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Maltby Playability Factor - which irons are easiest to hit


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I read a lot of posts about which irons are the easiest to hit and I haven't seen any posts/responses referencing the Maltby Playability Factor (MPF).

More information about what it is: http://ralphmaltby.com/what-is-mpf/

 

I remember this being a trusted source back in 2013/2014, but I haven't seen anything about it recently.

Looks like the Maltby experts just published their 2016 ratings

and I'm curious to see what others think about it.

 

http://ralphmaltby.com/golf-head-ratings/

 

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This is all new to me. One thing I did notice in the rating is that Maltby says the Ultra Game Improving category is becoming more popular with tournament pros. Really?

My Sun Mountain bag currently includes:   TWGTLogo2.png.06c802075f4d211691d88895b3f34b75.png 771CSI 5i - PW and TWGTLogo2.png.06c802075f4d211691d88895b3f34b75.png PFC Micro Tour-c 52°, 56°, 60 wedges

                                                                               :755178188_TourEdge: EXS 10.5*, TWGTLogo2.png.06c802075f4d211691d88895b3f34b75.png 929-HS FW4 16.5* 

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I think ultra game improvement irons have always been on the pro tours. A noteable playerswho come to mind are Rocco Mediate, who played Callaway X-series (x-14, x-16, etc.) irons for the longest time, before switching to PXG

Link to the witb video from circa 2009: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uM8Qvx070tQ

 

There are others but It's probably just not covered very much.. I think people forget that Annika shot 59 with x-14 irons (not even the pro series)

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/callaway-staff-pro-annika-sorenstam-shoots-59-record-shattering-round-leads-to-lpga-tour-victory-71716307.html

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I knew it existed, but never crossed my mind to actually reference it.  Looking a number doesn't mean much to me, I'd rather just demo them and see how they hit.

Driver: :taylormade-small: SLDR w/ Fujikura Ventus Black

3w: :taylormade-small:'16 M2 hl w/ Diamana D+ 82

5w: :cleveland-small: Launcher HB w/ HZRDUS Yellow

Hybrid: :cleveland-small: 22 deg. Launcher HB w/ HZRDUS Black

Irons: :cleveland-small: 5i - gap Launcher CBX w/ Nippon Modus 3 125

Wedges: :cleveland-small: 54 CBX & 58 Zipcore w/ Nippon Modus 3 125

Putter: :odyssey-small: Red 7s

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I think ultra game improvement irons have always been on the pro tours. A noteable playerswho come to mind are Rocco Mediate, who played Callaway X-series (x-14, x-16, etc.) irons for the longest time, before switching to PXG

Link to the witb video from circa 2009: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uM8Qvx070tQ

 

There are others but It's probably just not covered very much.. I think people forget that Annika shot 59 with x-14 irons (not even the pro series)

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/callaway-staff-pro-annika-sorenstam-shoots-59-record-shattering-round-leads-to-lpga-tour-victory-71716307.html

Colin Montgomery played my Callaway XF Razr irons for years. He may still bag em...

 

 

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Ping G430 Max Driver 10.5 Degree
Titleist TSR1 4, 5, & 6 Hybrids 
Titleist T350 Irons 7 - W48 
Cleveland
CBX ZipCore  52 56 & 60 Degree Wedges

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This made me curious so I looked up my irons (Ping i25). The MPF is actually higher for the S55 (iBlade isn't listed yet) than the i25s or the newer i-E1 (current i iron), say what!!??

WITB:
Driver: Cobra King LTD
Fairway: Ping G25 (3)
Hybrid: Ping i25 (22 degree)
Crossover: Ping G 5
Irons: Ping i25 (5 -PW)
Wedges: Bridgestone J15 forged 50 and 55 degree
Putter: Cleveland TFi Elevado w/ Winn Pro grip.

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This... would have you believe that Titleist's 695MB's are easier to hit than their new T-MB's. If I can interpret these seemingly arbitrary numbers correctly.

IMG_8404.JPG

 

 

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If you sort the list by highest rating, 7 of the top 8 are Maltby irons. Seems like a black box rating system geared toward the manufacturer getting good marks on their own clubs.

 

 

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:cleveland-small: Launcher HB Driver 10.5* | :cleveland-small: Launcher HB 5W | :cleveland-small: Launcher HB 3H and 4H | :cleveland-small: Launcher CBX Irons 5-PW | :cleveland-small: CBX Wedges 50*, 54*, 58* | :cleveland-small: TFI 2135 Cero Putter | :srixon-small: Q Star Balls
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I took a closer look at the ratings and on ralphmaltby website it says, "In short, the higher the Playability Factor value generated by the formula, the more playable and forgiving the particular design should be."

 

A higher rating doesn't necessarily mean a better club, it just means it's more forgiving. I wouldn't choose a club just because it is more forgiving than others because there's a lot more that goes into which irons go into my bag. For example, top line looks, sole interaction, shot-shaping abilities, feel at impact, etc. or could overrule how forgiving the club is. Maybe others feel the same way.

 

I don't know about the bias, but I thought the results were interesting. Attached it for others who want to check it out. Looks like it's dated 05/2016.

MPFRatingsChart.pdf

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I just have to wonder... has someone ever been trying to decide between two sets of irons, so they look at the chart? "Oh - 423 beats 398, so I'll buy this one"

 

 

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I took a closer look at the ratings and on ralphmaltby website it says, "In short, the higher the Playability Factor value generated by the formula, the more playable and forgiving the particular design should be."

 

A higher rating doesn't necessarily mean a better club, it just means it's more forgiving. I wouldn't choose a club just because it is more forgiving than others because there's a lot more that goes into which irons go into my bag. For example, top line looks, sole interaction, shot-shaping abilities, feel at impact, etc. or could overrule how forgiving the club is. Maybe others feel the same way.

 

I don't know about the bias, but I thought the results were interesting. Attached it for others who want to check it out. Looks like it's dated 05/2016.

noted on your point about rating being about club forgiveness and not what is better. But even in this context it seems suspicious that their irons rate the highest in a point system that they determine. I do think the list is still fascinating--there are blades that rate more forgiving than CB's from the same manufacturer...

 

 

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I check the Maltby system from time to time just out of curiosity. It does seem to have some holes in it though.

Driver- Tmag 2017 M2 tour issue 8.5* actual loft 7.8* w/ HZRDS Green PVD 70TX"
Fairway Metal- Taylormade SLDR Mini Driver 12* w/ Fujikura Rombax TP95-X"

Utility- Mizuno MPH5 1 iron w/ Aldila RIP 85X (depending on course/ conditions)

Irons- Mizuno MP- FLI HI 2i w/ Aldila Proto ByYou 100X
          Mizuno MP59 4i-6I w/ PX 6.5

          Mizuno MP69 7i-PW w/ PX 6.5

Wedges- Scratch 8620 Driver/Slider set.  50*, 54* bent to 55* and 60*

Putter- Taylormade Spider Tour w/ flow neck
Ball- Bridgestone Tour B X

Bag- Sun Mountain C130 Supercharged

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HAHAHAHAHA

 

I like Pings.  I currently play the i20 irons, but according to the MPF they are Conventional irons.  Maybe I should play something a little more forgiving.  Well, I could play the Game Improvement Ping S55, or S56, or S57, or S59.  Since I am really old, maybe I should play something with a lot of forgiveness like the Super Game Improvement Ping S58.  That will improve my game.  {end sarcasm}

We don’t stop playing the game because we get old; we get old because we stop playing the game.”

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I think ultra game improvement irons have always been on the pro tours. A noteable playerswho come to mind are Rocco Mediate, who played Callaway X-series (x-14, x-16, etc.) irons for the longest time, before switching to PXG

Link to the witb video from circa 2009: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uM8Qvx070tQ

 

There are others but It's probably just not covered very much.. I think people forget that Annika shot 59 with x-14 irons (not even the pro series)

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/callaway-staff-pro-annika-sorenstam-shoots-59-record-shattering-round-leads-to-lpga-tour-victory-71716307.html

Funny you mentioned Rocco. A bud of mine used to be on the Callaway Tour Van when Rocco was on staff and he told me at the time Rocco played bone stock off the shelf X-14s except for the grips. He never had the staff mess with them any. I do remember back in the day on the minis Rocco played a set of Eye 2s. Rocco in person is the same funny excitable guy as you see on TV.

Driver ---- Callaway Big Bertha Alpha  Speeder 565 R flex- 5W TM V-Steel Fubuki 60r--- 7W TM V-Steel UST Pro Force Gold 65R----- 9 W TM V Steel TM MAS stiff---- Irons 2015 TM TP CB Steel Fiber 95 R--- GW Callaway Mack Daddy 2 52* shaft unknown junk pile refugee. SW Callaway PM Grind 56*  Modified sole grind--- KBS Tour Wedge-- LW Vokey 58* SM5 L grind--- Putter Ping B90I Broom Stick 

 

 

 G

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I read a lot of posts about which irons are the easiest to hit and I haven't seen any posts/responses referencing the Maltby Playability Factor (MPF).

More information about what it is: http://ralphmaltby.com/what-is-mpf/

 

I remember this being a trusted source back in 2013/2014, but I haven't seen anything about it recently.

Looks like the Maltby experts just published their 2016 ratings

and I'm curious to see what others think about it.

 

http://ralphmaltby.com/golf-head-ratings/

A buddy of mine over on WRX has the MPF thing somehow stored on his computer. He is also a classic club player and collector like I am. He pointed out that one set of irons the he and I both own has the hardest MPF listed. The irons are 1962 Macgregor FC-4000s I also have a fully restored set of the 1959 version of those. I would 100% fully defer to the MPF on that deal because those irons will tell on you in a heartbeat if you mishit one. Absolutely NO forgiveness at all

Driver ---- Callaway Big Bertha Alpha  Speeder 565 R flex- 5W TM V-Steel Fubuki 60r--- 7W TM V-Steel UST Pro Force Gold 65R----- 9 W TM V Steel TM MAS stiff---- Irons 2015 TM TP CB Steel Fiber 95 R--- GW Callaway Mack Daddy 2 52* shaft unknown junk pile refugee. SW Callaway PM Grind 56*  Modified sole grind--- KBS Tour Wedge-- LW Vokey 58* SM5 L grind--- Putter Ping B90I Broom Stick 

 

 

 G

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Like anything else the chart represents a starting point. Different swings, different eyes, different ears may produce different results.

 

Many fitters/builders use it as a guide.

 

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Taylor Made Stealth 2 10.5 Diamana S plus 60  Aldila  R flex   - 42.25 inches 

SMT 4 wood bassara R flex, four wood head, 3 wood shaft

Ping G410 7, 9 wood  Alta 65 R flex

Srixon ZX5 MK II  5-GW - UST recoil Dart 65 R flex

India 52,56 (60 pending)  UST recoil 75's R flex  

Evon roll ER 5 32 inches

It's our offseason so auditioning candidates - looking for that right mix of low spin long, more spin around the greens - TBD   

 

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I don't care how easy a calculator says it is to hit a club.... If it doesn't feel better than my current gamers, I'm not even going to think about it

 

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My exact sentiments also

Driver ---- Callaway Big Bertha Alpha  Speeder 565 R flex- 5W TM V-Steel Fubuki 60r--- 7W TM V-Steel UST Pro Force Gold 65R----- 9 W TM V Steel TM MAS stiff---- Irons 2015 TM TP CB Steel Fiber 95 R--- GW Callaway Mack Daddy 2 52* shaft unknown junk pile refugee. SW Callaway PM Grind 56*  Modified sole grind--- KBS Tour Wedge-- LW Vokey 58* SM5 L grind--- Putter Ping B90I Broom Stick 

 

 

 G

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Like anything else the chart represents a starting point. Different swings, different eyes, different ears may produce different results.

 

Many fitters/builders use it as a guide.

 

Sent from my VS986 using MyGolfSpy mobile app

And Ralph Maltby is a engineer and he does base his MPF off of the basic engineering design with regards to sole bounce COG etc. And exactly like you said everyone is different. I refer to it as a general guide sometimes. One thing it does not take into consideration because there are literally 1000s of combinations is the playability factor with different shafts and weight distribution. 

Driver ---- Callaway Big Bertha Alpha  Speeder 565 R flex- 5W TM V-Steel Fubuki 60r--- 7W TM V-Steel UST Pro Force Gold 65R----- 9 W TM V Steel TM MAS stiff---- Irons 2015 TM TP CB Steel Fiber 95 R--- GW Callaway Mack Daddy 2 52* shaft unknown junk pile refugee. SW Callaway PM Grind 56*  Modified sole grind--- KBS Tour Wedge-- LW Vokey 58* SM5 L grind--- Putter Ping B90I Broom Stick 

 

 

 G

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HAHAHAHAHA

 

I like Pings. I currently play the i20 irons, but according to the MPF they are Conventional irons. Maybe I should play something a little more forgiving. Well, I could play the Game Improvement Ping S55, or S56, or S57, or S59. Since I am really old, maybe I should play something with a lot of forgiveness like the Super Game Improvement Ping S58. That will improve my game. {end sarcasm}

Yes... I'm trading in my Karsten irons for the SGI 58s as well

 

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  • 11 months later...

Like anything else the chart represents a starting point. Different swings, different eyes, different ears may produce different results.

 

Many fitters/builders use it as a guide.

 

Sent from my VS986 using MyGolfSpy mobile app

 

This. The benefit of what Maltby does is it provides measurements you don't normally get from manufacturers. The final "MPF" number he gives is his own formula, which may or may not matter for an individual. You can argue that the formula benefits his designs, or that he designs to the formula (chicken/egg). In the end what matters is identifying the properties that matter the most to you and your game, and comparisons with past favorite designs helps with that. At that point you can ignore the final number and look at the specific measurements.

 

The formula gives a very high weight to "C-dimension", which is how far away from the centerline of the hosel the horizontal sweetspot is. It also gives very high weight to how low the COG is. These factors benefit people who don't have the traditional "slightly heel side" and "shaft lean, compressed" impact that the best players tend to have. Those players will feel like they have trouble flighting the ball down or won't like the feel of a club with too low, too toe-ward sweetspot.

 

If you hit more toward the toe, more toward the bottom, lack shaft lean at impact, like many many average players, those measurements will benefit you. The club will launch better and feel better because the sweetspot matches your impact pattern better than a "low MPF" club.

 

I know from experience that if the club has a C-dimension of 1.2-1.3 and a VCOG of around .7-.75, I will like the club. This has been true going all the way back to the Macgregor 1025M blade, and I can look at irons I didn't like or didn't last long in my bag and those I consider my favorite sets and it is consistent.

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This. The benefit of what Maltby does is it provides measurements you don't normally get from manufacturers. The final "MPF" number he gives is his own formula, which may or may not matter for an individual. You can argue that the formula benefits his designs, or that he designs to the formula (chicken/egg). In the end what matters is identifying the properties that matter the most to you and your game, and comparisons with past favorite designs helps with that. At that point you can ignore the final number and look at the specific measurements.

 

The formula gives a very high weight to "C-dimension", which is how far away from the centerline of the hosel the horizontal sweetspot is. It also gives very high weight to how low the COG is. These factors benefit people who don't have the traditional "slightly heel side" and "shaft lean, compressed" impact that the best players tend to have. Those players will feel like they have trouble flighting the ball down or won't like the feel of a club with too low, too toe-ward sweetspot.

 

If you hit more toward the toe, more toward the bottom, lack shaft lean at impact, like many many average players, those measurements will benefit you. The club will launch better and feel better because the sweetspot matches your impact pattern better than a "low MPF" club.

 

I know from experience that if the club has a C-dimension of 1.2-1.3 and a VCOG of around .7-.75, I will like the club. This has been true going all the way back to the Macgregor 1025M blade, and I can look at irons I didn't like or didn't last long in my bag and those I consider my favorite sets and it is consistent.

One of the best analysts of MPF numbers I have seen.

 

 

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Driver - Ping G410 Plus 10.5 - Ping Tour 65 Stiff

4 Wood - Callaway Rogue - Project X Evenflow blue 6.0

Hybrids - Titleist 818 H2 -  3(c-1) and 4(c-4) - Tensei CK Blue 70 stiff

Irons - Callaway Apex  CF 16 5-AW - True Temper XP 95 Steel Stiff

Wedges - Ping Glide 54 SS, 58 TS

Putter - Edel e1 Torque balanced

Indianapolis

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  • 1 year later...
On 1/10/2018 at 6:06 PM, mooremikea said:

One of the best analysts of MPF numbers I have seen.

 

 

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Good analysis.  I find the guide useful.  20 points here or there doesn't really make a difference, but the general categorization of irons I have found to be pretty accurate.

:ping-small:G410 plus driver,:taylormade-small:Aeroburner 3W, :cobra-small:F6 Baffler 
:callaway-small:XR 4, 5 hybrids
:titleist-small:2021 T300 6 - GW, SW irons
:callaway-small: Mack Daddy CB 58/12 wedge
Axis1 Rose putter

Alternates: Srixon ZX4 MKII irons

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On 1/13/2017 at 4:16 PM, PlaidJacket said:

This is all new to me. One thing I did notice in the rating is that Maltby says the Ultra Game Improving category is becoming more popular with tournament pros. Really?

Check out some of the long irons in the Pro's bag. Lots of Wide soles

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  • 1 year later...

From my experience this rating scale is fairly accurate. And it can assist you in finding some gems that you wouldn't otherwise look at. Example being, I bought a set of Powerbilt TPS irons that were rate in the 900s. They are some of the sweetest, easiest to hit clubs I have ever used. My wife's Callaway Big Bertha circa 2004 irons are rated slightly higher and they are slightly easier and sweeter than the Powerbilt to me. My personal clubs, Ping Zings are great, but aren't as easy to hit, hence the lower rating which is in the high 700s. As someone had mentioned before about Maltby clubs being rated the highest, I think he may have designed his clubs according to this equation that yields more forgiving clubs which I would imagine many manufacturers would attempt to achieve I'm some fashion. So it makes sense to me.

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On ‎11‎/‎13‎/‎2020 at 5:52 PM, thegolfclubdoc said:

From my experience this rating scale is fairly accurate. And it can assist you in finding some gems that you wouldn't otherwise look at. Example being, I bought a set of Powerbilt TPS irons that were rate in the 900s. They are some of the sweetest, easiest to hit clubs I have ever used. My wife's Callaway Big Bertha circa 2004 irons are rated slightly higher and they are slightly easier and sweeter than the Powerbilt to me. My personal clubs, Ping Zings are great, but aren't as easy to hit, hence the lower rating which is in the high 700s. As someone had mentioned before about Maltby clubs being rated the highest, I think he may have designed his clubs according to this equation that yields more forgiving clubs which I would imagine many manufacturers would attempt to achieve I'm some fashion. So it makes sense to me.

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I've spent a lot of time comparing the MPFs, my non-scientific testing, and MGS/member reviews and I will say the MPF ratings are not the bible. However, the measurements are good if you know you want an iron with a low COG or high MOI, etc. I got a set of Callaway X-20s new in 2008 and will say that they are certainly very forgiving and "playable" and Maltby's MPF reflects that with a score over 1000. However, are they the best iron for everyone? No. I replaced that set with a used set of 2007 Callaway X-Forged irons and will say I became almost immediately more accurate with my irons, but I gave up some forgiveness. I feel like the full "playability" of irons and woods has not yet been fully or truly quantified by anyone yet. It's partially because golf is very feel based as everyone is different but it's also because there are difficult to measure dynamics in the swing that are difficult to identify and capture. Theoretically, Maltby's methods should be rock solid as they are based on math and the principles of physics but math doesn't capture the full story behind golf clubs. If it did, every club would be built using Maltby's principles that drive the MPF. 

I think a few of the big reasons, the MPF isn't the gospel is because every time you add MOI, blade length, and reduce the COG well below 0.84", you give up feel. A Callaway Big Bertha iron and Titleist MB blade will perform the same on a simulator all things being equal. However, when you put that club in human hands suddenly feel comes into play. You put a Big Bertha iron in the hands of a golfer and they will hit consistent shots. However, if you put that Titleist MB blade in their hands, and they will probably hit shots with more variability, but that variability will include shots more accurate than any from the Big Bertha. I don't have anything to back me up but I think it is because the more compact club heads provide much better feel for exactly where it is in the swing. I think when you make a club head wider and longer, you lose your ability to sense exactly where the club head is in the swing.

I think if you were to add a measurement of the clubhead's volume and insert that into the MPF, you could potentially gain the elusive thing that is missing from the MPF, which is feel.

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