Most forgiving irons w/ thinner topline/not-huge soles

[JT41L5d3]

I've become obsessed with the look of clubs that have thinner toplines and not fat soles (shovels?).

 

The problem here is thatI DO NOT have the game to back it up. In your experience, what would be the most forgiving clubs you've played that don't have huge toplines and soles? I game the JPX 800 now and they are...fat.

 

Another question that I'd love for the community to answer: Do the fat soles' purpose have mostly to do with the divots afterwards? The last time I went to the range, I was digging a good amount. Will a thinner sole worsen the effects of this or is it mostly in my swing?

[Huskypride28]

Take a look at the JPX 825 Pro's. Nice top line and sole.

The wider soles, in theory, are to help players with digging and hitting fat shots.

[Pigems]

I picked up a set of Mizuno TP-9's over the winter and plan to play them this year. I'll let you know on the forgiving part but the topline and soul are very thin and look and feel great at address. One of the best looking irons I've ever seen really.

[Timanator]

I wonder why manufactures cant just make the top line thinner and keep everything else the same?

[sforrest]

Bridgestone J40 Dual Pocket Cavity are awesome. To my eye much thinner than the JPX 825 Pro and feel every bit as good. I have the J40 and a buddy has the 825's. Mizzys may be a touch more forgiving but not by a large margin. It's very hard to find a place to demo the J40's. I bought mine off the used rack. They were in pristine shape and got them on the cheap. Great find for me.

[lightningbolt444]

Was just going to say the J40's even the cb have a good amount of forgiveness

[JT41L5d3]

[quote name='Timanator' timestamp='1366594284' post='6890293']
I wonder why manufactures cant just make the top line thinner and keep everything else the same?
[/quote]

That's what I'm saying!

Although I will say that many OEMs offer "pro" versions of their clubs now that feature thinner toplines, forged heads, etc.

[JT41L5d3]

[quote name='Pigems' timestamp='1366593876' post='6890247']
I picked up a set of Mizuno TP-9's over the winter and plan to play them this year. I'll let you know on the forgiving part but the topline and soul are very thin and look and feel great at address. One of the best looking irons I've ever seen really.
[/quote]

I'm afraid to use musclebacks...they intimidate me and I'm not sure I can handle those bad boys!

[Vindog]

i20?

[Vindog]

Wilson ci9 or ci11. nice bang for the buck too...

[bosoxfan]

Cobra Amp have a very reasonable sole and topline in my opinion.KH

[kwooten31]

TM R9, they are in between GI and Player irons.

[propman]

[quote name='Vindog' timestamp='1366597393' post='6890681']
Wilson ci9 or ci11. nice bang for the buck too...
[/quote]

I hit the ci11s yesterday at a demo day. The topline is indeed quite thin. Good lookin' irons and forgiving as well.

[Par Fore]

Bridgestone J38 or 40 DPC, still the relatively thin topline, forged feel and excellent forgiveness.

[keto]

Trust me on this: go hit a set of X-Hot PROS that's right, not the regular XHP, the Pro.

I am in a similar boat as you, at least handicap wise I think. Not the purest ball striker, but can get around the course OK.

I am not a feel snob, I am not anti-shovel. I've been playing Burner 2.0's for 3 year, blissfully ignorant.

I went and hit the XHP's last week, and man do they feel sweet. I had no issues finding the center of the club face. Very nice thin topline. The soles are narrow, at least to my eye. Though I was indoors on a mat, I didn't feel any inclination towards 'digging' with them - general feedback around the 'net is that they cut through turf beautifully. And, though the lofts are essentially the same as my Burners, I was getting 6-8 yards more with a 6i, and great dispersion.

The biggest thing, to repeat myself, was the feel. Just wow. So soft and pure on the good ones, can feel the ball just melt into the face. That said, I haven't and am unlikely to ever hit a forged blade, so don't jump on me if you ARE a feel snob

Yes, I hit the occasional bad shot. My game is not low handicap. Yes, I could feel my (thin and toe) misses more than with the Burners, but not so that it hurt my hands at all.

They swing lighter (D2) than the Burners (D3.5-4) - some won't like that. They, for me, were not so light that I felt out of control coming down.

[JT41L5d3]

[quote name='Par Fore' timestamp='1366600143' post='6891007']
Bridgestone J38 or 40 DPC, still the relatively thin topline, forged feel and excellent forgiveness.
[/quote]

Never tried any bridgestone clubs, but you and the others mentioning the J38/40 have really piqued my interest...these things seem like exactly what i'm looking for!

Trying to find some heads now to try on my KBS tours.

What is the main difference between the DPC and the normal version of them?

[JT41L5d3]

[quote name='keto' timestamp='1366600632' post='6891039']
Trust me on this: go hit a set of X-Hot PROS that's right, not the regular XHP, the Pro.

I am in a similar boat as you, at least handicap wise I think. Not the purest ball striker, but can get around the course OK.

I am not a feel snob, I am not anti-shovel. I've been playing Burner 2.0's for 3 year, blissfully ignorant.

I went and hit the XHP's last week, and man do they feel sweet. I had no issues finding the center of the club face. Very nice thin topline. The soles are narrow, at least to my eye. Though I was indoors on a mat, I didn't feel any inclination towards 'digging' with them - general feedback around the 'net is that they cut through turf beautifully. And, though the lofts are essentially the same as my Burners, I was getting 6-8 yards more with a 6i, and great dispersion.

The biggest thing, to repeat myself, was the feel. Just wow. So soft and pure on the good ones, can feel the ball just melt into the face. That said, I haven't and am unlikely to ever hit a forged blade, so don't jump on me if you ARE a feel snob

Yes, I hit the occasional bad shot. My game is not low handicap. Yes, I could feel my (thin and toe) misses more than with the Burners, but not so that it hurt my hands at all.

They swing lighter (D2) than the Burners (D3.5-4) - some won't like that. They, for me, were not so light that I felt out of control coming down.
[/quote]

Great response! Unfortunately...I'm not a fan of the look of the X hot series. This is me being a snob about something that doesn't even matter at address...but for some odd reason it really matters to me. I've gotta love my irons to death!

[Par Fore]

The dpc has more of a cavity, the club head is bigger, but still not overly large. IMO the J38 DPC and the J40 DPC looks about the same. I play the J40 CB's and I think that they are still very forgiving, and they have the look of a players club, they're not butter knife small so you can still stand over them with confidence. I haven't checked ebay for a while, but I would think that you could find a set of J38 DPC's for a pretty low price, maybe not with KBS, shafts, most were sold with PX shafts. I know that there are not a lot of places that you can demo Bridgestone's but very rarley do you hear anyone who has blades a set of B-stone irons complain about them, that doesn't mean the they fit everyones game, but you "usually" don't hear someone saying" I tried Bridgestone irons, and they suck" very often.

[Vintage1976]

[quote name='Vindog' timestamp='1366597393' post='6890681']
Wilson ci9 or ci11. nice bang for the buck too...
[/quote]

Yup. I'm in FG Tours now, from Ci9's before that. For an inconsistent or even a fairly good ball striker the Ci are a great choice. Truth be told I'm thinking about a Ci 4 iron to swap back into the set.

I absolutely love the top line on the Adams A7 but they have pretty healthy sized soles. Yeah there seems like no good reason not to shrink those top lines. That is not an attractive look.

[sodbuster]

The dpc is HUGE! I20, x hot pro etc... are smaller! Dpc are some of the longest heal to toe clubs ive ever seen

[LONG&STR8]

[quote name='sodbuster' timestamp='1366601946' post='6891141']
The dpc is HUGE! I20, x hot pro etc... are smaller! Dpc are some of the longest heal to toe clubs ive ever seen
[/quote]

I agree. They are long (heel to toe) but that increases MOI. That being said I couldn't look at a club that long even with the thin top line. What are shorter heel to toe but have a thicker top line but you get used to it pretty quickly once you discover the nice feel and forgiveness are the J36 PCs. I really love the soles of most Bridgestone irons from the J36s til now. Not blade small but not SGI huge. Adams CB2s and 3s are also a nice forged option with plenty of forgiveness.

[pmcuk]

This will sound contrary, but if you don't have the game to back up less forgiving irons I'd actually move to the JPX800 HD. Most forgiving is the light graphite shafts. Of all the truly SGI irons this probably looks the best. Otherwise for clubs that look nice Amp Cells or even consider a set of Burner 2.0 if you like the black kind of head. Cobra SG3 were similar but not so slinky looking.

My interpretation of ego in male golf is the satisfaction of scoring less and beating other guys, not touting the most macho clubs that actually cost you shots in mis-hits!

[mjmihal]

Callaway 2013 X Forged and it's not even close.

[wolfpack]

the thicker topline is to help you with forgiveness if the ball isn't hit below the midline of the club, such as out of the rough. the people that mentioned the J40 DPC are right on.

[ZBigStick]

[quote name='mjmihal' timestamp='1366613039' post='6891647']
Callaway 2013 X Forged and it's not even close.
[/quote]

How forgiving would you rate them? For toe or thin hits?

[Jspangler]

[quote name='ZBigStick' timestamp='1366617683' post='6891709']
[quote name='mjmihal' timestamp='1366613039' post='6891647']
Callaway 2013 X Forged and it's not even close.
[/quote]

How forgiving would you rate them? For toe or thin hits?
[/quote]

If you are looking for forgiveness in those areas give the CMBs a look. Very thin topline and sole, small blade but anytime I caught one off the toe it was dead straight.

[Jspangler]

[quote name='sodbuster' timestamp='1366601946' post='6891141']
The dpc is HUGE! I20, x hot pro etc... are smaller! Dpc are some of the longest heal to toe clubs ive ever seen
[/quote]

He asked for thin topline and sole, if looking for forgiveness in forged Player Cavities you are gonna have to sacrifice somewhere.

[dalillama47]

If major OEM is not a factor, take a look at some Wishon 560 mc's. Kind of a midsize, reasonably thin sole and top line, little offset iron head. They're very, very nice.

[G N R]

Another vote for the J40 DPC's (or 38's). Beautiful looking iron, soft feel and plenty of forgiveness. Ticks all the boxes that you are looking for. I'd probably also throw the Mizuno MP53's into the mix. Very similar to the Bridgestones and personally I don't think there is that big of a difference with the Jpx 825 Pros.

[thejuice]

I'd say PING I-20 or even the Anser (if you want to shell that amount of coin), Wilson Ci-11, TaylorMade Rocketbladez Tour, Cobra Amp Forged (2012 model), and Titleist AP-2.