Peter-T Posted November 24, 2021 Share Posted November 24, 2021 Hi, I just started playing again after almost 30 years. I have a relatively new driver (TaylorMade r7 quad), but my irons are over 40 years old. I regripped them but steel shafts and heads are original. I know a lot has changed in 40 years but what am I going to gain. As I haven't played much in the last 30 years, I am not that good. Now that I am retired I plan to play more often. What are the benefits of the new technology? If I can't replace the whole set at once, where do I begin? I don't have a fairway wood but have pretty much everything else. I bought a used 4 hybrid earlier this year just to have one in the bag. My putter is also 40 years old and I think I only paid $25 for it back in 1980. Thanks. CanadaMike, GolfSpy_APH, Billy-Bo-Jim-Bob and 1 other 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cnosil Posted November 25, 2021 Share Posted November 25, 2021 No reason to get new irons if you don't want to. Yes, technology has changed but doesn't mean you will hit your clubs any better. The general benefits of new technology is that the shafts bend profile may be better for your and that you may get more forgiveness on miss hits. You have made some other posts about playing better and your getting back into the game. Talk to your instructor about clubs and what he recommends. TR1PTIK, silver & black, Shankopotomous and 3 others 6 Quote Driver: G400 Max 9* w/ KBS Tour Driven Fairway: Paradym AI Smoke Max HL 16.5* w/MCA TENSEI AV Series Blue Hybrids: 915H 21* w/KBS Tour Graphite Hybrid Prototype 915H 24* w/KBS Tour Graphite Hybrid Prototype Irons: TR20V 6-11 w/Vizard TR20-85 Graphite Wedge: 54/12D, 60/8M w/Accra iWedge 90 Graphite Putter: Render w/VA Composites Baddazz Backup Putters: Sacks Parente MC 3 Stripe, Milled Collection RSX 2 Member: MGS Hitsquad since 2017 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GolfSpy_APH Posted November 25, 2021 Share Posted November 25, 2021 Agree with the previous post where you don't have to get new ones of you don't want to. Another option could be to go to a local shop and bring your irons to hit side by side with some others. See some of the differences and maybe you'll have a answer if it is worth buying new to you irons. Another good thing to do is give s budget to whoever you're working with. This way you don't get any sticker shock. With all this being said there are lots of not too expensive good irons out there and any good shop or fitter should be able to find clubs you like that work within your budget. sirchunksalot, RollingGreens, BH43 and 4 others 7 Quote as of Oct 5, 2024 (Past WITB) Driver: GT2 with Graphite Design AD CQ - check out the Driver Shootout! Wood: GT2 with Graphite Design AD CQ shaft (still love my Cobra F7's) Irons: T Series - T200 5 Iron T150 6-9 Iron Wedge: Toura Golf - A Spec 53,57 or SM10 45,49,53,57 degree wedges Putter: LINK! Full putter shootout incoming Balls: Vice Pro Plus Drip (Blue/Orange) Golf Bag: Ghost Anyday 5.0 Golf bag - Maverick colorway with MGS Logo Other: Vortex Anarch Rangefinder, searching for electric cart, Red Rooster The Root Glove and more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shankopotomous Posted November 25, 2021 Share Posted November 25, 2021 Why should you get new irons?? Asking that here is like a lion cub asking the pride why should we eat gazelles.....Because you CAN!!!! Just kidding! What irons do you currently have? My answer will be different if you have an old set of Ping Eye's versus a set of Sam Snead Blue Ridge Korvette's specials. Price doesn't equate to a quality club and what you can do with it. Each of my Cleveland wedges were bought used for less than $30. My Ping Anser & the various Bullseye wide flange putters from teh 70's & 80's were bought used for less than $25. I still go back to them from time to time when the new Heppler needs a time out. As mentioned newer clubs / shafts could be fit to your swing better than your current set and get you more consistent performance. I like the suggestion of taking your gamers to a demo day or local fitter to get some comparison data. Pay the fitter for their time and data then take the data and look for used clubs to match up. If you are patient you can save a good bit of $$. Besides it's just plain fun to try new stuff! sirchunksalot, Billy-Bo-Jim-Bob and Grand Stranded 2 1 Quote Modern Bag: G410 LST 10.5*, Hzrdus Smoke RDX 6.5 Flex; 915F 3w, Diamana S+ 70 S flex; Mavrik 18* 5w; JPX 919 HM Pro 4i; JPX 900 Forged 5 - PW, PX LZ 6.0; Edison 2.0 49*, 53*, 57* KBS Tour 120 S; Heppler Fetch; Ball - MTB-X; Bag - Jones MyGolfSpy Edition! Shot Scope H4, MG600 Rangefinder Classic Bag: Driver - Persimmon; 3w - Speed Slot; 5w - Tour Block; 3 - pw - Dynapower; sw - Ram Tom Watson; putter - bullseye standard or flange. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Middler Posted November 25, 2021 Share Posted November 25, 2021 You’ve gotten really good general answers already. Really depends on what the 40 year old irons are, your budget and what you expect from newer ones. Among the 20+ guys I play with regularly, there is ZERO correlation between handicaps and club age/cost. Our best player still has 20+ yo Mizuno blades with no plan to “upgrade.” One of our worst players went to Club Champion and spent almost $5K on 14 new clubs (yes, full bag including putter fitting). He’s still trying to convince himself and others it was worthwhile - but his handicap (published weekly) has gotten worse if anything. That said, the (120g S steel) shafts I played 40 years ago would be too stiff and heavy for me today (now 90g R graphite)… silver & black and Shankopotomous 2 Quote Titleist TSR2 11° HZRDUS Red CB 50 6.0 w Lamkin UTx Midsize Titleist TSR2 16.5º HZRDUS Red 60 CB 6.0 & TSR2 21º HZRDUS Black 4G 70 6.0 w Lamkin UTx Midsize Mizuno JPX923 HMP 4-GW, T22 54.12WS, T22 58.04DC w Lamkin ST+2 Hybrid Midsize LAB DF3 w Accra Maxfli Tour & ProV1 Ping Pioneer - MGI Zip Navigator AT Payntr X 001 F (mesh), Payntr X 005 F, Ecco Biom C4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiscipleofPenick Posted November 25, 2021 Share Posted November 25, 2021 There's going to be a big difference in forgiveness between modern irons and 40 year old ones. Also you could probably find a shaft option that fits you better than whatever is in your old clubs. You don't need new clubs, just something new-er. Get on eBay and you'll find plenty of options of irons from the last decade for a couple hundred bucks, rather than the thousand+ a new set would run. Shankopotomous 1 Quote Take Dead Aim Driver: PXG 0211 10.5* Fairway: Titleist 917 F3 15* Hybrid: Adams Idea Pro Boxer Gold 18* Irons: MacGregor MT-86 Pro Wedges: Vokey 50/54/58 Putter: SeeMore X2 Costa del Mar Ball: Srixon Z-Star Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BostonSal Posted November 25, 2021 Share Posted November 25, 2021 The best reason to get new clubs is that you feel like it. I have a small museum of retired sets in my basement, and the above is the only reason that I've ever had for replacing any of them. I could put new grips on set #1 and play it right now, truth be told. I'll get the exact same amount of fresh air and hangout time with my friends, you see, either way. But that's why I play. Others could feel differently. Stuka44, Shankopotomous and IndyBonzo 3 Quote Louisville Golf Persimmon___2, 4, 5, 7-woods; Epon AF-906___driving iron; Titleist T100 5, 6, 7, 8, 9-irons; Titleist T100S___48°; Edison 2.0___53º; Titleist SM-9 (T)___58º; Tad Moore Otto Hackbarth___putter; Titleist Pro V1x___ball Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fixyurdivot Posted November 26, 2021 Share Posted November 26, 2021 As someone who played PE2's for over 30 years before making an upgrade in 2018, I recommend investing in a quality fitting and seeing for yourself which of the many new offerings can add distance, accuracy, and forgiveness. Shankopotomous 1 Quote G410 Plus, 9 Degree Driver G400 SFT, 16 Degree 3w G400 SFT, 19 Degree 5w ZX5 Irons 4-AW Glide 2.0 56 Degree SW (removed from double secret probation ) ER5v Putter (Official Review) AI-One Milled Seven T CH (Official Review) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chisag Posted November 26, 2021 Share Posted November 26, 2021 ... I will add another element. I was playing with a guy asking me about replacing his irons that were quite old and beat up with shafts that didn't suit his swing. My initial response was absolutely replace them! But I play golf about 5 times a week and he plays Saturdays and not every Saturday at that so he was lamenting the cost of new clubs. $1300 for irons averaged over a year with around 250 rounds is not as big an expense as the original price tag would have me think. That's about $5 a round for a year of golf. Playing 3 times a month or 36 times a year the cost is now $36 a round. So quite a difference. If I had to pay an extra $36 on top of my greens fee every round for a year it might, might give me pause. ... So factoring in how many rounds you play may have an impact on buying new clubs. Some may certainly think playing 36 times a year they want the best clubs possible while others may think it isn't worth the additional money. That said this is a golf equipment forum and we all like the idea of playing the best tools we can and cost doesn't enter into it as much as other things in our lives. GaDawg 1 Quote Driver: Qi10 10.5* ... AutoFlex Dream 7 SF405 Fairway: Qi10 5 wood ... Kai'Li Blue 70r Hybrids: G430 Hybrid 22*... Alta Hy70r Irons: P770 5-pw ... Steelfiber i80r TP UDi 4 ... Steelfiber i80r Wedges: MG3 46*/50*/54* MG4 58* ... Steelfiber i95r Putter: Custom 5.1 (no alignment) 33" Ball: '24 TP5x/Maxfli Tour X Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cnosil Posted November 26, 2021 Share Posted November 26, 2021 10 minutes ago, chisag said: he was lamenting the cost of new clubs. $1300 for irons averaged over a year with around 250 rounds is not as big an expense as the original price tag would have me think. Yep, the cost of new clubs can be high; but you can also get some great deals on lightly used clubs or if you want new DTC brands like Sub70 are great options. GaDawg and tucker_jct 2 Quote Driver: G400 Max 9* w/ KBS Tour Driven Fairway: Paradym AI Smoke Max HL 16.5* w/MCA TENSEI AV Series Blue Hybrids: 915H 21* w/KBS Tour Graphite Hybrid Prototype 915H 24* w/KBS Tour Graphite Hybrid Prototype Irons: TR20V 6-11 w/Vizard TR20-85 Graphite Wedge: 54/12D, 60/8M w/Accra iWedge 90 Graphite Putter: Render w/VA Composites Baddazz Backup Putters: Sacks Parente MC 3 Stripe, Milled Collection RSX 2 Member: MGS Hitsquad since 2017 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chisag Posted November 26, 2021 Share Posted November 26, 2021 27 minutes ago, cnosil said: Yep, the cost of new clubs can be high; but you can also get some great deals on lightly used clubs or if you want new DTC brands like Sub70 are great options. ... Of course, there is also Certified pre owned, classifieds, etc. But the top of the line OEM are crazy expensive for the 4 - pw: Ping i59 ... $1749 P790 ... $1300 T100/200's ... $1300 King Tour ... $1300 JPX921 Tour ... $1300 Apex 21 ... $1300 Quote Driver: Qi10 10.5* ... AutoFlex Dream 7 SF405 Fairway: Qi10 5 wood ... Kai'Li Blue 70r Hybrids: G430 Hybrid 22*... Alta Hy70r Irons: P770 5-pw ... Steelfiber i80r TP UDi 4 ... Steelfiber i80r Wedges: MG3 46*/50*/54* MG4 58* ... Steelfiber i95r Putter: Custom 5.1 (no alignment) 33" Ball: '24 TP5x/Maxfli Tour X Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cnosil Posted November 26, 2021 Share Posted November 26, 2021 4 minutes ago, chisag said: ... Of course, there is also Certified pre owned, classifieds, etc. But the top of the line OEM are crazy expensive for the 4 - pw: Ping i59 ... $1749 P790 ... $1300 T100/200's ... $1300 King Tour ... $1300 JPX921 Tour ... $1300 Apex 21 ... $1300 Wasn't disagreeing that they are crazy expensive. For someone that really isn't that into golf I wouldn't recommend new clubs but some people like that new club feel. Quote Driver: G400 Max 9* w/ KBS Tour Driven Fairway: Paradym AI Smoke Max HL 16.5* w/MCA TENSEI AV Series Blue Hybrids: 915H 21* w/KBS Tour Graphite Hybrid Prototype 915H 24* w/KBS Tour Graphite Hybrid Prototype Irons: TR20V 6-11 w/Vizard TR20-85 Graphite Wedge: 54/12D, 60/8M w/Accra iWedge 90 Graphite Putter: Render w/VA Composites Baddazz Backup Putters: Sacks Parente MC 3 Stripe, Milled Collection RSX 2 Member: MGS Hitsquad since 2017 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chisag Posted November 26, 2021 Share Posted November 26, 2021 13 minutes ago, cnosil said: Wasn't disagreeing that they are crazy expensive. For someone that really isn't that into golf I wouldn't recommend new clubs but some people like that new club feel. ... Just throwing stuff out there. This guy was very serious just busy working and could not get out as much as he would like but was gonna get fit and buy whatever the fitter recommended. But you know how clubs go, one guy will buy the newest most expensive PXG irons or new Mizuno only and the next guy won't buy anything he can't find for $100 at a garage sale. And of course everything in-between. cnosil 1 Quote Driver: Qi10 10.5* ... AutoFlex Dream 7 SF405 Fairway: Qi10 5 wood ... Kai'Li Blue 70r Hybrids: G430 Hybrid 22*... Alta Hy70r Irons: P770 5-pw ... Steelfiber i80r TP UDi 4 ... Steelfiber i80r Wedges: MG3 46*/50*/54* MG4 58* ... Steelfiber i95r Putter: Custom 5.1 (no alignment) 33" Ball: '24 TP5x/Maxfli Tour X Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WiTerp50 Posted November 26, 2021 Share Posted November 26, 2021 That the irons are 40 years old and you are retired, I doubt you are under 60. All else equal, you could use the same irons. But your body is not equal to the task. Hey, I’m 71 and not knocking you. Just a fact of life. Your options run from used clubs on line to PXG 0211 to full custom set built by custom shops, as Club Champion is one example. I’d work with a local fitter and either buy new that way or pay for the fitting and try to match it from used resellers. You want to get matched to a head and shaft that suits your game. The R7 is a good driver but in 5 strokes Trackman can suggest if it is close to optimal. Reshaping that may not make economic sense. Lots of well depreciated drivers are available. Quote Titleist TSR 11 degree, HZRDS Red R 44.75 LH Titleist TSR-1 5/7 Woods LH Titleist TSR-1 23 Hybrid LH Titleist T200 7-48 - T350 6 Tensai AMT Red LH Titleist SM9 50-54-58 TT AMT Red LH Scotty Phantom X 7.5 RH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Everardo Posted November 27, 2021 Share Posted November 27, 2021 Well, check out my post. I have two sets of irons around 15 years old and preform atleast as good if not better than a newer set. Can 15 Year Old Clubs Still Compete? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RollingGreens Posted November 27, 2021 Share Posted November 27, 2021 A new or newer set can help with limiting your miss and possibly give you some added distance. Plus a newer set, the look good, feel good analogy? Quote Stealth 2 Plus 9deg Kai' li Red Stealth 2 13deg Aldilla Rogue Silver Stealth 2 15deg Aldilla Rogue Silver JPX 921 Hot Metal 4-PW Nippon Modus 120s SM8 54 and 58deg Dynamic Gold Wedge Flex Scotty Cameron Newport 2 Titleist ProV1 Hoofer Stand Bag Stewart Q Follow Electric Caddie 300 PRO Rangefinder Official Nippon Regio B+ Driver Shaft Review Official Stewart Q Follow Review Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim N Posted November 28, 2021 Share Posted November 28, 2021 I had a very similar dilemma when I started up again last spring after a 25-30 year hiatus. I was playing a set of original Armour 845s (3-PW), and picked up a set of Taylormade 4-PW Speedblades from a friend of a friend that are around 8 years old for under $300. The new clubs have stronger lofts, but are much more forgiving on off-center hits, longer and hold greens as well or better than the old ones. FYI, I'm 63, but still fairly strong and flexible due to doing a ton of yoga for the past 20+ years. When I hit the Armours just right the results feel more satisfying, but that doesn't happen all that often at my skill level. FWIW, both sets are steel shaft regulars, and the Taylormades are a little heavier swing weight. Having said all that, the difference isn't as extreme as when I changed out my first generation metalwood driver for a couple of years old Calloway epic flash. That added 50+ yards to my drives and keeps more of them in the fairway. Shankopotomous and chisag 2 Quote Callaway Epic Flash Driver (9 degree), Callaway Mavrik 3W, Titlelist 910H 3h, Taylormade Speed Blade irons (4i-PW), Kirkland v1 wedges (52-56-60), Odyssey Versa 7 putter. All clubs R-flex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
in4par Posted November 28, 2021 Share Posted November 28, 2021 (edited) I've been playing Mizuno MP20's for about 2 years now and absolutely love the feel/look of the clubs. My only complaint having gone through a pretty good season of tournaments with them, I'm tired of getting punished by distance lost if I don't hit the club pure every time. That being said, having tested a wide range of brands side by side I've come to conclusion that most of the latest and greatest out there, they all feel really good. I could use a little more forgiveness now and then along with benefiting from a slightly hotter face/club. I recently tried the new P790, a club I never ever thought I'd remotely be interested in whatsoever. Even my pro said forget it. After hitting them I could not believe the distance gains, forgiveness and feel of them. I even went so far to try PXG Gen 4 0311, a club/brand I just couldn't see moving to coming off of Mizuno. I was shocked at how well, far I was hitting them and loved the feel as well. I'm now contemplating a step down move. Perhaps P790 in 5-7 irons, P7 MC's in 8-PW as a combo if doable. Lots of options to consider and tinker with during my "offseason" here in Northeast. I've come to accept the fact as I'm getting older (yet still maintaining my single digit hcp) going with more forgiveness and hotter faces is not a bad thing. Its all about getting ball in hole with less strokes. I think the hardest most challenging thing is going to be the rest of my bag now. Already some manufacturers are starting to throw out teasers on the 2022 releases and the tech coming out looks sick across the board. Utility woods like Callaway has are throwing a wrench in things on how to now use them and properly gap the bag. Fairway woods as well. Callaway about to release new Rogue line which been told is super hot. Isn't it nice we have the tech available to us to use. I will certainly try the new 221's to compare look, feel, gains if any. Its going to be really hard to pass my MP20's to someone else but the tech thats out there now is just so good, its hard to ignore how one's game could improve with a little added help. Edited November 28, 2021 by in4par Shankopotomous 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Middler Posted November 28, 2021 Share Posted November 28, 2021 Interesting point made by chisag earlier. My $1400 JPX900 Forged irons, with over 300 rounds played, have cost me less than $5 per round so far, and I’ll probably keep them another couple years at least. So I wouldn’t feel bad about spending to get what I really want since they don’t cost that much in the larger scheme of things. I’d rather get exactly what I want, and always have, and keep them longer versus trading often for the latest thing. I’ve yet to have new clubs improve my scores over 57 years. YMMV Shankopotomous and chisag 2 Quote Titleist TSR2 11° HZRDUS Red CB 50 6.0 w Lamkin UTx Midsize Titleist TSR2 16.5º HZRDUS Red 60 CB 6.0 & TSR2 21º HZRDUS Black 4G 70 6.0 w Lamkin UTx Midsize Mizuno JPX923 HMP 4-GW, T22 54.12WS, T22 58.04DC w Lamkin ST+2 Hybrid Midsize LAB DF3 w Accra Maxfli Tour & ProV1 Ping Pioneer - MGI Zip Navigator AT Payntr X 001 F (mesh), Payntr X 005 F, Ecco Biom C4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
in4par Posted November 28, 2021 Share Posted November 28, 2021 agree Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter-T Posted November 28, 2021 Author Share Posted November 28, 2021 Thanks everyone. I wasn't expecting this much help. I certainly don't swing like I did in my twenties but Id do still drink like I did. With that said, the clubs I have are an off the shelf MacGreagor set. They weren't great clubs when I bought them but were what I could afford. Come spring I'll shop around for something more appropriate for my swing and budget. Thanks for the input. TxMike3, Shankopotomous and IndyBonzo 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shankopotomous Posted November 29, 2021 Share Posted November 29, 2021 I would go through the club fitting now and then you know what to look for over the winter. Since you won't be in a hurry you can get used to the 'normal' price range for appropriate iron set and look for good deals. Every couple days do a quick search on the bay and in the classifieds of some of the popular forums to see if something interesting pops up. RollingGreens and chisag 2 Quote Modern Bag: G410 LST 10.5*, Hzrdus Smoke RDX 6.5 Flex; 915F 3w, Diamana S+ 70 S flex; Mavrik 18* 5w; JPX 919 HM Pro 4i; JPX 900 Forged 5 - PW, PX LZ 6.0; Edison 2.0 49*, 53*, 57* KBS Tour 120 S; Heppler Fetch; Ball - MTB-X; Bag - Jones MyGolfSpy Edition! Shot Scope H4, MG600 Rangefinder Classic Bag: Driver - Persimmon; 3w - Speed Slot; 5w - Tour Block; 3 - pw - Dynapower; sw - Ram Tom Watson; putter - bullseye standard or flange. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Everardo Posted November 29, 2021 Share Posted November 29, 2021 On 11/26/2021 at 10:57 PM, Riverboat said: Your clubs with your swing. That is certainly not evidence that others would see the same results. I'm not saying they wouldn't, but your presumed assumption that they would is exactly that, extremely presumptuous. Sorry I should have added "Individual Results may vary, and testimonials are not claimed to represent typical results. All testimonials are real participants , and may not reflect the typical individual golfers experience, and are not intended to represent or guarantee that anyone will achieve the same or similar results. Every person has unique experiences, golfing habits, exercise habits, eating habits, and applies the information in a different way. Thus, the experiences that we share from other people may not reflect the typical users' experience. I am not a coaching service that provides general healthy living information. This is not a substitute for medical advice. Please consult a physician before beginning any golf, exercise or diet program." cnosil, Shankopotomous and Sluggo42 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donn lost in San Diego Posted November 29, 2021 Share Posted November 29, 2021 Shaft technology is big reason why good players hit drives 50 yards longer now. Ball tech is also a big advance, and, hey, a new box of balls costs less than a box of shafts. Club heads are more advanced too, but not as much as shafts. A new shaft on a 20 or 30 yr old head might surprise you. Get shaft fitted. Way better torque control on even modest price shafts. Everardo 1 Quote #1 PXG 0211 10.5 deg, Evnflo Riptide CB 40 gram A flex. 3W: Callaway Steelhead Xr, Tensei Blue CK 55 gram A flex. 5W : Titleist TSi 1, Aldila Ascent 40 regular flex. Driving Iron: Mizuno MP 18 MMC Fli-Hi 3i 18 degree, Recoil 95 reg flex. 4 iron: GFF Mizuno Fly-Hi, 24 degree forged hollow body, Aerotech Steelfiber . 5 Hybrid: Mizuno (2017) JPX Fli-Hi wave tech, Recoil ESX 460 reg flex. Irons: 6 - PW: Ping I 500, on Recoil Smacwrap ES 760, reg flex. Wedges: 2 x Mizuno S5 52/09. 1@ 50 deg, 1@ 54 deg; New (July 2024) Mizu ES 21, 58 x 08, jet black. Chipper: Don Martin "Up n In" brass/bronze. Putter: Odyssey Stroke Lab "R" Ball, face balanced, with 2 piece Stroke Lab multi material shaft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RollingGreens Posted November 29, 2021 Share Posted November 29, 2021 6 minutes ago, Donn lost in San Diego said: Shaft technology is big reason why good players hit drives 50 yards longer now. Ball tech is also a big advance, and, hey, a new box of balls costs less than a box of shafts. Club heads are more advanced too, but not as much as shafts. A new shaft on a 20 or 30 yr old head might surprise you. Get shaft fitted. Way better torque control on even modest price shafts. Cost analysis still says to get fitted for a new set. It would be pretty cool if someone out a shaft adapater in an old club head to let you mix and match what might work with the current heads but it’s likely a pipe dream. Unless you are going to build the clubs yourself it’s another cost to add in. Quote Stealth 2 Plus 9deg Kai' li Red Stealth 2 13deg Aldilla Rogue Silver Stealth 2 15deg Aldilla Rogue Silver JPX 921 Hot Metal 4-PW Nippon Modus 120s SM8 54 and 58deg Dynamic Gold Wedge Flex Scotty Cameron Newport 2 Titleist ProV1 Hoofer Stand Bag Stewart Q Follow Electric Caddie 300 PRO Rangefinder Official Nippon Regio B+ Driver Shaft Review Official Stewart Q Follow Review Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChuckZ Posted November 29, 2021 Share Posted November 29, 2021 On 11/25/2021 at 11:13 AM, DiscipleofPenick said: There's going to be a big difference in forgiveness between modern irons and 40 year old ones. Also you could probably find a shaft option that fits you better than whatever is in your old clubs. You don't need new clubs, just something new-er. Get on eBay and you'll find plenty of options of irons from the last decade for a couple hundred bucks, rather than the thousand+ a new set would run. I for one am not a fan of purchasing clubs off eBay. A lot of fake clubs are on there and yes you can save hundreds of dollars but buyer beware. I prefer to purchase from dealers and know that I am getting a quality set and the manufacturer will stand behind the clubs. Just my two cents worth. What you purchase off eBay is yours, good bad or indifferent and you have no guarantees. Everardo 1 Quote Driver - TSi3 10.75* - Fujikura Speeder 661 TR Fairway - TSi2 14.25* - Fujikura Motore Speeder VC 6.1 Fairway - TSR1 17.0* - Fujikura Vista Pro 65S Hybrid - TSR1 19.0* - Fujikura Atmos Red Tour 75 Hybrid - TSR1 23.0* - Fujikura Atmos Red Tour 75 Irons - T350 (2023) - 5-48W - True Temper AMT Red 95g-107g Wedges - Vokey SM9 - 52.08F, 56.10S, 58.08M ** GolfPride MCC +4 Midsize Grips (all woods/irons/wedges) Putter - 2023 Scotty Cameron Super Select Squareback 2 35" ** Superstroke 1.0 Pistol Grip Golf Ball - TITLEIST - Prov1 (2023) Golf Bags - TITLEIST - Cart 14 (black), Mid Size Tour (black/white) Golf Glove - FootJoy (StaSof), Shoes, Apparel and Outerwear Rangefinder - Bushnell Pro XE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funkyjudge Posted November 29, 2021 Share Posted November 29, 2021 I am a Professional Clubfitter (I’ve been one for 30+ years) and I do hundreds of clubfitting sessions each year. I can definitely attest to the fact that every aspect of golf equipment design has improved dramatically (maybe even exponentially) over the past couple of decades. Improvements over the last 4 or 5 years are not nearly as dramatic as they were in the preceding decade, but the advent of hollow-bodied or foam-injected iron heads has been a major step forward in the past few years, as has the trend toward lower COGs in most iron designs. One week ago today, I did a full-bag fitting for a very good young (early 30s) golfer who currently plays to a 6 handicap, but was a scratch player in college and his early 20s — the work world and his fairly rapid career progression has eaten heavily into his golf playing and practicing time. He is still playing with forged blade irons that were designed at least 8 to 10 years ago, and besides the fact that the faces are getting “cupped” with grooves really worn-down, they are far from ideal for him and his current limited-practice game. He plays a Titleist driver and hybrids (no fairway wood in his bag, and he really doesn’t need one) that are 3 to 4 years old, but his irons are about twice that old — or more! I recommended that he consider a set of Srixon ZX7 irons, or better yet a mixed set of ZX5 longer irons (at least the 5 and 6 irons with no 4-iron in his set) and ZX7 short irons. I also had him hitting a set of the Tour Edge Exotics C721 foam-injected better-player irons, and he was not only killing them, he hit dead-straight to slight-fade lasers on every shot. I’m guessing that with either of these sets (Srixon or TEE C721s), he could cut his handicap index in half thanks to the more user-friendly designs alone. chisag 1 Quote DR - Callaway Paradym AI Smoke Max, Newton Motion 4-Dot shaft 4W - Titleist TSR2, Newton Motion 4-Dot FW shaft HYB - Sub 70 949X 21*, original HZRDUS Black 85-S shaft 7W (if played) - Titleist TSR, ACCRA TZ6 7S Irons - Cobra King Forged Tec X, KBS TGI graphite shafts Wedges - Edison 2.0, 47* (bent to 48*), 53* and 57* (bent to 58*), KBS TGI 100 Tour S Putter - Evnroll ER10 ""Outback” Mallet Ball - Maxfli Tour-X CG (2023) or Vice Pro Plus Bags - Vessel / Ghost stand bags Cart - MotoCaddy M7 Remote (without the remote) Spoiler Lots of short game practice has made this a strength; now the driver is causing problems! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlow206 Posted November 29, 2021 Share Posted November 29, 2021 @Golfspy_CG2 and I should not answer the main question in this thread cnosil 1 Quote Follow my golf journey to break into the 80s Tester for the Titleist TSi Driver Spring 2020 MGS Tester for the Fujikura Motore X Shaft Updated 07/15/2022 Driver: Rogue St Max LS - Autoflex Fairway Woods: Rogue Max St 3HL and 7 Wood Irons: JPX 921 Hot Metal 5 to AW - Aerotech Steelfiber i95 Stiff parallel tip Wedges: Glide 4.0 54 and 58 Putter: PLD Custom Kushin 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cnosil Posted November 30, 2021 Share Posted November 30, 2021 1 hour ago, funkyjudge said: I am a Professional Clubfitter (I’ve been one for 30+ years) and I do hundreds of clubfitting sessions each year. I can definitely attest to the fact that every aspect of golf equipment design has improved dramatically (maybe even exponentially) over the past couple of decades. Improvements over the last 4 or 5 years are not nearly as dramatic as they were in the preceding decade, but the advent of hollow-bodied or foam-injected iron heads has been a major step forward in the past few years, as has the trend toward lower COGs in most iron designs. One week ago today, I did a full-bag fitting for a very good young (early 30s) golfer who currently plays to a 6 handicap, but was a scratch player in college and his early 20s — the work world and his fairly rapid career progression has eaten heavily into his golf playing and practicing time. He is still playing with forged blade irons that were designed at least 8 to 10 years ago, and besides the fact that the faces are getting “cupped” with grooves really worn-down, they are far from ideal for him and his current limited-practice game. He plays a Titleist driver and hybrids (no fairway wood in his bag, and he really doesn’t need one) that are 3 to 4 years old, but his irons are about twice that old — or more! I recommended that he consider a set of Srixon ZX7 irons, or better yet a mixed set of ZX5 longer irons (at least the 5 and 6 irons with no 4-iron in his set) and ZX7 short irons. I also had him hitting a set of the Tour Edge Exotics C721 foam-injected better-player irons, and he was not only killing them, he hit dead-straight to slight-fade lasers on every shot. I’m guessing that with either of these sets (Srixon or TEE C721s), he could cut his handicap index in half thanks to the more user-friendly designs alone. You describe some technological changes in irons like foam injected hollow bodies and moving around weighting. You describe a blade iron set that was past its days due to how long they had been played. You replaced those blades with more forgiving type iron and say todays irons are better than irons from 10-20 years ago. What makes new irons better than irons that were in a comparable class from 10-20 years ago like a Mizuno MP-60 from 2006ish. This is something that I have always struggled with; I just don't see significant performance improvements from irons. Quote Driver: G400 Max 9* w/ KBS Tour Driven Fairway: Paradym AI Smoke Max HL 16.5* w/MCA TENSEI AV Series Blue Hybrids: 915H 21* w/KBS Tour Graphite Hybrid Prototype 915H 24* w/KBS Tour Graphite Hybrid Prototype Irons: TR20V 6-11 w/Vizard TR20-85 Graphite Wedge: 54/12D, 60/8M w/Accra iWedge 90 Graphite Putter: Render w/VA Composites Baddazz Backup Putters: Sacks Parente MC 3 Stripe, Milled Collection RSX 2 Member: MGS Hitsquad since 2017 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funkyjudge Posted December 2, 2021 Share Posted December 2, 2021 On 11/29/2021 at 7:22 PM, cnosil said: You describe some technological changes in irons like foam injected hollow bodies and moving around weighting. You describe a blade iron set that was past its days due to how long they had been played. You replaced those blades with more forgiving type iron and say todays irons are better than irons from 10-20 years ago. What makes new irons better than irons that were in a comparable class from 10-20 years ago like a Mizuno MP-60 from 2006ish. This is something that I have always struggled with; I just don't see significant performance improvements from irons. There are a multitude of features that make today's irons easier to hit (and easier to hit straight) than irons that were manufactured even ten years ago. Those foam-injected hollow bodies and the increased low-and-back weighting are among those features, and they make even some irons that look an awful lot like blades, or at the least like better-player's irons, more forgiving than some so-called "game improvement" irons of only a decade or so back. If you don't see significant performance improvements with the TM P790 (and even P770), Tour Edge Exotics C721 and E721, and virtually every PXG iron that has ever been made, then there is nothing that I can say to convince you. Believe me, as a clubfitter, I see tremendous improvements in these, and many other, modern irons. Doug Paul Hedrick 1 Quote DR - Callaway Paradym AI Smoke Max, Newton Motion 4-Dot shaft 4W - Titleist TSR2, Newton Motion 4-Dot FW shaft HYB - Sub 70 949X 21*, original HZRDUS Black 85-S shaft 7W (if played) - Titleist TSR, ACCRA TZ6 7S Irons - Cobra King Forged Tec X, KBS TGI graphite shafts Wedges - Edison 2.0, 47* (bent to 48*), 53* and 57* (bent to 58*), KBS TGI 100 Tour S Putter - Evnroll ER10 ""Outback” Mallet Ball - Maxfli Tour-X CG (2023) or Vice Pro Plus Bags - Vessel / Ghost stand bags Cart - MotoCaddy M7 Remote (without the remote) Spoiler Lots of short game practice has made this a strength; now the driver is causing problems! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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