Srixon I-701 Tour

[EZ72]

good or bad for 14 handicap

I've seen some Srixon I-701 tour irons for great prices. Some good comments from the fellows on WRX.
Don't see any at the local shop to try out. I think i could play something like MP-57, but not MP-33s too tough.
I'm a 14 handicap playing once a week, if that. I think I can get to single digits if I could play more (and if I could hit more fairways). I'm looking for irons to shape, with some foregiveness (ie not blades and no GI irons)
I'm trying to go something down the lines of CG7 tours, MP-57, TM tour preferred, i10s.
Would the Srixons compare?
and finally to all you out there in wrx land can a 14 handicap hit Srixon I-701 tours?

[Guillotine007]

of course i'm going to preface this by saying "it depends on where those 14 strokes come from, is it ball striking, short game, blah blah blah" after all that stuff, if you can get around the course in the mid 80s then I think you can handle the 701 tours.

[mx6262]

Srixon makes a great club. It would be hard to go wrong....with srixon

[EZ72]

for those who hit the i-701 tour, is there any comparable iron it feels like? size, sweet spot, forgivenes??

[marrigo]

I switched this summer from Ping i3+'s to Srixon I-701 Tours. My handicap index is about 5-7. There is an obvious but not huge difference in forgiveness, unless you really miss one. For example on a 150 yard shot (typical 8 iron for me) slight mis-hits with Ping may have averaged about 2 or 3 yards off target (I'm obviously estimating here). With the i-701 tours it probably more like 5-6 yards (so mostly still looking at either making a moderate length birdie putt of an easy'ish two putt for par in either case). Big miss hits on the toe with the Pings were say 5 or so yards short and right (usually enough to keep me on or near the green) the Srixons are more like a solid 10 yards off (enough to consistently miss the green). One thing that was very obvious to me is that my good shots were a lot better with the i701 Tours and I hit more of them. I think this has little to do with forgiveness and more to do with my preference for smaller heads and thinner toplines (the psychological affect cannot be underestimated IMO). So, based on my experience, if you can get in proximity to the sweet spot you should still be able to hit greens, if you all over the face you may struggle.

[caller]

I started to play 701Tour since I was 24handicap (this January) and I am now 13 handicap.

I always like the good looking iron even I was pure hack, I don't know why.

I bought a set from a memeber here and from that point, no turning back.
matter fact, I love this iron so much, I bought a set of head only from ebay as back up.

Here is my input on 701Tour.

- only thing come close to this 701tour will be Bstone J36CB. Both great feel and compact head.
Players iron with plenty of forgiveness. Off set is normal and good looking top line.

- I noticed that sweetspot is more to hill than toe so I adress the ball from hill and it shoots out.
great distance and feedback for all your shots.

- Built quality is great, no plastic no big logos. you can work the ball anyway you want.

- I like the short irons as they are very precise and give you plenty of feedback.

- to answer your question, yes you can handle this iron! no problem.

[EZ72]

[quote name='marrigo' post='2075257' date='Nov 20 2009, 09:13 AM']I switched this summer from Ping i3+'s to Srixon I-701 Tours. My handicap index is about 5-7. There is an obvious but not huge difference in forgiveness, unless you really miss one. For example on a 150 yard shot (typical 8 iron for me) slight mis-hits with Ping may have averaged about 2 or 3 yards off target (I'm obviously estimating here). With the i-701 tours it probably more like 5-6 yards (so mostly still looking at either making a moderate length birdie putt of an easy'ish two putt for par in either case). Big miss hits on the toe with the Pings were say 5 or so yards short and right (usually enough to keep me on or near the green) the Srixons are more like a solid 10 yards off (enough to consistently miss the green). One thing that was very obvious to me is that my good shots were a lot better with the i701 Tours and I hit more of them. I think this has little to do with forgiveness and more to do with my preference for smaller heads and thinner toplines (the psychological affect cannot be underestimated IMO). So, based on my experience, if you can get in proximity to the sweet spot you should still be able to hit greens, if you all over the face you may struggle.[/quote]

the 701s have a smaller head the i3+ blades or reg?

[B_Rod]

The i-701 tours feel very good. At a 14, you should be able to handle them. My local Golfsmith is selling them for $299 brand new! and last week they were offering a 15% off coupon and the Srixon's were not on their excluded items list. Pretty ridiculous price for these irons.

[juggernaut33]

At 14, you should be able to hit these. They look a lot like the mx-300 or mx-200s with that slotted cavity back. I'm sure you'll be fine. Just make sure you get the appropriate shaft...a super light senior graphite shaft




[quote name='EZ72' post='2074771' date='Nov 19 2009, 10:23 PM']I've seen some Srixon I-701 tour irons for great prices. Some good comments from the fellows on WRX.
Don't see any at the local shop to try out. I think i could play something like MP-57, but not MP-33s too tough.
I'm a 14 handicap playing once a week, if that. I think I can get to single digits if I could play more (and if I could hit more fairways). I'm looking for irons to shape, with some foregiveness (ie not blades and no GI irons)
I'm trying to go something down the lines of CG7 tours, MP-57, TM tour preferred, i10s.
Would the Srixons compare?
and finally to all you out there in wrx land can a 14 handicap hit Srixon I-701 tours?[/quote]

[Gibber]

B-Rod...what coupon is there for 15%? Do you have a code? I am on the GS emails but did not get one.

[doof_dizzler]

Ya what's the discount code?

[7464]

[quote name='EZ72' post='2074771' date='Nov 19 2009, 10:23 PM']and finally to all you out there in wrx land can a 14 handicap hit Srixon I-701 tours?[/quote]

I guess it depends on what you are trying to achieve...if you are looking for forgiveness on your mishits then these are not the irons for you...these are definitely "player irons" and I only say that becuase they are in that category where if you hit them good nothing feels sweeter but if you mishit them they will let you know it (feedback) without even looking up to see where the ball went.

Here is my short story and hopefully it will help you decide. I was a 12 handciap about 1 1/2 years ago (I am an 8.4 currently) and decided I wanted to see how good I could get...last fall I started working with a guy who convinced me to play blades (he was old-school) and I played Titleist ZM's. Well these are great irons but you have got to be on your game 100% of the time (no forgiveness what-so-ever). So after about 10 months I switched to the Srixon I-701 Tour hoping the slight cavity back would give me a little more forgiveness for those days when my swing was not 100%...well I have been playing them for about 1-2 months now and they are only a tad more forgiving then my ZM's were...they are great looking sticks and the quality is awesome (cannot believe how cheap they are letting them go for now) but if you want more forgiveness play the Srixon 701 (non Tour)...heck Henrick Stenson was playing the regular 701's when he won the Player's Championship this year....hope this helps in some way and if you deicide to go with them welcome to the [color="#FF0000"]SRIXON[/color] family...

[marrigo]

[quote]the 701s have a smaller head the i3+ blades or reg?[/quote]

They were i3+ regular heads, not the blades, and yes the i701 tours have a significantly more compact head and thinner topline.

[elrey23]

[quote name='EZ72' post='2075216' date='Nov 20 2009, 07:38 AM']for those who hit the i-701 tour, is there any comparable iron it feels like? size, sweet spot, forgivenes??[/quote]

I've played the 701's for a couple of months now and I would compare them, feel wise, to the Callaway X Tour irons which were also a two piece forging.

I don't think a 14 would have trouble with the Tour version but I'm a 9 and and I went with the regular version just for that extra added forgiveness. I'm all about getting the golf ball in the hole, regardless of the type of club I'm playing so I gave up worrying about those kinds of things long ago. Good luck though, great club at a great price.

[Dean NC]

I went to these about 2 months ago and feel that they are pretty easy to hit once you get used to them. Used to them meaning the thinner top line and the reduced offset. I went from a set of TM rac os's that are more a GI iron with a midsize head. The TM's do have more offset than the Srixon's. The looks of the Srixon's help the confidence once you look at them.

The reason i went to these was to get a better iron at a great price, $299 for 3-pw. I was also looking to get fitted for the correct shafts as the TM were a regular flex, but stiff fit me in the 701's.

Since going to these i have become more consistent with my irons. It is probably a combonation of the head/ shaft combo, but for my game went from a 16- down to a 11 in three months. now i need to work on my short game.

Please get them you will not be dissappointed, but get fit for them as well.

[myu3777]

Does it really matter what your handie is? Get it and your inner club-ho and wallet will thank you for it.

[EZ72]

[quote name='elrey23' post='2080916' date='Nov 23 2009, 03:20 PM'][quote name='EZ72' post='2075216' date='Nov 20 2009, 07:38 AM']for those who hit the i-701 tour, is there any comparable iron it feels like? size, sweet spot, forgivenes??[/quote]

I've played the 701's for a couple of months now and I would compare them, feel wise, to the Callaway X Tour irons which were also a two piece forging.

I don't think a 14 would have trouble with the Tour version but I'm a 9 and and I went with the regular version just for that extra added forgiveness. I'm all about getting the golf ball in the hole, regardless of the type of club I'm playing so I gave up worrying about those kinds of things long ago. Good luck though, great club at a great price.
[/quote]

thanks for the info.
I guess you're right. I think there is something inherent in all golfers to want to play clubs closer to a players'
club without giving up any part of their game. I guess the real question at a 14 handicap, is it worth giving up forgiveness for shot shaping abilities???

[juggernaut33]

foregiveness is a little more important I would think at a 14 handi, particularly for weekend warriors. Besides, aren't you already able to shape your shot...don't you shape your ball to the left with a hook or to the right with a banana slice?


[quote name='EZ72' post='2081429' date='Nov 23 2009, 07:37 PM']thanks for the info.
I guess you're right. I think there is something inherent in all golfers to want to play clubs closer to a players'
club without giving up any part of their game. I guess the real question at a 14 handicap, is it worth giving up forgiveness for shot shaping abilities???[/quote]

[B_Rod]

Sorry gentleman . I did not check back to this thread until today. In any case the coupon ended the week right before I posted and I got it through email. It was to celebrate the opening of their new Irvine, CA store. In any case, the Golffsmith in Santa Ana, CA had the I-701 Tours, brand new for $299 and they probably still do. They are having a Black Friday sale but I don't know if the 701 Tours will be discounted further.

[Slunkhead]

You can get these for a good price with golfsmith black friday promotion. What I would like to ask, are they more forgiving than Nike CCI forged? I'm playing those now, but with a back problem I got, and the cold months coming ahead, I won't be able to practice much. When I can play, the CCIs are great sticks, but when I can't keep my swing "in shape", they just kill me! Thanks in advance.

[Gibber]

Slunk...I don't play the CCI's hit them extensively when I was searching for new irons last year. I picked these up as a backup/winter set to replace my MacGregor Pro-CM's that I bought for similar reasons. When my swing is off, the Macs can be tough to handle and it is getting a little cooler in CT. The head is a tad larger, they have a bigger cavity, and a thicker top line than both the CCI and my Macs=easier to hit. My only problem was I was a little shorter with the Srixons and I spun the ball too much. I don't usually spin the ball that much and in several cases I pulled the ball 25' + off the green...could be the new grooves and the face milling? I am a little nervous that these kicked the Macs out that quickly.

[bendy]

Can I suggest you look at the regular 701s before the tours? I hit both (12 handicap) before I went for the non tour version. They just offered more forgiveness in the long irons and dont look that much more chunky etc.

In hindsight, the best option for me and probably you too, is to have a mixed set of the two if you can get one, i.e. non tour in say 3-6 iron and tour 7-pw.

Either are great sticks though, but I would say for me, at a 12 handicap and OK ballstriker with crappy putting, I found the long iron tours [i]quite [/i]challenging, but not impossible.

[Russ757]

[quote name='Slunkhead' post='2087275' date='Nov 27 2009, 01:46 AM']You can get these for a good price with golfsmith black friday promotion. What I would like to ask, are they more forgiving than Nike CCI forged? I'm playing those now, but with a back problem I got, and the cold months coming ahead, I won't be able to practice much. When I can play, the CCIs are great sticks, but when I can't keep my swing "in shape", they just kill me! Thanks in advance.[/quote]


Yep $250 with the 3-pw stiff and $230 for the 4-pw reg. They have been sitting in my cart all weekend. Im torn because I really dont need another set (701s are under my bed) but for less than $250 for a new set.... killing me

[tmoore]

If anyone is still checking this thread, here's another club to consider--the MacGregor MT forged. My index is 11 and I'm not a very long hitter (7 iron about 145) so hitting GIR is important for me to score well. I currently play Adams Idea Pros with DG Players Lite shafts. I have been thinking about finding irons that are a little more forgiving, hoping to hit more greens even when I don't hit shots perfectly.

I've tried two clubs: the Srixon i-701s (non-Tours) and the MacGregor MTs forged. I hit my Adams, the 701s and the MTs side-by-side. The MTs were longer and had tighter dispersion. The Adams were second in both categories. The 701s were 5 yards shorter and less accurate. It was a cool day when I did this test, and the Srixons were definitely harsh on off-center hits.

Some of the distance loss for the Srixons might have been their heavier DG shafts.

I think the MacGregors are definitely worth a look. They even have Nippon NS Pro 950GH as their stock shaft. And they are cheap at Golfsmith or on Ebay.

Good luck

[EZ72]

[quote name='tmoore' post='2099291' date='Dec 2 2009, 08:11 PM']If anyone is still checking this thread, here's another club to consider--the MacGregor MT forged. My index is 11 and I'm not a very long hitter (7 iron about 145) so hitting GIR is important for me to score well. I currently play Adams Idea Pros with DG Players Lite shafts. I have been thinking about finding irons that are a little more forgiving, hoping to hit more greens even when I don't hit shots perfectly.

I've tried two clubs: the Srixon i-701s (non-Tours) and the MacGregor MTs forged. I hit my Adams, the 701s and the MTs side-by-side. The MTs were longer and had tighter dispersion. The Adams were second in both categories. The 701s were 5 yards shorter and less accurate. It was a cool day when I did this test, and the Srixons were definitely harsh on off-center hits.

Some of the distance loss for the Srixons might have been their heavier DG shafts.

I think the MacGregors are definitely worth a look. They even have Nippon NS Pro 950GH as their stock shaft. And they are cheap at Golfsmith or on Ebay.

Good luck[/quote]

which Adams pro irons? I googled Adams pro Irons and got Pro gold, Pro forged, Pro Hybrid and Pro black Irons. (the blacks look like blades and not forgiving at all). But thanks for the suggestion on the macgregors. They look like good alternative. Anybody else try the MTs?

[tmoore]

Sorry about that. Adams Idea Pro forged. Cavity back, slightly oversized head. Usually comes as 5-p irons plus 3 and 4 hybrids.