Well, I went and did it! Back in May of this year, I bought a new set of irons. The new irons were not bought out of need - they were bought more out of curiosity with a bit of desire for something new and different. I must say that I am pleasantly surprised with how much I truly like the new iron set, especially since they didn't set me back a ton of money. This fact kept me out of the dog house with the spousal unit as well!
So what did I buy?
After reading a bunch of reviews and examining the cost of new irons, I discovered a little company called "Sub 70." Through my investigation of the company, they were reported to be building custom-fitted clubs that were selling at about half the cost of the name-brand companies, with great performance. Everything I watched and read stoked my curiosity... Since I had just sold my old muscle-back (MBs) irons, I thought this just might be a place to find a replacement set at a reasonable price.
The model I selected was the 639 MB/CB Black combo set which allows you to select how far into the set you want to play MBs before transitioning into a more forgiving cavity-back (CB). I chose to go Pitching Wedge through 7 iron in the MBs and 6 through 4 iron in the CBs (more on what I'd do differently in just a bit).
Since I am not exactly a spring chicken anymore, I decided to change a couple things in my specs. I chose to go with a regular shaft for stiffness with a different kick point as well. The shafts on my new clubs are the "KBS Tour V-90." I have got to tell you, I love these shafts for a couple different reasons: First off, they are produced up in Boulder, Colorado (a somewhat local company), and second, they are light and feel amazing. I actually picked up a couple of miles per hour in clubhead speed with this transition. Everything else stayed pretty much the same with my spec - plus 1/2 inch in shaft length and plus 2 degrees upright. I told you Sub 70 customizes to customer's wants, needs, and desires! They even have a demo program if you want to try them out before buying. I kind of wish I had demoed the set before buying them, but I just went with what I knew and trusted that I would like the results (more on this in a bit...).
I ordered the clubs in black because they just look so great in black! I have never owned a set of black irons and this was a great opportunity to right the ship on that account. The MBs are absolutely stunning in black! The CBs look great as well, but they are not my favorite part of the set, and here comes what I wanted to discuss about what I would have done differently... but before I go there, let me tell you about the ordering process and customer service.
It could not have been any easier to order a set of golf clubs. If you know your fitting specs, just log into Sub 70s website, read through their list of clubs to find the type and style of club you like to play. Once you have made this decision select the shafts and grips that you want and place your order. Bam, you are done! Mine delivered in about 21 days! One more comment on the ordering process... If you think you need help with something, definitely call Sub 70's customer support, they are more than happy to put you in the right club for your game, with the right fit.
Ok, here it comes... What I would have done differently and why?
Let me start by saying this - This is a great set of irons! They actually feel as good and approach exceeding my old set of Mizuno irons. The 639s are forged irons and this should be expected of forged irons. What I really like about the set is the PW thru 7 iron MBs. They are workable, forgiving for an MB, and they are long. The MBs gap perfectly at 10 to 15 yards between clubs and I couldn't be happier with this portion of the set. The CBs are a bit different for me and my game... The gap between my 7 iron and 6 iron (the transition from MB to CB) turns out to be a bit different, more like 15 to 20+ yards with the occasional explosive - "Where did that come from shot?" The CBs are hot, to say the least!
Additionally, the CBs are a bit bigger than the MBs. If you are a CB player and you like a bit larger head in your irons, these will fit the bill. To me, they remind me of an oversized Taylormade 300 from the early 2000s. A club that I loved because of the scale of the clubhead size (smaller). In retrospect, I wish I had demoed the CBs before going with the combo set... I think I overthought where I was in my game, thinking that I was getting a bit older and could use the help of the CB. I really am an MB player and should probably stick with that style of iron. Yes, while the Sub 70 CB iron is a great club, if I had it to do all over again, I would have just ordered the 639 MB set through 4 iron.
Now, for the final thing I would have done differently... I would not have ordered the clubs in black! The black is not wearing well. My go-to iron, the 7 iron is beginning to look a bit tattered after five months of play. While the black finish is awesome at first, you'll find that scuffs and face marks become noticeable fairly quickly. While the finish deterioration is a fact of life, the clubs still perform fantastically! You could do a lot worse than buy a set of Sub 70 irons! And pay a lot more for them as well! I'm keeping mine! However, I probably will be putting in an order for the 6 thru 4 iron in the MB soon to replace the CBs.
To sum up my experience... I would highly recommend that you give Sub 70 a look if you are in the market for a great set of clubs that won't set you back a ton of money! Use their demo program to get things correct, and have no buyer's remorse - You will be getting a great playable set of irons! Ciao!
