Which Players Distance Irons are Best for a Picker?

[Pepperturbo]

On 3/9/2022 at 7:08 AM, bazinky said:

Which Players Distance Irons are best for a picker?  I'm about to go through the fitting and selection process for a new set of irons this spring and need to try and narrow my choices down to a manageable list. Iron play is generally one of my strengths, but could use some help with distance and elevation in the 4 and 5 iron slot as my body continues to decay due to age and my current fitness regime of too much beer and too little exercise. 

 

The Mizuno 223/225, T100s, and Ping i525 are my current top candidates. Would love to hear the impressions of these irons from other pickers, or any other suggestions that have worked well.    

Can't say regarding your list, but a model that fits is T100s.  A picker/sweeper like my older-self 😛enjoys irons with a narrow soles, minimal camber and sharp leading edge cause I just scrap the turf to roots.  My irons are traditionally lofted.  Irons with wider sole, camber and blunt leading edge are more for diggers.

 

If you're a purposeful picker, you should not have issues getting the ball in the air, regardless of loft or needed distance.  My current irons are 620 MBs and CBs, which meet my sweeper/picker criteria and no issues getting the ball up.

[LukeDonaldsTiger]

On 3/9/2022 at 4:10 PM, Fairway14 said:

 

Ping Blueprint.

When you recommend small musclebacks to someone who asked for player distance irons to help him with launch, it would be interesting to know the logic behind that. Please elaborate. 

[Fairway14]

20 hours ago, forrester_fire said:

 

Blueprint classifies as a players distance iron nowadays?  Interesting...

 

It's o.k. to label a club as "players" or another as "distance"  but I don't believe there is any one iron design that is both. The OP wrote that he is a "picker" so  he might enjoy playing the relatively small head size the Blueprint. For distance my guess is that he will strike more solid shots consistently with Blueprints than he does the i20, and with square contact comes distance.

[Lefty87]

Titleist irons have a very low CG. The P790’s are also close to the T100/T200 in terms of low CG. They are somewhere around .760 - .780. Most other player distance irons are .800 - .830 or so. 

Edited March 12, 2022 by Lefty87

[Orange Hog]

On 3/10/2022 at 12:10 PM, DLong72 said:

I’m a picker and for me the key is a pre worn leading edge. I haven’t been able to find anything that can beat my TaylorMade P760s. I also did well with the Titleist 718 AP2s because they had it too. Not many of the newer iron models have it though, so something narrow sole/ strong loft like the T100S would be what I went with if I had to get new irons today. 

 

Same here.  I love my Bridgestone J15 CB irons for that very reason, although they aren't in the players distance category by any means.  I always found the Srixon irons to be pretty good, as a fellow picker of the ball.  Yes, the v-sole helps if you get a little steep but I've always found strike with little to no divot on the Srixons to be amazingly pure.  You could easily go with either the ZX5 or ZX7 and be in great shape.

[Love golf]

Try a blended set with more forgiving irons in the 4 and 5

[drscott266]

On 3/9/2022 at 10:08 AM, bazinky said:

Which Players Distance Irons are best for a picker?  I'm about to go through the fitting and selection process for a new set of irons this spring and need to try and narrow my choices down to a manageable list. Iron play is generally one of my strengths, but could use some help with distance and elevation in the 4 and 5 iron slot as my body continues to decay due to age and my current fitness regime of too much beer and too little exercise. 

 

The Mizuno 223/225, T100s, and Ping i525 are my current top candidates. Would love to hear the impressions of these irons from other pickers, or any other suggestions that have worked well.    

I really played with T200, previous gen feels and sounds much better. And I now play Mizuno 225’s, which have been working out great. I’m very much a picker 

[puttingmatt]

On 3/9/2022 at 10:08 AM, bazinky said:

Which Players Distance Irons are best for a picker?  I'm about to go through the fitting and selection process for a new set of irons this spring and need to try and narrow my choices down to a manageable list. Iron play is generally one of my strengths, but could use some help with distance and elevation in the 4 and 5 iron slot as my body continues to decay due to age and my current fitness regime of too much beer and too little exercise. 

 

The Mizuno 223/225, T100s, and Ping i525 are my current top candidates. Would love to hear the impressions of these irons from other pickers, or any other suggestions that have worked well.    

I recently put the Callaway Rogue ST Pro into play.

As an aging picker, I have enjoyed these irons.  Good ballspeeds and good distance consistency , and one hop and stops on greens.

 Most likely , any of the irons you are trying out will meet your needs.

 Good time to try out irons, so many options available to assist your game,

Narrowing your choices,  is the challenge. Good Luck , happy hunting.

 

Edited April 22, 2023 by puttingmatt

[Ben Berube]

On 3/10/2022 at 11:04 PM, JDennis said:

I have to second the PXG 0311P. I am a picker. I have been through quite a bit of irons the past couple years. 919's, HMB, 790, 770, Zx5, T100s, 699 pro.

 

 To me, the PXG 0311P and the 699 pro have been the best and the 2 iron sets I still play. The P790/P770 were a close 2nd. The Zx5 sadly were one of my favorite irons and good shots were really good. The bad ended really bad with the v sole. 

Just played a 699 Pro 4i with Evenflow 85g last weekend. Wow, blown away. I hit it high and LONG. I hit it a bunch and was beside myself. Even my buds said “that thing is awesome”. Im not a high baller by any means and this was $$. 
Have z545’s and some Gen1 p770’s this season but I may sell and get a set of 699 Pros. 

[ob1soccer]

wouldnt it be nice if we could solve our problems of hitting it thin on the bottom of the face

[revanant]

On 3/11/2022 at 1:20 PM, Pepperturbo said:

Can't say regarding your list, but a model that fits is T100s.  A picker/sweeper like my older-self 😛enjoys irons with a narrow soles, minimal camber and sharp leading edge cause I just scrap the turf to roots.  My irons are traditionally lofted.  Irons with wider sole, camber and blunt leading edge are more for diggers.

 

If you're a purposeful picker, you should not have issues getting the ball in the air, regardless of loft or needed distance.  My current irons are 620 MBs and CBs, which meet my sweeper/picker criteria and no issues getting the ball up.

I think I'm going to find myself in a set of 620CBs within this year. 

 

Whenever I test them, it's like a magic switch turns on. I want as much spin as possible, and the 620CBs give me an extra 1500 RPM and better ballflight reliably vs. all other current releases...on a GC Quad.  They even edge my MP-4s for spin, height, and descent. 

[bogeypro]

On 3/9/2022 at 9:08 AM, bazinky said:

Which Players Distance Irons are best for a picker?  I'm about to go through the fitting and selection process for a new set of irons this spring and need to try and narrow my choices down to a manageable list. Iron play is generally one of my strengths, but could use some help with distance and elevation in the 4 and 5 iron slot as my body continues to decay due to age and my current fitness regime of too much beer and too little exercise. 

 

The Mizuno 223/225, T100s, and Ping i525 are my current top candidates. Would love to hear the impressions of these irons from other pickers, or any other suggestions that have worked well.    

P770

 

That slot on the bottom works great with lower strikes of a picker.  

[ob1soccer]

P790 seems to solve this problem for me

[Pepperturbo]

4 hours ago, revanant said:

I think I'm going to find myself in a set of 620CBs within this year. 

 

Whenever I test them, it's like a magic switch turns on. I want as much spin as possible, and the 620CBs give me an extra 1500 RPM and better ballflight reliably vs. all other current releases...on a GC Quad.  They even edge my MP-4s for spin, height, and descent. 

I have both MB & CB sets.  The CBs are just as pur-deeeee as the MBs. 🙂  How I blend them in the bag depends on my mood.  I did enjoy its predecessors, 2-PW 716 CBs as well as earlier 2-PW 714 CBs.  Titleist 620 CB irons were designed to blend with the MBs, and they did a wonderful job of it.

 

Can't say what my spin numbers are just that both heads spin nicely.  I hit the CB 3i further than MB 3i and both has the same Tensei AV White AM2 's' shaft.  Suspect tungsten has a hand in it.  They limited the use of tungsten in 620 CB heads to just 3i & 4i.  The other day, I faced a 210 yard Par 3, little cross breeze, nutted 3i to the front of the green.  Two guys hit hybrids and one hit 5wd, and they were much younger than me.  Damn, I love this game.

 

Good luck with what ever you decide. 

[craz-e]

3 hours ago, Pepperturbo said:

I have both MB & CB sets.  The CBs are just as pur-deeeee as the MBs. 🙂  How I blend them in the bag depends on my mood.  I did enjoy its predecessors, 2-PW 716 CBs as well as earlier 2-PW 714 CBs.  Titleist 620 CB irons were designed to blend with the MBs, and they did a wonderful job of it.

 

Can't say what my spin numbers are just that both heads spin nicely.  I hit the CB 3i further than MB 3i and both has the same Tensei AV White AM2 's' shaft.  Suspect tungsten has a hand in it.  They limited the use of tungsten in 620 CB heads to just 3i & 4i.  The other day, I faced a 210 yard Par 3, little cross breeze, nutted 3i to the front of the green.  Two guys hit hybrids and one hit 5wd, and they were much younger than me.  Damn, I love this game.

 

Good luck with what ever you decide. 

 

One of the most rewarding/satisfying shots in golf is the purred long iron (so they tell me anyway!) 

[Pepperturbo]

On 3/31/2022 at 2:46 PM, craz-e said:

 

One of the most rewarding/satisfying shots in golf is the purred long iron (so they tell me anyway!) 

Practice makes perfect in my book.

 

Mid-irons are relatively easy, and short irons are pretty easy for most people.  But long irons are different animals.  They psych people out just looking at them in the LGS.  Never understood that. 

 

Setup correctly, it's incredibly satisfying to smack a 2i, 3i, 4i even 5i, and have the ball do as it's told.  Focus on a good swing and ball striking and scoring happens.  Bad ball striking = sh**y scoring.  

 

What's odd is hearing a touring pro say he struck the ball well, only it didn't go anywhere near the plan.  That's like saying I missed my target at 550 meters, but it was straight... LOL> 

 

 

[BottleCap]

T300s 8-P and TSi1 hybrids 6-4. For the 7, its a tossup you can go hybrid or  an iron

[ob1soccer]

another vote for P790

[stimpmeterp]

Anyone try the new Rogue ST pro irons?

[SaVo_]

Ping i525's

[ob1soccer]

so many good choices its driving me crazy

[zacharya]

Playing partner is a moderate SS (100-105) picker and fit into p790s. He said t200s were close second. 

[Hollywoodtlb]

This feels like a good question for your fitter

[games]

A recent fitting paired up the Titleist T300s and Oban CT 100S shafts.  I know not everyone is about aftermarket shafts, and neither was I, primarily since I am not easily sold on premium or upcharge anything.  (Prior to the fitting, the only OEM club I had in the bag was Ping G400 Max driver, while the rest was all Maltby.)   I digress...

 

My thin shots were on full display at the fitting.  The T300s went on a few different shafts including PX 5.5, Pro Modus 105X, and some others.  I'm telling you, the Oban CT shafts were magic for my thin shots.  For the most part, all of the shafts were the same on flush shots, carrying 157-162.  But, on my thin shots, I lost 10-15 yards carry with every shaft I tried, except the Oban.  I'd hit the Oban on the forehead, call it 145 in the air, and it would land 152-155.  I've never seen anything like it.

 

I'm thinking of taking my Maltby DBMs and reshafting those with the Oban CT.  The DBM is a Tour Cavity.  But, it's unique in that it has a very low vertical center of gravity, without the wide sole found in most SGI heads.

Edited April 14, 2022 by games

[Sons_of_Pitches]

+1 for either the Titleist T100-S or the Mizuno 225.  Both are great for me and I’m a sweeper as well.

[Galanga]

I don't think of myself as a picker but I am shallow.  Circa 2 down on a 6 iron.  Take mostly shallow divots.  I generally do not like wide soles (e.g., the i210 were too wide or had too much bounce for me).

 

I had the P790s for about 9 months and they worked ok but did not like the sole.  To me, they were a bit grabby through the ground.  The JPX921 Forged I just put in the bag are much slicker through the ground and feel/look a bit nicer to me. 

 

My 2 cents in.

[robbvdh17]

I am a picker looking to add more distance  and found the Mizuno JPX 932 Hotal Metal Pros were absolutely perfect.

[revanant]

On 3/31/2022 at 2:24 PM, Pepperturbo said:

I have both MB & CB sets.  The CBs are just as pur-deeeee as the MBs. 🙂  How I blend them in the bag depends on my mood.  I did enjoy its predecessors, 2-PW 716 CBs as well as earlier 2-PW 714 CBs.  Titleist 620 CB irons were designed to blend with the MBs, and they did a wonderful job of it.

 

Can't say what my spin numbers are just that both heads spin nicely.  I hit the CB 3i further than MB 3i and both has the same Tensei AV White AM2 's' shaft.  Suspect tungsten has a hand in it.  They limited the use of tungsten in 620 CB heads to just 3i & 4i.  The other day, I faced a 210 yard Par 3, little cross breeze, nutted 3i to the front of the green.  Two guys hit hybrids and one hit 5wd, and they were much younger than me.  Damn, I love this game.

 

Good luck with what ever you decide. 

Thanks again for the perspective!

 

I'm thinking I'm going to pull the trigger this month.

 

Where have you been blending them, generally?

 

I'm thinking of going 620CB 5i-8i, but I could probably be talked into more irons. 🤣

[Jut]

On 4/3/2022 at 9:33 PM, stimpmeterp said:

Anyone try the new Rogue ST pro irons?

These are what I have.  Although I’m working on hitting down on the ball, I NEVER take a divot.  The ST Pros have been a great set of irons.  

[Decibel]

On 3/9/2022 at 11:00 AM, Jeff58 said:

Since you’re not hitting down and through the ball optimally, you have a higher launch angle, since you’re not delofting the club. Also a greater tendency to hit the ball fat or thin, since your vertical error window is reduced.

 

The better iron choices are then Goldilocks. The typical non-optimal choices are wide sole GI/SGI sets, where you’re attempting to get as much mass under the ball as possible, but end up bouncing the club off the ground, or a player’s iron, where you gain a useful sole configuration but that lacks the appropriate launch conditions.

 

The optimal club has a player’s-like sole (smaller/narrower/moderate effective bounce), but still launch like a GI or player’s distance club. Two that do that well IMO are the T-200 and the standard Apex, either the 19 or 21 version.

T200 Feel like trash imo additionally that sole is no good for a picker.