Long Term Review: Sub70 659 TC Raw

[GolfSpy_APH]

Photo update incoming .... yes yours truly got bored again and decided to try another finish on the raw irons. These guys are getting a workout! haha

 

[GolfSpy_APH]

Do this must be what edition 4 or 5 of these? 

The copper irons from Cobra are on sale and I desperately don't want to spend money I don't need to so I went in going for that kind of look. 

I will go to the range Thursday I think and see how it holds up, but will leave it to sink in till then.

[therod]

And this time you left the faces unprotected to change as well. From one lefty to another, I applaud!

[GolfSpy_APH]

2 minutes ago, therod said:

And this time you left the faces unprotected to change as well. From one lefty to another, I applaud!

Boredom is killer haha 

[GolfSpy BOS]

Hmmm I'm torn between if I like the full treatment better or leaving the faces clean.  They do look really good though.  Nice job! 

 

How many times do you think you can try stuff out before altering performance?

[GolfSpy_APH]

5 minutes ago, GolfSpy_BOS said:

Hmmm I'm torn between if I like the full treatment better or leaving the faces clean.  They do look really good though.  Nice job! 

 

How many times do you think you can try stuff out before altering performance?

I mean rust adds spin right?

I believe I'm done doing any more "work" to them. I hope this look stays around a bit longer than before.

The grooves in my mine are performance so it would be how filled they are or how clear they are kept.

[berkeleybob]

I’ll be honest. I only come here for the pictures.

[GolfSpy TCB]

My OCD wants to clean those irons soooo baaaad!!! haha.  

[GolfSpy_APH]

6 minutes ago, Golfspy_TCB said:

My OCD wants to clean those irons soooo baaaad!!! haha.  

 

[cnosil]

35 minutes ago, Golfspy_TCB said:

My OCD wants to clean those irons soooo baaaad!!! haha.  

I know; they look like they have been neglected.  

[GolfSpy_APH]

4 hours ago, cnosil said:

I know; they look like they have been neglected.  

So funny story with this!

I went to the range today and was a little annoyed when I went in because there are 2 left handed bays where the computer screens are moved out of the way to make it less possible for a potential mishap. 

Both those bays were taken up by RH guys hacking away with some of the new clubs from the pro shop (new Stealth 2 sets and such). One of the other bays was being used, but the other 9 were all open. 

So I parked right up next to them and started warming up with my 7. Noticed one guy had nearly finished off his bucket and walked by my bag to go get some more and stopped and just starred at the irons. I kept playing, noticing, but not interacting. 

When he came back he starting talking (in swiss german) to the other guy about them and saying they looked like a super old set. He used the word antique haha

Little did he know! 

I went through my normal routine and was stripping them today. Super high ball flight and just great windows and a nice piercing flight. Was kinda fired up I guess. 

Every time they looked up I would catch their eyes going over to my bag and the rusty irons. 

At least they are grabbing some attention!

[sirchunksalot]

9 hours ago, Golfspy_TCB said:

My OCD wants to clean those irons soooo baaaad!!! haha.  

 

8 hours ago, cnosil said:

I know; they look like they have been neglected.  

I would probably go nuts, right now I'm looking fondly at my bottle of Barkeepers Friend and the steel wool.

This version does look good, though. 

[tucker_jct]

On 2/11/2023 at 5:54 AM, GolfSpy_APH said:

February Update: 

Had a range session today and brought a older set of Ping iE1 irons with me.

I was a little on the fence recently. Feeling like I was being punished more and thought that the older pings could provide a bit extra distance and maybe a bit more forgiveness.

I was wrong...

Very wrong

The Sub70 659 TC were consistently 6-7 yards longer and as well with improved feel from being forged the miss hits were not nearly as punished and the also nearly landed on top of each other. 

It was impressive to say the least and made me smile. 

I like being proven wrong and can say I had equally good and bad swings with both, but the 659 offered more feedback and better results. 

Back to collecting dust the Pings go!

I feel the same way about my TAIII set.    They provide better feedback without being too punishing.   What did you use to reset your finish.   My raw TAIIIs are through 1 outdoor season with just natural patina not forced in any way but I also get people looking at them thinking that they are an old set. 

[GolfSpy_APH]

4 hours ago, tucker_jct said:

I feel the same way about my TAIII set.    They provide better feedback without being too punishing.   What did you use to reset your finish.   My raw TAIIIs are through 1 outdoor season with just natural patina not forced in any way but I also get people looking at them thinking that they are an old set. 

Just some steel wool and elbows grease. Took a little bit, but didn't take long.

[ElliotElite]

19 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

So funny story with this!

I went to the range today and was a little annoyed when I went in because there are 2 left handed bays where the computer screens are moved out of the way to make it less possible for a potential mishap. 

Both those bays were taken up by RH guys hacking away with some of the new clubs from the pro shop (new Stealth 2 sets and such). One of the other bays was being used, but the other 9 were all open. 

So I parked right up next to them and started warming up with my 7. Noticed one guy had nearly finished off his bucket and walked by my bag to go get some more and stopped and just starred at the irons. I kept playing, noticing, but not interacting. 

When he came back he starting talking (in swiss german) to the other guy about them and saying they looked like a super old set. He used the word antique haha

Little did he know! 

I went through my normal routine and was stripping them today. Super high ball flight and just great windows and a nice piercing flight. Was kinda fired up I guess. 

Every time they looked up I would catch their eyes going over to my bag and the rusty irons. 

At least they are grabbing some attention!

So you showed those right-handed guys that lefties can play just as well, even with "antique" clubs. It's always satisfying to surprise people like that. I bet they were kicking themselves for underestimating you. And hey, maybe they even learned something from watching you play with those "rusty" irons. Good on you for not letting their assumptions get to you and just focusing on your game. Thanks for sharing the story, it made me laugh!

[GolfSpy_APH]

Need to give them a clean after the round today, but the lighting was epic.

@GolfSub70 what do you think?

 

[jbern]

18 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

Need to give them a clean after the round today, but the lighting was epic.

 

Wow, they look incredible! Does the rust get on your hands getting them in and out of the bag? I think I would love the look, but couldn’t handle the rust on my hands throughout the round. 

[GolfSpy_APH]

Just now, jbern said:

Wow, they look incredible! Does the rust get on your hands getting them in and out of the bag? I think I would love the look, but couldn’t handle the rust on my hands throughout the round. 

Nope! the way these have been done more there isn't really any loose rust. I have them a clean this afternoon and other than the some and near bottom groove they still have an awesome rust look. 

[GolfSub70]

19 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

Need to give them a clean after the round today, but the lighting was epic.

@GolfSub70 what do you think?

 

Oowee. That is some rust! I had a set that got that far along after I got caught in a downpour in Pinehurst, threw my clubs directly into my travel bag afterwards, and then didn't get them out of the travel bag until 2-3 days later . Looking good to me though. 

[GolfSpy_APH]

So I am still struggling with toe strikes. I know much of it is swing, however I wanted to ask @GolfSub70 for some info on these. 

What are the toe weights for the TC's at? Also if possible could I order some to see if I can tweak it and maybe get them to fit me a little better?

[GolfSub70]

14 minutes ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

So I am still struggling with toe strikes. I know much of it is swing, however I wanted to ask @GolfSub70 for some info on these. 

What are the toe weights for the TC's at? Also if possible could I order some to see if I can tweak it and maybe get them to fit me a little better?

The toe weights are 6 grams. We don't have any other weight options though...and I'm not even sure of any kind of third part of aftermarket option that might work. If you wanted to go heavier you could try some lead tape and see where that gets you though. If it's just flat out toe strikes, and there's no path issue, then it's possible the clubs just need to be slightly longer and strikes would get more centered

[GolfSpy BOS]

My guess, the layer of rust on the heads creates extra aerodynamic drag which gets the club 3% stuck as you transition to the downswing which can only be correct by throwing your hands out slightly resulting in the tow strikes.

or the shaft it too soft so its drooping leading to toe strikes..

or it's none of the above.

Trust me, I am an expert average golfer and internet user.

[tucker_jct]

Toe strikes on all clubs or just a few?

[GolfSpy_APH]

6 hours ago, tucker_jct said:

Toe strikes on all clubs or just a few?

Everything is a bit tow, but irons and driver are the main. Wedges are spot on, 3 wood and hybrid have been great too.

I'll keep doing some swing work which should resolve it.

[GolfSpy_APH]

Mentioned this in another thread, but had a great round. Strikes were so pure and given how cold it was it truly needed to be else my hands would have been dead. 

I didn't hit many balls on the range and although there were some distances that were missed, the wind, cold and well snow without a doubt had an effect. I can't blame the clubs for that as it was more decision making. 

There is no doubt to me that these are truly stellar feeling irons. They do have such a great flight and when hit well it is just wow. The flights can be controlled and even using them around the greens for chip and runs as well as lower punch shots and more. 

The rust look is wearing a bit as they are cleaned, but the top line and back still looks great and darker which is what I want. I am done rusting them artificially, but wont be going and cleaning them a bunch either. 

Todays round was one that ball striking was on point and it made me really appreciate these and just goes to show how opinions on clubs can vary as your play does. I have the ability to play these and play really well with them, however when its going wrong... well it goes really wrong! And that is on me. 

[GolfSpy_APH]

Hoping this longer term review has been useful for most.

Time to give a more technical update vs the normal visual. 

I've really been hitting the ball much better. The feel of these irons is truly stupid good. Strikes are powerful, solid and soft. Flight is so good and strong as well. 

Now that I've worked out those awful toe strikes and got back to the middle and even more heel side it I've come to a much more true appreciation for the feel. 

However I can say distances are really punished for those straying strikes. Expected of course, but also magnified recently when I've been playing better. The addition of some really windy rounds as well has shown that these irons spin! I've found some rounds to consistently come up short in the wind even when I've taken extra club. Something I more need to get use to. 

As with forged irons there is some good wear showing (yeah yeah I hear the jokes already about the rusty look and how can you tell), but with the winter ish conditions they have taken a bit of a beating even after cleaning constantly. Again expected and by no means disappointing, just a fact of having softer metal irons.

I've been very happy with performance lower in the head. Yes flight is much lower, but spin seems to compensate to make a better result given the strike. Now high in the head is a different story. The flight is much weaker and kinda floaty. 

The last 7 rounds this season I am gaining a lot of confidence with my iron play, I'm learning more about these irons and somewhat distances (no range finder or arccos hurts). However with one coming Wednesday I should have a better idea and get some more confidence that. I still know the distances they go, but with wind and cold and then warm it's been just tricky. 

So to wrap, performance has really been good. I've hit some great shots and awesome results. Making birdies and gaining confidence in my game. The irons feel, look and perform great. Maybe spin a bit much in wind, but ball performance is a part. Wear and tear is showing as expected and I'm very much looking forward to my rounds later this week!

[GolfSpy_APH]

So time for an update here. 

These have taken a back seat while the game takes some time to round back into form. I will always have a true soft spot for these irons and feel they are stellar in so many ways. Truly they are a great feeling and playable iron. 

Unfortunately where my game is at I was just being punished too much. I do have an idea or two which I am going to try with these. I have taken the shafts out of them and intend to put the P790s into them. 

I will be rebuilding them and continue to try and test them, but for me right now as much as I want to say I am good enough to play them I really havent been. 

Of course as time goes on if these work their way back into the bag I will be updating this thread and posting photos of how they look or whatever else, but for now this review is in pause mode. 

[CSiders12]

On 5/10/2023 at 8:57 AM, GolfSpy_APH said:

So time for an update here. 

These have taken a back seat while the game takes some time to round back into form. I will always have a true soft spot for these irons and feel they are stellar in so many ways. Truly they are a great feeling and playable iron. 

Unfortunately where my game is at I was just being punished too much. I do have an idea or two which I am going to try with these. I have taken the shafts out of them and intend to put the P790s into them. 

I will be rebuilding them and continue to try and test them, but for me right now as much as I want to say I am good enough to play them I really havent been. 

Of course as time goes on if these work their way back into the bag I will be updating this thread and posting photos of how they look or whatever else, but for now this review is in pause mode. 

At what point did you decide to jump into an iron that was more forgiving? I have thought a lot about what to look for in irons, as I keep finding myself going back to the thought of playing cavity-back irons to make the game easier. 

I have been playing "players irons" for the past 4 years, which has drastically improved my ball striking. However, the irons I am currently using, Mizuno JPX 921 Tour, have huge performance drop-offs with off-centered hits. My current game isn't in the best place, so I have thought about getting something more forgiving to feel more confident with my game. I have thought about the P790s, Takomo 101t, etc. The only other concern I have is with distance. I don't want my 7-iron to carry 210 yards. Most of the irons that dabble on the edge of "player's distance" or "game improvement" have super strong lofts that cause the ball to go too far. Have you seen a big difference in distance between your 659s and P790s? 

[GolfSpy_APH]

1 minute ago, CSiders12 said:

At what point did you decide to jump into an iron that was more forgiving? I have thought a lot about what to look for in irons, as I keep finding myself going back to the thought of playing cavity-back irons to make the game easier. 

I have been playing "players irons" for the past 4 years, which has drastically improved my ball striking. However, the irons I am currently using, Mizuno JPX 921 Tour, have huge performance drop-offs with off-centered hits. My current game isn't in the best place, so I have thought about getting something more forgiving to feel more confident with my game. I have thought about the P790s, Takomo 101t, etc. The only other concern I have is with distance. I don't want my 7-iron to carry 210 yards. Most of the irons that dabble on the edge of "player's distance" or "game improvement" have super strong lofts that cause the ball to go too far. Have you seen a big difference in distance between your 659s and P790s? 

It's been a one club difference between the two. Which way what I was looking for. 

I wouldn't worry about a 210 7 iron. My 7 with the p790 is 175ish tops and that's with a pretty goof whack. I'm a 105-110 driver ss.

My tipping point was a bit of distance and just iron play struggles..combine that with am awesome Deal which was too good to pass up and now I'm here.

I'm going to chalk some of it up to being in meters too. I didn't like grabbing a 6 iron from 150 meters and felt i could simply just the extra help. 

[Shrek74]

This has been a great read for me. I just picked up a pre-owned set of 5-7 CB / 8-A TC and am looking forward to playing with them as I work on my swing. I have a set of Takomo 101's that are my gamers right now as I get instruction and work on my swing, but I'll be playing 9 holes once or twice a week after work with them to really focus on my swing and good contact.

Thank you for all your work on this thread @GolfSpy_APH, especially your thoughts on the performance of the irons and your game with them.