like the occasional high hot one.

 

[Ole Gray]

I swear it wasn't intentional. ;-)

Your mileage may vary with them. JB and some others didn't notice that with XFs (if memory serves).

Maybe I just had a weird set (because numerous people I let hit them noticed the same thing). They were from a legit Callaway re-seller and I had not reason to believe they were fakes.

Really, that's why I'm not gaming XFs. I loved everything else about those clubs, including the hybrids. While many panned the hybrids, I thought they were highly underrated and easy to hit high, straight balls with. I just didn't like the occasional high hot one.

I've noticed some yardage discrepancies with the XF irons but I just figured it was my inconsistent swing. I going to get the Altitudes either way so it will be fun to see if they make my yardages easier to work with. :thumb:

 

[twoods]

Well I kicked some major butt with my Altitudes last weekend in my 18 hole match play tourny. It really wasn't fair, I hit every green on the front side, was 5 up after 9 holes. The guy I was playing was the same handicap as me so we pretty much played straight up. He was struggling with his swing and I felt like I was swinging effortlessly and just letting the clubs do the work. I shot a smooth 37 with one birdie, a 3 putt bogie, and 7 boring pars. Even my two mishits found the green. Eventually closed out the match on 14, a par 3 in which I hit the green and made another boring par. These irons really simplify my swing and the game for me. Love em.

 

[d_in_la]

Alright, as soon as I can get a schedule time, I'm going to go for a full fitting. These are at the top of my list.

 

[Ole Gray]

I have something ordered however it's a secret! :bomb:

 

[Milwaukeeguy]

Honest question:

I haven't been reading the site for that long (maybe 1.5 years), but is there another set of irons that has generated this much discussion?

 

[WardF]

Honest question:

I haven't been reading the site for that long (maybe 1.5 years), but is there another set of irons that has generated this much discussion?

The i20's were a huge hit also--other reasons, but it was an epic thread.

 

[Jman]

The i20's were a huge hit also--other reasons, but it was an epic thread.

Those are the ones that come to mind for me as well.

 

[Ole Gray]

I am officially on the Altitude band wagon now. ? My set will be 4 - DW with stock graphite regular shafts. I'm looking forward to bonding with my new irons .

It's been a couple of years since I have broken 80 and that was with the TM RBZ irons. I needed to make a change to put me in a better place with my golf game. I believe these irons will do that .


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[BamBooBender]

I am officially on the Altitude band wagon now. ? My set will be 4 - DW with stock graphite regular shafts. I'm looking forward to bonding with my new irons .

It's been a couple of years since I have broken 80 and that was with the TM RBZ irons. I needed to make a change to put me in a better place with my golf game. I believe these irons will do that .


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Happy for you OG!

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[Illinimick]

I am officially on the Altitude band wagon now.  My set will be 4 - DW with stock graphite regular shafts. I'm looking forward to bonding with my new irons .

It's been a couple of years since I have broken 80 and that was with the TM RBZ irons. I needed to make a change to put me in a better place with my golf game. I believe these irons will do that .


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Exciting and awesome news, OG! I'm playing the same set with the same shafts. I think you'll enjoy them. I only have the give the 4 hyron a stern talking to from time to time.

 

[Vegan702]

Played a couple rounds this week, so I have 3.5 rounds with the Altitudes 5 and 6. Best thing I did getting those clubs. I'm debating putting my RIP Tour shafts in them to see how they play, but don't want to mess with them lol. Can't wait for the 4 to get here. Buddy I play with is so impressed with how I now hit my 5 and 6 he is contemplating getting some. At $62.50 shipped from Cleveland it's almost a no brainer to just order one to try out for awhile.

A problem I will have I think is once the 4 gets here if I hit what I hope, I will gapping issues at the top. I use my 3w off the tee for fairways I have to hit, don't hit it too well off the deck as it's set at 12.5. The 4 will probably go the same as my current 910h I'm thinking, so I will have to get something I hit off the deck well for anything over 210, maybe a 5w, not sure.

 

[Ole Gray]

Exciting and awesome news, OG! I'm playing the same set with the same shafts. I think you'll enjoy them. I only have the give the 4 hyron a stern talking to from time to time.

Thanks buddy! I actually like a four iron. The XF irons I had came 5 - PW so instead of looking for a four iron I borrowed my wife's 4H as she plays men's regular flex too. It will be fun to have one again and hopefully I still remember how to hit one ?


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[mattb]

Played a couple rounds this week, so I have 3.5 rounds with the Altitudes 5 and 6. Best thing I did getting those clubs. I'm debating putting my RIP Tour shafts in them to see how they play, but don't want to mess with them lol. Can't wait for the 4 to get here. Buddy I play with is so impressed with how I now hit my 5 and 6 he is contemplating getting some. At $62.50 shipped from Cleveland it's almost a no brainer to just order one to try out for awhile.

A problem I will have I think is once the 4 gets here if I hit what I hope, I will gapping issues at the top. I use my 3w off the tee for fairways I have to hit, don't hit it too well off the deck as it's set at 12.5. The 4 will probably go the same as my current 910h I'm thinking, so I will have to get something I hit off the deck well for anything over 210, maybe a 5w, not sure.

There's always the 3 Altitude. I love it. Just as remarkably easy to hit as the rest. A nice fairway finder off the tee as well for extra tight tee shots

 

[gcruz86]

Thinking of getting the 3i. Really love the 4 & 5.