Am I ready for a set of MP-64's?

Hello GolfWRX!

I am a sophmore, high school golfer (pursuing college, fingers crossed!) who has recentley joined GolfWRX in hopes of golf enlighenment. I come to you (specifically Mizuno enthusiasts) with a question concerning the classic MP-64's. Many desire to play these beautiful irons, but I hear few possess the ability to play them well. I don't really like to put a handicap number on clubs, but I want to know if I'm ready to game these irons. A good buddy of mine (very talented golfer, shot -2 in regionals) owns them and I, like many, aspire to play these clubs. I have been able to scrap together a good bag of golf clubs (through many hours of work and saved birthday money), but my good, old 712 AP1's are starting to go out the door (great game improvers btw; dropped my scores from around 90 to around 78 over the summer). I'm looking to step up my irons and I'm looking at the MP-64's. My average score for the 2014 season was a 38ish and I just shot a 77 at districts (I know not too good, but I'm getting there). Just wanted some input! Thanks!

Yours Truly,

$$$Mahoney

I would encourage you to see if it is possible for you to take your buddies MP64s out and play with them if possible. While the shaft/specs may or may not be correct for you it might give you an idea. Pay attention to your mis-hits, not so much solid strikes and be honest with yourself. Your are correct in stating that ones handicap can't really be used for club fitting, what if a 1 handicap has an expert short game or a 3 who can flush it three putts five times a round for instance? I can tell you that I went from PING Ansers to MP 64s and was slightly concerned that they might be too much club for me. Not the case at all, I've had mine in the bag for a year and a half now and love them today as much as the day I got them. My dispersion with iron shots actually became noticeably tighter. Best looking and feeling irons I've ever hit IMO. One other thing, if you do decide to go with them, make sure you get fit with the Mizuno shaft-optimizer. I believe that it's very accurate. I got mine with the recommended KBS Tour X soft stepped one time with no upcharge from Mizuno. Best of luck and keep us posted.

That is big step from AP1 to 64....If your consistent than it will just take some time to adjust...

But really nobody here can tell or even suggest clubs for anyone else.....

It's all on you and what you think

Your gonna hear noway and of course you can so it's not gonna help much....

Trust your own assessment over anything else

I think hdcp system is fairly accurate.....I have never seen a great ballstriker who couldn't chip or putt halfway decent. ....and I have never seen anyone who had a really lopsided game where one or two facets was extremely better than others....it all kinda goes hand in hand.....of course people always have their strengths but not crazy enough to say a person strikes ball like a scratch player but his pputting and or short game prevents him from breaking 80.....If you understand the swing than it kinda leaks Into every part of the game.....

My putting is atrocious, absolutely worst part of my game, but iron play takes pressure off of it... I can still mange par and 70's on reg basis......

Reason being is it takes alot of time and hrs to be good at any part of the game, and during those hrs and thousands of rounds you still have to drive, chip and putt...so you will still be adequate enough in other areas

To say one area is costing you enormous amt of shots per round is ridiculous......I have never ever seen a 15 hdcp who is good or great ballstriker......not possible

All I can add is ap1s to 64s aren't going to take you from 78 to shooting par. My guess is that will come down to a putter and a wedge. That said, you can absolutely use 64s. You have to believe in yourself! If those 64s help give you that belief, then use them! You can get to scratch with ap1s...64s...or most anything else for that matter.. If you have the talent, discipline, and patience to get there.

Best of luck!

I would go with what jas904 said. See if it is possible to try your buddies. And go from there.

I would go with the 64's. You sound like you have the dedication to improve constantly and these will aid in doing that.

I was playing MP-33's as a 12 handicapper and loving every minute of it. I think the mystic of Mizzy MP XX is way way overstated. I currently play with MP-68's and my buddies that have hit them either on the course or the range all seem to say the same thing, in that "they aren't as hard to hit as I thought". There will be some that say unless you are carrying a 5 or less handy your game will go into the crapper with blades. My experience is that I score better with blades and score the best with Mizzy blades.

Go for it and get them.

AP2s, MP54, MP15, i25, S55 would be my suggestions.

[quote name='Golf64' timestamp='1414067409' post='10337585']
AP2s, MP54, MP15, i25, S55 would be my suggestions.
[/quote]

+1 here! And add RBT's. Only one I would maybe get rid of here would be the i25 from the list. For me the bounce and ball flight was just too high.

I have 3 sets of irons I fiddle around with. AP2, RBT's and S55's. Love the feel of the S55's, but havent had a chance to hit them on the course to see what kind of forgiveness I can get from them. The RBT's are stupid easy to hit, but the Ap2's are a little softer.

MP15 or S55 would be the biggest jump I would make being in your shoes. Here is a list of older irons you can pick up on a deal that are note worthy:

RBT's
A12 Pro's
Ap2 710-712 (I like the 712 the best)
MP53
TMag TP MC (not the 2014)
MP59 (probably the most demanding of this bunch)
Cally X-Forged
KZG Evolution

I bet you can handle them - but I would worry about the jump from AP1 to 64s. As mentioned, grab your pals sticks and try out the 5 or 6 iron (or the longest iron you play that he has). Hit shots with it. See what you think. When I first started playing Mizzy - I found a used MP52 6i demo and plugged that club into my set of MX200 irons. I had no issues hitting it. Told me what I needed to know.

I am a lefty, so I have never hit the 64s. No soup for me. And look at my sig - I still play a mix set (MX and MP) of irons. The added forgiveness of the MX is a bonus - and without any sacrifice in that classic Mizuno feel.

Best of luck!

I would put it to how well mentally you will cope if you start hitting them bad. If you can handle that, play whatever you like.

Go get them !!! You will be fine. !! Enjoy !!!!

Sounds like you want/need to scratch an itch so I would definitely hit your buddy's 64s, but if you went from shooting 90 to upper 70s with your AP1s, I'd look at another set of AP1s, new or used, depending on your budget. They will take you to scratch.

You're not going to notice any difference in terms of forgiveness in anything below a 6 iron. It's the 4 and 5 iron that you'll notice the difference. You'll also notice a slightly lower ball flight. So maybe consider a combo set if that's what you really want but are concerned about hindering your game. Maybe a mp64 5-pw and get the 3 and 4 irons in the new H5's.

Get em, if you can break 80 consistently, you'll be fine. People way over exaggerate how much more forgiving clubs like the mp54 or AP2 are compared to the 64s. There will be literally no difference in foreignness from 7-PW, and some marginal extra forgiveness in the 4-6, so it's like 3 clubs where there's a difference. Don't overthink this, just get em and enjoy em if that's what you want. People psyche themselves out trying to worry about if they can play clubs like this.

[quote name='bph7' timestamp='1414074579' post='10338169']
Get em, if you can break 80 consistently, you'll be fine. [b]People way over exaggerate how much more forgiving clubs like the mp54 or AP2 are compared to the 64s. [/b]There will be literally no difference in foreignness from 7-PW, and some marginal extra forgiveness in the 4-6, so it's like 3 clubs where there's a difference. Don't overthink this, just get em and enjoy em if that's what you want. People psyche themselves out trying to worry about if they can play clubs like this.
[/quote]

I agree with this. The way some members describe blades/ players cavity backs you'd think the manufacturer had purposely set out to design a club that is impossible to hit. Of course the opposite is true. I've tried everything from Ping G20s to Mizzy MP-33 and everything in between. Truth is the G20s can't save my game but the MP-33's won't ruin my game either.

As others have suggested, see if you can borrow your buddies or at least hit them on the range. Haven't hit the 64's but tried the earlier 62 model and they were very nice. I imagine the 64's are a very sweet set of irons.

[quote name='MoneyMahoney00' timestamp='1414031416' post='10336369']
Hello GolfWRX!

I am a sophmore, high school golfer (pursuing college, fingers crossed!) who has recentley joined GolfWRX in hopes of golf enlighenment. I come to you (specifically Mizuno enthusiasts) with a question concerning the classic MP-64's. Many desire to play these beautiful irons, but I hear few possess the ability to play them well. I don't really like to put a handicap number on clubs, but I want to know if I'm ready to game these irons. A good buddy of mine (very talented golfer, shot -2 in regionals) owns them and I, like many, aspire to play these clubs. I have been able to scrap together a good bag of golf clubs (through many hours of work and saved birthday money), but my good, old 712 AP1's are starting to go out the door (great game improvers btw; dropped my scores from around 90 to around 78 over the summer). I'm looking to step up my irons and I'm looking at the MP-64's. My average score for the 2014 season was a 38ish and I just shot a 77 at districts (I know not too good, but I'm getting there). Just wanted some input! Thanks!

Yours Truly,

$$$Mahoney
[/quote]

If you're used a to GI club like the AP1, why not try stepping into the more refined AP2? Those will look like the MP64 but offer less of a drop-off in forgiveness.

If you want MIzuno, maybe try the MP54. I would think that someone coming from GI irons would have a better experience with those.

I have the MP64 and honestly, they're not too far from having blades in the bag. I mean, there's a difference, but it's not huge.

You really need to try the MP64 before you buy a set. I could see a person in your shoes potentially losing a lot of consistency with your distances as well as whatever ability you have to get the mid- and long-irons up in the air.

There's an argument that says that eventually you'll need to improve and that MP64s will show you what flaws you have, but then again, I don't want you to buy something that in a year you totally hate.

For me, with the MP 64's, it was more about turf interaction than anything else. I am a digger and could not get along with the bounce and sole grind for the conditions I normally play. The lofts are closer to standard too so club for club (2012 MC vs 64's) I was 1 club shorter at least. They do feel great and are as beautiful as any club I've ever owned but the mishits were brutal to me and my game. I had to sell them as bad as I hated it...

Can you play them? Sure. Should you? You need to demo a club for a month or so and make sure before you drop the coin. Just my .02...

You are having great success with your AP1's so why do you want to change?

AP1's have a good measure of forgiveness. In what way are less forgiving clubs like MP-64's going to improve your game and why?

definitely get them. consider MP54 or MPH5 for 3-5 or something along those lines

[quote name='Redhill' timestamp='1414037884' post='10336889']
I would go with the 64's. You sound like you have the dedication to improve constantly and these will aid in doing that.

I was playing MP-33's as a 12 handicapper and loving every minute of it. I think the mystic of Mizzy MP XX is way way overstated. I currently play with MP-68's and my buddies that have hit them either on the course or the range all seem to say the same thing, in that "they aren't as hard to hit as I thought". There will be some that say unless you are carrying a 5 or less handy your game will go into the crapper with blades. My experience is that I score better with blades and score the best with Mizzy blades.

Go for it and get them.
[/quote]

I agree with you 100%. It's borderline paranoia for some people. Certainly not as difficult as I had imagined either. I will admit I am struggling with the MP-32 3 iron, I could use my MP-63 one here which was fine.

My buddy is afraid of forged irons. Some fitter told him he "is not ready for forged" years ago. He was a 10HC at the time of this "fitting". I'm going to get him an MP-68 lefty demo club as a birthday gift to settle our debate. I'm pretty sure he'll hit a handful of balls and buy the whole set.

I love my MP-68 4 iron and hit it well. Because those longer irons are supposedly harder to hit I spent an inordinate amount of range time and many buckets hitting only the 4 iron. I did the same thing when I was struggling hitting fairway wood shots. Most of us like to practice the shots/clubs that we are good with and that produce sound shots. It's only normal to search for things that are confidence building and rewarding immediately.

I decided to only take my 4 iron to the range and hit a bucket with it many times. At first the temper rose up and the language got robust, but after a while I settled down and started to think about why I wasn't hitting it flush. There is a lot of information out there about improving your contact and you go about shifting through what works for you and what doesn't or what you are already doing correctly. Finally I started to hit the last half of the bucket better and after many same trips to the driving range now love having the chance to smack a nice high 4 iron, hopefully on the green. Same with the fairway woods for me.

[quote name='Nessism' timestamp='1414080812' post='10338857']
You are having great success with your AP1's so why do you want to change?

AP1's have a good measure of forgiveness. In what way are less forgiving clubs like MP-64's going to improve your game and why?
[/quote]
AP1's have been great for improving my gaming and giving me forgiveness when I needed it, but I'm getting to the part of my game where I need good feel and control over forgiveness.

[quote name='Golf64' timestamp='1414067409' post='10337585']
AP2s, MP54, MP15, i25, S55 would be my suggestions.
[/quote]
Will for sure check out AP2's and S55's... Great looking clubs

One question: Do you like they way they look at address, and does this look frame the ball well and promote a good takeaway?

If yes, get them and don't look back.

if you liked your ap1s i'd consider getting ap2s. i think that would be a good familiar step forward.

Put the new MP-15 on your radar! Great solid players iron!

When I first started playing blades I was told that I should buy a blade MP-33 6 iron and use it a lot. Once it was performing at the level I desired, I would then be OK to order a full set of the blades I wanted. It took about 5 months to get my swing where it needed to be. If I hadn't bought that blade, who knows how long it would have taken to better groove my swing to that same degree.

To some degree, I probably could have grooved my swing sooner and even better if I'd gone ahead and bought the full set from the outset. I came to the 64's from muscle back blades and bypassed the MP-4's because the 64's are to me the best feeling iron Mizuno has ever made. I would now probably give the 15's a try before committing to the 64's. But, I just don't think you can go too far wrong with a set of 64's.

I once knew a lady pro that used to frequently play 33's during some practice rounds and then used more forgiving CB's during her actual tourney play. Whatever works...

Great clubs...and of the MP irons - these are pretty easy to hit in the long irons. But I was like you - started out with Mizuno Pro2's long ago, played the MP30s for a bunch of years then the MP62s. The 64's are easy peasy in comparison.

My personal feeling is that most players can hit blades - from 7-PW. It gets a little trickier with 6,5,4 and 3 irons. And a lot of folks have scrapped the 3,4 and maybe the 5 for hybrids - well then you're really only looking at hitting a 6,5 and maybe a 4 iron...and those aren't scoring clubs.

Go for it - enjoy yourself. They might take a little bit of practice - but you probably DO have the time. You'll be hitting them all well in no time. Good luck!

825 pro are pretty sweet clubs

I play MP57s and recently went to demo the Mizuno line as well as the AP2s thinking I could use an upgrade. I found the AP2s and MP54s much harder to hit than the MP64s--I know, pretty counter intuitive but the MP64s just work for me. Also, they seem much more forgiving than the MP57s.

The biggest recommendation I could make is to find an iron you can grow with/works for you and keep it in the bag until the face and grooves are brown.