I have been playing Ping Eye 2+ Blue Dot Irons for the last seven or eight years. My whole extended family plays golf. My dad taught me to play golf right-handed like everyone else after teaching me to bat (and as a result play hockey) left-handed, so I could play hand-me-downs. My first real set was some knock-off Ping Eye irons made by Dunlop. I changed to the real deal around 2012 because I wanted the real deal and they might or might not have the legendary square grooves.

As a result, I have never actually bought a set of irons of my own. I have been on the hunt the last couple of months for a set of Mizuno forged irons in decent condition with stiff shafts for a good price at local second-hand golf shops. I found a set of MP-33, which is the quintessential Mizuno blade you picture in your mind from the early 2000’s. However, it had the fattest grips I had ever seen on them. Supposedly, Bryson DeChambeau plays with similar grips, but I couldn’t see how anyone could get any feel with those. I also found a set of MX-23’s which is Mizuno’s first “game improvement” iron from around the same time, but they still have the classic forged feel. I ended up getting the MX-23’s because they had near brand new Golf Pride Midsize MCC grips that I also wanted to experiment with because I had been playing Tour Wrap for so long in standard. I ended up getting 3-iron to pitching wedge and an old school Two-Ball with a brand new Super Stroke for less than $200.

I took the clubs to the range the day after when it was finally somewhat nice. I hit poorly off the trash AstroTurf mats most of the time because of my steeper swing, but that day was especially rough. I have moved my strike more to the toe side of the club to counteract my natural fade to slice shape. I was pretty arrow straight to even slightly draw at some points last summer with my irons as a result. However, these new clubs between being heavier because Karsten liked a light head and having the “help” and sweet spot more heel side were a struggle. Throw in the fatter grips, and I struggled to find the middle throughout the whole basket.

So that is the backdrop of my second round of the year. And under those parameters, it was all-in-all a decent day. A 15-20 mph wind day on one of the more windswept courses in St. Charles County made it a tough day to break in “new” irons. Thankfully, I took to the new putter immediately and had a good day on the greens. Off the tee and with the 54-degree, I also gave myself chances.

The problem predictably was with the irons. I once again struggled to find the middle of the club face and control it. I sliced it worse than I have in months. Hit a slice into a left-to-right wind and that’s how you hit the ball into Dardenne Creek on a Par 3 and average more than a bogey on Par 3’s for the day. Three doubles on the day, all directly attributable to terrible irons is a predictable but still crushing start.

I know it will take time, but it is frustrating when you had been playing so well with one set of clubs and you make the switch and you see that fall-of-a-clip-type performance.

Welp, only up from here.

ScoreCard from Tim Kaiser on St. Peters Golf Course (St. Peters) – 18Birdies https://18birdies.com/s/AKZFNlEkApc