Haywood CB/MB Irons - 2024 Forum Review

[frazzman80]

3 hours ago, Josh Parker said:

Great round with the clubs!

Thanks…looking back I wish I would have actually focused a bit more on putting. I mean, it was wet and I wound up with a “Saturn ring” of dirt and debris on the ball each putt, so it wasn’t easy putting, but 14 GIR with 0 birdies stings a bit this morning. But I wasn’t there to putt really…

[DUBSgolf]

I actually have been gaming these irons for about a year now.  Would any one like a review from some with more time?  I will post pictures of my bag and my old gamers as well (2019 T100s)

[frazzman80]

I finally got to analyze my gapping session Trackman session data from April 2. If anything, it's a lesson on "don't swing almost 80 full swings in an hour" as I got tired and my numbers at the top of the bag diminished.

Also note, this is an average of 3 "good" swings per club. A few of these only took 3 swings, but a few (especially toward the end with the long irons) took 5 or more. This is a very small sample size, so margin of error will be high.

I'm still gathering my Rapsodo data and will post the full numbers for that with much more robust data when I have it all collected.

Single shot report (mytrackman.com)

Things that stand out immediately to me:

• When Joshua Haywood told me to expect 8-10 yards less per club based on the lofts being so much weaker than my Callaway Apex '19s I believed him. The yardage is less (PW: 3 carry, 7 total, 9I: 6 carry 8 total, 8I: 9 carry 13 total, 7I: 7 carry 5 total, 6I: 6 carry 4 total, 5I: 0 carry +1 total, 4I (don't have a Callaway 4I) but again, the sample size is small with only 3 shots per club.
• The dispersion is less (again, maybe not so much with the long irons when my swing broke down due to fatigue), and my "overdraw" that I tend to hit with the Callaways (especially in the shorter irons) is a baby draw with the Haywoods and much more controlled.
• Club speed is up 1-2 MPH across the board with the Haywoods, which might explain the not full 8-10 yards loss on distance.
• Ball speed is down with the Haywoods, but with higher lofts that makes sense to me.
• Spin is up dramatically with the Haywoods, but but with higher lofts that makes sense to me.
• Launch angle is up slightly, and with higher lofts makes sense. But I'm not hitting these much higher. Not sure what to make of that.

These are NOT my final numbers for these clubs, but from a gapping session perspective, this was a great exercise. I used these numbers to get my bearings for the course with the Haywoods and it's been pretty accurate distance-wise so far. 

 

Edited April 19 by frazzman80

[Rob Person]

45 minutes ago, frazzman80 said:

I finally got to analyze my gapping session Trackman session data from April 2. If anything, it's a lesson on "don't swing almost 80 full swings in an hour" as I got tired and my numbers at the top of the bag diminished.

Also note, this is an average of 3 "good" swings per club. A few of these only took 3 swings, but a few (especially toward the end with the long irons) took 5 or more. This is a very small sample size, so margin of error will be high.

I'm still gathering my Rapsodo data and will post the full numbers for that with much more robust data when I have it all collected.

Single shot report (mytrackman.com)

Things that stand out immediately to me:

• When Joshua Haywood told me to expect 8-10 yards less per club based on the lofts being so much weaker than my Callaway Apex '19s I believed him. The yardage is less (PW: 3 carry, 7 total, 9I: 6 carry 8 total, 8I: 9 carry 13 total, 7I: 7 carry 5 total, 6I: 6 carry 4 total, 5I: 0 carry +1 total, 4I (don't have a Callaway 4I) but again, the sample size is small with only 3 shots per club.
• The dispersion is less (again, maybe not so much with the long irons when my swing broke down due to fatigue), and my "overdraw" that I tend to hit with the Callaways (especially in the shorter irons) is a baby draw with the Haywoods and much more controlled.
• Club speed is up 1-2 MPH across the board with the Haywoods, which might explain the not full 8-10 yards loss on distance.
• Ball speed is down with the Haywoods, but with higher lofts that makes sense to me.
• Spin is up dramatically with the Haywoods, but but with higher lofts that makes sense to me.
• Launch angle is up slightly, and with higher lofts makes sense. But I'm not hitting these much higher. Not sure what to make of that.

These are NOT my final numbers for these clubs, but from a gapping session perspective, this was a great exercise. I used these numbers to get my bearings for the course with the Haywoods and it's been pretty accurate distance-wise so far. 

 

Thank you for sharing this data. I have a question for you. Do you think that you will enjoy having these clubs? Knowing that they have less distance, then you are used to. Will this affect your decision in playing these ?

[frazzman80]

4 hours ago, Rob Person said:

Thank you for sharing this data. I have a question for you. Do you think that you will enjoy having these clubs? Knowing that they have less distance, then you are used to. Will this affect your decision in playing these ?

It's about gapping in my bag and dispersion honestly @Rob Person, so the "less distance" isn't exactly what it seems in my mind. My current setup is 5I-PW in the Callaways and a 49* Edison wedge. That covers 185-110 yards in my bag right now per Arccos with 7 clubs. The Haywood set is 4I-PW and is 7 clubs. As of now (again, my data isn't 100% complete), it's covering around 190-115 in my bag. 

The number on the iron is different (the Haywood 4I is going around the same distance as the Callaway 5I, the Haywood 5I equal to the Callaway 6I, and so on and so on), but the actual gapping distance with the 7 clubs has been very similar. I just have to pull a different number out of the bag if that makes sense.

If you think of it in terms of "I need a 150 club" that would have been my Callaway 8. So far, it's a Haywood 7. But I'm getting the distance correct and I don't have a gap issue. Except maybe at the PW/Edison 49 spot in the bag. If anything is off right now, it's that. I hit the Callaway PW 125 and the Edison 49* 110 and then I go to Edison 53* and I hit that 95. I've been hitting the Haywood 9I 125, the Haywood PW 115 and then the Edison 53* is still 95 and that 20-yard gap was an issue last round on 2 holes.

Ego wise, do I hit the Haywood 5 iron or 8 iron (or whatever iron) as far compared to the same number on the Callaway...no. But so long as I know my yardages and can hit those yardages, who cares what number is on the club? My ego won't be hurt if someone asks what club I hit on a par 3 and I have to tell them a lower/less number (5 instead of 6).

ESPECIALLY if I can have less front/back and left/right dispersion. I said from the beginning that to replace the Callaways, I'd have to keep the gapping yardages the same and reduce dispersion/gain accuracy. So far, the number of the iron I have to hit into a green is 1 club stronger (7 instead of 8), but I'm hitting better shots...and who doesn't enjoy hitting better shots? Plus, these are irons...scoring clubs...not distance clubs. I'll trade some yards into the green for yards closer on putts!

Edited April 19 by frazzman80

[haywoodgolf]

On 4/19/2024 at 8:46 AM, frazzman80 said:

It's about gapping in my bag and dispersion honestly @Rob Person, so the "less distance" isn't exactly what it seems in my mind. My current setup is 5I-PW in the Callaways and a 49* Edison wedge. That covers 185-110 yards in my bag right now per Arccos with 7 clubs. The Haywood set is 4I-PW and is 7 clubs. As of now (again, my data isn't 100% complete), it's covering around 190-115 in my bag. 

The number on the iron is different (the Haywood 4I is going around the same distance as the Callaway 5I, the Haywood 5I equal to the Callaway 6I, and so on and so on), but the actual gapping distance with the 7 clubs has been very similar. I just have to pull a different number out of the bag if that makes sense.

If you think of it in terms of "I need a 150 club" that would have been my Callaway 8. So far, it's a Haywood 7. But I'm getting the distance correct and I don't have a gap issue. Except maybe at the PW/Edison 49 spot in the bag. If anything is off right now, it's that. I hit the Callaway PW 125 and the Edison 49* 110 and then I go to Edison 53* and I hit that 95. I've been hitting the Haywood 9I 125, the Haywood PW 115 and then the Edison 53* is still 95 and that 20-yard gap was an issue last round on 2 holes.

Ego wise, do I hit the Haywood 5 iron or 8 iron (or whatever iron) as far compared to the same number on the Callaway...no. But so long as I know my yardages and can hit those yardages, who cares what number is on the club? My ego won't be hurt if someone asks what club I hit on a par 3 and I have to tell them a bigger number.

ESPECIALLY if I can have less front/back and left/right dispersion. I said from the beginning that to replace the Callaways, I'd have to keep the gapping yardages the same and reduce dispersion/gain accuracy. So far, the number of the iron I have to hit into a green is 1 higher, but I'm hitting better shots...and who doesn't enjoy hitting better shots? Plus, these are irons...scoring clubs...not distance clubs. I'll trade some yards into the green for yards closer on putts!

Appreciate all the extensive detail. Awesome to hear you are hitting more consistent shots with our irons.

We couldn't agree more with you on this as its just a number on the bottom of the club. When comparing a distance iron with strong lofts to a players type iron with a little weaker lofts, of course there will be a distance difference, but the fact that you are hitting your irons closer across the board which will help you shoot lower scores, is what we like to see, as we are sure you do too

Look forward to reading more soon.

Edited April 23 by haywoodgolf
spelling error

[Rob Person]

11 hours ago, frazzman80 said:

It's about gapping in my bag and dispersion honestly @Rob Person, so the "less distance" isn't exactly what it seems in my mind. My current setup is 5I-PW in the Callaways and a 49* Edison wedge. That covers 185-110 yards in my bag right now per Arccos with 7 clubs. The Haywood set is 4I-PW and is 7 clubs. As of now (again, my data isn't 100% complete), it's covering around 190-115 in my bag. 

The number on the iron is different (the Haywood 4I is going around the same distance as the Callaway 5I, the Haywood 5I equal to the Callaway 6I, and so on and so on), but the actual gapping distance with the 7 clubs has been very similar. I just have to pull a different number out of the bag if that makes sense.

If you think of it in terms of "I need a 150 club" that would have been my Callaway 8. So far, it's a Haywood 7. But I'm getting the distance correct and I don't have a gap issue. Except maybe at the PW/Edison 49 spot in the bag. If anything is off right now, it's that. I hit the Callaway PW 125 and the Edison 49* 110 and then I go to Edison 53* and I hit that 95. I've been hitting the Haywood 9I 125, the Haywood PW 115 and then the Edison 53* is still 95 and that 20-yard gap was an issue last round on 2 holes.

Ego wise, do I hit the Haywood 5 iron or 8 iron (or whatever iron) as far compared to the same number on the Callaway...no. But so long as I know my yardages and can hit those yardages, who cares what number is on the club? My ego won't be hurt if someone asks what club I hit on a par 3 and I have to tell them a lower/less number (5 instead of 6).

ESPECIALLY if I can have less front/back and left/right dispersion. I said from the beginning that to replace the Callaways, I'd have to keep the gapping yardages the same and reduce dispersion/gain accuracy. So far, the number of the iron I have to hit into a green is 1 club stronger (7 instead of 8), but I'm hitting better shots...and who doesn't enjoy hitting better shots? Plus, these are irons...scoring clubs...not distance clubs. I'll trade some yards into the green for yards closer on putts!

Thanks for the in depth explanation.!

[Nunfa0]

18 hours ago, frazzman80 said:

It's about gapping in my bag and dispersion honestly @Rob Person, so the "less distance" isn't exactly what it seems in my mind. My current setup is 5I-PW in the Callaways and a 49* Edison wedge. That covers 185-110 yards in my bag right now per Arccos with 7 clubs. The Haywood set is 4I-PW and is 7 clubs. As of now (again, my data isn't 100% complete), it's covering around 190-115 in my bag. 

The number on the iron is different (the Haywood 4I is going around the same distance as the Callaway 5I, the Haywood 5I equal to the Callaway 6I, and so on and so on), but the actual gapping distance with the 7 clubs has been very similar. I just have to pull a different number out of the bag if that makes sense.

If you think of it in terms of "I need a 150 club" that would have been my Callaway 8. So far, it's a Haywood 7. But I'm getting the distance correct and I don't have a gap issue. Except maybe at the PW/Edison 49 spot in the bag. If anything is off right now, it's that. I hit the Callaway PW 125 and the Edison 49* 110 and then I go to Edison 53* and I hit that 95. I've been hitting the Haywood 9I 125, the Haywood PW 115 and then the Edison 53* is still 95 and that 20-yard gap was an issue last round on 2 holes.

Ego wise, do I hit the Haywood 5 iron or 8 iron (or whatever iron) as far compared to the same number on the Callaway...no. But so long as I know my yardages and can hit those yardages, who cares what number is on the club? My ego won't be hurt if someone asks what club I hit on a par 3 and I have to tell them a lower/less number (5 instead of 6).

ESPECIALLY if I can have less front/back and left/right dispersion. I said from the beginning that to replace the Callaways, I'd have to keep the gapping yardages the same and reduce dispersion/gain accuracy. So far, the number of the iron I have to hit into a green is 1 club stronger (7 instead of 8), but I'm hitting better shots...and who doesn't enjoy hitting better shots? Plus, these are irons...scoring clubs...not distance clubs. I'll trade some yards into the green for yards closer on putts!

You are absolutely right when it comes to the ego thing. We all have to forget the number on the bottom of the club and just hit the shot that matches the yardage.

Also I have come to the conclusion (very early in this test) that I can't do a straight comparison between the Haywood's and my Titleist's.  They are different types of clubs and it's unfair to judge them against each other.

The best analogy I can give is it's like racing a Dodge Challenger SRT against an Alfa Romeo 4C. The Dodge (Titleist's) is all power, noise and speed, whereas the Alfa (Haywood's) is precision, style and sneaky quick.

[Josh Parker]

19 hours ago, frazzman80 said:

It's about gapping in my bag and dispersion honestly @Rob Person, so the "less distance" isn't exactly what it seems in my mind. My current setup is 5I-PW in the Callaways and a 49* Edison wedge. That covers 185-110 yards in my bag right now per Arccos with 7 clubs. The Haywood set is 4I-PW and is 7 clubs. As of now (again, my data isn't 100% complete), it's covering around 190-115 in my bag. 

The number on the iron is different (the Haywood 4I is going around the same distance as the Callaway 5I, the Haywood 5I equal to the Callaway 6I, and so on and so on), but the actual gapping distance with the 7 clubs has been very similar. I just have to pull a different number out of the bag if that makes sense.

If you think of it in terms of "I need a 150 club" that would have been my Callaway 8. So far, it's a Haywood 7. But I'm getting the distance correct and I don't have a gap issue. Except maybe at the PW/Edison 49 spot in the bag. If anything is off right now, it's that. I hit the Callaway PW 125 and the Edison 49* 110 and then I go to Edison 53* and I hit that 95. I've been hitting the Haywood 9I 125, the Haywood PW 115 and then the Edison 53* is still 95 and that 20-yard gap was an issue last round on 2 holes.

Ego wise, do I hit the Haywood 5 iron or 8 iron (or whatever iron) as far compared to the same number on the Callaway...no. But so long as I know my yardages and can hit those yardages, who cares what number is on the club? My ego won't be hurt if someone asks what club I hit on a par 3 and I have to tell them a lower/less number (5 instead of 6).

ESPECIALLY if I can have less front/back and left/right dispersion. I said from the beginning that to replace the Callaways, I'd have to keep the gapping yardages the same and reduce dispersion/gain accuracy. So far, the number of the iron I have to hit into a green is 1 club stronger (7 instead of 8), but I'm hitting better shots...and who doesn't enjoy hitting better shots? Plus, these are irons...scoring clubs...not distance clubs. I'll trade some yards into the green for yards closer on putts!

Great info and you are exactly right!  Putting it closer to the pin is what matters. 

[Lefty11]

Testers…..

How confident are you feeling with your Haywood irons compared to your current set? And how smoothly can you shape shots with the Haywood irons?

[frazzman80]

3 hours ago, Lefty11 said:

Testers…..

How confident are you feeling with your Haywood irons compared to your current set? And how smoothly can you shape shots with the Haywood irons?

I'm not ready to call it yet honestly @Lefty11. I will say I'm much less fearful of the blades now than before I got clubs in hand. I've got around 200 shots and 5 full rounds with them, so I feel like I'm getting the "margin of error" lower if that makes sense.

With the shots I've taken so far, my "overdraw" isn't there as with the Callaways, especially "going after it". With the Haywoods, typical ball flight has been a slight right to left "baby draw" with the MBs and it's been a pretty straight ball with the CB irons, with some fade in the 5 and 4 irons if I don't strike it well. I've been able to hit 40-yard draws (with the 4-iron no less) when I've wanted/tried to and a few 25-yard low-flighted slices on command, but honestly, I've been trying to make pure contact and hit greens with them so far.

Tomorrow I'll get in some "cow pasture" range time here at the house. The wind is supposed to blow 25-30 so I'll see if I can ride/fight the wind and hit some knockdowns just for you.

Edited April 21 by frazzman80

[Nunfa0]

2 hours ago, Lefty11 said:

Testers…..

How confident are you feeling with your Haywood irons compared to your current set? And how smoothly can you shape shots with the Haywood irons?

Excellent question Lefty11, it's something I have been thinking about as I play. For me the shape and size of the heads inspires confidence. I haven't really tried shaping any shots yet, but I think the scoring irons will be very workable. I am already relying on the PW from 70 yards in for my pitching and any chips that need to get up a slope. 

A good example was the last time I played I was at Waimairi Golf course. The 9th hole is a par 4, about 295 yards long and a little tight off the tee.

Somehow I managed to hit my drive pin high to the left, about 30 feet from the green down in the collection area. I had a good lie, but it has been the sort of shot I usually struggle with (chipping is not my friend). It's an uphill shot from there, you need to fly it to the top of the slope and let it release. Normally I would try to hit either 48* or 52* and if I get within 15 feet it's a win. On this occasion I pulled out the Haywood PW, put a confident swing on it and hit it perfect. It flew to the spot I picked, popped up and released down to a foot. This was all in front of a packed club house so I felt a bit smug about it.

I also hit about another 5 pitches from various distances with the PW and I was never more than 15 feet from the hole!! I can hit it low and high and I'm a little bit in love with it.

[frazzman80]

On 4/20/2024 at 5:52 PM, Lefty11 said:

Testers…..

How confident are you feeling with your Haywood irons compared to your current set? And how smoothly can you shape shots with the Haywood irons?

So I promised you @Lefty11 that I'd answer your "how smoothly can you shape shots with the Haywood irons" question today in my "field session". I took 7 tour urethane balls (from the "found on course" bucket) to the cow pasture and set up 3 separate shots, hitting all 7 each time (I didn't lose any balls even though the cows don't have the range trimmed to fairway conditions...thanks God for the rain!). I took out the 8 iron specifically because I wanted to hit the MB (as those require better ball striking) and I figured most people asking about workability are thinking of players irons or blades. I also warmed up on the Rapsodo into the net for a good 30 minutes (collecting that Rapsodo data!), because shot shaping cold sounded like a bad idea. 

Wind speeds (according to my weather station) - sustained 12.3-16.8, average gust 21.2, max gust 26.3.

Setup 1 - Target around 140 yards, downwind off the left at about a 45-degree angle. Goal of the setup was to see if I could hit a few that I hooked/drew hard to hold the line into the wind and then a couple that would ride the wind with a high fade. Outcomes:

• Shot 1 - I tried to just hit this one with my normal straight/baby draw. I hit it ok, slight pull, but the wind brought it right and it finished online, just a bit short. I'd give this shot a checkmark for doing what I wanted. 
• Shot 2 - I tried to hit one that started at the target line, hitting a big draw into the wind hoping the wind would just hold it. Total checkmark as the ball started right, noticeably began to draw before the wind just held it. Check.
• Shot 3 - Shot 2 was so fun I tried it again. Same exact result. It was pretty. It wound up about 8 feet from shot 2.
• Shot 4 - I tried to hit a low fader, seeing if I could negate the wind a bit. This worked great. It came out low, carried less and faded (almost into my tank/pond, which was about 15 yards right of my target). It ran out a good 20 yards on the ground through the rough that is my field. Checkmark for hitting the shot I wanted.
• Shot 5 - I tried to play a big high fade to ride the wind in, aimed about 15 yards left and hit a baby fade that the wind was happy to push into a slice. It landed right of the target and was even closer to the tank/pond. This one flew the furthest, probably 145. Checkmark for hitting the shot I wanted (even if the wind took it much further right than I had hoped).
• Shot 6 - Regular swing - started online, drew left a bit before the wind pushed it right. Landed in my target zone. Checkmark.
• Shot 7 - Tried to hit a low draw and it wound up being a bit toe-y, so it overdrew into the wind a bit, finishing just left of the target, but I'll still give it a checkmark as the ball flight was exactly what I was trying to do.

Setup 2 - Target 115 yards dead into the wind and slightly uphill. Goal was to hit it low to negate the wind and not lose any majorly right or left.

• Shot 1 - I tried to hit a low, knockdown baby draw (the kind where you half finish to keep it low) and hit it to perfection. I stepped this ball off to 111 yards and it finished about 8 yards left of center. Checkmark.
• Shot 2 - I tried to hit a low, knockdown big draw and again, hit it perfect. It went a bit further left, but the distance was spot on.
• Shot 3 - I tried to hit a low, knockdown fade and it started just right of target and went straight as an arrow. I stepped this one off at 113 yards and about 9 yards right. Checkbox for quality, but it didn't fade.
• Shot 4 - I tried to actually fade the ball this time, hitting it more pronounced and succeeding. This ball not only went higher but faded a bit more than anticipated, finishing just a bit longer and further right of shot 3. Checkbox.
• Shot 5 - Hit my regular shot with just an abbreviated finish to keep it lower. It was perfect. Stepped this one off to 119 yards just left of target. Checkmark.
• Shot 6 - I tried to hit a strong slinging draw, caught a flier and stared in awe as this ball started way right and high high and just kept going from right to left, carrying my target by at least 15-20 yards. I would have been upset on the course as I would have undoubtedly been over the green, but it was so cool to hit a high slinger into the wind and watch it actually fly a good 30-40 yards right to left. Checkmark for a cool shot.
• Shot 7 - Hit my regular shot with a regular finish. Pured it. It went perfectly straight. Stepped it off to 123 yards. Checkmark.

Setup 3 - Target 125 yards into the wind off the right at about a 45-degree angle (opposite of setup 1). Goal was to keep distance into the wind and not lose any left into the tank/pond or "OB" into my backyard.

• Shot 1 - Goal was to hit a fade so the wind would hold it dead straight on the target line. Absolutely did 100% what I wanted it to do. It tried to move left to right, but the wind just held it like a mother walking a child while holding it's hand. It literally landed about 5' from my target. CHECKMATE!
• Shot 2 - I had to hit another one after hitting the perfect shot. I just said to myself fade it just a bit more this time. I started it just a bit left of the target and it faded in the exact same way as shot 1, finishing about 8 yards left (directly on the line I started it). SO it didn't fade more...so checkmark, not checkmate.
• Shot 3 - Content with the fades, I wanted to hit that high slinging draw I had done on shot 6 of scenario 2, so I aimed way right (into my backyard), connected and watched as it started just a bit left of where I had intended and the wind took off with it. About halfway there I just muttered "that one's wet". It kept turning left, but landed in a prickly pear cactus on the edge of the drop off to the tank/pond. If it hadn't have hit the cactus it would have been wet. That said, checkmark for the ball doing exactly what I wanted (big huge high draw), it just wasn't the right shot into the wind. 
• Shot 4 - So high slinging draw wasn't right, so maybe a low knockdown draw would be? I had to try. Hit this one exactly where I aimed into the yard, but hit it so much lower that it caught the mesquite tree that shades the cow pens. Which is sad, because had it been just a little bit higher or a tad more left on start line it would have finished awesome as it was drawing hard. It likely would have landed short with some good run out.
• Shot 5 - Hit my regular shot trying to hit it with a baby draw and hit it perfect, if anything it moved right to left a bit more on the wind and was about 5 yards long. Checkmark.
• Shot 6 - Same shot, but trying to hit the "1 yard fade" into the wind again. It was perfect. Straight as an arrow with a start left to right and a finish of a wind blown right to left. Checkmark!
• Shot 7 - Tried to hit one as high as I could to see what the wind would do and it did exactly what I expected for a high ball with the wind into and off the right, finishing about 10 yards short and left landing with a right to left trajectory at the end.

So...workability. 100% Yes...OK, maybe not 100% perfect checkmarks, but the ball did pretty much what I wanted it to do on each of the 21 shots. I didn't lose a ball. And I didn't have any mulligans (except maybe the one that hit the tree). For an 8I, a MB blade 8I, I am pretty confident I can hit whatever shot I want. I can attest that I very much doubt I could match the results I did on these 21 shots with my Callaway 8I (or any others). 
 

The home “range” wasn’t pristine for the 8-iron, but the results were pretty!

Edited April 21 by frazzman80

[Lefty11]

@Nunfa0and @frazzman80

Thank you for addressing my questions! While unfortunate work obligations prevented me from testing the irons, questions of confidence and workability (about the irons) lingered before my plans were redirected. Your input is greatly appreciated. I've been contemplating the Haywood wedges and may soon make a decision to purchase them.

[CB Lobo 4 Life]

On 4/7/2024 at 1:03 PM, GolfSpy_APH said:

Curious for the testers as to how the sole interaction is and how they are in the rough?

Hey Jamie, 

I have been wanting to comment on this for days now. Mostly because after being selected as one of the testers I did as all good golfers do and sought out the intelligence of the YouTube world regarding how these irons did. From the videos that I saw the only issue that any of those individuals (Peter Finch & Matt Fryer) stated was the sole interaction. In their assessment of the irons, there was concern that the irons created a lot of digging due to the sole and leading edge being sharp. I do feel that to some degree they are right a little bit. Let me explain. 

When you look at the sole of the MB's for example you will see a very standard sole with standard bounce and the leading edge is pretty square. Which for softer conditions could be more difficult for softer turf conditions. However, I feel personally that these clubs (speaking of the MBs, the CBs will be better in this department) have really good turn interaction. As good or better than most if not all irons I have played. Some may struggle with the MB's in the turf interaction department though, if for instance, you have more of a steep swing this could cause an issue. Yet this is not exclusive to the Haywood irons. "Blade" irons in general are more difficult to hit off the turf for most golfers and those with a steep swing. For me, I don't see an issue with the turf interaction. Mostly because the leading edge and larger footprint of both sets just give me so much damn confidence. 

I do have one caveat to this question though and that is one thing, V-SOLE. Of any iron set, I have ever played (TM Rac OS, Cobra AMP, TM P760 & 770) the Haywoods I can honestly say beat out these previous irons sets when it comes to how well they play out of the turf. Now, if you bring my Srixon iron set to the party that is where the fight begins. That V-SOLE on the Zx7 MKII & Z Forged II set is incredible. There have been times in the past playing with them where I don't even recall grass being there on some shots. Now, more tests need to be done, and I plan on a full 18 round play through with the two irons head to head to compare near the end of the test, but suffice it to say that for now, the Srixon irons do edge the Haywoods ever so slightly in this way. I am excited to continue answering questions for you all and add more to my post here in the coming days!

For a comparison of the Haywood and Srixon soles see below:

Srixon 8 Iron (Z Forged II "V-SOLE")

Haywood 8 Iron 

[GolfSpy SAM]

On 4/21/2024 at 8:18 PM, CB Lobo 4 Life said:

Hey Jamie, 

I have been wanting to comment on this for days now. Mostly because after being selected as one of the testers I did as all good golfers do and sought out the intelligence of the YouTube world regarding how these irons did. From the videos that I saw the only issue that any of those individuals (Peter Finch & Matt Fryer) stated was the sole interaction. In their assessment of the irons, there was concern that the irons created a lot of digging due to the sole and leading edge being sharp. I do feel that to some degree they are right a little bit. Let me explain. 

When you look at the sole of the MB's for example you will see a very standard sole with standard bounce and the leading edge is pretty square. Which for softer conditions could be more difficult for softer turf conditions. However, I feel personally that these clubs (speaking of the MBs, the CBs will be better in this department) have really good turn interaction. As good or better than most if not all irons I have played. Some may struggle with the MB's in the turf interaction department though, if for instance, you have more of a steep swing this could cause an issue. Yet this is not exclusive to the Haywood irons. "Blade" irons in general are more difficult to hit off the turf for most golfers and those with a steep swing. For me, I don't see an issue with the turf interaction. Mostly because the leading edge and larger footprint of both sets just give me so much damn confidence. 

I do have one caveat to this question though and that is one thing, V-SOLE. Of any iron set, I have ever played (TM Rac OS, Cobra AMP, TM P760 & 770) the Haywoods I can honestly say beat out these previous irons sets when it comes to how well they play out of the turf. Now, if you bring my Srixon iron set to the party that is where the fight begins. That V-SOLE on the Zx7 MKII & Z Forged II set is incredible. There have been times in the past playing with them where I don't even recall grass being there on some shots. Now, more tests need to be done, and I plan on a full 18 round play through with the two irons head to head to compare near the end of the test, but suffice it to say that for now, the Srixon irons do edge the Haywoods ever so slightly in this way. I am excited to continue answering questions for you all and add more to my post here in the coming days!

For a comparison of the Haywood and Srixon soles see below:

Srixon 8 Iron (Z Forged II "V-SOLE")

Haywood 8 Iron 

Interesting to me that the Haywoods are so head-and-shoulders above the other sets you mentioned, turf-interaction wise.  Are you pretty steep?  I am, which is why I ask - and I've used (AND LOVED) the V-Soled Srixons a few times and gotten along with them really well.  The Haywoods are very high on my list of MB/CB's that I'd consider going for, so great to see that they're doing well by you, but a direct comparison against the Srixons would make for some great reading

[frazzman80]

Hey all…I had a bit of an Arccos issue and I wanted to share that I have now gotten it fixed (after getting several new sensors). My 4+ year old Arccos sensors didn’t want to re-pair when I tried to transfer them from my Callaway irons to the new Haywood’s. I tried troubleshooting, but in the end, I didn’t want to risk not having a way to collect data, so while the new sensors were on their way, I had used the old paired sensors from the Callaway irons in the Haywood grips.

It means I was able to collect data while on course (woot!), but means that I have 5 rounds worth of Arccos data under the old sensors (images doctored below) and will have all my new rounds under new sensors. It just means I’ll have to be extra diligent when comparing final numbers and will have 3 data sets (Arccos with Callaway’s, 5 rounds of Haywood’s labeled as Callaways, and Haywood’s with the new sensors (1 round of data so far). Hopefully it’s not too confusing.

Here’s the 5 full rounds of Arccos with the Haywood’s labeled as Callaways on the old sensors.

   

Note to everyone (and me): The only reason the SG is negative with the 4I is I hit a tree on a par 3 and lost the ball...

Edited April 23 by frazzman80

[frazzman80]

Speaking of the round I played yesterday with the Haywoods, I got my dad to play a round of golf with me for the first time in nearly a year, so it was a special day hanging out with dad and honestly, my testing intensity took a back seat to just having fun. So there were more than a few mulligans but I'll give a shot-by-shot anyway because the data is still important. I didn't particularly have a great ball striking day...

I played at River Bend GC in Floresville, TX again.

Hole 1 - Had 163.8 with a light downwind breeze from the rough and pured a 6I that landed pin high but rolled over the back. I should have hit 7. Total distance 172 No GIR.

Hole 2 - 171.6 playing 168.4 with little to no wind. PURED a 6I that went 172 yards and finished 15' right of the hole. GIR!

Hole 3 - Hit TWO drives into the water. Dropped by dad's tee shot. Topped a 4I into the next pond. But then hit a pure 4I layup shot into the par 5 that went 201 total. It felt so good to hit one pure after losing a sleeve of balls and my dad laughing his butt off at me. Hit 57 into the green

Hole 4 - Had 187.3 to the pin with a suddenly breezy wind off the right. Hit a thin 4I 172 yards to the front of the green (the pin was in the back). GIR, but a long 60' putt (I did 2-putt).

Hole 5 - No Haywoods used (Driver/57 missed GIR)

Hole 6 - Hit a layup 5I into the wind on this par 5 because I was too far back to carry the water. It went 181 yards and was a perfect layup (75 in to the pin). Plunked my 57 into the water. 

Hole 7 - Hit into a fairway bunker, was close to the lip and had 142.7 uphill to the pin and a nasty deep bunker to carry. Hit 7I and hit it very well (my first fairway bunker with the Haywoods), launching it high and carrying the deep greenside bunker. 129 total. GIR.

Hole 8 - 163.7 lasered downwind off the left. Hit 7I and tried to draw it into the wind to hold it and overcooked it (darn slinger from my field session crept in). I hit it 160 total but 46' left of the target. GIR

Hole 9 - Had 214.2 into the wind downhill. I knew 4I wasn't enough club, but hit it anyway. Hit it well with a slight pull and the wind never moved it. It went 206 total finishing left/short of the green.

Hole 10 - Nearly hit my driver OB right. I had way too far with a 5I (it was cart path only on this hole and the cart path was way left) and I had no yardage and a 5I in my hand. I hit it well into the wind 174 total but I needed 190. It wound up short/right.

Hole 11 - Downwind par 5 with a totally blind shot into the green. According to Arccos app I had 225 front 240 middle and 260 back. I hit 4-iron to lay up and hit it 209. GIRed the 57.

Hole 12 - Wind off the right (not helping like I thought), I had 144.8 to a middle/back pin). Hit 8I 133. GIR but 44' putt.

Hole 13 - Wind off the right had 172.7. Took 6I and again overcooked the draw a bit. Hit it 179 GIR.

Hole 14 - Wanted to hit a 9I or PW into the green on this 324 yard par 4, so I took 5I off the tee box and hit it straight as an arrow into the wind coming off the right 178 into the fairway. Pin was in the very front and I hit PW perfectly and the wind took it deep, finishing 128 yards (it was 114.7 to the pin). GIR

Hole 15 - After once again nearly hitting my drive OB right on this 550+ yard par 5, I had a terrible lie with the ball about 2-3 feet above my feet on a sidehill downhill stance. My dad told me to just move it, there was no way I was going to be able to hit it across the ditch I needed to carry to have a decent 3rd shot into the green. My "watch this" kicked in and I told him I was going to hit a low drawing stinger with the 4I and it would carry the ditch and go about 175 yards. Guess what...I hit a low, drawing stinger that went 178 yards to the dead center of the fairway easily carrying said ditch. I had 175.5 left to an uphill green into the wind. I pulled 5 iron, hit it slightly thin (slightly thin has been good with these), but it landed about 8 yards short of the green into the bank and just snuck onto the front. 160 yards total. GIR.

Hole 16 - Got tired of slicing driver off the planet, so I hooked one off the planet instead. I hit it good though. I had 117.6 with the wind into off the left from some moderate rough. Hit PW and PURED it. It went 115 and finished 19' left of the hole. GIR

Hole 17 - 170.2 to a 40' high uphill green downwind. I pulled 6I and hit it low toe and watched it slice right. I hit it 158 yards. 

Hole 18 - Hit a decent drive, but to the right side of the fairway where you have a blind 2nd (if you hit it middle or left, you have a perfect view of the green). I could barely see the top of the flag while standing on the cart. Into the wind, I had 153.9 (from the cart tire...it was the only way I could see the flag). I pulled 6I to give it a chance at redemption, swung and never felt the ball...or the ground...or anything it was so pure. I immediately said "if that is the right line it's going to be close" and was so pleased to drive around the bunkers blocking my view to see it right in line with the pin 17' short. GIR

For not the greatest ball striking day, I somehow hit 11 GIRs (10 with Haywoods). Arccos stats below...my SIXTH round in a row with positive strokes gained approach using the Haywoods (compared to a 6 H.I. which is me).

    

    

Edited April 23 by frazzman80

[Lefty11]

Testers, I truly appreciate all your hard work! I'm particularly fond of clubs with finishes like gun metal and copper etc.  Could you please provide an update on how the finish on the Haywood's clubs is holding up?

[Nunfa0]

11 hours ago, Lefty11 said:

Testers, I truly appreciate all your hard work! I'm particularly fond of clubs with finishes like gun metal and copper etc.  Could you please provide an update on how the finish on the Haywood's clubs is holding up?

So far, they are holding up well. There are no major marks, no obvious wearing and they are holding their own bouncing around in my bag. 

[Nunfa0]

Today I finally got to play 18 holes at my home course with the irons. I decided just to play and enjoy the round as usual, not try to do anything strange and to use the irons from the same yardage as my Titleist's. I also stopped messing with my swing and just let my natural draw flow.

Well today the Haywood's let loose and showed their power. I had said that I thought these clubs were shorter than the Titleist's but today, apart from bad shots, there was no difference. I hit a 5 iron on the third hole, par 5, to get myself back into position on the hole. I had hit a terrible, short, hooked drive and still had about 330 yards to the green. I just wanted to get to about 150 yards out and have maybe a 7 iron to the green. I hit the 5 iron pure, it sailed up the fairway and stopped 120 yards out. I then pulled the PW out and put it to 10 feet and holed the birdie putt . I will be happy to take 200 yards from my 5 iron any time!! 

The 12th hole is a 114 yard par 3, with a bowl green. I normally hit 48* on here but it resting at the moment so I thought PW would do the trick. now, the Haywood PW was travelling about the same distance as the 48* prior to this round, so I thought I was good. Well, I hit the shot, pulled it just a touch and flew the green by about 5 yards .

Hole 14, par 4, dogleg right, I hit a terrible tee shot, hit trees on the left and dropped into a large "pit" 100 yards off the tee. I had to get around the dogleg and clear a 20-foot-high lip, all in one shot. I pulled 8 iron to be safe and hit a nice draw around the corner to the middle of the fairway. One good 52* Indi and a good 15 foot downhill putt later and I had a standard par. 

Hole 15, par 3, 159 yards. Slight head wind. I chose to hit 7 iron thinking I would be on the front or middle of the green. Again, I hit it pure and ended up hitting the downslope at the back of the green. 

Hole 16 can be found on the Indi wedge test thread.

Hole 17, par 4, 331 yards. Blocked my drive a bit left and had an awkward lie. The ball was above my feet, and I had a large gum tree in my way. I had around 120 yards to the pin. I pulled PW, struck it well, sail easily over the tree and stopped 15 feet from the hole. It also pitched, hopped forward and spun back a little from a flyer lie, which I was very pleased with. I did miss the putt though.

I walked off the course, happy with my swing and very happy with the performance of the Haywood irons. I will try to get to the range and get some numbers for these in the next couple of days.

[LeakyValve]

@CB Lobo 4 Life this test between clubs has been on my mind since reading everyone’s intros. I’ve always been curious about the Srixon soles and how they match against anything out there. 
 

really looking forward to more tests. Sounds like the Haywood CB’s might be close but the MB’s may fall behind. 

[jordan1016]

17 hours ago, frazzman80 said:

Speaking of the round I played yesterday with the Haywoods, I got my dad to play a round of golf with me for the first time in nearly a year, so it was a special day hanging out with dad and honestly, my testing intensity took a back seat to just having fun. So there were more than a few mulligans but I'll give a shot-by-shot anyway because the data is still important. I didn't particularly have a great ball striking day...

I played at River Bend GC in Floresville, TX again.

Hole 1 - Had 163.8 with a light downwind breeze from the rough and pured a 6I that landed pin high but rolled over the back. I should have hit 7. Total distance 172 No GIR.

Hole 2 - 171.6 playing 168.4 with little to no wind. PURED a 6I that went 172 yards and finished 15' right of the hole. GIR!

Hole 3 - Hit TWO drives into the water. Dropped by dad's tee shot. Topped a 4I into the next pond. But then hit a pure 4I layup shot into the par 5 that went 201 total. It felt so good to hit one pure after losing a sleeve of balls and my dad laughing his butt off at me. Hit 57 into the green

Hole 4 - Had 187.3 to the pin with a suddenly breezy wind off the right. Hit a thin 4I 172 yards to the front of the green (the pin was in the back). GIR, but a long 60' putt (I did 2-putt).

Hole 5 - No Haywoods used (Driver/57 missed GIR)

Hole 6 - Hit a layup 5I into the wind on this par 5 because I was too far back to carry the water. It went 181 yards and was a perfect layup (75 in to the pin). Plunked my 57 into the water. 

Hole 7 - Hit into a fairway bunker, was close to the lip and had 142.7 uphill to the pin and a nasty deep bunker to carry. Hit 7I and hit it very well (my first fairway bunker with the Haywoods), launching it high and carrying the deep greenside bunker. 129 total. GIR.

Hole 8 - 163.7 lasered downwind off the left. Hit 7I and tried to draw it into the wind to hold it and overcooked it (darn slinger from my field session crept in). I hit it 160 total but 46' left of the target. GIR

Hole 9 - Had 214.2 into the wind downhill. I knew 4I wasn't enough club, but hit it anyway. Hit it well with a slight pull and the wind never moved it. It went 206 total finishing left/short of the green.

Hole 10 - Nearly hit my driver OB right. I had way too far with a 5I (it was cart path only on this hole and the cart path was way left) and I had no yardage and a 5I in my hand. I hit it well into the wind 174 total but I needed 190. It wound up short/right.

Hole 11 - Downwind par 5 with a totally blind shot into the green. According to Arccos app I had 225 front 240 middle and 260 back. I hit 4-iron to lay up and hit it 209. GIRed the 57.

Hole 12 - Wind off the right (not helping like I thought), I had 144.8 to a middle/back pin). Hit 8I 133. GIR but 44' putt.

Hole 13 - Wind off the right had 172.7. Took 6I and again overcooked the draw a bit. Hit it 179 GIR.

Hole 14 - Wanted to hit a 9I or PW into the green on this 324 yard par 4, so I took 5I off the tee box and hit it straight as an arrow into the wind coming off the right 178 into the fairway. Pin was in the very front and I hit PW perfectly and the wind took it deep, finishing 128 yards (it was 114.7 to the pin). GIR

Hole 15 - After once again nearly hitting my drive OB right on this 550+ yard par 5, I had a terrible lie with the ball about 2-3 feet above my feet on a sidehill downhill stance. My dad told me to just move it, there was no way I was going to be able to hit it across the ditch I needed to carry to have a decent 3rd shot into the green. My "watch this" kicked in and I told him I was going to hit a low drawing stinger with the 4I and it would carry the ditch and go about 175 yards. Guess what...I hit a low, drawing stinger that went 178 yards to the dead center of the fairway easily carrying said ditch. I had 175.5 left to an uphill green into the wind. I pulled 5 iron, hit it slightly thin (slightly thin has been good with these), but it landed about 8 yards short of the green into the bank and just snuck onto the front. 160 yards total. GIR.

Hole 16 - Got tired of slicing driver off the planet, so I hooked one off the planet instead. I hit it good though. I had 117.6 with the wind into off the left from some moderate rough. Hit PW and PURED it. It went 115 and finished 19' left of the hole. GIR

Hole 17 - 170.2 to a 40' high uphill green downwind. I pulled 6I and hit it low toe and watched it slice right. I hit it 158 yards. 

Hole 18 - Hit a decent drive, but to the right side of the fairway where you have a blind 2nd (if you hit it middle or left, you have a perfect view of the green). I could barely see the top of the flag while standing on the cart. Into the wind, I had 153.9 (from the cart tire...it was the only way I could see the flag). I pulled 6I to give it a chance at redemption, swung and never felt the ball...or the ground...or anything it was so pure. I immediately said "if that is the right line it's going to be close" and was so pleased to drive around the bunkers blocking my view to see it right in line with the pin 17' short. GIR

For not the greatest ball striking day, I somehow hit 11 GIRs (10 with Haywoods). Arccos stats below...my SIXTH round in a row with positive strokes gained approach using the Haywoods (compared to a 6 H.I. which is me).

    

    

6th round in a row +ve strokes gained with the haywoods???!!! Damn. Me thinks these wont be coming out of your bag once this test is complete.

Edited April 24 by jordan1016

[frazzman80]

2 hours ago, jordan1016 said:

6th round in a row +ve strokes gained with the haywoods???!!! Damn. Me thinks these wont be coming out of your bag once this test is complete.

Well @jordan1016...the idea is that I test them right? I've got 4+ years worth of data with my Callaways. I've got 6 rounds with the Haywoods (so far). I've found that playing them head-to-head is tough due to different swing weights and distances. So while I may still do another direct challenge, I want as much on course data with the Haywoods as possible so I can give myself and everyone as many data points as possible before I have to write up the final review.

I'm not making any decisions yet on what plays or what stays (out). But yeah (spoiler alert)...it's hard to argue with the positive strokes gained and all the GIRs above my normal average (so far). 

Edited April 24 by frazzman80

[ejgaudette]

Loving the results so far. As someone who moved from the Mizuno HMP to Edel SMS Pro after a test last year. How is forgiveness going for everyone?

I found that there is for sure a bit more penalty for my toe strikes with the Edels but it was not by much and I think the weight towards the toe I could move helped.

It looks like the Haywoods have a longer blade length than many CBs or MBs has that helped in the forgiveness department?

Keep up the hard work!

[frazzman80]

2 hours ago, ejgaudette said:

Loving the results so far. As someone who moved from the Mizuno HMP to Edel SMS Pro after a test last year. How is forgiveness going for everyone?

I found that there is for sure a bit more penalty for my toe strikes with the Edels but it was not by much and I think the weight towards the toe I could move helped.

It looks like the Haywoods have a longer blade length than many CBs or MBs has that helped in the forgiveness department?

Keep up the hard work!

I'm here to say, I've hit a few balls with the Haywoods so far that were such bad strikes that the club turned in my hands (see image in the breakdown of my 2nd practice round here to see how badly I hit it off the toe...and still hit the green) and the ball still goes. Tiny misses, especially slightly thin, have feel impacts (as in, you can tell you missed) but performance wise the results on course have been good for me (still hitting greens or just a bit short but online, no big left or right misses). I mean, if you chunk it or totally top it, it's going to be bad, but to me they are more forgiving than my Callaway Apex '19s (where on mishits it's going to be a bad miss and even sometimes on good strikes the ball does things I wasn't expecting).

The Haywoods let you know you've missed with feedback off the irons (especially the MBs, but the CBs too) but they don't punish me with results (especially on course, into the net with the Rapsodo the numbers do decline, but not badly). 

 

[Nunfa0]

8 hours ago, ejgaudette said:

Loving the results so far. As someone who moved from the Mizuno HMP to Edel SMS Pro after a test last year. How is forgiveness going for everyone?

I found that there is for sure a bit more penalty for my toe strikes with the Edels but it was not by much and I think the weight towards the toe I could move helped.

It looks like the Haywoods have a longer blade length than many CBs or MBs has that helped in the forgiveness department?

Keep up the hard work!

I agree with @frazzman80, small misses you can feel but the performance drop off is not huge. I hit a second shot on the 15th yesterday after I went long with the first. I caught it a little thin and ended up in the middle of the green. So, the thin flew maybe 5-7 yards shorter.

High on the face is definitely punishing, but that is what I expected. 

[frazzman80]

I got 12 holes in for the 7th time on course with the Haywoods at Olmos Basin GC in San Antonio, TX. It was windy (15-20 gusting higher) for every hole, so the yardages are impacted with each shot, so I'll try to share wind direction before each. 

Hole 1: 400ish yard par 4 with the wind coming off the left and maybe slightly into. Piped driver 278 and had 124.7 to a back pin. I decided to hit PW, hoping to hit it to the center of the green to leave an uphill putt as the slope was high past the hole. I thinned it bad and watched as it flew about 40' high max, hit the front of the green and the combination of spin and the slope slowed the ball at the very back of the green. 127 total, but not a good strike. GIR though.

Hole 2: Dead into the wind on a 430+ yard par 4. I ripped driver but pulled it into some trees way left. I had 212 yards out and zero shot. I had to play a punch 4I and my goal was to get it under all the trees (including a very large, low hanging oak) and get it into the fairway around 150 out. I successfully did so with a low running 81 yard shot. I had 142.7 to an uphill green with the wind off the left and slightly into. I pulled 7, struck it pure and just overdrew it a bit into the wind. I was just short of pin high but on the far left side of the green. No GIR, but a green hit.

Hole 3: 198.6 to a downhill par 3 playing 191.2 with several bunkers right. The wind was off the right. I pulled 4I with the goal of starting it over the bunkers and riding the wind with a baby draw onto the green. I pured it and it started right where I wanted, but I could see the wind visably knock it down while it was in the air. It drew perfectly on line, but landed just short of the green in a wet spot, but managed to creep onto the front. 181 total and a GIR (but a long putt).

Hole 4: 380ish yard par 4 with the wind helping off the right. Smoked driver 283 right down the middle leaving 104.7 to a back left pin. I should have hit my 95 yard Edison 53, but wanted to challenge the flag, so I took a PW hoping to play a 3/4 swing draw and ride the wind to the hole. Hit it PURE to perfection, complete with the draw going 104 yards just left of the pin with the ball 3" from the pitch mark. A 13' putt later and BIRDIE Baby! 3 GIR!

Hole 5: I thought it would be fun to play the par 5 (into the wind off the left with a more left/hurting wind on the approach shot) by going 4I, 5I, 6I because that should be fun! I PURED the 4I 194 yards with a baby draw into the center of the fairway off the elevated tee box (there was a creek that crosses at the 260 yard mark). The 5I strike was solid (not perfect) but went 171 yards into the wind uphill across the creek onto the left side of the fairway, which unfortunately brought a tree into play on the 3rd shot. I had 156.6 yards to an uphill green and pulled 6I as planned. Thinking back now, I should have played a big draw around the tree into the wind, but at the time I decided going over and fading was the play. I didn't execute, hitting the 6I low and on the toe and watching as the ball missed the tree right and kept going right. It bounded between the bunkers at least. 153 total but missed GIR about 25 yards right.

Hole 6: 154.3 playing 149.7 downhill wind off the right helping on this par 3. The pin was in the front behind a bunker I wanted nothing to do with, so I pulled 7I hoping to just hit the middle of the green. I drew it in nicely but the wind helped a bit much and it wound up going 159 total to the center/left of the green. GIR 4 

Hole 7: Short par 4 uphill 75-degree dogleg right with the wind coming hard off the left. I tried to go for it and hit a tree on the right side. I was 130-ish out and had no low shot so I had to hit 57 to get over some trees and found a greenside bunker. NO Haywood hit on this hole.

Hole 8: 380ish downhill (to the creek at around 300) downwind. I hit driver so well I picked up the tee before it landed. When I couldn't find my ball, I was aghast. We found it. It had gone 303 yards to the edge of the creek. Had to hit 57 to the dreen (missed left). No GIR or Haywood hit on this hole.

Hole 9: 485 yard par 5 straight downwind dogleg right. Tried to cut the corner and failed. I wound up in the right trees. Had to hit 2hybrid to punch out and had 136 exactly with the wind off the right helping.

I hit 9I and PURED it...in fact...for the first time ever I took a divot like you see on TV! The kind where you have to go get the chunk of turf and actually put it back into your divot and it's all one piece so it fits perfectly. This does not happen on the courses I play here in Texas...I was amazed at the divot. I was also amazed that the turf interaction was so smooth. I shouldn't have been able to take a dollar-sized divot with dirt and grass attached and not have it slow my swing or rattle my hands. It was sooooo cool. Yes, the fairway was wet there, but it was soooooo cool. I hit it 132 total. GIR 5.

Hole 10: 400ish yard par 4 wind off the right maybe into slightly. Smoked driver 263. Had 144.4 to the back pin. Hit 8I with the wind off the right. Hit it slightly thin (but again, slightly thin is good) and just a bit right (it did not draw at all, not even with the wind, so I think I faded it by accident or the strike was also with an open face). It carried a bunker, hit the green and rolled out almost pin high about 40' right. 142 yards total. GIR 6.

Hole 11: 285 yard par 4 straight downwind. I tried to drive the green...hit a tree and wound up 108.1 yards out to an uphill green. In between the PW and 53 again, but hit the same 3/4 PW shot I did on 4 and had the exact same result. 106 total, 24' short/left of the pin. GIR 7.

Hole 12: Conditions wise, this was the toughest wind hole I played. It was 25+ gusts dead into the wind on a 184.7 yard par 3 with water down the entire left side and gaping bunkers left and right short. I pulled 4I and told my friend I was playing with "there's no way this is enough club". I PURED IT and unbelievably stared in awe as the ball rose up and kept going perfectly straight before descending slowly until it softly landed on the very front of the green. It made a pitch mark and stayed in it 166 yards total. Was it near the flag...no, but to hit that green in those conditions with a straight as an arrow 4 iron was truly an awesome shot. GIR 8.

8 of 12 of GIRs. The 7th round in a row with positive strokes gained approach (even if it wasn't high...I blame hole 2 where I had to punch out as I know that was a negative SG shot and hole 7 where I had to lay up over the trees for the reason it was "only" +0.6). Hitting 8 of 12 GIR is well above my average. My proximity to the hole on the GIRs wasn't stellar, but with the wind blowing 15-25, it was tough to get anything really close. I'm really enjoying these practice rounds.

    

    

Edited April 26 by frazzman80

[ArizonaLogan]

I haven't posted here in a while, so here is a brief update.

I have been playing 9-12 hole practice rounds as often as I can, as well as having a driving range session 4-5 days a week (typically with a launch monitor). But when it comes to local tournaments and competitive rounds with friends, I continue to put the Maltby TS4s in the bag.

On the range, the average numbers are exactly what I expect to see from range balls (no screenshots until my spreadsheet is complete).

• Club Speed: 78-79 MPH
• Ball Speed: 104-109
• Carry Distance: 149-152 Yards
• Spin Rate: 6200-6500 RPM
• Total Distance: 153-156 Yards

2 things to note about the numbers.

1. The spin rate is the hardest number to average because some of the range balls have super scuffed covers. I know the strike quality has an influence, but a few "normal" strikes produced spin as low as 4000 and as high as 7200.
2. A few online sources state that range balls fly 5-10 yards shorter since they are "harder" for durability and not as easy to compress. So I am perfectly fine with what appears to be a 5-6 yard distance loss.

On the course, the irons have been fairly standard to work with so far. I think that the Haywood CB models are more forgiving than the 2021 Wilson Staff CBs and the Maltby TS4s, but it comes at the cost of workability. The Haywood MBs (8-9-PW) are less forgiving than the Maltby TS4s, but just about as workable.

I haven't seen a change in stats after using the Hawwood irons. Putting is always the best, driving and short-game are close to each other, and approach is always "meh".

(Above) Front 9 round.

(Above) 5 holes after a range session.

(Above) 12 hole practice round. I wish I could have completed this round becuse I was 2 under.

(Below) Round details for the three mentioned.

Edited Saturday at 06:50 PM by ArizonaLogan

[Nunfa0]

Played a few holes on Friday, the round was cut short by lightning and hail.

A few highlights were...

Hole 1, hit a terrible drive, way left onto the seventh fairway. I had 114 yards to the green with a large old pine in the way. I pulled 9 iron because I wasn't warmed up, hit it a touch thin, just avoided the tree and ended up 15 feet away from the pin. This just shows that while there is a drop in distance with the thin strike (9 iron is normally a 130 yard club give or take), the accuracy is up with these!!

Hole 2, a par 3 that Sir Bob Charles once called the hardest in the South Island. It has a drop off to the left and out of bounds on the right. The green is like an upside down, shallow bowl. After zapping with my range finder, it was playing 163 yards. I pulled 7 iron thinking short is safer and hit it beautifully. I ended up 12 feet away and just missed the putt.

Hole 3, 513 yard par 5, smashed a driver 309 yards (I may have put a new driver in the bag) had 200 to the flag. Pulled 4 iron and left it 15 feet away for an easy 2 putt birdie. This shot I was really happy with because I had to wait for about 5 minutes while the group in front played the hole. This is not the first time I have hit a great shot with the 4, it seems to suit me and I enjoy hitting it.

Hole 6, par 4, hit a drive I don't want to talk about. After my recovery, I had 173 yards to the flag. I hit 6 iron with one of those strikes that is just "Nirvana" and was left with 10 feet for par.

Hole 8, about 200 yards, hit a thin 4 iron just over the back. Again the forgiveness in these clubs is shining through.

As I walked to the next tee, there was a big peel of thunder and I booked it back to the club house.

I am enjoying hitting these clubs, they are really making sense to me now.