Regarding the 2 degree difference in lofts between the higher clubs in the set (e.g.. 4 and 5 iron), what I understand is that it is a combination of the way the clubs are weighted and constructed in order to give a gapping that is appropriate between clubs. That is, the gapping in distance is not just based on loft alone.
As the lofts get lower through the range, an increment in loft has a disproportionate effect on distance, due to the physics of the ball flight. So to get a consistent gapping of say 15yds between clubs throughout the bag, the loft differences at the low end need to be smaller than at the high end. If you have consistent loft differences throughout, the gapping would be skewed. However, as you say - for the average golfer with inconsistent strikes with long irons, the difference may not be obvious.
I just went for a fitting, and I ended up getting the AI 300, 2 degrees weaker. My current clubs are 15 years old, and the increase in distance and a tighter dispersion were incredible. I can't wait for them to come in.
Great review. But I play off 2.4 and use benross aero x irons. They are so simple to use and do everything I want. So would never pay over a grand when I can play £250 clubs for better results.
Hello Andy , thank you so much for your review. I can follow your arguments regarding the slope of the different clubs. Let’s see how the market responds. 😊😊😊
Great review Andy, lofts and gapping have become a major issue. Some of the high end irons the lofts are too strong and at the bottom end you need 5 wedges ridiculous. Of the big four only Taylormade have it right especially in the game improvement category. Just check T350, Ping G430, and Paradym Smoke and you will see the potential gapping problem. I currently play Stealth irons and utilise my four wedges which cover me for all my shots so considering QI and P790 which again cover my needs with four wedges ( PW, AW, SW, LW).
Andy, great review but I am still really confused by hollow body and cavity back. They both looked the same to me (albeit with a different top line) but I grew up with the perception that cavity back had a visible cavity. Travelling between New Zealand and Australia, where you had to clean cavity backs to the nth degree, I always wanted a hollow back or “no cavity” iron. Now it seems they’re all the same. As a mid-handicap 72 year old, is there enough difference to make you recommend one over the other? Keep up the great work.
Hoping to get fitted for these clubs next month I am leaning towards the ai200 but you never know on the day. Your channel is coming on leaps and bounds mate and well deserved
Yes I stopped worrying about the numbers and letters on the clubs about 3 years ago when I bought my last set. Technically I have 5 "wedges" with a PW, AW, GW, SW and LW. Once I just started worrying about lofts and my associated distances with each it made life easier. I get a chuckle any time I hear someone say, "yeah I bought these clubs and they adding FIFTEEN YARDS of distance with each club" all I can do is shake my head. I think these companies want just that reaction so their buddies go buy those clubs. To me it is quite dishonest. But at this point most of the companies are doing it.
I’ve got my eye on the AI300’s. Went to my local PGA store and had the 8iron AI300 and AI200’s side by side and they looked remarkably similar - didn’t get a chance to hit any balls with either. My birthday is around the corner…I wonder…😂🎉
Regarding the i300’s and lofts these are very low again part of the marketing I wonder ie look how long they hit. 20, 22, 25 degree for the 4,5,6 iron and the PW at 42 deg. So the game improvement model is stronger lofted than the i200. While you could drop the 4 iron the gap at the wedge end leaves you with a 47 deg wedge then needing to fill the gap 52/56 deg wedges or 50/54/58? Or is that part of the plan?
A few clubs seem to have smaller loft gaps at that end of the bag. Mizuno jpx hot metal only have 3 degree loft differences from 6 iron down which kind of doesn’t make sense either
Both the AI 200 and the AI 300 are hollow bodies. I got the impression you were thinking the AI 200 was not a hollow body. Both of them have the Callaway microspheres in them and are forged in the face and the body.
I’m still playing Ping i500, love the way they look awesome hollow body club and as forgiving as you can expect an iron to be. Looking to upgrade to the i525 or new i530’s. Has any hollow body club really stood out to you that you have tested?
Haha that’s understandable 😂 your obviously not too keen on this latest hollow body release by Callaway. Probably the only manufacturer that hasn’t really nailed this type of iron yet
The i500/i525/i530 development demonstrates everything I love about Ping. They didn't jump onto the hollow bodied players distant market immediately but took time to develop the i500 until they were happy. There was nothing wrong with the i500 although arguably it was out classed by most of its rivals. Ping went away, refined their offering and a couple of years later out came the i525, they had caught up with the vast majority of their competitors but arguably were not one of the best 2 or 3 irons in this category. Again Ping went away, refined their club again and out came the i530 which is definitely one of the best 2 or 3 irons in this category. As Andy's has suggested PXG Gen 7 are excellent, i530 is also an excellent choice and of course the evergreen P790s
@@TheAverageGolfer I would love to see that comparison Andy. I think my choice for new irons this year will come down to either the Gen 7 P or one of the Callaway models, 200 or 300
Sorry to say that I was more confused after your video as to which club is which. Speaking of the cavity back there was an image of the 200 model. Maybe the 200 is the cavity back, and the 300 is the hollow body. But I could be convinced of the inverse. Why was there not a clear separation right at the start 200 is the ? and the 300 is the ? However, the confusion in your story line replicates your view there's little difference between the two models.
@@TheAverageGolfer Your thoughts were correct. I do understand what a cavity back looks like. But the almost identical illustrations in the infographic, for me, make it almost imposible to tell the difference in a 9 second clip. A simple statement from you would have helped a lot.
@@TheAverageGolfer I beg to differ about the "clear" infographic shown for 9 seconds between 1:11 and 1:20. When seen in the video the miniscule text below the club images is illegible. I had to pause the video and carefully read down to line 5 to discover which is the cavity back and which is the hollow body. As I stated in another comment the appearance of the two models does not make it easy to tell the difference. Apart from that there is no other reference in your commentary that associates Ai300 as the cavity back and Ai200 as the hollow body. I've gone through the video three times now. Perhaps you could identify the time stamp where you make the distinction clear? Like "The Ai200 is a hollow bodied construction", or when there's a clear image showing the Ai300 number on the hosel you state "This cavity backed model..." But, really, I don't think that ever happened in the video. I did not make my ororiginal comment as a a pie in the face. I was simply trying to point out that there's an imortant distinction that could have been made that would have helped communicate the message you appeared to be trying to get across.
@TheAverageGolfer They both look like they have a lot of performance and are similar prices..personally I think the PXG irons look nicer but as you said horses for courses ...one man's preference another man's nightmare 😳
I agree with Andy that the loft differences are a bit odd, I would go a bit further than Andy. 2 degrees difference in loft between 4i & 5i seems pointless but the 5 degree loft difference between 9i and PW and AW feels a bit too large to me
You could look at dropping the 5i and the AW from the bag and fill the gap bottom end with 3 more evenly spread wedges. But only room for three woods driver plus? I have driver, 3W, 3H then into my irons at 4i. But it’s the club between my ears that needs the most practice 😅
Regarding the 2 degree difference in lofts between the higher clubs in the set (e.g.. 4 and 5 iron), what I understand is that it is a combination of the way the clubs are weighted and constructed in order to give a gapping that is appropriate between clubs. That is, the gapping in distance is not just based on loft alone.
what he said, but can someone who has actually mixed a set comment please?
As the lofts get lower through the range, an increment in loft has a disproportionate effect on distance, due to the physics of the ball flight. So to get a consistent gapping of say 15yds between clubs throughout the bag, the loft differences at the low end need to be smaller than at the high end. If you have consistent loft differences throughout, the gapping would be skewed.
However, as you say - for the average golfer with inconsistent strikes with long irons, the difference may not be obvious.
I just went for a fitting, and I ended up getting the AI 300, 2 degrees weaker. My current clubs are 15 years old, and the increase in distance and a tighter dispersion were incredible. I can't wait for them to come in.
Ditto mate
Thank you, Andy, for taking the time to make the comparison and the video. Great information to guide club demos and purchases.
Thank you
Great review. But I play off 2.4 and use benross aero x irons. They are so simple to use and do everything I want. So would never pay over a grand when I can play £250 clubs for better results.
Hello Andy , thank you so much for your review. I can follow your arguments regarding the slope of the different clubs. Let’s see how the market responds. 😊😊😊
Great review Andy, lofts and gapping have become a major issue. Some of the high end irons the lofts are too strong and at the bottom end you need 5 wedges ridiculous. Of the big four only Taylormade have it right especially in the game improvement category. Just check T350, Ping G430, and Paradym Smoke and you will see the potential gapping problem. I currently play Stealth irons and utilise my four wedges which cover me for all my shots so considering QI and P790 which again cover my needs with four wedges ( PW, AW, SW, LW).
Andy, great review but I am still really confused by hollow body and cavity back. They both looked the same to me (albeit with a different top line) but I grew up with the perception that cavity back had a visible cavity. Travelling between New Zealand and Australia, where you had to clean cavity backs to the nth degree, I always wanted a hollow back or “no cavity” iron. Now it seems they’re all the same. As a mid-handicap 72 year old, is there enough difference to make you recommend one over the other? Keep up the great work.
Hoping to get fitted for these clubs next month I am leaning towards the ai200 but you never know on the day. Your channel is coming on leaps and bounds mate and well deserved
Good luck bud and thxs
Yes I stopped worrying about the numbers and letters on the clubs about 3 years ago when I bought my last set. Technically I have 5 "wedges" with a PW, AW, GW, SW and LW. Once I just started worrying about lofts and my associated distances with each it made life easier. I get a chuckle any time I hear someone say, "yeah I bought these clubs and they adding FIFTEEN YARDS of distance with each club" all I can do is shake my head. I think these companies want just that reaction so their buddies go buy those clubs. To me it is quite dishonest. But at this point most of the companies are doing it.
Thanks Andy - fitting is key
you're getting through the ball nicely. Swing looks good.
It’s getting better, been playing well this last few months
If I could afford them I’d have a mixed set pw-7 i200 then 6-4 in the i300 great looking irons
I’ve got my eye on the AI300’s. Went to my local PGA store and had the 8iron AI300 and AI200’s side by side and they looked remarkably similar - didn’t get a chance to hit any balls with either.
My birthday is around the corner…I wonder…😂🎉
Great review. Love your channel. Cheers from Canada. 🇨🇦💝👍
Good video Andy . Millar gear looks cool 😎
Could you show the studio data of the 4 and 5 iron ?👍
As always good info Andy thanks again for your time regards paul
Cheers Paul
They do sound nice and your swing improvement helps the performance in the hands of an average golfer
They are very nice tbf
@@TheAverageGolfer PXG or CALLAWAY
Regarding the i300’s and lofts these are very low again part of the marketing I wonder ie look how long they hit. 20, 22, 25 degree for the 4,5,6 iron and the PW at 42 deg. So the game improvement model is stronger lofted than the i200. While you could drop the 4 iron the gap at the wedge end leaves you with a 47 deg wedge then needing to fill the gap 52/56 deg wedges or 50/54/58? Or is that part of the plan?
Can you compare the AI200 vs the Paradym.
How do they perform against the Apex 21s??
A few clubs seem to have smaller loft gaps at that end of the bag. Mizuno jpx hot metal only have 3 degree loft differences from 6 iron down which kind of doesn’t make sense either
I’ve clearly not picked up on this before and quite an issue
Checking my Wilson D7’s and it’s similar at the longer end 3 deg. I can imagine forged irons moving with use over 1-2 years so need checking.
Both the AI 200 and the AI 300 are hollow bodies. I got the impression you were thinking the AI 200 was not a hollow body. Both of them have the Callaway microspheres in them and are forged in the face and the body.
hello, it's the same thing for the taylor made 790
I’m still playing Ping i500, love the way they look awesome hollow body club and as forgiving as you can expect an iron to be. Looking to upgrade to the i525 or new i530’s. Has any hollow body club really stood out to you that you have tested?
I’m not allowed to be too positive about PXG 😂 I do like the GEN7 and also enjoyed the new P770s
Sorry and the i530 you mentioned
Haha that’s understandable 😂 your obviously not too keen on this latest hollow body release by Callaway. Probably the only manufacturer that hasn’t really nailed this type of iron yet
The i500/i525/i530 development demonstrates everything I love about Ping. They didn't jump onto the hollow bodied players distant market immediately but took time to develop the i500 until they were happy. There was nothing wrong with the i500 although arguably it was out classed by most of its rivals. Ping went away, refined their offering and a couple of years later out came the i525, they had caught up with the vast majority of their competitors but arguably were not one of the best 2 or 3 irons in this category. Again Ping went away, refined their club again and out came the i530 which is definitely one of the best 2 or 3 irons in this category.
As Andy's has suggested PXG Gen 7 are excellent, i530 is also an excellent choice and of course the evergreen P790s
I’m considering the Apex or the PXG 0311 P …. Any thoughts on a comparison between these two?
My thoughts are two very good options
@@TheAverageGolfer I would love to see that comparison Andy. I think my choice for new irons this year will come down to either the Gen 7 P or one of the Callaway models, 200 or 300
Sorry to say that I was more confused after your video as to which club is which. Speaking of the cavity back there was an image of the 200 model. Maybe the 200 is the cavity back, and the 300 is the hollow body. But I could be convinced of the inverse. Why was there not a clear separation right at the start 200 is the ? and the 300 is the ? However, the confusion in your story line replicates your view there's little difference between the two models.
I would have thought you understood what a ‘cavity’ iron looks like Ian?
And there is a clear infographic from Callaway that shows which is which, not sure what else I can do for you
@@TheAverageGolfer Your thoughts were correct. I do understand what a cavity back looks like. But the almost identical illustrations in the infographic, for me, make it almost imposible to tell the difference in a 9 second clip. A simple statement from you would have helped a lot.
Can I suggest the pause button Iain? We go to great lengths to give as much info as possible and I am still amazed at this kind of comment?
@@TheAverageGolfer I beg to differ about the "clear" infographic shown for 9 seconds between 1:11 and 1:20. When seen in the video the miniscule text below the club images is illegible. I had to pause the video and carefully read down to line 5 to discover which is the cavity back and which is the hollow body. As I stated in another comment the appearance of the two models does not make it easy to tell the difference.
Apart from that there is no other reference in your commentary that associates Ai300 as the cavity back and Ai200 as the hollow body. I've gone through the video three times now. Perhaps you could identify the time stamp where you make the distinction clear? Like "The Ai200 is a hollow bodied construction", or when there's a clear image showing the Ai300 number on the hosel you state "This cavity backed model..." But, really, I don't think that ever happened in the video.
I did not make my ororiginal comment as a a pie in the face. I was simply trying to point out that there's an imortant distinction that could have been made that would have helped communicate the message you appeared to be trying to get across.
When is the PXG Allan review coming?
Hopefully next week
So AI300 or PXg gen 7 XP which would you say is better bang per buck ?
I think that’s down to personal preferences
@TheAverageGolfer They both look like they have a lot of performance and are similar prices..personally I think the PXG irons look nicer but as you said horses for courses ...one man's preference another man's nightmare 😳
I agree with Andy that the loft differences are a bit odd, I would go a bit further than Andy. 2 degrees difference in loft between 4i & 5i seems pointless but the 5 degree loft difference between 9i and PW and AW feels a bit too large to me
You would think this could be better spread evenly through the set
The problem I see is that most will only see a 7 iron in testing
Pxg gen 7 vs these new callaways in terms of feel ?
I’d like to get them side by side
Andy, thank you for taking approach to compare these clubs as a way to review them. It works very well, thank you.
Thanks 🙏
To my eye, all hollow body irons (except for the PXG Gen 7 XP) have an extremely fat looking bottom half to them at setup.
I think these are a nice profile to be fair
Nice video
You tell us the difference in distances for versus say the 2022 Big Bertha irons side by side.
🤷♂️ from memory 😂
Typo? Calloway?
I think as manufacturers make lofts stronger they are running out of room at the top of the bag.
It’s a strange concept, I hope consumers are recognising it
You could look at dropping the 5i and the AW from the bag and fill the gap bottom end with 3 more evenly spread wedges. But only room for three woods driver plus?
I have driver, 3W, 3H then into my irons at 4i.
But it’s the club between my ears that needs the most practice 😅
Don’t understand. Just use a game improvement he’d with way less offset. They’d sell millions
____________ (
What was the big problem now ? lol
I’m sure they’re great clubs they look like a copy of T150s or T200s. No real innovation. Just a different package of someone else’s design.
Get yourself half pint on me Andy enjoy
Oh wow mate that’s very generous 🙏
@@TheAverageGolfer well deserved mate really enjoy your channel