my honeymoon with SGI's

[JIMFANTE]

[quote name='Sonnyducks' date='24 February 2010 - 09:15 AM' timestamp='1267031731' post='2274154']
True on the loft thing between the two clubs but what I'm mainly focused on is my distance range. I quickly learned about that before I bought the clubs and lived it afterwards...no biggie there. I'm more concerned about distance consistency on mishits.
[/quote]

I think the distance consistency on mishits is the single biggest issue here. The G10 or G15s are absolutely amazing in this regard. For me, significantly better than i10s or even MX25s. Mishits also stay pretty much on line.

[Sonnyducks]

I just got back from the range where I demoed both the G15 and I15. This is the first time I've hit both outside off or grass. In the hitting bays both were neck and neck but outside it was apparent in about 3 balls that the G15 was right for me. They are much easier to hit knock downs w/ than my old MX-200s which is all the ball working I really do. VS my 68s, not even close. Sure the 68s look better and feel better but I expect I'll feel better putting more often as I was when I was playing MX-200s and 23s. Short story...I have a fitting appointment there tomorrow.

The MP-68s are going on eBay. IM me if you are interested in a set. I'll be selling them as soon as I get my PINGs.

[CosmosMpower]

[quote name='Sonnyducks' date='24 February 2010 - 05:09 PM' timestamp='1267052965' post='2274965']
I just got back from the range where I demoed both the G15 and I15. This is the first time I've hit both outside off or grass. In the hitting bays both were neck and neck but outside it was apparent in about 3 balls that the G15 was right for me. They are much easier to hit knock downs w/ than my old MX-200s which is all the ball working I really do. VS my 68s, not even close. Sure the 68s look better and feel better but I expect I'll feel better putting more often as I was when I was playing MX-200s and 23s. Short story...I have a fitting appointment there tomorrow.

The MP-68s are going on eBay. IM me if you are interested in a set. I'll be selling them as soon as I get my PINGs.
[/quote]

Kind of interesting you compared a SGI to a blade. I did the same thing except the G10 irons (which I currently use) and I bought a set of MP32's after hitting the 68's at the frisco PGA superstore. On a good ball striking day the 68's and 32's were awesome but I can't kid myself. I just don't have the game to play the blades consistently so they are on the BST. Thinking about trying some i15's as a happy medium when it gets a bit warmer.

Let me know if you want to get in 18 sometime, I play in Frisco sometimes and live in Carrollton.

[dmaxwellh]

Couldn't agree more. I have a 5.x index and have two sets of irons: Ping Rapture V2 with NS Pro 950 shafts, and will be picking up my new set on Friday, Mizuno MX-1000 5-7 and MX-300 8-gap. I love the way the pings have played, but think a little more precision on the shorter shots will help this year! Like many things in life, vanity has little place on the golf course. Hit them straight...

[Sonnyducks]

The PGA store in Frisco is my second home....I hit the 68s great in the bay and on the course but I have this hugh gap between my 4 iron and my 3 hybrid. I was going to keep them just cause they are so darn pretty but after this range session there is zero chance I will play them after I move to PING. There isn't a "good looking club" column on the scorecard.

I don't care that they look like shovels and have stupid stickers on them...they work....period. Plus, I'm sick of switching irons every year.

[Robert Brown]

Good word Sonnyduck....have been hitting Pings for years...down to a 6 hdcp with shovels in the bag...they look great to me!! Bob

[Sonnyducks]

Sorry about that. Yeah, I'm sure I'll get use to them.

[TCMP]

How do you like the G15's (or G10's for you other guys) for short shots like 8 iron run ups onto the green and PW knock downs from 60-70 yards? Does the fat sole make it more difficult to get "BITE" on the shot?

[JIMFANTE]

[quote name='TCMP' date='24 February 2010 - 05:04 PM' timestamp='1267059841' post='2275225']
How do you like the G15's (or G10's for you other guys) for short shots like 8 iron run ups onto the green and PW knock downs from 60-70 yards? Does the fat sole make it more difficult to get "BITE" on the shot?
[/quote]

Love 'em for those shots. And no, the fat sole does not impede a frickin thing. In fact it helps stabilize the clubhead through impact. I was afraid of this until I got 'em out on the course and it's a total non-issue. They spin and check up quite nicely as well. If you look at how the sole is angled you can see that it won't and doesn't negatively effect any shot. The engineering in these sticks is outstanding. Once you get over the ugly factor, you never look back.

[TCMP]

[quote name='JIMFANTE' date='24 February 2010 - 07:48 PM' timestamp='1267062500' post='2275315']

Love 'em for those shots. And no, the fat sole does not impede a frickin thing. In fact it helps stabilize the clubhead through impact. I was afraid of this until I got 'em out on the course and it's a total non-issue. They spin and check up quite nicely as well. If you look at how the sole is angled you can see that it won't and doesn't negatively effect any shot. The engineering in these sticks is outstanding. Once you get over the ugly factor, you never look back.
[/quote]


I'm not opposed to playing any club that helps my game. I'll try a set of the G15's at the next demo day and see how I like them! I hit a lot of knock down shots, so that will be the test for me.

[MtlJeff]

[quote name='TCMP' date='24 February 2010 - 09:01 PM' timestamp='1267063266' post='2275343']
[quote name='JIMFANTE' date='24 February 2010 - 07:48 PM' timestamp='1267062500' post='2275315']
Love 'em for those shots. And no, the fat sole does not impede a frickin thing. In fact it helps stabilize the clubhead through impact. I was afraid of this until I got 'em out on the course and it's a total non-issue. They spin and check up quite nicely as well. If you look at how the sole is angled you can see that it won't and doesn't negatively effect any shot. The engineering in these sticks is outstanding. Once you get over the ugly factor, you never look back.
[/quote]


I'm not opposed to playing any club that helps my game. I'll try a set of the G15's at the next demo day and see how I like them! I hit a lot of knock down shots, so that will be the test for me.
[/quote]

wow, a lot of replies on this thread since i went to work this morning.

I haven't played them outside yet, but i have really [i]really [/i]payed attention to knockdown shots, as they are a big part of my game and were a bit of worry when i switched. But absolutely no difference, it's literally just as easy to hit those shots as it was with I10's.

biggest difference for me has mishits low on the face still rocket off the clubface. I can still hit a draw and still hit knockdowns

[JIMFANTE]

[quote name='TCMP' date='24 February 2010 - 06:01 PM' timestamp='1267063266' post='2275343']
[quote name='JIMFANTE' date='24 February 2010 - 07:48 PM' timestamp='1267062500' post='2275315']

Love 'em for those shots. And no, the fat sole does not impede a frickin thing. In fact it helps stabilize the clubhead through impact. I was afraid of this until I got 'em out on the course and it's a total non-issue. They spin and check up quite nicely as well. If you look at how the sole is angled you can see that it won't and doesn't negatively effect any shot. The engineering in these sticks is outstanding. Once you get over the ugly factor, you never look back.
[/quote]


I'm not opposed to playing any club that helps my game. I'll try a set of the G15's at the next demo day and see how I like them! I hit a lot of knock down shots, so that will be the test for me.
[/quote]

You will be pleasantly surprised.

[Sonnyducks]

Yeah, I was testing the knockdown ability of the G15 yesterday and it wasn't hard at all.

Regarding the wide sole...I thought they would be an issue but they are not. I guess since you don't hit the ball w/ the sole of the club it doesn't matter as much as you would think.

[enotsyer]

Great thread! Did you consider using just the i15's? I really like mine (also in AWT shaft) and really like how the longer irons have more "game improvement" features (i.e. wider soles, a little more offset, etc.) and the short irons are basically players clubs. Is there that big a difference between an i15 5 iron and a g15 5 iron?

The i15s for me anyway, are almost a perfect blend of what you've done with your mixed set - player oriented in the short irons but game improvement in the long irons! Perfect!

[gdb99]

I'm playing a set of Titleist 695 CB's, and I built a set of Maltby KE4's. The Malby's, to me, look like my old Callaway X-14's, but with less offset and slightly thinner soles. I had my all-time low score with X-14's, and sold them 2 weeks later, because I'm a playa. Not.

I used the Mizuno Optimiser the other day, and found out the Dynamic Gold S-300 shafts in the Titleist's are too stiff and heavy for me.

The shafts I put in my Maltby's are Aldila graphite stiff, soft stepped twice. It's helps the elbow when I hit off the mats in the winter.

I've had a couple range sessions so far, and the Maltby's are more consistent, hit the ball slightly higher which is a good thing for me, feel just as good, can hit all the shots I need to, and I'm hitting the center of the face every time.

If I can't get over the stigma of playing component clubs this year, I want to try out the Ping I-15 and G-15. I did hit a few shots with a friend's G-10 irons with graphite shafts last year, and hit the ball a mile high. I've heard the G-15's do not hit it that high. I'll have to find a demo day and try them out.

Good luck with your "experiment".

[MtlJeff]

[quote name='enotsyer' date='25 February 2010 - 11:45 AM' timestamp='1267116315' post='2276369']
Great thread! Did you consider using just the i15's? I really like mine (also in AWT shaft) and really like how the longer irons have more "game improvement" features (i.e. wider soles, a little more offset, etc.) and the short irons are basically players clubs. Is there that big a difference between an i15 5 iron and a g15 5 iron?

The i15s for me anyway, are almost a perfect blend of what you've done with your mixed set - player oriented in the short irons but game improvement in the long irons! Perfect!
[/quote]

i never really considered getting I15's, i was playing I10's prior so there was no real reason to make that switch. The difference between the G and I line is pretty big, the soles are twice the size and the topline is probably 25% bigger. I used to play I5's aswell and the difference with the G15's is big even compared to them

so far they've been great for me!

[cashtoclose]

Agree...have always felt the sameway. If im playing a scratch and getting 3 shots, and hes playing gi clubs I know its gonna be tough. But take a scratch playing some old blades and maybe he didnt sleep well the night before, first sign of trouble I start double pressing!

[TCMP]

I actually played G5's back in the day and never hit a 5 iron better. Straight as a string. My swing at that point needed some serious work. I wasn't hitting down on the ball properly, so the wide soles didn't work for me. For whatever reason I sold them on ebay and went to a harder to hit MP-60. When my swing was on, they felt butter sweet. But I had more off days than on days with them.

I like the fact that with the G15's you can get X flex shafts and lots of lie options. The offset would be hard to get used to for me. I'll have to see how they demo this spring.

[Sonnyducks]

Are wider soles better for pickers or sweepers?

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[gdb99]

[quote name='Sonnyducks' date='26 February 2010 - 09:18 AM' timestamp='1267193881' post='2278502']
Are wider soles better for pickers or sweepers?

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[/quote]

Pickers and sweepers are the same thing. Generally, bigger soles are better for diggers, as they prevent the club from digging too much.

[e-dog9]

I've thought about this kind of change but always have reservations about the PW. The pitching wedge was the first club from my set I feel in love with. I mean, the narrow soul, zero offset just set up to the eye so well. Not to mention, if all the weight is so low, and with the offset in effect, wont that make shots fly a little higher than you might want?

I know the weather is bad, but I'd love to hear the results of a 30 minute session with the PW just hitting creative shots into a green from about 25 feet and in.

[harmonica]

I'm enoying this thread and look forward to many updates once the weather turns and you can put the G15's in play.

I decided to see about the knockdown comparison between the i15 6iron and the G15 6iron. Took them both into a retail simulator and they produced identical trajectories. Exact same launch angles. I was surprised. The knock down is absolutely the shot I try out on the course more than any other.

I've always thought those super huge soles would be an issue with that shot. Everything about the club is designed to get the ball up. But I did notice that the CTP is positioned a bit higher in the G15's when compared to the G10's and G5's. I wonder if this makes the G15's a bit more playable for those who only considered the i15's?

Keep the updates coming!

[MtlJeff]

[quote name='e-dog9' date='26 February 2010 - 12:49 PM' timestamp='1267206572' post='2278960']
I've thought about this kind of change but always have reservations about the PW. The pitching wedge was the first club from my set I feel in love with. I mean, the narrow soul, zero offset just set up to the eye so well. Not to mention, if all the weight is so low, and with the offset in effect, wont that make shots fly a little higher than you might want?

I know the weather is bad, but I'd love to hear the results of a 30 minute session with the PW just hitting creative shots into a green from about 25 feet and in.
[/quote]

my 9 iron and PW are I15s, not necessarily because of the lower CG on the G15 but more because those are the clubs i hit out of the rough the most. And i was concerned about the wide soles

the G15 irons i have are from 3-8 iron, i havent found that the CG affects trajectory as much as it does forgiveness high on the face, which isnt that impressive for an SGI (but low on the face you can swing like Barkley and they go long and straight)

[MtlJeff]

So i told people i would update this thread as the season went on, so here goes...

2 weeks into the season i've gotten 4 rounds in. But today was the round i was really waiting for, because it was an awful day, cold with 35km/h winds and gusts even faster than that. Perfect for me to really test out the wide soled-high launching beauties i have been raving about for the past few months. Would all of my shots balloon? Would the soles struggle in the inconsistent wet ground?

The answer was a resounding "no". Considering how bad it was out there, and the fact that it was my 4th round of the year, i played some spectacular golf and hit some great iron shots. Some highlights:

1) the first real test was on the third hole which played straight into the wind (which must have been 30km+ at this point). A 170yd par 3 over water. I took my 5 iron and played a knockdown shot that stayed under the wind and rested 10 feet from the hole. I felt like jumping into the air a la Mickelson at the 2004 masters. I mean this was the main shot i was worried about and itworked perfectly. Not only that but it felt pure and pretty buttery considering i was swinging an iron the size of a small toaster.
2) on the 5th hole i had another shot which was pretty much exactly the same thing, except this time about 160yds out straight into the breeze. This time i played a knockdown 6 iron and again stuck it to about 15 feet. Right now i was thinking not only can i play knockdowns with these , but they are forgiving too even on this type of shot
3) 7th hole, 500yd par 5 with the wind helping...driver 300yds, 6 iron to 10 feet, eagle putt
4) 16th hole i'm stuck in a bunker on the left side of the fairway with an overhanging tree, i hit a punch fade 5 iron out of the bunker down the fairway...

OK, before i start rambling i'll summarize my experience. I will continue to say what i have been saying all along: These irons can hit ANY shot i could hit with my I10's or 15's or MP32's before them. Only they do it with more forgiveness than anything i've ever hit. Today in my 4th round of the year, playing in 35km winds, i hit 11 greens and shot a +2 (74). The 11 greens were higher than my 2009 average.

[rafal]

I believe KJ Choi is having a bit of his own epic saga with his G15's.

I like mine too

[muzz]

[quote name='MtlJeff' date='10 April 2010 - 02:44 PM' timestamp='1270925049' post='2371959']
So i told people i would update this thread as the season went on, so here goes...

2 weeks into the season i've gotten 4 rounds in. But today was the round i was really waiting for, because it was an awful day, cold with 35km/h winds and gusts even faster than that. Perfect for me to really test out the wide soled-high launching beauties i have been raving about for the past few months. Would all of my shots balloon? Would the soles struggle in the inconsistent wet ground?

The answer was a resounding "no". Considering how bad it was out there, and the fact that it was my 4th round of the year, i played some spectacular golf and hit some great iron shots. Some highlights:

1) the first real test was on the third hole which played straight into the wind (which must have been 30km+ at this point). A 170yd par 3 over water. I took my 5 iron and played a knockdown shot that stayed under the wind and rested 10 feet from the hole. I felt like jumping into the air a la Mickelson at the 2004 masters. I mean this was the main shot i was worried about and itworked perfectly. [b]Not only that but it felt pure and pretty buttery considering i was swinging an iron the size of a small toaster.[/b]
2) on the 5th hole i had another shot which was pretty much exactly the same thing, except this time about 160yds out straight into the breeze. This time i played a knockdown 6 iron and again stuck it to about 15 feet. Right now i was thinking not only can i play knockdowns with these , but they are forgiving too even on this type of shot
3) 7th hole, 500yd par 5 with the wind helping...driver 300yds, 6 iron to 10 feet, eagle putt
4) 16th hole i'm stuck in a bunker on the left side of the fairway with an overhanging tree, i hit a punch fade 5 iron out of the bunker down the fairway...

OK, before i start rambling i'll summarize my experience. I will continue to say what i have been saying all along: These irons can hit ANY shot i could hit with my I10's or 15's or MP32's before them. Only they do it with more forgiveness than anything i've ever hit. Today in my 4th round of the year, playing in 35km winds, i hit 11 greens and shot a +2 (74). The 11 greens were higher than my 2009 average.
[/quote]

I literally couldn't stop laughing, and I am still grinning hard.
I'm a High Capper that had delusions, but finally realized I was being stupid, this thread and other comments in forums like this have made me wake up and smile at the big beautiful shovels that I used to look at with disdain!
Raptures on the way!

Thanks for the insight and the laugh!

m

[alpsburner]

[quote name='minhjn' date='13 February 2010 - 02:58 AM' timestamp='1266022708' post='2247554']
for most of us low handicappers, it's all between the ears as far as playing game improvement clubs. seems as if you've already passed that hurdle. good luck and keep us updated
[/quote]

from Cally Proto´s to G15......... i passed that hurdle and since 4 rounds i get the cash from my buddies LOL

CU

[TaylorGreen]

+1

[Scottk]

My G15 irons with KBS Tour Stiff just came in yesterday. I am a 10. I may play tomorrow although it is supposed to be wet and in the lower 40s. I will report back. Great thread!

[walts00]

Sweet, thanks for the update. My biggest concern about moving to SGI irons is the trajectory control so your post is what I'd hoped to see.

I was hitting some G15's into the net earlier today and thought they felt great. I'm not much of a traditionalist and have always preferred cast cavity back irons anyways, so looks didn't dissuade me in any way. Pretty sure my next set of irons will be some PING SGI.