OT - Forged Game Improvement Irons?

[Mike_Young]

The biggest game improvement for most is to buy a set of regular shafts and install them in irons and then purchase some :stiff" labels to go on the shafts w/o telling yourself....

[Sam Morrow]

Bogey,

If you're a digger and don't mind spending a little more contact Ari Techner at Scratch. He is a member of the board.

[Bill_McBride]

Sean,

Sole the club on a solid floor, you should only be able to slip a pound note half way under the sole. Normally the club flexes dynamically and the toe will touch the floor while swinging. I suspect the lies are extremely upright, which encourages a draw; oldest trick in the book!

Damn it Pete, I thought a 2* upright lie was supposed to discourage pulling the shot!

[Kevin_Reilly]

Incredibly dumb follow up question:  Are there irons that favor a "digger" of the ball?

Wider soles will work to your benefit.  For forged GI irons at a reasonable price, look for the 2009 version of the Callaway X Forged.  Very forgiving, clean classic look, and a sole that will work for you.  You can find used sets on ebay or Callaway Pre Owned.  If you want a bit more forgiveness (even though the '09 X-Forged has a lot) then the Callaway Diablo Forged is also a good set.

Last, if the color orange is OK with you (I forget what your SEC allegiance is) then the Cobra AMP Forged from last year is good.  Again, it has the correct sole for you, has adequate forgiveness, and looks good from the business end.  Plenty available at reasonable prices.

[Sam Morrow]

Incredibly dumb follow up question:  Are there irons that favor a "digger" of the ball?

Wider soles will work to your benefit.  For forged GI irons at a reasonable price, look for the 2009 version of the Callaway X Forged.  Very forgiving, clean classic look, and a sole that will work for you.  You can find used sets on ebay or Callaway Pre Owned.  If you want a bit more forgiveness (even though the '09 X-Forged has a lot) then the Callaway Diablo Forged is also a good set.

Last, if the color orange is OK with you (I forget what your SEC allegiance is) then the Cobra AMP Forged from last year is good.  Again, it has the correct sole for you, has adequate forgiveness, and looks good from the business end.  Plenty available at reasonable prices.

Prices on callaway pre-owned are always very good and conditions are better than advertised.

[Thomas Dai]

Getting the right shaft and lie angle are key, the head style less so. Even older heads with new/more appropriate spec shaft and a change in lie angle can work wonders - as folk get older the need is greater for softer flex/lighter weight shafts and probably a slightly flatter lie angle. Go see a custom fitter.
atb

[Tom Allen]

For diggers (like myself), find clubs with more bounce, and/or wider soles.  Both features tend to reduce a club's tendency to dig.  So if you are a digger, and play on softer or soggy turf (like I do in the Midwest), they are quite beneficial.  I settled on the Ping i20s.  Not forged, but they felt like they were.  So much so, that I was convinced enough to buy them, after having several prior sets that were forged.

[Tom Kelly]

Sean,

Sole the club on a solid floor, you should only be able to slip a pound note half way under the sole. Normally the club flexes dynamically and the toe will touch the floor while swinging. I suspect the lies are extremely upright, which encourages a draw; oldest trick in the book!

Damn it Pete, I thought a 2* upright lie was supposed to discourage pulling the shot!

Whenever I've had clubs fitted I've always been to told that if the club is too upright I'll hit it right as the toe will dig in first slowing it down and opening the club face whilst too flat and the opposite will happen, heel digs in, clubface closes, ball goes left.

Forged game-improvement irons are called blades. Get some.

+1

[Tom Allen]

Tom K, I think it is the opposite.

Picture this: if a club is too upright for you, the toe will be too high off the ground.  If toe is too high off ground, it will pass the turf and not dig.

Conversely, if a club is too flat for you, the toe is pointed down too far for you.  Because the toe is lower than it should be, it will then dig into the ground, causing face to open, and shots to go right.

That was my understanding; I stand to be corrected.

Tom

[Tom Kelly]

Tom,

You're right, my mistake. I got myself confused, started thinking about a flat/upright swing rather than a flat/upright club for some reason.

Still, buy some blades everyone!

[Bill_McBride]

Incredibly dumb follow up question:  Are there irons that favor a "digger" of the ball?

Wider soles will work to your benefit.  For forged GI irons at a reasonable price, look for the 2009 version of the Callaway X Forged.  Very forgiving, clean classic look, and a sole that will work for you.  You can find used sets on ebay or Callaway Pre Owned.  If you want a bit more forgiveness (even though the '09 X-Forged has a lot) then the Callaway Diablo Forged is also a good set.

Last, if the color orange is OK with you (I forget what your SEC allegiance is) then the Cobra AMP Forged from last year is good.  Again, it has the correct sole for you, has adequate forgiveness, and looks good from the business end.  Plenty available at reasonable prices.

Bogey has "volunteered" on many occasions!   Orange would be a bonus. 

[Amol Yajnik]

Good choice, but don't overlook the Callaway Apex and the Nike Covert forged. All three are very nice clubs, with significant game improvement features.  I say hit all three on a launch monitor, and see which one looks, feels, and performs best for you, then get fitted for the one you liked the most.

Tom took the words out of my mouth.  I know multiple guys that have already put the Apex irons in their bag and rave about them.

I wouldn't say that my irons are "game improvement", but I'm playing the Bridgestone J40 DPC irons, and they are about as forgiving of a forged iron that you can find out there.  They are hard to find in the big box stores, but if you can find them, don't overlook them.

[David Edel]

Hello,

At the risk of being cheesy, we are making some very nice stainless forged irons.  They would not be deemed game improvement, but mid to low handicap cavity backs.  I believe that one of the most important considerations made towards finding the correct iron is finding the correct bounce needed for your swing and turf type.   Build the club from the ground up and you will find a better club.  Our bounce on a 6 iron is 11 degrees, yet we can customize the width and angle dependent on your swing.  Scratch makes very nice product also and they can also work on this concept as well.
Sorry for the shameless plug, but the intention was more geared to discuss the value of bounce for those of whom the concept is less understood or not even thought of.  

David Edel

[Bill Crane]

Mid last year I bought the Mizuno JPX – 825 Pro forged with graphite shafts – Fujikura Orochi.

Very pleased with this club – excellent feel and decent forgiveness but still workable. Really more of a Players club than game improvement.  I had my first hole in one after three weeks of switching to the new clubs.

Previous irons were Titleist AP2 – first year model.   Mizunos feel almost as good and more forgiving.  They have a longer head, but look traditional from the top. Are slightly lighter than the AP2s.

Fitting system at Mizuno is also superior to other clubs, unless you go to a custom fitter and spend much more $$.  I probably would have bought another set of AP2s if more graphite shafts were available to try at demo fittings and in carts.

Looks like the JPX – 825 Pro is still being sold, the model is listed on their website.  May be hard to find in shops to try however.  The replacement model has the flashy orange colors on the side.  Mizuno irons are excellent, especially the forged.

WmFlynnfan

[Lloyd_Cole]

I'm back in the market for new clubs after several years of sensible frugality. Granted I blew a small fortune on hickories... The Nike clubs look very nice as do the Callaways and the Tiltleist forged cavity offerings but the clubs I think I'm going with are the Ping i-25. I found no difference in 'feel' going back and forth between the Ping, the Titleist and the Callaway. I just like the look of the Ping and I think the long irons will be significantly more forgiving. Frankly I need that, even if it's only for the confidence instilled (or fear averted).

[Thomas Dai]

Question - do folk really need to carry 14 clubs or would they score just as well, maybe even score better, with less than 14 clubs in the bag?
atb

[Marc Huther]

I know for me switch I g to forged clubs helped me feel a little better where the golf ball was coming off and helped me improve my game. I play mizuno irons so I would recommend them.

[David_Tepper]

"Prices on callaway pre-owned are always very good and conditions are better than advertised."

Sam Morrow -

I very much agree. I have bought 6-7 assorted clubs from Callaway-Preowned over the past year and have been very pleased. Their prices on used hybrids and wedges can be very reasonable, especially on non-Callaway branded clubs.

DT
   

[Chris Mavros]

A few forgiving forged GI's I'd list are:

Callaway Diablo Forged

Mizuno MP H4

Adams A4 (these can be had for a song)

Callaway Apex

Nike Covert 2.0 forged (these will be overlooked, but are a drastic improvement over last year's model)

[Philip Caccamise]

I also play the Mizuno JPX's. And the EZ Forged are even better when I demo'd them. Highly recommend.

[David_Tepper]

Has anyone tried a set of these Miura's?

http://www.miuragolf.com/shop_cb-501.asp

[Chris Johnston]

Has anyone tried a set of these Miura's?

http://www.miuragolf.com/shop_cb-501.asp

I play Miura 301's, built to my specs by a former tour rep.  Best feel in an iron I've ever had.  Stunning to look at too.

The trick for any club is proper fit and specs. 

[Steve Lang]

  Bogey,

Just reshaft with some new-generation UST Recoil 95 or 110 Proto graphites, get them MOI matched, and hit the little ball before the big ball!

[Sam Morrow]

Has anyone tried a set of these Miura's?

http://www.miuragolf.com/shop_cb-501.asp

I play Miura 301's, built to my specs by a former tour rep.  Best feel in an iron I've ever had.  Stunning to look at too.

The trick for any club is proper fit and specs. 

What shafts do you have in them?

[Tom Kelly]

Has anyone tried a set of these Miura's?

http://www.miuragolf.com/shop_cb-501.asp

I play Miura wedges and would highly recommend them, very expensive but they look and feel so good.

When I next look to buy some new irons which will be a while I'll definitely consider the Miura blades.