Most forgiving of the “players” irons

[blades_are_life]

^ @Urb just saw your post my man 👏

 

6 hours ago, LBB said:

My normal miss is a toe ball

Get the OG Ping Blueprint if you can still them. The most distinctive shot I remember from demoing them is when I clipped the 4 iron half an inch to the toe and it still went 200 yards with good trajectory.

[misterkye]

14 hours ago, NorthTXGolf said:

When the gen 6 PXG’s first came out I went and got fitted for some of the XP’s. Had them bent a few degrees weak because I’m generally a longer hitter and was hitting the stock 7i 200 and prefer to play my 7i more in the 170-175 range. 
 

my only problem with these irons is that occasionally they’ll hit absolute low spin nukes. 
 

considering trying out some other irons in maybe even just something like my 7-PW and potentially keeping my 4-6 as I do like them.

 

been eyeing something like the 0317T’s, Mizuno 245’s and a couple others. I know people also love the p790’s but I think those are pretty similar to my XP’s and kind of prone to the same issue of occasionally hitting nukes

 

thanks!

Based on what you said, I’d definitely recommend the 0317cb’s for you. I briefly played the Gen5 0311t’s and though they performed great for me, I went back to a set of Miura CB1008’s that I fell back in love w.

 

I tried the Gen6 irons and found the XP’s super hot off the face. If you’re a longer hitter, and want something that won’t go as far, try the 0317 series. And since you’re asking for the more friendly players club, the cb cavity back model should suit you nicely, happy searching 

[tsecor]

19 hours ago, Dabetic said:

Biased, but I feel the T100 is the perfect blend of player's-looking iron + forgiveness. I don't see buying another iron any time soon..

i sold the T100's because i found the opposite....no real forgiveness in those clubs.....the 150's are better for that

[PNW]

The JPX range are great on toe misses. 

[phillyspecial]

21 hours ago, er1cchandler said:

Apex Pros have a friendly looking shape for a 'players iron' and I've found them to be quite forgiving. 

+1 and they have 'normal' lofts relatively

[T Creer]

If you want to stay with PXG, try the 0317 CB

[ad_l1b]

The new MP 243s are surprisingly forgiving, if you don't need the extra distance from p790/245 they are one of the best feeling clubs I have hit and I demoed a lot of stuff this year. If I was going to game a players distance iron this year it would be the 245 but it sounds like your misses can be long...since i switched to the 243s my misses are short and savable (unless I REALLY yank one left and long). The feel/feedback improvement you get with the 243 in my opinion is worth it if you don't need the distance and they are still plenty forgiving. 

[acemac14]

Crazy since every OEM as well as golfer has different definitions of "player's iron", but yea i think some of those ones that call themselves "player's distance" look still pretty thin yet have tons of weighting and tech to launch the ball high and far. Now with some with little offset, you can really make them look like true performance irons. 

 

I'd say you try the mizzy 243 or 245s (probably get a good deal on new/like new 223s/225s), some of the Apex irons over the last 2 years, the Zx7s and 5s. Good luck OP!

[vietnameeh]

the budget baller setup

 

MALTBY TE FORGED

[JZ75]

As others have said if you want a forgiving players iron i210 and i230 should be at the top of the list. I've had issues with fliers on anything with a hollow body and won't go near any of those.

 

I played MP223's between the i210 and i230 and can say without a question the Ping's are more forgiving, particularly on a toe miss.  The MP243's are a great looking iron in hand, but the offset in the short irons and less forgiveness have kept me away.

 

I would also check out the Srizon ZX 7MKII's.  They will spin less than the Pings which may be better for you.  A good fitter would zero you in on Ping vs Srixon.  They are both great clubs, I just think they fit very different players.

[ldh692002]

Wilson staff CB irons!

[Canadian Bubba]

P760's!

[sdaileyiii]

Definitely give the Ping Blueprint S irons a try. I have had quite a few player/player distance irons the last few years (list below), but don't see these leaving the bag anytime soon. Great feel and forgiveness. The Blueprint S also come with several factory loft options (retro/standard/powerspec), for various needs. The lofts also match the the i230 and Blueprint T, so a combo set is very easy. 

 

Irons gamed in the last few years for comparison (I already acknowledge that I have a problem...):

Ping i210

Ping i230

Miura TC201

Taylormade P770

Taylormade P7MC

Titleist 2021 T100S

Titleist 2024 T100

Titleist T150

Mizuno Pro 225

Mizuno Pro 223 

Srizon ZX7 MkII

[forrester_fire]

On 5/1/2024 at 6:54 PM, pjc said:

I maintain the overlooked JPX 923 forged.

 

I play the 221 Forged and the 850s before that and I've never had a ball jump out of the building.

[2_PuttBirdies]

Maltby TS3

2011 Onoff Forged

Ping i210

 

[Dewdman42]

I am approximately 12 index.  After many years of playing some 20 year old TaylorMade RAC clubs i finally purchased some up to date clubs, first the JPX 921 Forged and then later happily switched to the JPX 923 Tours, which I have found to be perfectly forgiving enough for me.  I am hitting the ball better then ever and I think more accurately.  I do have to carry a 5h instead of my 4i for those 190-200 shots.  But apart from that I have been extremely happy with these clubs, which are supposed to be above my pay grade, but honestly I guess I must strike the ball well enough to appreciate them.

 

I would very much like to see a proper comparison between the JPX923 Tours and the newer MP243's which are slightly stronger then then Tours...and possibly I could benefit from that.  Though I absolutely did not like going to the strong lofts of the 921forged set.  I was hitting my mid irons super far, but lousy spin and stopping power..and a huge gaps at the shorter end of the bag.  I remain firmly convinced that standard lofts are the way to go...get some hybrids for the long end of the bag.  A little bit of forgiveness for not hitting the center of the face is nice to have, but I don't like any of the tech that can send the baill sailing further as i have personally found that to create too big of a distance dispersion and really hard to shoot accurately enough for decent strokes gained on approach shots.  

 

if you need help getting around too many fat shots, then I say get some lessons and stop hitting fat, then get some real clubs.  I think the 923Tours for me have been the3 best balance of real irons with a bit of forgiveness to them but without the distance enhancing aspects or some wide-sole beat-the-fat tech etc.  My index is heading towards 10 now...and for the first time in my life i'm aspiring to be single digit.....(knock on wood)

[sleeper]

I'd highly recommend the Mizuno 223s. they may not be the most forgiving players iron, but I think they're plenty forgiving for most serious players. the 243s are just slightly smaller

[byoshio82]

ZX5’s or ZX7’s depending on how much forgiveness you’re looking for. ZX7’s have been the only irons to stay in my bag for multiple seasons since the P750/P770’s. 

[Urb]

New Level 902 OS or the upcoming 480 DB are big, one piece forging.

 

Probably biggest forged CB out there.

[SwingBlade]

ZX5 4-6, ZX7 7-PW.  

 

There are maybe 3 kinds of forgiveness that might matter to many players.  

 

(1) General Forgiveness;

(2) Mulligan Forgiveness at the start of a round when no warm up time is available, and 

(3) Win One for the Gipper Forgiveness after about the 14th hole when maybe hydration is low & energy is low & fatigue is an issue & maybe the temp passes 100-110.  

 

In such scenarios, a club that takes care of a player when center contact, compression, and/or swing path just aren't quite there is a real bonus.  
 

However, the trick is finding such a consistently predictable and forgiving player's club which also does not overly sacrifice distance, accuracy and workability when everything with the player's game is actually in sync and clicking along nicely.

 

It's a balancing act that Srixon pulls off to a surprisingly high level.  

Edited May 4 by SwingBlade

[blades_are_life]

11 hours ago, Dewdman42 said:

I am approximately 12 index.  After many years of playing some 20 year old TaylorMade RAC clubs i finally purchased some up to date clubs, first the JPX 921 Forged and then later happily switched to the JPX 923 Tours, which I have found to be perfectly forgiving enough for me.  I am hitting the ball better then ever and I think more accurately.  I do have to carry a 5h instead of my 4i for those 190-200 shots.  But apart from that I have been extremely happy with these clubs, which are supposed to be above my pay grade, but honestly I guess I must strike the ball well enough to appreciate them.

 

I would very much like to see a proper comparison between the JPX923 Tours and the newer MP243's which are slightly stronger then then Tours...and possibly I could benefit from that.  Though I absolutely did not like going to the strong lofts of the 921forged set.  I was hitting my mid irons super far, but lousy spin and stopping power..and a huge gaps at the shorter end of the bag.  I remain firmly convinced that standard lofts are the way to go...get some hybrids for the long end of the bag.  A little bit of forgiveness for not hitting the center of the face is nice to have, but I don't like any of the tech that can send the baill sailing further as i have personally found that to create too big of a distance dispersion and really hard to shoot accurately enough for decent strokes gained on approach shots.  

 

if you need help getting around too many fat shots, then I say get some lessons and stop hitting fat, then get some real clubs.  I think the 923Tours for me have been the3 best balance of real irons with a bit of forgiveness to them but without the distance enhancing aspects or some wide-sole beat-the-fat tech etc.  My index is heading towards 10 now...and for the first time in my life i'm aspiring to be single digit.....(knock on wood)

JPX923 Tours are just madly underappreciated golf clubs.

[JZ75]

22 hours ago, sdaileyiii said:

Definitely give the Ping Blueprint S irons a try. I have had quite a few player/player distance irons the last few years (list below), but don't see these leaving the bag anytime soon. Great feel and forgiveness. The Blueprint S also come with several factory loft options (retro/standard/powerspec), for various needs. The lofts also match the the i230 and Blueprint T, so a combo set is very easy. 

 

Irons gamed in the last few years for comparison (I already acknowledge that I have a problem...):

Ping i210

Ping i230

Miura TC201

Taylormade P770

Taylormade P7MC

Titleist 2021 T100S

Titleist 2024 T100

Titleist T150

Mizuno Pro 225

Mizuno Pro 223 

Srizon ZX7 MkII

Can you take a bit more about the forgiveness on the Blueprint S vs the i210 and i230?  I’ve been eyeing those but assumed they were significantly less forgiving.

 

I may need to buy a set now.

[Badshaft]

Underated - Cobra Forged Tec X

 

Accurate Forgiving Bombers 

 

4-GW gets you (depending on SS) 90+ to 210+

 

plenty of heel or toe shots over 2 seasons that end up much better than deserved...

Edited May 4 by Badshaft

[sdaileyiii]

10 hours ago, JZ75 said:

Can you take a bit more about the forgiveness on the Blueprint S vs the i210 and i230?  I’ve been eyeing those but assumed they were significantly less forgiving.

 

I may need to buy a set now.

I am a sweeper and my miss is low and/or toe. My misses are significantly better with the Blueprint S than the i210 or even i230. Yardage loss is very minimal. The dispersion is also better with the Blueprint S. 

[NorthTXGolf]

So just an update. Went in to PXG because I have the heroes discount and a fitting is basically free. 
 

weirdly hit the 0317 cb’s better than I was hitting the 0317 t’s which I did not expect at all.

 

still wanting to try a few other irons like the i210/230 and maybe even the blueprints. Would love to try everything but if I spend a grand getting fitter for every club in the class my wife might off me 🤣

[blades_are_life]

16 hours ago, sdaileyiii said:

I am a sweeper and my miss is low and/or toe. My misses are significantly better with the Blueprint S than the i210 or even i230. Yardage loss is very minimal. The dispersion is also better with the Blueprint S. 

Okay so Blueprint S retained that characteristic of OG Blueprint.

[SaunaKing]

On 5/1/2024 at 4:44 PM, 1puttTUT said:

I've never experienced these hot fliers people talk about with either the 223's or the 245's.

Same. Played the 790’s for 2 years and got rid of them bc of the fliers. Haven’t had an issue with the 245’s. 

[realmfg]

18 hours ago, NorthTXGolf said:

So just an update. Went in to PXG because I have the heroes discount and a fitting is basically free. 
 

weirdly hit the 0317 cb’s better than I was hitting the 0317 t’s which I did not expect at all.

 

still wanting to try a few other irons like the i210/230 and maybe even the blueprints. Would love to try everything but if I spend a grand getting fitter for every club in the class my wife might off me 🤣

CBs are so much better than the Ts (not even close)...  BPs are a dream if you are a great ball striker.   0317 CBs are a perfect in-between i230/i210 and BPs.  If I had the game Id be all BPs, but 0317 CB give my game the perfect blend of forgiveness, confidence behind ball, and accuracy.  I would have BPs in bag tho if they were easier on the course.

Edited May 5 by realmfg

[NorthTXGolf]

1 hour ago, realmfg said:

CBs are so much better than the Ts (not even close)...  BPs are a dream if you are a great ball striker.   0317 CBs are a perfect in-between i230/i210 and BPs.  If I had the game Id be all BPs, but 0317 CB give my game the perfect blend of forgiveness, confidence behind ball, and accuracy.  I would have BPs in bag tho if they were easier on the course.

yeah what my eye loves and what I’m actually good enough to hit are 2 different things lmao. Even with the CB’s I’m still somewhat concerned if I’d be able to hit them well consistently on course. Everything feels somewhat good off of a hitting mat lol.

[SwooshLT]

23 hours ago, sdaileyiii said:

I am a sweeper and my miss is low and/or toe. My misses are significantly better with the Blueprint S than the i210 or even i230. Yardage loss is very minimal. The dispersion is also better with the Blueprint S. 

 

Can you expound on the differences with Blueprint S vs i230? I too am a sweeper with low and toe misses..... did you hit with same shaft ?