New member needs advice on Irons

[chiefsfanatic]

Hi all. This is my first post. I currently have a set of Nickent 3DX irons with stock uniflex shafts. I am looking at a used set of Cobra 3100 I/H with Aldila NV-HL regualr flex graphite shafts from GlobalGolf, or a set of TaylorMade Rac OS2 with regualr flex T-Step 90 steel shafts from e-bay.

Does anyone know how the T-Step shafts compare to Rifle shafts as far as 4.5, 5.0, 5.5 etc?

Is there any reason not to get the NV-HL shafts?

Anyone have experience with either of these clubs?

I am 5'7", I have a driver swing speed of 85mph and a driver ball speed of about 120mph. I know that there are all types of variables, but I am just looking for some basic info.

Thanks for any help. I really enjoy the forum.

[Sandy]

The shafts on the Cobra irons are great if you prefer graphite shafts - I love the feel of mine.

They may not be the most fashionable choice, but you really can't go wrong with those Cobras and the 3100s are perfect for anyone above a 10 handicap with a great mix of playability and forgiveness. A fair few people on here (like myself) play that generation of Cobra clubs, but we just don't defend our 'brand of choice' as strongly as the people who use other brands do...

[Eracer]

Originally Posted by Sandy

The shafts on the Cobra irons are great if you prefer graphite shafts - I love the feel of mine.

They may not be the most fashionable choice, but you really can't go wrong with those Cobras and the 3100s are perfect for anyone above a 10 handicap with a great mix of playability and forgiveness. A fair few people on here (like myself) play that generation of Cobra clubs, but we just don't defend our 'brand of choice' as strongly as the people who use other brands do...

Way too much work.

Welcome CF (sorry - I always abbreviate the long screen names, then usually type out an even longer explananation as to the reason... )

As for your question. Buying a set of clubs that you haven't hit is a risky proposition. I've done it many times. Most times I ended up with clubs that didn't suit me at all, no matter what others have said and felt about them. My current irons are an exception. I bought them brand-new for $150 off EvilBay, and spent another $150 reshafting them. I love them. So I got lucky. But there's no way any of us can know how a particular set of sticks will react to your swing. If the clubs are cheap enough, then by all means, give them a shot. You might love them, and you might regret buying them. It's part of the game. Getting fitted for a proper set (look for a Wishon-certified MOI clubfitter in your area) is by far the best choice, and is probably not as expensive as you think. If I didn't absolutely love my current set, I would probably do it myself. I still may.

Remember that the chances you take will probably add up to more money than doing it right the first time.

[MCDavis]

1st off, Eracer is correct and gives good advice.

To answer your questions, I played the rac OS2's with R flex T-Step 90's for a few months. They were good clubs, great for a beginner, but I like my Mizuno MX-23's better. The rac's were a little too forgiving for me.

The T-Step 90's are made by True Temper for TM. The T-Step specs are:

Weight: 90 grams
Torque: 1.7
Trajectory: Mid

According to my emails with True Temper, the closest shaft of their's to the T-Step is the Dynalite Gold SL.

If you take these specs and compare them to the Rifle specs on their website, you should be able to tell which shaft is most similar. You can also email True Temper through their site...they are very helpful.

Hope this helps, and welcome to Shot Talk!

[chiefsfanatic]

I have decided to keep the Nickents. Lately I have been having a good deal of elbow pain. I thought maybe a switch to graphite might help.

Before I made the switch, I spoke to a pro, and got a small lesson on my swing, and found that I was not rotating my forearms correctly and thus creating too much tension on my elbow.

So, after working on this, I want to keep the Nickent irons. They have a stock uniflex shaft, and are standard length. I wish they were a little more stiff. Once I was measured for clubs, they told me that I needed 1/4 to 1/2 inch less than standard on the length.

So, long story short [no, really] I am getting ready to regrip with some red lamkin crossline ribbed grips, and I am installing some prosoft inserts. If I cut these down 1/4 or 1/2 inch, would it make them a little more stiff, or a lot more stiff? Or am I just stupid. [don't answer that]

Thanks for any help.

ChiefsFanatic

[Eracer]

Originally Posted by chiefsfanatic

I have decided to keep the Nickents. Lately I have been having a good deal of elbow pain. I thought maybe a switch to graphite might help.

Before I made the switch, I spoke to a pro, and got a small lesson on my swing, and found that I was not rotating my forearms correctly and thus creating too much tension on my elbow.

So, after working on this, I want to keep the Nickent irons. They have a stock uniflex shaft, and are standard length. I wish they were a little more stiff. Once I was measured for clubs, they told me that I needed 1/4 to 1/2 inch less than standard on the length.

So, long story short [no, really] I am getting ready to regrip with some red lamkin crossline ribbed grips, and I am installing some prosoft inserts. If I cut these down 1/4 or 1/2 inch, would it make them a little more stiff, or a lot more stiff? Or am I just stupid. [don't answer that]

Thanks for any help.

ChiefsFanatic

One of the clubmakers here will hopefully answer this for you, but I'm pretty sure that if you cut them down 1/2" at the tip, they will get about a half flex stiffer, and you will lose a little swingweight. I'm don't think that cutting off at the butt end will stiffen them, but it will also reduce the swingweight. So you'll need to pull the heads, cut them at the tip, then put them back together. Then there's the question of whether the existing shafts can be tipped at all. It could be that the tips have already been cut down. In that case you would need to reshaft anyway.

Take this with a grain of salt, because I'm no expert - just repeating what I think I've learned from the pros like TMag, Lyle, and (god I hate myself for saying this...) Rockford.

One of them may say that I'm full of it, and you can just butt-trim them to stiffen them up.

[Pa Jayhawk]

Originally Posted by Eracer

Buying a set of clubs that you haven't hit is a risky proposition. I've done it many times. Most times I ended up with clubs that didn't suit me at all, no matter what others have said and felt about them.

Buying a set of clubs you have hit is a risky enough proposition as to how they will react once you get them on the course. Specifically if you hit them on a launch monitor. Actually when I started out I had pretty good success with being comfortably with clubs I bought that I hadn't hit. I only remember 1 that I was really sorry I bought. I actually seemed to have better success than with the clubs I did hit up until just recently. I just consider myself very lucky in that sense and could not imagine ever buying another I haven't hit. Actually at this point I am starting to think I will stick with clubs I already know and have played on the course.

Now if I could just find a setup between my 4i/R Baffler and driver that works I would be a very happy person, even though it has been a span of 4 years since I was last happy with my setup. I can't help but think it is eventually going to come down to scraping both my Halos and my 3 FW's and picking up an 18* Baffler and an Original Tight Lies Strong 5w (or maybe a regular 3) that I used to hit so well, but needed a stiffer shaft.

Again, Reverting back to things I know work from course experience.

[Eracer]

Originally Posted by Pa Jayhawk

Buying a set of clubs you have hit is a risky enough proposition as to how they will react once you get them on the course. Specifically if you hit them on a launch monitor. Actually when I started out I had pretty good success with being comfortably with clubs I bought that I hadn't hit. I only remember 1 that I was really sorry I bought. I actually seemed to have better success than with the clubs I did hit up until just recently. I just consider myself very lucky in that sense and could not imagine ever buying another I haven't hit. Actually at this point I am starting to think I will stick with clubs I already know and have played on the course.

Now if I could just find a setup between my 4i/R Baffler and driver that works I would be a very happy person, even though it has been a span of 4 years since I was last happy with my setup. I can't help but think it is eventually going to come down to scraping both my Halos and my 3 FW's and picking up an 18* Baffler and an Original Tight Lies Strong 5w that I used to hit so well, but needed a stiffer shaft.

Again, Reverting back to things I know work from course experience.

I know you're not suggesting that hitting clubs before purchase (even if the only hitting is on a launch monitor) is not better than not hitting them at all?

I'll grant you that clubs need to be played on the course, and that it often takes a few rounds before we find out whether we're ecstatic, comfortable, or merely satisfied with a purchase.

My point only addressed buying clubs completely blind, based on other's recommendations.

[Pa Jayhawk]

No, I agree with you 100%. As I said, I was just very lucky on the ones I didn't hit and couldn't imagine ever buying one I haven't hit. The more you hit them, the more likely you will walk away happy in my book. Probably the reason I am fond of the Mizuno's. It was about an 18 month decision on hitting them every time I had the chance.

edit 1 - I think only hitting them once is a mistake I made all to often.

[Eracer]

Originally Posted by Pa Jayhawk

No, I agree with you 100%. As I said, I was just very lucky on the ones I didn't hit and couldn't imagine ever buying one I haven't hit. The more you hit them, the more likely you will walk away happy in my book. Probably the reason I am fond of the Mizuno's. It was about an 18 month decision on hitting them every time I had the chance.

edit 1 - I think only hitting them once is a mistake I made all to often.

Which is why I have a bunch of drivers and putters sitting in my closet...

[chiefsfanatic]

I should have said that I hit these irons before purchase. I would never actually buy a club that I had not hit before. They felt good on the indoor driving range, but on the course I just feel like I wish they were a little more stiff.

[LyleG]

Those shafts will be .355 taper tips and cannot be tip trimmed.

Trimming from the butt will stiffen those shafts about a 1/4 flex per half inch. Problem is the swingweight will drop a lot so you will need to add weight to the head which will soften the flex. Just like that you are back to square one.

You want stiffer, buy stiffer shafts, its really the only option.