Question:
Any quality oversize iron will do the job. You can get quality sets for around $200-$300. I had a set of Cleveland VAS 792’s that I really liked. Very forgiving, nice feeling clubs. If you don’t swing hard, make sure you get the most flexible shaft you can. Regulars at the very stiffest. The shaft has more to do with the feel of the club than anything, and I’m convinced that you don’t need anything special in the head design as long as the shaft & grip are right for you. Get fitted by a pro. Graphite is Ok if you can afford it, but lots of makers have quality lightweight steel shafts in the flex you’d be looking for too. Good luck!
Response:
If you like the heads on your current irons, why not reshaft your broken club, and perhaps your whole set, with sensicore’s. Even if money is no object, you always could use it for something else. Conventional golf wisdom suggests that the best way to reduce your handicap is by practicing your short game. My thoughts are if you want to spend your money on golf equipment, do it on putters or wedges. A new set of irons probably will not do anything but lighten your wallet. Jim Davidson Grand Haven, MI – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -I’m a 54 year old who took up the game late – I’m a VERY average golfer, but I like to play and will probably stay at it. I’ve been playing with a set of Dunlop Diamond Max irons with regular flex steel shafts. Until today. I was hitting balls and the head came off my seven iron – the shaft broke off right at the hosel. Must have gotten tired of all those toe hits. Anyway, I’m thinking, what the hell, time for a new set of clubs anyway. My question: is there a set of irons generally acknowledged as being most forgiving for a true hacker? Money isn’t really an issue, except I’d feel a little silly with a $900 set of irons and my 20+ handicap. The club fitter at a John Jacobs school told me I should get graphite shafts if I got new clubs, I guess because I don’t swing particularly hard. Any advice appreciated.
Response:
Randy’s gonna hate me for this 8^). The Callaway X-12’s are the most forgiving (I.E. Hackers clubs, Although really good golfers are able to use the very effectively – Parnevik, Daly) But if I were a pro, I’d try to use more of a players iron. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’m a 54 year old who took up the game late – I’m a VERY average golfer, but I like to play and will probably stay at it. I’ve been playing with a set of Dunlop Diamond Max irons with regular flex steel shafts. Until today. I was hitting balls and the head came off my seven iron – the shaft broke off right at the hosel. Must have gotten tired of all those toe hits. Anyway, I’m thinking, what the hell, time for a new set of clubs anyway. My question: is there a set of irons generally acknowledged as being most forgiving for a true hacker? Money isn’t really an issue, except I’d feel a little silly with a $900 set of irons and my 20+ handicap. The club fitter at a John Jacobs school told me I should get graphite shafts if I got new clubs, I guess because I don’t swing particularly hard. Any advice appreciated.
Response:
Hi Gus; My best suggestion would as follows: Make sure you know what flex shaft you need before you decide upon graphite or steel. Have your normal swing speed measured and then consult a qualified person about which shaft falls within that range. There is no industry standard for this so one manufacturers "regular" may not be another’s – so be sure to ask and verify. Graphite and steel have their place in golf. With graphite you get the reduction of weight which should result in an increased swing speed which should equate into more distance. Also, graphite affords shock dampening so if you have aching hands, elbows or wrists after a round, you can dampen that constant shock and play a little more painfree. You do give up some accuracy in dispersion and distance though with graphite over steel. The price of graphite is higher also. Steel is the standard for accuracy and consistency. Steel is relatively inexpensive also. There are inserts available for steel (Simms and Sensicore) that will help with the shock factor also, but they cost a little more. Sensicore is probably the better of the two. Rifle shafts are excellent steel shaft with built in dampening. As far as selecting the golf head. That is really not as important as the shaft selection. You may want to consider an oversized and off-set (if you hit a hard fade or slice) cavity back style. Unless you are a pure ball striker, blades are out of the equation here. Good OEM clubs would be Callaway either the Big Bertha or X12’s, Cobra, Taylor Made. Component clubs I have heard good things about include Golfsmith’s XPC3 and Jetstream. I am sure there are more out there but these particular clubs I have either hit or have friends that use them. Personally, I am a 4.8 USGA handicap and play the Callaway X12’s with RCH96 graphite shafts. I also play a set of Cleveland VAS+ with steel shafts. I have arthritis of the hands, right wrist and shoulder. I play the X12’s on days when the arthritis is painful and the Clevelands on the days when I can make a swing without flinching. I score equally well with each set. The X12’s are very forgiving almost too forgiving because I have to use a great deal of concentration to hit a fade or draw upon demand. Everything tends to want to go straight (which isn’t too bad most of the time). The one difference in the 2 sets of clubs is that I am hitting a 5 iron 175 with the X12’s and only 165 with the Clevelands so I have to keep that in mind when I play each set. This yardage disparity is consistent through the set. So even though you are a 20 handicap you shouldn’t think that you don’t need the very best equipment you can find for your swing. You probably need it more than someone that plays at a higher level. Better golfers can adjust to hit almost anything. The 20 handicapper needs all the help he can get. So get out there and try everything that looks good to you after you know which shaft your game will benefit from most. Good luck and good golfing. stymie
Response:
You may be better off with graphite shafts, maybe not. In fact, you may well find that instead of getting a full set of irons, a mix of a few irons (say 5 or 6-PW) and some lofted utility woods (say 5, 7, 9 even 11) may help your game a lot . It really depends on what problems you have with your game. If you have short arms longer clubs may help achieve clubhead speed. But really I think you should see a good custom clubmaker/fitter who can create the optimal set for your swing/physique. Cheers Mike – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Anyway, I’m thinking, what the hell, time for a new set of clubs anyway. My question: is there a set of irons generally acknowledged as being most forgiving for a true hacker? Money isn’t really an issue, except I’d feel a little silly with a $900 set of irons and my 20+ handicap. The club fitter at a John Jacobs school told me I should get graphite shafts if I got new clubs, I guess because I don’t swing particularly hard. Any advice appreciated.
Response:
Gus, While I agree with much of what Andy recommends, I do think that ruling out graphite shafts is an error. Graphite does have some benefits over steel, primarily lighter weight and softer feel. Whether or not to select graphite is a decision that should be looked at as objectively as any other part of the decision making process of purchasing new clubs. Another point to keep in mind is how long do you plan to use these clubs. A lot will depend on your physical condition. 54 definitely isn’t old, but if you are at the point where you are starting to feel twinges of arthritis or if your hands hurt after an 18 hole round, then graphite might be a better alternative for you. Graphite is a better shock absorber and vibration damper than steel. The biggest problems with graphite are shaft to shaft consistency and torque. But even these problems can be minimized with top-end graphite shafts, without giving up the better shock absorbing qualities. But Andy is right, these do cost more. Another option would be sensicore steel shafts. While they are not quite as forgiving as graphite, they are much better at absorbing shock than standard steel shafts. Talk to your pro, demo as many combinations of shafts and heads as you reasonably can and then pick what feels best to you. Good Golf Dan – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’m a 54 year old who took up the game late – I’m a VERY average golfer, but I like to play and will probably stay at it. I’ve been playing with a set of Dunlop Diamond Max irons with regular flex steel shafts. Until today. I was hitting balls and the head came off my seven iron – the shaft broke off right at the hosel. Must have gotten tired of all those toe hits. Anyway, I’m thinking, what the hell, time for a new set of clubs anyway. My question: is there a set of irons generally acknowledged as being most forgiving for a true hacker? Money isn’t really an issue, except I’d feel a little silly with a $900 set of irons and my 20+ handicap. The club fitter at a John Jacobs school told me I should get graphite shafts if I got new clubs, I guess because I don’t swing particularly hard. Any advice appreciated.
Response:
I’m a 54 year old who took up the game late – I’m a VERY average golfer, but I like to play and will probably stay at it. I’ve been playing with a set of Dunlop Diamond Max irons with regular flex steel shafts. Until today. I was hitting balls and the head came off my seven iron – the shaft broke off right at the hosel. Must have gotten tired of all those toe hits. Anyway, I’m thinking, what the hell, time for a new set of clubs anyway. My question: is there a set of irons generally acknowledged as being most forgiving for a true hacker? Money isn’t really an issue, except I’d feel a little silly with a $900 set of irons and my 20+ handicap. The club fitter at a John Jacobs school told me I should get graphite shafts if I got new clubs, I guess because I don’t swing particularly hard. Any advice appreciated.
Consider going to a PCSA Class A member and investigate having a set custom made for you. If you do have a slow iron swing or "non- average" physical or swing charicteristics, a custom set will be much better than "off the rack" namebrands. You’ll get excellent equipment with that will be backed up by both the clubmaker and the components maker. Won’t hurt to check it out! BDW
Response:
The most forgiving irons on the market are Callaway Big Berthas. I know because I put them to the test every weekend 
Greg I’m a 54 year old who took up the game late – I’m a VERY average golfer, but I like to play and will probably stay at it. I’ve been playing with a set of Dunlop Diamond Max irons with regular flex steel shafts. Until today. I was hitting balls and the head came off my seven iron – the shaft broke off right at the hosel. Must have gotten tired of all those toe hits. Anyway, I’m thinking, what the hell, time for a new set of clubs anyway. My question: is there a set of irons generally acknowledged as being most forgiving for a true hacker? Money isn’t really an issue, except I’d feel a little silly with a $900 set of irons and my 20+ handicap. The club fitter at a John Jacobs school told me I should get graphite shafts if I got new clubs, I guess because I don’t swing particularly hard. Any advice appreciated.
Response:
I’m a 54 year old who took up the game late – I’m a VERY average golfer, but I like to play and will probably stay at it. I’ve been playing with a set of Dunlop Diamond Max irons with regular flex steel shafts. Until today. I was hitting balls and the head came off my seven iron – the shaft broke off right at the hosel. Must have gotten tired of all those toe hits. Anyway, I’m thinking, what the hell, time for a new set of clubs anyway. My question: is there a set of irons generally acknowledged as being most forgiving for a true hacker? Money isn’t really an issue, except I’d feel a little silly with a $900 set of irons and my 20+ handicap. The club fitter at a John Jacobs school told me I should get graphite shafts if I got new clubs, I guess because I don’t swing particularly hard. Any advice appreciated.
Response:
Gus. If I were you I wouldn’t get graphite shafts. They’re way too expensive for what you get. You’ll not see any difference in your game. None. You won’t hit the ball any longer. OK, maybe a yard or so. It is all hype. The real important things to remember are: 1) You must like the look and feel of a club before you buy. 2) They must be fitted. (Most people use regular flex shafts. The swing weight should be around D-0 to D-3. Make sure they adjust the lie of the club. Some people are very flat or upright, and this is real important.) 3) You shouldn’t have to spend $900 for a good set of clubs. Shop around and you’ll get a good deal someplace. Finally, I would ask as many people as possible what you should do, don’t take my word as gospel. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’m a 54 year old who took up the game late – I’m a VERY average golfer, but I like to play and will probably stay at it. I’ve been playing with a set of Dunlop Diamond Max irons with regular flex steel shafts. Until today. I was hitting balls and the head came off my seven iron – the shaft broke off right at the hosel. Must have gotten tired of all those toe hits. Anyway, I’m thinking, what the hell, time for a new set of clubs anyway. My question: is there a set of irons generally acknowledged as being most forgiving for a true hacker? Money isn’t really an issue, except I’d feel a little silly with a $900 set of irons and my 20+ handicap. The club fitter at a John Jacobs school told me I should get graphite shafts if I got new clubs, I guess because I don’t swing particularly hard. Any advice appreciated.