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Which Irons - Don't want to buy the wrong set......

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r80rew

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Quick back ground,
I have been playing Ping G15's for the last 8 years (since release). I have never really got on that well with them due to a bad fitting but at the time I didn't know any better. My game has improved over the last couple of seasons due to playing more frequently and i am ready for some new clubs. I had a fitting for the Ping G410 and settled with Alta CB stiff shaft but having spent a lot of time on THP decided before I pulled the trigger that I would see what other options were available. This led me to the TaylorMade P790 (I would have love a set of PXG irons but can't afford it) which I tried with the recoil 780 ES shaft - Great dispersion and length. In a head to head i preferred the P790 over the G410, i500 & AP3's. The one set of clubs I didn't try was the Callaway Apex 19 - Not a brand I have ever been attracted to even though I play an Odyssey putter....... So I had opportunity to hit the Apex 19 with the S300 shaft and it flew well even though my swing was a bit off. I would have liked to try it with the Graphite shaft as I am leaning towards a lighter shaft and would have given me a better like for like comparison. In my minds eye I feel that the P790 gave me better results and I have been given great price but having read the THP thread on the Apex 19 I dont want to make the wrong choice. So i guess the point of my ramble is those that have game'd both why did you choose one over the other? Is the Apex 19 that good and what makes it so good to you?
I know each is down to personal preference but I need the help and guidance form my fellow THPers to enure that I am making the right choice.
Thank you all in advance :D
 
I think you already decided ;)

Go for the P790, you like them and have good results from testing them out.
 
Lurp06x said:
I think you already decided ;)

Go for the P790, you like them and have good results from testing them out.
Click to expand...

I would have to agree, for the same reasons.
 
I think many fall into the trap of looking for the next product that will give them marginally better performance. The P790s have been blockbusters. I haven’t found anything that works any better in a players distance profile. I concur with the other posters. If you know you like the P790s and you can get them at a good price, I think you should pull the trigger. You will love them.
 
Lurp06x said:
I think you already decided ;)

Go for the P790, you like them and have good results from testing them out.
Click to expand...

+1
AA.jpg
 
There is so much positive chatter about the Apex 19 though, I would be interested in Jmans opinion having had both in his bag this year and why he chose Apex over P790. I have until Friday when I go and order but will hit both side by side at that point as well.
 
I think you have already made your decision only you can make the decision about your clubs can’t go wrong with either set of irons but if the 790 feels good to you and you like it then go for it


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Just looking at your handicap, I would say don’t decide until you try a few more forgiving sets. In the past 2 years I’ve gone between a 6 and 12 cap (mainly for short game issues) and I love my M3s. Just nice and forgiving. Those p790s look amazing though.
 
If you hit the Apex again, try and hit them with Recoils in them to give you a direct comparison to what you hit the other irons in. Also, I’d suggest the Catalyst shaft too, it was pretty smooth for me when I tried it out.
 
Thanks for the replies. That would be my plan for Thursday and then make my final decision before leaving. I am currently playing off 22 rather than 28 on my profile, must get round to changing that....
 
r80rew said:
There is so much positive chatter about the Apex 19 though, I would be interested in Jmans opinion having had both in his bag this year and why he chose Apex over P790. I have until Friday when I go and order but will hit both side by side at that point as well.
Click to expand...

Positive chatter means nothing please don’t buy an iron on someone else’s opinion buy what you like and don’t second guess yourself you are you and you got to love the club in your hand or there will be a set of irons sitting in the corner you hate and will you be searching again. Good luck


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MSH134 said:
Positive chatter means nothing please don’t buy an iron on someone else’s opinion buy what you like and don’t second guess yourself you are you and you got to love the club in your hand or there will be a set of irons sitting in the corner you hate and will you be searching again. Good luck


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Click to expand...


Such great advice here. I went into my fitting thinking I would be walking out with the Apex 19s or Srixon 585s, but I actually came out with Mizuno HMs because the numbers don't lie, and neither does your gut, so buy what you feel is the best option for you based on feel, and #s.
 
My intention is just that, make sure I am happy with my choice before placing the order as these will likely stick in my bag for a while. I hoped more people would have given their opinion on why they chose the one over the other.
 
If you haven't consider the Cobra F9 Speedback irons, then you may be missing out on some very nice GI irons. I've been playing Ping i500's for the last year and decided to give the F9 speed backs a try. Wow, what a difference a set of irons make. Distance and dispersion are greatly improved and I can only account for this in that I'm making much better contact with the ball throughout the bag, and that includes the 5i that I normally struggle with.

All the clubs mentioned previously are indeed great clubs. I also have played the Apex CF16's prior to the i500's and they were very good, but just like the i500's, I struggled with consistency. Decided to check my ego at the door and try the F9's. Really happy that I did. When you put a club in your bag that you are really excited to play, you know you made the right decision.
 
I'm going to drop a bombshell here, and call me crazy for doing it, but I always start with the question of what are you going to gain by switching irons?

Walking into this blindly I have no idea where your game is at, but the most important question I have for you is where do you want your game to be? For example, your G15's are still great irons and play pretty well for you, correct? At 8 years old, they probably have 150 rounds on them, so they still have plenty of play left in them... Used, you'll get about $300 for them if they are in good shape and a touch more if they are in better than average. This means you'd be investing about $1000 in that set of P790's right now. That said, here's my three thoughts...

If you're thinking it's time for a new set because you want one, then make sure you take another few weekends and hit everything out there. Don't rush this... Maybe the Wilson D7's are what fits you best or the look of the Mizuno JPX 919 HM Pros will give you that perfect blend of power and precision. Then there's the Speedbacks, Apex or Apex Pros and even the Titleist AP series... There's so many options. I went for a wedge fitting knowing I wanted the Mizuno T7, until I hit 4 other models that I liked better... Ended up with the TM Milled Grind - didn't even know they made a quality wedge... lol

Next, if you're just tired of what you have, I'd recommend taking your irons to a custom fitter and getting fit for something that works as well, if not better than what you have. Have the lofts and lies checked to make sure they are still 100% in spec. My blades get roughed out of shape by a degree or two every season - I'm sure the softer Ping models do the same as well. Have them checked, regripped and maybe even refinished and see if it brings back that loving feeling. No need to go new if you just need something new...

Finally, toss caution to the wind and get a full fitting and gapping done on the TM's... Make sure they do exactly what you need them to. There's nothing worse than getting a brand new set of irons only to find that the 7, 6, 5 and 4 irons all have the same carry distance. It's sad, but I've seen it happen. Make sure you have what you need in that new set and don't forget to have them checked AFTER you buy them as well. Get them to toss in a few freebies like a lie check next season or maybe free grip labor if you come back to the store to have them done. Silly stuff like this makes new sets a better deal and for $1500, they better be a good deal!

Anyways, just my ramblings, I'd say go get the big dogs and have some fun this year, but it's not my budget... :)
 
Go with what works best for you!
 
waazzupppp said:
I'm going to drop a bombshell here, and call me crazy for doing it, but I always start with the question of what are you going to gain by switching irons?

Walking into this blindly I have no idea where your game is at, but the most important question I have for you is where do you want your game to be? For example, your G15's are still great irons and play pretty well for you, correct? At 8 years old, they probably have 150 rounds on them, so they still have plenty of play left in them... Used, you'll get about $300 for them if they are in good shape and a touch more if they are in better than average. This means you'd be investing about $1000 in that set of P790's right now. That said, here's my three thoughts...

If you're thinking it's time for a new set because you want one, then make sure you take another few weekends and hit everything out there. Don't rush this... Maybe the Wilson D7's are what fits you best or the look of the Mizuno JPX 919 HM Pros will give you that perfect blend of power and precision. Then there's the Speedbacks, Apex or Apex Pros and even the Titleist AP series... There's so many options. I went for a wedge fitting knowing I wanted the Mizuno T7, until I hit 4 other models that I liked better... Ended up with the TM Milled Grind - didn't even know they made a quality wedge... lol

Next, if you're just tired of what you have, I'd recommend taking your irons to a custom fitter and getting fit for something that works as well, if not better than what you have. Have the lofts and lies checked to make sure they are still 100% in spec. My blades get roughed out of shape by a degree or two every season - I'm sure the softer Ping models do the same as well. Have them checked, regripped and maybe even refinished and see if it brings back that loving feeling. No need to go new if you just need something new...

Finally, toss caution to the wind and get a full fitting and gapping done on the TM's... Make sure they do exactly what you need them to. There's nothing worse than getting a brand new set of irons only to find that the 7, 6, 5 and 4 irons all have the same carry distance. It's sad, but I've seen it happen. Make sure you have what you need in that new set and don't forget to have them checked AFTER you buy them as well. Get them to toss in a few freebies like a lie check next season or maybe free grip labor if you come back to the store to have them done. Silly stuff like this makes new sets a better deal and for $1500, they better be a good deal!

Anyways, just my ramblings, I'd say go get the big dogs and have some fun this year, but it's not my budget... :)
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My clubs have nearly 200 rounds in them but I haven’t loved them but hadn’t previously found anything I would replace them with. The clubs released over the past couple of years have got me excited.
 
r80rew said:
My intention is just that, make sure I am happy with my choice before placing the order as these will likely stick in my bag for a while. I hoped more people would have given their opinion on why they chose the one over the other.
Click to expand...

That reason would be different for each and every one of us though. I chose my new irons because of the performance and the way they felt when I hit them. I really wanted to get the Srixon 585s, but I didn't hit them well. I then picked up the Apex 19s and hit them better, but when I hit the 919 HMs it was like "ok, these are the ones!"

What I am trying to say is get fit by a good fitter, and ask a lot of questions, and don't leave until you are satisfied in the fitting and the end result in the irons you come away with, because let's be honest, the reason we initially pick a club is because of how it looks, and the marketing behind it, but none of that will matter if the club doesn't work for you.
 
If one club were that much better than all the others, nearly everyone would play that one. But no club works for everybody, and every club will work for somebody. Find the club that works for you, and try as many as you can get your hands on. Come back a second time - you may have a different swing. As others have mentioned, I've walked into a golf center fully expecting to buy ABC irons, and walked out with a set of XYZs. BHecause I tried a bunch of clubs.

I tested the TaylorMade M4s for THP, and they have been great to me. Kicked a set of Ping Gs out of my bag. I recommend them to anyone who is looking for a game improvement iron, especially at theoir new lower price. But I tell them to try them, not buy them.
 
Based on what you've said, there is only one possible answer to your question--minimum dispersion.

You told me you suffered with poorly fitted irons for 8 years. You obviously don't want to repeat that mistake. Irons are your scoring clubs. It's all about getting the ball close to the hole on your approach shots as often as possible. For that you need minimum dispersion from swing to swing, both in length and side-to-side. You are looking at some fine heads and shafts. Get on a launch monitor in an indoor bay or better on the range and find the one that gives you the minimum dispersion and make sure they are gapped properly and you'll be a happy camper.
 
r80rew said:
There is so much positive chatter about the Apex 19 though, I would be interested in Jmans opinion having had both in his bag this year and why he chose Apex over P790. I have until Friday when I go and order but will hit both side by side at that point as well.
Click to expand...

I’ve hit the 790s a little bit. I liked them fine. I don’t think they are in the same class as the 19s, which I think are special. I’d say try the 19s with the graphite shaft then make your decision.
 
r80rew said:
There is so much positive chatter about the Apex 19 though, I would be interested in Jmans opinion having had both in his bag this year and why he chose Apex over P790. I have until Friday when I go and order but will hit both side by side at that point as well.
Click to expand...

Hey dude, just saw this.

I actually disagree with Frank above, I do think the 790 are in the same class as the 19’s and it comes down to what the user wants.

Compared to the standard, non pros, the 790’s are going to actually have a more compact look at address while not sacrificing forgiveness which for many will be huge, less offset visually to me and that is a big deal. I do think also that forgiveness wise they’re closer than most here realize. Big difference for me is the Apex launch higher and spin just a touch more which I actually need.

I would totally put them in a similar class though, both are truly fantastic irons I think most will be very happy with.
 
There are so many great irons available that I can understand the difficulty in choosing one. IMO, brand is not important but fitting is of utmost important. To me there are very tiny differences in performance between different heads in the same category but large differences in shaft performance. The numerous shafts available today make the process more time consuming but in the end you will find a shaft that is your perfect fit.

I don’t buy new irons often but for me the tiebreaker is overall looks of the iron. Usually one model will speak to you more than the others just based on how they look to your eye. That’s how I wound up will my current irons and two years later they still look better to my eye than anything else out there.
 
Jman said:
Hey dude, just saw this.

I actually disagree with Frank above, I do think the 790 are in the same class as the 19’s and it comes down to what the user wants.

Compared to the standard, non pros, the 790’s are going to actually have a more compact look at address while not sacrificing forgiveness which for many will be huge, less offset visually to me and that is a big deal. I do think also that forgiveness wise they’re closer than most here realize. Big difference for me is the Apex launch higher and spin just a touch more which I actually need.

I would totally put them in a similar class though, both are truly fantastic irons I think most will be very happy with.
Click to expand...

Brilliant Jman this was exactly the feedback I was looking for.
 
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