Buying a new set of irons and need help. I am new to the game about 25-30 handicap.?

Question

I have it narrowed down to the nike ignite irons or the nike slingshot irons. They both retail at $399 and the only difference I have noticed is Ignites come with a hybrid and the slingshot comes with an extra wedge. Any suggestions on what to buy? I have read good reviews on both but am still undecided. Also any suggestions on what degree wedge to use to get me out of the bunker easier would be great. Thanks

Answer 1

If I was you I would spend the $399 on Lessons, or at least a huge chunck of it, you seem to know very little about the sport you trying to get involved in which is worrying, i'm sure you would get greater joy and satisfaction by having cheaper clubs but actually being able to play with them, then when your birthday or xmas rolls around you can upgrade to clubs that suit your game rather than just buying them because they have a bloody tick on them (Nike)

Get down your local range and book a group of sessions with the pro, he will help you develop your game and will also be able to give you advice regarding what clubs to purchase, you will also be able to actually try these clubs before you buy them, you might even be able to pick up a second hand set if he carries that kind of stock.

Notes:

1: Unless you are a lady or Junior your maximum handicap is 28. NOT 30.

2: The usual wedge you would need for a bunker is a 56 degree wedge, however which bunkers do you usually play out of? If the bunkers have very fine sand then you need something with low bounce and vica versa if the bunkers use heavy sand.

3: Please PLEase PLEASE, do not "Narrow it down" to two sets of clubs already, get fitted for your clubs when you are at the level that you need new clubs.

I hope and pray that you heed a little of this advice because in years to come when you are truely bitten by this golfing bug you can buy me drink in the 19th hole and say.

"That Paul really set my golfing career off on the right foot"

(Music comes in and lights fade out - ha he ha)

Answer 2

Depends - do you already own some clubs, or will this be your first set? Is there any reason in particular you chose Nikes? It doesn't sound like you've actually hit any of them yet, and the best way to decide whether a club suits you is if you actually have a go with it. Dont be shy to try some other brands as well, there are a lot of 'game improvement' irons out there for mid-high handicappers that may well work better for you. Try as many as you can and don't allow prejudice/brand snobbery to cloud the decision. If you are determined to ignore that advice and buy the Nikes, you might as well just pick the ones that look nicer.

Any wedge will get you out of a bunker if you play your sand shots well. Typically a sand wedge of 54-56 degrees will suffice for greenside bunkers. For nasty, deep pot bunkers a 58-64 degree wedge might be preferable once you get better, but in the meantime, stick to the 'standard' SW loft and focus on technique rather than the technical minutae of the club.

Answer 3

I agree with the other poster, don't narrow it down before you try them out.  Go to www.golfdigest.com and refer to their HOTLIST 2008 and look up the super game improvement iron category.  I believe the Adams Idea OS irons are at the top, but really any set getting a gold medal is pretty darn good.  Go to a place that allows you to hit the irons on the range.  100 people could say that the ignite irons are the best but that will mean nothing if you can't hit them solidly.  There is a reason why there is not a clear leader in irons on the TOUR, because everyone's swing, likes and dislikes are different and so everyone hits clubs a little differently.

My only other piece of advice is, go with hybrids... anyone over a 10 handicap should not be hitting a 1, 2, 3, or even 4 iron, hybrids offer a clear advantage when you need to hit a longer shot.

Answer 4

You should consider MIZUNO mx19's, mx900 or mx25 irons. The will be really good for you!

Answer 5

nike slingshots to me dont hit very far compared to other irons.  I used a friends set the other day, and i was almost 2 clubs off with them.  where i normally hit 9, i was having to hit a normal 7 or hard 8.  i actually hit my titleist vokey 56 longer than the slingshot PW by a good 15 yards.  these were the original slingshots though not the new style.  And if you are new to the game then you need to find a set of used clubs to play with.  If you are that high of a handicap you need to learn to play better before clubs will make much of a difference.  Go on ebay and find a cheap used set of clubs, you can even probably find a decent set of taylormade or callaway irons used for $100 or so...then maybe another $100 or so on a used driver, couple of wedges, and a putter.  use some of the money you save on some lessons.  Remember you improve yourself before you improve your equipment.

http://www.pga2be.com

the place for golfers

Answer 6

Try going to a respectable pro shop that carries both brands that you are looking for first - they will usually have a set or at least some single clubs as demos that you can try out.  More importantly, once you've decided on which set you are more comfortable with, make sure that the person that you're dealing with is knowledgeable as far as correctly fitting you with the clubs is concerned - I can't tell you how many people I know of that have bought clubs because they were rated well, but became frustrated with their game  performance due to the simple fact that the clubs were not fitted to them properly.  Hope this helps.

Answer 7

i preffer ignites, just my opinion

Answer 8

i have a set of 2008 taylormade r7 cgb max irons and they are the best set Ive ever played with. i get so much more distance with all the irons. i now average 160yds with a 9 iron and I'm only 14. trust me if you buy a set of these you will never need a new set of clubs again.