Jan 24, 2012; La Jolla, CA, USA; Cobra Golf AMP Pro RF prototype irons belonging to Rickie Fowler (not shown) during the practice round of the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines Municipal Golf Course. Mandatory Credit: Allan Henry-USA TODAY Sports
I finally got a chance to make it out to the pro shop this week and hit three more iron sets that were requested by a reader several weeks ago. Before I give you my impressions, I wanted to reiterate my point that these reviews are most effective as starting points. Get out to your nearest pro shop, or sporting goods store and try those clubs out before you buy!
I won’t get a chance to review every iron set out there, so here are a few good guidelines to follow:
- If you like picking up some grass/creating a divot with your irons, look for a forged/blade iron set. These are for players who get under the ball, but call still get good trajectory from the fairway
- Those of us who sweep our irons, look for a wider/thicker soled iron, and I would even recommend taking a look at hybrid sets.
- Shaft weight/material varies greatly. It doesn’t matter your age, gender, or handicap; whatever feels right to you and nets you the best results (i.e. getting the ball airborne, with consistent distance) is the right shaft for you.
Okay, now that I’ve laid that out there, let’s look at the sets I hit this morning:
Cobra AMP CELL Irons – after hitting this set, I was seeing a theme with Cobra clubs. Heavy on the end, which translates to getting down on the ball. I was taking a good divot with this set (and I am more of a sweeper), but was also seeing very consistent distance, which is a very important quality in irons.
Mizuno JPX-825 Irons – It was easy to see that Mizuno knows what they’re doing when it comes to crafting a quality iron. Solid, consistent distance, and a sharp look gave this set the edge over the other two I hit. Pricey, sure, but of the nine different brands/sets of irons I have hit I would put this in the top two or three. Definitely worth giving these a go.
Cleveland 588 Altitude (Hybrid) Irons – This was a real treat. I didn’t intend on hitting these, as I was looking at the traditional Cleveland sets, but the Altitude irons caught my eye, so I changed it up and gave them a whirl. I was glad I did. Especially for my swing type (sweeper), the hybrid irons were forgiving, long and fun to hit. And when you’re having fun, those mid range shots aren’t such a drag. If you’ve been hesitant to try out hybrid irons, swallow your pride, and give’m a shot.
Going out and trying new clubs is not only fun, but it also can tell you more about your game, and for me often shows me which aspects of my game need the most work. So get out there, and hit’em straight!