Maltby DBM Irons - Thoughts?

[games]

Anyone put together a set for themselves or others? What's the feedback been?

[Nessism]

You might want to check the archives. There are some threads on those and the TE, which is identical other than finish.

[Awalkspoiled]

The TE, previously known as the MTF and M-05 is one of the best-mannered, softest, most reliable forgings ever made by anyone. GI size but minimal offset, thin topline and a lot of what you’d expect from a Mizuno except the price. DBM seems overpriced to me and I’d be suspicious of the durability of the finish. With the TE at $25/head I’d just go there. I’ve built maybe 50 sets over the years and I think 90% are still in play...

[games]

[quote name='Nessism' timestamp='1432558609' post='11622208']
You might want to check the archives. There are some threads on those and the TE, which is identical other than finish.
[/quote]

Thanks. The poster of the one review I found in search had some difficulty with the shaft, not necessarily the clubhead. One takeaway from that review was the DBM coating may result in a harsher feel than the TE. Which is why TE reviews do not interest me as much...

[EddieEdwards]

I think the DBM's are 1 degree stronger in loft than the te's. I doubt any hardening from the finish is noticeable. Unless you believe you can you can tell the difference between forged and cast argument.

I have the te's. They are more forgiving than they look and my ball flight is higher with them compared to other irons.

[Michael309]

I have a set of the DBM irons. I love the way that they look and set up. They feel soft and have a decent amount of forgiveness but they do launch the ball higher than most irons.

[games]

[quote name='Michael309' timestamp='1432648105' post='11627852']
I have a set of the DBM irons. I love the way that they look and set up. They feel soft and have a decent amount of forgiveness but they do launch the ball higher than most irons.
[/quote]

Thanks! Do you suspect it's simply a loft issue (DBM vs comparable OEM club) or is the club construction built for higher flight?

[NevadaGolfGuy]

The DBM's are a great iron, I like them because they are plenty forgiving but not sized like you would think. With the exception of sole width they are almost identical compared to an mp-68. The feel great, play great, the durability on the finish is far superior to any other black finish, its similar to a coating richter precision does (I have a feeling its identical but can't confirm) called a DLC coating. I've been playing mine for over a season and they clean up to brand new, not a single mark to the black finish even playing out of an occasional fairway bunker.

As for the flight, I almost always play dynamic golds and they are right where I would expect them to be. Really a tough iron to beat for price/looks/playability.

[golfman009]

I had a set and loved the feel but felt like the iron head was a little big for people that would normally play a players cavity back with little offset...just my 2 cents.

[games]

Thanks for the input. Got lucky and found a short set (7-PW) to buy. Really like the look of these clubs!

[Michael309]

[quote name='games' timestamp='1432652879' post='11628394']
[quote name='Michael309' timestamp='1432648105' post='11627852']
I have a set of the DBM irons. I love the way that they look and set up. They feel soft and have a decent amount of forgiveness but they do launch the ball higher than most irons.
[/quote]

Thanks! Do you suspect it's simply a loft issue (DBM vs comparable OEM club) or is the club construction built for higher flight?
[/quote]

The lofts are based off of a 46 degree PW. They have a CG that is lower and farther to the rear. The heads are about the same size as J40 DPC. I have them in a set of KBS Tour V 125 S+. I may try them in some C Tapers or X100's to see if they come down a little.

[Woodrow]

[quote name='games' timestamp='1432693663' post='11633028']
Thanks for the input. Got lucky and found a short set (7-PW) to buy. Really like the look of these clubs!
[/quote]

Good for you. Great club and look good too. The Gap is 51' which I like as well.

[ode1]

I have also noticed a higher flight w/ these...have only shafted the 8i to test, so far w/ Nippon 1150; Apollo Stepless (which is a go to shaft for me and can easily judge flight); will try dg r300 or r400; or possilby Apollo CWS taper. Feel is nice and forgiveness is pretty good; not as forgiving as my KE4 Tour's, but in the same arena!

[wjmfour1]

I have a set of 5-Pw with DG S300 High Launch from a set of AP1s. Absolutely love them. Awesome feel and the dark finish looks great and doesnt show any signs of wear. Just picked up the 60* wedge with same finish. Grind on this wedge is amazing. Solid irons i highly doubt you will be disappointed. Fyi i removed all paint fill and now to me they look even better!

[games]

[quote name='wjmfour1' timestamp='1432754082' post='11637392']
I have a set of 5-Pw with DG S300 High Launch from a set of AP1s. Absolutely love them. Awesome feel and the dark finish looks great and doesnt show any signs of wear. Just picked up the 60* wedge with same finish. Grind on this wedge is amazing. Solid irons i highly doubt you will be disappointed. Fyi i removed all paint fill and now to me they look even better!
[/quote]

I just got my short set. They look even nicer in person. I agree that the white paintfill has to go. Can't decide whether to just Sharpie them in or do a neon green / Vapor.

[games]

Update: Liked the short set, but not the FST 125s that came with them.

Picked up 5,6, and U heads from Golfworks. Going to soft step a set of PX 6.0s. Hope they play to a stock stiff flex and knock the flight down a shade.

[trying2scratch]

Just a heads up that a soft stepped shaft will usually give a touch higher ball flight. Hard stepping them will keep it lower.

[Cwebb]

[quote name='games' timestamp='1435370025' post='11842456']
Update: Liked the short set, but not the FST 125s that came with them.

Picked up 5,6, and U heads from Golfworks. Going to soft step a set of PX 6.0s. Hope they play to a stock stiff flex and knock the flight down a shade.
[/quote]

PX 6.0 softstepped, will play much firmer than a "stock 'S'. The Maltby's have a very short Bottom of Bore to Ground Measurement, which results in shafts playing a "1 step hard" vs many other models.

Also keep in mind that the PX is much stiffer bend profile overall and way stiffer in the tip vs the FST 125's

[games]

trying2scratch: Makes sense that soft-stepping would raise flight. I should have been more clear that my hope was the bend profile of the PX shafts would keep the flight down.

[games]

[quote name='Cwebb' timestamp='1435543785' post='11852664']
[quote name='games' timestamp='1435370025' post='11842456']
Update: Liked the short set, but not the FST 125s that came with them.

Picked up 5,6, and U heads from Golfworks. Going to soft step a set of PX 6.0s. Hope they play to a stock stiff flex and knock the flight down a shade.
[/quote]

PX 6.0 softstepped, will play much firmer than a "stock 'S'. The Maltby's have a very short Bottom of Bore to Ground Measurement, which results in shafts playing a "1 step hard" vs many other models.

Also keep in mind that the PX is much stiffer bend profile overall and way stiffer in the tip vs the FST 125's
[/quote]

Thanks, cwebb. Waiting for the DBMs, so I took my backup set to the range. The backups are TM TP 2009s with stock PX 6.0s. I bought them off the BST figuring I would grow into them, and last year they were just too much for me (about a 5-7 yard high fade).

In the offseason, I worked to improve my swing, and I am now 1.5 clubs longer than last year. Yesterday's stock shot at the range with the backups was just a vanilla straight ball.

Based on yesterday's range session and your description of the shaft and head, I am really stoked. This combo sounds like it will challenge me to make good swings and continue to improve.

[games]

Update on the Maltby DBMs:
First, I really, really like the look of these at address and in the bag.
I am a range rat that prefers mats, so I tend to get ball shred, black rubber dust, and green mat shred.
They clean up really well, and the finish is super durable.

As far as performance, they are just really point and shoot.
They have retained a high launch profile, and stepping on them tends to result in some ballooning with only incremental distance gains.
(The Px 6.0s did not bring down the flight like I thought, but that is OK.)

At my last range session, I cleared my head of mechanics I've been trying to ingrain for over a year.
I trusted my swing and just thought about pitching the ball, working my way up and down the irons.
Scary consistent flights and gaps. No loss of distance.

I may attempt to put graphite in the 5-iron to see if I can buy some extra distance.
Don't know how far I would go because the Px shafts seem to work well with this head.

[ccorrada]

Are you still liking the irons and is the finish still holding up well?

[games]

[quote name='ccorrada' timestamp='1440009798' post='12170680']
Are you still liking the irons and is the finish still holding up well?
[/quote]

I am liking them A LOT. Really nice feel. Great look at address.
Finish still looks great.
In fact, I'm going to take them to the range right now!

[Skhacker]

Flat out incredible irons! Have mine with c-taper 120s (SSx1) and they are just great. My other set is a J40 combo set, and the dbm have the same great feel but in a GI style iron with players iron looks. The finish is great too.

[HotBacon]

I've been playing mine for a season and a half or so and see no noticeable wear of the finish. Other than that, I'll mirror the rest of the reviews...great irons.

[ccorrada]

could someone post a pic of a well worn set of DMB's?

[Skhacker]

 

These are after about 15 rounds and 15 range sessions. No bag chatter due to my Ogio Silencer, but the faces really don't show any wear. The black shouldn't wear off as it's implanted in the steel. Best irons I've ever had and I've had too many to list.

[ccorrada]

 

These are after about 15 rounds and 15 range sessions. No bag chatter due to my Ogio Silencer, but the faces really don't show any wear. The black shouldn't wear off as it's implanted in the steel. Best irons I've ever had and I've had too many to list.

Wow they look amazing

[games]

Update: My Maltby DBM heads still look great. Just went through a fitting with the suggestion I put the heads in a regular flex, medium weight shaft.

 

Not much in R flex in pulls on the BST, so I went to the bay and snagged some KBS Tour in black nickel. They're with the clubmaker now.

 

As if there was any doubt, my clubs will definitely look better than the knucklehead swinging them!

[dingusflingers]

I built a 6 iron to test out.

 

I'm really impressed with the finish on these DBM's. In the hand, the DMB finish feels incredibly strong, almost tough (if that makes any sense). The heads are still quite soft on a nicely struck ball too. The buttery feel exceeded my expectations. The trajectory is very high for something that looks this classical in shape.

 

The offset is too much for me, which is really disappointing. I wanted to bag these really bad. They're so damn sexy.