2021 Iron Satisfaction Survey Results
Irons

2021 Iron Satisfaction Survey Results

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2021 Iron Satisfaction Survey Results

Last month, we asked you take our Iron Satisfaction Survey. The questions were basically the same as our Driver Buying Survey because the objective was the same. We wanted to understand if buyers of some brands were more satisfied than those who bought others and, based on the results of the driver survey, what role fitting plays in satisfaction. Along the way, we found plenty of other interesting tidbits which we’re excited to share with you today.

In total, more than 10,000 (10,073 to be precise) of you took the survey. Here’s what you told us.

The Demo Experience

There are a few things of note in the results.

  • As was the case with drivers, golfers will most typically demo three iron models before buying.
  • Nearly 15 percent of you bought irons without demoing anything. It’s a lower percentage than we saw with drivers but it’s still shocking (to me anyway).
  • More than 15 percent of you tried more than five irons before buying. That’s kind of awesome.

Top Demoed Brands

With that in mind, here’s a breakdown of the brands you tried before buying.

  • As was the case with our driver survey, TaylorMade and Callaway are the brands you tried most often.
  • Among our readers, Mizuno is tried more often than PING and Titleist.
  • Srixon is perhaps a bit of a surprise to some in the sixth position. It shouldn’t be. If you know, you know.

The bigger picture mirrors what we saw in the driver survey results. The biggest brands are tried more often (each of the top five brands is demoed at better than two times the rate of the sixth and seventh most popular brands). Ultimately, this again shows that smaller brands, with the exception of Mizuno (among our readers, anyway) often aren’t given the opportunity to earn a spot in golfers’ bags.

What You Bought

Knowing what we know about who is in the demo conversation, we would expect conversation rates to be higher for the bigger brands. Here’s what you bought most recently.

  • While Callaway is the current market leader as a whole, Mizuno is the most popular iron brand among our readers.
  • This isn’t surprising as Mizuno has over-indexed in absolutely every iron survey we’ve ever done. Our readers have a strong Mizuno bias (and that’s OK).
  • TaylorMade and PING hold their own.
  • Despite the relative success of its ONE Length offerings, COBRA trails PXG and Srixon among our readers.
  • Sub 70 not only tops the list of direct-to-consumer brands but also outperforms several mainstream brands including Tour Edge and Cleveland.
  • Worth a passing mention: an astonishing 41 percent of you reported buying new irons within the last year.

Who is Playing What

As a slight aside from the focus of our survey, we decided to look at the category of irons purchased by handicap. There’s some good stuff to be found here.

  • Way too many of you are playing blades, including almost 10 percent of 5-10 handicaps and five percent of 10-15 handicaps.
  • For the most part, iron category selection follows a logical progression. As handicap increases, golfers rightfully choose more forgiving clubs.
  • Player’s distance irons are the exception as they follow a normal distribution (bell curve).
  • Player’s distance irons were chosen most often by golfers in the 5.1-10 and 10.1-15 ranges, with usage rates falling as handicaps both increase and decrease from there.
  • This suggests that player’s distance irons, while not as popular with better players, work well for average golfers.

Iron Satisfaction

Now that we understand what you bought, it’s time to move on to the meat of the survey. Ultimately, while what you bought is important, this survey was about understanding how satisfied you are with your purchase.

To arrive at those answers, we asked a series of questions.

First, we asked about the extent to which your irons have met your expectations. To keep charts clean, we’ve limited the display to the top 10 most popular brands.

  • Direct-to-consumer brand Sub 70 tops the chart with the most satisfied customers with fewer than 1.5 percent of buyers saying the irons have not at all lived up to expectations.
  • This isn’t particularly surprising given the company’s reputation for outstanding customer service with a personal touch.
  • This is similar to what we saw with our golf ball survey. Purchasers of direct-to-consumer golf products are often exceptionally brand loyal.
  • Mizuno leads among mainstream brands with 69 percent saying the irons met or exceeded every expectation.
  • Only Callaway had less than 55 percent report having expectations not met or exceeded. This likely says less about Callaway than it does the off-the-rack buying experience.

When we asked in what way irons failed to meet expectations, the most common complaint is simply that the performance gains don’t justify the cost. Forgiveness was next on this list. Other common complaints included inconsistent distance (fliers and on mis-hits) and launch characteristics not being quite right.

If You Had It To Do All Over Again …

Next, we asked how likely you’d be to buy the same set of irons.

  • As you might expect given the results of the previous question, Sub 70 buyers were most likely to buy the same set of irons.
  • Srixon was next followed by PXG and then Mizuno.

We again shouldn’t be surprised by what at first glance looks like a poor result for industry leaders Callaway and TaylorMade. Those are the brands purchased most often by off-the-rack buyers and so the lack of satisfaction is almost certainly traceable to a lack of fitting.

Overall Satisfaction

Finally, we asked the classic Net Promoter Score Question: How likely are you to recommend your irons to a friend or colleague?

  • The trend continues. DTC brand Sub 70 leads the pack followed by smaller brands Srixon and Mizuno.
  • The Net Promoter Score for PXG was more favorable than both PING and Titleist.
  • Among top-10 brands, Callaway, TaylorMade and COBRA had the lowest satisfaction ratings.

Fitting

As we learned from the driver survey, there are other factors beyond brand that contribute to consumer satisfaction. Many of the most interesting insights can, again, be found around fitting.

Were You Fitted?

Early in the survey, we asked about the level of fitting associated with your purchase.

  • 22 percent of you report buying irons without trying. While I think that’s too high, it’s seven percentage points lower than it was for drivers.
  • 21 percent of you report demoing clubs but not going through a fitting. The number of DIYers is about seven percentage points less than reported with drivers.
  • 56 percent of you report being fitted for your irons. This is 13 percentage points higher than it was for drivers.

Next, we look at your iron purchases based on your level of fitting.

  • Among non-DTC brands, COBRA had the highest percentage of “no fitting” buyers. This certainly helps explain the lower satisfaction rates.
  • Mizuno, PING, Titleist and PXG have a higher percentage of buyers who were fitted than not.
  • Callaway and TaylorMade are bought most often after demoing without a full fitting.
  • If you’re buying a brand we didn’t list, you’re probably not getting fitted for it.

Circling back to our question about irons meeting (or not meeting) expectations, there are a few additional insights to be gleaned, though they mostly mirror what we learned from our driver survey.

  • Golfers who were fitted for their irons are more likely to say they met or exceeded expectations.
  • The likelihood of purchasing the same irons again is roughly the same for golfers who demoed and golfers who bought without trying.
  • Golfers who went through a fitting process are significantly more likely to purchase the same clubs again.
  • Finally, looking again at Net Promoter Score, golfers who get fitted are almost twice as likely to recommend their irons than those who didn’t.

Does the Fitting Location Matter?

Next, we took a closer look at what role fitting location may play in golfer satisfaction.

First, we needed to know where golfers got fitted for their irons.

  • While we added two new options (Golftec and 2nd Swing), the results suggest buying locations don’t vary much based on the club(s) being purchased.
  • While it’s still at the end of the chart, we did see a slightly higher percentage of golfers fit at TXG.

To get a sense of your satisfaction with your fitting experiences, we asked how likely you would be to recommend your fitting locations. (Note: We’ve limited the results to those locations which were listed more than 30 times.)

  • While the sample size is just large enough to be included, the bottom line is that golfers fitted at TXG are the most satisfied with their irons.
  • Golfers fitted at manufacturer facilities like TPI (Titleist Performance Institute) and PXG are also extremely satisfied, though perhaps not TXG-satisfied.
  • Among custom-fitting chains, Club Champion shoppers are the least satisfied. This was the case in the driver satisfaction survey as well.
  • Big Box retailer customers were so dissatisfied that the Net Promoter Score is actually a negative number.

Lastly, based on fitting location, we looked at how likely golfers were to buy same irons again.

  • Golfers fit at OEM facilities were the most likely to buy the same irons.
  • Cool Clubs and True Spec led among premium customer fitters.
  • Those two, along with TXG, had very few buyers who said they definitely wouldn’t buy the same irons.
  • Club Champion had the lowest likelihood of repeat buyers among the custom-fitting chains.

Other Insights

Here are a few other interesting nuggets from the survey.

  • More than 20 percent of respondents spent between $1,000 and $1,200 on their irons.
  • “Pleasant Sound and Feel” was listed most often among factors influencing the purchasing decision.
  • Forgiveness was the performance factor cited most often, followed by accuracy.
  • Sixty-eight percent of fittings were done indoors. Outdoor fittings have higher satisfaction rates, though it’s not substantially higher.
  • As was the case with the driver survey, golfers who spend the most money (more than $2,500) are most likely to be satisfied.
  • Satisfaction rates are generally lowest below the $600 price point.
  • As we saw in the driver survey, the better the golfer, the more likely they are to be fitted for irons and, ultimately, to be satisfied with the purchase.

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Tony Covey

Tony Covey

Tony Covey

Tony is the Editor of MyGolfSpy where his job is to bring fresh and innovative content to the site. In addition to his editorial responsibilities, he was instrumental in developing MyGolfSpy's data-driven testing methodologies and continues to sift through our data to find the insights that can help improve your game. Tony believes that golfers deserve to know what's real and what's not, and that means MyGolfSpy's equipment coverage must extend beyond the so-called facts as dictated by the same companies that created them. Most of all Tony believes in performance over hype and #PowerToThePlayer.

Tony Covey

Tony Covey

Tony Covey

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      Wally Detler

      3 years ago

      I only buy Mizuno because they are the best. Srixon is my 2nd choice and never Cobra or Callaway. As soon as I started playing Mizuno I began winning club championships. Feel, looks, sound control amazing irons.

      Reply

      ryebread

      3 years ago

      There are some great nuggets both in the original MGS article, but also in the comments section.

      I’m in one of the “not popular” sections of the bar graph with respect to handicap, club head type and OEM. At some point, I’ve got to be realistic. If I’m not going to drastically improve my swing or physique to lower my handicap, how much more can I really expect out of a golf club?

      When I bought this set of irons, I’d done two fittings (neither that I paid for) that (thankfully) gave me the same data about lie angle adjustments and similar shaft weight/profile/material recommendations. I’d done multiple “hit anything here” sessions with fitting carts across multiple OEMs. I’d hit both inside and outside with some of the models acting as a control so I could compare a baseline club (i.e. I know how I hit this off the rack one, so did this combo do better than that?) . I had done a couple of gap tests of complete sets to know where I ran out of gas (which is huge IMHO for those with only average swing speeds). I’d also played several sets on the course. Finally I had tried a bunch of different grips and knew which ones I liked.

      As a result, while I walked out with a set of clubs that I would never “have wanted” from an OEM perspective. More than 2 years later, I still satisfied with my purchase and see no reason to swap out any time soon. I was fortunate enough to have the time, means, and travel schedule (which gave me many locations and fitters at my disposal) to go through this process, but I also was willing to put in the work and go in with my mind open.

      If there’s one thing that I would pass along to the medium handicapper, it is to do this process on multiple days before you swipe the credit card. If you come to the same club / shaft profile repeatedly, you’ve probably got a winner. If not, then a purchase on any of these days could have been an expensive mistake based on how one’s swing was that particular day. Measure twice (or more) and cut once is probably sound advice for most. For the great golfer (say < 5), then that may not be needed because the swing is more fundamentally sound, consistent, etc., but there are far more 13+ handicap players than great golfers.

      Reply

      Wally Detler

      3 years ago

      The ratings are accurate. Srixon and Mizuno make the best irons.

      Reply

      Kevin Russell

      3 years ago

      I know there is a lot of hate for PXG on here but I had a great experience with my PXG fitter. Used one of their traveling fitters. Spent over two hours with me. Felt like he listened to me and in the end I got irons I don’t see replacing for years to come. I demoed at least seven different brands and thought the T200s were great also.

      Reply

      Colin Reddick

      3 years ago

      Too all the goobers who wondering why it was noted that too many people play blades its because….SCIENCE! Game improvement clubs have actually data driven and actual factual advantages to being more forgiving so people will OVERALL have a better time playing with easier to hit utensils. Pretty simple.

      Reply

      Wally Detler

      3 years ago

      I play with a lot of people and for the most part they don’t like their Callaway and TaylorMade irons. They won’t buy them again or recommend them either. If you are serious about golf then the odds are you are playing Mizuno.

      Mizuno makes the best driver and the best irons.

      Reply

      John

      3 years ago

      Not sure where you are in NY, but if you are in the city or Westchester check out Tri-Fit golf in Darien CT. I got fitted for irons, driver, and wedges there over the last few years.

      Reply

      Phil

      3 years ago

      Truspec only fits with 6 irons. I asked, and they said ” if you can hit the 6 iron you can hit the rest of the clubs”. I dont really understand that. I rarely hit my 6 iron. Wouldnt it be better to fit with a 7 or 8 iron for players that aren’t as good?

      Reply

      Jordy Evans

      3 years ago

      Ten years ago I bought my first new set of irons, Taylormade Burner XDs, after using my previous set of Dunlop clubs for almost twenty years.. I was a solid 30 handicapper and played maybe 10-20 rounds a year but was preparing for an early retirement and golf was going to be a more frequent activity. a couple of years later and my handicap was down to 15 and my swing and ball striking had improved to the point where the super game improvement irons with their large size and significant offset were not working for me anymore.

      Got fitted for a new set of Taylormade PSI irons with KBS Tour Shafts, regular flex.. Handicap dropped some more to a 10 and I started to notice that my front to back dispersion with the PSI irons was generally good, but about once or twice a round I would get an odd flyer that would go 10-15 yards further than expected. The metal badges on the bag started to lift off the clubs as well and I was tired of getting poked in the hand when reaching for a club.

      Back to the fitter, the new irons recommended Titleist AP3s with a slightly heavier and stiffer version of a different shaft, KBS Tour V 110g stiff. After 3 1/2 years and 700 rounds handicap is down to a 3 with the recent irons. After swing speed training my draw turned into a hook and my distance gapping needed to be revisited.

      Just put into the bag a set of Corey Paul Forged cavity back irons with KBS $-Taper 120g stiff shafts. Trajectory and dispersion are right where I want them. My pitching wedge is now 46 degrees instead of 43 degrees and my carry distance consistency has improved too.

      Had been using some Corey Paul wedges and really liked them. Saw a set of the limited run of irons on Ebay slightly used and snapped them up at a great price. Have since bought another set with C-Taper shafts as a back-up also off of EBay.

      Fitting has definitely helped me to improve, but it wasn’t until I really committed to taking full responsibility for my bag set up and started to do some tinkering and experimenting on my own that I was able to breakthrough to achieve my personal best.

      I am now playing a mix of clubs from 5 different manufacturers that range in age from 2013 to current and finally fell like every club in my bag is trustworthy and has a role in my bag. I do have a 15th club, a #4 utility iron that I sometimes switch with my 5 hybrid. Would love to have both but am unwilling to take out anything else.

      Best wishes to y’all in your search for the right mix of club heads, shafts, grips, swing weights, lofts and lies that allow you to perform your best.

      Reply

      Eddie D

      3 years ago

      I’m a 7 handicap that bought blades without getting fit or demoing them. They’re a brand that didn’t make the list. I did everything wrong. Best irons I’ve ever played.

      Reply

      Ian

      3 years ago

      What’s the brand?

      Reply

      Mike

      3 years ago

      OK, so the club champion nonsense is exposed. Less than 1 of 5 people said they would recommend it to a friend? If I were in business & I saw that recommendation # I’d be very nervous. My iron fitting there was absolutely useless. Went on a very cold winter day & the place was cold so I ended up getting fitted for senior shafts in my irons. Complete disaster!!! Never hit the clubs as well as I did the day I was fitted. Luckily I only bought 2 (yes, 2 irons). They were on eBay a month later.

      Reply

      Dave P

      3 years ago

      Great article – the most accurate line was with regards to Srixon -‘if you know, you know’ how true, never been happier

      Reply

      Phil

      3 years ago

      Just got a combo set of Zx5 and 7’s. Love them! Would have never considered trying them but my neighbor (who is a very good player) went to ZX7s so I thought I should give them a try.

      Reply

      pgfree33

      3 years ago

      My combo set arrived 3wks ago, and I Can’t stripe ‘em any better. I’m a 4 Hcp hoping to get to 2 by yrs. end.
      I love playing my MP32s, but after 14yrs it was time, event though it was Bery Difficult to get them out of my bag. I hit most every Players iron (Blade, MB, CB, you name em, I hit ‘em) on the market, (except Sub70/Wilson, since I won’t pay to do so and couldn’t ever find a place to do so within a reasonable drive. PXGs were briefly a contender, I’d Never spend $2K just for irons! Finally, it came down to Mizuno or Srixon, and I
      and wasn’t able to exceed or ignore the results I got w/my ZX 5/7 Srixons. My advice for anyone looking to upgrade is to:
      1. Know yourself/your game.
      2. Objectively decide what/how/why ‘it’ needs to improve.
      3. Set aside Any brand loyalty or bias, unless that Brand is Paying you for such.
      4. Do some research via MGS or other independent (RSG) source, avoid all the marketing BS hype) and go HIT ‘em!!

      Because sometimes, really most of the time, we can’t buy our way to getting Better. We have to earn it, one swing at a time..
      Good Hunting!

      Patrick

      3 years ago

      COVID definitely prevented me from getting fit last year ( I was a survey respondent). Don’t like what I purchased so was fitted this year for Ping G425 irons. Didn’t count them in the survey since I’m 3 months into 5 month wait for delivery. I demoed 5 clubs at my fitting and loved the pings.. I would say results may be skewed by lockdowns and supply chain problems. Enjoyed the survey an results!

      Reply

      Wesley

      3 years ago

      If I spent $2500 on clubs and I ended up not liking them I’m not sure I would admit it. However, this site has a lot of very dedicated members and excellent players. I just don’t think I can understand the mindset of spending that much on clubs. I suppose a whole setup of bag and all new clubs can easily be more than that.

      Reply

      Springbok

      3 years ago

      I have mentioned it before. If you go to Club Champion… buyer beware. If you ever see someone with a Veylix, VA Composites, or Accra shaft in their driver…. ask them how they got it. Guaranteed the answer will be “I was fit for it at Club Champion” 99.999% of the time. Then ask them: “Are they happy with their purchase and would they spend the money again”. Guaranteed the answer will be “No” 80%+ of the time.

      Club Champion fits those shafts because they are boutique shafts, and their profit markup DWARFS that of markups on brands like Fujikura, Aldia, Mitsubishi and other non-boutique brands. When I went for my fitting, I was fit to an Accra. The guy that recommended I go, was fit to an Accra… and the 3 people I sent after me… you guessed it… Accra. This was at Club Champion in Orlando, Sand Lake branch. I realized then… it was all just a scam. To make matters worse… we PAID for the fitting.

      If you absolutely HAVE TO go to a Club Champion, insist that they DO NOT fit you in a boutique shaft. Even if they tell you that your mother’s life depended on you being fit to one of those shafts, and guaranteed you they are 1 MILLION times better than any thing you will ever hit.. DO NOT FALL for it. There are ways to fudge numbers. All one has to do is observe your swing. Give you a shaft that is completely the wrong shaft, then give you an boutique shaft that is the closest to the one that would suite you and voila… you would think that was THE best shaft for you.

      Insist they only fit you for a NON-boutique shaft.

      Sorry for the rant.. but seeing those results got me all worked up again.

      Reply

      Lefthack

      3 years ago

      I would love to demo irons but as a lefty, demos are non-existent. Fittings are even questionable due to a lack of lefty demo options.

      Maybe I get to hit a 6 or 7 iron, but that isn’t THAT much better than a blind purchase of a full set.

      If you know if a “lefty demo day” or anywhere I could hit complete iron sets, sign me up.

      Reply

      Larry Jonak

      3 years ago

      I have a Veylix driver shaft. I wasn’t fitted for it but it turned out good. I was fitted for irons at Club Champion and got MMT shafts but I have a friend that went and he ended up with Accra. We both like our irons but you are right Club Champion is expensive but they did ask what my budget was before the fitting started. Even with a cheaper shaft it’s still going to cost a bundle. I have had good results from the big box stores so I don’t think I will go back to Club Champion.

      Reply

      Mike

      3 years ago

      Stumbled across this info and then read your review of Club Champ. Interestingly, I went to the same store about a year ago and had a really bad experience with the fitting. After it was all done, the Ping irons they recommended were not available with the shafts I tested. Really? And the SIM putting computer was broke. And after hitting about 70 6 irons I didn’t have the energy to swing driver. Anyway, I contacted the regional sales manager and surprisingly got a total refund for the fitting. Total waste of time.

      Reply

      Ian

      3 years ago

      Don’t agree with the VA Composites. Got fitted locally here in Dallas (not at Club Champion) and got a VA Slay in my 3 wood with a Sim2 Ti head, and it’s the best 3 wood I’ve ever had. I have to try not to hit the thing straight. Love it so much I ditched the Ventus Velocore in my Sim1 driver. Such a big difference.

      Reply

      Springbok

      3 years ago

      Ian. Don’t disagree with the fact that VA makes great shafts. That wasn’t the point.. The point was that Club Champion fits shafts based on profit margin.. NOT based on what is best for the customer.

      Steven M.

      3 years ago

      The survey, which I participated in, is right on the mark. Bought Ping G425 irons and woods. Still satisfied with the choice. Getting more distance with graphite shafts and less dispersion. However, took about a month to get used to the lighter feeling. (40) gram shafts.

      Reply

      RALPH

      3 years ago

      Thank you for the survey results which I gladly participated in. MGS: you guys are awesome!

      Couple of things: First, if you went to get fitted and hit blades better than any other club (assuming you were fitted and your goal was to hit your clubs better) then that’s what you should be playing. Or, if it simply makes you happy to hit blades, hit ’em. I, personally, can’t understand why anyone would hit any club that didn’t reduce the effects of a swing flaw, make the game easier and more fun, or provide a higher level of confidence the next time you pull it out to use it. Second, ANY fitting company (Club Champion, Big Box, Private, etc.) are only as good as the actual person providing the fitting. Through guidance, applying their knowledge of the golf swing, data, and equipment, they should easily get you to a really good place. So to say ‘Club Champion was a bad experience’, e.g., is to say the fitter you booked time with wasn’t good at what (s)he does. I mention this because I went to Club Champion and my fitter, Justin, who I screened by phone in advance, was absolutely looking to do one thing: help me improve my game by getting into the equipment that suited my swing. I told Justin, upfront, that I am brand agnostic and will only purchase something if I could see and feel real benefits. Yes, I did 100% use MGS as a guide to what I might try when I went in, but had no preconceived notion of what, if anything, I would buy that day. I’m a 2 handicap and I would recommend Justin and Club Champion to anyone.

      A useful website would be one that rates fitters by category by verified customers who were fitted.

      Reply

      Chris Be

      3 years ago

      Ralph, I agree with your comment. I spoke with a number of fitters at different companies and ended up selecting CJ at the original Club Champion in IL. It is very much up to who is fitting you, not the company. CJ was the most interested in helping me. While of course fitting is a business, nobody wants to work for free, I felt like he had my best interest at heart.

      Reply

      joselo

      3 years ago

      amazing job with the data
      very interesting to get to know more about what everybody is getting

      earlier this year i moved on from 8 year old mizuno’s mp59s stiff shaft to the new mp20’s hmb models, regular shaft.

      i play 3 or 4 rounds a weeks and the stiff shaft was just too much for me, im older and i guess i get tired more easily. decided to move on to a regular shaft and ive been enjoying a higher flight, but still very accurate delivery. accuracy was the most important thing for me, and looks of course

      very interested in Sub70 and PXG, i’ll probably give them a chance at some point in the future, couple of friends play PXG and they are very happy

      Reply

      WYBob

      3 years ago

      Thanks for this analysis and allowing us to participate in the survey. While I do mostly play is what would be referred to as forged player distance irons, it’s more a concession to my age and needing more distance now. Technology helps overcome the effects of aging for many of us.. That said, I grew up playing forged blades and still have several sets I play occasionally in the summer months, I hit them as well as the more forgiving player distance irons, but they are now about one club shorter. What I always struggled with are irons that look like boats on a stick (aka game improvement irons). They just don’t look right at address, and the turf interaction is sub optimal IMHO. I believe each golfer needs to play whatever clubs they feel comfortable with and fits their eye. Golf is meant to be fun- play whatever gives you the most satisfaction and enjoyment.

      Reply

      alan stolarun

      3 years ago

      I’m in full agreement with you. Our experiences are similar. I grew up playing forged irons and still do play them even in my advancing age. At one point I became enamored with the Palmer Axiom II irons which I played for 6-8 years. They were made from 17-4 stainless steel, the aircraft industry metal. I got great distance, elevation and rocket chip shots which made me switch back to forged blades. My game relied upon the short game as I rarely hit more than 50% of the greens in regulation. The new game improvement irons look like war clubs instead of golf clubs, and most, if not all, are made from some variety of stainless steel. I prefer carbon steel. And yes, I lost one club length.

      axiom

      Reply

      TITOV

      3 years ago

      Agree with you sir. Got back to golf 3 years ago and bought a used set of PING i200. Liked them but never loved them. Sold them this summer planing to get a new set. Let them go for $200 and then was informed that custom clubs were taking a long time from purchased. Long story short, I went to my garage and re-griped my old set of Mizuno MP67 blades.. Hdcp went from a 6 to a 2. There is just something about the feel that I can’t explain. They are almost 2 clubs short from the i200 which were bent 1 degree strong but I went 5 rounds in a row shooting 73 or better. How do I change when I have never played better? Enjoy the game and play what works.

      Reply

      Chisag

      3 years ago

      Cobra MIM King Tour irons are the best irons I have ever played. Love everything about them. Amazing feel with just the right combination of forgiveness and consistency. I have to think the One Length irons throws the survey off as may try them as an experiment and end up going back to standard length. But that is just an educated guess.

      Reply

      Matt S

      3 years ago

      Well, that made me think. I suppose there are golfers that get more enjoyment and pleasure in successfully working the occasional pure fade or draw instead of hitting more consistent but boringly accurate shots?

      Reply

      Gerry Teigrob

      3 years ago

      I spend no more than $750 on a good set of Cobra irons! I love my F9s and wouldn’t trade them for anything else! I’m in the process of reshafting them from steel to graphite so they will continue to serve me for years to come! Until golf club manufacturers realise we aren’t made of money, there will be those who go on constant spending sprees to buck the trend. I’m more about what works for me….not keeping up with the Jones’!

      Reply

      James Shepard

      3 years ago

      Sub 70 only offers demos with standard loft and lie, then online fitting. Fail to see how this is better than going to demo. Surprised at Titleist try numbers vs bought numbers, not good.

      Reply

      Alan

      3 years ago

      They do offer fitting at their facility in Sycamore, IL.

      Reply

      Alan

      3 years ago

      You can go to the Sub70 facility in Sycamore, IL (just outside Chicago) and they can fit you there.

      Reply

      Justin

      3 years ago

      The reality is where I live, the only demo days at courses are for Taylormade, Callaway or Titleist. You might get a PING day thrown in every couple years. I would love to try mizuno or some of the other brands outdoors on a range. The reality is though unless I am willing to get drive 12 hours to a bigger metro area I have no chance to do a proper fitting. Most times the demo days hardly even carry shaft options outside of the same old stock offerings. They dont carry other clubs outside of a 7 iron either. I would love to do a combo set but if I cant hit a 4 iron in a t200 to see the difference it doesnt make any sense to even go through the process.

      Reply

      Josh Knipp

      3 years ago

      Hey Justin, where do you live? I am a Mizuno rep and could help you find place to get fit possibly on a range.

      Reply

      Phil

      3 years ago

      Love my Sub 70 irons, wedge and hybrid. Great customer service is something you don’t see much anymore. That was such a great pat of the experience for me. Having the owner talk thru your game and what would work best for me was a really great experience. Lastly, the build is beyond good. I have steered so many friends towards this company without saying a word. They see my clubs, then ask to hit them and say, maybe I should give these guys a try. Well done Sub 70!

      Reply

      Andy

      3 years ago

      I genuinely feel sorry for people who pay for puring. It’s a con and you’ve wasted money on a 60 second “job”. Shaft manufacturers go through strict quality control measures to ensure you don’t need to spend an extra 40 on a 60 second “job” that will not make any difference to your game.

      Reply

      Ryan

      3 years ago

      I was fit at Club Champion and cannot express how bad of an experience it was. My fitter was nice but was more interested in giving me a lesson than he was in fitting to the swing that I have. I went in for a full bag fitting – a gift from my wife for landing a new job – and started with the irons and wedges. After a few warm-ups, I started testing shafts. After a while, he put me a 1/5 in longer shaft that was like swinging a board. Then he put me in irons that were ok, but not the best feeling clubs that I tried, at 2* upright. I am 5’7″ tall and have always had a very flat swing. The P770s, along with the Cleveland wedges he fit me for, are now gone. When I went in to do the drive, I told him how the irons weren’t working, and he told me that if I swung them right, they would be perfect. What??????? I thought CC’s thing was to fit you for the game you have, not the one the fitter thinks you should have. The driver, I will say, has outperformed any other driver I have ever owned. However, it took a 2-hour “tune-up” from the fitter to finally start the fit, even though I told him I was working on my game with a coach. I have told everybody I know that has looked at going there to avoid it like the plague. It is one of two places in our entire city that does a totally brand-agnostic fitting with all the shafts and stuff. The other one isn’t really any good either, but that is more based on customer service and communication. I went to my coach recently,. after 6 months of horrible play with these irons, and he fit me into a completely different shaft profile, lie angle and length. I would have order my replacements from him, but he only fits for Mizuno and I wasn’t going to spend ANOTHER $1200. When I brought the sub70 demos into him, he was very impressed with the quality and said they were great and would fit me well after I got the shaft and lie angle figured out. Just waiting now for my trade-in credit to arrive so I can order the sub70s I should have gotten the first time. I haven’t even thought about going back to finish out the fairways and hybrid portion of the fitting since it went so bad the other two times.

      Reply

      Alex K

      3 years ago

      I always love comments like this: “Way too many of you are playing blades, including almost 10 percent of 5-10 handicaps and five percent of 10-15 handicaps.” You seriously are still pushing non-blades (as if there are any actual blades out there anymore) without understanding WHY people are playing them? I’ve played blades my whole life and it is the only look that is comfortable. There is NOTHING WRONG WITH PLAYING BLADES. There is also nothing wrong with playing the fattest shovels ever made. Get out and have fun and STOP WORRYING ABOUT WHAT SOMEONE ELSE PLAYS. Seriously… it’s beyond old at this time.

      Reply

      Kelly M

      3 years ago

      AMEN, I completely agree.

      Reply

      Kansas King

      3 years ago

      I generally agree with you but the reality is that if you’re getting fit for irons, it’s highly unlikely that you are going to perform the best with blades if you are above a 5 handicap. I’m not saying that you can’t or shouldn’t play with blades though. If you want to play with blades, play blades. A blade and a shovel will both advance the ball towards the hole assuming you’re swinging that direction. Beyond some MOI and CoG differences, I think the biggest issue with blades for golfers who aren’t the best ball strikers is the narrow and relatively unforgiving sole. The sole is really the biggest point I have against blades but once again, both will get the ball to the hole.

      Reply

      Tony

      3 years ago

      Maybe you just don’t like blades … and there’s more to golf than iron play, like driving and putting. As an old and famous pro once said to me, ” … it doesn’t really matter, you’re just progressing the ball down the fairway … concentrate on chipping and putting ! ”
      You’re welcome to use your shovels. :-)

      MiddleFinger

      3 years ago

      Thank you for shouting that out there! I agree as well.

      Reply

      Tony

      3 years ago

      Totally agree. My only dalliance away from players irons / blades resulted in the destruction of my swing … I had no feedback to work with!

      Reply

      LOWEBOY

      3 years ago

      “Too many are playing blades” That is laughable. Play what you want to play. If you like blades, buy blades. If you like cavity backs, buy cavity backs. Or any other type of club that floats your boat. I grew up hitting blades and had many hand-stings from mishits. Played cavity backs for a few years, they’re fine. I prefer blades. I hear people say all the time that they are not good enough to play blades. That is a bunch of hooey. We all started by learning how to hit the ball, and each of us, on every shot still have to make sure the ball is in the way of the club at impact. The problem is, most people try to hit the ball instead of letting the club hit the ball on is natural arc through the ball. It doesn’t matter what type of club you swing, if you lack in good fundamentals and are not letting the club do the work, and most of us don’t, then we end up with bad results. And then it’s the fault of the club, not the one holding the club.

      Getting fitted is a good thing and money well spent along with some lessons, but chasing a new club to fix bad fundamentals is a waste of money.

      Reply

      Greg H

      3 years ago

      Thanks for such an unbiased article. I was considering going through the full-bag fitting process with one of the top 3 big-box fitters in my area, but your article gave me pause to reconsider and maybe find a local pro to work with instead.

      Reply

      Gary

      3 years ago

      I loved my fitting @ Cool Clubs. Between driver and irons I spent $3500. I was fit inside and had a chance to go to the course range to confirm the fit outside. Shaft fit was super on point for driver and irons. A fitter not under pressure to make commission on a sale in the fitting will provide a better fit an experience, IMO. I never felt pressured or an expectation that I would buy. I did pay $350 for the fittings which I think helps with the no pressure environment. I love my irons and my driver. Best match ever and I’ve played for almost 60 years.

      Reply

      Tom54

      3 years ago

      I guess I’m one of the outliers in the survey. I only purchased Mizuno irons because I was fit for them and supposedly they were the ones I hit the best. I don’t have any affinity for them at all, I spent around $2k when you consider the up charge shafts and the waste of money Pureing, and I wish I could go back in time and prevent myself from buying them.
      (Heh, I know we don’t criticize Mizuno here. I also once got fit for a Ping driver years ago that I ditched after a year that was the other biggest money sink I’ve had in golf.)

      Reply

      BK

      3 years ago

      Sounds more like a club champion issue not Mizuno?

      Reply

      Joey Stone

      3 years ago

      Love Sub 70 getting great reviews from Customers. I have TA III Irons, 286 Wedges, 939X Hybrids and their 00& Blade Putter. They have been great to work with but more importantly, the equipment is shockingly good. I have never recommended a Golf Company more than Sub 70.

      I do disagree with the sweeping statement made in your article that too many of Golfers are playing Blades. That’s a judgement call by the Player.

      Reply

      John

      3 years ago

      I have to disagree with the way too many people are playing blades. I play Sub70 639 combo and it’s the best move I have made. Wasted too much money on game improvement clubs due to fitter recommendations. Yet the never ask why your handicap is so high. I just ditched my driver and no lie 15 to 20 stokes per round just miraculously fell aff a typical round so maybe fitters should ask more questions

      Reply

      ForeRightAgain

      3 years ago

      I filled out the survey. Was fitted at CC, the fitting was excellent, my clubs are over delivering. The problem I had was how long it took for me to get my clubs and what felt like an endless run of excuse making as to what was delaying the process. Which definitely made me say that I would not recommend in the future

      Reply

      Jack

      3 years ago

      Golf is just a game, if you want to play blades…play blades.

      Not cool at all to say someone shouldn’t play what they want to play.

      Test numbers will never top fun & enjoyment.

      Reply

      MarkM

      3 years ago

      Abso-F’n-Lutley and YES I play blades.

      Reply

      Dave

      3 years ago

      No one is pulling the blades out of any bags. But what is more fun, blades or shooting better scores? Blades or not hitting out of the bushes? Blades or consistent expectations from shots. The science of forgiveness in irons: higher handicaps playing them shouldn’t be. But no one is trying to physically stop them. It IS cool to share this information. And for those of us stuck behind them slowing down pace of play.

      Reply

      Jim

      3 years ago

      Really good point – Handicap can at times be a poor indicator. I’m a brutal putter and rubbish out of bunkers. But I can hit 1 a 2iron blade quite well. I hit it high so forgiving clubs generally are a bad idea for me. But if I was to purchase based on handicap I would be steered towards forgiving clubs whereas blades actually suit me best.

      Reply

      Mark T.

      3 years ago

      Maybe if you were playing game improvement irons instead of blades, you wouldn’t be hitting out of the bunkers and so far from the pin?!? lol… If telling yourself you’re good enough to play blades makes you happy, go for it!!

      Philip S.

      3 years ago

      Im a 6 HCP and play Blades. I am not seeing any disadvantages. Acutally the small clubhead gets me to concentrate and hit the ball solid. If i really misshit a shot, believe me, a game improvement-iron would not help me on that occasion. ;)

      Ken Venezio

      3 years ago

      Another outstanding job. Really defines the market and the user experience. In Summary, Spend the time up front and the results will be so much better.

      Reply

      Jorge

      3 years ago

      How about a robot arm test for each of these irons, much like the ball test you guys did? All using the same 3 different balls (high, mid, low) compression.

      Reply

      mackdaddy9

      3 years ago

      I was fit at Club Champion. I did the full bag fitting. I was totally satisfied with my Driver and Iron fitting portion of the process and love these clubs Hybrid included, The fairway fitting was one upgraded shaft hit and the same brand head as I was playing just the newest model, neither of which have stayed in the bag. The wedges he asked me how my wedge game was, I said it was the strength of my game. He said he would just put the same shafts in my wedges as my irons and keep them the same, I didn’t get to hit them until they came in and they were terrible! They flew way to high and dropped out of the sky 20-30 yards short of what I was used to. He didn’t give me any different bounce or grind options. The putter was the most disappointing though. I was changed out of my gamer into a Scotty with a Stability shaft and the head came loose three different times and when they finally got it attached it rattles because there is some loose epoxy inside. I would not complain about the irons, hybrid or the driver ever. That said I wasted over $1000 on the fairways wedge shafts and another $550 on the putter. I sold the putter to a buddy and he loves it. My old 3 fairway is back in the bag and I found a guy the grooves and finishes wedges and have like new Cleveland CG 12 dsg and rtx with like new faces. Paid $46 to get two done. Best Deal ever

      Reply

      Mike

      3 years ago

      I had a good putter fitting at club champion this season but previously had a completely wasted full bag session. I take some responsibility in that I didn’t realize they only sell absolutely current models and there’s no such thing as free stock shaft offered (at least that’s what I was told). Did purchase Titleist irons but given the price per iron with upgraded shaft, pure, etc., luckily only purchased 2 irons. I hit them there but they never worked at all after that day. Ended up selling those two irons on eBay for a fraction of what I paid for them. Overall, a complete waste of money.

      My advice? Get fitted at some place where you’re not paying just to “get fitted”. Grab the best stock (i.e. free) shafts that work best for you. At that point, you can test them out & perhaps look at an upgraded shaft. But if you’re a mid-handicapper or higher, your fooling yourself (or your ego) if you think that an upgraded shaft is going to make huge differences in your ball flight. Work on your swing and your short game and you’ll see more overall improvement than kicking out an extra $400 for an exotic driver shaft.

      Reply

      tscdave

      3 years ago

      Nice summary, had me looking at sub 70 website, since those buyers were happy with their clubs.

      Reply

      Milo

      3 years ago

      I have the 649MB in raw 3-9 absolutely love them. I recently bought the 849 pro driver and I love it. I came from 13 X forged irons and a Cobra LTD Pro.

      Reply

      Jerry

      3 years ago

      I have these. BRIDGESTONE TOUR B JGR HF2.
      Forged, nice topline, forgiving and long.

      Reply

      Steve S

      3 years ago

      The statement “Way too many of you are playing blades” has me conflicted. I understand the reason for the comment, most of us are really not good enough. I think that is probably the case but I have one reason that I still have a set of blades(not my gamers). I use them to practice with on the range and occasionally on the course. When my iron play is good they stay in the garage. When I start to lose it with my irons, I take them too the range. They give instant feed back on mishits that my gamers don’t. If I can start hitting the blades pure I know my swing is good. So in my opinion everyone should own a set of blades(an old used set or part of a set) to practice with.

      Reply

      Mike Johnson

      3 years ago

      I do the same with putters. I use a mallet but if my putting gets off I practice with a bullseye style putter.

      Reply

      Al

      3 years ago

      Is TXG only available in Canada?

      Reply

      Matthew Swanson

      3 years ago

      Currently, yes (two locations), but I believe they have plans to expand to US Markets soon-ish, based on some language Ian has said throughout the videos over the past year.

      Reply

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