Great to see Neal show what he can do... he is a great player and I am honoured that he plays on my Big Oggie Golf TH-cam Channel. It was great to watch this fitting and see all the discussions between you and Chris and help with the filming. Thank you Dan for giving us both the opportunity.
Finally, someone who sees like for like! I am so tired of youtube testers who talk about how low the spin is and not talking about the degree on the club verses the number on the bottom. Thank you so much for looking at clubs with similar degrees on them, instead of the number on the bottom.
I currently use the Callaway Big Bertha 2016...the lofts are strong but the height is really good to be able to stop them. I use a 6-AW and I know what my yardage for each. And that is the key...knowing yardage and not worrying about just the number on the bottom
Just fitted and purchased the Calloway Max irons, and for me it bridges a gap in my game where as my old 7 iron was under 145 which left a huge hole at 175-195. Now the Max 7 iron is at 165 yards. Testing is still continuing but so far I’m liking the Calloway Max irons.
Never understand why anyone (I'm the same handicap) talks about "I want to play a blade" etc. And I want to get more feedback from a club. Just get the clubs that fly the straightest and a decent distance. Hitting poor shots is the real reason we play off such numbers.
I've just ordered the standard Mavriks, custom fit but went for 5-AW, to accommodate the lofts and have better gapping near the wedges. I currently play the X hot irons so wanted to stick with callaway, with my two real options being the rogue or mavrik (didn't like the look of the big Bertha). The mavrik was giving me greater speed off the face but I was still getting high enough apex to get the ball to stop on the greens. As a 20 ish handicapper, I can really see these helping get my handicap down this year.
Just came back from a fitting by Callaway. Mavrik 7 is 18 yds longer than my Ping G25 7 iron but really! If I replace the irons 6 through SW...which is all I want to do, I will have to discard my 4 and 5 hybrids and I’m not convinced that I will be comfortable standing over a 190yd shot with a 6 iron in my hand. Then I will have to buy more wedges because my current wedges will all be out of sync. Seems to me that I will end up hitting more 1/2 and 3/4 shots than I do now. Not really what I want to doing at 70 years old on a tight heavily treed course. Great video. Thanks
Good call. These modern short irons leave massive gaps. My PW is 44. I need a gap, 54 and 58 or 60 in the scoring zone. Most UK courses are about 6000 to 6400 yards so precision is just as important. And try hitting a controlled fade or knockdown with a distance maxed club..my next irons will actually be less forgiving.
5:06 I hit the Mavrik with graphite shafts three days ago at a Callaway day at the club and I had no difficulty knowing where I hit the ball on the club face. Going to order a set.
I'm a 15 handicapper. I have always looked for forgiveness over distance however the later game improvement style irons just hit it miles. I gained 10 yards on my 9 iron and 20 yards on my 5 iron when I switched to Callaway Big Bertha OS irons. I want to play a cool club like a blade but the numbers don't lie. If I were Neil I'd be coughing up for those Mavriks!
Totally agree with you on not getting seduced with manufacturers BS. I bought a brand new set of Callaway XR Pro irons (4 - gap wedge) midway through last year for around £250 and I am so glad with how they perform. Like Neil, they have lost the feel I was getting from my old clubs, also with a loft difference for my old 7 iron at 38° to my xr pro at 31°, the carry difference is ridiculous, but that's just the way things are. Really enjoy your channel and thanks for the time and effort you put into making them. Cheers from Paul in Adelaide, South Australia.
I was fitted for Mavrik Pro irons. I added two degrees of loft from 5-pw-aw. I can still ram my 7i 190 accurately. I also added half an inch to the shaft and was fitted for KBS tour 120 s shafts. I was gaming off the shelf Callaway Steelheads that were bone stock. The Mavrik irons have changed my game already. Absolutely love them and would recommend them to anyone.
Completely agree with you I reviewed these clubs a few weeks back and they go LONG but just because it says 7 iron may not be comparable to the 7 iron in your current set. So easy for golfers to get seduced by the increased distance and them not understanding what they are hitting. That said callaway have made a cracking set of clubs here. Another good video keep it up
Kevin Delaney PGA I went for a fitting on Trackman. Hit everything out there, too high a launch as I suspected knowing my game. Ended up with Mavrik Max. I wanted a larger head than my Calloway X22 Tours for forgiveness and the Max gave the best dispersion and distance consistency for me. Do I like the progressive offset, no. Do I like moving into GI irons, no. Do I want the best clubs for me, YES.
Perry don’t disagree with you, if the individual has asked for that club head and then fit from that it could be the reason for it as opposed to asking what is the bast club for me. The apex and t200 are strong at about 30 degree in my opinion. The focus should be on dispersion but it can be hard to get the individual to agree with that when they see the ball going further because we all want more distance. I would be interested to see what the longest iron the individual has in the bag and then how many wedges are recommended. Sean the max has more loft but it sounds like you have had a good fitting. Hope you enjoy the clubs roll on summer.
Kevin Delaney PGA thanks, I’m still one foot in snow and impatient. I’m a retiree and really, REALLY wanted to believe I had the gas for a nice blade but ended up choose between looks and consistency. I’m a competitive old fart so I went for performance. Had to add an AW to gap to my existing wedges but got to drop 4 iron at the other end. Kept my old set instead of trading in😳, just in case
better yet, why doesn't the R&A designate/specify lofts for every iron, so all manufacturers are playing by the same rules. (standardization of lofts across the industry.)
@@thewatchman6074 not all clubs are the same. If some super game improvement irons should have a 35 degree 7 iron they would launch like crazy and be super spinny.
@@mangelarsson7774 I know, but they're only that way because the manufactures were allowed to do silly things with the lofting. There was no such thing as "game improvement" irons 30 years ago.
Good video - just spoke to my brother who has just bought - yep a set of Mavericks. Went in for set of Ping G410, swapped him in to Mavericks, 7 iron on his old Ping G25 147 yards carry now 176 yards with Maverick, seduced or what! Standard regular shaft 2 up. So now buying hybrids and driver. So I said what about the gapping on short clubs, apparently he now has a PW, then an A wedge and A Gap wedge as the PW is 41 degrees - whoa! Apparently 7 iron will go same as his old 26 hybrid. Can’t argue with extra length BUT and this is a big but, what about in to the wind, length dispersion, feel. I will stick with my Miura Passing points, I am a feel man and will take the 6 instead. Apparently, Spear and Jackson are going to make a set of shovels that hit a 7 350 yards! I saw this when I sales director for Pioneer, we quoted RMS power, Aiwa quoted PMPO or peak power, about 10 x more, they sold twenty times more hi if systems than we did. Callaway will sell loads of these, so would I buy a set, maybe use a 5 iron as a 3/4 replacement, and that’s it. Great video Dan - remember Hogan used to put on the lofts. Keep um coming!
I no longer refer to my irons as 7, 8, etc., but as my “140 club,” “130 club,” etc. Snd if someone asks me what club I hit, that’s the way I reply to them.
I bought a set of the standard Mavriks after a fit. Not the clubs i had in mind but after hitting many other brands that day these had the best results. I dont really mind the difference in loft as long as it works.
The issue with fittings where the fitter only has a 7 iron. With GI and SGI irons, if you want to compare their performance directly to a standard bladed 7 iron, you would need a 9 iron most likely. I would also take exception to the belief that an SGI 7 iron is actually like an older 5 iron. It is not. It may be lofted similar but the SGI flies much higher normally and thus the decent angle is greater allowing for more green holding capability.
Very well said. This is a sore point with me too. I use Wilson Tour Blades from 1977 with proper lofting, well 1 degree high actually. If anyone asks me what club I hit, boy will they be long with their shot! I was a plus 4 in my youth so am sad to see this stupid numbering. I use a 1, 2 and 3 iron in my set. 1 and 2 are Ping Zing 2s. Great review.
had the same problem when I bought TM-M4...my old set was Pinnacle from the early 80's... took a while to get use to hitting it 15 yds longer with each club...used to be 7 iron from 150 now it's 9....but like you said number don't mean a thing now
Well done Dan, about time someone explained that's it not the number on the club that matters,and easily explained. Why do all TH-cam Channels make it complicated?
Great video. My theory for what it is worth. Find the best driver of your choice distance and consistency. Find the wedge of choice and full swing distance. And only then pick your hybrids, woods and irons based on their distance gaps and what you need. You might need less clubs and weight and club selection indecision.
Just been fitting for mavrik pro irons and jaws wedges I tried all brands but mavrik pro gave me best dispersion only 6yds . Played ping isi irons for last 20 years. Mavrik pro 7 iron Nice comfortable swing 175yds carry
I went and tried multiple sets and came down to the g710 and mavrik. Mavrik was longer and more consistent close to middle . They are great irons, got 5 mph club head speed 8 mph ball speed and 15 yards more. Everything in my bag is mavrik this year .. had no intention on switch from my g700s or ping driver.. but that mavrik is that good for me
Great video, Dan. I would be interested to know why Calloway Mavrik irons were chosen to fit him with. Were other brands considered? This seems more like "picking the right Callaway iron for him than a fitting. Every fitting I've had used multiple brands and sets within brands. Also, did he purchase them and what is his attitude after playing them awhile? Has his game improved? This would be a great video candidate for a FOLLOW-UP in the future.
Interesting Fitting! I would have loved to see him hit a similar blade with several lighter shafts and flexes for comparison. He seems to be giving up to much spin for real life conditions on the golf course. Thanks!
Dan, its only a problem if the 7 iron is lofted stronger if, when hitting it, you sacrifice the dispersion control you gain from higher lofted clubs. The real issue, and ONLY issue here is to do with marketing them as longer by the manufacturer and for fitters to use that as a selling tool.
I’ve got two 7 irons in the bag. Ap2 and ap1. The ap1 is really my 6 iron. Now that titleist are bringing out even stronger lofts in the t400. I’d love to get that in a 7 too to replace my ap1 6 iron. Three 7 irons in the bag would look quite funny.
Traded in my 718 AP1 and got fit into MP20 MMC with gap test. Found the switch to be more controllable and to my liking. Now, awaiting on cooperation from Mother Nature
My wife just tried a 7 iron today and I was impressed with the distance and came home to check the spec. and yes, found the loft was 27 degrees. Trickery (She wants to buy them). My MP4 7 is 34 degrees.
Ok so I’ll give you my thoughts... I would much rather care to lower my score/handicap and sacrifice “feel” as long as I have a more distance and forgiving club in Mavrik iron. And as far as the blades ...I could care less “how good it looks when drinking a beer” with my buddies.. so Neil I am glad to hear you decided to ditch the blades and make your golf game less strenuous by getting the Mavriks
Dan. I hate to criticise your video but you are much more likeable than the than the other pro you are speaking to. I cant wait to see what you do with Alex Evans because you are both so honest and would work fantastic together.
Yeah but the point of the stronger lift on the max is to counteract the low CG that gives it the same trajectory of a 7. You want your shorter clubs to come down and stop. His 5 might hit it the same distance but it probably going to have a lower trajectory and roll more which isn’t what you want hitting onto the green
I agree with Dan regarding the numbers on the bottom of the club and being seduced by distance. What I didn't hear a lot of discussion on is "Peak" height of the ball flight. How did the old vs. new heights compare? Was the old 5 and new 7 comparable? Was he getting more height and comparable distance from the new 7 vs old 5. Allowing for better decent and stoppage lacking spin? Dan you are better to do this math than us. Am I thinking of it correctly? Asking the right questions?
No question that the lofts are stronger. I game Mavrik standard. Why? I am 69 years old and my Ping iE1 series irons with 120 gram stiff shafts were costing me 10-15 yards per club as my swing speed began to slow. I have an index of 6.7 and still prefer to play from the men’s tees rather than the forward tees. In order to compete with the younger players, I needed that yardage back. The Mavrik standard with the Elevate 95 R shaft gives me back that distance plus. I had to regap my wedges, going from 52, 56, and 60 to 50, 54, and 58. Different grinds and bounce allow me to be just as effective around the greens as before. I am a certified Callaway fitter, so I knew what I wanted to accomplish, and how to accomplish it.
.I just accept iron distance as long as can judge distance with decent stopping power. Tmb 4 iron with mb 5-9 then vokey wedges 46, 52, 56, 60. Currently having lessons to improve swing efficiency, I.e. less sway and more rotation in downswing helps. Don't see point of jacked up iron lofts which includes titleist I'm afraid being long term titleist user..great video dan
I hear what your saying but the ability to hit your 7 iron the same distance as your 5 iron with the same club length is going to be a huge increase in consistency imo. I have a strong lofted iron set (Tommy Amours) and find that they have made the game easier. My 9 iron is going 155-ish and is so easy to control with that short club length. My 2 cents, nice video guys
The question should not be is this 7 iron Callaway, the same as the 5 iron blade, but what club gives me the best chance to hit a certain distance consistently. If I have a 180 yard carry over water what tool is best for me - blade iron, super game improvement club, hybrid, wood, graphite shaft, no offset, ... Golf is about scoring. Also, why do you care if some irons have stronger lofts with longer carry? Yes, you may need an additional wedge for the short game, but you will not need an additional club on the top end.
Great video and discussion. I think there are way better options out there for him. His gamers and the Mavrik's are night and day, who needs 180 yards out of a 7 iron, spinning at 4000. He couldn't feel the club head or strike area with the Callaways and his gamers are really heavy and clunky already.
My 7 iron is 36 degrees. When I was fitted I tried a few different clubs but hitting a 7 iron 190 carry for me was impossible to gap. My 7 iron carrys 160 on average with a 10 - 12 yard gap up and down
Great video. :) One room for improvement is that it was not possible to see anything at all on the screen when focusing on the data. Monitors often have very poor quality from the side, and autofocus didn't seem to help. Filming a screen is a challenge, so perhaps play around a bit with this to gain experience. And test it before starting filming in new studios with other screens than used to and other light conditions in the room. It might have to be configured slightly in settings etc.
He needs a set of Apex irons. He has a great swing and it appears he knows how to play. Sounds like his major issues are likely in the short game (100 yards and in). Try the Apex!
Dan. This was a nice thtoughtful review. But I LOVE your playing reviews with Mark. I actually laugh at your antics kinda wishing the round went more than 3 holes!
I am a contrarian by nature here....so i can play both mbs and sgi's . Breakdown: Blades: i was more precise from all lies although 8 irons were 148. Due to hitting driver more often i missed more fwys. GI's: GIR went up even when laying up and hitting 8 irons from 170. I scored better due to hitting more fwys and greens.
I would like to see the result of trying a blade or players iron with a lighter shaft. The loss of speed is as much a factor as the supposed forgiveness of the game improvement head.
I bought the new Wilson Staff D7 forged and having some flighting issues due to the stronger lofts or TT Catalyst 80 5.5 graphite shafts. 7 iron is 30.5 and my old 7 was 33 with DG 105 steel.
Tried maverick but not enough feeling so have gone to soft regular graphite shafts in my g410 irons, now body and arms in sink swing easy and back to an easy game of golf.
So where should someone actually start their fitting? It sounds to me like we should start with the driver, work out the furthest distance, then gap backwards, ignoring the numbers under the iron and focus on the gaps while working out consistency. When I get my new set later this year, I'll ask if they can stamp the loft on the back.
It all comes down to distance control for me. I have the potential to get a ball that goes 20 yards farther than im expecting when using these clubs with lots of help or tech in them
never have worried about distance, just distance control and accuracy. not even worried about workability- what I am beginning to realize more, is that actually wedge down its a differnent set (potentially) so you are only looking at 9 to 6 iron as a set 5 4 3 irons as hybrids
Nice one Dan 👍 There’s no doubt the outcome is he needs fitting for new irons, he obviously hits a decent ball so a trade off into new technology will have that handicap tumbling!
Dan... QUESTION: How should I score a blow up hole? Say on a par 4; say I shoot 4/5 over, do I score it as a 8/9.... or what’s should I score as a max?
Interesting stuff as always Dan. I played with 'game improvement irons' for years, knocking a wedge 150 felt great but somehow not all that satisfying. I came back to golf fairly recently and treated myself to a set of ap2 irons (from ebay, I'm a teacher with 2 kids under 4, custom fit really isn't an option!) and have to say that my game improved significantly over a season. I genuinely felt like I managed to learn what a well struck shot was through feedback. I know ap2s still offer plenty of help but I think there's definitely something to be said about playing with equipment that you aspire to at times.
dont think that many golfers would agree that AP2s offer a lot of help. Not anymore, if you compare to all the power irons and super super game improvement. But for players who are descent ball strikers there is more than enough help. Agree with that. I game something similar. And love the feedback. A great way to improve!
Usually watch parfield and lockey but they must be in quarantine as your first up tonight come to Scotland and meet the guys you will be welcome bring mince for a laugh as well
Think we’ve reached the point with these manufactures changing lofts so significantly, that the number on the bottom needs to be the loft only and not a club number. So easy to get fooled!
i wonder if Neil was shaft fitted for his blades he would get similar numbers as the Mavric's and better dispersion, i went from unfitted cleveland 588 to fitted srixon 965 blades and gained 15yrds 7 iron to 7 iron and better dispersion, same lofts on both, just through having the right shaft for me
Great video and people need to know the marketing hype. When you get a 5 iron with 20-23 degrees many high handicappers will struggle and with the wedges to fill the gaps.
I think manufacturers should put the loft on the club instead of the traditional numbers etc. This would make golfers more aware of what they’re playing rather than what they think they’re playing. Also I’ve started gaming hybrids instead of 3 & 4 irons as I struggled to hit them off fairways, new clubs with the same loft would mean I’d be struggling with 5 & 6 irons!
To a certain extent I have no problem with stronger lofted irons, (although the trend has muddied the waters quite a bit). If I could afford a new set of clubs and fitting and the 7 iron loft was similar to my current 5 iron, (for instance), my only concern might be. is the new 7 as easy to hit as my current 7; i.e. easier than my current 5? If the answer is yes, then I'd have no problem whatsoever getting them. It's too late to change it now as the genie's out of the bottle, but it would have made life simpler had there been an industry agreed standard set of lofts for each iron.
How come you guys didn't test with the Mavrik Pro irons? Just been fitted for a set and loved the look, feel and numbers, cant wait for them to arrive!
Don't see why people moan about strong lofted clubs there here to help us ageing golfers who don't have fast swing speeds. These game improvement irons can help lots of golfers including me. I play off 6 at 50 yrs old and had the cobra forged tec irons start of this year and couldn't get on with them at all. Went back to my fitter and demoed the cobra speedzone irons and all i can say is wow. I hit a very high ball and generate lots of spin so i can get away with using these type of irons. Safe to say i will be gaming the cobra sz irons this year and they feel great, look great and are very forgiving. My set make up is driver, 3 wood, 18 utility iron, 5-gw cobra sz, 52, 56, 60 ping wedges
Totally agree as a senior golfer (78) 11 handicap I'm here to tell you distance becomes very important. Those who are complaining about jacked lofts get back to me when you are a super senior golfer.
i'm just amazed slazenger make blades! id guess those irons would put a few shots on anyone's handicaps...you probably just turned that guy into a single figure golfer.
My new irons ive lost five yards on each club but gained spin and distance control. There not as hot off the face but easier to hit and the same loft at 31 for a 7
Great to see Neal show what he can do... he is a great player and I am honoured that he plays on my Big Oggie Golf TH-cam Channel. It was great to watch this fitting and see all the discussions between you and Chris and help with the filming. Thank you Dan for giving us both the opportunity.
Finally, someone who sees like for like! I am so tired of youtube testers who talk about how low the spin is and not talking about the degree on the club verses the number on the bottom. Thank you so much for looking at clubs with similar degrees on them, instead of the number on the bottom.
If only the manufacturers did the right thing in the first place... 😠
I currently use the Callaway Big Bertha 2016...the lofts are strong but the height is really good to be able to stop them. I use a 6-AW and I know what my yardage for each. And that is the key...knowing yardage and not worrying about just the number on the bottom
Maverik PRO might be the one for him 👌 small profile and some extra distance and great feel 💪🏼
Just fitted and purchased the Calloway Max irons, and for me it bridges a gap in my game where as my old 7 iron was under 145 which left a huge hole at 175-195. Now the Max 7 iron is at 165 yards. Testing is still continuing but so far I’m liking the Calloway Max irons.
Brilliant vlog Dan, I am just happy to hit a 7 iron 140 to 145 yards being more consistent than distance is my mojo...
Never understand why anyone (I'm the same handicap) talks about "I want to play a blade" etc. And I want to get more feedback from a club. Just get the clubs that fly the straightest and a decent distance. Hitting poor shots is the real reason we play off such numbers.
I've just ordered the standard Mavriks, custom fit but went for 5-AW, to accommodate the lofts and have better gapping near the wedges.
I currently play the X hot irons so wanted to stick with callaway, with my two real options being the rogue or mavrik (didn't like the look of the big Bertha).
The mavrik was giving me greater speed off the face but I was still getting high enough apex to get the ball to stop on the greens. As a 20 ish handicapper, I can really see these helping get my handicap down this year.
So a bloke comes in, says he likes smaller looking clubs, enjoys blades and the feedback they give. Let’s try Max.... that doesn’t make sense does it?
Just came back from a fitting by Callaway. Mavrik 7 is 18 yds longer than my Ping G25 7 iron but really! If I replace the irons 6 through SW...which is all I want to do, I will have to discard my 4 and 5 hybrids and I’m not convinced that I will be comfortable standing over a 190yd shot with a 6 iron in my hand. Then I will have to buy more wedges because my current wedges will all be out of sync.
Seems to me that I will end up hitting more 1/2 and 3/4 shots than I do now. Not really what I want to doing at 70 years old on a tight heavily treed course.
Great video. Thanks
Good call. These modern short irons leave massive gaps. My PW is 44. I need a gap, 54 and 58 or 60 in the scoring zone. Most UK courses are about 6000 to 6400 yards so precision is just as important. And try hitting a controlled fade or knockdown with a distance maxed club..my next irons will actually be less forgiving.
5:06 I hit the Mavrik with graphite shafts three days ago at a Callaway day at the club and I had no difficulty knowing where I hit the ball on the club face. Going to order a set.
I'm a 15 handicapper. I have always looked for forgiveness over distance however the later game improvement style irons just hit it miles. I gained 10 yards on my 9 iron and 20 yards on my 5 iron when I switched to Callaway Big Bertha OS irons. I want to play a cool club like a blade but the numbers don't lie. If I were Neil I'd be coughing up for those Mavriks!
Totally agree with you on not getting seduced with manufacturers BS. I bought a brand new set of Callaway XR Pro irons (4 - gap wedge) midway through last year for around £250 and I am so glad with how they perform. Like Neil, they have lost the feel I was getting from my old clubs, also with a loft difference for my old 7 iron at 38° to my xr pro at 31°, the carry difference is ridiculous, but that's just the way things are.
Really enjoy your channel and thanks for the time and effort you put into making them.
Cheers from Paul in Adelaide, South Australia.
I was fitted for Mavrik Pro irons. I added two degrees of loft from 5-pw-aw. I can still ram my 7i 190 accurately. I also added half an inch to the shaft and was fitted for KBS tour 120 s shafts. I was gaming off the shelf Callaway Steelheads that were bone stock. The Mavrik irons have changed my game already. Absolutely love them and would recommend them to anyone.
Completely agree with you I reviewed these clubs a few weeks back and they go LONG but just because it says 7 iron may not be comparable to the 7 iron in your current set. So easy for golfers to get seduced by the increased distance and them not understanding what they are hitting. That said callaway have made a cracking set of clubs here. Another good video keep it up
Kevin Delaney PGA I went for a fitting on Trackman. Hit everything out there, too high a launch as I suspected knowing my game. Ended up with Mavrik Max. I wanted a larger head than my Calloway X22 Tours for forgiveness and the Max gave the best dispersion and distance consistency for me. Do I like the progressive offset, no. Do I like moving into GI irons, no. Do I want the best clubs for me, YES.
Perry don’t disagree with you, if the individual has asked for that club head and then fit from that it could be the reason for it as opposed to asking what is the bast club for me. The apex and t200 are strong at about 30 degree in my opinion. The focus should be on dispersion but it can be hard to get the individual to agree with that when they see the ball going further because we all want more distance. I would be interested to see what the longest iron the individual has in the bag and then how many wedges are recommended.
Sean the max has more loft but it sounds like you have had a good fitting. Hope you enjoy the clubs roll on summer.
Kevin Delaney PGA thanks, I’m still one foot in snow and impatient. I’m a retiree and really, REALLY wanted to believe I had the gas for a nice blade but ended up choose between looks and consistency. I’m a competitive old fart so I went for performance. Had to add an AW to gap to my existing wedges but got to drop 4 iron at the other end.
Kept my old set instead of trading in😳, just in case
I'd happily take some distance off my irons for a better more consistent flight
All irons should have loft stamped on them instead of number! Hogan irons have no numbers
better yet, why doesn't the R&A designate/specify lofts for every iron, so all manufacturers are playing by the same rules. (standardization of lofts across the industry.)
@@thewatchman6074 not all clubs are the same. If some super game improvement irons should have a 35 degree 7 iron they would launch like crazy and be super spinny.
@@mangelarsson7774 I know, but they're only that way because the manufactures were allowed to do silly things with the lofting. There was no such thing as "game improvement" irons 30 years ago.
@@mangelarsson7774
7 irons do launch high and are spinny.
These so called 7 irons are just 5 irons that launch high and spin like a 5 iron should
I'm going to request that my next set of irons come without numbers but with a yardage range on than, so instead of say 7 I'll have 150-160 on them 👍
Good video - just spoke to my brother who has just bought - yep a set of Mavericks. Went in for set of Ping G410, swapped him in to Mavericks, 7 iron on his old Ping G25 147 yards carry now 176 yards with Maverick, seduced or what! Standard regular shaft 2 up. So now buying hybrids and driver. So I said what about the gapping on short clubs, apparently he now has a PW, then an A wedge and A Gap wedge as the PW is 41 degrees - whoa! Apparently 7 iron will go same as his old 26 hybrid. Can’t argue with extra length BUT and this is a big but, what about in to the wind, length dispersion, feel. I will stick with my Miura Passing points, I am a feel man and will take the 6 instead. Apparently, Spear and Jackson are going to make a set of shovels that hit a 7 350 yards!
I saw this when I sales director for Pioneer, we quoted RMS power, Aiwa quoted PMPO or peak power, about 10 x more, they sold twenty times more hi if systems than we did. Callaway will sell loads of these, so would I buy a set, maybe use a 5 iron as a 3/4 replacement, and that’s it.
Great video Dan - remember Hogan used to put on the lofts. Keep um coming!
I no longer refer to my irons as 7, 8, etc., but as my “140 club,” “130 club,” etc. Snd if someone asks me what club I hit, that’s the way I reply to them.
I bought a set of the standard Mavriks after a fit. Not the clubs i had in mind but after hitting many other brands that day these had the best results. I dont really mind the difference in loft as long as it works.
The issue with fittings where the fitter only has a 7 iron. With GI and SGI irons, if you want to compare their performance directly to a standard bladed 7 iron, you would need a 9 iron most likely. I would also take exception to the belief that an SGI 7 iron is actually like an older 5 iron. It is not. It may be lofted similar but the SGI flies much higher normally and thus the decent angle is greater allowing for more green holding capability.
Very well said. This is a sore point with me too. I use Wilson Tour Blades from 1977 with proper lofting, well 1 degree high actually. If anyone asks me what club I hit, boy will they be long with their shot! I was a plus 4 in my youth so am sad to see this stupid numbering. I use a 1, 2 and 3 iron in my set. 1 and 2 are Ping Zing 2s. Great review.
had the same problem when I bought TM-M4...my old set was Pinnacle from the early 80's... took a while to get use to hitting it 15 yds longer with each club...used to be 7 iron from 150 now it's 9....but like you said number don't mean a thing now
Well done Dan, about time someone explained that's it not the number on the club that matters,and easily explained.
Why do all TH-cam Channels make it complicated?
Proof of the pudding starts at 12:56, great video, thanks for the analysis...
Understand your numbers to make you a better golfer... nailed it.
Great video. My theory for what it is worth. Find the best driver of your choice distance and consistency. Find the wedge of choice and full swing distance. And only then pick your hybrids, woods and irons based on their distance gaps and what you need. You might need less clubs and weight and club selection indecision.
Just been fitting for mavrik pro irons and jaws wedges I tried all brands but mavrik pro gave me best dispersion only 6yds . Played ping isi irons for last 20 years. Mavrik pro 7 iron Nice comfortable swing 175yds carry
I went and tried multiple sets and came down to the g710 and mavrik. Mavrik was longer and more consistent close to middle . They are great irons, got 5 mph club head speed 8 mph ball speed and 15 yards more. Everything in my bag is mavrik this year .. had no intention on switch from my g700s or ping driver.. but that mavrik is that good for me
Great video, Dan.
I would be interested to know why Calloway Mavrik irons were chosen to fit him with. Were other brands considered? This seems more like "picking the right Callaway iron for him than a fitting. Every fitting I've had used multiple brands and sets within brands.
Also, did he purchase them and what is his attitude after playing them awhile? Has his game improved? This would be a great video candidate for a FOLLOW-UP in the future.
Interesting Fitting! I would have loved to see him hit a similar blade with several lighter shafts and flexes for comparison. He seems to be giving up to much spin for real life conditions on the golf course. Thanks!
Great message you're putting out there Dan. People need to know this stuff.
Dan, its only a problem if the 7 iron is lofted stronger if, when hitting it, you sacrifice the dispersion control you gain from higher lofted clubs. The real issue, and ONLY issue here is to do with marketing them as longer by the manufacturer and for fitters to use that as a selling tool.
I’ve got two 7 irons in the bag. Ap2 and ap1. The ap1 is really my 6 iron. Now that titleist are bringing out even stronger lofts in the t400. I’d love to get that in a 7 too to replace my ap1 6 iron. Three 7 irons in the bag would look quite funny.
Great video Dan! Some feedback - would love to also see the numbers on screen to help better understand your explanation. Cheers!
Craig Josh HuB no problem Craig, this will happen in the future, just had a few issues with the system that day 👍
Traded in my 718 AP1 and got fit into MP20 MMC with gap test. Found the switch to be more controllable and to my liking. Now, awaiting on cooperation from Mother Nature
My wife just tried a 7 iron today and I was impressed with the distance and came home to check the spec. and yes, found the loft was 27 degrees. Trickery (She wants to buy them). My MP4 7 is 34 degrees.
Great video Dan! I’m getting fit for irons in a few weeks and cannot wait!
I play Callaway fusion irons would love to try the game improvement clubs as struggling with distance.
Great vid, first time seeing a like for like iron view in a video, not just saying there lofts are cranked. Keep up the good work dan
Dan!!!! I need one of your Torquay scrubber for my clubs. I'm across the pond and got a new set of clubs and it won't be complete without one!
I totally agree with Joe Perez. If I have got 150 to the green I will hit the club that I hit 150. It does not matter what number it has on it.
Gapping is the key! I just moved from ap1 712 to Ping S57 and Mizuno MP60. Love having “normal lofts”.
Wow is it any wonder the consumer is bamboozled when it comes to updating there clubs without professional help
Another eye opening video
👍👍👍
Thanks Dan, top video as always. Congratulations on reaching 20k subscribers!!
Ok so I’ll give you my thoughts... I would much rather care to lower my score/handicap and sacrifice “feel” as long as I have a more distance and forgiving club in Mavrik iron. And as far as the blades ...I could care less “how good it looks when drinking a beer” with my buddies.. so Neil I am glad to hear you decided to ditch the blades and make your golf game less strenuous by getting the Mavriks
And his Slazenger heads with the shaft from the Mavrik? A.x
Dan. I hate to criticise your video but you are much more likeable than the than the other pro you are speaking to. I cant wait to see what you do with Alex Evans because you are both so honest and would work fantastic together.
Gregor McKinney Alex and I will be doing some good stuff soon 👍
Yeah but the point of the stronger lift on the max is to counteract the low CG that gives it the same trajectory of a 7. You want your shorter clubs to come down and stop. His 5 might hit it the same distance but it probably going to have a lower trajectory and roll more which isn’t what you want hitting onto the green
I don’t care about looks…
I like the look of the ball landing on green by the stick.
I agree with Dan regarding the numbers on the bottom of the club and being seduced by distance. What I didn't hear a lot of discussion on is "Peak" height of the ball flight. How did the old vs. new heights compare? Was the old 5 and new 7 comparable? Was he getting more height and comparable distance from the new 7 vs old 5. Allowing for better decent and stoppage lacking spin? Dan you are better to do this math than us. Am I thinking of it correctly? Asking the right questions?
No question that the lofts are stronger. I game Mavrik standard. Why? I am 69 years old and my Ping iE1 series irons with 120 gram stiff shafts were costing me 10-15 yards per club as my swing speed began to slow. I have an index of 6.7 and still prefer to play from the men’s tees rather than the forward tees. In order to compete with the younger players, I needed that yardage back. The Mavrik standard with the Elevate 95 R shaft gives me back that distance plus. I had to regap my wedges, going from 52, 56, and 60 to 50, 54, and 58. Different grinds and bounce allow me to be just as effective around the greens as before. I am a certified Callaway fitter, so I knew what I wanted to accomplish, and how to accomplish it.
Wow! what an incredible uplift in performance. If only I used Slazenger blades and could get another 40 yards from the Mavrik 7 iron......
.I just accept iron distance as long as can judge distance with decent stopping power. Tmb 4 iron with mb 5-9 then vokey wedges 46, 52, 56, 60. Currently having lessons to improve swing efficiency, I.e. less sway and more rotation in downswing helps. Don't see point of jacked up iron lofts which includes titleist I'm afraid being long term titleist user..great video dan
Hi Coach .. a wonderful video. Imho Neil should just keep his blade heads but experiment with different shaft specs ..
Did you or Chris hit the Slazenger? That would have been interesting.
I hear what your saying but the ability to hit your 7 iron the same distance as your 5 iron with the same club length is going to be a huge increase in consistency imo. I have a strong lofted iron set (Tommy Amours) and find that they have made the game easier. My 9 iron is going 155-ish and is so easy to control with that short club length. My 2 cents, nice video guys
Fairplay Dan. Loving the new channel 🤙🏽
Did some testing went through 6 brands, eventually settled on the Callaway Maverick.
I’ve been using a sharpie to change the numbers stamped on the bottom of my clubs. My 6 iron is now an 8
The question should not be is this 7 iron Callaway, the same as the 5 iron blade, but what club gives me the best chance to hit a certain distance consistently. If I have a 180 yard carry over water what tool is best for me - blade iron, super game improvement club, hybrid, wood, graphite shaft, no offset, ... Golf is about scoring. Also, why do you care if some irons have stronger lofts with longer carry? Yes,
you may need an additional wedge for the short game, but you will not need an additional club on the top end.
Great video and discussion. I think there are way better options out there for him. His gamers and the Mavrik's are night and day, who needs 180 yards out of a 7 iron, spinning at 4000. He couldn't feel the club head or strike area with the Callaways and his gamers are really heavy and clunky already.
My 7 iron is 36 degrees. When I was fitted I tried a few different clubs but hitting a 7 iron 190 carry for me was impossible to gap. My 7 iron carrys 160 on average with a 10 - 12 yard gap up and down
Great video. :)
One room for improvement is that it was not possible to see anything at all on the screen when focusing on the data. Monitors often have very poor quality from the side, and autofocus didn't seem to help. Filming a screen is a challenge, so perhaps play around a bit with this to gain experience. And test it before starting filming in new studios with other screens than used to and other light conditions in the room. It might have to be configured slightly in settings etc.
He needs a set of Apex irons. He has a great swing and it appears he knows how to play. Sounds like his major issues are likely in the short game (100 yards and in). Try the Apex!
Dan. This was a nice thtoughtful review. But I LOVE your playing reviews with Mark. I actually laugh at your antics kinda wishing the round went more than 3 holes!
I am a contrarian by nature here....so i can play both mbs and sgi's .
Breakdown:
Blades: i was more precise from all lies although 8 irons were 148. Due to hitting driver more often i missed more fwys.
GI's: GIR went up even when laying up and hitting 8 irons from 170. I scored better due to hitting more fwys and greens.
I would like to see the result of trying a blade or players iron with a lighter shaft. The loss of speed is as much a factor as the supposed forgiveness of the game improvement head.
I bought the new Wilson Staff D7 forged and having some flighting issues due to the stronger lofts or TT Catalyst 80 5.5 graphite shafts. 7 iron is 30.5 and my old 7 was 33 with DG 105 steel.
Tried maverick but not enough feeling so have gone to soft regular graphite shafts in my g410 irons, now body and arms in sink swing easy and back to an easy game of golf.
So where should someone actually start their fitting? It sounds to me like we should start with the driver, work out the furthest distance, then gap backwards, ignoring the numbers under the iron and focus on the gaps while working out consistency.
When I get my new set later this year, I'll ask if they can stamp the loft on the back.
Those Slazenger blades are beautiful. I would just get them reshafted with a lighter, more flexible shaft.
I currently can't hit a 4i or 5i. Mavrik standard allows me to get those distances in a 6i and 7i (which I can hit.) I'll take it.
It all comes down to distance control for me. I have the potential to get a ball that goes 20 yards farther than im expecting when using these clubs with lots of help or tech in them
Excellent Dan , eye opening video 😉🏌️♂️⛳️🍻
never have worried about distance, just distance control and accuracy. not even worried about workability- what I am beginning to realize more, is that actually wedge down its a differnent set (potentially) so you are only looking at 9 to 6 iron as a set 5 4 3 irons as hybrids
Marketing nonsense, when did we become obsessed with distance? Gapping clubs must be a nightmare!!!! Keep up the great content 👍
Better sound, nice editing and interesting content. You’re on the up Dan 👍🏻
Amazing numbers! Reckon he could be single figure player this time next year with those stats. Good video Dan!!
Nice one Dan 👍 There’s no doubt the outcome is he needs fitting for new irons, he obviously hits a decent ball so a trade off into new technology will have that handicap tumbling!
Dan... QUESTION: How should I score a blow up hole? Say on a par 4; say I shoot 4/5 over, do I score it as a 8/9.... or what’s should I score as a max?
Interesting stuff as always Dan. I played with 'game improvement irons' for years, knocking a wedge 150 felt great but somehow not all that satisfying. I came back to golf fairly recently and treated myself to a set of ap2 irons (from ebay, I'm a teacher with 2 kids under 4, custom fit really isn't an option!) and have to say that my game improved significantly over a season. I genuinely felt like I managed to learn what a well struck shot was through feedback. I know ap2s still offer plenty of help but I think there's definitely something to be said about playing with equipment that you aspire to at times.
dont think that many golfers would agree that AP2s offer a lot of help. Not anymore, if you compare to all the power irons and super super game improvement. But for players who are descent ball strikers there is more than enough help. Agree with that. I game something similar. And love the feedback. A great way to improve!
Usually watch parfield and lockey but they must be in quarantine as your first up tonight come to Scotland and meet the guys you will be welcome bring mince for a laugh as well
Think we’ve reached the point with these manufactures changing lofts so significantly, that the number on the bottom needs to be the loft only and not a club number. So easy to get fooled!
Would have liked to see him test the Apex. He might have liked the feel more and gained enough performance
i wonder if Neil was shaft fitted for his blades he would get similar numbers as the Mavric's and better dispersion, i went from unfitted cleveland 588 to fitted srixon 965 blades and gained 15yrds 7 iron to 7 iron and better dispersion, same lofts on both, just through having the right shaft for me
Great video and people need to know the marketing hype. When you get a 5 iron with 20-23 degrees many high handicappers will struggle and with the wedges to fill the gaps.
You can’t compare 7 irons you have to compare lofts! One is a 7 one is a six and one a 5. How refreshing to see a pro agree with this.
I think manufacturers should put the loft on the club instead of the traditional numbers etc. This would make golfers more aware of what they’re playing rather than what they think they’re playing. Also I’ve started gaming hybrids instead of 3 & 4 irons as I struggled to hit them off fairways, new clubs with the same loft would mean I’d be struggling with 5 & 6 irons!
Should have tested the mavrik pros. Much closer to a blade but still got the perks of the cavity backs
Get Neil a set of Callaway Apex.
To a certain extent I have no problem with stronger lofted irons, (although the trend has muddied the waters quite a bit). If I could afford a new set of clubs and fitting and the 7 iron loft was similar to my current 5 iron, (for instance), my only concern might be. is the new 7 as easy to hit as my current 7; i.e. easier than my current 5? If the answer is yes, then I'd have no problem whatsoever getting them.
It's too late to change it now as the genie's out of the bottle, but it would have made life simpler had there been an industry agreed standard set of lofts for each iron.
How come you guys didn't test with the Mavrik Pro irons? Just been fitted for a set and loved the look, feel and numbers, cant wait for them to arrive!
Dean McGonagle when we filmed this we didn’t have the pro head
Don't see why people moan about strong lofted clubs there here to help us ageing golfers who don't have fast swing speeds. These game improvement irons can help lots of golfers including me. I play off 6 at 50 yrs old and had the cobra forged tec irons start of this year and couldn't get on with them at all. Went back to my fitter and demoed the cobra speedzone irons and all i can say is wow. I hit a very high ball and generate lots of spin so i can get away with using these type of irons. Safe to say i will be gaming the cobra sz irons this year and they feel great, look great and are very forgiving. My set make up is driver, 3 wood, 18 utility iron, 5-gw cobra sz, 52, 56, 60 ping wedges
Totally agree as a senior golfer (78) 11 handicap I'm here to tell you distance becomes very important. Those who are complaining about jacked lofts get back to me when you are a super senior golfer.
With these newer stronger lofted irons isn’t the decent angle really important? Less spin but should come in to land steeper so less roll out?
Excellent video.
I bet he would like the MP-20 HMB. He would get more distance, and still have the look of blade without super silly loft!
So if your pw is an 8 iron .... how many wedges do you need? And how do you fill the gap around 42 degrees?
i'm just amazed slazenger make blades!
id guess those irons would put a few shots on anyone's handicaps...you probably just turned that guy into a single figure golfer.
My new irons ive lost five yards on each club but gained spin and distance control. There not as hot off the face but easier to hit and the same loft at 31 for a 7
Dan what spin would you expect for 31degree 7iron with swing speed of 89?