PRODUCT DESCRIPTION:

The tour profiled MP-52 integrates a discreet pocket cavity for an uncompromising balance of shot-making and forgiveness. There are two differences that you would notice about this iron: First, the company’s “Cut Muscle” design of the last several years is missing, replaced with a very different “Dual Muscle” technology. Second, with the MP-52, Mizuno set out to make a more forgiving MP iron. The MP line has always been the domain of low and lower-mid handicappers. They have a reputation as being workable while providing a lot of feedback. Keeping up to those standards with a forgiving club is a bit of a tall order.

Twin crescents milled into the MP-52 deepen its Centre of Gravity – increasing stability from off centre hits, while remaining hidden at address. Forgiveness and workability are to a large extent at opposite ends of the same spectrum. Creating playable irons that meet the needs and preferences of better golfers is a gutsy undertaking for a company with a solid reputation among lower handicappers.

Mizuno bills its new MP-52 irons as the most playable MP irons ever, and that seems to be an accurate assessment. The MP-52s bridge the gap between the MX and MP lines. There’s an awful lot to like in these irons. The irons should be forgiving enough to be played successfully by 20-handicappers, yet workable enough to be played by a 5-10 handicapper as well.

PROS: 

MP-52 offers good compromise of workability, feel, and forgiveness.  Consistency and ability to work the ball is far better. Nothing feels forced when trying to draw or fade it.

 CONS:

 We could not find any prevelant cons with these irons. 

Recommended for:

They are aimed to attract those mid handicappers who have always felt that previous MP models were not forgiving enough for them.

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION: 

The all-new SZ irons for 2009 are ideal for golfers seeking superior distance, forgiveness and feel. They feature a progressive offset throughout the set, to make each iron as easy as possible to hit.

This iron is a nice clean iron head that will benefit the higher handicapped player that Cobra is known for. It’s thin top line, and thick wide sole accomplishes two things. First off the thin top line is very eye appealing, and as far as the sole is concerned it is very wide which will help any golfer get out of the thick rough with little effort.

The irons’ low-and-wide design is defined by key components: Their sleek, low-profile clubhead design and shortened hosel result in a low-and-back Center of Gravity (CG), while a wide sole and heel-toe weighting system helps achieve maximum Moment of Inertia (MOI). These attributes create forgiving irons that help golfers launch the ball higher and achieve pinpoint accuracy on their shots.

The wide sole – which is rounded from front to back – prevents digging into the turf. Together with the low profile create an extreme low-and-back CG and high MOI, for high launch, more distance and maximum forgiveness.

The Cobra SZ features a unique patent-pending sole design which keeps the clubhead centered and stable both at address and through contact. The SZ performance design is coupled with a urethane insert, layered across the back side of the entire face, which dampens unwanted vibration and gives great feel

PROS:

 Cobra SZ offers high trajectory, forgiveness, distance and feel to any golfer, making it a favorite choice of many.

 CONS:

 We did not find any cons for these irons in our research.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

Recommended for both amateurs and professional golfers.

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION:

The Adams Idea TEch A40S is an exceptional hybrid golf club and marries performance with forgiveness. It has two tungsten weights ports in the sole which gives the advantage of more inertia and therefore increased power in your swing and it also moves the weight to the back and lowers the centre of gravity of the club face. The steel face helps the ball speed for those who don’t have the most powerful swing get those extra yards without sacrificing accuracy as it provides more top spin when driving down the fairway. It can also be used to increase the backspin to help when approaching the green.
For a player who is looking to improve their skills and is willing to put some effort into achieving that goal, the Adams Idea Iron is a great product. It’s designed for players with a medium handicap through to the best players in the world.
For the medium handicap player to the best tour players in the world, the Adams Idea Tech a4 Iron is very forgiving. The forgiveness shows all the way through the forged irons as well. This is due to the weight of the club being very low which increases Moment of Inertia and therefore reducing twisting upon impact of off centre hits. It also includes a four-way cambered sole which reduces ground interaction to hit the ball sweeter than ever and acquire a more consistent round score. With Adams Golf patented Quad Cavity design and the Forged stabilizer bar which sets the mass behind the point of impact, you can be sure that the feel and feedback of the iron is spot on. Simply put, the Adams Idea Tech a4 Iron delivers the ultimate feel.
This club set had just as much tinkering by the design team to make these Hybrid Irons look as exceptional as they perform

PROS:

Excellent feel and performance.

CONS:

Some players have complained about ‘lacking’ confidence when using this iron.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

Recommended for all golfers.

ALSO AVAILABLE AT:

Callaway X-22 (4-PWAW) Irons at Austads - $699.99 New

Callaway X-22 on Amazon.com - $579.99 Used, $699.99 New

Ebay – $499.99 Used

Golfsmith.com – $699.99 New

Golf Galaxy – $699.99 New

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION: 

The X-22 irons are Callaway’s latest development targeting the player who is seeking the ultimate combination of playability and forgiveness. Callaway continues to expand their designs and push the limits of innovation. The X-22 irons are a perfect example of Callaway’s commitment of setting the industry standard for performance and forgiveness. Perhaps one of Callaway’s trademarks is the bore through design. That is when the shaft goes all the way through the club head and is visible on the sole plate. In the Callaway X22 irons, Callaway used a modified Tru-Bore. This is just simply a new and improved version of the traditional bore through. The modified Tru-Bore has a polycarbonate tip plug at the bottom of the shaft when it is visible on the sole plate. The tip plug absorbs the vibration from the club head hitting the ground or ball resulting in a softer feel for the golfer. The shape is very much “Player’s type” with just a thicker overall feeling. Definitely a thinner topline than we have been used to in the past.

Callaway has starting using the VFT technology in most of its golf clubs these days. VFT stands for Variable Face Thickness and when used in irons it lowers the center of gravity creating the perfect trajectory. That perfect trajectory results in a higher launch angle in the lower irons and better control of trajectory in the shorter irons.

 PROS: 

Great MOI and forgiveness that will match any iron out there.

 CONS: 

Limited shaft options.  Great graphite selection but only  a UniFlex selection in steel. Also, Callaway equipment is known to be costlier than its competition.

 RECOMMENDATIONS:

The Callaway X-22 needs to be on every recreational player’s short list.  It offers everything a game-improvement iron should.

ALSO AVAILABLE AT:

Titleist Golf Equipment at Austad’s Golf - $999.99 New

Titleist AP2 Irons on Amazon.com - $699.99 Used, $899.99 New

 Ebay – $629.99 Used

Golfsmith.com – $779.93 Used: $999.99 New

Golf Galaxy – $899.99 New

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION: 

Titleist “AP” stands for “Advaned Performance” .The Forged AP2 are formed with a 1025 carbon steel body. Laser welded to the back and sole, a tungsten nickel box lowers the center of gravity, creating an optimal CG location low and deep in the clubhead. The lower, deeper CG results in improved launch conditions with consistent ball speed for distance control and optimal launch and spin for trajectory control. The elastomer cushion and the metallic cavity plate soften the feel at impact, tune the sound for optimal pitch, and generally make everything feel just a bit sweeter.

Titleist considers the AP2 a “dual cavity design.” The first cavity is obvious: it’s the top portion of the club, above the elastomer cushion and below the topline of the club. The second cavity is hidden by the tungsten nickel box. Both cavities push the weight to the perimeter, improving forgiveness on off-center shots.  The iron has a metal shelf that connects the back of the cavity to the clubface, right behind the impact area, and it improves the rigidity of the rather thin clubface while acting in cooperation with the elastomer cushion to reduce face vibration.

Finally, the sole itself is optimized for better players. It features a relieved trailing edge and optimized bounce that seek to achieve the delicate blend between forgiveness and playability for the better golfer.

 PROS:

Titleist AP2 offers traditional solid feel, looks, and shot control for the skilled player.

 CONS:

The sole is a bit wider than most good players are accustomed to.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

Recommended for professionals since amateurs may find it difficult to adjust to the wide sole and derive maximum benefit out of this awesome iron.