The Game Improvement Iron - In the Hitting Bay

[JB]

Okay this thread is ONLY for golfers that play this style iron.
Question is this.
When you go to the store to try an iron in this class out, what is it that draws you in?
Every company makes one, so what is it that you are looking for when you hit it?
And how do you measure that? Meaning is it an eye test, a launch monitor, a gut feeling, etc.

 

[JTinMO]

Feel, looks, and hitting it straight with decent (expected) distance.

Looks is subjective, as is feel. But I like a softer feeling iron.
If performance is there I can get over looks pretty quickly. Performance trumps everything else by a long way to me. I would game the ugliest, gaudiest, biggest iron out there if it went straight and dependable distance on every shot.

Srixon ZX5 and ZX4 set the tone for me at a fitting years ago, and changed my thoughts on irons in a big way.

 

[mtbloco]

I'm just learning to have a valid answer for this question. I play this "class" of iron.

The sales pitch with class seems to always revolve around distance. It's what sparked all the loft jacking angst. While I need all the help in the distance metric that I can get, I survey the face of the iron way more than a "good golfer". I need the forgiveness packed into these irons more than the need for pure distance.

In the chase for distance, I believe spin was sacrificed. I am spin challenged. so one of my new differiciators in a GI iron, is one that holds its own in distance (ball speed and launch) but shines, for me, when that iron also produces more spin. I've hit 200 yard 6 irons. Why....because I play on rock hard AZ, can smother draw worm burners that get up and go. Having 20+ yards of roll out on long irons is not a fun way to play golf.

Looks are important. I will not deny my vanity when it comes to that. BUt I would love to see a high apex then steeply falls to help hold greens. It's a shot shape I used to never see. If a GI lets me play via a carry distance, instead of total, then we're really interested. My holy grail would an iron that helps produce that for me...*and* looks good.

 

[outlawx]

Okay this thread is ONLY for golfers that play this style iron.
Question is this.
When you go to the store to try an iron in this class out, what is it that draws you in?
Every company makes one, so what is it that you are looking for when you hit it?
And how do you measure that? Meaning is it an eye test, a launch monitor, a gut feeling, etc.

For me its: 1) how well do my misses fair. I do not like them taking the best of my shots and saying this is how an Iron performs. I want to know what its going to do for me when I get funky
2) Does it feel good too. Its subjective but do I feel like its making solid contact and do I get feedback without punishment.
3) How well does it mitigate right misses on long irons and left misses on short. (I know generally its only a 7 iron)

 

[jlew]

It was the looks first....

I wasn't going to play this class of iron, until they flashed the iron on the screen and I gave it a....

Once I stopped being superficial and got a chance to hit them on the range it was performance that drew me in. Terrible swings were still playable, we weren't hooking or slicing off the planet so I guess that stated is how well did it mitigate my poor swings. This was measured on a LM, and I've subscribed to the fitting methodology for my last three sets of irons, so for me it will always be on LM for measurement.

 

[LoProfile]

Since I'm still playing TM Aero Burner irons I guess ugly doesn't bother me. I hit them well.

I have 6 sets of irons right now.
Trying out some single length irons. But I'm not feeling it yet. Still in the range bag though.

 

[JB]

Since I'm still playing TM Aero Burner irons I guess ugly doesn't bother me. I hit them well.

I have 6 sets of irons right now.
Trying out some single length irons. But I'm not feeling it yet. Still in the range bag though.

That doesn’t really answer the question though. Can you expand on the OP?

 

[CTRosarian]

I got fitted for holding "postage stamp" greens. My normal shot shape is a high fade, so that was a pretty reasonable request.
I kept my old GI 4iron, which is useful for rolling the ball down fairways.

 

[Bernoulli]

I recently went through an iron fitting where I hit 6 different Game Improvement irons. In these irons, I am seeking distance, forgiveness and launch, not necessarily in that order. As far as measuring that, it was and remains all about performance and the numbers I saw on the launch monitor. To me, looks aren’t really that important, performance is key.

 

[Wonton]

Over the weekend I've tried a few different sets of Game Improvement Irons now that I'm older and my body can't handle harsh feeling irons anymore. (so softer and forgiving aspects were on my mind)
I looked at the ball flight first. To me, they all go around the similar distance. It was the ball flight that troubled me on some. Some ballooned pretty quick. Around where I live... it's not a great attribute sometimes.
and lastly, if the face looked neutral or closed. If they looked closed at address, they were immediately out for me.

 

[JB]

Over the weekend I've tried a few different sets of Game Improvement Irons now that I'm older and my body can't handle harsh feeling irons anymore. (so softer and forgiving aspects were on my mind)
I looked at the ball flight first. To me, they all go around the similar distance. It was the ball flight that troubled me on some. Some ballooned pretty quick. Around where I live... it's not a great attribute sometimes.
and lastly, if the face looked neutral or closed. If they looked closed at address, they were immediately out for me.

Are there game improvement irons that feature onset?

 

[*Range Rat]

First and foremost is cost, it has to be a reasonable price. After that is brand, there’s 4-5 major brands I’d consider.

 

[Wonton]

Are there game improvement irons that feature onset?

I guess nope. I haven't found an unicorn yet either but Srixon ZX's were not as offset to me. Maybe it's subjective since I always loved Srixon irons.

 

[Alan4014]

Looks (in hand and at address), feel (very subjective of course but I’m talking more club balance and feel in my hand than at impact), and performance. Performance means can I hit it solid and straight, do I have enough spin and height to hold greens.
Distance is NOT a factor, but I understand I’m in the minority there and distance sales.
Of course cost and gapping w other clubs in my bag (hybrids and wedges) are considered too, as well as fitting options available but performance and feel at #1&2.

 

[LLIB]

Looks or technology draw me to the clubs. The most important thing when I hit them would be how they handle my misses, i.e. is it consistent across the face, is there a big drop off in speed, does spin go through the roof, etc. The numbers don’t have to be right, just consistent. For the most part the numbers don’t mean much to me because I don’t swing very well indoors and what I see on monitors very rarely translates to the course. I’d much rather demo the clubs on the course or at least the range and see actual ball flight.

 

[Joshnoble01]

I honestly don’t know the answer to this. The two times I went game improvement I was limited to specific brands. I had it beaten into me that I should go as forgiving as possible at that point.

At my Grandaddy fitting I was honest with the fitter and told him that we should focus on As much forgiveness as possible. He thought the HL would be the best fit based on what I described and what I wanted which was help getting ball up in air and distance. We started there and it was ok. Tried the Max Fast next and I immediately knew HL was better and eliminated the Max fast. We moved to X head and immediately knew that was better and eliminated HL I didn’t want to waste swings so we tried the Core and it was really good. Fitter wanted me to try 300 so we tried that out and knew it wasn’t as good the Elyte core or X. We did some back and forth testing and ultimately the fitter asked me if looks wise it was a big difference and I said no. He said I could go either and would be fine but the misses were slightly helped with X.

I think if I was going to be fit brand agnostic I would eliminate a bunch from badging and looks right away. I hate that most GI irons have ugly color badging. Honestly thinking about it right now the Srixon and Elyte would be 2 of 3 I would consider. The Mizuno also look really good. Not sure anything else pops out. But looks are key. Too much good stuff that looks good to sacrifice that and badging can kill that quickly.

The only time I was fit my fitter, who was also my instructor, wanted me to as aspirational as I could before I couldn’t hit them. We ended up in the P790s. I actually kind of thought they were pretty easy to hit and had a pretty wide spectrum of.

 

[JDax]

I normally don’t like the look of game improvement irons, too bulky at address, or what we joke as say “shovels”.

What I like about the Ai300 is that they are game improvement irons that look almost identical to the Ai200 players distance iron, Callaway has done a phenomenal job of hiding the junk in the trunk if you will, with this launch.

 

[MtlJeff]

I played GI irons for many years though i don't now. However, when i did---i always liked a somewhat classic looking head in a larger shape. Things like a little bit more offset or longer blade length were fine. But i just liked the Gi features to be tucked away a bit and not hanging off the back of the club like it was a 9 wood.

I also liked if the blade had sharper edges, lines, even if larger.

Basically, you can be a bigger club---but don't look like a 7/9 wood

 

[TWright]

Okay this thread is ONLY for golfers that play this style iron.
Question is this.
When you go to the store to try an iron in this class out, what is it that draws you in?
Every company makes one, so what is it that you are looking for when you hit it?
And how do you measure that? Meaning is it an eye test, a launch monitor, a gut feeling, etc.

First thing that either draws me to it or away from it is looks. Does it look good to my eye. Do I like the finish. Is the finish well done. Are the seams on the badges and such well hidden. How does it look at address. Most are fat but some look worse than others.

Next I’ll try them out hitting them and it’s part feeling and part launch monitor. When I hit them do I like the sound and feel. Is it something I can live with or do I hate it. If I can at least deal with it then I want to test them against my current set. Am I seeing something better with this set than I do with mine? Solid numbers can make an okay looking iron gorgeous.

 

[Bryndom]

Im Looking for forgiveness, good distance and spin numbers, sound/feel, and aesthetics

im usually able to test most of that indoors. The sound and feel part I prefer to test outdoors

 

[Pharaoh]

Playing Apex 21 so isn’t GI but if I was looking I would be focused on feel, cost, and distance. Ideally you’d have a club that has a fair amount of forgiveness at that level but gets lots of distance while still being affordable.

 

[Bernoulli]

I normally don’t like the look of game improvement irons, too bulky at address, or what we joke as say “shovels”.

What I like about the Ai300 is that they are game improvement irons that look almost identical to the Ai200 players distance iron, Callaway has done a phenomenal job of hiding the junk in the trunk if you will, with this launch.

Some of us may like the “shovels”. To each his own.

 

[pumbaa]

Performance on a launch monitor. I don't always trust distance but I will compare them to my current irons on the same monitor.

I'm looking for dispersion and distance. Don't need more but I want tighter dispersion with similar distance.

Price is next is there a good trade bonus or something to help with the price? Are they competitive pricing wise?

Last for me is looks I really don't care how a club looks as long as it works.

 

[fuffle master]

I am always looking for the best game improvement iron that doesn’t lose distance on solid hits. Sure, I need the best forgiveness on my off hits, but overall distance is a key.

Another area that is very important is the feel on contact. I want a clean solid feel on all shots, off hits and center.

 

[PatsFan]

Feel, Dispersion, Distance and looks.
Feel and dispersion are more important than the last 2 but they all come into play.
I do feel that Looks are the least important in this category.