Don’t know your age, but for me as I got older I noticed bigger gaps in the irons. When that happened foot position became critical and so did consistency in backswing speed. Also teaching your brain to memorize how far back you go made all the difference to me.
What’s In the Bag? ***GOLF EQUIPMENT THREAD***
- Thread starter Gunnerclone
- Start date
Have had a LAB for past couple of years. It’s a game changer
I decided to go ahead & do an iron fitting a couple weeks ago - went to Austad's in West DSM. When making the appt online I mentioned what I currently had (old hand-me-down Mizunos), that I'm ~20 handicap, and my main objective is forgiveness.
Started with a short warm-up, then hit my current 7 iron till we had 5-7 good ones for a starting sample size. Based on that data & my tendencies that I had shared, he suggested a (just) stiff shaft & upright (2*) lie. We used those to test out various game improvement irons in my price range (<$1k).
I hit/tested the Mizuno JPX 925 Hot Metal, Callaway Elyte, Taylormade Qi, Cobra (don't remember model), and Wilson Dynapwr. The Wilson & Mizuno's performed the best for me performance-wise - I paid a little more for the Mizuno's just based on looks alone. The Wilson's were much thicker, which gave more of an old man vibe IMO (no offense to the old men out there). Ended up paying $900+ tax for 5-PW. Considered just searching on my own for the last year model of Mizuno GI irons (JPX 923 I believe), but figured after paying for the fitting & club lie adjustments, probably wouldn't save all that much anyway.
Overall pleased with the process. I was a little concerned since I'm not very good, but had no problem getting plenty of good shots to compare the data. Fitter was very laid back, explained what needed to be explained but didn't seem to try to upsell on anything. I think it was worth learning what I learned compared to just buying a stock set off the rack or used, hopefully it translates to a little improvement on the course!
Started with a short warm-up, then hit my current 7 iron till we had 5-7 good ones for a starting sample size. Based on that data & my tendencies that I had shared, he suggested a (just) stiff shaft & upright (2*) lie. We used those to test out various game improvement irons in my price range (<$1k).
I hit/tested the Mizuno JPX 925 Hot Metal, Callaway Elyte, Taylormade Qi, Cobra (don't remember model), and Wilson Dynapwr. The Wilson & Mizuno's performed the best for me performance-wise - I paid a little more for the Mizuno's just based on looks alone. The Wilson's were much thicker, which gave more of an old man vibe IMO (no offense to the old men out there). Ended up paying $900+ tax for 5-PW. Considered just searching on my own for the last year model of Mizuno GI irons (JPX 923 I believe), but figured after paying for the fitting & club lie adjustments, probably wouldn't save all that much anyway.
Overall pleased with the process. I was a little concerned since I'm not very good, but had no problem getting plenty of good shots to compare the data. Fitter was very laid back, explained what needed to be explained but didn't seem to try to upsell on anything. I think it was worth learning what I learned compared to just buying a stock set off the rack or used, hopefully it translates to a little improvement on the course!
I've been hitting my long irons really well this year but the lowest loft I have is a 5-iron. I'm thinking of getting a driving iron. Does anyone love a certain brand? I'm rocking Ping G425 irons right now.
Might as well just get the 425 crossover if you like your irons. I’m big on the look of my clubs at address it bothers me having a bunch of differences in my clubs.
Srixon zx utility irons are awesome
Time for me to upgrade my driver. Man…I hate that because they are so expensive these days, but my current driver is a Titleist 913 D3, meaning it’s approximately 12-13 years old.
I’m going to go get fit, but going in, I’m leaning toward either Titleist GT2 or Callaway Quantum Triple Diamond. Has anyone hit either of these? If so, thoughts?
I’m going to go get fit, but going in, I’m leaning toward either Titleist GT2 or Callaway Quantum Triple Diamond. Has anyone hit either of these? If so, thoughts?
Funny this came up, a few years ago I bumped this thread to talk about a fitting I did. I'm now trying to dump those Cobras I got fit into to replace them with the safest Ping clubs I can get hands on.
I hit the Quantum this spring but didn't see enough to justify the money over my current Callaway Rogue Triple Diamond gamer. I haven't hit the GT2, but with the increase size from the D3 you should see a little more forgiveness along with the new technology updates.
I actually picked up a used Calaway Rogue ST Max off of marketplace for $100, swapped out my shaft into it, turned it down to 9.5-degrees, and put that into my bag. I've been happy so far with the results compared to 9-degree triple diamond. Mishits are a little better with the added size of the head. That might all be because I am battling an ulnar nerve issue in my right elbow and it has likely changed my swing a bit.
Thanks for the response. I’m leaning toward the GT2 after doing a little research, but I don’t want to shoehorn myself either. Will definitely test a lot of others. Titleist has always been my go to, simply because of the classic, clean look. Another thing, my D3 has a 8.5° loft and stiff shaft. I’m thinking as I get older these things are working against me. I also think current technology will automatically reduce spin even at higher lofts (9.0-10.0°) which is what I’m looking for. I might even need to consider a firm flex, as opposed to stiff.
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What don’t you like about the Cobras and why Ping? I’m not pro or anti either one. Just curious.
Cyclonepride
Thought Police
Just decided to not renew my subscription to Arccos. It was cool and useful, but not $200/year useful. Ended up buying a GPS range finder for just a little more than that and no yearly BS.
Also figured out how to use my little Cleveland Smart Sole chipper/wedge and it's awesome. I had been using it like a wedge, but it works way, way better with a putter-type swing if you're just off the green.
Also figured out how to use my little Cleveland Smart Sole chipper/wedge and it's awesome. I had been using it like a wedge, but it works way, way better with a putter-type swing if you're just off the green.
I've never hit the Cobras well since I got them, I think I got fitted into a model that's too hard for me to play. That's my long clubs - D, 3W, 3H. I changed my mindset quite a bit on what I think should be in my bag because of it -- I want to maximize pure forgiveness and stability now above all other factors. Ping G series has been at the top of that pile for years now. I went to a shop yesterday to test a G440 against my current driver and got completely different results side by side, with the Ping greatly helping most of the problems I was seeing. It was hitting very consistently across the face for someone who doesn't have the swing consistency to dead-center it every time. I'm now looking to trade all my Cobras in for older model Pings after trying to battle it out with the Cobras for a few seasons.
Also going to add more forgiving lofts to the bag instead. Thinking of going like higher-lofted driver, 5W, maybe 7W, and 4 or 5 hybrid instead of the 3's I had before.
I don't think Cobra is a bad brand or anything, the ones I have just don't line up with my game. Ping just happens to make woods targeted at the performance type I'm now looking for. My bag just wasn't set up for high handicap forgiveness and that's where I want to be now.
Was your bag set up for distance rather than forgiveness? Was that your choice or the fitter's? Do you mind saying where you got fit?
Hope not based on golfing with @MeowingCows
Wagner's in Ames. The focus was a little bit on distance but also on dispersion some. What happened was that I tried some heads that simply didn't work out in the simulator that exact day, but two things did: the regular TM Stealth an the time, and the Cobra LTDx LS. I was hitting them the about the same dispersion-wise in a sim but the Cobra a little longer, so that's what I went with. Then set the club gappings somewhat based on what the fitter expected to happen. I think the fitter was also convinced I was a better golfer than I actually am and that might've influenced it some? Hard to say. I think what mostly happened is I had a wonky fitting that particular day and gave inflated results, 'cuz I hit some of these clubs really well that one day and haven't really gotten those same results back on an actual golf course. I do hit the irons I fit into fine, just not as long as measured at the time. That was also a few years ago now, so it's possible I've just lost some speed in that time.
I've basically got polar opposites in my bag. The irons and wedges are SGI types (Hot Metals, which I hit pretty well). The woods were not, they're more targeted for advanced players, which I totally am not as a ~22 cap. The issues I deal with on woods are simply that I can't launch them, at that showed up at a store simulator yesterday also. Typical launch was <10 degrees off the ground, giving me very little carry and just hitting wormburner piss-missiles every direction. These clubs feel very, very unforgiving on mishits. I'm not the guy that finds the dead balls center every cut.
The Ping I was hitting felt very different. Mapped out some impact points and found it to be very consistent in flight and distance across the whole face, with the only cost that dead center hits weren't really any better than off-centers. What I deal with now is that I basically can't hit the Cobras if I don't hit the center. The sim results for the Ping were shorter versus ideal strikes on the Cobra, but significantly more forgiving and consistent on mishits. Even balls with off-center strikes were somewhat straightened and still had much better launches, it wasn't a wormburner-fest. The other major thing I noticed is that despite both being Stiff flex, the shaft on the Ping had noticeably more play in it, and was a bit lighter. The shaft on my D and 3W feels like a rebar pole. I did try the reg flex on the ping and on another club, but in both of those cases, it felt too much like swinging a wet noodle.
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Definitely not finding said distance, that's for sure. I might as well tee off every hole with a 7 iron.
PXG Driver (0211) just got it re-shafted to a lighter shaft since my original one on my driver was SO HEAVY.
TaylorMade M2 5 wood (My favorite club in my bag, especially if i am spraying my driver)
G400 4I Hybrid
Srixon ZX7 Irons 5-PW
TaylorMade Milled Grind Wedges 52-60
Cleveland Huntington Beach #1 Blade
I'm probably not going to upgrade much of anything. I don't play nearly enough anymore which is a shame, kiddo and her activities are priority now.
Curious, what balls do you all use? I was Vice Pro Plus only for a while, then I moved over to Titleist Pro-V 1s. Not much of a difference, but i like the feel of Titleist better lately.
TaylorMade M2 5 wood (My favorite club in my bag, especially if i am spraying my driver)
G400 4I Hybrid
Srixon ZX7 Irons 5-PW
TaylorMade Milled Grind Wedges 52-60
Cleveland Huntington Beach #1 Blade
I'm probably not going to upgrade much of anything. I don't play nearly enough anymore which is a shame, kiddo and her activities are priority now.
Curious, what balls do you all use? I was Vice Pro Plus only for a while, then I moved over to Titleist Pro-V 1s. Not much of a difference, but i like the feel of Titleist better lately.
