If you had to spend less than $400 on irons what would you get?

[R5Two]

2013 Xforged or used AP2

[SavageHenry]

Nike VR_S Forged

[bobo777]

PXG has the 0211 DC for $79/club. Never played PXG so I can't speak personally and I know full well the very strong feelings people have toward them, but at that cost it might be worth a try. Just a thought. 

[ChipNRun]

Callaway X20 Tours

Callaway Steelhead XR

Ping G

Cleveland CBX Launcher (may be closer to $500)

[Poor Mans Ty Webb]

I was playing around on eBay the other day and was able to do a combo set of Mizuno MX-19s and MX-23s for $370 total, and while I'm not in the market for new irons, I'm pretty sure I'd happily play 4i-6i in the 19s and 7i-PW in the 23s.  Moral of the story, don't sleep on some of those older Mizuno cavity backs.

[ShupeSC]

Titleist 712cb.  Goat.

[MysteryV]

I kinda wanna say Ping i200 though it's a stretch and I've never hit them.

 

If I'm buying used, AND stretching the budget, I'd have more concerns about face wear on soft forgings versus cast clubs.

 

Can't go wrong with AP2s either.

[lefthack]

11 hours ago, bobo777 said:

PXG has the 0211 DC for $79/club. Never played PXG so I can't speak personally and I know full well the very strong feelings people have toward them, but at that cost it might be worth a try. Just a thought. 

 

The ST's are really nice for what is basically the cost of the shaft. I didn't hit the DC's, but they do look nice.

[cmatthews77]

Depending on the condition you can get some Titleist 718 or 716 AP2 as others have said that you can’t go wrong with on 2ndSwing.com

 

Id watch Callaway PreOwned as they often run specials and discounts (I just recently got a brand new set of 2019 Callaway Apex for my 14YO for $600). Even call them and ask if they’ll honor like the last special pricing…
 

Another option would be to ask your local golf course you play if they have any demo irons or old stock they still have they’d be willing to sell. Got my oldest son a fairly new set of 718 Titleist AP1s like that and they’d barely been hit (think I paid $500). 

Outside of that advice I’d watch the bay and the BST

[cwilk]

Probably a lightly used set of New Level irons. 

[BirdieBob]

You can get some Brand NEW irons on AliExpress!

😆

[Jace_bkr]

so many good sets could fit in the $400 range 

 

Ping i200's

Srixon 745/765/785

Titleist AP2's

Mizuno JPX 900 Forged 

[Broke100]

I picked up my current set of used Cobra F6 graphite-shafted irons for less than $400 a few years back and last month I happened across a set of used Cobra F8 graphite-shafted irons (5 iron through gap wedge) at Golf Galaxy in Tampa for $359.  I did try them and almost bought those.

 

Great iron sets are available in the $400 range for sure.

[morgan1819]

Srixon Z545/Z745 combo 

 

Titleist 714 Ap2

 

Ping i-e1

 

Callaway Apex CF16

 

 

The Pings and Srixons tend to age better than the Titleist and Callaway, but all of these are hall of Fame irons.  If you are a ball striker, or prefer a smaller profile, substitute Ping S-55 for the i-e1.

 

 

 

 

 

[mister2cool]

Here are all the iron sets I have setting here I have gotten over the years.. and I'll mark which ones actually reached $400. Granted that they were priced too good to pass up so I had to scoop them up. 

 

Taylormade:

2005 Tour issued RAC CB 3-P $400 can't remember when

RAC MB Smokey 3-P  $450 way back in 2006

2011 Tour Preferred MB/MC 3-P

 

Callaway 07 X Forge 3-P

 

Srixon:

z945 4-P $400 brand new

z965 4-P

z965/765 Combo 5-P

ZForged 4-P

 

Miura:

Tournament Blades 3-P $500

CB202 3-P 

 

So yeah.. there's a lot of great irons you can get with $400...  If I had to choose only 1 from this list, I'd have to go with the TM Smoky. 

[PixlPutterman]

I paid $400 for my z785, so you should be able to pick up  zX45 or zX65 series for under $400 and they easily compete with anything new.

[jbrunk]

Lots of great options here, just browsing the Bay for $300-400 BiN and sold listings…

 

Srixon: Start here, look for a good set of 745s or 765s, or 565s if you need a bit more distance, lower spin.  Personally, I’ve already got a set of 785s + a U85/585/785 combo, so I’d be shopping for Srixon Z965, most playable muscle back iron that’s not the Callaway Apex MB 2018.

 

Ping: good luck finding S55s in decent shape for under $400; S56 and i20 are squarely in budget, iE1 may stretch the budget (but worth it over i20). Pass on i25. I’ve got i200s that I bought a few years ago for $400 (locally), prices haven’t really come down. Really love them and totally worth a $500 investment in a good condition set.

Mizuno: JPX 850 Forged are still the best in this price, hits a wide range of ability levels; might stretch your budget though. I always liked the MP-15s as a more tradition forged Mizuno iron, probably over budget.

 

Callaway: agree on X-Forged 2013, that’s what I’d look for. Not seeing any in shafts that I’d play though. Not feeling nostalgic for CF16 Apex lines either.

 

Cobra, Taylormade, & Titleist: never played them, always curious about Rocketbladez Tour & Amp Cell Pro.

 

[pingfool]

$400 Older ping iron set that matches your specs. Should be several options.

Main reason: ping repair department is excellent. 

[jacobanderson123]

I would scrounge up another $100 if possible and get some Z785's. 

[RoyalMustang]

On 2/16/2022 at 9:42 AM, Kmagnuss said:

Mizuno MP33's or Titleist 718 AP2's.  (I game them both)

 

Wow, you can get 718 AP2s for less than $400?  Just a few months ago, Global Golf offered me $485 for my set of 4-G.  

[RoyalMustang]

i200 is a good choice

Mizuno Mp18 MMC (not quite $400 but close)

Titleist 716 series

really any good forged player's cavity back from 5 years ago will be a nice club.

 

I took my old Ping Eye 2's from the early 90's out the other day: they still play well.  

 

Gear is overrated, swings are underrated

[OnTheBag]

13 minutes ago, RoyalMustang said:

I took my old Ping Eye 2's from the early 90's out the other day: they still play well.  

 

Gear is overrated, swings are underrated

Wish I could hit the like button more than once.  Another 30+ year Eye 2 guy here as well.

Edited February 17, 2022 by OnTheBag

[Brownmj22]

Adams CMB irons! 

[Kmagnuss]

33 minutes ago, RoyalMustang said:

 

Wow, you can get 718 AP2s for less than $400?  Just a few months ago, Global Golf offered me $485 for my set of 4-G.  

 

Ebay is your friend.  Bought mine for $300 about 5 months back.

[RoyalMustang]

Just now, Kmagnuss said:

 

Ebay is your friend.  Bought mine for $300 about 5 months back.

 

Great deal for sure!  Flip them to GG and make a profit!  It is crazy how much some golf gear depreciates.  Most people won't notice any difference between the 718 AP2 and the newest T100.  

Mine were mint though, so I can't complain.  Plus, he threw in a 54/60 Vokey SM7 setup.  For $525, I will take it. 

 

[RoyalMustang]

20 minutes ago, OnTheBag said:

Wish I could hit the like button more than once.  Another 30+ year Eye 2 guy here as well.

 

The only think that I have to think about is the loft.  "OK, so the PW is going 115-120, not 135..."

 

Those KT-M shafts are a touch soft but still play well

[Kmagnuss]

@RoyalMustang Yeah that's the difference... mine are far from mint and the grips were on the way out (changed them last night).

Grooves are good but there's some nice sweet spot wear marks on the 7 and 8 irons.

Edited February 17, 2022 by Kmagnuss

[OnTheBag]

42 minutes ago, RoyalMustang said:

 

The only think that I have to think about is the loft.  "OK, so the PW is going 115-120, not 135..."

 

Those KT-M shafts are a touch soft but still play well

Agreed.  At my age, the softer shafts are a blessing as I have graphite in everything else.  Having played my Eye 2's for so long, my yardage comparisons to loft are all based on them.  Dozens of sets have come and gone, but the Eye 2's have remained in the rotation since I bought them new.   

[RoyalMustang]

45 minutes ago, Kmagnuss said:

@RoyalMustang Yeah that's the difference... mine are far from mint and the grips were on the way out (changed them last night).

Grooves are good but there's some nice sweet spot wear marks on the 7 and 8 irons.

 

well, for $300, you can't complain!  

 

It is nice to have a matched set GW with that heavier X100 AMT white shaft. I think it plays the same as an X100 in the wedges, which is perfect

[BEND OF THE RIVER GC]

The best set of Pings that I could find.