Started with MX25, went to G425 but not happy. What now?

[mantan]

On 8/8/2023 at 4:11 PM, Frank Newport said:

You’re in luck. Those MX-25s you own descended directly from the MX-23s which are the great grandfather of today’s Pro 223s.  The 223s are some of the best irons on the market and long and forgiving enough for golfers with your speed. You do not need to blend them, the long irons are easy to hit, but if you’re looking for even more distance at the top of the bag a 225 4 iron works well as an alternative to a hybrid or driving iron.

 

Ignore handicap recommendations for irons. Irons aren’t designed for specific handicaps, they’re designed for different swing characteristics. If you can handle the MX-25s you can handle the 223s.

 

Also, try to find a Mizuno demo day on a grass range, if possible. 

 

The MX-23 are in my top 3 of 'favorite iron of all time'.  They did it all. Forgiving, looked great and felt fantastic. IMO, they felt much better than the Mizuno MX/JPX Boron irons.

 

OP - It sounds like you got a bad fitter from a bit of an a-hole fitter.  I get they often have a gap between what players tell them (I swing 110) vs. what the fitting data says. But he should be professional enough to not make snide comments or 'rolling eyes' looks.

 

If clubs are the right fit, you should know it immediately.  Your game shouldn't get more erratic or limited. IMO, you should need minimum, if any break in period.  I love Mizuno. But I struggled with some JPX 923s I got fit for. Great numbers in the fitting bay, couldn't make them work on the course/range to save my life.

 

Used the Playability guarantee to get in a set of Srixon ZX5 MKii's.  From literally the first shot on the range, they were perfect. Night and day. That's how custom fit clubs should be, IMO.

[HGLucky13]

5 minutes ago, mantan said:

 

The MX-23 are in my top 3 of 'favorite iron of all time'.  They did it all. Forgiving, looked great and felt fantastic. IMO, they felt much better than the Mizuno MX/JPX Boron irons.

 

OP - It sounds like you got a bad fitter from a bit of an a-hole fitter.  I get they often have a gap between what players tell them (I swing 110) vs. what the fitting data says. But he should be professional enough to not make snide comments or 'rolling eyes' looks.

 

If clubs are the right fit, you should know it immediately.  Your game shouldn't get more erratic or limited. IMO, you should need minimum, if any break in period.  I love Mizuno. But I struggled with some JPX 923s I got fit for. Great numbers in the fitting bay, couldn't make them work on the course/range to save my life.

 

Used the Playability guarantee to get in a set of Srixon ZX5 MKii's.  From literally the first shot on the range, they were perfect. Night and day. That's how custom fit clubs should be, IMO.

I have not been comfortable with these since day one. Looking at it now, I should have gone back immediately. I could have swapped them. At the time I second guessed myself. I figured it was just me. I'd get used to them. 

I will have to check out the Srixion's also. I do like the idea of their sole. The 5's are comparable to the JPX's?

[mantan]

15 minutes ago, HGLucky13 said:

I have not been comfortable with these since day one. Looking at it now, I should have gone back immediately. I could have swapped them. At the time I second guessed myself. I figured it was just me. I'd get used to them. 

I will have to check out the Srixion's also. I do like the idea of their sole. The 5's are comparable to the JPX's?

 

The Srixon's have their 'V-sole' which is ridiculously good at cutting through the turf.    Size wize they are comparable to the JPX 923 Hot Metal Pros.   I fell into the those by accident. I played the old ZX5s. I was using the Mizuno Shaft Optimizer at the PGA Tour Superstore just to see what kind of shaft was a good fit. The fitter asked what iron I played so he could get one a similar size. 

 

I liked the MSO experience and decided to get fit for some regular 923 HMs. But I just didn't vibe with them on the course at all. I wanted to...I love Miuzno.

[Matt023]

7 hours ago, NevinW said:

Before you give up on the Pings,  check the lies and lofts.  Find out what lie is best for you.  Never trust OEM lies and lofts to be correct.

I agree

 

get some impact tape and hit the range

line up your phone camera with the tee use slo-mo setting so you can see impact… make sure phone is back aways so you do not smash it…🤣

the mat material will give you some insight also as it does stick to the bottom of the club… it does take awhile to adjust to new clubs get the doubts out of your head.

[HGLucky13]

2 minutes ago, Matt023 said:

I agree

 

get some impact tape and hit the range

line up your phone camera with the tee use slo-mo setting so you can see impact… make sure phone is back aways so you do not smash it…🤣

the mat material will give you some insight also as it does stick to the bottom of the club… it does take awhile to adjust to new clubs get the doubts out of your head.

I have an appt tomorrow to get the lies checked on an indoor mat with a launch monitor. We shall see. If they are off, I am going to get them corrected and keep using these for a while and see if it helps. If they end up correct for my swing I am pretty sure I'm going to get rid of these clubs and try something else. 

[Enjoi]

Definitely sounds like the jpx forged will be perfect for you. I’d try the forged, zx5 and 223 and just pick which ever you like more. They will all feel a lot better than the clunky pings!

[mantan]

10 hours ago, HGLucky13 said:

I have an appt tomorrow to get the lies checked on an indoor mat with a launch monitor. We shall see. If they are off, I am going to get them corrected and keep using these for a while and see if it helps. If they end up correct for my swing I am pretty sure I'm going to get rid of these clubs and try something else. 

 

The good news is PINGs hold value as well as any iron.  So you should be able to make a nice dent in a new set of clubs.

 

Just my opinion, but when I think of all the irons Ioved over the years there was a never an 'adjustment' period to them.  It should be like putting on a great pair of jeans or shoes. They should feel 'just right' for you.

 

[HGLucky13]

So trackman is telling me that the lie on these clubs needed to be 3* more upright than it is. They are going to bend them for me and I'll have them back tomorrow. Looking forward to hitting balls Saturday and seeing what comes of it. I also have a round on Sunday to try it out. I expect I'll have a little learning curve ahead of me. The guy who helped me said I might shoot a little left at first till I get used to the new setup

Not 100% on how I feel about this. I am happy that it is getting corrected, so maybe they will be better for me. But also a little pissed that I was fit into such a wrong club to begin with. 

[Ripken08]

Since you liked the MX-25s, I'd stick with Mizuno in the JPX range or MP223.  Especially in terms of turf interaction.  Comparing apples to oranges with Mizuno vs Ping/Srixon.  Ping and Srixons will both have significant more bounce than the Mizunos.  If that's what you need, fine.  But don't listen to a bunch of these posts assuming they will perform the same by being in a similar category of iron.  From my experience, the turf interaction is significantly different.

Edited August 11, 2023 by Ripken08

[NevinW]

40 minutes ago, HGLucky13 said:

So trackman is telling me that the lie on these clubs needed to be 3* more upright than it is. They are going to bend them for me and I'll have them back tomorrow. Looking forward to hitting balls Saturday and seeing what comes of it. I also have a round on Sunday to try it out. I expect I'll have a little learning curve ahead of me. The guy who helped me said I might shoot a little left at first till I get used to the new setup

Not 100% on how I feel about this. I am happy that it is getting corrected, so maybe they will be better for me. But also a little pissed that I was fit into such a wrong club to begin with. 

For whatever reason, clubs are likely these days to arrive with the wrong specs.  I switched wedges going from from a TM 54 to a TM 52 and 56.  I couldn't hit the 52 as far as my 54 and it felt funny with lots of mishits.  Same brand and make of wedge.  Totally stock off the shelf club.  I took it in to a fitter with a lie and loft machine.  Turns out the 52 was 3 degrees upright.  I usually play 1 degree flat.  Now it feels great.  Mizuno is infamous for having the lofts and lies screwed up these days and I love Mizuno.  Never assume that your clubs are the specs that were ordered,  regardless of the brand, even Ping.  I'll bet they feel much better, now.  When I buy a new set of irons, the first thing I do is find someone with a lie and loft machine.  

[GrandStranded]

On 8/8/2023 at 4:42 PM, HGLucky13 said:

A little background- 52 yrs old, live in Tucson, AZ. I've only been playing for 3 yrs. I've taken 7 lessons so far over that time, and plan on taking more as needed. Playing in the middle 80's on a good day, lower 90's on a bad day. PW goes 145 Overall, 7i goes 177 overall, 5i goes 193. I started playing with a used set of Mizuno MX-25's I got for $120 dollars. I told myself once I was in the low 90's consistently I would get a new set of irons. So last November I went to get fitted for new clubs. I really loved the idea of getting the Mizuno Pro 223's or the not out yet JPX 923 forged for my next set. But I felt it would be better if I went into the fitting with out any expectations of what would be the right club. I left it up to the fitter to guide me. I was fit into a set of Ping G425 irons.

 

I would have to say that hitting indoors on a mat was awkward to say the least. Not at all like hitting on a range, or on the course. I had good numbers for all of my clubs as I had been using the Garmin watch and club sensors for about a year before I went into this fitting. My numbers during the fitting were not close to the averages of what the sensors were telling me. I tried to talk to the guy about that, and he gave me the rolled eyes look and actually made a few comments during the fitting about the numbers I gave him. He didn't seem interested in seeing my app numbers. I realize I am not the best ball striker. I was very inconsistent with my swing, especially at the time, as I had only had a few lessons before this fitting. But what I was seeing at the fitting didn't seem to match up to what I was experiencing in the real world.

 

I was very excited to get my new clubs, super happy and anxious to play a round with my new gear. Next day I went to the range to try them out. Struggled tremendously with them, shorter (distance wise) than my previous clubs, and all of a sudden my miss was a hook instead of a slice. I figured it was just me (I suck) and these were new clubs. I would get used to them. Fast forward to now, around 9 months later with 40 rounds and another 5 lessons under my belt. I am playing fine with these clubs. Though I am not confident in my left to right dispersion anymore. It could go either direction. With my old clubs it was a consistent miss right. I am not sure the G425 are more forgiving then the MX-25's. For sure I could feel the miss better with the MX-25's. My scores have consistently gone down though. But I am not happy. I still do not like them. I am seriously considering getting a new set this fall and taking the loss on these clubs. What I want is the new JPX923 Forged, or the Pro 223. Not sure if these are the best clubs for me. Probably not. I still struggle a little with fat shots on my longer irons. And I am not as consistent as I would like. And I'm only getting older. I am not trying to buy new clubs every year. I would be happy to get a set I liked and play them till they wore out. I feel my consistency would get better not switching clubs too often.

 

Sorry for the giant story. This is all just to ask is there a newer set of irons more like my old Mizuno MX-25's. Is there something comparable in the new market? Mainly sole shape and feel? Seems the interaction with the ground is a problem for me with these new clubs. Not sure why. What other options are there that would more similarly match up to the old MX-25's?

First thing I’ll say is my first “real” clubs were the MX-23’s and I loved them to death. The MX-25’s got even better reviews if I remember correctly.

The only two sets I wish I never sold are them and my G25’s. That said, this might be the WRXiest OP ever. 😂

Beginner golfer, in the middle of lessons goes to buy new clubs, goes in wanting a certain set, fitter puts him into the set most likely best for him.

OP’s scores go down, but he still wants the irons he originally thought would be best for him.

Simple solution is, buy yourself the Mizuno’s. You’re never going to be happy with the Pings because they weren’t what you wanted.

At least when you do get the ones you want, you’ll enjoy what you’re playing, with the added benefit of realizing it’s you hitting the occasional poor shots, not the irons.

BTW no matter how good the MX-25’s are, there’s no way you hit them further than your G425’s. How do I know? About 10 years ago I hit a guys MX-23’s. My G25’s blew them out of the water distance wise.

Edited August 11, 2023 by john myrbch

[GrandStranded]

On 8/9/2023 at 9:26 AM, HGLucky13 said:

Thanks for all of the replies. It is really just reinforcing my thought process on getting rid of these and going for either the pro 223 or the JPX forged. Those were the 2 clubs I wanted to be fit into. The worst is I feel like alot of it is just in my brain. I don't really like these clubs and I want the nice Mizuno's. I'm not sure I will be happy till I switch. I think it affects my game because i'm not confident in these clubs. But I also do not want to get something that is going to make my game worse just because I want it if you know what I mean. If either of those Mizunos (223 or 923F) will have similar "forgiveness" to my MX25's I am all in. I know I can play well and keep getting better, and I can get rid of my mental block also.

I only read your first post when I left the reply above this one. I hate to brag, but I nailed it! 😜

[GrandStranded]

On 8/9/2023 at 9:41 AM, HGLucky13 said:

I am not knowledgeable about shafts at all other than I guess I fit into a stiff. But I have Nippon pro modus 3 105's in stiff in the G425's. I think the MX-25's have True Temper Dynamic Gold stiff, i'm not sure of the weight.

 

On 8/9/2023 at 9:50 AM, Nessism said:

Dynamic Gold are about 20 grams heavier than Modus 105, which is significant.  Shaft weight is one of the most significant elements when selecting clubs, far more so than flex.

I would guess his mx25’s have the Dynalte Gold stiff shafts in them.  That’s what I had in my 23’s, and I believe it was the stock shaft for both releases.

[HGLucky13]

14 hours ago, john myrbch said:

 

I would guess his mx25’s have the Dynalte Gold stiff shafts in them.  That’s what I had in my 23’s, and I believe it was the stock shaft for both releases.

Dynamic Gold SL S300 shafts

[HGLucky13]

15 hours ago, john myrbch said:

First thing I’ll say is my first “real” clubs were the MX-23’s and I loved them to death. The MX-25’s got even better reviews if I remember correctly.

The only two sets I wish I never sold are them and my G25’s. That said, this might be the WRXiest OP ever. 😂

Beginner golfer, in the middle of lessons goes to buy new clubs, goes in wanting a certain set, fitter puts him into the set most likely best for him.

OP’s scores go down, but he still wants the irons he originally thought would be best for him.

Simple solution is, buy yourself the Mizuno’s. You’re never going to be happy with the Pings because they weren’t what you wanted.

At least when you do get the ones you want, you’ll enjoy what you’re playing, with the added benefit of realizing it’s you hitting the occasional poor shots, not the irons.

BTW no matter how good the MX-25’s are, there’s no way you hit them further than your G425’s. How do I know? About 10 years ago I hit a guys MX-23’s. My G25’s blew them out of the water distance wise.

Your right I probably won't be completely happy til I get the set of clubs I want, but in the meantime I got the lie corrected to my swing, which is 3* more upright than what the fitter set me up with. Hopefully that makes a difference. I intend to try these out for a bit and see if it gets better for me. 

I do know that this fitter that I saw yesterday, spent alot more time and energy then the first guy did looking at my swing, both taking video and looking at the numbers on trackman along with talking to me about my goals and training path forward. He didn't understand why I was fit with these clubs at least dimensionally. We didn't talk brands, though I did bring in my old set to compare also. I feel alot better about it. If I end up getting new clubs I will definitely see him instead of the first guy. I got the feeling that the first guy sold me what he had in stock that was "close enough". 

[GrandStranded]

8 hours ago, HGLucky13 said:

Your right I probably won't be completely happy til I get the set of clubs I want, but in the meantime I got the lie corrected to my swing, which is 3* more upright than what the fitter set me up with. Hopefully that makes a difference. I intend to try these out for a bit and see if it gets better for me. 

I do know that this fitter that I saw yesterday, spent alot more time and energy then the first guy did looking at my swing, both taking video and looking at the numbers on trackman along with talking to me about my goals and training path forward. He didn't understand why I was fit with these clubs at least dimensionally. We didn't talk brands, though I did bring in my old set to compare also. I feel alot better about it. If I end up getting new clubs I will definitely see him instead of the first guy. I got the feeling that the first guy sold me what he had in stock that was "close enough". 

Yeesh! 3* is a big adjustment, so either your swing has really changed or that first guy was way off. I tend to think you’re right, about the first fitting. I’m curious about one thing you didn’t mention here though. What did the second guy think about the Modus shafts you were previously fit into?

If the shafts fit you, you’ve got a really good sets of irons now. Give them a chance… and keep us updated. I hope everything works out well for you!

Just an aside. I play in a lot of money games. I’d be way more leery of a guy with a worn set of G irons than a guy with shiny new Mizuno players irons. 

 

Edited August 12, 2023 by john myrbch

[Nessism]

3 degrees too flat is egregious.  What dot color are they?  With a larger head like those G clubs, the lie is more important than a small head club like your old Mizuno's.  That may explain part of this situation.  And did I read correctly that you still have the Mizuno's?  If so, put them in play.  They are one of the all-time classics, and unless you need extra distance, they can't be beat by modern clubs.

[HGLucky13]

Thats what i thought. They are green dot. My static measurements would put me in a maroon dot. My swing is also more upright needing a little extra. 

I still have the MX-25's. I still take them to the range once in a while. I really like them. And honestly they both play about the same distance. The Pings maybe get them by a few yards. But I'm hoping that will change after fixing this. When we looked at the face pattern on the G425's before changing them it showed a heavy toe bias. The fitter suggested this was because I was having a hard time accessing the middle of the face because of the flat lie. With a more upright lie I should be able to get to the middle easier. Which should give me a little more distance, but mainly I'm hoping for more consistency. 

 

[HGLucky13]

17 hours ago, john myrbch said:

Yeesh! 3* is a big adjustment, so either your swing has really changed or that first guy was way off. I tend to think you’re right, about the first fitting. I’m curious about one thing you didn’t mention here though. What did the second guy think about the Modus shafts you were previously fit into?

If the shafts fit you, you’ve got a really good sets of irons now. Give them a chance… and keep us updated. I hope everything works out well for you!

Just an aside. I play in a lot of money games. I’d be way more leery of a guy with a worn set of G irons than a guy with shiny new Mizuno players irons. 

 

We didn't talk shafts.

I am going to give them a go for the next few months and see how they do. 

[Nessism]

Looking forward to a "post bending" G425 review!