Best Forged Game Improvement Iron

[NHenson815]

I struggle with GI irons and haven't been able to get used to them, but the Apex DCB feels great when I can connect.  The distance is almost too good and very difficult to control, but I'm sure some slow/moderate swingers would appreciate it.

[Itsjustagame]

On 11/26/2021 at 10:27 AM, lefthack said:

 

And once you put goo in there, are you even feeling the steel at that point? I could be wrong, my goo filled clubs aren't here yet.

Very happy with my goo filled clubs.

[BIG STU]

On 11/26/2021 at 10:27 AM, lefthack said:

 

And once you put goo in there, are you even feeling the steel at that point? I could be wrong, my goo filled clubs aren't here yet.

Really it may depend on someones preception of feel--- The irons I am currently playing have the dampner stuff in the 5 6 & 7 irons--- To me coming from Macgregor forged blades with steel shafts is these clubs are soft. Even the 8 thru PW without the stuff feel soft to me--- For me being a feel player it may be the combination of the stuff and graphite shafts. I may get roasted here but these irons to me feel as soft as any Miura or Mizuno irons I have hit. Now I will admit the two brands are softer than my customary blades.

For me the main thing is the reduction of torsinal vibration from the steel shafts and I think the dampner insert stuff helps too. This is the only way I can keep playing because of permanant nerve damage in my back

Edited December 5, 2021 by BIG STU

[lefthack]

1 hour ago, BIG STU said:

Really it may depend on someones preception of feel--- 

 

Nailed it. I think this is one area folks look past. What feels "soft" to me may not feel "soft" to you. Or you might not feel "soft" at all.

 

This is why I play like 6 different balls of totally different specs. I still can't tell the difference between a Pro V1 and a Topflight XL. 🤣

 

I only have 9 holes on my goo clubs, so the jury is still out. They seem to go arrow straight which has put me i the rough a few times as I was expecting a little to the left.

[joostin]

As @NRJyzr said per the GolfWorks Maltby MPF data, JPX 825 Pro has pretty high MOI.  However it's "c dimension" (CG from hosel) isn't so high.  Might want to look into longer blade lengths by comparing one of your irons in a store if you want toe-heel forgiveness.  Or to dig into the technical stuff, browse through the MPF pages looking for higher c dims.

 

[BIG STU]

3 hours ago, lefthack said:

 

Nailed it. I think this is one area folks look past. What feels "soft" to me may not feel "soft" to you. Or you might not feel "soft" at all.

 

This is why I play like 6 different balls of totally different specs. I still can't tell the difference between a Pro V1 and a Topflight XL. 🤣

 

I only have 9 holes on my goo clubs, so the jury is still out. They seem to go arrow straight which has put me i the rough a few times as I was expecting a little to the left.

I have sorta seen your equipment list--- I can tell you that the clubs with inserts or speed foam or whatever takes some getting used to for old school guys like us. I am still getting used to mine but so far I am loving them. They allowed me to play 63 holes in 4 days which has been a stretch for me with absolutely no pain or stiffness during or after the round and no pain meds either. I can not work the ball as much as I used to with the blades but I am learning them

[bgfgolf]

I played the Ben Hogan Edge EX, ICON blades, and PTx Pros alongside my mp60s for a couple weeks, and I was more impressed with the Edge EX than the other two. Felt incredible and the lofts obviously made it the longest by far. I'd suggest using their demo program online and hitting it for a couple weeks.

[Canyonaro]

On 11/29/2021 at 3:28 PM, Strategery said:

Focusing on forged is unnecessarily limiting. Having said that, for soft-feeling players/GI irons:

 

Srixon ZX5

Ping i210

 

I'd never touch PXG, just useless fluff hype.

 

I thought that until I hit them. Now playing a 0311T/P combo set. Didn't cost any more than my Mizunos. 

[cgallery]

On 11/24/2021 at 7:11 AM, mattt987 said:

If you want to stick with the Mizuno line, try the JPX 921 forged

Forged 🔥

[brew4eagle]

I've tried quite a few and nothing comes close to the Maltby DBM Forged for me.  First time I took them out I broke par with a 69 (-1) and my previous personal best was a 74.  I've since shot an even par 70 and have broken 80 way more frequently than I used to.  Of course, there's more to scoring than iron play and I've always said iron play/forgiveness is pretty overrated in the grand scheme of scoring, but it's hard for me to argue with my scores with the DBMs.  It's a very rare blend of super thin topline, pretty long blade length, minimal offset, and deep/low COG.  They look great to me at address and feel pretty darn good, but not great- not sure if it's the DBM finish or the lack of mass behind the ball, probably the latter.  Anyways, once you factor in the price it's a no brainer (I built 5 thru P with 1050GH and GP TV 360 grips for under $400).

[gridironesq]

On 11/29/2021 at 9:25 AM, Toybota said:

If you can find em, 

Nike VRS forged had great feel and forgiveness. 

Plus 1 on these beauties.  Forged face and body.  Just did a pxg fitting for gen3 P irons and the VRS forged I keep as backup/winter set had same spin and very close in height.  The gen3 however had 5-6 more mph in ball speed and I only swing 7 iron at 75mph and the specs were set so VRS was 1* stronger on loft.  

[ALIF]

PXG 0211 ST. Blades, but forgiving for a blade if there is such a thing. Really makes you focus and gives great feedback to help you improve.

[HisAirness]

Miura CB-301 or Epon AF-506. True one-piece forgings from Japan with lots of ball speed.

[evoviiiyou]

I play to 4.5handy currently and loving the results of my PXG 0311 XP 3-4 iron off the tee or deck. They are like cheating. Super forgiving and high flight off a tee peg or deck.  I’ve never had an iron that is so forgiving or great feeling when flushed. 

I can’t speak to the rest of the XP set since I have a custom fitted combo set going SGI XP in the 3-4 irons then 4-5-6-7 in the GI P iron heads finishing the iron set with 8-9-PW-GW in the T iron heads. 

[Nessism]

On 12/14/2021 at 1:37 PM, ALIF said:

PXG 0211 ST. Blades, but forgiving for a blade if there is such a thing. Really makes you focus and gives great feedback to help you improve.

 

If I miss most shots on the toe, what do I do to fix my swing?

[Tiptx1122]

SRIXON ZX 5 

[ALIF]

1 hour ago, Nessism said:

 

If I miss most shots on the toe, what do I do to fix my swing?

Take up tennis?

[Nessism]

11 minutes ago, ALIF said:

Take up tennis?

 

Dodge.  You said "feedback to help you improve."  How about explaining how "feedback" makes someone's swing better?

[ALIF]

1 minute ago, Nessism said:

 

Dodge.  You said "feedback to help you improve."  How about explaining how "feedback" makes someone's swing better?

I’m not here to debate or argue with you. Please don’t turn this thread into that.

[m d g]

2 hours ago, Nessism said:

If I miss most shots on the toe, what do I do to fix my swing?

Stand a half inch closer : )

[lefthack]

36 minutes ago, Nessism said:

 

Dodge.  You said "feedback to help you improve."  How about explaining how "feedback" makes someone's swing better?

 

I'm finding I'm not a fan of the hollow body iron because they lack feedback. I can't tell where on the face I made contact, so I don't know if I'm hitting well or not. But that's me.

 

If I'm hitting my shots off the toe, I move an inch closer to the ball. But if I can't feel where it hit, my fool a** stays right there toeing until the cows come home. 🤣

[ALIF]

I get what Nessism is implying. I love how my G 700 4-7 irons fly but I'm not a fan of the feel. I know when its mishit but its difficult at times to know just where on the face I hit it. Even my i210's at times could fool me a little. I'd hit one that flew perfect and felt flushed but the impact would be slightly towards the toe. Its a great club. I just feel like my contact becomes a little better overall when I use the blade. I feel like they keep me "honest". Really, my Ping Eye 2 irons give me more feedback than my i210's do. Now if I was playing for millions of dollars, then obviously I would use something that would be slightly more forgiving but still give me feedback. Like a T100, ZX 7, or something like that, etc.

[Bob Pegram]

On 11/24/2021 at 5:14 AM, NRJyzr said:

Those 825 Pro of yours have a decent MOI, they're already in the i200 class.  And (sorry) higher than the Srixon 5 series. 

 

The JPX921 Forged is another tick up the scale.

 

Adding a visual aid.  MOI from GolfWorks, converted to gm-cm² (same scale we usually see used for drivers)

 

 

Adding i200, since I mentioned them

 

Why not just look at Maltby's ratings here?: https://ralphmaltby.com/mpf-head-ratings/ A couple of years ago I bought a set of irons from Callaway pre-owned clubs. They are in very good condition. They are the 2011 RAZR X Forged which are cavity backs. They are rated 605 by Ralph Maltby which is very high for a forged head. The high rating means they are very easy to hit. It wasn't until later that I found out they are the heads Jim Furyk used to shoot 58. It is obvious that they are very easy to hit when using them. Other than the older/higher lofts they are at least as good as any newer iron. I occasionally go through the ratings looking at newer heads and I hadn't found any other forged iron head rated as high. As I show below, now I have, although only nominally higher.

Here are the ratings of the clubs in your list:

Z565 is rated 497.

ZX5 isn't listed.

JPX825 Pro is rated 429.

JPX825 is rated 654 - higher than my clubs.

The JPX900 Forged is rated 438.

JPX919 Forged is rated 619 - higher than mine.

JPX921 Forged is rated 536.

 

[brew4eagle]

55 minutes ago, Bob Pegram said:

Why not just look at Maltby's ratings here?: https://ralphmaltby.com/mpf-head-ratings/ A couple of years ago I bought a set of irons from Callaway pre-owned clubs. They are in very good condition. They are the 2011 RAZR X Forged which are cavity backs. They are rated 605 by Ralph Maltby which is very high for a forged head. The high rating means they are very easy to hit. It wasn't until later that I found out they are the heads Jim Furyk used to shoot 58. It is obvious that they are very easy to hit when using them. Other than the older/higher lofts they are at least as good as any newer iron. I occasionally go through the ratings looking at newer heads and I hadn't found any other forged iron head rated as high. As I show below, now I have, although only nominally higher.

Here are the ratings of the clubs in your list:

Z565 is rated 497.

ZX5 isn't listed.

JPX825 Pro is rated 429.

JPX825 is rated 654 - higher than my clubs.

The JPX900 Forged is rated 438.

JPX919 Forged is rated 619 - higher than mine.

JPX921 Forged is rated 536.

 

DBM Forged is 787.  As I wrote above they are great irons, but I'm still skeptical about many of the mpf values.  For example, the Wilson V6 are quite easy to hit but their mpf value is scary low.  Many other examples exist.

[NRJyzr]

1 hour ago, Bob Pegram said:

Why not just look at Maltby's ratings here?

 

The final MPF score is not a measure of forgiveness, but instead a measure of how close the design is to those principles Ralph Maltby believes in.  Those being a low CG with as much distance as possible from the hosel.

 

The data I was using comes from the same place.  I'm just ignoring the final score.  🙂

 

[Bob Pegram]

11 hours ago, brew4eagle said:

DBM Forged is 787.  As I wrote above they are great irons, but I'm still skeptical about many of the mpf values.  For example, the Wilson V6 are quite easy to hit but their mpf value is scary low.  Many other examples exist.

 

11 hours ago, NRJyzr said:

 

The final MPF score is not a measure of forgiveness, but instead a measure of how close the design is to those principles Ralph Maltby believes in.  Those being a low CG with as much distance as possible from the hosel.

 

The data I was using comes from the same place.  I'm just ignoring the final score.  🙂

 

Now that you mention it, I remember the Wilson V6 rating which surprised me too. What is a DBM?

[JourdanM]

921 forged and zx5 are both awesome 

[NRJyzr]

2 hours ago, Bob Pegram said:

 

Now that you mention it, I remember the Wilson V6 rating which surprised me too. What is a DBM?

 

This is the DBM he mentioned:

https://www.golfworks.com/maltby-dbm-forged-iron-heads/p/ma0225/

[Cactus Jack]

This thread caught my attention so I spent a few hours demoing most irons mentioned by the group. 
 

In my hands the top three contenders were the Mizuno JPX 921 Forged, Srixon ZX5, and Honma TR20Ps. 
 

With the same shaft all three performed identically. Across the board, ball speed, launch, peak height, spin, decent angle standard deviations overlapped and without a launch monitor one wouldn’t be able to see a difference. Forgiveness in terms off ball speed drops on poor strikes were equal too. 
 

The only difference I could identify were subjective personal preferences. 
 

JPX 921 Forged:

 

Looks: Confidence inspiring better player looks. Some offset and a medium top line make them inviting to put behind the ball. 
 

Feel: I loved the feel. I would compare the feel to my T100s. They are dense, no hit of tech click, just solid. 
 

Srixon ZX5:

 

Looks: I played a set this year and think they look very nice. I like the straight crisp lines. The square top line and head profile frame the ball nicely. The amount of offset is a bit more than I prefer, especially in the long irons, so I bent my weak to eliminate a bit. 
 

Feel: They feel good, but back to back testing against other models, exposed the game improvement/techy design a bit. Compared to others I found the feel to be very bland. In my hands they lacked the substance of the Mizuno and speed of the Honma. Also, they felt similar across the face while the other models provided a bit more feedback in terms of strike location. 
 

Honma TR20P:

 

Looks: These look like players irons. The head is tight and compact. They look more similar to my T100s than they do game improvement. Compared to the JPX and ZX5, the Honma is smaller and looks more precise. 
 

Feel: Fast. If Miura and a P770 had a baby, it would resemble the TR20P. The feel off the face has a sparkle clack, not click, but feels fast as hell. In terms of actual ball speeds all clubs were equal, but the sensation of speed off the Honma was unique. 
 

FYI, the PGA Tour Super Store is blowing out Honma gear. Off the rack sets can be had for under $600, as opposed to the $1K+ for Srixon and Mizunos. 

[braincramp52]

There's a ton of great feeling GI irons out there but I am going to play my 714AP2's next season which is a first for me. To me, they are fairly forgiving, have great feel, and look wonderful at address. They tick all the boxes for me. I've been trying to buy a game for over 30 years and I've finally just decided to spend as much time working on my game as I did trying to figure out what new stuff might give me an extra 7 yards.