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The golf club market can be a confusing place for consumers, no matter their skill level. The latest and greatest products that are designed by modern manufacturers are usually the best performing options when properly fit to your swing. The only problem is, new clubs are also typically the most expensive options.

In a sport that’s already quite expensive, is making the investment on new clubs always worth the high price tags?

Here at GolfWRX.com, we believe that whether you’re buying expensive new equipment or more affordable used options, you should get a proper club fitting from an expert fitter. Factors such as club length, loft, lie angle, overall design, weight settings, shaft flex, shaft weight and even grip size can all make a drastic impact on how the club feels and performs to the individual golfer. It’s not easy trying to figure out all of that by yourself, so working with an expert is imperative.

Now, when it comes to deciding on buying old versus new clubs, the conversation becomes a little more personalized to your specific budget and performance needs.

When you look at the clubs that are being used on the PGA Tour, most professional golfers opt to use the newest equipment possible, or they have clubs that are customized and prototyped to their exact liking.

That’s not always the case, however. Sometimes, PGA Tour players use golf clubs that were released several years ago, and they are still available on the current market for a more affordable price. Although the clubs are older designs, some Tour players still find benefits because the designs have managed to withstand the test of time.

I call these clubs the “Modern Classics.”

The benefit for consumers when it comes to these Modern Classics is that they’re currently available on the market for a fraction of the cost of new equipment, but they’re still viable options to use – even on the PGA Tour.

For our new 8-part club testing series in partnership with 2nd Swing Golf, I chose 8 classic golf clubs that are still used on the professional level, and each club can still be found online at 2nd Swing Golf’s website, or at 2nd Swing Golf retail outlets. Although these used clubs can be found at other third-party retail sites, as well, we chose to conduct this testing at 2nd Swing because, in my personal opinion, they have one of the largest selections of used equipment on the market, and they certify the quality of each club that they sell.

Also, the 2nd Swing store in Scottsdale has over 15 fitting bays that are equipped with launch monitors, and they have a team of expert club fitters to help analyze the numbers.

The first club that I chose to test in this 8-part video series was a TaylorMade Tour Preferred MC 4-iron that was first released to the public in 2011. As we’ve discussed at length at GolfWRX.com, PGA Tour player Daniel Berger still uses a set of TaylorMade TP MC 2011 irons.

For this specific test, I pitted a used TaylorMade TP MC 2011 4-iron (22 degrees) against my current gamer 4-iron (24 degrees) from my set of golf clubs; each club was shafted with an extra stiff steel shaft. I hit 5 shots with each club, using a high-end tour golf ball. We deleted any outliers, and then we analyzed the numbers with the help of 2nd Swing expert fitter Cliff Walzak, who’s a well-respected and longtime club fitter in the industry.

In the video at the top of the page, we break down the entire test, the launch monitor numbers, and then I assign a value rating to the club. Just a heads up, not every club tested in the series will score such a high rating, but we happened to start off with an especially top-tier Modern Classic.

If you’re interested in testing/purchasing the TaylorMade TP MC 2011 irons for yourself, they’re currently available on 2nd Swing’s website for $84.99 for an individual iron, or $339.99 for an entire set.

What other 7 clubs do you think I chose for this Modern Classics video series?

*Credit to Saeyae for the video production.

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He played on the Hawaii Pacific University Men's Golf team and earned a Masters degree in Communications. He also played college golf at Rutgers University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism.

10 Comments

10 Comments

  1. Nadia Comaneci

    Jan 18, 2023 at 5:28 pm

    Good video, but what is nine-point-four?

  2. Danon

    Jan 17, 2023 at 2:16 pm

    Original Callaway Apex Pro irons should be on this list in my opinion. They’ve certainly withstood the test of time with some pros still gaming the longer irons from that 2013/14 release.

  3. Joey Horn

    Jan 17, 2023 at 1:29 pm

    Am I missing the comparison data? All I see is numbers for the 2011 TM TP MCs. What are we comparing this too?

  4. Mark

    Jan 17, 2023 at 12:54 am

    Forgive me for being blunt, but unless you are testing clubs with matching specifications (SW, grip make and size, shaft make and flex, loft, etc.), nothing of value will be learnt here.

    This type of test is best suited for mainstream golf publications catering to the uneducated. The GolfWRX readership is not well served by this.

    • wrx staff lol

      Jan 21, 2023 at 5:49 pm

      Haven’t you seen that is basically what wrx is from their staff… They can be torched quite easily by a good amount of people on here…

  5. Tom K

    Jan 16, 2023 at 6:25 pm

    Didn’t want to sit through the video. How did the old irons tack up?

  6. Branson Reynolds

    Jan 16, 2023 at 6:10 pm

    From the looks the drivers are GBB, g400, ‘16M2, fairways are rocketballz, nike vr, taylormade burner, with an Adams idea pro hybrid

  7. ac

    Jan 16, 2023 at 1:02 pm

    Testing the Taylormade R1 vs. Stealth 2 would be great as well.
    The others I would love to see are player distance product, since there is the “tec” involved. Something like P790 vs. Mizuno H5?

  8. Eastpointe

    Jan 16, 2023 at 11:56 am

    Gotta test the Stensons. Both the 3wd and shovels

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Whats in the Bag

Jason Day WITB 2024 (July)

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Driver: Ping G430 LST (9 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana WB 63 TX

3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Kuro Kage 80 X

7-wood: TaylorMade Stealth (21 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Kuro Kage 80 X

Irons: TaylorMade P790 (2), TaylorMade P770 (4-PW)
Shafts: KBS Tour Hybrid Prototype 105 S+ (2), True Temper Dynamic Gold X Seven (4-PW)

Wedges: Cleveland RTX 6 ZipCore Tour Rack  (52-10 MID, 56-10 MID), Titleist Vokey Design WedgeWorks (60)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold X Seven

Putter: TaylorMade Itsy Bitsy Spider Limited

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord

Ball: Bridgestone Tour B X (with Mindset)

Check out more in-hand photos of Jason Day’s WITB here.

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Highlights from the Wilson Golf Product Testing and Fitting Experience at Pinehurst

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All new from Wilson Golf this year are Staff blades and CB irons, Dynapower Forged irons, Staff Model ZM wedges, a new golf ball, the RB Utility iron that was released just a few weeks ago, and the company’s own club fitting technology called Wilson Fit AI.

Yeah, it’s been quite the first half of the year for Wilson Golf. Wilson is serious about establishing themselves as a major player in the golf industry. They’ve made new hires, bringing on Markus McCaine (by way of Cobra Puma) as the Head of Global Marketing. Willie Mack, Padraig Harrington, and Kevin Kisner (to name a few), are playing their products on Tour. As we mentioned earlier, they’ve released a ton of new products. But, with all of that being said, how do these new products really stack up?

That’s where we come in. Wilson Golf wanted to reach the hardcore golfer. The equipment junkie. The person who tries everything to find the right fit for optimal performance. They weren’t looking for someone who already had Wilson products in the bag, who would have attended this trip and predictably said great things about their newest line of products. They wanted to prove how Wilson Golf, the brand, and their new products, can truly compete with the major golf manufacturers. With four lucky GolfWRXers in tow, we headed to legendary Pinehurst to meet Wilson Golf’s team of product experts, to test (and get fit) for the full 2024 lineup of Wilson clubs — and play not-yet-open-to-the-public Pinehurst No. 10! The four WRXers — @TLUBulldogGolf, @TM golf guy, @Shilgy, @Olson12— enjoyed a once-in-a-lifetime experience in North Carolina thanks to Wilson.

Members on Wilson Fit AI

TM golf guy: “The AI experience was super cool. 3 swings and it fit me basically exactly into what I expected.”

Shilgy: “The new Ai fitting tool is legit. First answer a few questions and then there is a fitting iron that measures everything. It’s almost scary how easy, and accurate, it is. Started me with a shaft that was too light but based on contact it changed to 115g DG. About as expected. I was fit into the CB with the Dynapower forged as the 5 and 6 iron.”

First impressions on the Staff Model and Dynapower irons

Olson12: “After warming up, Ed had me hit a handful of shots. It took maybe five or six shots, and we decided it was enough. Of the six shots, I hit four pretty well, one perfectly, and one really bad one. The app spits out recommendations based on all the data it collected and gives you both a steel and graphite option. On the graphite side, it went straight to the Steelfiber 110s, so that was the first one we tried. Ed built up a 7-iron in the Wilson Staff CB with the Steelfiber 110s, and we were off to the races.”

“I currently play a Titleist T100/T100s combo set with Nippon Modus 120x shafts. I bought this used set from a local shop after bouncing around a few different sets. (Thank God for the 90-day playability policy.) We’ve all heard the standard saying, “you want 1k spin x the number of the club.” For me, I’ve never even come close to getting 7k with my 7-iron. I’ve always hovered around 5500 and just learned to play with the rollout. My first few shots with the Staff CB were 7400, 7600, and 7100 with the Wilson Model X ball. Nice high cut, landed soft, PERFECT. Didn’t need to hit any other combos.”

TM golf guy: “I am currently playing i230s, and am generally happy with the performance. I had a feeling I would wind up with the Dynapower Forged, but I went in with an open mind to see what was suggested. After getting my numbers, Ed put together a Dynapower Forged with the UST Recoil Dart 105 F4 (stiff). It didn’t take me more than a few swings to know this was the set for me. I’ll do a formal review with side by side with my i230s later after I get them back and get more time with them, but I think these are going to be gamers. I was able to move them either direction, and they felt better than the i230 based on my limited experience so far.”

TLUBulldogGolf: “The MBs flat out perform, if you want that classic look they should be on your shortlist to try, they nailed the shape and the sole design and turf interaction were just what I expect out of a blade. The options to combo with the CB and new utility should appeal to anyone after that classic look with performance.”

Shilgy: “First swings warming up on the range and I could feel the difference, in a good way, between a properly built set and more mass produced. The balance of this set is fantastic. I’ve always been partial to heavier shafts and heads but the T150 always felt too head heavy to me. The balance on this Wilson set is perfect.”

“Suffice it to say both the CB’s and Dynapower irons were quite good today. Hit it solid and you will get the same result every time….miss it a bit and you’ll still get a very playable result.”

First impressions on the Staff Model ZM wedges

Olson12: “I currently play 50, 54, 60 Vokey SM9 wedges but decided to give the 58/6* a whirl, and I’m glad I did. I mentioned to the staff earlier that I never use my 60 for anything longer than 50 yards. I’ve never felt comfortable with a full swing lob. Going to the 58* gives me more confidence on full shots but was still able to hit all the chips and bunker shots I normally hit with my 60*.”

Guys… These are fully forged wedges for $150. I just ordered my three Vokey wedges a few months ago for like $600. What the hell, man! If you are in the market for wedges, do yourself a favor and just give them a shot. Nice traditional shape and a super soft feel. Not too clicky but still gives audible feedback on mishits.”

TM golf guy: “The Staff ZM wedges were something I was really interested in as I loved the head shape, and the feel and performance didn’t disappoint. They have a really nice shape to them, and the sound and feel is also excellent. I’m a big fan of the 60° that I got. The grind really allows for a lot of versatility around the greens as well. My only regret here is that I didn’t get the Staff gap wedge instead of the Dynapower one.”

TLUBulldogGolf: “The wedges are really solid as well, I feel like I can flight them with ease and they spin like crazy.”

“I have the 60-06 and it’s similar to a Vokey T grind, maybe a touch less demanding. The 56-10 plays very similar to a Vokey S grind.”

First impressions on the utility irons

Olson12: “I’ve played Srixon & Ping Utilities for a while now. I recently gave up the Crossover and went back to a 3 hybrid because the offset was just not working for me. Since the club was just announced today, we had just the stock HZRDUS Black shaft in both the 3 and 4 iron. I hit the 3 and realized it’s been a really long time since I hit a long iron. It took a few swings, but I started to find my groove. Minimal offset, satin finish, and a good-looking topline. This thing is going to compete with the big boys. Hell, @TLUBulldogGolf was getting 150mph ball speed when hitting it off of a tee.”

TLUBulldogGolf: “The utility is the real deal, just seems to want to go straight. A little longer heel to toe than my T200, and it just feels easy.”

The utility surprised me, I knew it was good at my last range session but it seems to come off lower despite having more loft than my T200. I hit it over the green from 240 on a par 5 which shocked me. The stock HZRDUS 4G stays with me and seems to be a good match for my irons.”

TM golf guy: “This utility is stupid good. The first swing I made I hit rather toey, and it flew straight as an arrow. Off the tee it’s a more penetrating flight than my Srixon, but still has good height. Like @TLUBulldogGolf said, it really wants to go straight. Definitely a winner.”

GolfWRX Members on Wilson Golf:

TLUBulldog: “They want to get everything on the golf side right.”

“I came away super impressed with what Wilson is doing and the direction they are taking the brand.”

“I’m hoping this (and their overall strategy) can up their visibility because the new product is legit.

Olson12: “I’ve been really impressed with the quality of the Wilson product. What stands out the most is the people behind the scenes. This group of people is IMPRESSIVE. They love golf, they are competitive, and they want to compete with the best of the best. I’m thankful to be part of their story, and once we get the full set and get a chance to play them out in the wild, I’ll be able to give a more thorough breakdown.”

TM golf guy: “They are a group of super passionate people who absolutely love what they do, really have a lot of great ideas, and are a really cool group of people to talk to (they also know their way around a golf course!). They were incredibly open to feedback, and were also very candid about their thoughts on things as well. The people a company chooses to represent them says a lot about the company, and Wilson has picked an incredible group. I think Wilson has an extremely bright future ahead of them, and they’ve certainly made a fan out of me.”

Shilgy: “We all definitely need to add Wilson golf to our must play equipment. You’re definitely doing yourself a disservice if you don’t at least try them out and with the new AI fitting tool every fitter out there can be a Wilson expert fitter.”

Shilgy, Lindsey Lasater, TM golf guy, Markus McCaine

One final thought

If you’re in the market for a new ball, a hidden gem emerged during this trip. Our members were impressed with the new ball from Wilson. Coming from the Chrome Tour X and TP5, Olson12 stated that the feel of the X around the greens was “pretty damn good.” While TLUBulldogGolf shared, “I’m liking the Model X. Very natural transition as a V1X player.”

We’re looking forward to diving even deeper into the trip and what Wilson has to offer over the next few weeks. In the meantime, don’t hesitate to follow along in the forum.

 

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Equipment

Graphite Design launches new Tour AD VF Hybrid shaft

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When you watch the professional tours each week, you will see a lot of Graphite Design shafts in hybrids and utility irons. Usually, the shaft in those clubs is the iconic Tour AD DI or the Tour IZ that offers a mid-launch and mid-spin ball flight. During the 2024 PGA Merchandise Show in January, we caught a glimpse of the Tour AD VF Hybrid shaft, and since then GolfWRX forum members have wanted to get their hands on it. Well, the wait is almost over as Graphite Design will make the new Tour AD VF Hybrid available on the 26th of this month.

Like the wood shaft, you will recognize the VF paint scheme, a metallic black lower section, and a red handle with red and silver rings where the two meet. A low/mid-launch and low-spin design will also be similar to its wood sibling. This VF Hybrid will offer golfers high-tech materials like the Torayca T1100G carbon fiber with Nanoalloy for stability in the tip section. Graphite Design also uses its MSI design with different layers of carbon laid in different directions to create the proper stiffness and consistency. The Tour AD VF shaft bend profile features a “firm” handle section and gets progressively stiffer with a “stiff” mid and then a “very stiff” tip.

Like the other Graphite Design Tour AD hybrid shafts, the VF will be offered in weight classes of 75, 85, 95, and 105 grams. The whole line with be offered in Stiff and X-Stiff flexes while the 75g and 85g will also be offered in regular flex. The new Graphite Design Tour AD VF Hybrid shaft will be available at dealers on July 26th with an MSRP of $290.

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