Hi Guys,

I would like to get my Dad a new set of irons as his current ones are crap. He plays off 27, loves his golf and plays at least twice a week. I'd rather spend the money on lessons but he refuses to have them :roll: . Anyway, I'd like to get him a set of quality, forgiving, easy to hit, over-sized cavity back clubs - and forged if possible for the feel. Any recommendations on the best irons available for this type of golfer ?

Cheers

Ben Hogan Apex Edge CFT

set of quality, forgiving, easy to hit, over-sized cavity back clubs - and forged if possible for the feel

I'm not sure such a thing exists. You're looking straight down the barrel of Callaway and Ping and such things don't come with the shiny goodness of forging. Furthermore, a 27 marker worrying about "feel" is perhaps a little silly.

Callaway x-14 or x-16 or if he can handle the sight Big Bertha 2002's.
Ping I3's

Get him a set of GBB 2002 irons. Don't get him a set of forged cavity backs, that wont help him playing off a 27 handicap!

There is NO difference in feel between a forged club and a cast club, anyone who tells you they can feel the difference is well full of it

Don't get him a set of forged cavity backs, that wont help him playing off a 27 handicap!  

in that case...callaways are KING!!!

Thanks Guys - Appreciate the feedback. I'll have a look at the recommendations. I know he hates the look of the Pings so they are probably out. Have been told by a few people now that the Callaways would be the go for him. I'll let you know what we decide on. Cheers.

If you did want the forged oversize CB then you should look at the new 804cb from Titleist...don't know of any others

There is NO difference in feel between a forged club and a cast club, anyone who tells you they can feel the difference is well full of it  

They also have no difference in distance in theory.

Only obvious difference are price, durability and size of sweet spot (as far as I know)...

then it turns out why the heck I want a set of forged?! :?

Because they are more expensive, easier to bent to incorrect loft and harder to hit. :?

Get him a set of GBB 2002 irons.  Don't get him a set of forged cavity backs, that wont help him playing off a 27 handicap!

There is NO difference in feel between a forged club and a cast club, anyone who tells you they can feel the difference is well full of it

Hi Ben,
Would the Acer wide sole Irons be pretty similar to the
GBB 2000 or am I barking up the wrong tree. would value your opinion.
Regards Pecko. :oops:

Pecko,

Yes they would. The reason why I didnt mention them is as I don't want to be seen as pushing products. But the Acer is as good as the Callaway, just a lot cheaper

Ben Hogan Apex Edge CFT

i'll second that mau

The hogans are a good forgiving club that should be useful for a while still to come!

my old man just went back to some ping eye2+

thems are a good set still!

cheers GD...Hogans are just so sweet...
I'm hoping titleist are just as good... :wink:

cheers GD...Hogans are just so sweet...
I'm hoping titleist are just as good...  :wink:  :lol:

my titleist's are nice...
but the hogans look soo much better

my next sticks ARE GOING to be hogan FTX...

the CFT are just a bit to chunky for me...the FTX look soo sexy!

Any recommendations  

to answer your direct question you cant go past these little beauties:
http://www.golfsmith.com/cm...

but I have the same opinion as the above, Forged clubs are not for your dad for a couple of reasons, price for a start, and they get knocked around too easily. I had forged clubs once and the dinged up worse than a builders ute.

The only reason people buy forged is their easier to bend and becuase pros use them (ego), there is no playability or feel advantage, in other words, what Ben said.

as a clubmaker I have NEVER sold anyone a set of clubs (or asked for a set of forged) because of their ability to bend. Any skilled club maker should be able to bend a 431 stainless club 4°, I can honestly say I have never snapped a cast club. At the end of the day 90% of golfers fall within 4° of standard lies.

mizuno mx-15s
mizuno mx-20s
mizuno mx-23s

all of them are forged and really forgiving, only down side is they are a bit pricy.

mx15 is not forged...but nevertheless - a great set...

as a clubmaker I have...

I trust your judgement Ben, friend of mine speaks kindly of you (DK).

Maybe i should have said 'easier' to bend? :-)

Dave Tutelman says 431 shouldnt be bent more than 2 degrees, 17-4 even less.
If you havent heard of him, trust me that he also has a lot of credibility- check out the last section on this page http://www.tutelman.com/gol...

cheers

Mark,

Yes I know who dave is (he is pretty much a god in the equipment world ). I know its not reconmended, and we tell people its not, BUT with care and attention it can be done. 17-4 I usually can only get about 1-1.5 or so degree's safely.

We have some wishon forged clubs that can be bent 6° without a problem.

I only wish it was easy to straighten shafts. would have saved a bunch of money over the years

Ben, how do you go with the bounce after you have bent a club that far.Or are you only talking aboutlie not loft.

dream300,

yes I am only talking about lie. Bounce is directly effected from the loft of a club (and the sole design of course).

Basically, if you bend a club stronger for loft you take off a degree of bounce for every degree you decrease the loft.

for an old set for a good price
I loved the comp-ez from mizuno
They looked quite nice in my opinion and were forgiving but felt like butter
if you can get a

of course there are others like the new titliest but I think they look quite ugly

Ram made the old lazer fx but they are quite old by today's standard

meh if he's 27 handicap
get him some nike slingshot or great big bertha's
he'll enjoy the game more with shovels

Thanks again for all the feedback guys. I know he loves the look of the Mizuno MX-23 and he likes :? the Nike Slingshot. He'll demo most of the suggestions and see what feels / works best.

Ben - I am certainly not disagreeing with you re cast vs. forged as neither myself ( 11 hcp ) or my dad ( 27 hcp ) would be able to tell the difference but...

There is NO difference in feel between a forged club and a cast club, anyone who tells you they can feel the difference is well full of it  

surely the pros can tell the difference or the majority of them would not be using forged clubs ? Why do they even bother making forged clubs if there is no difference - they cost more to manufacture and if there is no difference, what is the point ???
:?

Cheers

Why do they even bother making forged clubs if there is no difference  - they cost more to manufacture and if there is no difference, what is the point ???

People want forged clubs becuase the pros use them, and because they get sucked in by the marketing 'feel of forged'. So the manufacturers can make more money from forged.

Stainless Steel is less than 10% harder than Carbon (forged clubs). Do you think that a human can tell the difference? NO Way. The golf ball may be 100 or even 1000 times softer than the clubhead, therefore the relative difference at impact is minute.