Help from BC

[SuperSlew]

Hey BC Mist, from reading a few topics on this Forum I can tell that you really know your stuff when it comes to making clubs. I've assembled several woods, putters and wedges in the past but never done a set of irons. Now I'd like to consider making a set for myself but irons appear to be much more complex with the different lengths and lies, plus the various heads out there all start to look alike and its going to be hard for me to buy based on a picture alone. I live in London so I can't arrange for you to do any kind of measuring or analysis on me but would love to get any advice that you might have. What iron components do you prefer? I'm sort of leaning to the Golfworks line of heads (Recoils, X!'s or maybe the new LT Tungstens) and really wish I could visit their store in Ottawa to check them out in person. I have an old set of Dunlop Maxpower irons with stiff steel. The problem is that I regularly toe them and rarely hit the sweet spot, so I must pull in a bit on my swing. Maybe an OS head is best for me. My 150 club is a 7 iron. Never had my swing speed tested. Any advice or help would be appreciated.

[SuperSlew]

Sorry, not sure why I adressed this only to BC. I will actually take advice from anyone else out there too. Tell me what works, what doesn't, any tips you have etc. I would really like to make a nice set of irons without paying those crazy OEM prices.

[SuperSlew]

Thanks Andre, you have some good ideas. I like the one about testing a single iron first before buying the whole set. Those links will be useful too. I should explain one other weird thing with my game. I tend to hit my irons very high compared to others that I play with, so when I hit a 7-iron from 150 it doesn't mean that I don't swing hard. I''m not sure if it is my swing or the clubs, but most likely my swing. From experience I know that I have a lot of trouble hitting regular shafts.

[BC MIST]

Hey BC Mist, from reading a few topics on this Forum I can tell that you really know your stuff when it comes to making clubs. I've assembled several woods, putters and wedges in the past but never done a set of irons. Now I'd like to consider making a set for myself but irons appear to be much more complex with the different lengths and lies, plus the various heads out there all start to look alike and its going to be hard for me to buy based on a picture alone. I live in London so I can't arrange for you to do any kind of measuring or analysis on me but would love to get any advice that you might have. What iron components do you prefer? I'm sort of leaning to the Golfworks line of heads (Recoils, X!'s or maybe the new LT Tungstens) and really wish I could visit their store in Ottawa to check them out in person. I have an old set of Dunlop Maxpower irons with stiff steel. The problem is that I regularly toe them and rarely hit the sweet spot, so I must pull in a bit on my swing. Maybe an OS head is best for me. My 150 club is a 7 iron. Never had my swing speed tested. Any advice or help would be appreciated.

Everything that Andre has suggested will help get you a better fitted iron, particularly if you get a quality made shaft that the Mercury's are supposed to be. If you choose not to get the Mercury shafts, be aware that the flex designation on most other shafts
may or may not be close to what you want. That is why the use of a frequency analyser when trimming the shafts, will get you a very consistent set.

I generally use Rifle blanks, sort them by raw frequency, spine every one of them, and then frequency match them from there. Any shaft that has a deflection reading on my NF2 of more than .010," does not get used. Not the perfect system, but much better than following the normal tipping instructions that come with other raw shafts. True Temper Dynamic Gold R300's for example, are supposed to be frequency matched, however, they are merely weight sorted at the factory and according to TT's theory, are now FM'd. Right!!!

There are too many component heads available to say that "THIS" one is the best for your kind of swing. I would, however, stay away from the clones. While the Maltby heads may be great, I generally try to get the few folks that I have made clubs for into Wishon heads. The 752 is a good investment cast head at a reasonable price and available in both left and right hand. I use the forged 550 cavity in my mid/long irons and the 550 musclebacks in the short irons, and they are very nice heads. A nice, full cavity back head, is the Golfsmith Tour Cavity Forged head. If there is a Golfsmith store in Toronto, it might be worth the trip. I know they distribute out of Toronto, but am not sure about the store.

If you are considering using graphite shafts then keep in mind the SK Fiber line. Great shafts for the money.

[SuperSlew]

Thanks for the reply BC. I will check out those component heads that you mentioned. I'm pretty sure that Golfsmith has a store in Mississauga and I can be there in about 2 hours so that would be a worthwhile trip. I have been considering the SK Tour Trac's but I've never had graphite irons before. I just might give them a shot. Thanks for the input.

[BC MIST]

Thanks for the reply BC. I will check out those component heads that you mentioned. I'm pretty sure that Golfsmith has a store in Mississauga and I can be there in about 2 hours so that would be a worthwhile trip. I have been considering the SK Tour Trac's but I've never had graphite irons before. I just might give them a shot. Thanks for the input.

I put the SK Tour Trac 80's in my irons this year and now have the best performing irons that I have ever owned or assembled. When I miss, which is all too often, it's me, not the clubs.