What's wrong with 10 year old clubs?

[RogerinNewZealand]

Like MBH i have mp63 mint bought a year ago. I spotted as new mp57 locally yestersay....i had the 2009 X Forged 3 years ago,Mizunos were softer and they were not 0.355ttip.J33 CB remain one set i miss ! Played I3 new in 2001? Always something for sale to rebuild so keep looking

NZ might be back to work next week or soon after so looking forward to just hitting a ball vs playing golf!

[Trig]

I still have three sets of old Mizunos circa 1996 - 2001. The problem is too much feedback, too much subtlety, too much subjective art in working the balls. Today's clubs go further (thanks to loft) and straighter (thanks to weighting) but there is no art - unless you use Tiger's Taylormade 681T irons. Just thinking about it tempts me to put some modern shafts in old clubs and see what happens.

[Davidv]

Nothing if you do not think there have been any significant tech improvements in 10 years.

[iNeedMoreGolf]

Actually saw online a set of xhot irons for 200 brand new. Looked great and the tech sounded great as well. I think from 2012. The short answer is nothing is really wrong with it unless your looking to change. I think every 5 or so years there is bigger improvements. I will say i think certain relases are better then others overall. So just testing and if your ready to switch is all it takes.

[= RowdyRoddy =]

I just got a near new set of Titleist 710mb last season, because I liked the looks better than some newer models. I also saved a schwack of cash. They looked like they saw a range once. 456 weren't even hit yet.

I am not losing anything, as far as performance goes, with blade irons.

[Ghostwedge]

Played recently with a guy who had a bag full of Callaway FT irons and the original uniflex shafts ( what are they regular+ or stiff - ) have no idea when they came out but he was dropping flares on pins the whole rd.

He doesn’t need to upgrade anytime soon. lol

 

[NoFancyUsername.]

Were the X forged a blade?

[gdb99]

One piece forged Cavity back.

[Chuck905]

Most will tell you there is nothing wrong but I disagree speaking from experience.

One, you get a free fitting, simulation data or even real grass tees depending on the demo location and almost endless customization (shaft brand, weight, lie, loft, grip etc) to suit your swing and taste.

Im my case, I’ll do a handful of demo sessions before I buy, but the sales staff are cool with it.

Im fully confident my equipment is well fitted for me and optimized for performance.

My buddy however is the polar opposite of me, wastes time with flakes for bargains, gets ill fitted equipment, worn, tinkers on, has no evidential data and always chasing.

Funny enough, he’s a better golfer than me but it wasn’t until now he has started to figure his specifications out by trial and error (15 years later!). I laugh before our round because when he opens up his trunk, there’s loose shafts, heads, and different sets! I shake my head.

Haha I wasn’t going to help him out in the fitting department!

When you add the money, time and assurance, I came out ahead over my buddy.

 

[bodhi555]

In the woods I'd say yes, but for the rest of the bag? Not in the slightest. You won;t find any foam filled nonsense like PXG's or P790's, but if you're looking at one piece forgings I honestly don't think much has changed over the last 15 years other than the groove rule.

For instance I'm currently playing a set of VR Pros from 2011, and thought I;d try a couple of 2020 models over Xmas - the 620 MB and MP-20. The numbers and consistency I was getting from the new ones were identical to my old Nikes - if anything, they were around 5 yards longer than the newer models, and easier to move left/right when needed.

I'd say go for it - if they don't work, you'll make you money back easily.

[mizuno player]

I still have my 710mb's. I am switching this year, if there is going to be a year. The main reason is the 7 and 9 iron are getting pretty worn and my spin is up on those clubs. I've tried some others during the time I've had these but always go back. They are perfect for me.

[Valtiel]

I agree with what you're saying, but what you're saying is all about experimenting and getting properly fit, not about old vs. new equipment. Yes if the old equipment is worn out and ill fit for the player then it will be "inferior", but the same could be said about newer equipment as well.

[Old Tom Morris]

I just put a set of DG AMT s300 shafts in a 15 year old set of MP-37. Just to fool around with. With so many shaft options available today, it’s worth exploring.

[gdb99]

While I agree getting fit is important, I haven't had much luck with it. The places around here are inside only with Tracman.

I've been doing this for 30 years, your friend is still a rookie.

I'm a pretty standard fit, Callaway lie angle is between most Titleist and Mizuno irons, I know what I need there. And I would get lies and lofts checked since they are so old. These are a one piece forging, not a lot of new "tech" involved. In fact, Golfworks playability numbers have this older set a little more "forgiving" than new models.

This set in particular is 3-PW. The 3 and 4 iron are still in the wrapper. I only use 6-PW, and the faces are in great shape. The shaft weight is right where I need it for my swing.

But, one the other guys that responded made me think. He mentioned I would probably get my money back if they don't work out.

Well, looking at the "sold" auctions on Fleebay, I don't think I will. I think this set is priced a little high.

I just played 2 rounds putting my AP1's in the bag. I've hit more greens than the last set I have been trying, and my misses were still pretty good for easy up and downs. I've decided I really don't need to go to a smaller headed iron. I usually go by the moto "play the most forgiving club you can stand to look at". Until I start playing well, then I need "players" irons.

The cycle never ends....

[ex0dus]

There isn't a whole lot companies can do with a forged iron, especially mbs and players cavities. Their hands are tied by the small size and the limitations of the forging process.

I would say advancements are more noticeable in cast irons, but even then the difference isn't that big.

 

 

 

 

[Old Tom Morris]

Latest iron tech would include thin hot faces on GI, tungsten inserts low in toe to aid launch, lightweight steel shafts, and variable weighted shafts. Most of that is five to ten year old

[Chuck905]

I get it, fair points.

I am standard length and lie as well but I am just OCD down to the shaft specifications. I just don’t compromise in the area of fitting.

The kicker for me is time, you can kill a lot of time with used ads because there are a lot of flakes and hagglers, plus travelling time; I just won’t make time me for that.

[Fuscinator]

They're untested.

[Neurotica]

Irons not a lot. Fairway clubs, not a lot. Drivers different story.

[Titleist_PT23]

Feel like fairways have changed in the last 5 years or so. The RBZ or X Hot models and newer seemed to become more and more like drivers.

Although I would agree a 2020 vs 2013 driver has bigger difference vs the corresponding fairway.

[kooch1221]

My current gamer bag....

Titleist 909 driver

Sonartec MD Hybrid

Mizuno MP-64

Callaway MD3 wedges.

Cameron Select Stainless Newport.

 

Other then a handful of yards with the driver maybe, I dont think there is

much improvement to had here if comparing like lofts,

[launcher]

Would have to agree with several of the responses here. Irons- really not much. Yes you could make an argument for the juiced faces, they are longer when hit dsp, but very inconsistent otherwise. Fairways/hybrids- really not much again. I have several older vintage that I could easily drop in the bag. Drivers- 10 years might be a little long. Anything in the last 5 would be fine though. I still have a Bridgestone J715 thats every bit as good as anything current, and it's 5-6 years old now.

[JosephNewton293]

Ryan Palmer can play anything he wants for free.............Titleist ap2 710's.

[JosephNewton293]

Steve Stricker....Titleist 755's.....?

[Yuck]

The xforged 2009 were a great CB. Short irons had some mass high on the cavity so you could flight them like blades. They did make some conforming sets late in the run. There was an “v” indication on the hosel if they had conforming grooves.

[SteveB6552]

If the grooves aren’t shot and the shaft works for you, why not? The biggest changes I’ve seen are in the shaft technology and hotter lofts. Bottom line—do they go where and how far you need them to go... Enjoy!

[drumdude96]

Not a thing wrong with older irons. I reshafted a set of BeCu PING Zings with black powder-coated AMT Tour White shafts and they look and perform spectacularly. My other iron sets are a bit older too, being G25;s and Wilson Staff FG Tour F5's, but nothing newer would be any better. Maybe longer due to jacked lofts, but certainly not better.

[hoganben]

Watch...you will have entirely different clubs in your signature next week. Just curious...is.picking irons really rocket science......most come with the same dynamic gold shafts anyway. Blades are basically all the same...think Tige r's. I think Callaway just glues a different medallion in the back of their cavity back irons every year..same with ping. The truly scientific way to test clubs is to try a club out on the course that you bought your son...make sure you then put it in your bag. I loved his titleist fw with aldila by you stiff shafts so much that I bought a ping rapture driver with the same shaft for $40. Of course, i wouldn't be able to find that shaft in a new driver and no I dont need the waste of time adjustability of a new driver..long and down the middle is good enough for me!

[Merlin_13]

Some of the best(most accurate) Irons I ever played were the Taylor Made R7 TPs with Dynamic Gold SL shafts and the Callaway 2013 X Forged (PX Flighted)- I kept them til the grooves were gone. I'd love to have either set back. Just ordered a "used" set of the Callaway 2018 X Forged in hopes they'll last as long and be as good as their predecessors. There's absolutely nothing wrong with the "older" clubs- especially if you're comfortable with them and they fit your game

[achappy]

I picked up a set of Ping Eye2+ last October and played some great golf with them. Once I adjusted to the loft differences (hitting 7 instead of 8) I was deadly with them. The only reason I got rid of them was that I needed a set that were USGA groove compliant so I picked up a set of R9 TPs. Only got a chance to hit them a round before courses close but I was impressed with them. Higher launching and seemingly no distance loss compared to the Srixon 745s I had played for 2 years.

As you can see from signature, The Bridgestone is the only thing "current" and that's because it was was so cheap. Haven't had a chance to compare it to the J33 that I had been using for several rounds before.