Golf: Should You Buy New Irons?

[@richardcharlesworth6069]

I'm still using Nike blades bought in 2003! I was a 15 handicap then and now off 5. I really would like to get some new irons though so this was an interesting video.

[@BobC777]

Great job! I've gotten your weekly Sunday email for a long time & have been impressed with the quality of the content & how much work must go into the production. This was the first video I've seen & it was excellent. (I'd be embarrassed to tell you how old MY irons are!) KZbin recently decided to no longer send email reminders to subscribers (even if the notification bell is clicked) when a new video is available so your separate email announcing this is a big help. It was also somewhat satisfying that even you do not hit the center of the club face every time. Looking forward to your next video.

[@puttipongchavapong1994]

@11:32 So true, different number stamp on the same iron.

[@Snowman9K]

Your book The Practice Manual really helped me improve because it opened my eyes to the importance of the basics of impact, and it changed my priorities for the better. That said, it did my heart good to see you struggling to find the center. :) Now I won't feel so bad when I have one of those days.

[@adamyounggolf1]

Bear in mind, my struggling to find center is just 5mm off. Enough for me to mention and be picky about it at my level, but not disastrous. I did throw a few 10mm+ in there, for testing purposes only 😉

[@chiglf4argy227]

Very interested to see the next one.

[@timmayfield8693]

What a great video. You have opened Pandora's box asking for idea's. Would it be possible for you to explain and demonstrate the difference between blades and cavity back irons? I still have a set of Mizuno TPZ irons (cavity back) from the 1980's. The shafts are the original Dynamic gold "S". For the past 30 odd years I've use a mix of bladed irons, 2 or 3 wedges and in recent years a hybrid 3. The shafts in the irons I changed from Dynamic gold "S" to "R " a few years ago. Now, due to age (74) and arthritis I am thinking it's time for some modern cavity back irons again.

[@adamyounggolf1]

Sure. Will try and get hold of some true blades. Many modern blades are hollow inside - so not really as blade-esque as you would imagine

[@billbickford8683]

It would have been nice to test like lofted irons.

[@adamyounggolf1]

I’ll see what I can do. It looks like the new 7 iron is as long as the old 6. The new 7 is 2 deg weaker, so I’m guessing like for like would be half a club longer

[@billbickford8683]

@@adamyounggolf1 Thanks for the additional info

[@ulster7717]

I would love to see a test of a Callaway iron with a titanium face ( eg FT iron) and compare that with a modern “ hot face “ iron on the same loft basis. Virtually all manufacturers use titanium in their driver face so it must be optimal for distance.

[@Willie-t5409]

Great info Adam. I was intrigued by the longer carry of the new 6 versus the old six. 2 degrees stronger means 12 yds farther! I have several old - older sets of clubs that tell me the same thing. For example in my old Titleist 962's the 5i is 28deg, with my Callaway Diablo Edge irons that is the 6i. Depending on the irons I play that day, I base my shot on the loft of the club not the number. I tend to think "I hit my 28deg X-yds, rather than I hit my 6i or 5i X-yds".

[@adamyounggolf1]

That's one way of doing it. There has been a suggestion to switch the number on the bottom with just the loft stamped on.

[@Willie-t5409]

@@adamyounggolf1 That is what I miss about my old Tommy Armour 845s Silver Scots - the lofts are right there on the face and I love hitting them as well.

[@EasyIAPs]

Adam, I’m very fortunate that you chose the T300. I have that exact club on order now. I was fitted and the shafts that were selected were the Aerotech Steelfiber i80 Regular Taper. I also had the shafts pured, which was something new to me. For me the forgiveness of the club was the selling point. I’m a high aged, high indexed person that would love to lower both numbers but has to accept the index lowering as the only possibly. I have been following you for a long time and have your book and I am part of the online materials too. Thank you for all of that and I’m looking forward to your new KZbin channel videos. Well done

[@adamyounggolf1]

Thanks for following. The KZbin channel will be different content to the paid content for members. More equipment testing and myth busting.

[@indoorgolfers99]

Always great info Adam. Been following your work for many years now. I recently went through this process. In the end I don't even carry a standard 6-iron any more. The loft was comparable to my old 5-iron which was already too difficult to hit. I ended up putting in hybrids and a launcher in above my 7. This combination fills out my bag nicely. I think the iron manufacturers are digging themselves into trouble unless they convert to more combo sets.

[@tedlilley3370]

Anyone know what those dots are on his club face? You can get a good look at them here, 1:30. Assuming it's to adjust weight/balance?

[@michaelni]

Nice video.. I am considering changing my 10 year old set, so very relevant. Question is how much a clubfitter can help optimize the old set with new shaft, grip, loft/lie adjustment etc. Great mancave! :)

[@adamyounggolf1]

It depends a lot on how poorly fit the old clubs were. I would say the above results are minimum improvement, as my old clubs were a pretty good fit.

[@darunia484]

Hi Adam, did you ever post a video where you tested the old 5 iron VS the 6 iron new?

[@lizlgolf1772]

what else is different apart from loft? shaft characteristics, lie, anything else? To what degree do you attribute the observed differences in distance etc. to these other specific input factors?

[@simony5880]

Slightly off topic, Adam, but that is one of the nicest little shallowing/drop onto plane moves I think I've ever seen.

[@adamyounggolf1]

Why, thank you. I have a lot of material on shallowing in my “Next Level Golf” program on my website.

[@simony5880]

Adam Young I will check this out, thank you. I loved both The Practice Manual and Strike Plan.

[@cruiser1976]

Great video I would like to see to old vs new with off center hits. To see how much more forgiving the newer irons are.

[@adamyounggolf1]

Will be doing that in future videos

[@jonasvoneuler6626]

Adam, did you ever release the video that you reference in the end of the video? New 6 compared to old 5 in proximity from 185. I think you miss one important aspect in this video, and that is proximity, the old six is much closer to the pin than the new 6 (column to the far right). Would love to see what you found out from the 5 versus 6 scenario...

[@robertcourt8593]

To be honest given the difference in loft I don't think there's really enough extra in the new club over the old. I will soon find out though as I've just had a new set of grips and the lie angles adjusted on an old set of mx23's to experiment with.

[@adamyounggolf1]

I'm with you.

[@sylvestermendoza184]

were the shafts the same flex? how do hybrids compare to long irons? as a senior golf, my strategy is to hit it straight, however long, and work on the short game.

[@adamyounggolf1]

Will be testing hybrids vs long irons at some point.

[@lukewoods5124]

Adamway alltheway!

[@adamlenin7088]

Would love to see an unbiased look at old vs current golf balls

[@adamyounggolf1]

Will try and get hold of some old golf balls to test

[@donaldborsos4934]

When I was fitted last year the fitter said the most import part is the shaft. He said when you buy clubs off the shelf the manufacturer usually uses the cheapest shafts because it's still a business. No profit no business. The success of his business is to match up the best head, shaft & grip for your swing which he monitors with 'Trackman". What say you Adam?

[@adamyounggolf1]

The shaft is important - yes. Regarding distance though, the new shafts were very similar in performance, with the same clubhead delivery (apart from dynamic loft, which is more of a head-specific thing)

[@TJD-qt2cl]

Great vid