Questions re buying new irons

How often do you trade up to new irons? What factors are important? Has the tech moved on so much that a 2003/4 model iron would be obsolete now & outclassed by new kit? How can you realistically compare new to old with the new models seeming to have mush stronger lofts than those of a few years ago

Thanks all & happy new year

Hi Gary - Happy new year

I think the best thing to do is speak to your pro?

I know 2 different golfers

Golfer 1 - Buys new irons every other year and struggles to make any kind of progress. Golfer 2 - Had the same MacGregor irons for the last 8 years and and is now lower than he has ever been (20 to 9 during this time)

I myself had decided I was going to treat myself to a new set this year for my birthday. Not because I feel mind are 'old' or 'out of date' just because I fancied a new set. I told the pro I have my lessons with that I was thinking about a new set and he told me not to bother. Nothing wrong with the ones I have (maybe 2 years old)

Some manufactures will 'sell to you' with extra distance but all they are doing is making the lofts of clubs stronger giving the effect their newer 7 iron is going further than your current one. For this reason you are 100% right that you cant compare.

Unless they are falling to bits stick with what you have.

Agree with Matt. Unless your irons are in awful shape, so much so that a set of grips & some resharpening of grooves won't help. If your swings changed then you can always get lofts & lies adjusted on forged clubs, you might struggle to do so with 'cast' or game improvement irons though. Guess it depends what set you have to start with.

Thanks for the input fellas

Irons are MX-15 Mizunos, cast game improvement irons

They're not in bad shape really, just like shiny new things and always wonder what the latest 'all singing, all dancing' irons would do for my game and if mine are technically inferior/obsolete.

I think I'll go along with what you guys say for now and stick with what I've got

Many thanks

my irons are Mizuno Tour Proven originals from the 80's. I know my limitations with each club and they work for me. All the new shiny shiny clubs just don't it for me - apart from the black oxide Mirua blades I have eyes on at the moment

Oooh, black baby blades...

Quite a few years ago I wanted some new irons as I'd almost wrecked the cheapo set I began with, so did a lot of research, went to a lot of golf outlets and tried lots of clubs recommended by the staff and mag articles, much like most of is do. Just out of interest I phoned a professional club builder nearby and went and had a chat. He ended up building me some clubs that are ideally suited to me, and although the heads aren't a famous brand (Maraging XKR400's) they have top class Nippon NS Pro shafts which I've grown into. He's tweaked them a couple of times as I've improved and I still go over for a chat once in a while. I did enquire about some new Wishons that he supplies and his reply was 'why, are yours broken?'. Another advantage is that even after all these years he still had all my details when I needed to have a 7 iron shaft replaced after a tree jumped out in front of me.

Interestingly they cost under £400 for 3 - SW then, about the same as most 'game improvers' at the time.