Am I crazy to use classic "vintage" irons?

[BURKMI19]

Okay, so admittedly I am someone who has struggled to accept the technology changes over the last 15 years.  Do I agree with most of it, no I don't but I understand the premise behind helping amateur golfers with distance and consistency.  I may never get into adjustable hosels and moveable weights, and this leads to my question here which I would love feedback about.  If anyone has applicable life experience that is great too.  I am seriously contemplating putting a classic set of irons in the bag this year.  By classic I mean something at least 20 years old and my front runners right now are the MACGREGOR JNP JACK NICKLAUS, HOGAN EDGE FORGED, and WILSON STAFF FG-17.  All of them are great in different ways, and being that Michigan golf isn't coming for a couple months I have time to work this out.  But I am really curious as to thoughts, comments, or recommendations of other irons I could consider.  

-Cheers mates!  

[87Juliet]

I'm still gaming a full set of Ping Eye 2's, can't beat them for value and the difference a new set of irons would make to my game is negligible and not worth the material amount of additional money that would need to be spent... 

[Foozle]

10 minutes ago, BURKMI19 said:

Okay, so admittedly I am someone who has struggled to accept the technology changes over the last 15 years.  Do I agree with most of it, no I don't but I understand the premise behind helping amateur golfers with distance and consistency.  I may never get into adjustable hosels and moveable weights, and this leads to my question here which I would love feedback about.  If anyone has applicable life experience that is great too.  I am seriously contemplating putting a classic set of irons in the bag this year.  By classic I mean something at least 20 years old and my front runners right now are the MACGREGOR JNP JACK NICKLAUS, HOGAN EDGE FORGED, and WILSON STAFF FG-17.  All of them are great in different ways, and being that Michigan golf isn't coming for a couple months I have time to work this out.  But I am really curious as to thoughts, comments, or recommendations of other irons I could consider.  

-Cheers mates!  

Please don't think about it, just do it! You will not regret it.

Of the sets you list, I would favour the FG17's but there are literally hundreds of options out there and because a myth has been allowed to propagate that these older blades are impossible to hit and you must endorse modern technology (stronger lofts) to hit further, it is relatively inexpensive to indulge in trial and error to find what works for you.

I my experience, the feel of vintage equipment is far superior to modern clubs. Pure strikes ( when you get them) are joyous. Hogan said a pure strike is a feeling that travels up the club, through your hands and into your heart. You need to be playing vintage for that to hold true.

Don't forget to match your irons with some persimmon woods. No point in going half way!😁

Enjoy!

 

[Nard_S]

Aside from the fit of shafts, most all the improvement in gear is in metals and the ball. Recommend '99 Hogan Apex if you can find a decent set. Great irons.

[TheDeanAbides]

I have a set of '99 Apex in my bag and it's hard to imagine them ever leaving, so, yes, go for it. Even a set of '99s are cheap as chips these days. 

[pingfool]

Starting the season with refurbished, reshafted set of ISI nickels

5-S3

putting the g710s on the shelf

 

also going to play Cleveland classic 310...pretty sure the last oem bonded driver

ping Sedona Becu if putter

 

there is something about chipping with offset wedges that fits by technique.

 

[dlygrisse]

There are some great classic blades out there, there are also some others that are total garbage.  Since they didn't have modern tech to create, build and test the clubs sometimes some less than desirable models hit the market, even if the designer thought they made sense.  For example, the '74 Apex are a marvelous design, or the '88 Redlines.  I have hit other models, like the IPT or the bounce sole that seemed almost unplayable to my eye.    

[cgasucks]

20 minutes ago, TheDeanAbides said:

I have a set of '99 Apex in my bag and it's hard to imagine them ever leaving, so, yes, go for it. Even a set of '99s are cheap as chips these days. 

Yeah.  I got my '99 Apex Blades in a 2-E for $80 CDN from a former staff pro a couple of years ago.  Thank God I got it before the pandemic since now it probably costs 3X more.

[TheDeanAbides]

Just now, cgasucks said:

Yeah.  I got my '99 Apex Blades in a 2-E for $80 CDN from a former staff pro a couple of years ago.  Thank God I got it before the pandemic since now it probably costs 3X more.

That's a great deal! 

[cgasucks]

4 minutes ago, TheDeanAbides said:

That's a great deal! 

Yeah.  I got it from Craigslist and he was asking $100.  They were barely used as he was only a Hogan staffer for a few months until Titleist came along and offered him more $$$.  They were stuck in his basement since the early 2000s and never seen the light of day since.  He really had no clue what they're really worth at the time.

Edited February 22, 2021 by cgasucks

[Stephen8802]

Why do you play golf? I play because I enjoy it, and I enjoy it more with the clubs I grew up on than the modern stuff I have. The most modern clubs I hit last year were my Wilson Goosenecks and I haven't enjoyed golf so much since High School.

 

I played competitively in High School and College, and I bought modern equipment when it came out, but I stopped enjoying the game. Now I play woods made of wood and forged irons, and I mix and match clubs for every round, and I don't keep score. I just play the hole, work the ball left and right with real golf clubs, enjoy the good shots, and recover from the bad. I like golf better this way.

 

So figure out what you enjoy playing, play that, and don't think too much about it.

[Foozle]

1 minute ago, Stephen8802 said:

Why do you play golf? I play because I enjoy it, and I enjoy it more with the clubs I grew up on than the modern stuff I have. The most modern clubs I hit last year were my Wilson Goosenecks and I haven't enjoyed golf so much since High School.

 

I played competitively in High School and College, and I bought modern equipment when it came out, but I stopped enjoying the game. Now I play woods made of wood and forged irons, and I mix and match clubs for every round, and I don't keep score. I just play the hole, work the ball left and right with real golf clubs, enjoy the good shots, and recover from the bad. I like golf better this way.

 

So figure out what you enjoy playing, play that, and don't think too much about it.

Here here! Wise words well spoken!

[GLF4EVR]

I would think the most important thing is playing with what you enjoy to use.  Then the second most import item would be having all of your distance gaps covered.  After that.......not much else matters.

[Foozle]

29 minutes ago, dlygrisse said:

There are some great classic blades out there, there are also some others that are total garbage.  Since they didn't have modern tech to create, build and test the clubs sometimes some less than desirable models hit the market, even if the designer thought they made sense.  For example, the '74 Apex are a marvelous design, or the '88 Redlines.  I have hit other models, like the IPT or the bounce sole that seemed almost unplayable to my eye.    

I am with you on the Redlines but IPT's? What is unplayable about these, especially the 1 iron! 😁

Being serious, I get what you are saying, Gene Sarazen invented bounce to get out of sand back in the '30's but 30 years later when IPT's came out no body had thought to apply it to other irons and so with clubs of that era, or earlier, turf interaction can be axe like and they can be a bit temperamental to play with but still great fun.

As Stephen so eloquently says, play what you enjoy.

For me, part of the pleasure is finding out what you enjoy.

[TheDeanAbides]

12 minutes ago, Foozle said:

I am with you on the Redlines but IPT's? What is unplayable about these, especially the 1 iron! 😁

Being serious, I get what you are saying, Gene Sarazen invented bounce to get out of sand back in the '30's but 30 years later when IPT's came out no body had thought to apply it to other irons and so with clubs of that era, or earlier, turf interaction can be axe like and they can be a bit temperamental to play with but still great fun.

As Stephen so eloquently says, play what you enjoy.

For me, part of the pleasure is finding out what you enjoy.

Yeah, the lack of bounce is a challenge! I find my Starbursts to be very solid, but my PC5s are not my friends at all. 

[Stephen8802]

8 hours ago, Foozle said:

,,,For me, part of the pleasure is finding out what you enjoy.,,

And, even better, because so many people have given up on these clubs, you can buy multiple sets for almost no money, so you can figure out what you enjoy by playing lots of options. I'm super cheap and an obsessive bargain hunter, so that is very appealing to me.

 

For irons, I'm a Wilson guy. I bought 7 sets of Wilson Staffs last year, from '56 to Goosenecks, for a total of $70. I also bought two full and one half set of Hogans for a total of $75. That's 10 sets to play around with for under $150.

 

When I bought both my Goosenecks and my '60 Staffs, both people expressed surprise I was going to play with the clubs. They thought they were dumping crap on me, not selling me something I couldn't wait to hit. The Gooseneck guy even said "good luck hitting these, you are crazy to try." The funny part is that the Goosenecks are so easy to play I feel like I'm cheating. They go straight, are consistent, and I can still move the ball left and right when I want to. But marketing has convinced people that you need a head fitting, a shaft fitting, a grip fitting, and a ball fitting before you spend a couple of grand on clubs.

 

Grab the clubs you want, hit the ball, and if you find it, hit it again. Its a much simpler game then golf companies want you to believe.

Edited February 23, 2021 by Stephen8802

[ronstars]

I'm with you on this one. I grew up gaming the TM burner tour irons from 93'. Every couple years they make it back into my bag for a season. I am so glad I still have them, and other than the juiced up lofts of my T200 irons...I don't see much of a difference at all. 

 

Iron technology to me is a hoax. I do believe fairway woods and drivers have come a long way, however they are maxed out now as well. 

 

@Stephen8802 said it best: "Grab the clubs you want, hit the ball, and if you find it, hit it again."

[elwhippy]

If you are a great ball striker and favour workability over power then go ahead. But a long carry over a canyon or water with a skinny blade? Nurse pass me the hybrid.

[homergolf]

Great sets of clubs you are considering.  The only real question I can think of to point out is, are you playing for money and do you want to beat your opponents.  They are probably using more technologically current clubs that can help keep some bad shots in the fairway, and maybe be worth a stroke or two, and a few bets won.

That said, using those classics, I'm sure is a fun challenge.

[Jiggered]

Many of today's irons are more akin to woods what with all the hollow head, multi-material, thin face technology going on.

 

I've not hit a modern club for over two years now.

[NRJyzr]

Very much a believer in using classic gear.  It's about all I use.  My newest set is a 2011 TP MC set, currently on the bench.  Second newest are the MP37s, which aren't exactly new tech, LOL.

 

Other than those, it's a line of Ram Tour Grinds of various vintage.  Haven't found anything that gives me better results.

 

On the "more interesting to me" side of the ledger, I've spent a lot of time playing persimmons/laminates over the last several seasons.  I've also spent some time hitting smaller drivers, sub-280cc, and have even picked up a Cobra Deep Face that I'm shafting up for 2021...

 

Edited February 22, 2021 by NRJyzr

[jmcf1949]

6 hours ago, BURKMI19 said:

Okay, so admittedly I am someone who has struggled to accept the technology changes over the last 15 years.  Do I agree with most of it, no I don't but I understand the premise behind helping amateur golfers with distance and consistency.  I may never get into adjustable hosels and moveable weights, and this leads to my question here which I would love feedback about.  If anyone has applicable life experience that is great too.  I am seriously contemplating putting a classic set of irons in the bag this year.  By classic I mean something at least 20 years old and my front runners right now are the MACGREGOR JNP JACK NICKLAUS, HOGAN EDGE FORGED, and WILSON STAFF FG-17.  All of them are great in different ways, and being that Michigan golf isn't coming for a couple months I have time to work this out.  But I am really curious as to thoughts, comments, or recommendations of other irons I could consider.  

-Cheers mates!  

I’m playing Apex PC’s. If you can hit em, play em.

[nords21]

Great response to this post- when I stopped competing I bought a couple sets of 70's blades

Spaulding made a set I couldn't afford as a kid. The Professional's  and a set of the Wilson blades that have just the (Staff tag) on the back. 

Shorter irons with a these are easy to hit and feel great, we all carried 1 irons back then hybrids were 30 years away.

The longer irons 1-4 need center strikes - easy to see why Hogan hit a 7 iron @ 145 yards, shafts and balls were dead but scores were 

really not far off from the boys now.  For those of us who grew up on Balata balls (how sweet they were) blades and 

persimmon heads we had a distinct advantage as ball strikers and shot makers out of necessity-

 

Bring spin back to the golf ball. It's the great equalizer no matter how far you hit it and distance would take care of itself.

Good luck with your endeavor  

[cold_war_era_golfer]

You might be but it's all I do.   My most modern sets are Ping Eye 2s and 1988 Wilson Fluid Feels. Which I'm in the process of selling the Fluid Feels because I don't see much difference between them and the vintage ones. 

 

For the courses I play vintage blades are fine.  I'll never be more than a weekend warrior and the most competitive I get is with my friends who all play modern so what's the point if I'm not having fun beating them with what I found at garage sales?

 

For me the most fun is walking to my local par 3 with a Jones bag filled with a set of late 50s early 60s irons.  I'd rather go dress shopping with my wife than ride around in a cart with a modern set of clubs.

 

I was born in 1982 so I don't know why I'm attracted to the old stuff.  I think it's more so about connecting with the game the way it used to be played.

 

 

[NRJyzr]

1 hour ago, coldwareragolfer said:

I was born in 1982

 

I feel old

 

[deejaid]

The question I’d ask is are people missing out by not playing classics?   Like driving a classic sports car, vintage persimmon woods and forged irons require all your concentration and make you work to get the best out of them.  The designs of both are works of art to be appreciated for their beauty as well as their performance.
 

I also like to think of both classic clubs and cars as time machines.  When you are out on a golf course with a bag of classic clubs and there are no houses around, no modern cars, your cell phone turned off and put away, etc., is it 1961 or 2021?  You can be 10 years old, or 21,  or whatever age you want to be.

 

 

Asking a modern club to give me more forgiveness is saying my best years are behind me and I need help.   I prefer to hit a classic forged blade thinking that my best is yet to come.

[Buzzkill]

Am I crazy to use classic "vintage" irons?
 

Nope!  If you’re an old timer like me and played in the 1970s, blades were the norm.  I can play all the vintage stuff these days with no issues.

[thepunch_out]

My equipment over the past year or two has progressively gotten older and older. It started with a driver fitting which determined I have a strong preference for a heavier swingweight, smaller head design, and a shorter shaft. As the salesman laid out all of my options ranging from $500-850, I thought to myself that this club has already been made and it's available for waaay cheaper than what he was quoting me. The club I was looking for wasn't the newest Titleist, Mizuno, or TaylorMade. What I was looking for was a nice block of persimmon. Much like @coldwareragolfer I'm an 80's baby, so these clubs were long gone from the golf scene by the time I first picked up a club. I had no idea what to expect aside from the stories of how impossibly hard to hit they were when compared to modern gear. What happened next changed my whole outlook on golf and why I play. The first time I pulled that old club out on the tee box and let one fly, I simply could not wipe the smile off my face. Here was this 50 year old Toney Penna that just ripped one down the fairway with a slight fade and rolled out to a comfortable 250 yards, I was floored. It was easily the most pure feeling golf shot I had ever felt. There was no metalic ping piercing your ears, just a nice easy "thump" and the feel in my hands was unlike any drive I had ever hit, it was nirvana. Since then, I've built a nice collection of classic persimmon woods that get regular play and a few sets of classic irons from the past 40 years that rotate in and out as well. Golf has never been more enjoyable for me and it's not because I stopped focusing on score, I'm too competitive for that unfortunately. The old stuff may handicap you a couple of strokes, but I'm not making my living on the course, so what's it matter? 

[cold_war_era_golfer]

52 minutes ago, thepunch_out said:

My equipment over the past year or two has progressively gotten older and older. It started with a driver fitting which determined I have a strong preference for a heavier swingweight, smaller head design, and a shorter shaft. As the salesman laid out all of my options ranging from $500-850, I thought to myself that this club has already been made and it's available for waaay cheaper than what he was quoting me. The club I was looking for wasn't the newest Titleist, Mizuno, or TaylorMade. What I was looking for was a nice block of persimmon. Much like @coldwareragolfer I'm an 80's baby, so these clubs were long gone from the golf scene by the time I first picked up a club. I had no idea what to expect aside from the stories of how impossibly hard to hit they were when compared to modern gear. What happened next changed my whole outlook on golf and why I play. The first time I pulled that old club out on the tee box and let one fly, I simply could not wipe the smile off my face. Here was this 50 year old Toney Penna that just ripped one down the fairway with a slight fade and rolled out to a comfortable 250 yards, I was floored. It was easily the most pure feeling golf shot I had ever felt. There was no metalic ping piercing your ears, just a nice easy "thump" and the feel in my hands was unlike any drive I had ever hit, it was nirvana. Since then, I've built a nice collection of classic persimmon woods that get regular play and a few sets of classic irons from the past 40 years that rotate in and out as well. Golf has never been more enjoyable for me and it's not because I stopped focusing on score, I'm too competitive for that unfortunately. The old stuff may handicap you a couple of strokes, but I'm not making my living on the course, so what's it matter? 

Another 80s baby!  Scarcer than hens teeth!  I try to find ways I’m connected to this old gear.  Although your post about the simple pleasure this gear brings us is enough, I still try to find a connection.

The only one I can come up with was goofing around on the park district courses as a junior high kid and seeing this gear. Maybe it was something one of your buddies grandfathers or fathers gave them.   Maybe it was something we found at the garbage of the fancy club?  I do know I saw old blades and persimmons when I was a kid so there is some nostalgia there.  Somehow.

[thepunch_out]

20 hours ago, coldwareragolfer said:

 

 

Edited February 23, 2021 by thepunch_out
.