Vr Splits vs Ap2's vs X22 Tours

I have been playing the Ping S58's for the last yr and a half and I shoot upper 70's low 80's. I really want to upgrade my irons. I am Looking at the three mentioned above. I know 2 are forged and the callaways are cast. I was wondering how many here have hit these 3 irons and can give some feedback. I have hit the ap2's, because I am a lefty I have been unable to find the splits to demo. I plan on hitting the x22 tours on friday. Also, I have never hit the project X shafts before and I was would like to know how they compare to my Z-z65's in my Pings. Thanks for any feedback.

-Brett

X-22 Tour and AP2 are similar in forgiveness...Splits are going to be more demanding- especially in the longer irons. I suppose at your handicap you can play any of the 3 sets. What were your opinions of the AP2? Forgiving or not very? You're going to get opinions based on what everyone else has already bought. How are you trying to improve on your S58's?

I would rank them in this order:

Nike Split Cavities

AP2s

X-22 tours

The Nikes felt incredibly good (with the PX 5.5. shafts), looked great at address.

The AP2s also felt good but not as good (DGS300) but did not look as traditional at address

X-22s were the least impressive, not very forgiving, feel was OK, did not like the look at address

The ap2's were nice although a little more expensive. The splits look nice too, I just cant find one to hit in lefty. My Pings have served me well. There is no problem with them at all, just got a bonus at work and its burning a hole in my pocket not to mention seeing all the club ho's on here and reading about their excitement with their new sticks. I am kind of impressed with the X22 tours. They look much better than the previous models and I have seen good reviews on them. Do the proj x shafts play really stiff?

I tried the VR Split 6 iron with DGS300 on Demo Day and it was very forgiving, it felt great, and it had a nice trajectory. I don't think I hit a bad shot with it. I have hit the AP2 on multiple demo days and I think it is an awesome club. I am one of those who like the PX5.5 shaft. I seem to pick up yardage with it over the DGS300 with the same swing. I think it is the lighter weight. I don't notice the harsh feel that I've read about from some on here. Haven't found the X22 tour yet in LH to demo, but Callaway Demo Day is this Saturday at our course. I hope they have one to try...

I also hit the S57 7 iron on that same demo day, SWEET!!!! Also, let me add to your confusion, the MP-52s are the Sweetest of them all!!!

X-22 Tours

if you are shotting in the 70s, I'd try a VR Split / Blade combo set. That's the money right there

I have thought about doing a VR combo, problem is I cant find a split or blade in lefty to hit. As much as they cost, I am hesitant to buy without trying. All 3 are nice. Can anyone comment on the stiffness of the ProjX? I have heard the 5.5 and 6.0 are stiff but also the 5.0 can be considered stiff. The ap2's look great and feel soft when struck good. I am anxious to hit the X22 tours on Fri.

Also, I have heard several people claim the Ap2's are more forgiving than the VR splits and the X22 tours are a tadd more forgiving than the ap2. A rep at the pga superstore also said this. True, or different strokes for different folks? The hot list ranked the Ap2 top notch and the x22 tours also got a gold mark. The knock on the x22 tours was that they leaned more towards forgiveness vs feel.

I've been considering a VR combo set myself... have a 3 hybrid that I like a lot so thinking 4-5-maybe 6 then start the blades at 7... not sure.

+1 on the VR combo set

Also, I have heard several people claim the Ap2's are more forgiving than the VR splits and the X22 tours are a tadd more forgiving than the ap2. A rep at the pga superstore also said this. True, or different strokes for different folks? The hot list ranked the Ap2 top notch and the x22 tours also got a gold mark. The knock on the x22 tours was that they leaned more towards forgiveness vs feel.

I have hit them all and own the AP2s. That said I change irons a lot because I like to play different irons and have the last 15 of my 30+ years of golf. I have my i5s as backup if I want to sell or trade other sets. I don,t form personal relationships with irons and the AP2s could be traded or sold by the time you read this even for another set you listed. My whole point here is that I have no "buyer justification" in my answer. To your point the AP2 seem by far more forgiving than the Splits. I have demoed the splits 4 or 5 times. The splits look nice but I am not ga ga over that powder coating. They feel good but you better hit the sweet spot. I have hit the X22 Tours only a few times and it was with the PX 6.0 and I think that's a bit stiff for me and they felt harsh. Also the demos I see wear and they don,t look very appealing after awhile. The AP2 have PX 5.5 and feel very smooth. I think the only reason someone would say harsh is if they have too stiff a flex as I did in the 6.0 in X22 Tour. I think you can pick up a good used set of AP2s pretty reasonable if your patient. The only issue I have is I hit the short irons a bit high as some have said but I think it's just bad swing mechanics as witnessed by a lesson I had last Sunday. Again I could have a set of splits or x22 tours or s57s or whatever next week because I like to switch but if I had a gun to my head and was told I could play only one set the rest of the season it would be the AP2s.

My vote.AP2's...hnads down!Best of both worlds,remind me of X-Tours....a very solid and forgiving iron considering the relatively small size!Bullseye for Titleist!

Take this for what its worth as we do quite a few fittings where the player wants to hit everything we have for "players." This would include all of Mizuno's current line, TM Tour Preferred, AP2, ZB, Nike Splits/Blades, Ping i10/S57, Callaway X-Forged?X-22 Tour etc and not one person has picked Nike. This is just my opinion as I do think Nike makes good stuff but you have to be a fan of theirs to honestly think those irons are the best in that lineup. Before anyone freaks out, yes it is a nice club just not as good as some other stuff on the market.

Also, I have heard several people claim the Ap2's are more forgiving than the VR splits and the X22 tours are a tadd more forgiving than the ap2. A rep at the pga superstore also said this. True, or different strokes for different folks? The hot list ranked the Ap2 top notch and the x22 tours also got a gold mark. The knock on the x22 tours was that they leaned more towards forgiveness vs feel.

I have hit all 3 and would rank them that way. The X22 Tours are the most forgiving, the AP2s are just a step behind, and the VR splits are quite a bit more demanding. And FWIW, I'd rank them that way overall for me. You DO give up a little "feel" in the X22 Tours, but it's not nearly as much as I thought (so much so that I'm considering a set, and I'd be coming from Miura).

I have a set of the AP2's and they are very solid club. They AP2's are very forgiving for a players irons they are also on the chunky side for a players iron, they feel great when you hit the sweet spot. They are the best iron I have ever hit out of the rough and I believe that has to do with the tungsten weight at the bottom.

I have not hit the Callaway’s but, I will assume they are like the previous version, forgiving straight irons without great feel.

The Nike splits I hit and I liked them a lot very nice irons, nice ball flight and they feel real nice, better than the AP2's they seemed to me to be forgiving but I really didn't miss the sweet spot when I hit them so maybe they aren't. The only thing I didn't like about them was the looks of the cavity and the grips, the grips are total crap not sure why they put those on them. I also hit the Nike VR blades and those things were supper sweet, they had everything in a iron that I like. They felt great and were very forgiving for a blade and I really like the grind on them and they are were also very accurate irons. If I were you those are the irons I would get, if you don't feel like you can hit the blades in the lower irons I would get a split set, that to me would be a great combo. I did hit the 4 iron in the blade and found it to be easy to hit so go and try the blades. I was so impressed by the Nike VR blades I bought a set .

Of course Nike doesn't make the blade in left-handed.

I think the s58's are as good or better than the others. X22 (or X20 tour) are pretty easy to hit. I have a VR 6 iron and a good shot is amazing but the other 80% of my shots were pretty bad. I am selling it now: VR 6 iron

Dang it would be hard to be a lefty, just not that much equipment especially boutique or limited runs.

Truth be told, even if the blades were in lefty, I probably could not find one to demo anyway, just like i cant find a split to demo. The splits look nice too, there is just something about spending that much cash without testing it first. Almost worth learning to play righty.

The VR combo is the way to go I'm telling you. Forgivness is overratted in the AP2s. In the 7-PW the VR Blades are as forgiving as the splits IMO anyways and how often can you really stick a green from 200+ out using 3-5 irons. Most people use hybrids for 200+ anways.

The VR combo is the way to go I'm telling you. Forgivness is overratted in the AP2s. In the 7-PW the VR Blades are as forgiving as the splits IMO anyways and how often can you really stick a green from 200+ out using 3-5 irons. Most people use hybrids for 200+ anways.

I respect your opinion but, have you owned or played a set of the AP2's? They are very forgiving for a PLAYER's iron and not at all overrated in that category.

I do agree that the Nike VR blades are forgiving, more than any blade I can think of that I have hit or played and I have owned a lot of blades. My 2nd worst shot behind my pull hook is a push fade that works away from my target, very frustrating. When I hit that shot with the Nike's they drew back to the target or at worse land slightly right of the target. That was the deciding factor for me in buying a set.

Dizzub- Which "players" club are your clients purchasing the most of?

Dizzub- Which "players" club are your clients purchasing the most of?

Everyone in the golf business knows there is 2 types of clients...guys that want to get fit and have no biases coming in and guys that "already know what they need." I'm talking about guys who "only" play Titleist, Nike, Mizuno...you know how that goes. So I'm throwing those guys out the window. I would say that its close at the top between Mizuno, AP2, and Ping. AP2 is probably the best selling set if you just go by one overall set. We sell quite a bit of PING as well but its a mix between i10/S57/G10 (I only say G10 because I can remember one + handicap player going G10) which surprises people that think shooting 82 mandates you move into a players club. Mizuno is a mix between 52, 57, and 62. We've sold some Nike sets but we've sold ZERO custom ordered sets that we fit players into. Take that for what its worth, but zero guys have tested nearly everything and picked Nike as the winner. I would say behind that is Callaway X22/Tour or Adams A4...seems like a lot of guys like the A4 just don't know if they want to play an Adams club.

I have been playing the Ping S58's for the last yr and a half and I shoot upper 70's low 80's. I really want to upgrade my irons. I am Looking at the three mentioned above. I know 2 are forged and the callaways are cast. I was wondering how many here have hit these 3 irons and can give some feedback. I have hit the ap2's, because I am a lefty I have been unable to find the splits to demo. I plan on hitting the x22 tours on friday. Also, I have never hit the project X shafts before and I was would like to know how they compare to my Z-z65's in my Pings. Thanks for any feedback.

 

-Brett

Hope you ended up getting something out of asking the question. Never ceases to amaze me that slappys can,t speak the positives of thier choice without throwing out negatives (in thier own mind) of others. Example "AP2s forgiveness overated". What qualifies them to make that statement if they don,t even play them? Now to say that one's demo experience makes them feel they are the least forgiving is fine. FWIW I played with a solid 6-7 HC yesterday who was still playing s58s for the 3rd year and I really liked his ball trajectory. As usual demo a 2nd and 3 rd time the irons your looking at if possible then make a choice. Good luck.

any of the three sets mentioned are great in my opinion, just comes down to preference.. Have you hit the TM Tour preferred by chance? I think TM did right with this one.

I am going to put some swings on the x22 tours today. Gonna try and do a side by side comparison with the Ap2's.

Also, does anyone have any feedback on the Cobra Pro Cb's? They look nice too.

Okay, I hit the the Ap2's and the x22 tours yesterday and today side by side. Both had the Proj X 5.5 shafts and used 6 and 7 irons. The following is just my opinion: the x22 tours win out. I felt the tours were easier to hit, more forgiving but not by much, and had a better ball flight for me. The tours also had more distance which I am sure is due to the lofts being different. The ap2's are nice clubs, I am not dissing them at all. When the sweet spot is hit they do have an awesome feel to them that is slightly better than the tours. I just found the sweet spot on the tours on almost every swing and they feel great too. I wish I could test the VR Splits but its not going to happen. Ordering the tours on Monday.

Good luck on your upcoming iron purchase! I know it becomes a tough decision but you are looking at quality sets in comparable catagories and the truth be told, there is no bad choice on your list.

I feel for you not being able to find lefthanded demos, my wife plays lefthanded and finding her good equipment based on the limited choices is tough (she is playing the X22).

The AP2s are a big favorite on this board but I have never been able to get used to the Titleist click sound and feel they produce!

The X22 Tours are a set I could easily have in my bag (I played the X20 Tours for the last two years). I bought a set of the X22 Tours in January for the upcoming season and was all set to play once the weather broke. You can't go wrong with these irons.

I had the TM Tour Preferreds in the house also (another nice set of irons).

I had the VR Splits show up at my door in March. When I opened the box, I immediately loved these irons. The sole was a little narrower, offset was minimal, setup at address was perfect, and I thought the overall look of the club was outstanding. They did give me the impression that they would be harder to hit, but I actually said to my wife I would be willing to shoot a higher score to have these in the bag. So, I did what any good club ho would do - I ordered two VR wedges to go with them! Once the snow finally melted, I put the VR Splits into play. I hit them great from the first swing. I didn't find them any harder to hit or less forgiving than the Player's cavity backs I've hit in the past. I range from a 12-14 hdcp. with iron play being my strength. Extremely accurate, they like to go straight but can be worked on demand. "demanding" isn't a word I would use to describe them. I hit them well enough to put the 4 iron back in the bag for the first time in years. The 4 iron worked so well that I put the 3 iron in the bag. The 3 iron is equally as dependable (I've seen many posts that say the 3 iron is hard to hit but I have no problem with it). The comment that the stock grips are terrible is spot on in my opinion - the worst grips I've ever seen, but on a positive note, Nike's grip tape can be stripped off in less than 10 seconds using only your fingers - it reminds me of tissue paper. I've sold the other sets I had and am completely satisfied with the VRs (shot my PB score for the year yesterday - 78).

Obviously this is my endorsement for the VR Splits and although I've had fittings in the past, I'm lucky enough to always end up stock L,L, & L - boring but it does make the process much simpler!

As I said in the beginning, you can't go wrong with any of the sets you've listed! Pick one, commit to it, and you will be happy! Enjoy the ride & hit them well.

Have been hitting my 22 tours since they came in last friday. Felt like they were lacking something so i went back and picked up a Ap2 6 iron but instead of a proj x 5.5 liked i used in my demo earlier I got it in dg s300. WOW, wish i had done that in the 1st place. Fantastic feel, distance was better. Used my playablity on the 22 tours and got the ap2's in dg s300 with blk and white multi compound grips. Cant wait!