THE PROCESS - NAVIGATING THE COMPLEX MAZE OF BUYING NEW IRONS

I was recently asked to describe my golf game.  "If I'm playing really well and making a few putts, I can break 90 (my best round in 2022 was an 86).  If I'm making good contact and hitting a few greens in reg and staying away from disaster holes, then 90-94.  If I'm just playing OK with a couple of holes that get away from me, then I'm in the mid to upper 90's, and if I can't do anything right, then I'm in the 100's."  So in other words, I am the typical average golfer.  My label of "Windy City Golf through the Eyes of a 20 Handicap" is all too accurate: my CDGA index is currently 18.3.

I've never been someone drawn to the latest and greatest clubs.  I've been playing the same set of irons for at least 12 years.  The Ben Hogan BH-5's I bought new at Dick's Sporting Goods served their purpose, good looking clubs that I felt comfortable over the ball and hit pretty well.  I can't remember exactly what I paid for the BH-5's, although it was definitely under $200, but as my swing speed has steadily declined over the years, the stiff shafts just don't feel right anymore.  They worked OK for a long while, but it's time for an irons upgrade.

There are dozens of club manufacturers and hundreds of models to choose from, ranging from super game improvement for beginner and higher handicaps to forged players irons designed for the best golfers, with a wide range of price points.  My biggest equipment investment to date was a PXG 0811 Proto+ driver I purchased in 2021 for $250, which replaced an Adams Blue driver that cost $50 at a local golf show several years before. I somehow snapped the Adams in my car trunk and it would have cost nearly twice as much to fix it than I originally paid.  The PXG marketing assault and downward price recalibration in the last few years grabbed my attention and the look, feel and cost worked.  But the reality is that if it hadn't broken, the Blue would probably still be in my bag.

THE PROCESS

So how did I go about finding the right irons to buy?  Here are a few guidelines I followed that were important to focus and streamline the search:

* My 20 handicap skill level implies that some form of Game Improvement Iron would work best for me.  Simply put, these clubs commonly feature a bigger head size with perimeter weighting creating a larger effective hitting area for improved forgiveness, which will minimize a loss of distance and accuracy on mishits.  A good place to start. 

* My set configuration will ideally include 7 clubs, 5 - Gap Wedge (my current set is 3 - Pitching Wedge, but the 3 & 4 irons are hardly ever in the bag).  I never had a Gap Wedge (around 48 to 52 degrees) and I think that would be a perfect addition to my club arsenal.  

* I have graphite shafts in the BH-5's and that's my preference over steel.  My senior swing needs all the help it can get and I just like the extra visual flair that graphite shafts provide.  Graphite in many cases will increase the cost a bit, but probably not enough to make a difference in what I'm looking for.  

* My preference is to see, feel and hit any club before purchase.  Buying new clubs (especially irons) is a very personal decision and the aesthetics make a difference, and if I don't like the way the club looks at address or in my bag, I'm probably not buying them.  

* I will limit the price to no more than $100 per club, with the caveat that I'll go a little over if a set really catches my fancy.  The $100 limit is admittedly arbitrary, but my thought is at this price I should be able to buy a quality club that will provide improvements in distance and accuracy through updated technology.  Plus it's a price I'm comfortable spending. 

At $100/club, most of the big name brands found at the major local retailers (Golf Galaxy, PGA Superstore) are off the board, so it's unlikely that Callaway, TaylorMade, Ping, Titleist, Cobra and Mizuno irons will be in my bag.  As an example, a Callaway game improvement iron such as the Rogue ST Max OS Lite in graphite are currently $1,100, or $157 ea for the 5-GW, at the PGA Superstore.   

Almost all the top club sellers do market new models each year, so previous season offerings are often discounted to make room for the next big thing.  I will certainly look at what's available on the discount rack, I'm perfectly fine with buying new clubs with a prior year label attached to them that meet my criteria. 

I relied extensively on golf club reviews and ratings in the process.  The major golf publications (Golf Digest, Golf, Golf Monthly) will all have a list of preferred clubs, and I found several other sources that both informed and entertained.  Written reviews by My Golf Spy, Plugged In Golf, and Today's Golfer, plus videos from Rick Shiels, Driving Range Heroes and TXG, to name just a few, were all very helpful.

BREAKING THE CLUB PINATA

Once I started researching irons in earnest on the internet, the golf club seller pinata burst open and credible options fell to the ground like candy.  Some I were familiar (PXG, Bombtech, Stix, Ram) and others were totally new (Argolf, Haywood, Takomo, Byrdie, Pinhawk, and 1 Iron).  What all these vendors had in common is the primary reliance on the Direct to Consumer (DTC) sales model.  The theory goes that by cutting out the middleman (retail golf shops), better pricing can be passed along to consumers at the same quality.  The downside is that hitting clubs before purchasing will take some effort and will often not be possible.

One DTC brand I would have definitely considered, given my prior history, was Ben Hogan, but a visit to the Hogan website informed that the legendary club company unfortunately ceased operations in August.

Both Pinhawk and 1 Iron specialize in single length clubs, and although I've read about the merits and know Bryson plays them, I don't think I'm heading in that direction.  

Argolf was started in 2010 by two aeronautical engineers in France and the clubs (irons, wedges, putters) are designed based on the advanced technologies of that industry, plus they are pretty sweet looking, too.  The game improvement iron, the AR-F35, is shown on their website at a nicely priced $599 for a set, but a closer view revealed this set was for only 4 clubs (7-PW), or $150 ea. The LaGrange and Kishwaukee CC's were listed as local dealers, but at that price point I won't be pursuing further.

Haywood is a boutique custom club seller across the border in Vancouver, BC featuring irons, wedges and putters (same as Argolf), and the stylish Signature Irons 5-PW in a stock graphite shaft are $600.  Throw in a 52 degree gap wedge for $105 and round down and we're at $100 per stick.  Haywood irons have received favorable reviews from the likes of Golf.com. and are carried locally at True Spec Golf in Highland Park.  I gave True Spec a call to see if I could drive up for a demo, and they responded "No problem", but I'd have to pay $175 for the fitting fee!  Haywood does offer a 30-day money back guarantee and you can test the 7-iron and return the full set if not satisfied.

Takomo is based in Finland and feature a distinct Scandinavian minimalist vibe to their club designs.  The offerings are limited to four different irons and one wedge model.  Takomo's tagline is "Premium Golf Equipment at an Affordable Price", and the Iron 101 model checks in at $459 for a 4-PW, seven piece set.  Swapping out the standard KBS steel with Obsidian graphite shafts adds $100 to the package, for a total of $559/$80 per club.  The Iron 101T is a modified version of the 101 that offers a shorter blade length, less offset and a thinner top line, all features that tend to be favored by advanced players (and by this notably non-advanced player, too).  The 101T's with the graphite shafts are $689.  Takomo mimics the same "30 day, hit the 7 iron" return policy as Haywood.

Both Bombtech and Stix use very aggressive marketing to get their products known.  The Bombtech website claims they've sold over 670,000 clubs since they started in 2012.  They sell a full line, and the latest iteration of their irons, version 4.0, list at $497 for the 4-PW, with all sorts of specials regularly available.  But they only come with steel shafts and there is no variation from the 4-PW composition available.  The black finish carries some appeal, but the green logo with the exploding bomb was a bit too gimmicky for my taste.  Just not what I'm looking for.

Headquartered in Elgin, Stix are designed with a distinct minimalist aesthetic, simple, affordable clubs with high grade materials for the everyday golfer.  A full set of 14 clubs is listed for $999.  There is only one style of iron available. in either silver or black at $499 (currently reduced to $399 / $67 ea) for 6 club set (5-PW).  The 52 degree Gap Wedge to fill out the set is not available by itself and only comes packaged with the 60 degree Wedge, which seemed like an odd decision (the 56 degree Sand Wedge can be bought separately). Surprisingly, they are only offered with graphite shafts, which works fine for me.  Besides DTC sales, Stix are also sold thru Scheel's Golf Stores, but the closest one is 185 miles away in Springfield. However, the PGA Superstore in Oak Brook and the XGolf simulator location in Naperville had demos available to try.

Golf historians will remember that Tom Watson successfully played Ram clubs for years. but recently the brand sold the type of low-end clubs you'd find in Wal-Mart.  However, they just released the FX77 irons, which look great and feature a polymer filled, 2-piece hollow back design.  With graphite shafts, the 7-piece set (4-PW) is $449 in silver, $499 in black.  Early reviews have been favorable, so I'll see if I can find a place to try them out.

Byrdie Golf Designs (BGD) are located in Idaho and have 4 lines of irons shown on their website in either 6 (5-PW) or 7 (4-PW) iron sets, and all are currently discounted for well under $100 per club.  The Stingers are $299 for 6 clubs and a set of wedges (52, 56 and 60 degrees) is $180.  BGD offered an unusual warranty, where for $50 you could buy 1 year coverage and for $200 you get a lifetime guarantee for the original purchaser, which adds significantly to the overall cost.  As far as I could tell, BGD did not offer any type of demo program.

The main retail brand that caught my eye was Tour Edge.  They are a local company (headquartered in Batavia) with a national presence that are known for quality and affordable clubs.  I currently have Tour Edge 4 and 7 woods in my bag that so my first hand experience is favorable.  The Hot Launch C523 irons have just been released and are listed for $560 (steel or graphite) and the 7 club 5-GW set is available.  The clubs feature VIBRCOR, the Tour Edge version of a polymer injected into the cavity back of the club to improve forgiveness, power and ball speed.  The previous model, the C522, has been discounted to $450 and both clubs are available to demo at the PGA Superstore. 

The other brand that showed promise in the price range was the Golf Galaxy / Dick's Sporting Goods house brand, the Tommy Armour 845 Max.  I'm of the age that I vividly recall the original 845's, a very popular club 30 years ago.  Dick's purchased the brand from the bankrupt Sports Authority and wrapped in all sorts of game improvement tech into an attractive package.  A 5-GW set with graphite shafts are listed for $499 and have been reduced to $399 ($57 / club) at both stores.  My Golf Spy has the 845 Max as the best value club for 2022, high praise from a reliable source.

DEMO TIME

Based on my prior history, I started with PXG.  I had never been officially fitted for clubs and they were offering a full club 2-hour session for only $25, so I reserved a time at the Oak Brook Terrace store.  I will add the disclaimer that I did not share I had a $100 per club limit so I tried all the irons in the PXG catalog.  After hitting nearly 100 golf balls and gathering all sorts of statistics, the results showed that the best iron for me was the 0311 GEN5 XP's ($199) with an upgraded KBS TGI 70 graphite shaft ($39) and Winn Dri Tac grips ($10), for a total of $248 per club. 

Regardless of how well I may have hit them, this club is way over my limit, and in all honesty, the edgy design with the 5 mini weights on the sole and the 2-tone scheme just didn't appeal to me all that much, either.  However, the new 0211 XCOR2's are $99 ea, and the Project X Cypher graphite shafts and PXG grips are no upcharge.  The XCOR2 refers to the polymer injected into the cavity back, PXG's version of Tour Edge's VIBRCOR.  I played a late season round with a very good golfer who was using an older version of the 0211's and he loved them, and I think I hit them pretty well during the fitting.  So even though they may not be the ideal PXG iron for me, still a club I'll consider.

I demoed the Tour Edge Hot Launch C522's & 523's at the PGA Superstore in Downers Grove.  Both clubs are decidedly not minimalist in design as the Tour Edge logo, model number, Hot Launch and VIBRCOR are all squeezed on the back of the club head.  I hit the C523's first and they had a good feel and balance.  The head fired through the ball well and there was a noticeable pop off the clubface.  I didn't care as much for the C522's.  The club felt heavier in the head and not as smooth as the new version.  There seemed to be a little more offset and the top line was wider looking down at address, two features I didn't care for, so the C522's are eliminated. 

I tested the Tommy Armour 845 Max at the Golf Galaxy on Butterfield Road, just down the street from the PGA Superstore.  In their 2022 review of the 845 Max irons, My Golf Spy referred to "Brandwashing", which can best be described as the perception that a low priced, big box house brand could not possibly be in the same class as the TaylorMade's and Callaway's of the golf world.  A high price makes a positive statement on performance and quality while a low price implies the opposite, and major golf companies spend many millions of marketing dollars to reinforce that perception.  But the swings with the 7-iron demo were consistent, I made solid contact on almost every shot with acceptable distance and accuracy.  

For a comparison, I also hit the Stealth, a popular TaylorMade game improvement iron listed at $1,100 in graphite.  The Stealth had a thicker top line and felt a bit bulkier, and I was not as comfortable over the ball, but the one swing I pured flew 17 yards further than any other shot with either club.  But the averages in ball speed, distance, dispersion, and launch angle were similar, and the spin rate with the 845's were consistently in the 5000 sweet spot and better than the Stealth set.  Did I see a $700 difference between the two clubs? Not really.

I next went to the XGolf location to demo the Stix irons.  There was no way I would have forgotten as Stix ads are a constant presence on my electronic devices.  I found a 5-7-9 iron in the black matte finish available to hit.  The clubs looked to be very well made and were as advertised, a sleek, modern look with nothing more than the logo on the back and the Stix name on the hosel.  One small detail that seemed a little off was the location of the iron number, slightly up the side of the club toe.  Not a big deal, but something I definitely noticed.  I took a number of shots with each iron and the perimeter weighting launched the ball at a proper angle, but I didn't feel as much pop off the clubface as I hoped.  The Stix iron also has a very similar look to my old BH-5's and I'm inclined to go with a different style, so I decided not to pursue the Stix any further.   

ADDITIONAL OPTIONS

I was reading a My Golf Spy review on the PXG 0211 XCOR2 irons, and at the end of the story, 2 other DTC golf club companies were mentioned as providing high value irons: New Level and Sub 70.

New Level operates out of Scottsdale, AZ (also the home of PXG) and are limited to irons, wedges and hybrids.  The GI22 game improvement irons are $110 ea, while the forged irons are $150.  Very nice looking sticks with a good reputation, but just a bit over my preferred price.  All the clubs are custom built to spec and carry a 1-year warranty against defects, but they do not accept returns of any kind on golf clubs, so you better know for certain that these are the clubs for you before purchasing.

Sub 70 is also a DTC golf manufacturer offering custom assembled clubs.  They offer a full line from drivers to putters and there are 10 different iron models available for all skill levels.  The 799 model is a hybrid like iron for golfers who struggle with trajectory and swing speed and not really what I was looking for, but the 699 series slotted neatly within my search parameters.  They feature the hollow body, 2-piece construction with the injected TPE material as several of the other game improvement irons.  The 699 also has a Pro model that has a thinner top line and less offset (similar to the Takomo 101/101T), which better fits my eye.  Both were listed at $80 per club.

The irons carry a 60-day, no questions asked, 100% refund guarantee.  They also have a demo program where they will send you clubs to trial at a cost of $20 ($120 charged for 6 & 9 irons to demo, $100 credit on return of the clubs), a reasonable option from a DTC seller to get clubs in the hands of prospective buyers.  But luckily for me, Sub 70 is headquartered in Sycamore, IL, just past the west edge of Chicagoland, about a 60 mile drive from my home in the southwest suburbs.

I gave them a call to see if I could come out to demo the 699's and the customer service rep directed me for a fitting at The Seventy, a studio located in a historic storefront in downtown Sycamore.  I asked the cost for the fitting and they basically said if I wanted to make the drive, it's free, a magical word to my ears.  I made an appointment for the following day and met with Kevin Healy for the hour session, which evolved into more of a master lesson in swing mechanics from an accomplished Illinois PGA pro.  He recommended the 699 irons with a Project X graphite shaft (an additional $5 per club), for a total of $595 / $85 ea. for the 5 iron (24 degree loft) thru A Wedge (50 degree loft), my ideal 7 club configuration.

The irons had an understated style and well struck shots had the explosive feel that I was looking for, and they can be purchased for the same price in either a Satin or Black PVD finish.  Both the 699 and 699 Pro lines have been upgraded with a new version 2 that are now available.  The starting price with graphite shafts is $115 each, over my max limit, but the original version I demoed is a good, affordable option.  

I gave the Oak Brook PXG store a call the next day and explained I had a fitting a few weeks ago and asked if I could come back to take a few more swings with the 0211 XCOR2's and they scheduled a 30 minute swing session.  The 0211's have an attractive back styling with a decidedly subdued approach for PXG, no screws or weights on these irons.  The top line is slightly angled to afford a less bulky feel to the club.  Almost every review I read spoke highly of the explosive distance and forgiveness of these clubs.  I was ready for another go and I hit about 30 shots with a stock graphite shaft.  Maybe I was a little nervous but solid contact was hard to come by and the stats didn't look all that good.  I could chalk it up to a bad day on the simulator, but at this point I don't think these are the right clubs for my game.

There were several other discounted irons that I tested between the PGA/Golf Galaxy stores that matched the guidelines.  The TaylorMade M4 irons have been around in a few iterations since 2019 and have been dropped to $700 (originally around $900) with graphite shafts in the preferred 5-GW configuration. They feature RIBCOR technology, which was described as two vertical posts on either side of the clubface that localizes flexibility in the hitting area to increase distance and forgiveness, as any good game improvement iron attempts to do.  They felt solid and looked good with the black medallion on the back, but at the top of my price range, I didn't find that they were any better than the other clubs I had previously tried.

The Cobra F-MAX Superlite irons were available in 5-GW at Golf Galaxy at a $450 bargain.  They feature progressive offset with more in the long irons for greater forgiveness and less in the shorter irons and wedges for additional control.  They also came with a midsize grip, which felt a little different but something I'm sure I would adjust to.  This was a bigger club with a thick top line that was a decided change from my BH-5's, and I am looking for something different.  They felt very light (Superlite!) and I hit them pretty well.  However, I demoed them at the same time as the Tommy Armour's, and I honestly liked the 845 Max a little better.

The Exotics are the top of the Tour Edge line, and they were originally not on my radar as the price was upwards of $800 for a 7 club set in graphite, but the E722's were discounted to $500 in anticipation of the release of the updated 2023 model.  The clubs shared the VIBRCOR tech with the Hot Launch C523's, but had a much more refined look with the chrome, black and a touch of red on the back.  Similar to the Cobra F-MAX. this was a hefty club that pushed the limit of what I thought I would like, but it felt good, with the combination of distance and forgiveness I was hoping to find.  The only negative was the launch angle was a bit less than ideal, but I hit this club as far as any I tested.

The clubs came in an unusual 6 thru 9 iron with 3 wedges (PW, AW, GW) set, but the 6 iron loft of 24 degrees would approximate to a conventional 5 iron, and the Gap Wedge at 51 degrees was the range I was looking for in the shortest iron.  I read several favorable reviews and there was nothing that eliminated them from consideration.  Very nice clubs at a great price.

One other player in the DTC segment I wanted to mention is The Golf Works, which is the outlet for Maltby Golf clubs.  The Golf Works is a do-it-yourself club maker's dream, offering a wide array of club heads, shafts, grips and the supplies to put it all together, but they will happily assemble the clubs if you prefer.  The Maltby in Maltby Golf refers to Ralph Maltby, a prominent figure in the golf industry who founded The Golf Works in 1976.  He has written several books related to golf club design, club building and club fitting, and is regarded as one of the premier golf equipment experts in the world.

The original designs feature 10 distinct iron club heads (including the just released TS3 forged iron) ranging from $20 to $55 each that appeal to a wide range of golfers, and they all fall within the Game Improvement categorization.  The clubs are totally customizable so you can match a clubhead with dozens of shaft and grip combinations.  They also offer Paks, which pairs a clubhead with a preferred steel or graphite shaft.  For example, an 8 club set (4-GW) of the top line TS1 forged iron with a Mitsubishi Kuro Kage graphite shaft and a standard grip is $580 / $72.50 per club.  The same shaft and grip combo with the KE4 MAX iron pak is only $400, or $50 a club, a great price for a good looking club. You can buy one club to try, but TGW does not have a formal demo program and once you hit them, they're yours.  I have never tried a Maltby iron, but they have a passionate group of devoted customers and they've been in business for almost 50 years, all good signs.

DECISION

I read dozens of golf club reviews, watched a few hours of videos, and demoed a number of different clubs, and there were several that I could see in my bag in 2023.  Clubs like the Ram FX77 and Takomo Iron 101 caught my eye with a classy look and an affordable price, but not the preferred set configuration (4-PW only available) or an easy way to demo, and there were enough other options I liked and had an opportunity to hit that met my guidelines.  This will always remain one of the biggest hurdles for the growing DTC segment.  You can rely on reviews and other inputs like word of mouth, but there is nothing like trying a club for yourself.

If I were being honest, I'd have to admit that the PXG 0211's were the front runner at the start of the process.  I like the PXG driver I bought, and I had a few golfers who spoke highly of the 0211's, along with a handful of favorable professional reviews.  But my last demo was less than stellar and irretrievably shifted my view. 

So I'm left with 4 choices: the Tommy Armour 845 Max, the Tour Edge Hot Launch C523 and Exotics E722, and the Sub 70 699/699 Pro.  All of these clubs felt good in my hand, appealed to my eye to different degrees and were well within the price parameter.  You might go through the same process and come up with an entirely different list of finalists, but the process is the key and it worked really well for me in narrowing down the choices.

Between the Tour Edge options, I much preferred the look of the E722 over the C523 and the pop off the E722 clubface was better, and at the lower, reduced price I felt the E722 was the better club.  The Tommy Armour 845 Max was a bit of a surprise.  I didn't even know the brand was back when I started the process and the design and the cost was undeniably appealing.  The information I found online (including the Best Value rating from My Golf Spy) further piqued my interest and a couple of demo sessions reinforced that this was a really nice club that I hit pretty well and with no glaring negatives.

Sub 70 came into the process in the later stages and everything I read spoke glowingly of the total buying experience, to the point that the owner has his cell phone number listed on the website and will happily answer any questions.  Pair a best-in-class money back guarantee and a robust demo program with quality clubs and an excellent fitting process, and Sub 70 demands serious consideration.  The 699 irons felt solid with the explosiveness off the club face that I wanted.

As much as I liked the TA 845 Max and my desire not to be accused of being Brandwashed, the feel and power of the ball off the clubface was just a little bit better with the TEE E722 and the Sub 70 699.  I play golf 60+ times a year and at this point of the process, the few extra dollars for a better fit for my game is money well spent.

The main downside for me with the E722 is the size.  It's a big club with a thick top line, and as well as I hit the 7 iron demo, I was concerned that this would somehow not translate to the oversized wedges.  The 699 also has a noticeable top line, but the 699 Pro version is near identical, with less offset and a slightly thinner top line that I prefer, while still providing the Game Improvement elements I need.  Add in the overall top-notch experience, and I'm comfortable that Sub 70 is the right club for me.  The 699 Pro irons in the satin finish with senior flex Project X graphite shafts were ordered, received and are in my bag.  I even splurged and added gray grips for an extra $3 a club, they look great!  Can't wait to get them out on the course in 2023 and hopefully for many years beyond.