Help Mjr D pick his new iron set!

[Mjr. D]

Hello all, I've been gaming Epon 302's with Nippon SPB's for 6 months and 302's with Matrix Programs for 6 months... love the look and feel of the Epons. Recently though, i've been gaming my old Mizuno MP-37 blades and i've been playing the best golf of my life. I'm a better ball striker with the MP-37's than I am with the Epon 302's and I believe it's because, oddly enough, the 37's have more offset than the 302s. I'm a handsy player so I do tend to flip at impact. So, this got me thinking... if I had a set of irons with even more offset than my Mizuno MP-37's, there's a possibility I may improve my ball striking even more...

I'm thinking something one step up in terms of offset and forgiveness from the Epon 302's.

Something along the lines of the TM Burner Forged or USA Titleist AP1 or AP2's.

I swing hard - extremely hard/fast.... med smooth and steep. I hit the ball very high with a lot of spin, typically.

I looked on here tonight and these all seemed to fit the bill

OnOff 2011 Forged iron - My link

Yamaha V-Forged (maybe not enough difference from the Epon 302s???) My link

Fourteen TC710 - My link

Fourteen TC510 - My link

PRGR 2011 ID Forged - My link

Titleist VG3 - My link (not a fan of strong lofts nor the different weight placement for

different launch angles, though)

Titleist AP2 - My link

Mizuno MP-59 - My link

Callaway RAZR X Tour - My link

Taylormade R11 - My link

Anything else that I may be missing or that is coming out in soon or in 2012??

Help me out.

Thanks guys.

[DaleUK]

Hi thre

For what it's worth your swing doesn't sound unlike mine!!

I looked at some of your suggestions ,( I almost went for the OnOff 2011 irons) and in the end went for the Epon 502's... I would have liked more off set too but felt the extra forgiveness would help!!.... Keep think 302's would have helped concentrate the eye better!!

Edited September 14, 2011 by DaleUK

[Mjr. D]

Thanks.

Come on guys, voice your opinion!

[jamnguy1]

TC510 is a good choice if you want offset. in terms of feel, they come closer to feeling like mizuno as well.

[Mjr. D]

Thanks.

Chris, Tario... input??

[idrive]

It seems the VG3's will fit the bill best.... for what you're asking for.

[supo]

the yamaha non tour have bit of offest. i nthem, more than the tour variety , and they will have that great endo feel.

older set but still available prgr 900md have some off set to them they are absolutely superb sticks

slightly larger head than blades , but in blade esque stlye

fourteen tc 1000 for ma cpl of years ago aswell. small sole small of set.

endo forged, super clubs.

[Mjr. D]

What about the new OnOff 2011's? Titleist VG3 seems too much for an old man...

How are the PRGR ID Forged?

Fourteen TC710?

[wmclarenf1]

Any reason why nothing from Miura (old or new) in the consideration set?

[Mjr. D]

I already have Miura MB5003's, plus most of Miura's clubs have little offset and aren't overly forgiving.

[JMCMB]

From everything I read on here and on the blog, the onoff forged are def something you should consider.... Soft, forgiving, but still sets up nicely, not to big or chunky.... The Yamaha standard model looks lights out, and based on how much people love the tour model, I'm guessing that they're superb as well....

Your original comparison was between blades and cavity backs, and while the blades you hit might have a little more offset, they're still blades and will be less forgiving and more "do it yourself" than pretty much any cavity... Just based on the fact that your hittting the Mizuno blades better than the 302s, have you thought about something like the AF Tours? I don't have any personal experience with any of the cavities that you mentioned above, but I received the AF Tours last week, and I have never hit a blade that wants to get the ball up in the air the way these do....

J.

[+TourSpecGolfer]

Coincidentally my choices all happen to be made by Endo.

Titleist VG3

ONOFF Forged

RC BBD Tour Forged

Yamaha V-Forged

Yonex Forged CB or even PB model

PRGR Egg Forged

[Mjr. D]

Are endo forged clubs all going to feel like Epons? Not a bad thing as Epons feel great but just wondering.

[+TourSpecGolfer]

Are endo forged clubs all going to feel like Epons? Not a bad thing as Epons feel great but just wondering.

Nope, they all feel different. Design and specs play attribute to feel more than manufacturing.

With Endo everything is spot on like CG placements, weights, tolerance, etc..

[Mjr. D]

Cool!

So out of your picks I like

Yamaha 2011 X V Forged (look no more forgiving than the Epon 302's though...)

OnOff Forged 2011 (nice)

Titleist VG3 (although they seem like they're super game improvement)

What about the PRGR 2011 ID forged? Not an endo forging?

Are the Titleist AP2's forged at Endo?

Mizuno Mp-59's look sexy...

[supo]

i dont know if anyone has hit the akira irons yet ,

but i played around with a 7 iron the other day , didnt hit it.

and the lines on it look really really good.,

good enought for me to consider. im asking my guy if he can get me a demo club, bec i liked the look a lot.

the ones that are featured on the front of the TSG site home page.

just some food for thought

this morning i took all the 7 iorns from my sets

2006 yamah tour

2008 yamah tour-

2010 yamaha tour

2011 yamah tour

(can usee a trend here yet?)

fourteen tc 1000

zone sprout proto 001

miuraism sb-01

miuraism sb-02

epon 302

tourstage 901

kyoei v muscle

prgr md900

prgr data 811

theya re all shafted with differnt shafts. and yes the choice of steel makes a monumental differnce , HUMONGOUS...!

i was eliminating clubs accoring to feel only. nothing to do with perfornace today.

iwas just seeing how good each club felt side by side

the 2008 yamaha tours were my favs followed by

controverisally..............

the fourteen tc1000s. with ns 950 stiff . absolutely sensational feeling clubs ,stock too aint changed a thing about them

goes to show what endo forging is like, if u like it i sugest you stick to it .

for me , the differnce is pretty clear.

btw the zonesprgr data 811s were the easiest to hit and the 901s the most difficult. but also the most lethal to hit at targets/flags.

, even more so than the miuras which surprised me a lot.

its just the shape of these 901s that doenst suit my eye unfortuantly, or id be hard pressed keeping them outta the oz bag!

if ur after a set of beautful blades then the af tours are really hard to pass up plus they are so easy to play only thing ifind is they tend to go high which might not suit you, hence ireccod the ns sp blue, thatll keep em in check.

the yamaha tours arnt the lowest launching clubs , but boy they are just so incredible to hit, more sloid thant the 302 ,but same endo feel.

they arnt that unfogiving , they dont lok like shovels nor matchstick heads. good solid shape nad size.

the ones i shafted with te NS oras i n stiff, i just cant pass up.

the fourteen tc 1000 are quite low launching even with the ns 950s same as the prgr md900

what ever the new fourteen endo forged model is ,or pgrgr must be in yr considerations id think after what i hit htis morn.

but then agn the yamaha.......................,

just win.

[potuna]

I have a set of VG3s with C-tapers in them. Very forgiving and the C-tapers bring the flight down nicely, you need a gap wedge for sure. I know a couple low single digit handicappers that swear by them. Point and shoot, my problem with them and the same with 800 pros is I get lazy because they are so easy to hit. I finally found another set of Onoff 247s and these make me slow down and put a good swing on the ball. I end up shooting better scores with the Onoffs, of your list I'd go Onoffs then fourteens IMHO.

[+TourSpecGolfer]

Yup I can only say good things about the ONOFF Forged as far as a mid sized forged cavity back. soft and uber forgiving!

[Mjr. D]

Alright, as I stated earlier, i'm currently playing Epon 302's with Program 130 shafts. I hit them ok. I've also been playing my older Mizuno MP-37 blades with KBS Tours and I definitely hit them more pure. I believe this is due to them having more offset than the 302's. I'm a handsy flipper type player and I'm guessing the offset allows me to get my hands ahead of the ball more at impact (with the Mizunos). The only other difference between the two irons is that the Mizuno's play at 2* upright and the 302's play at 1* upright. I don't see that being a factor.

So i'm thinking I should try new irons with even more offset and forgiveness than both the Mizunos and the Epons.

I've narrowed it down to the following now:

2011 OnOff Forged

Titleist VG3's

2011 Yamaha Inpress X V Forged

Things to keep in mind

- I'm not a huge fan of strong lofts (I like to know how my distance stacks up with pros and good players who play traditional lofts).

- I'm not a huge fan of progressive irons sets.

- Again, I swing F'ing hard/fast, I hit a very high ball, my swing is steep, handsy and most of my irons shots are on the thin side.

So, considering the above... out of these 3 remaining choices.... what do I go with?

[gocchin]

Just to clarify, the VG3 are NOWHERE near super game improvement or even game improvement for that matter. When talking about those categories we typically include big sized and oversized irons with wide soles, huge offset and they usually aren't forged.

The VG3 is aimed at the better player though forgiving enough for the average golfer. The heads are similar in size to the AP2 Forged and have less offset than the Yamaha V Forged.

If you are not a fan of strong lofts, the VG3 don't fit you as I think you will be hitting them way too far and too high - they are one of the best distance irons. You'll probably hit the 7 iron 200 yards. (^_^)

The Yamaha and ONOFF are no slouches either when it comes to distance but they have more workability in mind though if you actually compare the heads, the VG3 may be more compact than either from heel to toe and with less offset.

The Yamaha and ONOFF both feel awesome and are superior to the VG3 in feel but only due to design as the VG3 sports an undercut cavity.

I would suggest the ONOFF at this point as its current and the V Forged will be replaced within 4 months. I just ordered my own set of ONOFF Forged from Labospec as well if that says anything.

[Mjr. D]

Says a lot! I think i've made my decision, now. I appreciate all the help man!

P.S. I already hit my 7iron 200yrds