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Do You Let Your Irons Brown?

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Canadan

Canadan

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Albatross 2024 Club
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I see used clubs all the time from last season for sale with obvious browning in the center of the grooves. I've owned all kinds of clubs over my lifetime, but I have never ever let this happen, which I believe is predominately because I NEVER hit balls with a dirty face. Even during range sessions, I wipe after every swing, and make sure the balls I am hitting are not dirty.

Sounds kind of crazy, but it has allowed me to use irons for multiple years without changing -- Because I am the kind of person who could NOT look at browning/scarring/etc.

What is your experience? Grind them until they are ugly, wipe them every time, or sell them before it's a problem?
 
My Ping Karsten irons are going into their 4th season this year and look in very good to like new condition. They have many many rounds on them in all weather conditions (sun, rain, snow). I clean them religiously. If you got optimal performance from them while being dirty they would come with dirt on them from the manufacturer. Plus this is the first and only "good" set of clubs I've ever had and I take great care of them to continue to get the best performance that they can give me.
 
I actually like the look of personal wear on irons. Especially black irons or wedges and how they wear tells the story of your swing. Now that I've torched the irons I will be cleaning and oiling every round but probably still won't wipe after every hit lol
 
I am terrible at keeping clubs clean and don't worry about resale. Just got my first set of forged irons so will probably be more careful. My silly excuse in my head is don't clean them till I am about to take the shot for the 1 in 1000 times I am trying to not make the ball spin as much. In reality I am lazy and always forget to wet my towel before the round. Kind of like I don't worry about keeping my driver face dry in rain since I am perfectly good with the ball going straighter.
 
Ive never had it happen and I rarely clean my clubs and usually keep them a few years. I have a set of Cleveland Launcher irons from 2004 that I played for 8 years with no browning. I wonder what these people do to have them brown like they do.
 
I've never had "browning" happen to any of my irons. I wipe clubs down during the round, but also clean them after every round. I did own a Cleveland wedge once that was supposed to "rust," I didn't like the rust as it really scuffed up golf balls way too much.
 
I clean them after every swing when I am out on the course. Dirt in the grooves can impact on certain clubs especially the lob wedge which I like to keep clean and dry to maximise spin as I hit everything around the green with it. It's just good practice in my opinion and like anything, look after your gear well and it will last years for you.
 
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As a follow up to those who like the wear, doesn't it drive you bonkers to see your grooves take a beating?

In my head that's like me saying I like watching the tires wear down on my car lol
 
Browning is the result of the chrome finish being broken and allowing moisture to touch the metal. I dont think there is really anything you can do about it, even if you wipe the clubs off after every shot. Youre swinging a metal club in that dirt and hitting a ball, no matter how careful you are, sand and grit is going to wear away the chrome finish and the clubs will brown eventually.
Personally, it doesnt bother me. If someone has a set of irons with a brown circle in the center of the face, thats the mark of a great ballstriker.
 
No at least not on purpose. I clean and dry my clubs faithfully after each round.
 
Wish I'd play a set long enough to let it happen. Hahaha
 
I'm constantly cleaning my clubs. I can't stand any browning or dirt.
 
Canadan said:
I see used clubs all the time from last season for sale with obvious browning in the center of the grooves. I've owned all kinds of clubs over my lifetime, but I have never ever let this happen, which I believe is predominately because I NEVER hit balls with a dirty face. Even during range sessions, I wipe after every swing, and make sure the balls I am hitting are not dirty.

Sounds kind of crazy, but it has allowed me to use irons for multiple years without changing -- Because I am the kind of person who could NOT look at browning/scarring/etc.

What is your experience? Grind them until they are ugly, wipe them every time, or sell them before it's a problem?
Click to expand...

My Titleist DCI irons are nearly 20 years old and look like new. I'm wipe them after every shot, and clean them every round.
 
I'm not religious at cleanup after every round but I don't like hitting shots with a dirty club so I will clean after every shot. It's been a few years since I gamed anything more than a year so never had to worry about anything but it's not a concern either.
 
It's been years since I've owned a set of irons long enough for that to happen. However, I hate seeing that happen. If my iron is dirty after a shot I clean it right away. I can't stand swinging a club or hitting a ball that is dirty.
 
I clean them after every shot so don't recall browning every being an issue on any of my past forged irons sets.
 
I brush or wipe after every shot even at the range. If I pick one clean and it only has a couple blades of grass on it I wipe it with a towel. If its beaver pelt season I will clean it good before it goes back in the bag. I wash them thoroughly about once a month. I used to work on a top fuel dragster and you have to service it after every pass down the quarter mile. A new young guy was complaining about having to wipe the car spotless every time and the crew chief told him "don't you wipe your azz every time you take a ....?" Crude but true.

Dan
 
easily sell before its a problem
 
I've never had that happen to my clubs. I try to keep them clean though. After range sessions I usually wash them before I leave.
 
I never clean my clubs. The only time they ever get cleaned is if I'm at a nice course and the cart guys clean them after a round. I will occasionally wipe them off mid round if it is extremely muddy. Usually though I just wipe the mud off in the grass.

I have never had a problem with browning and I usually keep my clubs 4-5 years before I get something else.
 
Jman said:
Wish I'd play a set long enough to let it happen. Hahaha
Click to expand...

Wish I could hit the same spot on the face enough for it to ever be an issue.
 
Going on 5th year straight with the Apex and I've never seen that, nor would I want to.
 
I've never had my clubs brown on me but I wipe them after every shot and clean them after every few rounds.

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I used to clean my irons after every swing and clean range balls before hitting them, but somewhere along the line I stopped caring if my irons & wedges stayed mint. I enjoy looking at the personal wear on my clubs after a season, I just wish the pattern was a lot tighter than it is haha.
 
Love the look of browning in the center spot showing consistent ball striking. Would I want it on my irons, heck no.


Sent from HTX
 
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