What Prompted You to Play "Insert Your Iron Category Here" Irons?

[RoyalMustang]

Obviously, hanging out on this site, you are more into gear than 99% of golfers out there.  

 

With that in mind, there is probably a pretty good reason you play the irons you do.  It is doubtful many here bought a set of SIM Max irons because they were hitting the 7-iron 200 yards.  I am not speaking so much about brand, but more about type of irons; elite player (blades and mixed), player, player performance/distance, game improvement, and super game improvement. 

 

Even better question: what has your iron evolution been like?  

[Abh159]

I've been playing MB blades since I was about 15. Why? Because I love the look of them at address, it's easier for me to work the ball with a blade, and because I like the "old school" lofts. 

 

I want my PW to be 47-48*. I have no use for a 42* PW or a 4 iron that has the same loft as a 5 wood 🤣.

[Itsjustagame]

I play old man clubs.

[jeff1727]

I’m 42 and have played 5-6 irons sets over my lifetime.  They tend to be Cavity backs with game improvement features.  I have had short stints with Ping G30’s, Taylormade Burners and other Game improvement clubs but moved on rather quickly.  These are the sets that were in my bag at least 1 full season. 

 

1987 MacGregor Jack Nicklaus SS1 irons - my Dads backup set

Taylormade Firesoles.

Cleveland TA3 irons - first set I paid for myself. 

Mizuno MX-23’s

Ping I25’s

Srixon z585’s

Titleist T100s (2021 model) on order. 

I tend to keep my irons for a while but have gone through 10-15 putters the last 5 years and countless Drivers. 
 

 

[this_is_golf]

I recently purchased P790s coming from M2s. My game has improved dramatically and my scores have dropped quite a bit over the past 2 years. I went in for a fitting and hit the P790 the best out of all the clubs I tried (players distance and game improvement). 

[MattC555]

Was given a Wilson starter set at age 9

Wilson FG-17 blades were handed down to me once I was tall enough to hit them

Picked out my first set - some kind of Cobra cast iron at age 15 that I had a hell of a time hitting

Was given a set of Warrior, yuck, game improvement irons that were actually far better than the Cobras

Swapped those to a forged Titleist CB in the early 2000s

Spent time away from the game in the late 2000s, then got back into it with a fresh set of Ping G15 irons figuring I needed the help

Loved those irons for quite awhile before getting more serious about playing again.  Decided at that time to give blades another go with Mizuno MP68s

Played those blades for awhile before deciding to get fit for a new set of MP20 blades. 

 

 

[MrCook]

2018 Rogues (see signature), because I play and practice way less then I'd want to, and therefore play the most amount of iron I can stand to look at. Which is essentially GI one step below super-shovel or hybrid-iron.

[OhYeahPlayer]

Went from players distance (Apex 19) to players cavity back (i210). Got sick of hot spot heaters and low spin shots going over the green on what felt like similar swings. i210s are much more consistent but still forgiving. They're way shorter - like two clubs shorter (retrospec lofts in i210 don't help me, ha) - but I don't care because I know what distance these will go. Tried to select the most forgiving but consistent iron out there and I'm happy enough with the result. 

[LUXOR54]

I play blades. 'cause my life is dope and I do dope s***. 

 

In reality, I had a set of M2's when I first got back into golf, traded them immediately because I didn't like the look or feel of them at all. Even though at the time I was shooting 100+ I went for a set of players cavity MP-54's, loved everything about them. Over the next year or two my scores absolutely plummeted because I was actively practicing and playing more. Fiddled around with some blades and preferred the look, bought some, my scores didn't change at all. So figured why not go with what I like the look of since it doesn't change things for the worse.

 

[reh1224]

Im 40, been playing for 25yrs, about 20yrs of caring, trying to improve and play good golf...

 

1st set was a set of Wilsons I bought at a play-it-again, set of Lynx, 1st "nice" set I bought new Cleveland TA2 (needed something a little more forgiving looking back on it), Titleist AP2, TEE combo, Beg Hogan blades (came out 2015ish ft. worth maybe), Mizuno MP18 combo, Callaway CF16 combo (steelfiber shafts) the best set I've owned still got them but are for sale, bought another set of TA2 on ebay last fall for $100 just for fun to have a set of blades (they call them micro-cavity but theres not much help on poor strikes) and currently have a set of PXG 0211st (5-G are st and then 5iron in the 0211dc bent 1* weak, accra s shafts) because the black friday deal was too good to pass up and after playing the TA2 in the fall wanted to play blades moving forward.

 

I'm a 3 handicap, prolly get back to a scratch if I practice/play more, I play 36 on the weekends and maybe get in a 9 during the week, pretty solid all around, putting has become the best part of my game, I want irons that can do a little of everything, a little forgiveness of poor strikes, little bit of shaping/flighting when needed but the more "player" looking the better

[amace04]

I currently play Ping i210s due to comfort with the head size.  My iron striking was never great, but not awful.  As a junior I had Ben Hogan BH-5 cavity backs, which were a little oversized, but not like the super game improvement shovels of today.  Then I got my dad's hand-me-down i10s for several years, and I got comfortable with a head size like that.   I decided a couple years ago I wanted to buy my own irons, and did a "fitting" (I say "fitting", because it was a crappy fitting, basically a supervised demo which I got a refund for) at Golf Town.  I figured something like SIM Max would be the way to go with the added forgiveness.  I had tried my friends m6 irons, and were impressed with how hot the ball came off the face, so tried SIM Max, Cobra Speedzone and Ping G410.  I hit the Sim Max well, but almost too well.  The 7i was going 200 regularly, while I hit my i10s like 180.  I also couldn't get over how chunky the heads were.  They were visually off-putting, as the i10s I had were a fairly compact cavity back.  Ended up asking for something a bit smaller, and tried some Callaway Apex Pros (which I hit well) and i210 (which I hit well, and loved the feel of).  i210 gave me the spin I was looking for, and distance I was expecting (somewhere around that 180 mark).  When you flush an i210, they feel incredible.

 

Ended up keeping an eye out for i210s on ebay, and found a set someone was selling for $600USD, so pulled the trigger.  Problem is, the old i10s I had were Purple Dots, but I thought they were blue and looked for Blue dots (Purple no longer exists).  Got re-fitted and determined I need orange dots (2* flat vs 1* upright).  Luckily Ping doesn't charge for this service, so was recently able to send them off for adjustments.  

[Toybota]

After going through 2 sets of Mizunos in last 5 yrs, I have switched to Ping I15 and I10 irons. 

Should last me until I'm dead. 

 

[Myherobobhope]

Basically I want as much forgiveness and as little added distance as possible... Swing speed and launch are high enough that I CAN play anything, but my ball striking isn't that great...

 

I'm not even sure what category my irons fall into... Srixon Zx5s.

 

I was basically looking for a GI cavity back iron with tungsten in the toe and none of the speed slot or hollow design. 

 

As I'm learning more about my launch, I'm wondering if I should try blades, though. (ZX5s launch lower than the 7s, which is good!)

[RogerinNewZealand]

MP..mp63 3 years ago replaced Hogan Apex Plus that replace mp60 that replaces S58 Ping that replaces Hogan BH Grind.

Now using mp62 a lot,easy,reliable,a good mix,not quite a blade but a bit more feel than my J33 Cb Bridgestones from 7,8 years ago that i assumed would be easy to improve on.How wrong i was.So the 62,63 design look(also j33,j36,j38,j40) matches that of several very stylish DTC designs easily available at Sub70,NewLevel so thats Just Great!

[PJE]

I've played blades, player's distance, and GI clubs.

I currently play GI clubs. I like that you can get reasonable results from less than ideal swings. In other words, I like the ease of use. The potential distances manufacturers have achieved in GI irons are somewhat ridiculous but the GI irons do launch high so they do stop.  The distance factor is an aid in that I can hit a shorter, more controllable, club, e.g., 7 iron instead of 5 iron.

I tried the player's distance for a while but I thought they were just an appeasement to ego; I thought essentially they were fake blades and I didn't want to play blades.

Golf for me is like playing guitar or the piano. To be good at it, I have to play and practice a lot. So, that's why I don't play blades anymore but I do like the look of them. Maybe when I retire I will go back to them. For now, I play the best GI looking irons that I can find. 

[doc52]

My fitting determined what clubs I ended up with. Hit nearly every manufacturer and style. My numbers were the most consistent with the 790s. Will get re-fit in a year or two to see if any things changed, as I was just getting into golf again when I was originally fit.

[MelloYello]

By my memory I've played the following: 

Nike TW Blades
Nike VR Player's CB
Titleist 690.MB

Titleist ZM

Mizuno MP-53 (CB)

Mizuno MP-37 (MB)

Mizuno MP-64 (CB)

Titleist 714 MB/CB

Titleist 716 MB

Titleist 716 CB

Srixon z785 (CB)

 

Lots of cool sets in there. It never really occurred to me to try something "more forgiving." I don't think it matters that much what equipment you use until you're really precisely controlling the ball. I think most agree with that. So 80 and above, just play what thrills you. 

 

My approach these days is not so much based on what I enjoy as protecting / optimizing my score. Perimeter weighting has become a mainstay as have lighter 120g shafts versus the 130g I used to use. I'm still in the "player's" category but I prefer a friendly player's iron. 

 

As I've said openly, it's not always fun playing golf these days. Success and personal improvement is a grind. And that's achieved by accepting things won't be as enjoyable as you ratchet up the workload & expectation.

 

Having a million dollars is fun. Getting there is not, LOL.

 

Increasing the concerns during practice, sucks to be frank. There will only ever be more and more boxes to check if you're trying to improve and hold that skill where it is.

 

Still, I'd rather play my best and have it not be as fun. I've got my whole life to play for fun. At this stage I want to beat my friends in our money games. TBH, that's my only initiative. Fun comes from having good company on the course and drinks afterwards. Chatting on here is fun. But fun isn't really playing the same game I've already been playing for 12+ years.

 

What I'm saying is that it's about people--others rather than yourself. If you're always paying attention to your own shots / game it becomes a headache. If you don't enjoy the social element of the game then the game itself won't mean much to you after awhile. You've got to have a better reason to play than that initial joy. That burns out. Your love of golf has to be deeper. Same is true in relationships. It's not always going to feel like it does when you're 16, LOL.

 

Golf is a challenge and I enjoy that. But I don't find a thrill in hitting a good shot the way I used to because golf is only about the next shot. That realization is depressing TBH, but that's the game. That's life. You can't live in the past. That's the lesson. Pat yourself on the back and move on. 

 

To that end, I feel like I try to play what equipment golf tells me to play. While I haven't gone to hybrids, I enjoy more loft on fairway metals. Gone is the 13-deg 3w for instance. Gone is the 2-iron. I just try and find a good balance. I try to play stuff I know won't actively hurt me. 

Edited January 21, 2022 by MelloYello

[dugue4]

When I first started I had a hand-me-down set of mismatched clubs.  After my ~15 hiatus, I decided to buy a matching set of irons and opted for a set of Eye 2s.  Played them for a year and a half and still like them, but I wanted something new and shiny.  Opted for the PXG 021 STs.  Probably over my playing ability, but they sure do look good for a great price.

[NRJyzr]

A lot of trial and error for me.  Got started on my blade track because I hit them better than my own irons.  Tested a LOT of different clubs over the years, of all types, and the ones I use are the irons with which I get the best scores.

 

As for why Ram over others....  When I made my first blade purchase, I spent a couple hours going over clubs at 2nd Swing.  Liked the Golden Rams the best, and I've been off an running since.  Somewhat ironically, as the irons I demoed that got me started in this direction were MP-14.  I was reluctant to spend the extra for a used set of MP-14s, so Golden Rams became the choice.

 

(amusingly, I bought a set of MS-11s a half dozen years later)

 

[ChipNRun]

Back in the 1970s I played S-flex blades - that's all we had. And, I broke 80 a couple of times. Went to perimeter-weighted S-flex in 1994, and pretty much Game Improvement cavities in R-flex since 2008 (I was age 58 at time).

 

I grew up playing steel shafts in everything, and am still a bit handsy in my swing. I have no problem squaring up the clubface. But, since 2008 most changes have been related to lighter shafts. My latest - MAX irons and reshafted wedges are all graphite.

 

I have tried SGI irons, but the short irons balloon like crazy. I've tried Players irons, but for the most part they launch low and short.

 

So... GI irons with lighter shafts give me the best strike and consistency. (Players Distance gives slightly more length but a less precise distance yardstick.)

[copegolfer]

I currently play Miura MB001 4-PW.     MB

 

Before that was 

MP-64       CB

AP2 (original)    CB

Hogan FTX    combo set

 

While none of these are forgiving irons by any means, I didn't notice much drop in forgiveness when I switched to the Miuras. 

 

I switched to the MBs because to me it is the ultimate end game. 

Plus they just look really really cool.

 

[Chief Penguin]

I’ve never been a great iron player, but I want a compact shape and while I hit the ball reasonably far, a little extra pop in the 4-7 is nice. Callaway apex pro 19 just ticks all my boxes and doesn’t punish slight misses too badly

[betarhoalphadelta]

In 2001 I was fitted into some Infiniti irons that were "oversize" CB. Not because of my tremendous skill, of course, but I think those were what we considered "forgiving" back in the day. Cavity back was GI lol 😉

 

Last year after coming back to the game in 2020 after almost a decade layoff, I decided I needed something new. I have enough speed and hit the ball well enough (when I make the sweet spot) to launch it high and long, so I wanted to avoid GI or SGI designs that are built to aid launch. But I did want as much forgiveness as I could get with that caveat, so I went with irons that are more considered "players distance". 

[scooterhd2]

My first set of irons were Cobra S3s. I picked them up a year or two after release on clearance for $299. I was a beginner golfer, playing less than 4 rounds a year and the price was good, I liked the look and they got good reviews for a GI iron. A few years later I won a set new iron shafts, but was hesitant to put them in my clubs in case I disliked them. So I searched the BST and low and behold there are S3 Pro heads on the first page. I pulled the trigger knowing that I couldnt break 100 at the time and had no business hitting those clubs, and couldnt afford to lose the distance that the weaker lofts would provide. But the price was good, and they were sexy. Black pure pro grips and we were in business.

 

Off to the range, and I warmed up with my gamers. Found my usual push off the toe. 7 iron at 31* is going 145. I grab the Pro at 34* and I'm thinking I hope this doesnt rattle my bones and go under 130. Flushed, 145. Next few shots are slight misses but you can feel exactly where on the face. Distance loss isnt terrible. Soon enough I was getting dialed in and routinely hitting the ball as high and far as I had ever hit it. And thats when they went in the bag. And I've been hitting players irons ever since. Of course I've worked on my game to get to single digits, and most of that is in technique and not equipment, but that was a light buld moment for me. 

[BMC]

MB blades.  I'm a picker and the small head and narrow sole work for me.  I've tried many other game improvement irons and they just don't work. 

I don't care about distance - I carry 14 clubs for that.

Edited January 21, 2022 by BMC

[GolfTurkey]

JPX 921F with Steelfiber shafts. Soft head + graphite both to help elbow pain.

[Springsteennut]

I have a neuromuscular disease. I don’t always feel great and my irons help me shoot decently. Mid 80s mostly.

[NZ315]

Mizuno Pro 223 on order been playing Mizuno irons for 10 years. Came from jpx825pro then 921forged and this year the 223. I plan to keep them for a while

[lefthack]

I like supporting small businesses that also make pretty sweet hardware. 

 

When I decided my 20+ year old bag needed a refresh in '20 when I decided to play for real. I bought Nike because they are local and they made some nice stuff. Then I got on small shops and started talking to a few. Decided that's where my money should go, so it does. 

Edited January 22, 2022 by lefthack

[14max]

I've played PING irons almost exclusively for 25 years.  I prefer the look and feel over everything I've tried.  I don't see myself changing now...