Easy irons to hit with more traditional distances

[1stworldproblem]

So, some time ago I picked up the clubs I thought would see me through my 80's, 2006 Big Bertha's with regular graphite shafts. My 80's are still quite far away, but in 2024 the Berthas will no longer be conforming, so no tournaments, not even a handicap. What now? I grew up playing musclebacks (real blades went away in the early 50's) and I'm comfortable swinging them when I'm practicing, but I want a set of Irons that I can score with when I'm not having my best day on the course. Thing is, from what I can see, the game improvement irons now go stupid distances and leave a huge gap between the lowest iron and my wedges. I'm not interested in flying a 7 iron 185 yards, I am looking to find and hold a green from the 5 iron and down. Is there a still an iron set that I can swing and score with even if I've had a few too many the night before?

[mvhoffman]

> @1stworldproblem said:

> So, some time ago I picked up the clubs I thought would see me through my 80's, 2006 Big Bertha's with regular graphite shafts. My 80's are still quite far away, but in 2024 the Berthas will no longer be conforming, so no tournaments, not even a handicap. What now? I grew up playing musclebacks (real blades went away in the early 50's) and I'm comfortable swinging them when I'm practicing, but I want a set of Irons that I can score with when I'm not having my best day on the course. Thing is, from what I can see, the game improvement irons now go stupid distances and leave a huge gap between the lowest iron and my wedges. I'm not interested in flying a 7 iron 185 yards, I am looking to find and hold a green from the 5 iron and down. Is there a still an iron set that I can swing and score with even if I've had a few too many the night before?

 

I recently started using Ping i25... What a dream. They are great irons with more of a traditional look and lofts.

[Z4Z3R]

I agree with the above and Ping might be a good route and get a traditional loft setup. I find the iBlades to be extremely easy to hit but take a look at i210 or older i models.

[gvogel]

Pick up a slightly used set of Titleist AP1's from 2012 - AP1 712. The lofts are the same as AP2's - 34* 7-iron, for example. Lovely, easy to hit, non-jacked set of irons.

[chippa13]

Just buy your next set based on the loft of the clubs and not the number on the bottom. Start at 5 iron and build through the wedges to your desired lofts. It isn't really all that hard a concept.

[GSDriver]

I play Apex Pro 2014s, often hungover, or working on the next one, they work great.

 

Apex non-Pro 2016 another option. A buddy of mine picked up standard Rogue irons, he's like a 16 and plays them quite well.

 

You can take any forged iron to a competent fitter and have bent to get the gaps you're seeking.

[Macklessdaddy]

Number on the bottom means nothing, since your 7 would go 185 why not use the 8 to go 173 and so on

[Nixhex524]

Ping S55

[geochitown]

wishon 565mc's

great forged feel, with a machined cavity to provide some off-center hit forgiveness

lofts are 5 iron 26, then 4 deg gaps to PW at 46

[platgof]

I recently started using Ping i25... What a dream. They are great irons with more of a traditional look and lofts. This!

 

[cardoustie]

S55 or 919t

[Cwing]

Easy. PING. Just order with standard / traditional lofts. Sounds like you’ve got several years to figure it out.

[PorscheFan]

MP20 HMBs are definitely worth a hit.

 

Hollow-faced irons that have forged faces yet weren’t designed to be power bats.

 

The very thing that confuses some (friendly face that gives good ball speeds across a larger area, yet doesn’t offer crazy distance or anaemic spin) may be the very thing that works for you.

[wam78]

Agree with ping iseries. Also, Bridgestone j15 cb or j40 cb. Mizuno jpx forged, mp 54 to name a few more. Some great options to save a little cash.

[Steele47]

Yes to S55 plus last forever.

[ChipNRun]

A couple of ones to consider:

* Callaway Rogue Pro: just went out of production... PW =45* / 5i =24* | solid feel; C-preOwned has a variety of shafts such as XP95 R-flex, Recoil 95/110 and PX 6.0

* Rour Edge Exotics CB Pro Tungsten: out of production for about a year... PW = 46*, 4i = 22* | 4-degree loft increments PW to 4i, with stock shafts in KBS Tour 90 and a range of Recoils

[Golf64]

i210, Apex Pro, P790/760, MP20 MMC/HMB, T100/200 are good places to start.

[ubergoober]

I series Pings. They are exactly what you are looking for. I210, I25 both fit the bill.

[BLF0901]

At your age, I don't think you have to be worried about flying a 7i 185 yards no matter what the loft.

[Nessism]

1) Your Big Bertha irons are still compliant to the rules for another 4 years, which is quite a while.

 

2) The specs on your clubs are fairly close to those of modern GI irons. All you would have to do is tweak the lofts on the longer clubs a degree or maybe two to bring them in line with what you are used too.

 

I bend the lofts on my clubs to match my desired specs. Realize too that modern irons launch high so you don't need to worry about the strong lofts launching low.

 

In terms of modern clubs to replace Big Bertha's is concerned you will want something with a full on GI profile. Typical to the GolfWRX profile the recommendations made in this thread are mostly pointing at small players irons, which your Big Bertha's are certainly NOT. You need to target something large like Ping G-series or Mizuno Hot Metal. Those are GI clubs with forgiveness, and great playability I might add too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[SwooshLT]

I've got combo Z585/Z785 irons by Srixon......the z785 have been so easy I'm considering adding 5/6 irons ! Both /either set is a great transition from blades.....

[Johnny_Fairway]

I believe the Ben Hogan Edge is game improvement and has more traditional type lofts (34° 7 iron).

[setter02]

No idea why people care about the numbers on the bottom of the clubs with things today.

[tanker44]

If you have gaps between wedges and lower irons there are two options. The first option involves a set of 'game improvement' irons. The second option will be a 'blended' set.

 

1) With whatever game improvement set you choose, get the Approach wedge that matches the set to help fill the gap. Some game improvement PWs are long so I can understand there being a gap between a 110 yd PW and 70 yd SW. However, this way you have another wedge in the bag to lessen the gap between your lower irons and your SW/LW.

 

2) Get a blended set. If you like the smaller profile of the lower irons get some Callaway Apex Pro AW through 8i and then get the Callaway Apex 7i through 5i and then move into your hybrids. Every manufacture basically designs their irons to blend.

 

My dad is 60ish and he needed irons but not woods. So I got him into a complete combo set of the TaylorMade M CBGs. They have a couple hybrids, mid irons and then the set goes all the way down to a 54* SW. He kept his lob wedge and was ready to go. All ultra light. No gaps. Good luck.

 

 

[bunta]

> @Nixhex524 said:

> Ping S55

 

Ooo look who just updated their witb with the 55's? told ya lol

[ubergoober]

Cally offers the Apex/Apex Pro Combo set with the lofts tweaked from the stock sets to fix the gapping.

 

> @tanker44 said:

> If you have gaps between wedges and lower irons there are two options. The first option involves a set of 'game improvement' irons. The second option will be a 'blended' set.

>

> 1) With whatever game improvement set you choose, get the Approach wedge that matches the set to help fill the gap. Some game improvement PWs are long so I can understand there being a gap between a 110 yd PW and 70 yd SW. However, this way you have another wedge in the bag to lessen the gap between your lower irons and your SW/LW.

>

> 2) Get a blended set. If you like the smaller profile of the lower irons get some Callaway Apex Pro AW through 8i and then get the Callaway Apex 7i through 5i and then move into your hybrids. Every manufacture basically designs their irons to blend.

>

> My dad is 60ish and he needed irons but not woods. So I got him into a complete combo set of the TaylorMade M CBGs. They have a couple hybrids, mid irons and then the set goes all the way down to a 54* SW. He kept his lob wedge and was ready to go. All ultra light. No gaps. Good luck.

>

>

 

 

[Joelsim]

Just get any set of GI irons and add a GW/UW to fit between them and your wedges. I have zero problem stopping any of mine on a green, even a power spec 4I at 19*. My G400s go into orbit and come down soft.

[Nixhex524]

> @bunta said:

> > @Nixhex524 said:

> > Ping S55

>

> Ooo look who just updated their witb with the 55's? told ya lol

 

HAHHAA.... It's temporary... I am actually going to reshaft the S55s with X100s... not a fan of the KBS Tours, but I will admit, while the J15s are money the S55s are so great to look down at and felt incredible last round out.

[buynagame]

Recently purchased the i210 irons. I recommend trying them. Very forgiving for me.