😂That’s awesome. For me it was easy to get caught up on the club carousel trying to “find”something. Getting new clubs is a treat but gotta give ‘em a chance. Plus most know COR has been maxed out since 90s. Much improvement, if any, is stronger lofts longer shafts or purely psychological until the newness wears off.
More of us need to remember we are meant to be having fun. I've spent a lot of time with players who do nothing but complain about their game/the course/weather/ball etc. Etc.
yep, have a couple sets from the early 2000s and they game just as well as my new sets. yes I have 3 ping sets, 2 pxg sets a cobra, 2 mizuno and a callaway. I'm still shopping. gotta have a passion
Been using my Mizuno TP9's for 30 years !! Finally thought it was time for a change. :-) Recently had a fitting and got some Titleist 620 CB's. Was amazed at the difference. Was expecting the forgiveness, but the club interacts with the turf so much better.
All great points. The cool thing is that there are options that allow people to keep playing with some kind of success. I'm 55. Thirty years ago there weren't nearly the same options for an older person. Now, if you are older, can't swing it like you were 25 and have the money you can go out and get a set of clubs that can work with your game. Back when I was 25 the Ping Eye2 was the big 'game improvement iron'. Now every company has clubs tailored for every kind of game. It makes golf access able to everyone and much less frustrating for those of us heading toward our older years.
Played Ping Eye 2s for thirty years - until I could play more than once a month. Now worked my way up from Titleist AP1s, then AP2s, now T100s’s - what a great game golf is.
nice reminder to folks about distances on irons. Really, when you're talking about your iron play, raw distance isn't nearly as important as ability to repeat results. The only real test of distance that really matters is with driver. Of course if you're 30 yards behind your playing competitors, that's just about a no-win situation, IF they already match, or come close to matching, your ability around the greens.
I played the Top Flite forged when I was 16 approx 41 yrs ago, loved them played my best golf with them, I still have the SW minus the groves in the sweet spot, it was a good one. I really like these pieces where you cut through the crap, so people can have a rethink, tinker with a few other things, before spending a small fortune only to be disappointed a few weeks latter.
Great video, Mark - it's refreshing when a golf UA-camr shows an honest comparison of old vs. new, but based on *loft & length*, instead of the number on the sole.
A great review, I have several golf buddies who now play stronger lofted clubs so their 8 iron goes as far as my 7 iron. Now they have to carry two pitching wedges because their new PW is actually a 9 iron in all but name. Seems pointless to me.
I find it very amusing that the Pings were a new 7iron and then a 6. In my current setup I use a G30 six iron as my 5iron to match up with some more conventional lofted forged clubs. They gap well for me so it works. Good stuff.
Interesting perspective. Getting "new" can mean many things. I advise going to Phoenix in the gap months (April or September) and spending cool mornings golfing. And hot afternoons in all the free simulation portals trying out hundreds of used clubs. Building a set of franken-clubs that give you the flights and distances you need. Then get new, lovely matching grips to make them look like a family. Old or new, sequentially numbered or not. Fill your gaps from Driver to 60d wedge. Learn to ignore the numbers on the club - focus on knowing what you hit 150 well. And build out gapping in both directions. Then get an outdated, now state of the art, Rife putter add a fat grip and go.
I went from Wilson Staff FG V6 with steel shaft S flex (old school lofts) to TM 790 with graphite shafts and I was hitting distances like I did 10-12 years ago. Stronger lofts for sure but high launching! I was surprised how good they felt during my fitting and I can identify where on the face my miss hits are. Great video!
Im still using r7 irons i bought brand new in 2009 for my senior year of high school, ive upgraded every other club in the bag though. New irons are just such an investment, I want to get a fitting instead of just buying some. Honestly I hit my current irons ok, I want some different shafts but reshafting would costs half as much as a new set almost, considering I dont want some brand new 2023 set anyway. Im a huge taylormade fanboy but i want something smaller than the p770 and more forgiving than the p7mc, hard to find a good set of p760s for a good price. But Im thinking about getting fit for a set of zx7s, they seem like amazing clubs at a solid price
Yes… it’s a “treat”! I totally agree bruh. I probably do need new clubs since I’m all in on some old irons at the moment. I did get them new thicker grips a couple years ago and I want to play a few more rounds before thinking about switching.
I go with my Titleist Accu-Flow irons (circa 1980) in winter to save spoiling my pretty new Mizuno HMBs - very similar in feel and only a few yards light on range. My really old Slazenger 'Bobby Locke' set (circa 1968) are out once a year for the memory and are quite impossible to hit. So the change came quite early - and very little changed since!
A year ago, I was messing around at a Golf Galaxy right after they put Trackman's in all their stores. I stepped into a bay and there were 3 7 irons there and started to try out the trackman. The clubs were a mizuno jpx, titleist t300, and srixon zx7. I was really impressed with the feel of the Srixon and thought 'these are my next irons'. Not long after, I got into PXG and bought a set of 0311P's (gen 3) and really like the feel. Over the course of the year, I kept telling a golf buddy how good the Srixon's felt, and being as much of a club whore as I am, he recently bought a set of Srixon zx5's and talking about how much he liked them. Of course, the conflict in my brain started: 'Maybe I should have bought the Srixon's over the PXG's. Should I sell them and get Srixon's... etc., etc.' Anyway we were hitting balls before a round and I grabbed his 7 iron and started hitting it back and forth with my PXG. Well, they felt so similar that I stopped questioning my purchase and decided there was no need to switch 🙂. I suppose every year with the new club launches we all go through that decision of whether or not to get the 'latest and greatest'. Thankfully, I've gotten over the feeling of 'missing out' on something that could be better. Knowing that the latest and greatest isn't going to make much or any difference. I am at peace - Ha! 🙂
it is because all clubs are almost exactly the same..the manufactures just copy each other..ps..the ping irons in this video look identical because nothing is changimg..ps..the wear mark on the top flights looks amazing..oh..i hit my 2007 big bertha 460 titanium farther and straighter than all the current adjustable le drivers i borrow from buddies on the range because there are size and COR limits ..rory is 10 yards only longer after 10 years of weightlifting
Lexi Thompson on LPGA still using cobra s2 from 2009 as she can’t see the reason to replace them. Patrick Cantlay playing 718 AP2 from 2017 on pga. Your testing shows that the advancement in irons is that they now get the 7 iron to go the distance of a 6 with stronger loft and lower cog?
This quite simply is one of the best vlogs out there. Not often, the truth gets told! I want to change my Wilson Di7 irons from 2007 I think, hoping to move up to Wilson D9. I know the lofts will be different, but I am hoping the gapping and feel will be better. But that test between the 2014 Ping and today's model is so intriguing! Def shiny new toys which is fine if you have the money. Not often we get told that
Love your vlogs bruh , I do love the honesty you always give in each vlog, I have a confession I bought a new set of mp 54 s in 2014 to replace my ping I 5 s but never did , this year I've listen and watched your vlogs and put a 5 wood in the bag and 2 hybrids and now put my mp 54 s which are still new in the bag 5 to pw and 2 wedges , thank you for all the advice you give us every week , I'm 58 and still.have a 1 handicap ... thanks bruh 🏌️♂️⛳️👍
I have brand new Mizuno JPX923's but I still love my Ping ISI Graphite shafted nickels and my newer G25's. They all feel different but I get along with all of them. And I only always play for fun with my Buds. That's what it's all about.
I own some G30s and have been looking at the G430s. The g30 6 is 27 degrees and the g430 7 is 29 deg. Still definitely worth being aware of decreasing lofts when getting fitted.
Recently invited for a game of golf and didn’t have my clubs. Was lent a set of Spalding Lee Trevino oversize irons. All I did was overclub by one or two clubs from what I normally use. Worked out pretty well and great fun had by all.
I’m a weekend warrior golfer. Played a set of TM R7 since 2008. Served me fine. I got fitted last year and got a set of P790s. I’m a year away from 40 now and I LOVE these but I am a bit concerned that in a few years those might not be the irons for me anymore.
Funny, my TM irons were released in 2014. They have weak lofts compared to todays irons which are the Tour preferred model. Really thinking about getting new irons, with a bit more help, at 75, I could likely use more help..
Looking at my 1983 Ping Karsten irons and wondering if I should look into something new. Think it would make a big difference? I hit them a mile in the air but feel like they are short in length. I’m extremely good shape if that matters.
I think its important to note the difference in forgiveness and the appearance of forgiveness. modern clubs do a much better job of masking the mishits so they dont feel like garbage but the end result isnt a whole lot better if at all to something older. But people will swear how much more forgiveness they have gained.
Whatver u get fit fore, have a clause they could be returned or exchanged… Pga superstore is perfect They give u 30 or 90 days.. I was fitting for g425 Got on course and meh… Ended up refitted for st max. Love these things
Taking brand new G430s on the course today for the first time, age 66. Alta CB reg, 3 deg upright, 1/2” longer, +1/32” grip. Expect help from these new parameter. Also, shiny & new.
I switched from G30 irons late last summer to G425 irons and enjoy hitting the new irons , I think Ihit them farther . I am switching to new G425 driver this spring when the weather warms up and the course opens up . I went to the 40 gram shaft this time , be 74 this summer .I used a Ping G driver for a good while . I hope the change helps .
I only started playing again in 2019 and bought a 50 quid full set off Gumtree, literally full of antiques can't even remember the irons it came with. I swapped them out with a set of Taylormade RSI2s and it was night and day difference the strike quality and consistency I got. After stopping playing over the pandemic and starting playing again this month, the consistency I had with them is absolutely gone now but that's probably my terrible swing/ball striking and not the clubs though. In 2019 I tried so hard to stop slicing, eventually got rid of it. Come this month and my slice is back with a vengeance, wish I never stopped playing now...
Well done Mark. I've been playing just over 18mths since a 25 year gap. Never got on with my old irons so watched lots of reviews and managed to pick up a set of Ping G30 irons. I love then - some forgiveness and consistency - you really tell us here how important it is to know how far each one of us hits each club rather than comparing distance against our golf buddies.... thanks for this really useful article
Found a neat set of Wilson Staff Fluid Feel irons from 87 on FB Marketplace for $40. Same clubs I loved years ago. About 2 clubs shorter..but.. dispersion was amazing and I am scoring about 6 strokes better.
I got new golf irons from ping, the ones i currently had were ping i2's. Also, im 6'6" and they added 2" on the shaft and it is so much better using fitted clubs. I used those pings in highschool and i'm now 37. I got the ping i2's from my grandfather who got new clubs.
My bag is crazy these days. ZX 2 iron. TSi 5 hybrid set to max loft. Then 6-PW in Cobra Forged Tech. Then 4 wedges, 48,52,56,60. Driver and 5 wood to round it off. It's a new world. 😁
I have a set of Ping G30 (purchased in 2014) in my garage having recently bought a set of new Takomo 201. Now I’m thinking of selling the new set - but I really do like my new clubs. Decisions, decisions, decisions 🤔
Just moved from blades (Vega VM02) to power bats (cobra forged tech copper) for every single one of the reasons you mentioned. Problem now is I need a new bloody wedge to fill the massive gap my ‘extra big gun show power’ has created 🤣
It would be interesting to see if there is more of difference for mid handicap players who aren't striking it as consistently in the middle, where in theory that help should come more in to play
I’m 45. No more 130gram x flex blades for me. Recently went lighter & more forgiving- having as much fun as I ever did. Bag may look quite as sexy, scores sure do though!
If I have a 7 iron from each of the top 5/6 brands and there all for instance 33 degree loft , surly they all have the same ball flight don’t they 🤷♂️🤷♂️🤷♂️ Never understood the launch high or low narrative . Genuine thought 👍👍 Surly it all depends on how shallow or step you are at impact 🤷♂️🤷♂️🤷♂️
As far as clubs, I grabbed a set of Hogan Apex Edge Pros from I think the late 90s, or early 2000s. Thinner top line compared to the game improvement irons, and almost no offset. I feel like my brain doesn’t like the really wide soles of the GI irons or the offset. Not really sure if I can hit the difference honestly, I’m not very good. Getting better though. As far as the weather, it’s gonna be 82 degrees here in Michigan tomorrow and high humidity. And while that may seem appealing compared to the weather across the pond, for the sake of my plans to beat a whole bunch of balls tomorrow working on my swing, I’d trade a bit of the cooler, gloomier weather for mine for tomorrow. But such is life.
Just wondering if the 7 had a shorter shaft than the 6? All else being the same, maybe the new 7 would be easier to hit and produce the same results if it did have a shorter shaft than the old 6.
Couldn’t agree more. Have pain in my elbow now ( yes I am prehistoric according to you😂) and so have sold my steel P790,s and now have PXG graphite shafts. My handicap has actually come down but then so has my distance with each iron . Yes we should all play for fun which is why like you and Coach it’s all about the banter when we go and play as none of us will ever be pros.
Haha i see what you did with the Title, Mark... Glad I watched as I'm pulling the trigger on a fitted set of MP223 7-P and JPX923HL for my 5/6 long irons, my irons are old lol. The best fit was the LTDx7Wood replacing my 4I and 3H... golf's gonna get fun this season :D...
I played hyper competitively until 2004 then I had three sports which started to clash and unfortunately I dropped out of golf. But I still have my Cobra Cavity Back irons which are 23/24 year old now, I went to test new irons last week and I will be honest, even two decades later, there isn't a great amount of difference. New irons carry a little further but mainly because of different degrees and dispersion is the same. There is not enough in it for me to see any real terms improvements on the course.
The biggest con in golf has been the steady delofting of irons by manufacturers to make them appear to get more distance. My old set of MacGregors for instance have "standard" lofts - the 7 iron, for example, is 40 degrees and yet some manufacturers are delofting that same club to 29.5 degrees, more than 2 clubs difference! This has prompted a lot of players to not go lower than a "5 " iron because it probably has a 3 iron loft on it. It's no wonder the Gap wedge came into existence because of the huge gapping problem the makers have created with their "ours go further" sales con.
I’ve had 4 sets of irons in the last 2 years. Started playing again after 10 years using second hand callaway steel heads , then Hogan ptx pro ( good but not that forgiving) then Callaway mavrik ( too much off set) now Callaway rogue st pro. Perfect. E bay is my friend!
I still rock the 850 forged irons, still love em, still look beautiful, feels beautiful, have tested them up against more recent models of mizuno in similar club categories and they still perform and the newer models tend to be stronger lofted. No need to waist money on newer models when these work fantastically. Clubs are maxed out performance wise, the newest clubs I have are mizuno s18 wedges, still rock the OG callaway Rogue driver because it performs as well as anything newer, and still rock callaway alpha 815 fairway woods only because they perform well for me but I'm sure newer models may be a bit more forgiving so that would be the next thing I'd look at replacing in my bag. Lastly rocking TS2 hybrids which I love and plan to keep awhile. Bottom line no need to buy new fancy clubs if what you have is still relevant performance wise and clubs are kinda maxed out all around...
I love your videos, very entertaining and you are correct, golf is a Con. Snake oil salesmen for sure. Because golf has become even more expensive than years past, $1000 USD for just irons, I’ve gone back to my roots! No worries about gaps, no worries about shot making, no worries about distance, yes Ping eye 2’s. Indestructible, fantastic feeling, versatile and most importantly, Fun!! Keep up the great work.
I have 2 sets of clubs now, a set of R11 irons, driver,3,5 fairway and 4 hybrid and stealth irons with sim2 driver, sim 5 fairway, 4 hybrid and stealth 3 driver iron,,and to be quite honest I'm hitting both sets well!
Golf manufacturers have been playing the power creep game for quite a few years now. Not only with iron set lofts, but with price. Especially in the last few years with drivers. It's like there's a kubal and each year they decide "Ok this year, Taylormade is going to put out the drive that's $50 more expensive than everyone else. Then next year, we'll ALL be $50 more than we were last year, and then Callway's club will be $50 more than that"
Playing MP32's for the last 10 plus years and want the new JPX Tours so I can get a stronger degreed face for more distance. I could just club up but would think getting fitted for new clubs I can choose shaft and get midsized grips. Or considering re-gripping and switching out shafts... not sure what to do.
MP32s are pure. Unless there is a reason you want to change your shafts (i.e going from 120g to 100 as your swinging slower now than 10 years ago) I would say have a go at regripping the MP32s yourself. It's surprisingly easy to do and you won't get a club that feels better than MP32
I play a 7i that is 34 degrees now, going backwards from one that was 28.5 I believe. I've lost 20ish yards but my gapping is just so much better and the set makeup is more logical from top to bottom. It takes a hit to the ego a bit when your buddy is grabbing a 7 and you're hitting 5 then you realize your lofts are almost the same and you are playing a blade while he's playing some chunky awful looking club.
I understand that the lofts have jumped a club, but I don’t think the lengths have. I would definitely like a 6 iron that was a 7 iron length and lie and did everything my 6 iron did.
I think the point is it’s much easier to hit a club the length of a 7 iron than it is a 6. So it’s easier to hit a ball 154 than it was in 2014. Buy new clubs circa every 5 years.
Great video Mark, long time subscriber here. This video related so much to me. I've been using a second hand set Ping G25 irons for over 10 years now, and have sorted of reached a plateau of my handicap at around 13. Looking to get fitted for a new set of irons this year to take my game more seriously and move into single digits. Game improving irons seems to interest me the most. Cheers!
I’m in a similar boat, been playing for 18 months using second hand G15’s which I love, but I’m now at a 16 handicap and just feel the time is right to perhaps get fitted for new irons to see how my game improves. I’m not the biggest hitter so may benefit from stronger lofted clubs but honestly thought the difference would be bigger between the G30 and G430
I tried to replace my 15 year old Callaways. Tried everything. Mizuno, TM, Titleist. 5-7 yards more, mostly due to juiced lofts. No thanks. One of the guys I play with still use Ping maple blocks and eye 2's to a 4 HCP. It's the wizard, not the wand. Can't buy a golf swing. Never will.
Literally having the loft pain with my 1995 Irons. Have been going out with mates who have clubs from around 2014'ish. They're going at a short par 3 with a PW, and I'm like "crazy, I need my 8 to get there", feelings of masculine shortcomings ensue. How are they so much better at hitting these clubs, when I can usually out drive them? Then went into a pro shop the other day to get a new grip on my 4 iron, and the guy was like "Wow! Haven't seen these clubs in a decade or two. Look at this loft, this is basically the same as a modern 6 Iron". I think it's time to treat myself, lol, and yes, it is mostly based on ego.
For a quite a while now, whenever anyone asks me "what club did you hit?" I just tell them the loft of the club (which I know for all of my irons and hybrids).
Hi Mark I have just taken possession of a ping g430 7 hybrid 34 deg reg shaft and am getting amazing numbers on my simulator height and distance have you tried one as it is outperforming my irons massively I have a swing speed around 75 mph with it for reference
One reason a golfer might not want brand new irons would be the financial challenge, lol! I'm on the fence about modern power lofts,,,I'd be more impressed to see someone hit my 36 degree 7 iron, a very old Taylor made burner tour from '96-98, 185 yard's. Different weighting, lofts, nothing to absorb vibrations, shafts,....lengths, We knew about fitting, or custom building, over twenty plus years ago, for me thanks to Golfsmith, yet most bought off the rack "known" brands anyways, the expensive ones too.
Great video. I've been debating about new clubs or refitting what I have. Recovering from shoulder surgery. (Nov 15th, physical therapy sucks!) My irons are 7 years old. Driver is 5yrs old with a heavy shaft. Not sure if I should look at something new or try lighter weight shafts. Not getting any younger and wonder if it might be easier on the body. Speaking of surgery, how about some videos about returning to the game after injury? Surely all your fitness/golf contacts would have some input on returning to the game. Hope to be back on the course soon. Miss the game but miss hanging out with my friends a lot more.
Changed my Ping G425 irons for Mizuno 225 irons in Jan. I play just as bad but feel a lot better doing it! 🙂
Lmao
😂That’s awesome. For me it was easy to get caught up on the club carousel trying to “find”something. Getting new clubs is a treat but gotta give ‘em a chance. Plus most know COR has been maxed out since 90s. Much improvement, if any, is stronger lofts longer shafts or purely psychological until the newness wears off.
More of us need to remember we are meant to be having fun. I've spent a lot of time with players who do nothing but complain about their game/the course/weather/ball etc. Etc.
Know exactly what you mean.
yep, have a couple sets from the early 2000s and they game just as well as my new sets. yes I have 3 ping sets, 2 pxg sets a cobra, 2 mizuno and a callaway. I'm still shopping. gotta have a passion
Been using my Mizuno TP9's for 30 years !! Finally thought it was time for a change. :-) Recently had a fitting and got some Titleist 620 CB's. Was amazed at the difference. Was expecting the forgiveness, but the club interacts with the turf so much better.
Every day, I hope for a new "Mark" video. Your reviews are so brutally honest and appreciated. Thanks for keeping them objective, and not subjective.
Mark, this is probably one of your best videos (and opening monologues) in a few years. Great content
All great points. The cool thing is that there are options that allow people to keep playing with some kind of success. I'm 55. Thirty years ago there weren't nearly the same options for an older person. Now, if you are older, can't swing it like you were 25 and have the money you can go out and get a set of clubs that can work with your game. Back when I was 25 the Ping Eye2 was the big 'game improvement iron'. Now every company has clubs tailored for every kind of game. It makes golf access able to everyone and much less frustrating for those of us heading toward our older years.
Played Ping Eye 2s for thirty years - until I could play more than once a month. Now worked my way up from Titleist AP1s, then AP2s, now T100s’s - what a great game golf is.
nice reminder to folks about distances on irons. Really, when you're talking about your iron play, raw distance isn't nearly as important as ability to repeat results. The only real test of distance that really matters is with driver. Of course if you're 30 yards behind your playing competitors, that's just about a no-win situation, IF they already match, or come close to matching, your ability around the greens.
I played the Top Flite forged when I was 16 approx 41 yrs ago, loved them played my best golf with them, I still have the SW minus the groves in the sweet spot, it was a good one. I really like these pieces where you cut through the crap, so people can have a rethink, tinker with a few other things, before spending a small fortune only to be disappointed a few weeks latter.
I watch nearly every golf content creator and have to say that hour no nonsense pure honesty has made you bay far my favorite!!
Very kind. I have to say there is some bad stuff from pros on here now days. Sad really.
Great video, Mark - it's refreshing when a golf UA-camr shows an honest comparison of old vs. new, but based on *loft & length*, instead of the number on the sole.
A great review, I have several golf buddies who now play stronger lofted clubs so their 8 iron goes as far as my 7 iron. Now they have to carry two pitching wedges because their new PW is actually a 9 iron in all but name. Seems pointless to me.
I find it very amusing that the Pings were a new 7iron and then a 6. In my current setup I use a G30 six iron as my 5iron to match up with some more conventional lofted forged clubs. They gap well for me so it works. Good stuff.
I've gone back to playing my Ping Eye 2+ from my Callaway Apex Pros
just got myself a mizuno st-x 7 wood after watching your vid, top club & working well.
Interesting perspective. Getting "new" can mean many things.
I advise going to Phoenix in the gap months (April or September) and spending cool mornings golfing.
And hot afternoons in all the free simulation portals trying out hundreds of used clubs.
Building a set of franken-clubs that give you the flights and distances you need.
Then get new, lovely matching grips to make them look like a family.
Old or new, sequentially numbered or not. Fill your gaps from Driver to 60d wedge.
Learn to ignore the numbers on the club - focus on knowing what you hit 150 well.
And build out gapping in both directions. Then get an outdated, now state of the art, Rife putter add a fat grip and go.
I went from Wilson Staff FG V6 with steel shaft S flex (old school lofts) to TM 790 with graphite shafts and I was hitting distances like I did 10-12 years ago. Stronger lofts for sure but high launching! I was surprised how good they felt during my fitting and I can identify where on the face my miss hits are. Great video!
Im still using r7 irons i bought brand new in 2009 for my senior year of high school, ive upgraded every other club in the bag though. New irons are just such an investment, I want to get a fitting instead of just buying some. Honestly I hit my current irons ok, I want some different shafts but reshafting would costs half as much as a new set almost, considering I dont want some brand new 2023 set anyway. Im a huge taylormade fanboy but i want something smaller than the p770 and more forgiving than the p7mc, hard to find a good set of p760s for a good price. But Im thinking about getting fit for a set of zx7s, they seem like amazing clubs at a solid price
I love my ZX7s. Great look. Even better that they're usually better priced than the competition.
Yes… it’s a “treat”! I totally agree bruh. I probably do need new clubs since I’m all in on some old irons at the moment. I did get them new thicker grips a couple years ago and I want to play a few more rounds before thinking about switching.
I go with my Titleist Accu-Flow irons (circa 1980) in winter to save spoiling my pretty new Mizuno HMBs - very similar in feel and only a few yards light on range. My really old Slazenger 'Bobby Locke' set (circa 1968) are out once a year for the memory and are quite impossible to hit. So the change came quite early - and very little changed since!
A year ago, I was messing around at a Golf Galaxy right after they put Trackman's in all their stores. I stepped into a bay and there were 3 7 irons there and started to try out the trackman. The clubs were a mizuno jpx, titleist t300, and srixon zx7. I was really impressed with the feel of the Srixon and thought 'these are my next irons'. Not long after, I got into PXG and bought a set of 0311P's (gen 3) and really like the feel. Over the course of the year, I kept telling a golf buddy how good the Srixon's felt, and being as much of a club whore as I am, he recently bought a set of Srixon zx5's and talking about how much he liked them. Of course, the conflict in my brain started: 'Maybe I should have bought the Srixon's over the PXG's. Should I sell them and get Srixon's... etc., etc.' Anyway we were hitting balls before a round and I grabbed his 7 iron and started hitting it back and forth with my PXG. Well, they felt so similar that I stopped questioning my purchase and decided there was no need to switch 🙂. I suppose every year with the new club launches we all go through that decision of whether or not to get the 'latest and greatest'. Thankfully, I've gotten over the feeling of 'missing out' on something that could be better. Knowing that the latest and greatest isn't going to make much or any difference. I am at peace - Ha! 🙂
The latest and greatest isn't always
it is because all clubs are almost exactly the same..the manufactures just copy each other..ps..the ping irons in this video look identical because nothing is changimg..ps..the wear mark on the top flights looks amazing..oh..i hit my 2007 big bertha 460 titanium farther and straighter than all the current adjustable le drivers i borrow from buddies on the range because there are size and COR limits ..rory is 10 yards only longer after 10 years of weightlifting
Lexi Thompson on LPGA still using cobra s2 from 2009 as she can’t see the reason to replace them. Patrick Cantlay playing 718 AP2 from 2017 on pga. Your testing shows that the advancement in irons is that they now get the 7 iron to go the distance of a 6 with stronger loft and lower cog?
I still swing my Ping G20 irons. I love em! I just recently shot an 87 and i'm only a weekend warrior.
I'm still rocking the g30 irons and driver
The first reason was bang on, treat yourself!
I couldn’t agree more with this one Mark, all this tech is mostly hype but it’s still fun to treat yourself to new stuff 😉
Looks like you really enjoyed this one - it comes across!!! Love it
This quite simply is one of the best vlogs out there. Not often, the truth gets told! I want to change my Wilson Di7 irons from 2007 I think, hoping to move up to Wilson D9. I know the lofts will be different, but I am hoping the gapping and feel will be better. But that test between the 2014 Ping and today's model is so intriguing! Def shiny new toys which is fine if you have the money. Not often we get told that
Love your vlogs bruh , I do love the honesty you always give in each vlog, I have a confession I bought a new set of mp 54 s in 2014 to replace my ping I 5 s but never did , this year I've listen and watched your vlogs and put a 5 wood in the bag and 2 hybrids and now put my mp 54 s which are still new in the bag 5 to pw and 2 wedges , thank you for all the advice you give us every week , I'm 58 and still.have a 1 handicap ... thanks bruh 🏌️♂️⛳️👍
I have brand new Mizuno JPX923's but I still love my Ping ISI Graphite shafted nickels and my newer G25's. They all feel different but I get along with all of them. And I only always play for fun with my Buds. That's what it's all about.
Ping G30 6 iron is 27* loft and the 430 7 iron is 29*
Yep not exactly like for like
I was playing with with 1979 clubs for months and let me tell you getting new clubs help so much
I own some G30s and have been looking at the G430s. The g30 6 is 27 degrees and the g430 7 is 29 deg. Still definitely worth being aware of decreasing lofts when getting fitted.
Decreasing
You can always order Pings in retro lofts if that's more your style. 🙂
@Keith Cusma yeah retro lofts, standard or the even stronger power spec. Maybe a comparison to the retro lofts would have been better.
My new player improvement irons go much farther, but my 2004 Musclebacks seem to put the ball closer to where I want it.
Recently invited for a game of golf and didn’t have my clubs. Was lent a set of Spalding Lee Trevino oversize irons. All I did was overclub by one or two clubs from what I normally use.
Worked out pretty well and great fun had by all.
I’m a weekend warrior golfer. Played a set of TM R7 since 2008. Served me fine. I got fitted last year and got a set of P790s. I’m a year away from 40 now and I LOVE these but I am a bit concerned that in a few years those might not be the irons for me anymore.
Played those g30 irons for YEARS
Funny, my TM irons were released in 2014. They have weak lofts compared to todays irons which are the Tour preferred model. Really thinking about getting new irons, with a bit more help, at 75, I could likely use more help..
I still play blades, just got the new pxg blades a few months ago but I may give up and get cavity backs soon but I hate the look of offset!
Looking at my 1983 Ping Karsten irons and wondering if I should look into something new. Think it would make a big difference? I hit them a mile in the air but feel like they are short in length. I’m extremely good shape if that matters.
I think its important to note the difference in forgiveness and the appearance of forgiveness. modern clubs do a much better job of masking the mishits so they dont feel like garbage but the end result isnt a whole lot better if at all to something older. But people will swear how much more forgiveness they have gained.
I have Had 5 Shoulder Surgeies ,The Last in June 2022 ,Take Your Time and Heal and Then Stretch it out Every Day ,Good Luck!
Whatver u get fit fore, have a clause they could be returned or exchanged…
Pga superstore is perfect
They give u 30 or 90 days..
I was fitting for g425
Got on course and meh…
Ended up refitted for st max.
Love these things
just pulled the trigger on a combo set of Srixon's ZX5 in 4 and 5 iron and 6 to PW in ZX7's, so excited can't wait for them to get here, 2 weeks to go
G30 irons came out in 2014
Love the call outs
My latest are the PXG xCor2 set, I have the Ping G425 and vintage set of Ben Hogan Apex Edge 2002.
Taking brand new G430s on the course today for the first time, age 66. Alta CB reg, 3 deg upright, 1/2” longer, +1/32” grip. Expect help from these new parameter. Also, shiny & new.
I switched from G30 irons late last summer to G425 irons and enjoy hitting the new irons , I think Ihit them farther . I am switching to new G425 driver this spring when the weather warms up and the course opens up . I went to the 40 gram shaft this time , be 74 this summer .I used a Ping G driver for a good while . I hope the change helps .
Excellent thinking
I only started playing again in 2019 and bought a 50 quid full set off Gumtree, literally full of antiques can't even remember the irons it came with. I swapped them out with a set of Taylormade RSI2s and it was night and day difference the strike quality and consistency I got. After stopping playing over the pandemic and starting playing again this month, the consistency I had with them is absolutely gone now but that's probably my terrible swing/ball striking and not the clubs though.
In 2019 I tried so hard to stop slicing, eventually got rid of it. Come this month and my slice is back with a vengeance, wish I never stopped playing now...
Well done Mark. I've been playing just over 18mths since a 25 year gap. Never got on with my old irons so watched lots of reviews and managed to pick up a set of Ping G30 irons. I love then - some forgiveness and consistency - you really tell us here how important it is to know how far each one of us hits each club rather than comparing distance against our golf buddies.... thanks for this really useful article
Found a neat set of Wilson Staff Fluid Feel irons from 87 on FB Marketplace for $40. Same clubs I loved years ago. About 2 clubs shorter..but.. dispersion was amazing and I am scoring about 6 strokes better.
I got new golf irons from ping, the ones i currently had were ping i2's. Also, im 6'6" and they added 2" on the shaft and it is so much better using fitted clubs. I used those pings in highschool and i'm now 37. I got the ping i2's from my grandfather who got new clubs.
Did you match the Spalding iron in terms of loft to the 2 newer ones?
My bag is crazy these days. ZX 2 iron. TSi 5 hybrid set to max loft. Then 6-PW in Cobra Forged Tech. Then 4 wedges, 48,52,56,60. Driver and 5 wood to round it off. It's a new world. 😁
I have a set of Ping G30 (purchased in 2014) in my garage having recently bought a set of new Takomo 201. Now I’m thinking of selling the new set - but I really do like my new clubs. Decisions, decisions, decisions 🤔
Yep this is why I am playing my G5’s and XXIO MP300’s this winter
Just moved from blades (Vega VM02) to power bats (cobra forged tech copper) for every single one of the reasons you mentioned. Problem now is I need a new bloody wedge to fill the massive gap my ‘extra big gun show power’ has created 🤣
It would be interesting to see if there is more of difference for mid handicap players who aren't striking it as consistently in the middle, where in theory that help should come more in to play
I’m 45. No more 130gram x flex blades for me. Recently went lighter & more forgiving- having as much fun as I ever did. Bag may look quite as sexy, scores sure do though!
If I have a 7 iron from each of the top 5/6 brands and there all for instance 33 degree loft , surly they all have the same ball flight don’t they 🤷♂️🤷♂️🤷♂️
Never understood the launch high or low narrative . Genuine thought 👍👍
Surly it all depends on how shallow or step you are at impact 🤷♂️🤷♂️🤷♂️
As far as clubs, I grabbed a set of Hogan Apex Edge Pros from I think the late 90s, or early 2000s. Thinner top line compared to the game improvement irons, and almost no offset. I feel like my brain doesn’t like the really wide soles of the GI irons or the offset. Not really sure if I can hit the difference honestly, I’m not very good. Getting better though. As far as the weather, it’s gonna be 82 degrees here in Michigan tomorrow and high humidity. And while that may seem appealing compared to the weather across the pond, for the sake of my plans to beat a whole bunch of balls tomorrow working on my swing, I’d trade a bit of the cooler, gloomier weather for mine for tomorrow. But such is life.
Just wondering if the 7 had a shorter shaft than the 6? All else being the same, maybe the new 7 would be easier to hit and produce the same results if it did have a shorter shaft than the old 6.
Couldn’t agree more. Have pain in my elbow now ( yes I am prehistoric according to you😂) and so have sold my steel P790,s and now have PXG graphite shafts. My handicap has actually come down but then so has my distance with each iron . Yes we should all play for fun which is why like you and Coach it’s all about the banter when we go and play as none of us will ever be pros.
Haha i see what you did with the Title, Mark... Glad I watched as I'm pulling the trigger on a fitted set of MP223 7-P and JPX923HL for my 5/6 long irons, my irons are old lol. The best fit was the LTDx7Wood replacing my 4I and 3H... golf's gonna get fun this season :D...
Awesome! Best REALITY CHECK that is one the BEST sales pitches. Our swing evolution and club evolution merges!
I played hyper competitively until 2004 then I had three sports which started to clash and unfortunately I dropped out of golf.
But I still have my Cobra Cavity Back irons which are 23/24 year old now, I went to test new irons last week and I will be honest, even two decades later, there isn't a great amount of difference. New irons carry a little further but mainly because of different degrees and dispersion is the same. There is not enough in it for me to see any real terms improvements on the course.
The biggest con in golf has been the steady delofting of irons by manufacturers to
make them appear to get more distance. My old set of MacGregors for instance have "standard" lofts - the 7 iron, for example, is 40 degrees and yet some manufacturers are delofting that same club to 29.5 degrees, more than 2 clubs difference! This has prompted a lot of players to not go lower than a "5 " iron because it probably has a 3 iron loft on it. It's no wonder the Gap wedge came into existence because of the huge gapping problem the makers have created with their "ours go further" sales con.
I’ve had 4 sets of irons in the last 2 years. Started playing again after 10 years using second hand callaway steel heads , then Hogan ptx pro ( good but not that forgiving) then Callaway mavrik ( too much off set) now Callaway rogue st pro. Perfect. E bay is my friend!
I bet your golf pro wants you as his best man (due to paying for the wedding) 😂
I still have my Ping i20 irons from 2012. I do want a new set, but man are clubs expensive. Life just gets in the way of buying new ones
I'm still playing with clubs from when my dad (retired) was in his 20's....
Dug out my Mizuno T-Zoid Pro from 1999 for carrying. Enjoying them so much will be selling my JPX921 forged that look too chunky to my eye.
What a great video. This should be on everyone's watch list.
I still rock the 850 forged irons, still love em, still look beautiful, feels beautiful, have tested them up against more recent models of mizuno in similar club categories and they still perform and the newer models tend to be stronger lofted. No need to waist money on newer models when these work fantastically. Clubs are maxed out performance wise, the newest clubs I have are mizuno s18 wedges, still rock the OG callaway Rogue driver because it performs as well as anything newer, and still rock callaway alpha 815 fairway woods only because they perform well for me but I'm sure newer models may be a bit more forgiving so that would be the next thing I'd look at replacing in my bag. Lastly rocking TS2 hybrids which I love and plan to keep awhile. Bottom line no need to buy new fancy clubs if what you have is still relevant performance wise and clubs are kinda maxed out all around...
I love your videos, very entertaining and you are correct, golf is a Con. Snake oil salesmen for sure. Because golf has become even more expensive than years past, $1000 USD for just irons, I’ve gone back to my roots! No worries about gaps, no worries about shot making, no worries about distance, yes Ping eye 2’s. Indestructible, fantastic feeling, versatile and most importantly, Fun!! Keep up the great work.
1950s MacGregor 1 and 4 woods, 1960s Ben Hogan 5,7 and 9 irons, original Ping putter. Some kind if wedge. Fun. Perhaps Ill upgrade to hickories.
I have 2 sets of clubs now, a set of R11 irons, driver,3,5 fairway and 4 hybrid and stealth irons with sim2 driver, sim 5 fairway, 4 hybrid and stealth 3 driver iron,,and to be quite honest I'm hitting both sets well!
Mashed potato!
Golf manufacturers have been playing the power creep game for quite a few years now. Not only with iron set lofts, but with price. Especially in the last few years with drivers. It's like there's a kubal and each year they decide "Ok this year, Taylormade is going to put out the drive that's $50 more expensive than everyone else. Then next year, we'll ALL be $50 more than we were last year, and then Callway's club will be $50 more than that"
Playing MP32's for the last 10 plus years and want the new JPX Tours so I can get a stronger degreed face for more distance. I could just club up but would think getting fitted for new clubs I can choose shaft and get midsized grips. Or considering re-gripping and switching out shafts... not sure what to do.
MP32s are pure. Unless there is a reason you want to change your shafts (i.e going from 120g to 100 as your swinging slower now than 10 years ago) I would say have a go at regripping the MP32s yourself. It's surprisingly easy to do and you won't get a club that feels better than MP32
Right on, Mark. Golf is a feel game. I game 15 year old Ping Rapture irons and woods. Trust me. New is not better.
I play a 7i that is 34 degrees now, going backwards from one that was 28.5 I believe. I've lost 20ish yards but my gapping is just so much better and the set makeup is more logical from top to bottom. It takes a hit to the ego a bit when your buddy is grabbing a 7 and you're hitting 5 then you realize your lofts are almost the same and you are playing a blade while he's playing some chunky awful looking club.
Thank you for your insight Mark.
I understand that the lofts have jumped a club, but I don’t think the lengths have. I would definitely like a 6 iron that was a 7 iron length and lie and did everything my 6 iron did.
I bought a used set of g30 got the lie angle adjusted to fit me and boom!
I haven't seen anything at the moment, that would make me want to change from my MX-20's.
Still gaming 714 AP2’s. Love them.
I think the point is it’s much easier to hit a club the length of a 7 iron than it is a 6. So it’s easier to hit a ball 154 than it was in 2014. Buy new clubs circa every 5 years.
Great video Mark, long time subscriber here.
This video related so much to me. I've been using a second hand set Ping G25 irons for over 10 years now, and have sorted of reached a plateau of my handicap at around 13. Looking to get fitted for a new set of irons this year to take my game more seriously and move into single digits. Game improving irons seems to interest me the most. Cheers!
Thanks for watching James. 👍👍👍
I’m in a similar boat, been playing for 18 months using second hand G15’s which I love, but I’m now at a 16 handicap and just feel the time is right to perhaps get fitted for new irons to see how my game improves. I’m not the biggest hitter so may benefit from stronger lofted clubs but honestly thought the difference would be bigger between the G30 and G430
I tried to replace my 15 year old Callaways. Tried everything. Mizuno, TM, Titleist. 5-7 yards more, mostly due to juiced lofts. No thanks. One of the guys I play with still use Ping maple blocks and eye 2's to a 4 HCP. It's the wizard, not the wand. Can't buy a golf swing. Never will.
Just bought some king cobra oversized from 94 started playing better
Literally having the loft pain with my 1995 Irons. Have been going out with mates who have clubs from around 2014'ish. They're going at a short par 3 with a PW, and I'm like "crazy, I need my 8 to get there", feelings of masculine shortcomings ensue. How are they so much better at hitting these clubs, when I can usually out drive them? Then went into a pro shop the other day to get a new grip on my 4 iron, and the guy was like "Wow! Haven't seen these clubs in a decade or two. Look at this loft, this is basically the same as a modern 6 Iron". I think it's time to treat myself, lol, and yes, it is mostly based on ego.
Did you control for length of the irons? Just curious if the 6&7 are different lengths and the old blade is also a different length
For a quite a while now, whenever anyone asks me "what club did you hit?" I just tell them the loft of the club (which I know for all of my irons and hybrids).
What a whopper
Great video! I do miss seeing all the data :)
I responded to Telegram and got some sort of scam FYI
Hi Mark I have just taken
possession of a ping g430 7 hybrid 34 deg reg shaft and am getting amazing numbers on my simulator height and distance have you tried one as it is outperforming my irons massively I have a swing speed around 75 mph with it for reference
One reason a golfer might not want brand new irons would be the financial challenge, lol!
I'm on the fence about modern power lofts,,,I'd be more impressed to see someone hit my 36 degree 7 iron, a very old Taylor made burner tour from '96-98, 185 yard's.
Different weighting, lofts, nothing to absorb vibrations, shafts,....lengths,
We knew about fitting, or custom building, over twenty plus years ago, for me thanks to Golfsmith, yet most bought off the rack "known" brands anyways, the expensive ones too.
Great video. I've been debating about new clubs or refitting what I have. Recovering from shoulder surgery. (Nov 15th, physical therapy sucks!) My irons are 7 years old. Driver is 5yrs old with a heavy shaft. Not sure if I should look at something new or try lighter weight shafts. Not getting any younger and wonder if it might be easier on the body. Speaking of surgery, how about some videos about returning to the game after injury? Surely all your fitness/golf contacts would have some input on returning to the game. Hope to be back on the course soon. Miss the game but miss hanging out with my friends a lot more.
My set is fifteen years old. I still use it every week. I think I need new clubs.
Best by far at this type of vlog bar none on you tube