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[Ryan555]

So, first a story then a question. Sorry if it's long-winded.

Let me first preface this by saying that I am not a good player. In fact, I think I am the worst I personally know and play with.

Now, about 5 years ago, I decided that I wanted to get some irons that were different from the clunky, wide soled irons I had gotten a few years before as a gift from a buddy. Like all of my other purchases, I looked for a good deal. I ended up buying some used Mizuno Pro forged irons off ebay. Although I'm not a great ball striker, I instantly loved the feel and look of these irons. In fact, I shot the best round of my life, a 95, with these irons. Like I said, not good. Anyway, I played these until last summer, when I ordered a brand new set of G5s along with some iWedges to replace my aging and worn RAC Fe2O3 54 and 58. Well, I've been playing these clubs for a year and a half, and for some reason I have never been able to get used to them. I then bought an FT-5 imix driver back in february to replace the older MP001 460 that I had been playing for about 4 years. Until recently, with some help from Andy in ask a pro, I have never hit more than 1 fairway in a round. Well, I have recently gotten this under control, and last week I hit 7 fairways in one round, but with a caveat. I decided to take the old Mizuno out along with the FT-5 to do some direct comparison on the course, not just the range. Had my ball striking been better, I would have broken 100 for the 2nd time in my life on a course that is much more difficult than the one I did it on the first time. I also decided to put back in my old RAC wedges, as I have never been able to get the iWedges down, not sure of the problem here with them. Anyway, so I went and played saturday, 9 holes, just to get out of the house. I decided to switch out my irons as well, and wow, it just felt right, again. The smaller clubhead, the narrower sole, just the feel, everything felt right. Had I not opened with 3 balls in the woods off the first tee, I stood to shoot a 48 or better, but ended up with a 51, cold, with no warm up.

So, onto my question:

Has anybody here ever put something into play for an extended period of time, and taken it out for something that should be more forgiving, never gotten used to the newer, more technologically advanced equipment, then gone back to something that you shouldn't be playing, and still felt better about it? I know I shouldn't be playing a club with such a narrow sole and what is essentially a blade with a little bit taken out of the back to call it a cavity back, but it just feels better. Heck, the 3 iron, which I shouldn't be able to hit based on my ability, has been my go to club off the tee for years. I can't hit a fairway wood off the tee, but the near-blade 3 iron is my choice off the tee when I can't get a driver into play at all. Can't explain it. So, I'm thinking about getting a set of irons in the spring as similar as I can to these and replacing the iWedges with some more blade like wedges. Has anybody got any suggestions for me took at based on what's out there now? Already tried the CG15s and didn't like them for wedges, so I'm thinking something more like the Vokeys or maybe the XFTs or RAC Z TPs. Irons, though, I haven't got a clue as I haven't looked at anything like the mizunos in the last few years thinking I needed to go with a wide sole extremely forgiving iron, but now I don't think that's for me. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated so I can compile a list of stuff that I should be looking at come spring.

Sorry this was so long-winded. Not a very good short story teller

 

[thedue]

I went through a similar deal, if I'm reading this right. I'm not a very good player, but have had my best results with a simi blade set of irons. It's not to hoyle, but I've tried others that just did not work for me. Good luck!

 

[johnnymo]

Have you ever taken a lesson? I know the last thing anyone wants to hear when asking about clubs is the old indian and the arrow analogy but it sounds to me like you have a couple of good sets of irons. One set that you are familiar with and another set that is pretty much the industry standard as far as GI clubs are concerned (I play with a 2 index that games g5s and would not trade them for the world so they are definately not just for high handicappers.)

To try and answer your question though it seems like the industry is moving towards forged cavity backs and blurring the line between gi and players clubs in response to what I can only guess are Eastern market demands. Mizuno has some new tweener offerings out and Ping is even rolling out some forged irons. A good line of wedges to look at in my opinion are the Callaway x-forged, with the release of the JAWS line the remaining x-forged floating around can be picked up rather cheaply and are quality wedges.

I hope that helps.

john

 

[the_paulo]

I think what you've just descibed is part of the beauty, as well as the frustration, of the game.

Nobody 'should' be playing a certain kind of iron. Sure, there is technology out there which can help the majority of players in a certain handicap range, but nobody has come out with a piece of technology which helps the bit that controls the swing - the bit between the ears!
What I mean is - If you feel more comfortable and relaxed with a certain look, or even a certain set....you'll swing better. I've played with single figure guys who chunk their way around a course, but chip and putt brilliantly, and 20 handicappers who strike the ball sweet but just can't iron out some of the kinks. I couldn't tell these guys what kind of iron they 'should' be playing.

Also, I'm still playing Mizuno Pros - 8 years after purchase. Just haven't found another iron that feels so darn sweet!

One thing I would recommend is going for a fitting. Even if you don't find the perfect set of irons, it'll give you an idea of what kind of iron you're comfortable with, which kind of shaft will suit your game and you'll get to see the difference between quite a few sets.

 

[jefffann]

yep.I've been there.The super game improvement irons kill me.I've had my best iron play with PING i5's and now Titleist 775.cb's.
I was playing the i5's and started breaking 100.I figured I'd have an easier time with some SGI irons so bought some Callaway X-18's and then some X-20's.I started to go downhill and started playing the i5's again.Then I picked up the Titleist and I won't change them until I wear them out.

 

[Ryan555]

Also, I'm still playing Mizuno Pros - 8 years after purchase. Just haven't found another iron that feels so darn sweet!

One thing I would recommend is going for a fitting. Even if you don't find the perfect set of irons, it'll give you an idea of what kind of iron you're comfortable with, which kind of shaft will suit your game and you'll get to see the difference between quite a few sets.

I agree completely. Even though they were released what, 10+ years ago, I have yet to find a set of irons that I even remotely enjoy the feel of. I plan on going for a fitting in the spring, since I'm definitely getting a new driver and fairway(s) along with wedges. What I'm basically thinking tho is that if I don't find an iron that I do like, I can at least get fit for maybe a proper shaft, if it's different from what's in there, and at least get them reshafted. I think that may be part of the problem with my G5s is the shaft. I went from playing DGS300 to the AWT shaft, which is lighter and the ball flight is higher. They don't necessarily baloon, but I just don't think they are for me. Maybe had I gone with a heavier stiffer shaft in them, I wouldn't be in this situation right now, but it feels like I honestly lost a club's length all the way down the board with these compared to my weaker lofted Mizunos. I hit a 3/4 PW from about 115 in the rough on saturday and dropped the ball 10 feet from the flag dead. With my G5s, my GW wouldn't quite get there with a full swing, and it wouldn't have been anywhere closed to that accurate. It might have been on the front of the green 30+ feet away. I will admit that I only tried the AWT shaft for a bit when I demo'd the G10s, and thought I liked it but now, I just don't think that is the proper shaft. I'm probably just pulling at strings here, but I really want to like the G5s, especially since it was the first new iron set I had ever bought. I went with the G5s instead of the G10s because I could pick up the 5s cheaper, and from what I had read everywhere, they were basically the same.

As for wedges, I have been eyeing those X-Forged for a while now, and now that the prices have dropped considerably, I think I may try to snag up a set. Of course, I still gotta compare them to the Vokeys and haven't even tried out the XFTs yet, and was never really interested in them until I read a few reviews about them, especially after the wedge shootout from earlier this year.