Back up irons - Same as gamers??

[jmkorting]

Just a general question - If you have found a iron set that suits your eye, feels good, sounds good, one that just checks off all your requirements... do you grab a back up set of same model just to have on hand??  Shoot this question could even be applied to any club in ones bag.  

 

Curious what others thoughts are on this?  I have found a set that ticks all my boxes and I enjoy playing.  They aren't stupid expensive and kicking around idea of grabbing a 2nd set.  For context a set to me would be 6/7 thru PW/AW.  I don't go higher than 6 iron and honestly I probably would just do 7 thru PW/AW as I have the Srixon U85 6i in that slot currently and don't see that changing.

[Pepperturbo]

I used to have 2 identical sets of clubs, one as backup.  Over recent years, that has changed.  I now have five 3-PW sets of clubs; each set has spent time in the bag.  Though each set is different, specs are similar, so I could play any set and be fine.

Edited October 31, 2023 by Pepperturbo

[jmkorting]

5 minutes ago, Pepperturbo said:

Though each set is different, specs are similar, so I could play any set and be fine

I thought about this as well.  My concern would be getting head weights to be similar.  My set of NL 902 OS irons are what i deem to be heavy (which I like).  I believe the 7i head weighed in at 271-272g.  My Srixon U85 6i head weighed 258g.  So finding a set with same head weights might be a bit tricky.

[Pepperturbo]

13 minutes ago, jmkorting said:

I thought about this as well.  My concern would be getting head weights to be similar.  My set of NL 902 OS irons are what i deem to be heavy (which I like).  I believe the 7i head weighed in at 271-272g.  My Srixon U85 6i head weighed 258g.  So finding a set with same head weights might be a bit tricky.

I use swing weighting to offset those variables.  The heads of my sets include MB and GI so vary in actual weight, too.  How much never looked into that, cause swing weights are all the same.  

[jvincent]

1 hour ago, jmkorting said:

Just a general question - If you have found a iron set that suits your eye, feels good, sounds good, one that just checks off all your requirements... do you grab a back up set of same model just to have on hand??  Shoot this question could even be applied to any club in ones bag.  

 

I usually demote the current gamer set to backup status when the itch for something new gets scratched.

 

Now, if we're talking about backup sets of iron shafts that you keep around "just in case" that's a different story.

[jmkorting]

1 minute ago, jvincent said:

Now, if we're talking about backup sets of iron shafts that you keep around "just in case" that's a different story

I wish I didn't reshaft my backup set of gamer shafts with the iron heads I had laying around cause I am finding that I prefer my other iron set to those.

GI sole width is not the best for me.  A thinner sole i find suits me well on the course.

[Springsteennut]

No but they do have the same shaft so they perform similar.

[sshadow2]

I'm pretty close to having equivalents in my backup bag as I have in my gamers. Fairway woods to irons are a generation or two back from my gamers. Driver and wedges are current gen.

 

This is my backup bag:

 

Titleist TSR3 9* with Mitsubishi Tensei Blue AV '23

Titleist TS2 18* with Mitsubishi Tensei Blue Raw 65

Titleist TS2 21* with Mitsubishi Tensei Blue Raw 65

Titleist TS1 25* Hzrdus Smoke Black RDX 80

PING i200 6-UW PING CFS

Titleist SM9 54* Nippon N.S. Modus 3 105 Wedge

Titleist SM9 58* Nippon N.S. Modus 3 105 Wedge

Taylormade Spider X Tour (actually had 2 of the same putter at on point but it didn't feel the same).

 

Compared to my signature below:

Edited November 1, 2023 by sshadow2

[CDLgolf]

I have a 2 sets of Ping irons. ie1 and i200, both have the same shafts and they play the same. 

[KMeloney]

OP -- What, exactly, do you want to know?

 

...Whether it's a good idea to have a second set of clubs in case the airline loses your set, or someone steals yours, etc.? If so, sure.

...or, whether a back up set, once you've determined you should have one, would make for an easier transition to them if they're virtually identical to what you're used to? If so, well, of course.

...OR, whether having a back up set at all makes any sense, since you'll probably want a DIFFERENT set of irons long before you'd ever be forced to rely on your back up set? Now, THAT is a question that only you can answer. But if you're like 99% of the people on this forum, then there's no such thing as having found the perfect set of clubs whereby you'll never be inclined to purchase shiny new ones.

[ChipNRun]

On 10/31/2023 at 1:13 PM, jmkorting said:

They aren't stupid expensive and kicking around idea of grabbing a 2nd set.

 

I have primarily Callaway (see below) in my main set, and all TaylorMade in my backup set.

 

The TM bag is based on SLDR irons and forged SW and LW, with additions of vintage rescues and TVA.VIII putter, plus a Burner driver and a 3HL (17*) RBZ.Stage2 FW.

 

I was a tester for the SLDR irons, got a steal on the two wedges, and rest just started to fill in. I don't use it that often, but visitors use it a couple of times a year.

 

As for you, it depends on whether you want - or need - an exact match.

 

For me, there are a couple of iron models I feel comfortable playing, so a non-matching set gives a pleasant change of pace. 

[Phabs]

I had two identical sets in college.  One I traveled with and one that never left the house in case the travel bag got lost. 
 

Now I have a set of half cavity’s and a set of full blades for when I feel like hitting 3 greens in reg and shooting in the 90’s. 

Edited November 2, 2023 by Phabs

[scooterhd2]

No, backup bag is completely different. Makes it more fun to swap. Playing Srixon ZX7mk2 with J15CBs in the backup bag. 

[Barfolomew]

But according to manufacturers drivers get 10% further every year and irons get 10% more accurate..... so no

[Roejye]

My backup irons are the irons that were replaced by my custom fit irons, so different. 

[topgolfhero24]

I used to have an identical back up set but then started tinkering too much and it was almost impossible to keep up. 
 

enjoy traveling w my clubs. I have back ups but they are different depending on how I’m swinging/hitting. Ie more forgiving options all the way through the bag

[Socrates]

After 2 experiences with my clubs being "accidentally" taken by someone else at the airport (I got them back both times), I bought a set of iron heads and a set of shafts.  They are disassembled and just there in case I ever need to recreate the irons.  5 years later, they likely will never get used before I buy another set of irons.  Firm believer in having only one active set of clubs at any time.

[ShortGolfer]

If I traveled I'd leave the 5 and 6 irons home, as the 6 only gives me a few yards more than the 7.

Which means I'd have a spare set of LA Golf shafts for replacing my 7 and 9 irons that I used constantly.

My ball striking has improved, so the new set may well have something other than SGI heads!

[Puttersaurus Rex]

Over a period of time I bought a back up set of irons for a travel set.  The second set became a test bed for iron shafts and build, and now I have back up iron shafts since I found a better fit.

 

The itch to tinker has me keeping the same shafts, and experimenting with a different iron head.  Not touching the main set that I primarily use, and want another season with them before I contemplate a major change.

 

3 sets with the same shaft.
 

The caveat with back-ups is if you are sensitive to the builds... If the specs are off then it isn’t really the same.  This has been an invaluable lesson for my builds.