So, I'm about ready to upgrade and this will be my first set of customized irons. Which should I consider?

I'm a 7 HCP, which has been trending down this year. Distance is roughly on par (pun intended) with tour average. Currently playing Callaway X-16 pro, tour stiff. Early leaders are AP-2 and JPX-900 & 900 Tour. Any other suggestions?

Blades or nothing

Mr.Bond said:

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Blades or nothing

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I do LOVE the look of the MP-5 and the MB...but, sadly, I don't think I'm quite there yet.

If you're a 7 then you're ready for MB's. That said I'm partial to the AP2's. Go hit the AP2's as well as the CB's and MB's and you might be surprised.

Will do. I'm even excited about the process.

Sooper Jeenyus said:

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Mr.Bond said:

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Blades or nothing

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I do LOVE the look of the MP-5 and the MB...but, sadly, I don't think I'm quite there yet.

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Don't count out the mp5's before you hit them

I bought the mp4's and I love them. No noticeable distance loss or accuracy. Butter soft and accurate when struck well
I was a 5.5 when bought

07fta07 said:

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I'm a 1 and the CB's and MB's felt like **** to me.

Club technology has come a long way. You don't need MB's to get the feel of a blade from 10 years ago. There's a reason a lot of Tour guys don't play blades. They don't need to. You can play a small cavity and get the workability/consistency in feel of a blade while getting a whole lot more forgiveness.

That's not to say you shouldn't hit them, but being a 7 doesn't mean you're "ready for MB's". Don't get me wrong, they look fantastic, but I think most people are going to benefit from a small cavity vs a blade.

OP, you're on the right track with what you've listed. The TM P770 would also be a good one to hit. I've heard good things about the Srixon's also.

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I don't disagree with any of it except the part where there are a lot of tour guys that don't play MB's. The majority do. Of course there are guys like Spieth who don't but they're the exception. I'm a 2 and play AP2's. My point is that a 7 is certainly ready to play a MB if they feel good to him. The difference in forgiveness of a cavity back does not necessarily outweigh the consistency of a muscle back. It's all personal opinion which is why I said to try them. The thought that you have to be on tour to play MB's is just wrong. But to your point the thought that you can't work an AP2 is also wrong.

Lot of good input so far; keep it coming.

Related question: for those using a "player's iron," do you play a complete set or a combo set? Are comfortable hitting the 3 or 4 iron from the turf?

I got fit for my mp4's from the mizuno rep. I did a combo with the 3-4 being the mp-h4's
The cost was basically the same for a 3-PW set for any of the mp line I wanted and how I wanted to split it.

Just need to make sure a different iron creates a big distance gap between clubs.

If you are ordering through the rep most if not all companies will work with you and it should be the same as they are probably custom built for you.

Also in addition to different iron shafts look into hard or soft stepping. Ultimately go with the tightest spread

I have 4-6 in CB and 7-9 in MB

Rustys-Beef-o-Reeno said:

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Also in addition to different iron shafts look into hard or soft stepping. Ultimately go with the tightest spread

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To compensate for the gap created from the combo set? Or for some other reason?

I've wondered about this. I know the AP-1 and -2 are on different loft scales; so, do you end up with two 6-irons, for instance? Or, is the answer to had/soft step the shafts?

Mr.Bond said:

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I have 4-6 in CB and 7-9 in MB

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...and 3-4 Vokeys, I'm guessing.

That's how I intend to fill the back end, anyway.

Do me a favor. If you're willing to try AP2s, try these as well

http://www.cobragolf.com/king-forged-tour-iron-set

They are so soft, and the forgiving forged style AP2s bring, but I like mine more than I did AP2s

I'll hit 'em...

Sooper Jeenyus said:

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Rustys-Beef-o-Reeno said:

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Also in addition to different iron shafts look into hard or soft stepping. Ultimately go with the tightest spread

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To compensate for the gap created from the combo set? Or for some other reason?

I've wondered about this. I know the AP-1 and -2 are on different loft scales; so, do you end up with two 6-irons, for instance? Or, is the answer to had/soft step the shafts?

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soft or hard stepping just means you can get in the middle of shaft flexes. i went with the x100 dg's but soft stepped so I'm playing essentially a firmer stiff flex. should allow you to dial down to a 1/2 flex as opposed to just stiff or x

Sooper Jeenyus said:

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I'll hit 'em...

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Sweet, let me know what ya think. Every one that's hit mine loved them, but you never see them out in the wild.

Sooper Jeenyus said:

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Mr.Bond said:

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I have 4-6 in CB and 7-9 in MB

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...and 3-4 Vokeys, I'm guessing.

That's how I intend to fill the back end, anyway.

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Correct. 46,50,54,58

The black cobra king blades have to be the sexiest clubs I've ever seen

How far do you hit your 6 CB vs. your 7 MB?

playeroftheyear69 said:

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How far do you hit your 6 CB vs. your 7 MB?

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Very similar gaps in my other clubs. 12-14 yard gap

Any thoughts on the MP-25? May have to demo the whole Mizuno line...

Sooper Jeenyus said:

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Any thoughts on the MP-25? May have to demo the whole Mizuno line...

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I didn't like mine. They were a little too punishing for me.

I found the JPX 900 series to be much easier to hit than their traditional MP series. The tours are very similar but much easier to hit.

Update:

I'm actually still in PGA superstore. Fitter didn't bother checking length until I asked for it. Put me in the JPX hot metal right away. Apparently I put too much spin on the ball (~8-9k on a 7i). Tried the project x low launch/low spin. So, of course I picked up another 15 yds with the same club.

Not sure about the HM though. Think I hit the JPX 900 forged about as consistently. A bit less distance. Simulator seems to exaggerate the ball flight a bit IMO. Everything I hit was a fade. I typically don't have that issue with a 7i.

Thoughts? Input on the simulators or the HM? I hit a few other clubs too. Wasn't crazy about the AP2. Really, I like the JPX series but am hesitant to pick a cast club made for increased distance.

Sooper Jeenyus said:

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Update:

I'm actually still in PGA superstore. Fitter didn't bother checking length until I asked for it. Put me in the JPX hot metal right away. Apparently I put too much spin on the ball (~8-9k on a 7i). Tried the project x low launch/low spin. So, of course I picked up another 15 yds with the same club.

Not sure about the HM though. Think I hit the JPX 900 forged about as consistently. A bit less distance. Simulator seems to exaggerate the ball flight a bit IMO. Everything I hit was a fade. I typically don't have that issue with a 7i.

Thoughts? Input on the simulators or the HM? I hit a few other clubs too. Wasn't crazy about the AP2. Really, I like the JPX series but am hesitant to pick a cast club made for increased distance.

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I don't like the hot metals bc the cast feel throws me off. Did you try the cobra forged tours?

I actually did hit them, as promised. Overall, I preferred the Mizuno.

Sooper Jeenyus said:

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I actually did hit them, as promised. Overall, I preferred the Mizuno.

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Nice! I generally find people who hit ap2s but never tried the cobras are surprised at how good the feel.

I games mizunos for a long time, and love how their forged clubs feel as well. I just get a little more forgiveness from my cobras so I've kept them awhile.

Edit*** I say wait for the mp-18 to come out. Those are the sweetest looking clubs I've ever seen. And you know they'll feel good as mizunos

That's another thing that bothered me. The fitter was discouraging me from hitting any muscle backs or advanced cavity backs. So, I didn't even swing the MP5 or 25.

Also said cast irons were more reliable\consistent than forged...

Seemed to be basing the entire fitting on distance.

And I'm sorry but in my semi professional opinion a single digit handicap does not need to hit cast clubs.

Mr.Bond said:

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And I'm sorry but in my semi professional opinion a single digit handicap does not need to hit cast clubs.

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Yep, I'm a few strokes off, and I can't stand cast irons. I had the taylormade MCs which 3-7 cast, and I couldn't stand hitting them. No feel for misses, and super inconsistent distances. Sometimes I'd feel like I flushed a 6 and it'd be 195, and sometimes the same feeling shot would be 165.