Back to golf after 12 year hiatus (maybe 10 rounds) New Iron HELP!

[claytushaywood]

I played a lot of golf as a kid- my dad was a big golfer and I actually got to play Valhalla a lot as I was a caddy there in high school.  I was probably as good as I am now when I was 12 and couldnt hit the ball a full 70% as far as I do now.

 

I started playing every week this summer and a couple of first rounds that exceeded my expectations got me hooked again.  My set consisted of some iron set by the brand "PRIMA" and the OG great big bertha titanium woods

 

I definitely needed some new irons- they were budget forged cavity irons with graphite shafts from maybe the year 1998- they were like $200 new at the golf shop back when Ping's were like $800

 

So i hit some clubs- my buddy sold me a set of callaway steelhead xr pro irons for cheap- and I hit them pretty good the few times on the course I used them.  Off the tee I hit the 3 iron nearly 15 yards longer with ease (even with 1/2" shorter length steel shaft)

 

Now I'm struggling with them out of the rough and off the fairway (and off the tee really).  I'm sure my swing needs help.  But I was killing my buddys taylormade RAC OS irons from like 2003.  They have graphite shafts and aer super light compared to the steelhead pro's- they also have a ton of offset next to steelheads- but I hit them really really well.  Like I was hitting them so far and high I thought I needed something with a more pro center of gravity

 

I think I'm dealing with the adjsutment of weight and offset.  The steelheads are heavier and have a LOT less offset than irons I'm used to.  My normal bad shot is a slice.  If I try to use my arms too much or try to ease up on the ball.  I've fixed my slice off the tee with driver and can put it out at about 270 pretty consistently with a fade- still cant draw without closing the club face at address- oh yeh- i'm 33 and not in terrible shape or flexibility.

 

But I am still slicing the steelheads or hooking them when I try to compensate.  

 

I feel like the wide soles of the steelheads are harder to take a divot with and in getting throught he rough.  I dont want blade thin soles.  But am I correct in feeling like the wide sole makes hitting out of the rough more difficult?  I get severely limited distance out of the rough  most of the time Then sometime I absolutely crush these irons 15 yards over the green.  I'm sure my ball striking isnt great but I was way more consistent with the crappy irons, but I was feeling like my handicap would be at least a 11-14 HC pretty quick once I started rolling some putts and chips a bit better.  I was hitting a lot of greens in regulation right when I started playing again (if you dont count the mulligans off the tee until I fixed my driver swing)

 

Does anyone have advice for switching from offset to non offset irons?  And I'm wondering if I should just use irons with some offset or try to overcome it- and I may be struggling with the weight.  The steelheads feel super heavy even though they only have xp95 shafts.

 

offset seems like a slippery slope- like do all my clubs need to be offset?  I dont need offset in my driver apparently?  though itd probably be nice to not worry about slicing it OB every once in a while.

 

Sorry for the terribly long post and intro.  I dont have the money to get custom fit- or take a bunch of lessons.  But i do have some money to buy and sell clubs on ebay or demo them at shops until I find something that works a bit better.

 

Thanks a bunch!

 

[robertson153]

First of all welcome to MGS. Second you said you caddied at Valhalla, from KY? Third you can never go wrong by going and get fit for clubs. Doesn't mean you have to buy new clubs, get your specs and look for a used set on eBay or second swing or Callaway preowned, close to your specs as you can. That would be my advise.

 

 

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[SteddyGolf]

.........

 

Sorry for the terribly long post and intro.  I dont have the money to get custom fit- or take a bunch of lessons.  But i do have some money to buy and sell clubs on ebay or demo them at shops until I find something that works a bit better.

 

Thanks a bunch!

I would definitely not get custom fitted just yet.  Since you are just coming back to golf after a time away your swing tendencies will most likely evolve quite a bit over the first six plus months.  Technology has moved on since the purchase of your last set and there are truly some outstanding offerings out there that can make the game more enjoyable to you.

 

If I were starting over after a long layoff I would look for lists of clubs from the various golf equipment review sites.  If you focus in on clubs made within the last 4 years or so you are sure to find a great deal.  

 

I play Mizuno MP-5s and I live in Hawaii.  As you can imagine many of my old friends love to come visit so I put together a loaner bag for guests.  The irons I chose were PING i25s.   I read a bunch of reviews and just felt they would be ok for all handicap levels.  I think they came out in 2014 and were about $700.  I paid $125 for a set in great condition.  I hit them regularly.  They are an awesome set.  I did replace the grips so all in, $200.

 

I would stay away from any specialized club with an exaggerated off-set.  Again, your swing will get better and it will definitely evolve.  As your technique, tempo and timing improve that increased offset might come back to haunt you.  

 

A relatively recent model that you should be able to pick up for a great price are the Wilson C200 irons.  These are game improvement irons with thicker soles.  I know you mentioned the thicker soles might be a challenge for you but they are definitely worth a look.  You would be hard pressed to find a review that didn't speak highly of this model.  Wilson was once the leader in the Golf industry.  While in the US they are not a major player as they once were, world wide they are still pretty well respected.  They have a new CEO and mission statement so you could see them come charging back into play.  

 

Good luck, read the threads, ask for advice, provide some feedback and hang around for a while.

 

V/R

 

SteddyGolf

[revkev]

Welcome back - I would respectfully disagree with advice that says “don't get custom fit” right away. Poor fitting clubs could cause swing habits that will be much harder to fix later. This is even more the case since you seem to be reasonably athletic. You are going to have an image of what a good shot looks like and will manipulate your swing to fit that image - effectively you will let the clubs shape your swing - that's NG!

 

Next, a thicker sole club will almost certainly be easier to hit out of the rough. That doesn't mean that's what will be best for your game just that it's a technique rather than an equipment issue.

 

The wisest investment right now would be to take a lesson or two. At the lesson be sure to discuss your bag, what type of clubs the teacher thinks would be best suited to your game, etc.

 

More than likely he or she will go with type verses a brand - but even if he's tied to a brand focus on type. If budget is a concern you can go back a model or two in that type, but cheaper, take them to a fitter and get them set up for your swing. If not then go to the fitter first, tell them what your teacher has said and have fun.

 

Good luck!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

[Kenny B]

Welcome from the Pacific Northwest!  Glad you joined us.  

 

Sounds like you have a lot going on and we have no clue about how you play.  You need an opinion from a golf professional that can evaluate your swing and your equipment.  Maybe the clubs don't fit you; maybe they are OK.  Before you make any decisions on equipment, check with your local pro or even a couple different ones.  They are like doctors... some you like, some you don't.  Find one that will work with you, and that doesn't always mean lessons.

[Sluggo42]

Yikes...

 

Take a few lessons and create a base to work from.

 

Most “big” golf stores have a booth or two with computers to visualize shots.

 

You can take endless swings with different used clubs, and you can swing till something not only feels good, but looks good on the computer.

 

You will need to learn your swing speed etc for shaft recommendations , and you should be able to find something for cheap.