What was your first set of "real" irons?

[GolfSpy Barbajo]

Let's dig deep gang -- when did you start playing and what was your very first set of "big boy" clubs that you bought new?  

 

Here's mine, from the summer of 1982...

 

 

 

Spalding Executives purchased at Werner's Sporting Goods in Leominster, MA, owned by my old high school science teacher.  

 

Played em for two years, then bought a used set of Ping Eye 2's...

 

 

Traded with my brother a couple of years later for a set of Palmer Axioms...

 

 

Played the Palmers until buying a set of Adams A2 OS in 2007...and then the club ho-ing began....

[JBones]

I started playing when I was 6 years old, with old clubs that were cut down.  The first set that I purchased was when I was about 10; I got a set of Spalding blades (below) with a bag for $20 at a garage sale.

 

 

I played those until my senior year of high school, when my parents bought me a set of Ping Zings for a graduation present.

 

 

I played those through college and the first couple years of my career.  I then bought myself a set of brand spanking new Titleist 690 CBs.

 

 

 

 

The rest go as follows.

 

 

 

[Maverickping]

I started playing golf in 1999 after my knee surgeons told me I was done and I'd find guys/gals like myself there that used to play other sports and I'd be able to play golf forever.

I decided to get a set I would be able to grow into and that would last me a long time. Walked into a golf store and first thing I saw was a brand new set of Ping Isi Becu! Fell in love with the look. Went and bought the complete set on the spot. Still have them and they are waiting until I will no longer be able to play cavity backs and require some more forgiveness.

I've only owned two sets, the Pings and my Miura.

[The Dansome]

Good we won't talk about the rental driver they cut down for my first club... I was so embarrassed by the blue ladies grip they put on it and yet today that would be totally awesomely cooooool.

 

First full set

Diawa Trypower II 1986 - I Google'd and couldn't find a pic...

 

But my second set I can find pictures of

TaylorMade Tour Preferred T-D 1988-1990

 

 

 

 

[fozcycle]

They were Powerbilt Levelume irons & Powerbilt Citation woods similar to the pics below...

 

[Jmikecpa]

My first real set was a set of Wilson blades that my Grandparents bought for me at a local department store.  A few years later I graduated to Ping Eye 2s and played them until college when I got a newer set of Eye 2s.  Since then I have played Callaway x14s, Callaway X16 Pro, Ping S59 tours, Mizuno MP60s, Titleist 704 CBs, Callaway X Forged, Adams MB2s, Titleist AP2s.

[Fivesome]

The first set of clubs I ever got fitted for and bought myself are still in the bag - TaylorMade 300's along with my KZG GF4 driver. 

[MattF]

The first set I bought was 4-SW Cobra FP in 2007. Second set is what I currently have...third set will be somewhat bought on black Friday when I visit Golfworks.

[DaveP043]

I started back in about 1970 with some hand-me-down Sam Snead Blue Ridge clubs.  The first irons I bought were Golden Ram, when Ram was a pretty new manufacturer.  A couple of hears later I bought my first new set of woods,  by Titleist.  I can remember working through sets of Hogan Magnums, with the huge cavity back, MacGregor JNPs (the last year Jack had his name on MacGregors), another set of MacGregors, Mizuno MP-30s, and now Titleist AP2.   That's not bad, really, 6 sets of new irons in over 40 years of playing.

[markb]

I remember playing with a set of terrible JB Hunter aluminum shafted irons as a kid, but I can't find any trace that they ever existed on Google now.   Did I imagine them?   On further searching, I think they were probably JC Higgins starter irons sold in the early 1960's by Sears.

 

The first set of clubs I bought with my own money were Wilson 1200's, seen below.  I can't begin to recount the number of hand-stinging bad shots I hit with these.  I did not like them but since I bought them in 1975 myself I kept and played them for a long time, refusing to give up on them.

 

 

Around 1989 I swapped out all the woods for Taylormade Pittburgh Persimmon metal woods.  What a joy those were to hit!

 

In 1991 I bought Callaway S2H2's -- and I never hit them well.   They looked lovely and produced very iffy results.   I wanted Pings and should have bought them, but as you'll recall Pings were quite a bit more expensive than most other clubs back then.

 

 

Finally in about 1997 I gave up on them and went back and bought a great set of matched copper Ping Eye2's.  I played these (and other sets of Eye2's) until 2012.

 

 

At this point I got seduced by technology and I moved to the much longer/much easier to hit Rocketbladez/Speedblades, which I still play today although I'm gradually dropping the shorter clubs one by one for forged replacements.

[westy]

Back in the summer of 91, things were going very grunge in my house.....but not in my golf bag

 

The Maruman 41cx were my first full set of clubs, 1 to SW. Awesome. I'd played to that point with my grandads early 1950's Hogans (still got those and regret frequently letting the Marumans go).

[Kenny B]

Sounds like Ping Eye 2 is the winner so far.

 

I first played in 1991 on a weekend in the middle of a business trip to California.  Seven guys asked be to make 2 foursomes.  We all rented clubs.  Didn't play the rest of that year, but did go to the local driving range and hit balls.  The range gave me a Redbird iron and a wood to use free.  One one hit the head of the wood went 50 yards downrange (I think about as far as I hit the ball.)  I needed to find something to replace softball and basketball for my aging body.  Little did I know what I was getting into.

 

In 1992 I bought a used set of Ping Eye 2 irons (still have them) and a Big Bertha driver and 5 wood.  I used those for a lot of years.  Since then I acquired Macgregor VIP V-Foil blades and forged M685 irons (still have those too).  I am actually going to reshaft the M685 irons with UST ProForce 95 graphite this winter; the lie has been adjusted to 2 flat to fit my swing.  In 2012 I went to my first fitting and bought the Ping i20 irons and I am still using them.  That may change depending on my results with the reshafted M685 OR if the new Ben Hogan irons feel and work as good as my SCOR wedges.

[markb]

i suspect that if you were to ask the question of golfers overs 40, "Who has never hit a Ping Eye2 or the original Big Bertha?", no hands would go up.   That's how dominant those clubs were.

[GolfSpy Tim]

I WISH I had my original set. Total random mixed bag of persimon heads and probably 5 different makes of irons knowing the garage sale ***** I was as a kid.

 

I was reintroduced to the game after college and scored a set of wilson's midsize with fire stick shafts:

[RoverRick]

Let's see, this is turning into a list the progression of irons that you have had thread.  I, mercifully, do not have pics of all of them that I have owned and will only include those of interest.  So, here we go.

1.  Tony Penna Blades. (purchased Used 1979)

2.  Ping Eye 2 BeCu (Purchased used 1986 for $20)  I sold these to my neighbor a couple of years ago after he had asked to buy them for 10 year.  Should have kept them.

3.  Ben Hogan FTX 2002 Purchased New.

4.  Ben Hogan CFT* (Purchased new in 2004, still have them, but they have never won a spot in the starting line up.  The Hybrids, however, are still in the bag.)

The following are the irons I have bought since 2009.

5.  Titleist AP2 -  In early 2009, I traded my Hogan FTX irons, the best I have ever had, in on a set of AP2's.  I began to play everyday at this point.  What follows is the string of irons in quest of the perfect set.

6. Ping ISI BeCu 2009-2010

7 . Callaway Prototype MB 2010

8.  Titleist ZM 2010-2011

9.  Mizuno MP62 2011

10. Mizuno MP32  Gun Blue. 2011 This was my first attempt at refinishing and sold them shortly after I finished with them.

11. Mizuno MP33* Gun Blue 2 sets. 2011-2013  I loved these irons and quite literally wore them out.  I purchased another set and wore them out.  And replaced them with MP68 and left the chrome on so they did not wear as quickly.

12. Mizuno MP59 2012-2014 Sparingly used because they were just too pretty to hit and mess up.  Possibly the best iron ever.  I loved them more than the Hogan FTX.  But sold them for the Ping S56 thinking the Pings would last longer, and I would forget about the MP59's. (Did not work.) These irons were babied and never hit range balls, and only used them during money rounds, rarely to practice trying to save them.

13. Ping S56*

14. Mizuno MP68*  Current gamers.

[kygolfer1980]

2001 is when I started playing golf.  Bought the Tommy Armour 845 Evo's spring of 2002.

 

[BIG STU]

My first real set were a set of Wilson Staff Patty Berg ladies with aluminum shafts (my Dad was a Wilson dealer at the time) I was probably 12 or so. My next set the old man bought them for me for working and helping out they were a set of 1970 Spalding elite MV2 blades. Played them for years. Ended up horse trading a guy out of a set of 66 67 Power Bilt Levellume blades. Played them until I wore them out. First set I actually bought myself were a set of MP-33 blades and played them until I wore them out. bought a set of Mac VIP blades and played them until this past summer until my friend built me a set of Infiniti TS-10s. Now these times I did switch around some and experiment but ended up with my old standards listed above. Most of the time I either played a Power Bilt or Toney Penna driver but with either H&B or Hogan fairway woods

[revkev]

i suspect that if you were to ask the question of golfers overs 40, "Who has never hit a Ping Eye2 or the original Big Bertha?", no hands would go up.   That's how dominant those clubs were.

Mine would in a heartbeat. I had never bagged a Callaway club until July of this year and never seriously hit one or swung One wiith the intent of purchasing it. I never swung the Big Bertha irons. I hit those Wilson 1200's that you showed a number of times because my friend had a set.

 

The first set of irons that I purchased were Ram Tour grinds in the summer of 1978. I played golf for ten years prior to that with my beginner set. I was a baseball so golf was not a priority until a bout with mono put an end to my baseball career junior year of college. Started playing golf seriously that spring, got a job, bought the clubs and a membership at a course and by the next summer eliminated my college baseball coach in the quarter finals of the city tournament. Lost in the semi's.

 

Had the Rams until '85 when my car was rear ended with my clubs in the trunk. Purchased a full set of Eye 2's with the insurance money and have had far too many iron sets to mention since abandoning those in 2004.

[markb]

Mine would in a heartbeat. I had never bagged a Callaway club until July of this year and never seriously hit one or swung One wiith the intent of purchasing it. I never swung the Big Bertha irons. I hit those Wilson 1200's that you showed a number of times because my friend had a set.

 

The first set of irons that I purchased were Ram Tour grinds in the summer of 1978. I played golf for ten years prior to that with my beginner set. I was a baseball so golf was not a priority until a bout with mono put an end to my baseball career junior year of college. Started playing golf seriously that spring, got a job, bought the clubs and a membership at a course and by the next summer eliminated my college baseball coach in the quarter finals of the city tournament. Lost in the semi's.

 

Had the Rams until '85 when my car was rear ended with my clubs in the trunk. Purchased a full set of Eye 2's with the insurance money and have had far too many iron sets to mention since abandoning those in 2004.

 

Since you played Eye 2's, your hand would still have to stay down!  It was an either or question.

[Kanoito]

Damn... some of you guys started playing when I was born

I picked up the game around 2010... first set was a clone of the Rapture V2, then went for something less clunky so switched to the clones of the R9

And then got the Mizuno MP-59 when they launched and haven't switched since

[silver & black]

My first set was Callaway X-12's.

[Jmikecpa]

i suspect that if you were to ask the question of golfers overs 40, "Who has never hit a Ping Eye2 or the original Big Bertha?", no hands would go up.   That's how dominant those clubs were.

I had both in my bag for a good amount of time in high school and college.  The Big Bertha got kicked to the curb when I picked up a McHenry Metals Tour Pure II, 6.5* with a Penley LD shaft.  Not sure that could even get that driver airborne these days.

[GolfSpy Barbajo]

I had both in my bag for a good amount of time in high school and college.  The Big Bertha got kicked to the curb when I picked up a McHenry Metals Tour Pure II, 6.5* with a Penley LD shaft.  Not sure that could even get that driver airborne these days.

 

McHenry Metals - now there's a blast from the past!  Weren't they a precursor to Taylormade? 

[Kevin Unterreiner]

Hahaha! Those Kmart Executives were mine, too! 1982???

[GolfSpy Barbajo]

Hahaha! Those Kmart Executives were mine, too! 1982???

 

Yup!  Werner's Sporting Goods, Leominster, MA!  Fancy sticks in the day...

[Jmikecpa]

McHenry Metals - now there's a blast from the past!  Weren't they a precursor to Taylormade? 

Actually McHenry Metals was after TaylorMade, but was founded by Gary Adams whom was instrumental in the metal wood.

 

Below is from the McHenry Metals site:

 

McHenry Metals was originally founded in 1997, by the late Gary V. Adams, who is widely recognized as the "Father of the metal wood”. Adams was also the founder and former chairman of Taylor Made Golf Company, one of the largest golf equipment companies in the world.  Since it's founding, McHenry Metals has invested close to $20 million to establish a reputation for performance and quality in the premium driver and fairway wood business. Between 1998 and 2000 the company sold close to 25,000 drivers and fairway metals generating approximately $10 million in sales. McHenry Metals first product, the TourPure® driver, pioneered the combination of titanium and tungsten. TourPure quickly became the #1 Driver on the Senior PGA Tour, was #1 in Driving Accuracy on the PGA Tour in 1999 and 2000, and has over 20 tour victories to its credit. McHenry Metals' success in improving accuracy is a result of its exclusive “PowerRing Technology” that allows for optimum weight distribution and stability through impact.

Since its inception McHenry Metals utilized a variety of sales and distribution channels, including off-course golf stores and on-course pro shops, on-course product demonstrations (demo-days), direct response catalogs, outbound telemarketing, e-commerce via Internet e-tailers, the Company's web site, distributors with domestic and international accounts and a customer list of over 35,000 golfers. In support of these channels for sales and distribution, the Company advertised its products on national television networks such as The Golf Channel, Fox Sports, and CBS. It has also placed advertising and received editorial coverage in major golf publications such as Golf Magazine, Golf Digest, GolfWeek, GolfWorld, and the GolfPlus edition of Sports Illustrated.  Beginning in 1998, the Company utilized 8-time Emmy Award winning broadcaster Dick Enberg as its primary spokesman. The Company maintained a presence on the PGA and related Tours. Fred Funk and Bobby Clampett from the PGA Tour, and Senior PGA Tour players Tom Jenkins and Fred Gibson and Brian Barnes have all endorsed McHenry Metals drivers in the past.

The legendary “heritage” of McHenry Metals is based on the accomplished career of Gary V. Adams. Adams received numerous awards and accolades, including “Man of the Year” by the National Golf Association, “Innovator of the Decade” by the International Network of Golf, and the PGA of America's highest honor, the “Ernie Sabayrac Award” for lifetime contributions to the game of golf. Other notable recipients of this award include Ely Callaway and Karsten Solheim. In the near future the late Gary V. Adams is expected to be elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame.

With the untimely death of Gary V. Adams (1943-2000), the original company lost its golf visionary and leader and subsequently “went on hold” and eventually dissolved without negative industry, distribution nor consumer impact.

[MGoBlue100]

Walter Hagen Ultradyne II's.  They had a very unique shaft, and a sweet spot about the same size as the head of a pin.  Wish I still had them though.

[RobertW]

My first set of clubs was the ping eye 2 - black code that my dad gave me.   Later on I purchased my own

set of clubs and they were also Ping Eye2.

Since then I have purchased the following irons: Ping Zing, Ping G3, G10, and I20.  I forgot: the ping raptures too!

 

Now, I have the i20's and the Miura's CB501

[BIG STU]

I had both in my bag for a good amount of time in high school and college.  The Big Bertha got kicked to the curb when I picked up a McHenry Metals Tour Pure II, 6.5* with a Penley LD shaft.  Not sure that could even get that driver airborne these days.

That Penley was a hell of a shaft. I just recently installed the last one I have that my late friend J W White had tipped and splined for me. Have had that shaft for 7 years or so waiting to put it into something. Finally horse traded for a Nakashima Driver that someone had a senior flex pro launch in. Put the Penley in now that driver is a killer but I can not control it with any consistancy

[Jmikecpa]

That Penley was a hell of a shaft. I just recently installed the last one I have that my late friend J W White had tipped and splined for me. Have had that shaft for 7 years or so waiting to put it into something. Finally horse traded for a Nakashima Driver that someone had a senior flex pro launch in. Put the Penley in now that driver is a killer but I can not control it with any consistancy

I loved that shaft in the Tour Pure head.  I actually ended up having it put in after I snapped the stock shaft during the first range session and the replacement shaft the first time I hit it.  I will have to snap some pics of the driver when I get back home this weekend.