Love the content, been subscribed for years, learned A TON. My only request would be to see a couple pics of the iron before you hit them? I see the data, but I have no idea what these clubs look like. Thanks, and best of luck!
This will be a game changer. I always wonder you don’t include photos/close up shots in your content. Top line, face on, sole etc. Look forward to seeing it in upcoming videos
My strong preference is for Ian to do these tests - in particular these multi club tests. It’s the only way to find out the inherent qualities of each club. Also kudos to both Mike and Ian for the final summary. They have it down to a fine art: sorting through the data to give a clear, concise conclusion to the performance of the clubs and the type of players the might suit. I second the comment that a quick image of the cavity/back and address position would be great. Great job guys!
Been golfing for a year and just recently got fitted. With my current swing speed and beginner tendencies the AI Smoke MAX Fast irons performed the best, and they continue to perform great. I love how you do the best you can to control for variables to showcase the differences in the heads. Maybe someday they'll make a swing robot with all the inconsistencies, fatigue, ego, and mental anguish of the "Average Golfer" 😂
I got the Qi irons and use to hit 7 i 145 -155ish max and now 155 is almost a miss hit with Qi ….and 170+ is a good hit and if flushed i can get near 180 at the range off mats…i dont play a lot and 18 birdies app has me at a 25.8handicap
4 irons stood out - JPX 925, G430,T350 & ZX4 all give control plenty of distance and enough peak height, but even those have the loft of my 5i and spin roughly the same as my 5i
Great review but as a senior with a 74 mph swing speed and average launch angle of 23 degrees on my testing the best irons for me were G430 and Paradym Smoke. ZX4 was up there too. Not tested PXG or Mizuno but did try Dynapwr forged and I530, AI300 but lost yardage with the forged weaker loft irons. Will wait till Spring because my front runners will all be replaced.
Would love to see one of these on shafts. For those of us that don’t get custom fit clubs, shafts are always a missing piece and would be nice to have high level understanding of different shafts that come standard on these irons.
Ping G series going back to G25 is just the gold standard I find in this category. Makes me wonder if I should get fit up for some G's and just have at until the grooves are worn. At 51 this year, they just seem to want to fit with how I want to play.
Maybe not average golfer but I'm 18.9 Handicap and I remember trying out the Callaway APEX DCB's and hitting the 7 iron 200 carry at 94ish MPH swing speeds. I didn't really like that because I was used to hitting my 7 in the low 180s. I went with 21' Cobra MIM Tours because these Super Game improvement clubs just go way far, and I don't need distance. I prefer more traditional lofts and smaller heads but not blades.
guess I am staying with my G430s :) Love the drop and stop I get today, was thinking more distance but after this video I get your point on the spin and launch.
Would love to see this done with a Golfer that shoots 90-100. Average Golfer doesn't hit almost every ball dead straight at the pin and be inside 10ft nearly every shot haha.
It’s not always a clear assessment still that way. I shoot right at about a 90 consistently but it’s not due to my ball striking, it’s due to putting. It really varies to each golfer
Thanks for the Information. I have a set of 2019 T300's and I have been wanting to upgrade to something newer. This video will really help when i decide to get a new set. Excellent review and information on the game improvement irons. This video was perfect timing for me as well.
Wishing Wilson would have been in this test but everyone sleeps on them. Dynapower I feel like would have been a great choice and at a lower price point too…
In my humble opinion, I think blades are the best game improvement irons. I bought a partial used set for the range and play 9 with and a more forgiving set as my gamer. Helped me tremendously.
Will you do this for drivers too? I love to see the general characteristics of clubs, very helpful if you already know your tendencies and can't get to a fitter.
All of these irons had 4 yards or less of roll - admittedly calculated by the simulator. Roll & Spin by club G430 0/5318 Srixon 2/5154 T350 2/5152 Qi10 3/4774 JPX 4/5174 AI Smoke 4/4741 Cobra 4/4611 PXG 4/4492 Meaningful or irrelevant?
Always loving this test! thank you so much! I would love to see the same test but on a forgiveness scale. Also if you can, can you display or mention the ball being used at the beginning of the videos from now on?? that would help out a lot for golfers and what to look out for :) Cheers mates!
What are you looking for? If you have a poor ball striker, hitting all over face, inconsistent face angle and inconsistent aoa, what would those results provide? Ian is clearly throttling back the SS, maybe at 75%. The results you see are for a typical mid-high handicapper swingspeed with maybe some of their best impact. If he were to hit it all over the face with inconsistent face angle and aoa, what exactly would that say for the club? Ultimately this demo indicates what the club is capable of, the consumer should be professionally fit for their own swing.
@@MichaelM-to4sgI don’t know any mid-handicap golfers with a 92mph head speed. Maybe 80. I play to a 7 index and I’m lucky to swing 80 mph irons consistently.
I’m going to try to copy Ian’s swing. It seems so simple, straight back and through, the distance he achieves is remarkable and accurate. In reality, all of the irons were good but I agree that spin is very important for slower swing speed.players However, the choice of irons for many golfers does come down to personal preference, that being, the looks. For me the lookers are Titleist T350, Srixon ZX4, PXG, in that order The Ping G430 is an excellent iron but I just don’t find it appealing. I have the ZX4 mk11 irons and they feel great when striking the ball
Great video and tests of different brands. But the most important thing is if you want to play better golf, go to a champion club fitter to get fitted for the best results. I’m sold on this….🙌💪
For everyone who has not done a fitting.... DO IT. You will absolutely find a preference. Swing weight... how you strike the ball... things you are looking for. I did my first iron fitting a few years ago at this point (maybe 4 years at this point). You WILL be surprised what you like hitting. My notes for my fitting: I hit in rough order here. cobra titleist taylormade ping strata etc You will be surprised what works for you. Hit everything. let the stats tell you the story.
I m an average golfer with 16.7 HCP. I play with classic Cleveland irons with graphite shafts. They fit perfectly to my game. I guess could fit too for many ' average ' club players. Why dont you test them too?? They are forgiving but also powerfull. The distances Ian hits , are NOT those average golfer hits with Irons. His swing IS one of very advanced golfer at scratch. Regarding that your Test IS totally irrelevant. Sorry gyus.
I see a lot of good words for Mizuno Hot Metals, I have been using some old Taylormade Speed Blades that a friend gave me to start golfing with about 2 yrs ago (they were about 10 yrs old when he gave them to me) and I wonder if getting a more modern "game improvement" set of irons and getting them fitted would do me good. I normally shoot in the high 90s low 100s.
I’m 19 handicap, I bought Ping G430 at the start of the year . My fitter at Midland Golf recommended the G430’s for exactly the same reason as Ian said . Great launch great spin and very very consistent distance . I know within a few yards exactly how for I’m going to hit each Iron. G430’s.5 ⭐ ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Ping are my least favourite, but yet most favourite, brand. All their stuff is class, I always want to have something sleeker and shinier, but you test their gear and it just works. And it is a nightmare to get out of the bag, especially in terms of on-course performance.
Great test guys. Had the ZX4 for a while but didn't get on with and they were fitted. I liked the 350 numbers. BTW FAZ WAS ON FIRE!! Thought he was going to hole out at one time
Hey Ian, love your stuff, but… What I would love to see would be some avg golfers with game imp. Irons trying to figure out when to move up to more workable irons. What I mean is watching you hit doesn’t show much because you are so good. I am 15 hcp, mid 90’s swing speed. Decently straight shots, a bit inconsistent due to amount of practice time. 5’11” std length lie, callaway clubs, steelhead irons graphite shafts, 61 yrs. Starting to feel like I need more workable irons. How the heck do I figure that out?
If you buy the best and do not play or score well there is only one reason, so look carefully at yourself. Either you are not taught right, or you do not practice enough or what you have been taught. Notice it has nothing to do with the clubs, you did buy the best you did have the best balls you did have the best clove you did have the best teacher so again it is your self. Do you want to play for fun? or do you want to play well as you can. If it is the latter practice 75% short game the rest long game putter every time you have time in the house garden golf course with compatician the main thing.
I've caved in and cracked the faces of 2 full sets of AI Smokes with a 90 mph swing speed. This last set caved with 3 range sessions and 1 round of play. Currently trying to get Callaway to let me out of them and into something different. They've been awesome irons though. Just don't hold up.
@@inflatablemooseadventures Unfortunately almost everything Callaway has is a hollow body. I can either switch to a blade or a high offset shovel. There's nothing in-between. Looking at switching to a blade but if I hate them I'll be selling my 3rd warrantied set and changing brands. What's the point of offering clubs that you cant use to hit some range balls to practice.
It depends, there’s no real winner. There’s obviously better irons for different player types and swing types so this test should help golfers know more about the individual characteristics of each of these irons.
It is a good iron but at 60 yrs old that 13 extra yards from the other irons is just as important as the other items in the list that they were looking at.
@@GregoryGroce-g8f I’m 64 so I get it. For me, the ability to stop the ball quickly is most helpful. I play with many guys who use the super juiced irons. They hit it far, but can’t hold a green or get it close to the hole. If you get that controllable distance, then you are in great shape.
I agree, Ian’s swing is looking exceptional. But remember, he hit 101 shots for this test. We saw just over 30. He’s likely not showing his misses. This certainly isn’t meant as a critique, just pointing out even Ian misses a few shots here and there.
Very interesting group of irons! I wonder how the spin would have looked like at 82 MPH club speed like us mortals manage. My current clubs (AI Smoke) feel great but I have a hard time holding the greens from over 160 yards.
I was having a problem with my Callaways running through the greens. I was using KBS graphite shafts. I switched shafts to Mitsu Vanquish graphite (softer tips). I gained a little distance, higher launch, less run-out.
Ping 430 are insipid spinners, tried them for 3 months and sold them, luckily for more than i paid. The best irons for average golfers are the P790, all the manufacturers try to get close, but they are still the best by far. Anybody could game P790, irons
I did a Titleist iron fitting at my local club not so long ago. The outcome was T150 with Tensei Red shafts as a result of the Titleist fitter considering i needed more spin and moe launch. But can I rely on that recommendation given the test was done with Pro V1x balls and my swing speed with a 7 iron I only 75mph? I prefer a softer ball and play Taylor Made Tour Response. I've never known where i sit in terms of spin but have always thought my launch was fine except when using very hard golf balls - one of the reasons I switched from TP5 to Tour Response . Wondering if the club specification recommended would have been different if the fitting had been done with a ball more similar to the ball I use. ProV1x is too hard for me
So this person comes in and likes any of these irons. What is the set makeup with the lower irons? 8=175yd, 9=160yd, pw= 145yd, u=130, A=115yds? do you want the launch to be so high for a shot that is 145yd?
Yeh 15 yards gaps would probably be necessary. If in this case the 145 yard shot is with a wedge the launch will be high due to the dynamic loft but won’t reach the highest peak height as the ball speed will be lower. Ball velocity is the most dominant factor when determining how high a ball will apex.
There is a multitude of golf irons..I believe we should be looking at research around strike..how each player differs in how they hit the ball needs lots more analysis..it is about finding a club..shaft and grip that best fits each players game..me for example have always had trouble hitting the traditional ping irons because of the offset and wide flange of the iron..unfortunately it has always been around luck in buying irons.
The way I’m looking at it is you guys fit to the current play style but as you improve the irons you get fitted for no longer are the best for you. Is it better to get fitted for clubs you want to hit and are pleasing to the person that you play into because we can only afford 1 fitting
It would be cool if you had an idea end card with the rankings - perhaps come up with some rankings beyond a screenshot of the spin speed and flight angles. Maybe bring in some feel, consistency, spread, etc. Also, Ian is scratch, maybe being in someone that is more average to get some feedback. So much of what you like is based on what you’re already familiar with playing, too. Love the content, but also want to be able to skip to the end to really get to the bottom line and then maybe scroll back to chapters to dive deeper on each club. Great stuff nonetheless.
Should have done this at 80-90% speed, around 85mph for a 6-iron. Probably more average speed for the folks that would use these sorts of irons. Or maybe leave 2-3 shots with each at the slower speed.
I got the PXG gen 7 P series since I’m a PXG guy. They launched better than the XP series. The 7 iron is an xp though, and also black op 6-7 hybrids for easy distance. All these majors make great clubs, custom fitting is more important than slight brand differences.
I feel we also need an actual average golfers to test these clubs. Ian is prob more of top 1% of golfers. A golfer that will hit some off the toe, some off the heel, and a few off the center is the true test for this subgroup. It is nice to see the difference between them when they are hit close to the center most of the time, but I feel the forgiveness of this category is most important when selecting between these clubs. We cannot see that when they are hit in the center each time.
I see your point, but the numbers and data from an average golfer won’t be apples to apples comparisons because of the lack of consistency. The way they do this allows us to see the general difference in launch and spin.
@@bentonleach6730the difference in launch and spin came from inconsistency in dynamic loft. Notice how the irons they talk about being hotter and having more speed had a lower delivered loft than the others? Notice how the irons they talk about having a high launch had the highest delivered loft? Swing speed and contact aren't the only variables of a golf swing.
Hey guys, I'm 71 yo . I live in Florida in the winter, and I lose at least a club in distance at sea level . I need distance but also high and spin to hold hard greens. I think these 4 clubs are what I need to try. Your opinions?
I think you must have adjusted the lofts of these irons to 26 degrees. Can you just confirm that for me? This was very informative. I will be watching more of your content.
I appreciate the video, but i was disappointed as I've been looking forward to this video specifically for your thoughts on Willson Dynapower since Willson was included in all your other iron videos.
I was disappointed they included the Ai Smoke and not the APEX Ai300 which is a superior club IMO. I have been hitting the Ai300 for just over a month and my Index has dropped over a point. Works for me and feel it should have been included in the test being the current tech on the market.
Love the content, been subscribed for years, learned A TON. My only request would be to see a couple pics of the iron before you hit them? I see the data, but I have no idea what these clubs look like. Thanks, and best of luck!
We actually discussed that internally this week to include more shots of each club in the playing position. We will integrate that in upcoming videos.
This will be a game changer. I always wonder you don’t include photos/close up shots in your content. Top line, face on, sole etc. Look forward to seeing it in upcoming videos
For the life of me, I don’t understand why a better players club isn’t best for the average golfer. It’s best if you want to stay average, period.
My strong preference is for Ian to do these tests - in particular these multi club tests. It’s the only way to find out the inherent qualities of each club. Also kudos to both Mike and Ian for the final summary. They have it down to a fine art: sorting through the data to give a clear, concise conclusion to the performance of the clubs and the type of players the might suit. I second the comment that a quick image of the cavity/back and address position would be great. Great job guys!
Ian’s swing is poetry in motion. So good.
I agree show photos of each iron before you hit it. For more clarity in the 😊test.
Been golfing for a year and just recently got fitted. With my current swing speed and beginner tendencies the AI Smoke MAX Fast irons performed the best, and they continue to perform great.
I love how you do the best you can to control for variables to showcase the differences in the heads.
Maybe someday they'll make a swing robot with all the inconsistencies, fatigue, ego, and mental anguish of the "Average Golfer" 😂
Hahaha, quantifying that anguish is mission impossible, non golfers will never understand the pain and suffering of a golfer. 😂
In my opinion, Ian's constancy is what makes the test. Great job, guys. I love the content of your channel
Average golfers looking at game improvement irons don’t hit 180yd 7 irons. So it’s very hard to relate to tests like this.
I got the Qi irons and use to hit 7 i 145 -155ish max and now 155 is almost a miss hit with Qi ….and 170+ is a good hit and if flushed i can get near 180 at the range off mats…i dont play a lot and 18 birdies app has me at a 25.8handicap
4 irons stood out - JPX 925, G430,T350 & ZX4 all give control plenty of distance and enough peak height, but even those have the loft of my 5i and spin roughly the same as my 5i
Great review but as a senior with a 74 mph swing speed and average launch angle of 23 degrees on my testing the best irons for me were G430 and Paradym Smoke. ZX4 was up there too. Not tested PXG or Mizuno but did try Dynapwr forged and I530, AI300 but lost yardage with the forged weaker loft irons. Will wait till Spring because my front runners will all be replaced.
Would love to see one of these on shafts. For those of us that don’t get custom fit clubs, shafts are always a missing piece and would be nice to have high level understanding of different shafts that come standard on these irons.
Ping G series going back to G25 is just the gold standard I find in this category. Makes me wonder if I should get fit up for some G's and just have at until the grooves are worn. At 51 this year, they just seem to want to fit with how I want to play.
You should hit the Ping I 531s, these things are fire
I don’t know a lot of “average” golfers hitting a 6i 195. It’s nice to see what they are capable of but not as realistic
Maybe not average golfer but I'm 18.9 Handicap and I remember trying out the Callaway APEX DCB's and hitting the 7 iron 200 carry at 94ish MPH swing speeds. I didn't really like that because I was used to hitting my 7 in the low 180s. I went with 21' Cobra MIM Tours because these Super Game improvement clubs just go way far, and I don't need distance. I prefer more traditional lofts and smaller heads but not blades.
Great comparison. Some amazing club choices.
Ping G430 likely to shine as the club head speed drops.
guess I am staying with my G430s :) Love the drop and stop I get today, was thinking more distance but after this video I get your point on the spin and launch.
I’m 76 playing the T350 senior graphite love them the height is great stops on the green
Would love to see this done with a Golfer that shoots 90-100. Average Golfer doesn't hit almost every ball dead straight at the pin and be inside 10ft nearly every shot haha.
It’s not always a clear assessment still that way. I shoot right at about a 90 consistently but it’s not due to my ball striking, it’s due to putting. It really varies to each golfer
Thanks for the Information. I have a set of 2019 T300's and I have been wanting to upgrade to something newer. This video will really help when i decide to get a new set. Excellent review and information on the game improvement irons. This video was perfect timing for me as well.
Great video and glad to see the ZX4 getting some love.
My god… nothing average about Ian’s swing ❤
Wishing Wilson would have been in this test but everyone sleeps on them. Dynapower I feel like would have been a great choice and at a lower price point too…
Ian is so so consistent best compliment is he is "iron Byron" 2024 excellent club test.
Can’t believe Ian didn’t jar one during this video ! Best iron Byron video he’s ever done bang on 👏👏👏
bravo Ian
Cheers from Norcal
G430 with that stop and drop is good to see in an iron.
Gosh, you are a consistent ball hitting machine! Great summary
Great video. Love your content. You’ve just hit more greens in a 15 min vid, than I have in the last 12 months. 😢
would be great to have the video in chapters, so you can easily see all different clubs and scroll back and forth between different ones
Golfers in this skill level would kill for dispersion circles that you produced!
Ian’s cut is 🔥💈
You know that there are going to be Wilson comments again. Dynapower forged is fabulous
In my humble opinion, I think blades are the best game improvement irons. I bought a partial used set for the range and play 9 with and a more forgiving set as my gamer. Helped me tremendously.
Will you do this for drivers too? I love to see the general characteristics of clubs, very helpful if you already know your tendencies and can't get to a fitter.
Yes we definitely will.
Maybe just call it G430 Max and be done 😂
Would love to see you guys do the test with players distance irons
All of these irons had 4 yards or less of roll - admittedly calculated by the simulator.
Roll & Spin by club
G430 0/5318
Srixon 2/5154
T350 2/5152
Qi10 3/4774
JPX 4/5174
AI Smoke 4/4741
Cobra 4/4611
PXG 4/4492
Meaningful or irrelevant?
The Ping 430 offers 3 loft versions which one did you use?
Always loving this test! thank you so much! I would love to see the same test but on a forgiveness scale. Also if you can, can you display or mention the ball being used at the beginning of the videos from now on?? that would help out a lot for golfers and what to look out for :) Cheers mates!
Chrome Tour
Why not bring in someone whose skill is more inline with who these clubs are meant for? Ian is far from average.
Cool clubs has the robot testing data
After all I found Ian is a marketing guy…
What are you looking for? If you have a poor ball striker, hitting all over face, inconsistent face angle and inconsistent aoa, what would those results provide? Ian is clearly throttling back the SS, maybe at 75%. The results you see are for a typical mid-high handicapper swingspeed with maybe some of their best impact. If he were to hit it all over the face with inconsistent face angle and aoa, what exactly would that say for the club? Ultimately this demo indicates what the club is capable of, the consumer should be professionally fit for their own swing.
@@MichaelM-to4sgI don’t know any mid-handicap golfers with a 92mph head speed. Maybe 80. I play to a 7 index and I’m lucky to swing 80 mph irons consistently.
Well it would show more about the forgiveness of these clubs which is what most golfers in this category are looking for.@@MichaelM-to4sg
I’m going to try to copy Ian’s swing. It seems so simple, straight back and through, the distance he achieves is remarkable and accurate. In reality, all of the irons were good but I agree that spin is very important for slower swing speed.players
However, the choice of irons for many golfers does come down to personal preference, that being, the looks. For me the lookers are Titleist T350, Srixon ZX4, PXG, in that order
The Ping G430 is an excellent iron but I just don’t find it appealing.
I have the ZX4 mk11 irons and they feel great when striking the ball
Great video, very informative! Thanks!
Great video and tests of different brands.
But the most important thing is if you want to play better golf, go to a champion club fitter to get fitted for the best results.
I’m sold on this….🙌💪
simply love this. Thank you!
🙏🏼
For everyone who has not done a fitting.... DO IT. You will absolutely find a preference. Swing weight... how you strike the ball... things you are looking for. I did my first iron fitting a few years ago at this point (maybe 4 years at this point). You WILL be surprised what you like hitting.
My notes for my fitting:
I hit in rough order here.
cobra
titleist
taylormade
ping
strata
etc
You will be surprised what works for you.
Hit everything. let the stats tell you the story.
I m an average golfer with 16.7 HCP. I play with classic Cleveland irons with graphite shafts.
They fit perfectly to my game. I guess could fit too for many ' average ' club players. Why dont you test them too?? They are forgiving but also powerfull.
The distances Ian hits , are NOT those average golfer hits with Irons. His swing IS one of very advanced golfer at scratch.
Regarding that your Test IS totally irrelevant. Sorry gyus.
I see a lot of good words for Mizuno Hot Metals, I have been using some old Taylormade Speed Blades that a friend gave me to start golfing with about 2 yrs ago (they were about 10 yrs old when he gave them to me) and I wonder if getting a more modern "game improvement" set of irons and getting them fitted would do me good. I normally shoot in the high 90s low 100s.
I totally agree with revomayne. Need some off center hits like AVERAGE golfers.
I’m 19 handicap, I bought Ping G430 at the start of the year . My fitter at Midland Golf recommended the G430’s for exactly the same reason as Ian said . Great launch great spin and very very consistent distance . I know within a few yards exactly how for I’m going to hit each Iron. G430’s.5 ⭐ ⭐⭐⭐⭐
What’s a G430.5??
@@clintwilliams2705 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ( 5 star irons )
@@clintwilliams2705 Think he meant 5 stars not G430.5.
@@jlr5003 oh!!!! I see now! Duh on me!😆
Is there a reason you didn’t test the PXG Black Ops irons for this category?
I’d put those into a different category. I believe Gen 7 XP is the right irons to compare with the ones in this test.
Zx4, good enough for Mark Crossfield, good enough for me 💲💲
Good content! I would have loved for you to squeeze in Cleveland irons. Hear good things about them. Hope you consider for a potential wave 2. Cheers!
Ping are my least favourite, but yet most favourite, brand. All their stuff is class, I always want to have something sleeker and shinier, but you test their gear and it just works. And it is a nightmare to get out of the bag, especially in terms of on-course performance.
What do you mean “nightmare” to get out of the bag?
Great test guys. Had the ZX4 for a while but didn't get on with and they were fitted. I liked the 350 numbers. BTW FAZ WAS ON FIRE!! Thought he was going to hole out at one time
Srixon ZX7 Gang
Hey Ian, love your stuff, but… What I would love to see would be some avg golfers with game imp. Irons trying to figure out when to move up to more workable irons. What I mean is watching you hit doesn’t show much because you are so good. I am 15 hcp, mid 90’s swing speed. Decently straight shots, a bit inconsistent due to amount of practice time. 5’11” std length lie, callaway clubs, steelhead irons graphite shafts, 61 yrs. Starting to feel like I need more workable irons. How the heck do I figure that out?
I don't think of game improvement irons when I think of average golfers. I think jpx forged, srixon zx5/7, etc.
If you buy the best and do not play or score well there is only one reason, so look carefully at yourself. Either you are not taught right, or you do not practice enough or what you have been taught. Notice it has nothing to do with the clubs, you did buy the best you did have the best balls you did have the best clove you did have the best teacher so again it is your self. Do you want to play for fun? or do you want to play well as you can. If it is the latter practice 75% short game the rest long game putter every time you have time in the house garden golf course with compatician the main thing.
Maybe the Cleveland Zipcore XL should be there too
How do these numbers compare to your 5 iron, which i assume is close to the same loft?
Takomo 101t ????
I've caved in and cracked the faces of 2 full sets of AI Smokes with a 90 mph swing speed. This last set caved with 3 range sessions and 1 round of play. Currently trying to get Callaway to let me out of them and into something different. They've been awesome irons though. Just don't hold up.
Avoid hollow irons. Irons should last your lifetime - this is why I buy blades.
Chinese junk, them and the other "big name".
@@inflatablemooseadventures Unfortunately almost everything Callaway has is a hollow body. I can either switch to a blade or a high offset shovel. There's nothing in-between. Looking at switching to a blade but if I hate them I'll be selling my 3rd warrantied set and changing brands. What's the point of offering clubs that you cant use to hit some range balls to practice.
@@nateb618the CB?
@@nateb618 I Have the Z-FORGED2 Srixon blades as a high handicap and I can hit them fine. No issues hitting range balls to rocks - solid metal.
Ping was the winner. The height and spin is critical for poorer ball strikers.
It depends, there’s no real winner. There’s obviously better irons for different player types and swing types so this test should help golfers know more about the individual characteristics of each of these irons.
@@ianfrasergolf Yes but....the Ping G430 is a great baseline when shopping for Irons.
@@justsomekid2 I agree it’s a great iron.
It is a good iron but at 60 yrs old that 13 extra yards from the other irons is just as important as the other items in the list that they were looking at.
@@GregoryGroce-g8f I’m 64 so I get it. For me, the ability to stop the ball quickly is most helpful. I play with many guys who use the super juiced irons. They hit it far, but can’t hold a green or get it close to the hole. If you get that controllable distance, then you are in great shape.
I agree, Ian’s swing is looking exceptional. But remember, he hit 101 shots for this test. We saw just over 30. He’s likely not showing his misses. This certainly isn’t meant as a critique, just pointing out even Ian misses a few shots here and there.
Fantastic video.
Very interesting group of irons! I wonder how the spin would have looked like at 82 MPH club speed like us mortals manage. My current clubs (AI Smoke) feel great but I have a hard time holding the greens from over 160 yards.
I was having a problem with my Callaways running through the greens. I was using KBS graphite shafts. I switched shafts to Mitsu Vanquish graphite (softer tips). I gained a little distance, higher launch, less run-out.
i have the Project X IO shafts. I think I'm going to go back to Mizuno and try the new Pro 245 with a lighter shaft (95 grams) Aerotech SteelFiber.
Tried the T350s but held onto my T300s. Ab fab clubs. Standard lofts, 2° up, true temper amt white s300. Swing speed 87mph.
Mizuno Pro 245, best iron for a mid handicapper 💪
Ping 430 are insipid spinners, tried them for 3 months and sold them, luckily for more than i paid. The best irons for average golfers are the P790, all the manufacturers try to get close, but they are still the best by far. Anybody could game P790, irons
Don’t know many golfers that hit 6 iron 200 yards
I did a Titleist iron fitting at my local club not so long ago. The outcome was T150 with Tensei Red shafts as a result of the Titleist fitter considering i needed more spin and moe launch. But can I rely on that recommendation given the test was done with Pro V1x balls and my swing speed with a 7 iron I only 75mph? I prefer a softer ball and play Taylor Made Tour Response. I've never known where i sit in terms of spin but have always thought my launch was fine except when using very hard golf balls - one of the reasons I switched from TP5 to Tour Response . Wondering if the club specification recommended would have been different if the fitting had been done with a ball more similar to the ball I use. ProV1x is too hard for me
I agree with these choices, but I wonder if the TM P790s could fall into this category.
Ian is definitely not the "average" golfer... the guy just hits absolute darts one after the other
He actually doesn’t hit darts one after another. They just edit together all the good ones and remove the bad ones.
@@jackiechow860 I choose to believe he's a dart machine
T-350…stupid easy to hit. Look fantastic in the bag too.
High handicap and my next set will be Miura KM-700 no questions.
So this person comes in and likes any of these irons. What is the set makeup with the lower irons? 8=175yd, 9=160yd, pw= 145yd, u=130, A=115yds? do you want the launch to be so high for a shot that is 145yd?
Yeh 15 yards gaps would probably be necessary. If in this case the 145 yard shot is with a wedge the launch will be high due to the dynamic loft but won’t reach the highest peak height as the ball speed will be lower. Ball velocity is the most dominant factor when determining how high a ball will apex.
Darkspeed rules
I went to fitting at True Spec Atlanta, thought I need a set of game improvements, but I ended up with a set of P790.
There is a multitude of golf irons..I believe we should be looking at research around strike..how each player differs in how they hit the ball needs lots more analysis..it is about finding a club..shaft and grip that best fits each players game..me for example have always had trouble hitting the traditional ping irons because of the offset and wide flange of the iron..unfortunately it has always been around luck in buying irons.
Can we see some course play with Ian
We just posted an on course round last week.
@@clubchampionmedia thanks I'll check it out
@@clubchampionmedia sorry I meant we wanna see him play.
I'm looking forward a few years from now when PW will be 31 degrees that will be so good🙂
The way I’m looking at it is you guys fit to the current play style but as you improve the irons you get fitted for no longer are the best for you. Is it better to get fitted for clubs you want to hit and are pleasing to the person that you play into because we can only afford 1 fitting
It would be cool if you had an idea end card with the rankings - perhaps come up with some rankings beyond a screenshot of the spin speed and flight angles. Maybe bring in some feel, consistency, spread, etc. Also, Ian is scratch, maybe being in someone that is more average to get some feedback. So much of what you like is based on what you’re already familiar with playing, too. Love the content, but also want to be able to skip to the end to really get to the bottom line and then maybe scroll back to chapters to dive deeper on each club. Great stuff nonetheless.
Should have done this at 80-90% speed, around 85mph for a 6-iron. Probably more average speed for the folks that would use these sorts of irons. Or maybe leave 2-3 shots with each at the slower speed.
I got the PXG gen 7 P series since I’m a PXG guy. They launched better than the XP series. The 7 iron is an xp though, and also black op 6-7 hybrids for easy distance. All these majors make great clubs, custom fitting is more important than slight brand differences.
Hi Ian and Mike!
Will you guys be doing this same type of video for Player’s Distance Irons? Thank you and great reviews as always!!
Joe Lane
I feel we also need an actual average golfers to test these clubs. Ian is prob more of top 1% of golfers. A golfer that will hit some off the toe, some off the heel, and a few off the center is the true test for this subgroup. It is nice to see the difference between them when they are hit close to the center most of the time, but I feel the forgiveness of this category is most important when selecting between these clubs. We cannot see that when they are hit in the center each time.
Could you please index these multiple club videos?
I'd give Mikey's left arm to have Ian's swing.
I think you should have an average golfer hitting the shots and not scratch golfer so we get to see how they help dispersion on the off center hits
I see your point, but the numbers and data from an average golfer won’t be apples to apples comparisons because of the lack of consistency. The way they do this allows us to see the general difference in launch and spin.
@@bentonleach6730the difference in launch and spin came from inconsistency in dynamic loft. Notice how the irons they talk about being hotter and having more speed had a lower delivered loft than the others? Notice how the irons they talk about having a high launch had the highest delivered loft? Swing speed and contact aren't the only variables of a golf swing.
Do players distance next!
Love these videos and information they give. Best thing for any viewer to do is go hit them yourself to find what you like. Everyone is different
Hey guys, I'm 71 yo . I live in Florida in the winter, and I lose at least a club in distance at sea level . I need distance but also high and spin to hold hard greens. I think these 4 clubs are what I need to try. Your opinions?
I think you must have adjusted the lofts of these irons to 26 degrees. Can you just confirm that for me? This was very informative. I will be watching more of your content.
So basically, get what looks and feels best--the performance is pretty darn similar.
The stock loft on Q1 6 is 24 degrees, but the graphic states it is 26. Did you bend it to 26?
Is Ai200 iron by callaway far more dfficult than Ai smoke??
This may be an unfair question, how do you think that the Vice irons would have faired in this category? Thank you for your thoughts.
I appreciate the video, but i was disappointed as I've been looking forward to this video specifically for your thoughts on Willson Dynapower since Willson was included in all your other iron videos.
I have the AI smokes. Like them but will probably switch out next season.
I was disappointed they included the Ai Smoke and not the APEX Ai300 which is a superior club IMO. I have been hitting the Ai300 for just over a month and my Index has dropped over a point. Works for me and feel it should have been included in the test being the current tech on the market.
Do the Cleveland Zipcore XL belong in this group? If so where?
I have the Zipcore XL, they are awesome !
We need more videos of the average golfer and clubs
Im glad QI 10 is not in the top 4
2nd !