As we get closer to winding down week 2 of my Golf Gear Guide, I hope you’ll forgive me the indulgence of a little rant.  As much as I love playing golf, trying new clubs, and even writing this guide, I hate, loathe, and despise (yes I know those words all pretty much mean the same thing) the way irons are marketed.  Yes, I find most golf marketing in general (see previous buzz word rants) a bit off-putting, but when it comes to irons, the industry as a whole, at least in my opinion, isn’t making any damn sense.

Generally speaking, irons fit into one of three categories; super game improvement, which make it easier to hit the ball in the air; game improvement, which make it easier to hit the ball straight (once you’ve figured out how to get it in the air consistently); and players irons, which allow those with the requisite skills to hit the ball exactly how and where they want to.  Now sure, some models straddle the lines between categories, but for the most part, that’s what the industry has given us.  Talk of inserts, CG, MOI, sole width, perimeter weighting is all well and good, but at the end of the day it’s all marketing – and everyone’s marketing is almost word for word the same as everyone else’s.   More ridiculous still is the obsession with adding 10 yards of distance to your irons.  People, if iron distance was that big of a deal, you wouldn’t carry 7 (give or take) of them.   If if you can add 10 yards to your 9-iron, so what?  You’ve got 6 other irons (again – give or take)  in your bag, and at some point you’re going to have to address gaps an extra 10 yards creates at either end of the set.

My only words of advice; when buying irons there are so many options (and they’re all very similar), the average golfer should ignore 99% of the marketing mumbo-jumbo, and only worry about two things; forgiveness and feel.  Hit it straight, and feel good doing it.  Let the better golfers worry about working the ball.

Irons, for me anyway, are the most difficult clubs to buy.  Actually buying is easy, choosing is what’s hard.  With so many models, for every type of golfer, it’s a tedious proposition (even if it’s a labor of love).  A well-stocked pro shop, and a lot of free time are pre-requisites to finding that perfect set.  It’s a delicate balancing act…forgiveness or workability.  Do I buy with an eye for the game I have now, or do I plan for the game I hope to have a year from now?  Decisions, decisions…

When I bought my last set, I literally spent 16 hours hitting just about every different set my pro shop had on the shelves.  Some I disliked right away, but there were plenty that I really, really liked.  There are an abundance of new choices for 2009, and realistically I should probably be spending at least 3 days on irons, but I didn’t allot myself that kind of time – and writing about irons is tedious work.  Hopefully it’s a small price to pay for the 14 other days of products that will have been written about before the guide is done.  So with sincerest apologies to Cleveland, Adams, Bridgestone, Nickent, Powerbilt, and several others I simply didn’t have room for this year,  here are some of my favorite sets for 2009.

Callaway X-22

I never liked Callaway irons…at least not before I hit the X-20 Tours. Those clubs pretty much changed everything.  They quickly (actually it was that 16 hours of demo time I mentioned) found their way into my bag, so it should come as no surprise that I’m going to pay particular attention to the newest generation of the irons I carry every day.

On paper, there have been some pretty dramatic changes to the X series.  The shape of the non-tour model has been refined.  It now features what Callaway calls a “Tour Inspired head”.  What most stands out to me is the thinner top-line, and narrower sole (when compared to the X-20s).  The X-20s were too bulky for my tastes (much more of a super game improvement iron), and my read on things is that Callaway has positioned the X-22s more for the average golfer in need of some regular game improvement, while presumably leaving the super game improvement niche to the Big Berthas.  That said, I had my first chance to eyeball the new X-22s, and they’re still a bit too bulky for my admittedly conventional tastes.

With a reported 10% increase in MOI, Callaway calls the X-22s the most forgiving X-Series model they’ve produced to date (you don’t really see too much “less forgiving than last year” advertising.  Other features include Callaway’s VFT technology for consistent ball speed across the face, and enhanced perimeter weighting for distance and forgiveness.

Retail price for the X-22 irons is $699

Callaway X-22 Tour

As I said, the replacement for the irons I own.  My take is that Callaway is trying to attract the low handicap golfer with the X-22 Tours.  As with the standard model, they’ve refined the shape, this time utilizing the thinnest possible top-line.  Quite frankly, if the X-20 Tours, looked like the X-22s Tours, I’d be playing something else.  I don’t mean that as a negative.  I’m simply suggesting that the new model is more of a players club than the previous model.

The X-22 Tours feature sole width progression, meaning the sole of each individual iron is different; optimized based on the length and loft to provide better turf interaction through the entire set.

Just like the X-20 Tours, the X-22 comes stock with Royal Precision Project X flighted shafts.  Retail price for the X-22 Tours is:

More information on both models is available from www.callawaygolf.com.

Cobra Transition-S

More forgiving than the original by the same name, The 2009 Transition-S is Cobra’s latest entry into the hybrid-iron space.  As you can probably infer from the name, the clubs in the Transition-S set transition from utility clubs to hybrid irons to wide-sole irons as you progress through the clubs.

The draw-biased utility metals feature a wide sole and a low crown.  They’re designed to get the ball into the air easily, while providing exceptional forgiveness on mishits.  The hybrid-iron design of the 6 and 7 clubs feature hollow body construction and wide rounded soles.  Like the utility metals, they’re designed with forgiveness in mind.  Finally, the 8-SW are more traditionally shaped (although by no means blade-like) cavity back irons.  The CG is placed to provide optimal launch, while the urethane-filled back cavity provides exceptionally soft feel.

The Transition-S isn’t likely to appeal to the mid-low handicap crowd, but for the new golfer, or the existing golfer who struggles to get the ball in the air and keep it in play, Cobra’s Transition-S might be just the thing to make the game enjoyable (not to mention reduce golf-ball related expenses).

The Transition-S comes stock with Cobra/Aldila VS Proto-HL 65 graphite shafts.

Cobra SZ Irons

Also new from Cobra for ’09 are the SZ irons.  Cobra, for all intents and purposes, is billing the SZ as the ultimate no sacrifice club for the golfer who wants “superior forgiveness, distance, and accuracy”;.  Where do I sign up?   The SZ features just about everything you’d expect in a forgiving iron; a wide sole, low CG, and heel-toe weighting.  The SZ also has a urethane insert for enhanced feel.

What I really like about the SZ is the classic, refined look of the clubhead itself.  It’s a very polished looking iron, but it’s a look Cobra has been able to achieve without any of the bright colors, and fancy graphics that other manufactures unnecessarily resort to for anything other than their lowest-handicap models.  I am pretty set for irons right now (although I am a man of great whimsy), but should I decide a change is in order, the Cobra SZs will be at or near the top of my list.

Due out in early March, the Cobra SZ irons come stock with either the Cobra/Nippon N.S. 1030H steel, or the Aldila DVS-HL 70 graphite shafts.  I don’t have retail pricing info, but I’d start the over under at $750.

More information about both the Cobra Transition-S and SZ irons is available at www.cobragolf.com.

TaylorMade Burner ’09

I love TaylorMade.  Once upon a time every club in my bag (all 14 of them) were TaylorMades.  Like many I love their woods.  But unlike some others, I actually really like their irons, wedges, and Rossa series putters.  I am truly a TaylorMade fan, which makes it so much harder to stomach the frustration I’m feeling trying to write about their new Burner 09 irons.

Here’s what you need to know about the Burner 09 irons.  TaylorMade engineers basically redesigned the set from the ground up, paying particular attention to increasing distance, while (more importantly) ensuring consistent distance gaps between the clubs.  What’s the point of a 4 iron if you only hit it 5 yards longer than a 5 iron, right?  It’s a solid idea.  I also like the idea that TaylorMade designed the Burner 09s as a progressive set  (variations in head design as you move through longer to shorter, to reflect the particular function of the club).  TaylorMade claims the Burner 09 4-iron is as easy to hit as a hybrid, while the shorter irons were designed with pinpoint accuracy in mind.   And of course, you’ll find all of your standard game improvement iron features (forgiveness, low CG, etc.) built into the new Burner irons.  TaylorMade suggests the irons will be used by average golfers and touring pros alike; although with the exception of the occasional 4 or iron, I doubt the latter.

TaylorMade claims distance improvements of up to 15 yards, which could be true considering that the new Burner utilizes longer, lighter shafts, with ultralight grips (the same type of enhancements that make the Burner driver so long).  It’s all good stuff, and based on the photos I’ve seen, the Burner 09 irons are by far the nicest looking game improvement irons TaylorMade has produced in quite some time.  What rubs me the wrong way, however, is that the 09 Burners provide the ultimate example of the over-the-top golf marketing that I’ve come to despise.  Here’s an actual snippet from the Burner 09 Press Release:

Likewise its revolutionary design, featuring a futuristic blend of curves, angles and lines, is completed with a dark, almost sinister finish. More important, each one of these sleek machines performs like nothing else.

Seriously, TaylorMade? Sinister finish? Sleek machines? I honestly don’t know if we’re talking about golf clubs or the bat-mobile. You can read the exhaustive and at times, comical, press release here.  I have nothing more to say.

The 09 Burner irons will be available in March for a retail price of $840.  More information is available at www.taylormadegolf.com.

Ping Rapture V2

I’ll confess that I was oh so close to leaving the Ping Rapture V2 irons off this list.  Upon further review, however; it felt like an absolute crime to leave the company that pioneered custom fitting for the average golfer off this list, or any other iron list for that matter.

It takes barely a glance at the oversized heads of the Rapture V2s to ascertain that we’re talking about one serious super game improvement iron.  Ping has engineered the V2 for maximum forgiveness, and it shows in ever last detail.  The biggest feature of the V2 (apart from the heads themselves) is the use of multi-metal technology.  The V2 incorporates a titanium face, stainless steel body, and a tungsten sole weight.  The tungsten is plenty heavy enough in its own right, but by using titanium for the face, Ping was able to not only create an extremely long club, but also place additional weight placed low, and to the perimeter of the clubface.  The end result is an extremely low center of gravity for a very forgiving and easy launching iron.

As a mid-handicap guy, the V2s are probably off my personal list (that’s why they make clubs like the i10), but for a beginner, there’s not a doubt in my mind that the Rapture V2s should be on your short list.

The biggest reason why I might suggest the Ping Rapture V2 irons shouldn’t be at the very top of that list I just mentioned is price.  While most of the other irons on this page will run you in the ball park of $800, retail price for the Ping Rapture V2 irons is $1200 for steel, and $1400 for graphite.

More information is available at www.pinggolf.com.

Nike Victory Red Series

Given how much equipment I buy, I find it a little bit shocking that a Nike club has never found its way into my bag (it’s ok though, my buddy Clint buys enough Nike for the both of us).  So, despite never having owned any myself, it’s next to impossible to ignore the brand that’s become synonymous with Tiger Woods.  Regardless of what kind of game you have, Nike has pretty much got you covered in ’09 – or as they call it “3 ways to win”.  While to be sure there’s not a super game improvement set in the Victory Red series (the Sumo series has you covered there), the new Victory Red clubs offer something for everyone from Tiger Woods to about a 15 handicap.

To spare everyone some unnecessary redundancy, here’s some generalizations about the 3 models.  As you move from the full cavity to the forged blade the heads get smaller, the top line gets thinner, feel gets better, initial launch angle gets lower, offsets get smaller, and workability improves (which means forgiveness diminishes).

VR Full Cavity

As the name suggests you get a full cavity design with perimeter weighting.  The undercut cavity is designed to place the clubhead mass directly behind center, which provides for better feel.  The thickness of the face increases as you move from the topline to the sole, which places the CG lower, and optimizes trajectory.

The Nike Victory Red Full Cavity comes stock with the Victory Red grip by Eaton, and either TrueTemper Dynamic HL Gold, or Victory Red Graphite by UST shafts.

VR Split Cavity

Like the Full Cavity design, the VR Split Cavity iron places mass behind the sweet spot for increased control and forgiveness.  It features a versatile sole design for playability from a variety of lies, and a CNC milled face for consistent ball flight.

Unlike the VR Full Cavity, the split cavity is a forged blade, which provides better feel than the cast full cavity.

The Nike Victory Red Split Cavity comes stock with the Victory Red grip by Eaton, and TrueTemper Dynamic Gold shafts.

VR Forged TW Blade

Designed and played by Tiger Woods, unless you’re the best player in the world (or pretty close to it) these probably aren’t the clubs for you.  The VR Blades feature a muscle back design for the ultimate in control, which usually equates to the ultimate in lack of forgiveness.  Like the Split Cavity model, their forged from 1025 Carbon steel, with a CNC milled face for unsurpassed feel.

The Nike Victory TW Blade comes stock with a Tour Velvet Cord grip and TrueTemper Dynamic Gold shafts.

More information about all 3 models is available from www.nikegolf.com.

Before I get to the last few irons, I wanted to take a quick opportunity to talk about Golf Digest and their annual Hot List.  I like Golf Digest as much as they next guy.  Heck, if the called me up and said we’d like you to quit your job, and come play with golf clubs and then write about them for us, I’d probably do it.  In a time when print media is clearly in decline, it’s one of the few things I read on any sort of regular basis.  I like Golf Digest, but damned if their Hot List doesn’t rub me the wrong way.  Case in point; Mizuno took home 2 of 5 GOLD medals in the players iron category.  Have the guys at Golf Digest not seen the Olympics?  Do they not know how this medal thing is supposed to work.  How about this guys…one category (game improvement irons, for example), one gold medal.  While you’re at it, one silver, and one bronze.  Everybody else, hey, good effort.  Try again next year.  What are people supposed to think if every club wins something?  Sure, picking a winning club is largely a subjective exercise, but so is figure skating, and last time my wife made me watch, only one girl took home gold.  It’s Ms. America, not Mss Americas.  Test your clubs, pick a winner, I’m fairly certain they’ll all come back next year regardless.  Let’s do away with this elementary school field day mentality where everybody gets a ribbon.  At the very least, do away with the medal system and call it what it is…a list of golf clubs.  What’s hot?  At Golf Digest, everything is…and that’s just silly.  I don’t know…maybe it’s just me.

So about Mizuno…

As much as TaylorMade struggles to be thought of as more than just a woods company, Mizuno faces a similar struggle in proving that they’re more than just an irons company.  Truth be told, I’ve tried a few Mizuno woods over the years, and have never been overly excited about any of them, but it’s golf gear, and to each their own.  I can tell you this about Mizuno, however; if I knew nothing about golf (and there’s probably a few of you reading this wondering if that isn’t the case anyway), and you dropped me in a golf shop and said pick out 5 sets of clubs, I can all but promise you, like Golf Digest, I’d pick out at least 2 sets of Mizunos.  Never mind the unparalleled feel that comes from Mizuno’s patented Grain Flow forging, simply put, Mizuno irons are consistently among the best looking clubs (and looks do matter) you’ll find.  Not that you asked, but other irons I find esthetically pleasing include the afore mentioned Cobra SZ, and the Titleist irons from 2008.

MX-100

In the super game improvement category, Mizuno’s offers its latest mixed hybrid set, the MX-100.  While I make it a point never to explicitly tell people what to buy, I often recommend a few clubs to "take a look at", and you can bet the MX-100s will be a suggestion I make to beginners and high-handicappers alike.

The MX-100s feature Mizuno’s Y-Tuned technology (Mizuno marketing-speak for a bigger sweet spot for more consistent distance across the face), and an oversized clubhead.  Like offerings from Cobra, TourEdge, and others, the MX-100s are a mixed hybrid set; meaning that the long irons (4 and 5 iron) have been replaced with easier to hit MX-100 hybrids.  The Mizuno hybrid is unique because of what Mizuno calls its “Drop Down Crown”.  Unlike most other hybrids, this design allows the club to be custom fit (lie and loft adjustments) just like a traditional iron.  For the novice golfer it may sound like a small thing, but most experience golfers understand the importance of having your clubs properly fitted.

Mizuno MX-100 irons comes standard with Dynalite Gold R XP steel, or Exsar IS4 Graphite shafts.  Retail price is $599.99.

MX-200

It’s only February, I have nearly 4 feet of snow piled up in some places, I have a perfectly good set of irons, and yet despite those 3 perfectly good reasons to back burner such thoughts, I’m itching to try out the new MX-200s.  Like the MX-100s, the 200s feature Mizuno’s Y-Tuned technology.  They also offer an aggressive, triple cut sole design for consistent playability from all types of lies.  Unlike the MX-100s, there aren’t any hybrids here.  What you do get, however; is Grain Flow Forged 1025E Carbon Steel heads, for a soft, consistent feel not usually found in a game improvement iron.  As an aside that may not matter to some, based on the clubs I’ve had hands on experience with so far, the MX-200s are far and away the best looking game improvement irons on the market right now.  I’ll let you know if that changes after the March crop hits shelves.

You’ll notice I don’t have a lot to say about MOI, CG, or anything else along those lines.  That’s largely because Mizuno’s content to say that their irons are forgiving, and with the exception of the Y-Tuning, bypass the marketing stuff.  It’s a wonderful thing when the irons can speak for themselves.

Mizuno MX-200 irons comes standard with Dynalite Gold R XP steel, or Exsar IS4 Graphite shafts.  Retail price is $699.99.  Shaft upgrades are available at an additional cost.

MP-52/MP-62

I feel like I’m taking a bit of a shortcut lumping two irons together, but in truth, there are very few differences between Mizuno’s latest offerings for the low-handicap golfer (although some guy with a 22 handicap also speaks very highly of them over at The Golf Warehouse).  Both feature Mizuno Grain Flow Forging, and a dual-muscle design.

The MP-62s feature a Luke Donald inspired sole plate designed to help the club glide more easily through the turf.  The MP-52s feature a pocket cavity in the 3-7 irons, which should make them slightly more forgiving than the MP-62s.  Both feature the classic Mizuno lines that I love so much.  If I can knock another 6 strokes of my game, I’d be inclined to take a seriously look at both models.

Mizuno MP-52 and Mp-62 irons comes stock with Dynamic Gold R300 or S300 shafts.   Retail price for both is $899.99  An upgrade to Project X shafts is available for an extra $100.

More information on the entire the entire collection of Mizuno irons can be found at www.mizunousa.com.