Bogie Golfer With Mizuno MP-52?

[Sponge]

I'm thinking of doing the same thing...I say go for it!

[mantan]

There is an awful lot of high handicappers with superior ball striking abilities in this thread.

 

(coming from a mid-handicappers perspective)

 

I've noticed that a lot of mid-high handicappers claim to be good ballstrikers (and blame that pesky short game)....and VERY few single digits claim to be good ballstrikers.

 

Maybe it's just a difference in definition and expectation. Some people consider good ballstriking to be hitting it solid the distance/direction they intended. Others consider it to be the ability to hit a compressed golf shot with distance/trajectory control, the ability to work the ball and absolutely no mishits.

 

It's like telling another player 'great shot'. Unless you know what their expectations are for THEIR game, you have to be careful tossing out the bouquets.

[bintandream]

I usually score in the low 90's, giver or take. Yesterday, just for kicks, I went and hit the Mizuno MP-52's on the launch monitor. I was amazed at how great they felt on impact and they didn't seem any harder to hit than my current set...the MX-200's. Am I crazy in thinking of trading in my MX-200s for the MP-52? Even though I am a bogie golfer, I consider myself a pretty good ball striker. My misses are usually fat and sometimes thin. Will this club force me to get better because it's not as forgiving as the MX-200's? Or should I just stay with the MX-200's until I get closer to a 10 handicap?

 

Is hitting off mats on the simulator THAT MUCH easier than real grass and actual playing conditions? To be honest, I compared the MX200s and MP-52s side by side and on the monitors, I actually hit the MP-52's better. Should I try them at the range before switching?

 

One other option to consider is a mixed set. I play a 3,4 hybrid, so I would use the MX-200 for the 5 & 6 irons and then the MP52s for the 7-PW.

Should I bother with that or should I just get the full set of MP52s? I only hit the 7 iron in the simulator. Would the 5 & 6 be THAT much harder to hit?

 

Hi There,

 

I am currently playing the 52's and I score in the mid 80's to very low 90's. Occasionally, I squeeze in a sub 85 round. I have found that being able to lay well on course, stems a lot from confidence. I do not consider myself a to have any athletic genes in me whatsoever, so I practice pretty hard to have confidence on the course. My short game is also so-so.

 

I know that the 52's have a sweet spot just a fraction off the center of the clubface (towards heel) because my clubfitter and I took a set apart and tried to balance it on a spindle. If you tend to hit your shots there, you might find the sweetspot more often and that, in turn could translate into confidence as your practice and play. The MX200's are touted to have a sweetspot closer to the toe which is supposedly, a mid handicapper's mis-hit so it should feel sweeter, more often for someone with those kinds of misses.

 

Personally, I play pretty ok with the 52's. I have reviewed them here and have said before, that the sweet spot seems that bit harder to find than a set of 57's. I can honestly say that the 52's are not that hard to play, and though they may seem very much like a player's club, they aren't really that hard to game. When I hit a bad shot with these clubs, I know it's so bad, nothing would have made it better, and when I hit a not too bad shot with it, it still gets up in the air pretty ok. By that, I mean thin shots. I suppose thats what makes it pretty forgiving.

 

Since you are looking for that sweet spot feel, I would urge you to observe where you are hitting it on the club face more often. If you hit them just that bit closer to the heel, you'll love these 52's and maybe even 57's. If not, I'd think the slight toe bias of the MX200's is still a good bet. I'm personally thinking of a set of 200's if I can find them used just to boost my confidence a bit more so I can swing away! Have fun.

 

Dan

[JackB1]

Played a nice round today with my MX200's....91 with a "8" on the last par 4.

 

Anyway, I brought my MP52 6 iron and hit a few with it. There is no way anyone can tell

me that these 2 feel the same when you hit the sweetspot on both. I hit one flush with

the MP52 and NONE of my shots with the MX-200 all day felt anything like that pure shot

with the MP52. Just incredible and straight as an arrow. I cant wait to get a full set and see

if I can game with them.

[gmbtempe]

My first post on WRX, hope I can live up to this site's hype.

 

I too am in the confused state on going to a more players type club and which one. I currently hit Ping G2's and play to a 7.9 index. I am an average ball striker who tends to feel my way around the course to score, meaning there are just as many mis hits as solid strikes but in general I putt and short game to a decent score, I have not broken 90 but a few times the last several years.

 

I do like the G2's performance but honestly you get zero feed back on any hit and as my swing has gotten better the offset is only adding to the draw-pull hook that I hit.

 

I can never shake the solid feeling that the first set of clubs I owned, the Hogan Edge 1993 forgings gave me. Plenty forgiving on mis hits but really felt solid on center hits. I would like to find a set like that, a players club that feels great and also has some technology to help my mis hits.

 

Today I hit Mizuno's MP32, MP-60 and Titleist 755 today at Golfsmith but matts tell you so little, but the MP32 felt the best.

 

I am so confused with all the offerings, definitely leaning Mizuno but between MP32, MP52, 57, 60, 62, MX-23, mx-25, 200.....well its just very tough to pull the trigger. Can I play these "players clubs" and which one is going to be the best bet.

 

Greg

[tigerfan23]

just buy them already. I know you want them!

[JackB1]

I am so confused with all the offerings, definitely leaning Mizuno but between MP32, MP52, 57, 60, 62, MX-23, mx-25, 200.....well its just very tough to pull the trigger. Can I play these "players clubs" and which one is going to be the best bet.

 

Greg

 

The MP 52s would be best and is the most forgiving from the MP line.  Or get the MX-200s if you want more forgiveness.  I have both and am trying them both out for awhile before deciding.  I love the feel of the MP52's over the MX-200's, but want to make sure I can handle them before I ditch my 200's

[sbjinx]

i would be interested to hear your thoughts once you had a chance to play with the 52s for a while. i really like the looks of the 52s and when i saw them in the store, they didnt look that much smaller than my GC Mids (compared to the mx-200 which looked a lot bigger than the 52s).

 

good luck and thanks,

[jools78]

There is an awful lot of high handicappers with superior ball striking abilities in this thread.

 

 

awwwww....can't we dream a bit???

[import49erz]

I just bought a set of mb tps, not hitting them perfectly, but I feel like my swing is getting better cause its helping me focus more. I have a set of mp 30s I can always fall back on and considering putting the sets toget for a combo set. For me tho, I know there are some flaws in my swing (who doesnt), but wat messes me up more times than none is my mental game. So long story short, just play whichever club that gives you confidence and piece of mind at address. Your game will eventually get better also.

 

hope that makes sense and helps you out

[Lefty4par2]

Played a nice round today with my MX200's....91 with a "8" on the last par 4.

 

Anyway, I brought my MP52 6 iron and hit a few with it. There is no way anyone can tell

me that these 2 feel the same when you hit the sweetspot on both. I hit one flush with

the MP52 and NONE of my shots with the MX-200 all day felt anything like that pure shot

with the MP52. Just incredible and straight as an arrow. I cant wait to get a full set and see

if I can game with them.

 

Sorry Jack, I really think it's all in your head, the forging process is exactly the same between the two. The only likely difference you are feeling is the difference in the shafts. I have hit them back and forth in the shop dozens of times... no difference.

[JackB1]

Played a nice round today with my MX200's....91 with a "8" on the last par 4.

 

Anyway, I brought my MP52 6 iron and hit a few with it. There is no way anyone can tell

me that these 2 feel the same when you hit the sweetspot on both. I hit one flush with

the MP52 and NONE of my shots with the MX-200 all day felt anything like that pure shot

with the MP52. Just incredible and straight as an arrow. I cant wait to get a full set and see

if I can game with them.

 

Sorry Jack, I really think it's all in your head, the forging process is exactly the same between the two. The only likely difference you are feeling is the difference in the shafts. I have hit them back and forth in the shop dozens of times... no difference.

 

It might be the shaft.  The MX200 has the DG XP and the MP52 has the DG R300.  I have heard others say the same thing about the 52's feeling better.  The 200's don't feel "bad" at all...just "different".  Hard to explain.  Sort of like a little "hollow" feeling.  Just because the forging process is the same doesn't mean they will feel exactly the same.  There are difference in clubhead size, cavity shape, weighting, weight distributed differently, etc.  

[JackB1]

i would be interested to hear your thoughts once you had a chance to play with the 52s for a while. i really like the looks of the 52s and when i saw them in the store, they didnt look that much smaller than my GC Mids (compared to the mx-200 which looked a lot bigger than the 52s).

 

good luck and thanks,

 

I will report back what happens after I play a few rounds with them.  They were custom ordered, so it might be a week or 2 before I get them.

[Lefty4par2]

Played a nice round today with my MX200's....91 with a "8" on the last par 4.

 

Anyway, I brought my MP52 6 iron and hit a few with it. There is no way anyone can tell

me that these 2 feel the same when you hit the sweetspot on both. I hit one flush with

the MP52 and NONE of my shots with the MX-200 all day felt anything like that pure shot

with the MP52. Just incredible and straight as an arrow. I cant wait to get a full set and see

if I can game with them.

 

Sorry Jack, I really think it's all in your head, the forging process is exactly the same between the two. The only likely difference you are feeling is the difference in the shafts. I have hit them back and forth in the shop dozens of times... no difference.

 

It might be the shaft. The MX200 has the DG XP and the MP52 has the DG R300. I have heard others say the same thing about the 52's feeling better. The 200's don't feel "bad" at all...just "different". Hard to explain. Sort of like a little "hollow" feeling. Just because the forging process is the same doesn't mean they will feel exactly the same. There are difference in clubhead size, cavity shape, weighting, weight distributed differently, etc.

 

Very true, very true... the head shape may make some different feel I guess, so maybe 60 - 40 in your head... actual difference

 

:D

 

One thing to consider though... I think you said something earlier about your misses being hitting fat shots, and the clubs not making that much difference in that... didn't you? If so, that's not true at all. That's one of the whole points in a larger sole. The thinner the sole, the more likely a fat shot will cut deeper into the ground and dramatically slow your clubhead down before impact. This would be one of the biggest differences in the 200s and the 52/57s regarding forgiveness.

[youraway2]

I just received my new set of MP52's with Tour Spec 103 gram graphite shafts. I hit the seven iron and PW and immediately noticed a loss of distance. When I hit them well I liked the feel, but most of my shots were less than rewarding. The PW is the best feeling club I've chipped with around the greens. I cleaned the two clubs and put them back in the box - they're flawless - all others still wraped in plastic and you cannot detect the 7 and PW have been hit.

 

I put a "For Sale" sign up at the club today - if not sold by Monday they're going on eBay. Yep they are beautiful and the shafts are the best Mizuno makes. They're just too much for me. If interested PM me.

[JackB1]

One thing to consider though... I think you said something earlier about your misses being hitting fat shots, and the clubs not making that much difference in that... didn't you? If so, that's not true at all. That's one of the whole points in a larger sole. The thinner the sole, the more likely a fat shot will cut deeper into the ground and dramatically slow your clubhead down before impact. This would be one of the biggest differences in the 200s and the 52/57s regarding forgiveness.

 

So what is the best type of sole to minimise fat shot effects?  A rounded, thick sole?

Maybe the MP's will motivate me to learn to hit it more pure.  My "fat misses" are getting

to be less and less lately (maybe a couple per round), so I am working on it.  On the range,

I can get in a groove and hit 9/10 pure. 

[Lefty4par2]

Right, the wider soles are designed to "slide" across the turf when you hit shots that could be fat so the club head doesn't dig into the ground. It is certainly a swing issue, often you are either swinging to steep or you are leaning back in your downswing and changing the angle of attack.

 

Another thing to keep in mind... you almost want to NOT let yourself get into a groove on the range, because you can't get into a grove on the course. Mix up your shots on the range, during some practice rounds, hit like you are playing a round... driver, 9 iron, driver long iron wedge, etc. And pick targets.

 

enjoy!!

[destard]

I say go for it. I usually had scores ranging from 88 to 95 last year and my MP67s were great. I could shape the ball and even hit the 3 iron consistently :rolleyes: To me, it was mainly the confidence you get from looking down at the mizuno irons. They are beautiful irons and have the best feel of irons that I have hit. Of course you will have days where the swing might not be in sync, but that is golf. I sold my 67s last year after winning some g10s in a tourney and have kicked myself ever since because they were in mint condition and I still can not find them in that condition for the price I sold them for.

[seriousperformance]

I just received my new set of MP52's with Tour Spec 103 gram graphite shafts. I hit the seven iron and PW and immediately noticed a loss of distance. When I hit them well I liked the feel, but most of my shots were less than rewarding. The PW is the best feeling club I've chipped with around the greens. I cleaned the two clubs and put them back in the box - they're flawless - all others still wraped in plastic and you cannot detect the 7 and PW have been hit.

 

I put a "For Sale" sign up at the club today - if not sold by Monday they're going on eBay. Yep they are beautiful and the shafts are the best Mizuno makes. They're just too much for me. If interested PM me.

I think you need to give them more than a few hits. Any club takes a few rounds before you get comfortable enough with the them to know how far and how well you hit them. I'm sure it took a while before you hit your TM's as well as you hiyt them now. The 52's are great clubs don't give up too soon on them.

[tigerfan23]

I just received my new set of MP52's with Tour Spec 103 gram graphite shafts. I hit the seven iron and PW and immediately noticed a loss of distance. When I hit them well I liked the feel, but most of my shots were less than rewarding. The PW is the best feeling club I've chipped with around the greens. I cleaned the two clubs and put them back in the box - they're flawless - all others still wraped in plastic and you cannot detect the 7 and PW have been hit.

 

I put a "For Sale" sign up at the club today - if not sold by Monday they're going on eBay. Yep they are beautiful and the shafts are the best Mizuno makes. They're just too much for me. If interested PM me.

 

ouch wrong shafts. Give them another go. They are amazing irons.

 

You might have a hard time selling them with graphite shafts. When you hit it right, and feel that magical click, you will remove that for sale sign.

[jirizarry]

Regardless of what anybody else says, if the clubs inspire confidence, go for it.

BTW... my handicap dropped from 21 to 15 after I traded my Ping G5's for my Titleist 755's and still improving ( down to an 11 ). :yahoo:

 

J.R.

 

Are the Titleist 755's more or less forgiving than the Ping G5's?

 

 

Less forgiving, which makes me concentrate more and TRY not to swing as hard, which in turn has resulted in better scores!

 

J.R.

[billybaroo]

Less forgiving, which makes me concentrate more and TRY not to swing as hard, which in turn has resulted in better scores!

 

J.R.

 

 

:rolleyes: I concentrate as much on every shot, no matter what club I am hitting. Do you score better on the #1 stroke hole on the courses you play? Do you sink more long putts than short ones? Do you hit more greens from 200+ than 50 yards? A fundamental swing flaw, jumping on the ball, is the problem.

[silver77]

I went to a demo day today and I had a chance to hit the new irons.After reading this post i want to compare the mp 52 irons to others. I hit the new burner, x 20 tour, j33, mx25 and x 20's. I think the new burner and the mp 52 were the easiest irons to hit. I was very surprised i hit the mp 52 so well i wanted to buy them and I am a bogie golfer. The new burner irons are awesome.... the mp 52 was more forgiving than mx 25 and the mx 200 for me. Right now i play x 18's and my next irons will be mp 52's . A good comparison would be my 905r driver , i can give it to a beginner and they always hit it well even though its made for better players and i bought it 3 yrs ago when i was just starting out when i would shoot in the 100's but I hit it straighter than anything else during that time.

[pocketfulladoubles]

If you have time to practice with them I say go for it. I'm not saying you have to have a great swing or be a great ball striker, but you do have to have the time. The reason I say this is that the more demanding an iron is, the touchier it becomes. Sweet spots get a little smaller, position of the face on impact gets more particular (a result of better workability). These things are easy to forget when you can't practice. For the last 2 years, I've been baggin MP37's, and they are definitely above my game, but I was able to carry acceptable rounds with them, and my iron game wasn't my problem. Since my son was born, I don't have time to practice, and when I do get out, I remember how sensitive the heads are to face angle and where they impact the ball. If I grab my friends Ping's, it feels like I can put whatever swing on it and play well enough. In the end, I'm moving to MX-23's until I get more time. To sum up a long story, you can hit whatever club you want and play well IF you have the time and dedication.

[JackB1]

Well, I played my 1st round yesterday with my MP52's and I am still confused :)  I shot a usual

92, but I didn't think my irons had much to do with my score.  I feel like the score would have been the same with MX-200's, but I could be wrong.  The 52s do feel great when you catch one just right!  I hit them fine on the par 3's.  My problems would arise from shots in the fairway and I didn't really have too many of those....maybe 5-7?  Seems like I was hitting hybrids or wedges a lot.  My score was hurt most by mishit wedges and missed putts than anything else.  One part of me knows I really shouldn't be playing MP52s at my level, but the other part thinks my score is more effected by putts, chips, pitches and driving.  Don't get me wrong...I don't want to give ANY strokes away, but I am not sure I would have scored any differently using MX 200's yesterday.

 

I will report back after next weekend after I give them another go.  I will take notes on where I lose strokes or mishit shots (probably a good idea anyway).  The I will re-evaluate.  Hard to tell much after 1 round, but it wasn't a "disaster" like I was anticipating :)  I might end up just mixing the set and using the MX200 for 5,6 and the MPs for 7-PW. I would think that would "minimize" the damage from using clubs that are a little over my head.

[mantan]

Well, I played my 1st round yesterday with my MP52's and I am still confused :)  I shot a usual

92, but I didn't think my irons had much to do with my score.  I feel like the score would have been the same with MX-200's, but I could be wrong.  The 52s do feel great when you catch one just right!  I hit them fine on the par 3's.  My problems would arise from shots in the fairway and I didn't really have too many of those....maybe 5-7?  Seems like I was hitting hybrids or wedges a lot.  My score was hurt most by mishit wedges and missed putts than anything else.  One part of me knows I really shouldn't be playing MP52s at my level, but the other part thinks my score is more effected by putts, chips, pitches and driving.  Don't get me wrong...I don't want to give ANY strokes away, but I am not sure I would have scored any differently using MX 200's yesterday.

 

I will report back after next weekend after I give them another go.  I will take notes on where I lose strokes or mishit shots (probably a good idea anyway).  The I will re-evaluate.  Hard to tell much after 1 round, but it wasn't a "disaster" like I was anticipating :)  I might end up just mixing the set and using the MX200 for 5,6 and the MPs for 7-PW. I would think that would "minimize" the damage from using clubs that are a little over my head.

 

It'll be interesting to see what the data shows when you break down the round.

 

One one hand, driving accuracy and short game is going to have the biggest impact on most of our scores. If you don't have clean approach shots or are not getting up and down, iron play isn't going to make a big difference.

 

On the flip side, it could be argue iron forgiveness could be the difference between an easy short game shot and a more difficult one...and those strokes could add up all day.

 

Just like you'll find some people feel more comfortable taking an iron they have confidence will go straight while others feel more comfortable playing a club they feel requires total focus.

 

There is no correct answer for everyone...just what works for you...

[Jay4]

Hitting off mats will cover up swing flaws and make it easier to hit decent looking shots, so it might be a different story on the course, especially if your misses are thin or fat.

That being said, I used to shoot 88, 90, 92 for years with Wilson Deep Red irons. Last year, I shot 88, 90, 92 with Ping S59s.

And I own a set of Mizuno MP-32s, which I only bought, because I think they are the most beautiful irons ever made, and I just wanted to have them, period. About once a month I take them out for a nice round of golf, like other people would cruise around in a vintage convertible, just for kicks. Guess what I ususally shoot with the Mizunos?

Answer: 88, 90, 92.

It's the Indian, not the bow.

 

To heddp:

I really like your signature!

 

OT...Thanks for the compliment about my MP-32.

[Tom Lerch]

Weird. I came across this thread as a result of having a question exactly opposite of the actual post. I am starting my third year of golf in April. I started with Big Bertha's, then went to X-20's then went to MP-57's thinking that I could grow in to these clubs as I got better. Now after all of that, I am thinking of dropping the MP-57's for MX-200's.

 

I am practicing hard and working with a Pro who says my swing is tight and I should be a 10 or better by the end of the summer. But I no longer care as much how much I like the look of the club, thin top line etc.. and care more about MY SCORE! I think I will find much more satisfaction in a low score and handicap than I would with my clubs. When asked about my game, people ask my USGA Handicap, not what clubs I play.

 

I think I will see a pretty good improvement with the MX-200's but I am not sure. My Pro says I should keep the MP-57's but I don't know if he is basing this on his buget perspective or mine. I am thinking that if I can keep 4-6 of the 7-10 poor shots per round that I am losing distance (missing greens) because of off center hits it would be worth it. That could add 2-3 points on an index.

 

In summary, I am reviewing my entire bag and going to play the club that gives me the best score. Now I admit I have my limits. I am never going to play a Callaway Fusion but think the forged MX-200 looks like a good compromise. I am even considering the new Taylormade "non-set" set. Do you think I will see much improvement with the MX-200?

[JackB1]

In summary, I am reviewing my entire bag and going to play the club that gives me the best score. Now I admit I have my limits. I am never going to play a Callaway Fusion but think the forged MX-200 looks like a good compromise. I am even considering the new Taylormade "non-set" set. Do you think I will see much improvement with the MX-200?

 

Tom...short answer is yes...you will gain roughly 3-5 strokes per round with the MX-200 vs the MPs.  But it all depends on how many "mishits" you make per round with your irons.  My handicap is higher due to putting and shortgame mistakes....not so much iron play.  If you are interested I am selling a "like new" set of MX-200's, 5 thru wedges, for a cheap price.  Just send me a pm if interested.  I guess I am a "glutton for punishment" :)

[Cobber]

I have been playing the MP-52s for about three weeks now. Previously played the Ping i10 and set a goal of buying a forged set once my handicap reached single digits. All I can say is that I am playing some of my best golf with the new clubs and I'm pretty sure that the Pings will be up for sale soon. They are great clubs but a completely different animal from the Mizunos. Set up took a few days to figure out, but now I'm pretty dialed in and they just seem to be getting more and more comfortable to swing. The feel of a pure shot is terrific and the ball flight is ideal for my swing and game. I got them with the Project X 5.0 shafts and was a little worried at first, but not anymore. Great clubs and I look forward to many rounds with them.