Iron Suggestion for 15 hc long hitter

[06VistaGT]

My buddy is going for an iron fitting in a few weeks. Currently playing 2008-ish Burner irons. Plays to about a 15 now, though showing improvement.

 

Distance is not an issue, as 7 iron is his 185 club. Shallow swing, with a med-high flight.

 

He was thinking P790, but the fitter already suggested they may be too hot for him. I am pretty sure he will end up in x-flex shafts, but not sure what irons make sense to try out. The fitter will obviously make recommendations, but I have found it good to have some ideas before going.

 

Looking for input/suggestions. Thanks!

[MattM97]

Being similar to your buddy I'd probably say he may be put into a Srixon combo set mainly with the ZX7 irons. Reason being they are easy to hit and if the fitter is trying to avoid big miss hits then these would be ideal since they fitter is pushing away from the P790 which are stupid long if you have speed. Maybe Rogue ST Pro or Apex and Apex Pro combo set.

 

Honestly it's a weird spot to be in, not quite good to go into the more compact irons but too fast for game improvement/distance irons. But sounds like the fitter already knows what to try if he's avoiding the P790s. 

[Nessism]

First off, he should narrow down the search based on head size.  P790's would be fine, assuming he strikes it well enough to find the center of the face.  Honestly, way too much is made about "hot" faces.  Unless the guys handicap is under 5, and even if it is, hot faces are rarely a problem.

[Nessism]

1 minute ago, MattM97 said:

Being similar to your buddy I'd probably say he may be put into a Srixon combo set mainly with the ZX7 irons. Reason being they are easy to hit and if the fitter is trying to avoid big miss hits then these would be ideal since they fitter is pushing away from the P790 which are stupid long if you have speed. Maybe Rogue ST Pro or Apex and Apex Pro combo set.

 

Honestly it's a weird spot to be in, not quite good to go into the more compact irons but too fast for game improvement/distance irons. But sounds like the fitter already knows what to try if he's avoiding the P790s. 

 

A 15 handicapper in small players irons like ZX7?  Why?  

[MattM97]

Just now, Nessism said:

 

A 15 handicapper in small players irons like ZX7?  Why?  

 

They're not that small especially in scoring irons and they're on the easier side to hit for their size. When I was fit into my 585/785s I tested the 785s and I was hitting the 6i better than a Mizuno JPX919 HM, Callaway Apex and whatever else I tested and I wasn't a 15 then. 

 

Won't hurt OP's friend to try them in the fitting and if they don't work oh well nothing lost but info gained. 

 

 

[Cactus Jack]

Having gone through a similar experience I would not limit clubs based upon 7/6 iron distance. I suggest he finds a set he loves like the P790, and fit based on full set composition.
 

For example, his 7i isn’t a 7i, it simply becomes his 185 club. Building from there he might only need/want a 6i as his longest club and could toss in some wedges or something in the top of the bag. Thinking/fitting this way makes everything on the rack playable…you just need to creatively fill the gaps.  
 

 

 

[realmfg]

I210s would be a good choice, but they arent taking orders on them.  He already has distance and an i210 like iron might bring some yardage consistency.  I agee that Zx7s are very easy to hit and are not an intimidating size.  A good fitter can adjust the lofts as needed as well.  I say just trust the fitter and results from his fitting.

[amace04]

Second the i210 suggestion.  They're a very good all-around club.  Forgiving, but shapeable.  If he gets good contact, he'll have no problem with them.  He can probably get a good slightly used set at a decent price.

 

If he was considering the p790, why not look at the p770?  They're still pretty forgiving, but not as powerful as the p790s.  They're also a bit more compact.  p790 looks a bit chunky for my liking.

 

Those saying "Why would a 15 get xx", remember, not all 15s are built the same.  For a guy who hits his 7i 185 clearly can hit a ball, but he's just inconsistent.  If I'm a gambling man, I'm guessing crappy chipper, and loses balls off the tee.   

Edited May 30, 2022 by amace04

[06VistaGT]

Thanks for the input. The issue is not loft jacking, per se. It is more the concern that some of the hotter irons may have inconsistent distances when played by someone at that clubhead speed. Admittedly, that concern is not based on anything other than assumptions.

 

Fwiw, he hits the ball fairly consistently and chips pretty well. Putting is suspect. And does lose balls off the tee!

 

I was thinking jpx921 forged or t200 might be good options. I personally have ZX7 and think he would prefer ZX5 (or combo set), though agree the ZX7 is more forgiving than you might think. Being a sweeper, not sure if v-sole is for him, though.

 

Other thoughts?

[JermWRX]

Mizuno 225

[azgreg]

Any of the players cavities will be fine.

 

[TreqJosh]

P770 or go for the P790 for confidence and bend them weaker 

[gridironesq]

JPX forged is a great choice OP considering his shallow angle. 

[bombs]

Mizuno Pro 225. Order 5-GW and play them as if they are a 4-PW.

[bvanlieu]

Agree with Nessism, they need something that the looks are confidence inspiring, and nothing wrong with a GI style club if he's not playing much and the forgiveness is helpful. Players Distance, P790, the new Rogue ST. New Stealth is a bit chunky  but may suit their eye and has an excellent feel, but for that may be a 6-W set 🙂

 

Cobra offerings in the King series are great.  If getting better and want some help, blend then: ZX5/7, Mizzy 225/223 etc...but I would not want to put someone still learning striking in a harder to hit CB for anything < 8 iron. Ping already mentioned and a great but lower cost options also out there. 

 

For older clubs Mavrik line was pretty good, helpful bounce, not expensive. Have a high SS low cap at my club who just launches moon balls with his Mavrik irons, shallow delivery bounce helpful there. 

 

 

[jvernon]

I would do 770s if he’s already a long hitter. 

[ShakeyT]

If he just needs the forgiveness, why not something like the Ping G425? 

 

The only knock that I've seen with them is they don't have the pop that other GI irons do, but they are accurate, forgiving & consistent.

[BradL13]

I highly recommend the p770.  Especially if he is committed to improving as it will give him room to grow.  I played both the 770 and 790 for a week both on the  course and the range and the feel and consistency of the 770s just out weight the 790 distance.  

[Andrew0425]

Hard to give a great answer but I am similar to your buddy.  A few questions that might help narrow the search:

- Is he a 15 handicap due to poor iron play (inconsistent distance, inconsistent strike, etc)?

- Is he a 15 handicap due to poor wedge play (thus pick the irons you like the look/feel/performance of)

- is he a 15 handicap due to poor play off the tee?

 

I either struggle with wedges or driver but my iron play is pretty solid so I play the older MP-15s and love the look/feel/performance.  

 

just food for thought.

[RoyalMustang]

On 5/30/2022 at 9:29 AM, Nessism said:

 

A 15 handicapper in small players irons like ZX7?  Why?  

 

I bought a set of Mizuno MP20 MMCs when I was an 18 (am now a 7).  They just worked well for me.  I also didn't need the additional distance as my 7-iron is 173-180.  Turns out I just hit these better than anything else out there.  I recently bought a second set with a slightly heavier Modus 125X shaft. 

 

where I get into trouble: snap hooks off the tee and the occasional skulled chip around the green.  Yesterday, playing from the championship tees, I was -2 for the 9 holes I was in the fairway (or green for a par 3) and +12 for the 9 holes I was not in the fairway.  It is damn frustrating, but on the positive, I probably have a pretty decent ceiling if I can ever manage to stay behind the ball and be patent, rather than snap-hooking it with an OTT action  

[Hoff_19]

I am a 15 hc with a 185 7-iron. I had the jpx 919 forged and even those were hot and I would get super fliers. Sold those and now play the New Level 902 forged, in love with them. No bells and whistles, just consistency and enough forgiveness. A simple cavity iron is perfect.

[Primo1868]

On 5/30/2022 at 10:26 AM, MattM97 said:

Being similar to your buddy I'd probably say he may be put into a Srixon combo set mainly with the ZX7 irons. Reason being they are easy to hit and if the fitter is trying to avoid big miss hits then these would be ideal since they fitter is pushing away from the P790 which are stupid long if you have speed. Maybe Rogue ST Pro or Apex and Apex Pro combo set.

 

Honestly it's a weird spot to be in, not quite good to go into the more compact irons but too fast for game improvement/distance irons. But sounds like the fitter already knows what to try if he's avoiding the P790s. 

Man you took the words out of my mouth.

[Long_Left]

Similar distance numbers here, I play the Ping i500s in retro spec (weaker lofts, 33 degree 7i) and could count on one hand the number of times over the last 2 seasons I hit a ball that went the "wrong" distance from an otherwise clean lie or a tee. I've yet to hit the i525s but the general assessment online seems to be minor improvement across the board. 

 

I had 15ish minutes indoors in a hitting bay with the Mizuno 223s and have to say it was time I enjoyed but the carry dispersion in that small sample was considerably higher than what I experience in practice with my current set. 

 

Best selling point of the Pings is that I find them very consistent across the face, coming from my previous set I have a LOT more room to create a good miss. Borderline thinned scoring irons fly a bit lower, spin much higher, and wind up going nearly the same distance as a middled strike. Toe side strikes are nearly indistinguishable from center contact to anyone but the person holding the club. Absolutely worth it to include them in the fitting.

[jmagri78]

Sub70 699 pro's would fit the bill. I'm a 15 HC and hit my 7 iron around 180, give or take. I went with the regular 699's for the added forgiveness and also because the pro's aren't available in LH. They just released the 659 forged and they come in MB, CB and TC and those can be blended as well. Maybe something else he needs to look at if he wants to grow into them.

 

Customer service is excellent and clubs will ship within a week or so. Best value on the market as far as I'm concerned.

 

Good luck with the journey