Troon Golf & Travel - January 2011

5

STRIKE THESE IRONS WHILE THEY’RE HOT

SCOTT KRAMER By

when hitting irons, you’re looking for distance, forgiveness, accuracy and some nice ball trajectory. that’s why you’re going to love the latest crop. many of the new models just now hitting the market deliver more on each of those fronts, thanks to manufacturers paying close attention to the details—particularly when it comes to weighting and clubfaces.

You’ll see some sets in 2011 in which longer irons are weighted
in a way that promotes forgiveness and make shots launch higher;
while shorter irons have weight higher in the clubhead, to help
you hit lower, more controlled shots with better feel. Several irons
also are showcasing an overall lighter club weight that helps you
get more clubhead speed and thus distance. Still the best piece of
advice is: Get fitted. a set of irons will likely be the most expensive
investment in your bag. So make sure that they’re proper for your
game. In a fitting session, you’ll learn all about your swing and the
specs you need, including shaft flex, shaft length, grip thickness,
if your clubs need to be bent to a certain lie angle and more. try
out a few different models on-course before you buy, preferably
from the fairway, rough, sand, wet grass, dry turf and off of a tee.
Compare how the entire set looks, feels, sounds and performs.
You may very well lower your score with the new options in 2011.

CLEVELAND
NIKE
COBRA
MIZUNO
TAYLORMADE
CALLAWAY

Cleveland’s recipe for more
distance in its new CG16 irons
($799/graphite shafts; $699/steel)
includes use of an ultra-thin, hot
clubface, plus a lighter overall club
weight and longer shaft. Expect up
to 10 yards more, per shot.

Nike Golf’s forged VR Pro Combo
set ($1,079.99) for better play-
ers features three head styles:
Long irons have a pocket cavity,
mid-irons a split cavity, and short
irons are blades. The CG gradually
moves higher through the set, opti-
mizing launch and distance control.

The clubface on Cobra’s multi-
material S3 irons ($875/graphite;
$745/steel) feature a significantly
larger “Sweet Zone” than on mod-
els past. Coined E9 Face Technol-
ogy, it’s shaped across where
golfers tend to mis-hit the most:
high toe and low heel.

Mizuno’s great-looking MP irons
have gotten even sexier. The
MP-53 irons ($899.99; $999.99,
depending on shaft) sport a Dia-
mond Muscle design for feel and
ball control. The "V" slot cavity in
the long irons redistributes weight,
for a large sweet spot.

Each iron in TaylorMade’s Burner
2.0 set ($899/graphite; $699/
steel) features unique weight dis-
tribution that optimizes ball flight,
plus a unique face thickness that
enhances feel and performance.
The durable two-toned black PVD
finish looks luxurious.