My wife accidentally sent me an electronic gift card to Club Champions earlier than she meant to send it. Merry early Christmas nto me. I have not scheduled the fitting, but will do so in January. I carry a 2.7 handicap index and currently play PXG Gen 3 irons with Mitsubishi Metal Mesh shafts. My handicap ranges in the past few years from a 2.2 to a 5.6 index. I am in my early 60's in age. I want to buy an iron that I can play for the next few years as I get a little older. Suggestions and reasons for that suggestion would be greatly appreciated.

I'm not as good as you but really love my ping i210s. Have some forgiveness yet not big and clunky. Very soft feel and don't have the ridiculously strong lofts a lot of irons have now days.

Mizuno Pro 923
I meant 233. I was thinking jpx 923 for some reason. But the 223 are great.

Mizuno Pro 923…..I have never owned Mizuno. Please tell me why I should go there. I have played against several guys that play a Mizuno club (wear spot the size of a dime). Mizuno Pro 923….I am a fairly good ball striker, but not elite. Can I play them?

2.2 to 5.6 ?? I think you can play any club you like.

19AG84 said:

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Mizuno Pro 923…..I have never owned Mizuno. Please tell me why I should go there. I have played against several guys that play a Mizuno club (wear spot the size of a dime). Mizuno Pro 923….I am a fairly good ball striker, but not elite. Can I play them?

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You can, the 925 issue little more of a player's club, but the top down view fits my eye and the mizuno buttery sweet spot is a tremendous feel.

I went and read about them. They are a nice looking club. I will definitely hit them during my fitting. What I am finding out so far is that there are some really nice looking clubs on the market.

I think the mizuno 223 and the titleist T100s are the sharpest looking clubs out there. I'm not good enough to hit those, but you seem to be

I can probably play any iron, but want something I can hit as my swing speed diminishes in my retirement years. I really enjoy shaping shots, so I want to avoid irons that correct shots to much. But also want to avoid having to hit a sweet spot the size of a dime.

19AG84 said:

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I can probably play any iron, but want something I can hit as my swing speed diminishes in my retirement years. I really enjoy shaping shots, so I want to avoid irons that correct shots to much. But also want to avoid having to hit a sweet spot the size of a dime.

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I would tell your fitter that then and not go in with any preconceived choices.

That is what I plan on doing. In fact I have debated even taking my current set with me to the fitting, but they ask you to do so. I guess comparing them to a baseline would be prudent.

All I will suggest is that you be open to trying a variety of clubs when you get fitted. Having an idea of a set you want is good but you might find out at your fitting that you hit other sets better.

OP, you're a good golfer.

The running joke on this forum is AggieDruggist89's opinion that 30 year old iron technology is better and it makes for a fun discussion. I play 22 year old Mizuno Shovels but they're finely tuned - bent and fitted with a set of shafts I love. My set consists of 7-SW matching set.

You wrote some interesting points. You want to shape shots yet you don't want pea size sweet spots. Well, blades and players clubs are better for shot shaping is a debunked myth as if you strike the sweet spot with face angle off from the target line, your ball will curve regardless if it's a blade or game improvement irons. Sure, pure blades with high center of gravity may be easier to knock it down with but not all game improvement irons have low COG. Except on mi****s, game improvement irons will still provide a decent result...hopefully a playable miss.

I always ask how will a new set of irons and/or new club help my game? More distance? More forgiving? Just want something new? Driver with more distance is always tempting. But a new set of irons mean you'll have to dial in distance and get comfortable with the set, maybe 5 to 8 different clubs. To me, that's a lot of work as today's irons major improvement is really in stronger lofts with short irons...like 43 degree PW when they used to be 48-50 degrees. Now you have to find Gap irons... that's most likely not a part of the set.

But if I was going to get fitted for a new set of irons, I'd be doing a lot of bending of the lofts as I want 40, 44, 48, 52, 56, 60 degrees or 42, 46, 50, 54, 58 gaps. Then how forgiving are the irons...followed by light steel shafts. And if I was looking for more distance, I'd just have my irons bent a degree or two.

TLDR,

Aint nothing wrong with your current set of irons!

Yeah, just tell your wife to return your Christmas present. Should go well.

*****..I'd just pick up 3 pairs of G-Fore, heated vest, rain suit, few dozens of balls, maybe a new bag, cool ironhead covers, hybrid or two... I'd put it to "GOOD" use.

The reason for the new iron's is I am a bit of a collector. I have never sold a set of clubs….but my college roommate "borrowed" a set of Titleist AP3's about a year ago and they have not been returned. But he really likes them.

I keep a set of AP2's at my mom's house in Minnesota, and a set of Ping i20's at her house in Phoenix. I have a golf closet in my house with PXG Gen 2, Ping i's, Titleist DCI's, Calloway X-14's, and Tommy Armour 845's. All are nice to have when family and friends come to town. And don't get me started about putters and wedges.

I know my current clubs are fine. Some people have a lot hobbies. I have one, called golf. I live on a golf course and play an average of 4 rounds a week.

19AG84 said:

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I know my current clubs are fine. Some people have a lot hobbies. I have one, called golf. I live on a golf course and play an average of 4 rounds a week.

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You should be better than 2 then.

Short game is suspect at times. Too much playing, not enough range time.

you probably have blade type wedges that aren't forgiving.

And tinker with putters.

Truth is...I hoarded clubs too. But once I decided I'm not changing irons, I sold 15 sets of irons on eBay.

I still have another 5 to 6 sets laying around between CA and VA.

Get the new Big Berthas.

I'm a 3 hdcp and really love the rogue st pro with 115 g stiff true temper.

I would look at the Mizuno's and Titleist's clubs. With you handicap you should be able to play the Mizuno JPX Forged or Mizuno Prpo's 223's, You can work the ball both ways but mi****s on the Mizuno Pro 223 and Forged don't go as far or least not for me. I liked the T200's but they are 10-15 yards shorter then the Hot Metal Pro's. Basically the same as my Ping BeCu ISI's that I'm still playing. So, I'm probably going to go wth the JPX 923 Hot Metal pros'. They are set strong so you get more distance and my mi****s don't lose too much yardage.

I've lost distance over the last few years and that is what I'm trying to get back. I' in 63 play to about a 7-10 depending on how often I get out. I still put well and have been working on my chipping.

Good luck with decision.

The more I have read (and watched YouTube video's) about the Mizuno JPX 923 Hot Metal Pro's, the more I like them.

I played this morning and hit a few shots with some Mizuno MP-20's. I liked the feedback from the club head, but the shafts were 120 grams, which is too much for me.

However I am hoping the clubs I get kind of find me. Nothing better than being surprised.

19AG84 said:

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The more I have read (and watched YouTube video's) about the Mizuno JPX 923 Hot Metal Pro's, the more I like them.

I played this morning and hit a few shots with some Mizuno MP-20's. I liked the feedback from the club head, but the shafts were 120 grams, which is too much for me.

However I am hoping the clubs I get kind of find me. Nothing better than being surprised.

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I have the JPX 921 forged, love them!!!!!

Get forged if they offer it. Its not a blade, but sure feels like one when you hit it in the middle!

The 921's are basically 1.5 to 2 degrees hot also. I like hitting my irons 10 yards further especially 7 8 9...

HC 3
Blue tees

I'm on my third set of Mizuno's

MP32>MP64>MP225

I went in middle of year to likely buy the MP223 which was most comparable to the MP64 in specs and looks, but I was spinning the ball much higher than I should. Switched over to the the 225 and lowered the RPM equivalent of 2 clubs. I love the 225s and they're definitely more forgiving than my MP64. I played to a 3hdcp back with the 32/64s but the game started to slip as kids showed up in last 5 years.. Play to around a 8 now and there is just no reason to make it any harder than it is already with how infrequent I play.

For you elders, me included, try 95 gram shaft. It's much easier to swing than 125 gram dynamic gold.

I also insert vibration dampening foam into the shaft and it's done wonders for preventing tendinitis.

Always a bit leery about graphite shaft in irons as I question quality control of the shaft and the amount torque twist the shaft allows. Steel shaft with around 2 degrees of torque tolerance gives me more confidence than a set of cheap graphite iron shafts with published 4.5 degrees torque. And by the time you find a graphite iron shaft with low torque, it will get costly and the shaft will weigh as much as steel.

So, if you find a set or irons that gives you more distance due to stronger loft, did you really gain distance?

I feel that shaft fitting is just as or more important than looking for a new set of heads as finding the right shaft may help you find more distance. Just lowering the entire weight of the club by 20 to 25 grams with a lower flex point while maintaining the same swing weight (hopefully) will definitely allow you to swing the club easier and faster and gives you more height and distance on your irons.

$5.99 for a pack of these inserts at golf works.


TLDR: Get you some lighter iron shafts.

I'm looking for new irons as well. I'm about a 4 handicap right now and play Taylormade P750's currently.

I went in and hit just about every iron I could on trackman and compared them to my current set. Tried to go in without any preconceived notions and just hit them all, from players irons to the most old man club or game improvement iron I could find.

The one that was routinely the best was the stealth irons. Good look, feel was good, distance was substantially better than what I currently play, even with the loft difference between the 2 iron sets.

Each person is different, just go hit as many different irons as you can and see what produces the best #'s. The numbers don't lie.

tjones said:

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I'm looking for new irons as well. I'm about a 4 handicap right now and play Taylormade P750's currently.

I went in and hit just about every iron I could on trackman and compared them to my current set. Tried to go in without any preconceived notions and just hit them all, from players irons to the most old man club or game improvement iron I could find.

The one that was routinely the best was the stealth irons. Good look, feel was good, distance was substantially better than what I currently play, even with the loft difference between the 2 iron sets.

Each person is different, just go hit as many different irons as you can and see what produces the best #'s. The numbers don't lie.

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Unless you have your 750s bent, Stealth PW has about the loft of your 9 iron 43 deg vs 42.5. Also, Stealth has a much lower COG, much higher MOI and the sweet spot further away from the hosel and probably larger mis-hit zone with a larger head. It's just a much easier iron to hit.

patreyus said:

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I would look at the Mizuno's and Titleist's clubs. With you handicap you should be able to play the Mizuno JPX Forged or Mizuno Prpo's 223's, You can work the ball both ways but mi****s on the Mizuno Pro 223 and Forged don't go as far or least not for me. I liked the T200's but they are 10-15 yards shorter then the Hot Metal Pro's. Basically the same as my Ping BeCu ISI's that I'm still playing. So, I'm probably going to go wth the JPX 923 Hot Metal pros'. They are set strong so you get more distance and my mi****s don't lose too much yardage.

I've lost distance over the last few years and that is what I'm trying to get back. I' in 63 play to about a 7-10 depending on how often I get out. I still put well and have been working on my chipping.

Good luck with decision.

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You da man!

I'd play ISI-Ks if they had legal grooves and less offset. They're fantastic irons!!

Yes, all correct, which is why I liked it so much. Like I said, even with differences in loft, it's still substantiallly longer. Gained about 25 yards with a 7 iron, so probably only a gain of about 10-15 yards when you take loft difference into account.

tjones said:

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Yes, all correct, which is why I liked it so much. Like I said, even with differences in loft, it's still substantiallly longer. Gained about 25 yards with a 7 iron, so probably only a gain of about 10-15 yards when you take loft difference into account.

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Buy it.

At 4 handi, you're a good stick. And going from blade type of irons to game improvement, I bet you'll hit a few more greens in reg and you will improve your handicap once you dial in your distance.

25 yard gain with 7 iron isn't out of the norm. Your 7 iron has a loft of 34 and stealth 7 iron is 28 degrees. That's almost 2 club difference.

But you will need to add a gap wedge around 48 degrees.

Yes, my real concern is the gap in my wedges that the irons will create. If I start hitting a pw 140 instead of 120, but my 50 dagree wedge is 110 yards, that's gonna be an issue.

tjones said:

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Yes, my real concern is the gap in my wedges that the irons will create. If I start hitting a pw 140 instead of 120, but my 50 dagree wedge is 110 yards, that's gonna be an issue.

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an issue? That means new wedges

TXAGGIES said:

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tjones said:

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Yes, my real concern is the gap in my wedges that the irons will create. If I start hitting a pw 140 instead of 120, but my 50 dagree wedge is 110 yards, that's gonna be an issue.

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an issue? That means new wedges

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For me, wedge is the hardest club to learn to play and get used to.

And the hardest club to hit is the 3 wood off the deck.

I will wait until I get my new irons on a Trackman before buying wedges. Strong lofts and hot faces will definitely change gapping.