Club Suggestions for 20 handicapper

[FL_Mullet]

Hey guys,

I was hoping I could get some opinions from the crowd.  I live in a relatively small town and the only "club fitter" within two hours is a dicks sporting goods. I recently hit on their monitor but the guy working it didn't sound confident in his suggestions. What he told me was based off my handicap he wanted to suggest some game improvement irons (919 hot metals, taylormade M5, and some pings) but because I have a fast swing, high ball flight, and hit the ball relatively long already he thought I should consider some players clubs (as he called them).  Unfortunately I didn't have much time to go through more clubs that day but plan on going back in the next couple weeks.  My question for y'all is next time I go back what clubs would y'all suggest I try?  Forgiveness is my top priority I want to enjoy the one or two rounds I play a month, and just want to limit my miss hits.  Is there such a thing as a game improvement club for someone who already has a high ball flight and plenty of distance?

About me: 

20 handicap - Do not see improvement happening anytime soon only play once or twice a month. No range time.

7-iron 170 yards with a high ball flight using ping i3's

Driver swing speed was around 115mph

Iron's are my weakness I'm usually 5-10 feet left or right of the green.

Thank you in advance for any suggestions or opinions.  

[Nic]

Based on some of the factors you mentioned,  I would suggest looking at Ping i210, Titleist 718 AP3, Mizuno JPX 919 Hot Metal Pro... all mid-handicap irons, keeping a level of workability with some forgiveness.

[Golfspy_CG2]

The above are good mid handicap irons.  But you ask for forgiveness, the next level down will help you more there, especially given you are missing left AND right.   

So consider any of the following.  Titleist T300, PING G410 or even 710, Cobra SpeedZone, Callaway MAVRIK and Taylormade SIM

if you want to save some money and go used or preowned route until you get more consistent, nothing wrong with that idea, so consider.

Titleist AP1, PING G400, Cobra F9, Callaway Rogue and Taylormade M6.   The Mizuno JPX 919 Hot Metal is a very good between option.  Playable enough for a higher cap, but looks good enough to be a mid cappers delight.  They are out of stock at Mizuno, but can be found all over Ebay if you know your specs.

 

[cdstall]

I'm in a similar boat, FL_Mullet and I wish I could offer more advice, but I'd like to add a few questions to yours. I don't mean to hijack your post, my apologies if this turns into that.

With COVID shutdowns I'm playing more and I'm very drawn toward new irons. I'm playing irons that are 12/14 years old (Nickent 3DX Pro). I certainly don't hate them, but I have to think that there are better products out there than what I'm hitting today that would make a substantial impact to my game immediately and make the 3-4 rounds/month substantially more enjoyable. 

My hesitation with getting fit is that I know I can't afford to buy the clubs from the guy doing the fitting and I'm not sure how committed they'll be to helping without the potential sale (i.e. your Dick's example above). I'll have to buy gently used to afford a "new" set . I'm also looking for something that will help me today, straight out of the gate, but that I won't regret in 10 years (as that seems to be my cadence for replacement) so I liked the previous suggestion of Mizuno's JPX 919 Hot Metal as an "in betweener" for that reason. 
 

I think the previous comments listed brands/clubs I'm very interested in from everything I've read, but I'd be curious what the rest of the forum thinks about just skipping the fitting and buying used, untested? Is that totally crazy? Throwing away money?

Or are my clubs so dated that nearly anything and everything would be an improvement? Or are clubs like the Mizunos (or insert brand) so good that almost any 20 handicapper would hit them well?

Thanks!

[Golfspy_CG2]

CD.  You asked for other opinions.  But if you don't mind another one from me.  I'll share an additional thought.  

We always advocate getting fit here.  We're a forum of golf nerds.  That's what we do and it's certainly beneficial. 

That said.  Probably 90% of golf club purchases are bought right off the rack with no or trial let alone a fitting.   And you know what, probably 95% of those work out just fine.  

Most of us who shout "get fit" from the mountain top have bought plenty of times blindly.  

The most important thing in this approach is getting something that fits your level.  Every one of the GI I mentioned above will.  And so will the prior version of each of those.

Then it comes down to shaft. Again the stock shaft at standard length is going to fit the majority of golfers.   You should have an idea if you want stiff or regular or senior shafts.   But more important than that is actual weight.  The typical R is going to be somewhere between 90 and 105 and typical S between 95 and 110.  

Those are very vague generalities.   But gives you an idea if you are looking at used or new. 

So all that said.   Don't feel like you are going to crazy and it's not throwing money away if you go this route as long as you do a little due diligence on what you feel you can handle, based on what you have now.  

Any of those clubs you're not going to outgrow if your desire is to keep clubs for 7-10 years. 

Hope this helps a bit. 

[cdstall]

Haha, I didn't mean to exclude you from offering additional opinions! I appreciate the advice.

I think getting fitted makes sense and dialing in on those handful of GI brands/models is right where I need to be. As I read more about fitting it seems that you can go through that process without extreme pressure to buy via the fit service. After some searching through forums here there are apparently plenty of places that offer it as a service, though, to the OP's point, geography plays a factor there. 

Thanks again for the guidance!  
 

[Kanoito]

The key is to be honest about it with the fitter. Tell him you just want to pay for the fitting and the data, as your friend builds your clubs.
They usually charge between $50-100 for a fitting and the data is yours to do whatever you want.

If you buy new irons every 10 years, then I personally would go for the fitting to be sure it's 100% the best purchase. Even then, you gotta consider how your swing might evolve in the 10 year span and then it's back to the drawboard.

I've been playing for 10 years and every 3-4 years I'm fit into a different shaft (KBS Tour then PX and now Modus3).

Alternatively, by looking at the top of your bag, if you know the driver and 3W are working well for you, you can take those as a baseline for shaft selection, not as good as a fiting but better than a wild guess.

[cdstall]

7 hours ago, Kanoito said:

The key is to be honest about it with the fitter. Tell him you just want to pay for the fitting and the data, as your friend builds your clubs.
They usually charge between $50-100 for a fitting and the data is yours to do whatever you want.

If you buy new irons every 10 years, then I personally would go for the fitting to be sure it's 100% the best purchase. Even then, you gotta consider how your swing might evolve in the 10 year span and then it's back to the drawboard.

 

As I continue to think about it, I think that's the best course of action. Get fit, be up front about it, gather the data and try to find what I want in used clubs for a cost savings. I think given my general timeline it's especially relevant since I won't want to go back to the drawing board sooner than I need to. That's why I posed the question about "outgrowing" something. Is a fit so specific that as a swing evolves and improves the fit is no longer accurate?

I'm sure in some cases the answer would be yes, but I also have to assume that looking at game improvement irons will allow for some wiggle room there. 

[Golfspy_CG2]

3 minutes ago, cdstall said:

As I continue to think about it, I think that's the best course of action. Get fit, be up front about it, gather the data and try to find what I want in used clubs for a cost savings. I think given my general timeline it's especially relevant since I won't want to go back to the drawing board sooner than I need to. That's why I posed the question about "outgrowing" something. Is a fit so specific that as a swing evolves and improves the fit is no longer accurate?

I'm sure in some cases the answer would be yes, but I also have to assume that looking at game improvement irons will allow for some wiggle room there. 

I'll try to give a short answer for once.

A  lot of specs that result form a fitting such as loft or lie can usually be easily adjusted without great trouble or expense if your swing changes/evolves.   Even weight can be worked with a bit with things such as tip weights or lead tape or grips etc.   So that isn't something you should really worry about.      Unless you go through a major swing evolution as a result of lesson and everything about your swing and delivery changes.   Then maybe an updated fitting might might be needed.  

[EEZurg]

I have gotten far more value and enjoyment of golf from lessons.  I feel like they are making me more consistent. I would go from being encouraged to quitting the game in consecutive rounds.  Now, when/if I go to get fitted, I will show them a swing that shows up more often than not.  Funny thing is....the better I play, the more I like my clubs.

[daviddvm]

25 minutes ago, cdstall said:

As I continue to think about it, I think that's the best course of action. Get fit, be up front about it, gather the data and try to find what I want in used clubs for a cost savings. I think given my general timeline it's especially relevant since I won't want to go back to the drawing board sooner than I need to. That's why I posed the question about "outgrowing" something. Is a fit so specific that as a swing evolves and improves the fit is no longer accurate?

I'm sure in some cases the answer would be yes, but I also have to assume that looking at game improvement irons will allow for some wiggle room there. 

Welcome to the forum! Good to see a fellow Houstonian in here.

Where do you play most?

[Kanoito]

Just 2 examples of how my swing evolved and merited a new fitting:

I remember when I first started was swinging the driver about 90mph and my ill-fitted shafts wouldn't load correctly. As years passed by I started gaining SS, so now I'm around 100mph and my current shafts feel much better.

The other one was between my last set and the current gamer. My old irons used to balloon in me so my fitter gave me PX to lower the flight. It was actually a swing flaw as I was scooping the ball at impact. With lessons, I've learned to hit down and compress the ball so now I need a little more launch pairing me with the Modus3.

I'm sure there'll be tons of other variables out there, but if we wait then all out, we'll never be done...

[cdstall]

2 hours ago, daviddvm said:

Welcome to the forum! Good to see a fellow Houstonian in here.

Where do you play most?

I've been hopping around lately- Memorial, Wildcat, Blackhorse, Gus Wortham, etc. I haven't found a great home course. Memorial is the most convenient, but with the $15 booking fee, and cart path only rules it feels like a bit of an overpay and it books up fast. Happy for suggestions of any hidden gems.

[DiscipleofPenick]

Do not trust DSG.

Take Dead Aim

[daviddvm]

1 hour ago, cdstall said:

I've been hopping around lately- Memorial, Wildcat, Blackhorse, Gus Wortham, etc. I haven't found a great home course. Memorial is the most convenient, but with the $15 booking fee, and cart path only rules it feels like a bit of an overpay and it books up fast. Happy for suggestions of any hidden gems.

Cypress Lakes is a nice course in that area, but if you are willing to drive aways, Eagle Pointe in Mont Belvieu is not heavily played and very well manicured with lots of elevation changes. Also not a long journey from the west side of Houston is a magnificent course right along the Brazos river. You will need to google map it ... it is off I-10 a ways.

River Ridge Golf Club

3133 Brazos Oak Ln, Sealy, , 77474-7342

[dlow206]

19 hours ago, Golfspy_CG2 said:

CD.  You asked for other opinions.  But if you don't mind another one from me.  I'll share an additional thought.  

We always advocate getting fit here.  We're a forum of golf nerds.  That's what we do and it's certainly beneficial. 

That said.  Probably 90% of golf club purchases are bought right off the rack with no or trial let alone a fitting.   And you know what, probably 95% of those work out just fine.  

Most of us who shout "get fit" from the mountain top have bought plenty of times blindly.  

The most important thing in this approach is getting something that fits your level.  Every one of the GI I mentioned above will.  And so will the prior version of each of those.

Then it comes down to shaft. Again the stock shaft at standard length is going to fit the majority of golfers.   You should have an idea if you want stiff or regular or senior shafts.   But more important than that is actual weight.  The typical R is going to be somewhere between 90 and 105 and typical S between 95 and 110.  

Those are very vague generalities.   But gives you an idea if you are looking at used or new. 

So all that said.   Don't feel like you are going to crazy and it's not throwing money away if you go this route as long as you do a little due diligence on what you feel you can handle, based on what you have now.  

Any of those clubs you're not going to outgrow if your desire is to keep clubs for 7-10 years. 

Hope this helps a bit. 

Great advice.

I have gotten fit before, but i am also a frequent buy blindly guy as well. Part of the golf hobby for me is buying equipment.

[TBT]

Cypress Lakes is a nice course in that area, but if you are willing to drive aways, Eagle Pointe in Mont Belvieu is not heavily played and very well manicured with lots of elevation changes. Also not a long journey from the west side of Houston is a magnificent course right along the Brazos river. You will need to google map it ... it is off I-10 a ways.

River Ridge Golf Club

3133 Brazos Oak Ln, Sealy, , 77474-7342

I was just in Mont Belvieu yesterday and drove out by Eagle Pointe and it looked closed...saw some Maintenience staff there but no others in sight and it looked like no pins on the greens.

I’ve heard a lot about the course but never played there and wanted to drive by while I was in the area.




Sent from my iPad using MyGolfSpy

[Perrymr]

Based on your price consciousnesss/skill level I would highly recommend the maverick line.  I play Titleist irons, (so not a callaway fan boy)  but have been so impressed by the forgiveness and price point of the mavericks.  Have put them in a fair number of golfers hands to try, ranging from club pros to newer golfers, and have had good feed back.

[HardcoreLooper]

If you're looking to save a little money, don't sleep on Sub70 or Maltby.  Both have their fans here at MGS.

[Golfspy_CG2]

7 hours ago, Perrymr said:

Based on your price consciousnesss/skill level I would highly recommend the maverick line.  I play Titleist irons, (so not a callaway fan boy)  but have been so impressed by the forgiveness and price point of the mavericks.  Have put them in a fair number of golfers hands to try, ranging from club pros to newer golfers, and have had good feed back.

Great suggestion here.  And this is from a Titleist loyalist! 

[Bigdog1956]

I am a novice who purchased “seconds” and found I was adapting to the clubs-they weren’t working for me! I took lessons, spoke with my instructor, then met with an excellent fitter who considered my age and $ limits. I did not want to spend more than $5-700 on a good set of irons. I ended up with a pristine set of “Fourteens, T-33 irons (4-pw) for $400. The clubs are from Japan and were purchased at 2nd Swing, Scottsdale, AZ after fitting. The benfit was immediately evident as my 4-iron misfit ping was 150-170 yds; T-33’s 200-230 yards. I am 64 and loving the game because of having the correct clubs. I think the expense is well worth the time and will give you years of enjoyment having the right clubs

A.J.

Edited July 31, 2020 by Bigdog1956
Incorrect spelling

[FL_Mullet]

On 7/28/2020 at 10:05 AM, Golfspy_CG2 said:

The above are good mid handicap irons.  But you ask for forgiveness, the next level down will help you more there, especially given you are missing left AND right.   

So consider any of the following.  Titleist T300, PING G410 or even 710, Cobra SpeedZone, Callaway MAVRIK and Taylormade SIM

if you want to save some money and go used or preowned route until you get more consistent, nothing wrong with that idea, so consider.

Titleist AP1, PING G400, Cobra F9, Callaway Rogue and Taylormade M6.   The Mizuno JPX 919 Hot Metal is a very good between option.  Playable enough for a higher cap, but looks good enough to be a mid cappers delight.  They are out of stock at Mizuno, but can be found all over Ebay if you know your specs.

 

Alright guys I have an update.

So I was able to try out some clubs today based on the recommendations.  We started out with me swinging my current 7 iron a ping i3, like I mentioned my clubs are a bit dated...  On the monitor I was averaging 170 yards with my 7 iron.  So then we tried out the srixon 585, taylor made M6, and the Mizuno JPX Hot Metal.  Honestly every one of these clubs felt amazing, huge improvement from my current clubs with the Mizuno feel the best, and having the tightest groups.  The only problem was with pretty much all of these clubs I was hitting the 7 iron 185-190 yards.  Much more than I want to be hitting a 7.  This would roughly put my PW 150-155 yards.  

When we went over the data he asked me which clubs felt the best.  I told him the mizuno felt the best, but the srixon was the sexiest.  With this in mind he handed me an MP-20 HMB.  Instantly this club felt amazing, I'm just worried it may be too much of a players iron for me?  The attendant described it as a players distance iron.  I tried looking at both with 2019 and 2018 mygolfspy player distance iron review but it doesn't appear it was tested.  Anyone have any feedback on these? Are they considered forgiving enough for an 18-20 handicapper? 

[HardcoreLooper]

On 7/31/2020 at 8:23 PM, FL_Mullet said:

Are they considered forgiving enough for an 18-20 handicapper? 

We'd need to know more about your game.  I know 18 handicappers that hit it like 10s and putt it like 30s.  Where are you giving shots away?  

I believe the HMBs are pretty well regarded, but I'm not personally experienced with them.

PS - If I could hit a 7 iron 190 with my current dispersion, I'd take it in a heartbeat.

 

 

Edited August 4, 2020 by HardcoreLooper
Misspelling

[Golfspy_CG2]

As Hardcorelooper mentioned above.  Many ways to get to that 18.  Are you rackikg up penalty strokes off the tee? 3 putts galore, hands like a bricklayer with wedges?

You obviously have the swingspeed for the HMB    I didn't when I tried them.  Maybe I should have tried on another day.  But I think they were a bit out of my league. 

Both the 585 or regular Hot Metal will offer overall playability and nice feel.  Can't go wrong either way.  Maybe go back another day and hit the HMB again to make sure you feel comfortable with it.  If you do, chances are you'll be fine with it.

One point to consider is your "divot depth" if you take big divots, the soles of the 585 and Hot Metal will allow you some relief there.  The HMB being in the MP family tends to have a bit more sharper leading edge.  

On mats in a store, that can be hard to pick up on. 

[cdstall]

On 7/31/2020 at 7:23 PM, FL_Mullet said:

On the monitor I was averaging 170 yards with my 7 iron.  So then we tried out the srixon 585, taylor made M6, and the Mizuno JPX Hot Metal.  Honestly every one of these clubs felt amazing, huge improvement from my current clubs with the Mizuno feel the best, and having the tightest groups.  The only problem was with pretty much all of these clubs I was hitting the 7 iron 185-190 yards.  Much more than I want to be hitting a 7.  This would roughly put my PW 150-155 yards.  

When we went over the data he asked me which clubs felt the best.  I told him the mizuno felt the best, but the srixon was the sexiest.  With this in mind he handed me an MP-20 HMB.  Instantly this club felt amazing, I'm just worried it may be too much of a players iron for me?  The attendant described it as a players distance iron.  I tried looking at both with 2019 and 2018 mygolfspy player distance iron review but it doesn't appear it was tested.  Anyone have any feedback on these? Are they considered forgiving enough for an 18-20 handicapper? 

FL- 

Can you shed a little light on what you mean, hitting the 7 iron 185 is a problem? I get the logic behind that dragging your PW up, but I'm not sure I understand why that's such a bad thing? I suppose you're creating a gap between PW and the rest of your wedges and that's the issue? 

I'm planning on doing a fitting as I mentioned, and I'm just curious about the thought process. 

Also, does the MP-20 HMB solve your distance problem the way you want? 

Last comment, and this is purely subjective- I think the JPX Hot Metals are soooo much more attractive than the Srixons. Just goes to show, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, right?

[aerospace_ray]

On 7/31/2020 at 7:23 PM, FL_Mullet said:

Alright guys I have an update.

So I was able to try out some clubs today based on the recommendations.  We started out with me swinging my current 7 iron a ping i3, like I mentioned my clubs are a bit dated...  On the monitor I was averaging 170 yards with my 7 iron.  So then we tried out the srixon 585, taylor made M6, and the Mizuno JPX Hot Metal.  Honestly every one of these clubs felt amazing, huge improvement from my current clubs with the Mizuno feel the best, and having the tightest groups.  The only problem was with pretty much all of these clubs I was hitting the 7 iron 185-190 yards.  Much more than I want to be hitting a 7.  This would roughly put my PW 150-155 yards.  

When we went over the data he asked me which clubs felt the best.  I told him the mizuno felt the best, but the srixon was the sexiest.  With this in mind he handed me an MP-20 HMB.  Instantly this club felt amazing, I'm just worried it may be too much of a players iron for me?  The attendant described it as a players distance iron.  I tried looking at both with 2019 and 2018 mygolfspy player distance iron review but it doesn't appear it was tested.  Anyone have any feedback on these? Are they considered forgiving enough for an 18-20 handicapper? 

So I have been following this thread. Tons of very quality information offered. Good for your on your fitting / testing. Regarding the new test 7 irons being longer, it may be as simple as the lofts are stronger, better specs that fit you-your swing (i..e the length/lie angle is correct, so your center strikes are better). Maybe the new clubs "feel" (very subjective but important to you) better through the swing and/or heavier(feel)/lighter (speed-swing faster)? I would not worry about the increased distance provided the clubs above and below the 7 iron have proper distance gaps accounted for your game.

Lastly, regarding your 18-20 HDCP. I have learned over the years not all HDCP's are equal. We each have challenges to different parts of the game that add up to the same score/HDCP. Where you would be loosing strokes would be an area I would attempt to get stats. Do you 3 putt a lot (get putter fitted, take lessons, learn to read greens), is your chipping costing you a few shots (wedge fitting, learn to chip/pitch/sand via instruction), irons into greens being outside 20 ft left/right of pin -- (check lie angle of clubs, your stance/setup-aim). So many little variables that contribute to a HDCP score but different with each golfer and why I believe your set of clubs needs to fit your abilities. We all can improve from instruction but we also have to have clubs that feel good, look good and are reasonably fit to us. You are on the right path. Good luck.

[Firebird]

Do not limit your self simply to GI, try as any as you can that is within you price range. Shafts can also change ball flight and hopefully the fitter have you try a number.

At the end of the day it is all about feel and confidence. If you step up to a ball with a club that you know feels great then your confidence level is high and trust the clubs.

One last suggestion, take with you the balls you normal like to hit as they can affect how a club feels. BTW they well be knackered after hitting the nets but is is a small price to pay.

[Sparkey67]

You could always weaken the lofts on all or some of the clubs. My guess the lofts on the clubs are stronger than what your old set is.


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[GaDawg]

9 hours ago, cdstall said:

FL- 

Can you shed a little light on what you mean, hitting the 7 iron 185 is a problem? I get the logic behind that dragging your PW up, but I'm not sure I understand why that's such a bad thing? I suppose you're creating a gap between PW and the rest of your wedges and that's the issue? 

I'm planning on doing a fitting as I mentioned, and I'm just curious about the thought process. 

Also, does the MP-20 HMB solve your distance problem the way you want? 

Last comment, and this is purely subjective- I think the JPX Hot Metals are soooo much more attractive than the Srixons. Just goes to show, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, right?

I would also like to know why hitting a 7 iron 185 is a problem?

[Buffly]

On 7/31/2020 at 5:23 PM, FL_Mullet said:

Alright guys I have an update.

So I was able to try out some clubs today based on the recommendations.  We started out with me swinging my current 7 iron a ping i3, like I mentioned my clubs are a bit dated...  On the monitor I was averaging 170 yards with my 7 iron.  So then we tried out the srixon 585, taylor made M6, and the Mizuno JPX Hot Metal.  Honestly every one of these clubs felt amazing, huge improvement from my current clubs with the Mizuno feel the best, and having the tightest groups.  The only problem was with pretty much all of these clubs I was hitting the 7 iron 185-190 yards.  Much more than I want to be hitting a 7.  This would roughly put my PW 150-155 yards.  

When we went over the data he asked me which clubs felt the best.  I told him the mizuno felt the best, but the srixon was the sexiest.  With this in mind he handed me an MP-20 HMB.  Instantly this club felt amazing, I'm just worried it may be too much of a players iron for me?  The attendant described it as a players distance iron.  I tried looking at both with 2019 and 2018 mygolfspy player distance iron review but it doesn't appear it was tested.  Anyone have any feedback on these? Are they considered forgiving enough for an 18-20 handicapper? 

I wouldn't worry about the number on the club. So now your 170 yard club is an 8 iron. 

Loft jacking and technology improvements are getting you the extra distance. 

The set Gap/approach wedge is your current pitching wedge loft and every club is one less. 

Great to hear you found something you like.