How old is too old? Irons Edition

[jamgam]

I break these out.  Fun to play and some real OLD school lofts.. (50 deg PW) and I score the same as my ZX5's.  Rust and all

 

[aenemated]

3 hours ago, Port and Starboard said:

 

The Muirfield's were really nice. 

 

It's a shame that McGregor went down hill slowly afterwards.

 

Muirfields were actually my very first set of irons way back in like '86 or '87. My dad got them for me and had 'em cut down because I insisted I *HAD* to have "Jack Nicklaus' clubs!"

 

Couple months back I was randomly browsing eBay and spent a little over $100 for 2-PW - really just for nostalgia. They sat around for a bit till a spark of inspiration around club building hit me; so I pulled the shafts and shipped the heads off to Doug Oughton (who I learned about from this site) to get restored. 

 

Got a thread going for the project in the old guys' forum but it hasn't been all that active since I'm just waiting for them to get back to me. Shipped them off towards the end of December so I imagine I'll have them back before too terribly long. 

 

Doubt I'll be giving up my T-Dubs but ... that WOULD be a pretty cool bag. 🙂

[dpatti]

This season I brought back my Mizuno MP 29’s from 1997.  They are still the best clubs for me 

Spoiler

 

 

[pdxhak]

I have a set of FG-17s that I put in the bag a few times a year just for fun. Love the FGs irons and have no plans to sell them.

[boggyman]

42 minutes ago, pdxhak said:

I have a set of FG-17s that I put in the bag a few times a year just for fun. Love the FGs irons and have no plans to sell them.

Love my 17s!! Have a spare set too!!

[@_the_crook]

These came back into play mid summer. Think they will stay around next season, too.

Not sure if they are considered old/modern or classic. 

They feel good and inspire me. 

 

 

[ChipNRun]

You must have missed the Golf Digest Hot List issue a few years back. One article proclaimed that irons more than four years old just didn't cut it any more.

 

I was worried they might come by the house and confiscate my MacGregor MT set from 1974.

[j-daniel]

I've just built a set of Wilson Fi5 irons with PX LS 6.0 and ionic grips because I love the shape of the had compared to most new iron models. 

 

They have some wear but nothing to affect the face. Quite excited to use these long term.

 

I can't see any reason why these aren't as good as any other small CB or blade irons as long as the spec is right.

[solarbear88]

Doubt there is any difference beyond cosmetic improvements and sound improvements since the mid 90s in Irons.

[mtg]

If you're a digger and/or tend to hit a lot of fat shots you probably like the modern stuff more but that's about the only change in irons in the last 10-15 years. The grinds have gotten more forgiving and definitely let you get a bit more sloppy with delivery. Speaking on average.

 

Now long irons (what's a long iron? if you've ever thought about replacing it with a hybrid its a long iron) I'd lump into their own category and the modern stuff is helpful. With lower/deeper CGs for any given swing you get more height and carry. For most golfers who don't play in Scotland this is good. Not saying there were zero 4 irons from 2000 that could do the job well but there are a lot more today. 

[guty17]

I can only compare two sets I own. Ping IIIA from around 1977 and Mizuno Mx 17 from 2006. Pings are still easy to hit in short to mid iron, Mizuno are easier to launch in 3,4,5 iron. Cant compare to modern stuff tho, but I really like both .Gotta admit over the winter I struggle in very soft, muddy conditions with fat shots. But I guess thats more swing issue. Also doubt I will have money to spend on newer clubs in near future so these irons are staying.

[NRJyzr]

24 minutes ago, mtg said:

If you're a digger and/or tend to hit a lot of fat shots you probably like the modern stuff more but that's about the only change in irons in the last 10-15 years. The grinds have gotten more forgiving and definitely let you get a bit more sloppy with delivery. Speaking on average.

 

I know you're making a generalization, but I feel obliged to chime in to say you can go farther back than that 10-15 years.  There are a lot of examples of better soles around 2000, maybe even the mid to late 90s, with the Maxfli Revolutions and MP33s being two very notable sets.

 

The 5* and up progressive bounce in the MP37s of 2005 also existed in the MS11/MP11, 15 years earlier.  And, almost forgot about the Hogan Apex, they've always had considerable bounce, progressively increasing thru the set.  These were the influence for the bounce in Tiger's irons.

 

You *do* have to pick your spots a bit as you move back in the years, but its not the needle-in-haystack search it's sometimes assumed to be.

 

Side note:  A fellow golf forumite was so impressed by the MP33 sole he took a set of FG51s and had Joe Kwok grind them such that the sole was close to the 33s.

 

Edited January 14, 2022 by NRJyzr
Woo! autocorrect!

[MJBGolf]

Still gaming my Titleist 716CB:s and I have no thoughts on changing in the near future. I keep them in mint condition, continuesly whipe off dirt after every shot and give them a proper clean every week incl. the grips every 2nd week during the season. Replace all my grips every 2nd season. As long as you get on well with the shafts in your irons and you look after them, treat them like your instruments for scoring, there's little room for great improvement changing your irons. Make sure you have good grips, check your loft and lie, get your average numbers, adjust for any irregular gapping and go out and have fun! 🙂

[No_Catchy_Nickname]

On 1/12/2022 at 12:15 PM, drumdude96 said:

Just because a set of irons was made before 2010 doesn't mean the grooves are non-conforming.  I play MP 30's and it's not an issue because Mizuno has never made a set with the non-conforming grooves.  I don't know about Titleist, but it's at least worth checking into.

 

I just want to clarify this, because by chance I was looking at an official Japanese Mizuno site last night that slightly contradicts this. I need to find the link.

Anyway, according to the site, all the MP lines are conforming EXCEPT the MP27. However, many of the MX* models and some of the TZoids are non-conforming, but some are OK.

 

*MX might have been a JDM designation

[Northandleft]

Here is my thought…shafts get old. A 15 year old set that had old standard shafts

(add another 15 years of old tech) and you don’t seem to have the new feel or pop. Thought about reshafting  my old hogan apex pros. Anyone else do this?

[James Clawson]

My wife seems to collect fabric; I find myself (surprisingly) with 24 sets of golf clubs and bags full of putters, wedges and drivers, like rabbits they are proliferating.  I like variety and like many other respondents, I have deep attachments to some of my older and original sets.  Wilson Dynapower blades, Palmer Axioms, Mizuno blades (MP32's gorgeous and MX-23's game improvement, hit like butter), even some Golfsmith blades I made and still love.

 

My current play set is Ping O-size i3's with graphite shafts, introduced in 2000ish.  22 years old and I love 'em. Hit them straight and know the distances down pat.  Just yesterday (Jan 2022) added a set of Ping G25's to try with the thought that I'm "upgrading" by a decade (introduced in 2013).  We'll see if I like them.  The Ping G710's from 2019 are too expensive (for now).  When I feel guilty about having so many golf clubs, I think of Arnold Palmer's shop and his walls and walls of golf clubs.  Why recycle something that brought one good memories?

 

I also play hickory and gutty golf and have multiple sets.  I love tinkering (from the days of building Golfsmith sets) which modern, hickory and gutty clubs all invite.  New grips, shafts, lofts, lies, (harder to do on Pings, but you can and I have).  Learned to sew to make head covers.  Always customize my sets with neon yellow numbers and bottom two grooves.  

 

Golf is the game/hobby/lifestyle that keeps on giving.  So much to learn, do, tinker with, and (sigh) collect.  Happy New Year golf comrades!  Far and Sure!  And maybe a new(er) club somewhere along the way! Hope springs eternal!  https://www.vahickorygolf.com/

[Orange Hog]

I picked up a set of used raw Bridgestone J15CB irons from a buddy more for a backup "fun" set with a bit of nostalgia.  First round out on the course and I post my lowest round ever and missed a hole in one by a couple of inches.  They're now my everyday gamers in the bag.  Feel/sound, performance, consistent distances and turf interaction is incredible.  It's easy to get swept up in the sexiness of all this new stuff being hyped by major OEM's but there's a lot of really good stuff that has been out there for a few years (or more) that is just as good.

[jsmcdon]

Every year my mind ponders old becu ping irons and then the thought of potentially losing yardage tells me no....

[cptdot]

Still my gamers 20 years later!! Oversized forged club, amazing forgiveness, consistent distance, haven’t found a more modern club that I like better!!

[jsj54]

I have been thinking about going back to my Srixon i506 irons. They are stiffer and heavier than my Ping G425 graphite shafted Pings. I hit them higher and just about as far. The feel is still great. Going to give them some playing time. 

Edited January 14, 2022 by jsj54

[NRJyzr]

2 hours ago, jsmcdon said:

Every year my mind ponders old becu ping irons and then the thought of potentially losing yardage tells me no....

 

How would you be losing yardage?  A 36* club is a 36* club, regardless of the number on the sole...

 

[Gsea]

11 minutes ago, NRJyzr said:

 

How would you be losing yardage?  A 36* club is a 36* club, regardless of the number on the sole...

 

was thinking the same but was afraid to ask 🙂

[boggyman]

33 minutes ago, NRJyzr said:

 

How would you be losing yardage?  A 36* club is a 36* club, regardless of the number on the sole...

 

I love it when someone in our group asked what I hit…. 🤣🤣🤣🤣 my lofts are old school. 

[NRJyzr]

12 minutes ago, boggyman said:

I love it when someone in our group asked what I hit…. 🤣🤣🤣🤣 my lofts are old school. 

 

I wish I had a pic of the look on one guy's face when I told him what I'd hit.  I'd played a fair bit of golf with him, so he was used to hearing what clubs from what distances when he'd ask....    that day, I'd put my 1980 Golden Rams in the bag; they have very weak lofts (1960s 52* PW).  You'd have thought I'd grown an extra couple arms, the way he reacted.  LOL

 

Edited January 14, 2022 by NRJyzr

[boggyman]

23 minutes ago, NRJyzr said:

 

I wish I had a pic of the look on one guy's face when I told him what I'd hit.  I'd played a fair bit of golf with him, so he was used to hearing what clubs from what distances when he'd ask....    that day, I'd put my 1980 Golden Rams in the bag; they have very weak lofts (1960s 52* PW).  You'd have thought I'd grown an extra couple arms, the way he reacted.  LOL

 

It’s amusing beings I bag the 17s on a very regular basis! ⛳️⛳️

[lefty1978]

23 hours ago, Chip2win said:

I recently "found" a set of MP 68's in the garage and couldn't believe how great they felt.  I can't remember why I stopped using them.  Only problem was 1 degree weaker loft than the current line.  So do I pay $1,000 for the MP 20's just to get 1 degree?  Of course!  Unfortunately, I couldn't be more disappointed.  Despite the copper underlay or whatever such BS they are trying to push, the MP 68's feel wayyyyy better.  Stick with what works, regardless of age.

I have a full set of the 68s and 20s. The 68s are in the bag. 

[R5Two]

9 hours ago, Northandleft said:

Here is my thought…shafts get old. A 15 year old set that had old standard shafts

(add another 15 years of old tech) and you don’t seem to have the new feel or pop. Thought about reshafting  my old hogan apex pros. Anyone else do this?

I just sent the 695s in for new shafts. That is my thinking. I have some old Hogan PCs and the shafts are pinned which woukd be harder but I would imagine as long as the swingweight stays consistant it should be good! 

[plv211]

I learned to play golf with mb irons and played with Apex blades for more than a decade(90's). Kids reduced my rounds to the point I couldn't hit my blades with any consistency. Ping IsI was my go to until retirement last summer. Well after mid season out came the Apex Irons. I had forgotten how sweet it was to pure shots..... I had to retire the set in Sept after the 5 iron head left the shaft....rust..

Just brought home a new used Titleist T 100 set. 

I'm looking forward to this next season.    Live for blades🙂

[GGalunga]

9 hours ago, jsj54 said:

I have been thinking about going back to my Srixon i506 irons. They are stiffer and heavier than my Ping G425 graphite shafted Pings. I hit them higher and just about as far. The feel is still great. Going to give them some playing time. 

I still have a set of I506's and love them but they didn't win when I did my own shootout compared to other irons I own. I'll probably still keep them regardless, just reshaft them or something

[dodint]

Very happy with my Ping i3 iron set. Hard to believe they turn 23 years old this year. I plan to keep them as a backup set when the replacement G425s arrive.