Feeling of cast vs forged irons

Hi all, I know that this topic has been discussed at length in this forum. But just want to contribute my experience here and hopefully let other golfers have some more inputs if they ever feel like changing irons.

My previous irons were 712 AP1 on nspro 950 stiff. Bought new.

Feeling: It is very hard to describe feelings in words and I am also not an expert words smith but I try my best here. I was really enjoying the AP1s. The feeling of a good hit on the sweet spot, the vibrations from impact sent up to the grip…..it feels to me like a micro mini explosion happening inside my hands. I loved it. Whenever I get that feeling, I say to myself "god I need to feel that again" and it's hard to stop hitting balls at the range. Sound wise is like a low thud, to me sounds masculine and strong. In the end I sold it because I thought it's time to move on and also wanted to fetch a good price before it lost it's value.

Now I am using 712 AP2 on identical shafts. Just had my virgin game with it. Bought used.

Feeling: It could be just me but I still prefer my AP1s. Maybe I have not gotten used to it yet. The feeling of a good shot on the sweet spot is very "airy" and "muted". There is not much vibrations and I can;t be sure if I compressed the ball or not. No micro mini explosion inside my hands. Is this what everybody means when they say forged irons has a softer feeling? The sound is somewhat louder and higher a little. Not a low masculine thud like the AP1s. So I guess I am saying…..there is not much feeling that I experience upon impact with the ball. 

Hope this helps and just sharing my own experience here.

Cheers.

some grips are designed to absorb more vibrations. forged irons normally have softer feel as different material are used.

buy back your AP1!... haha... I have learnt the lesson not to sell the current gamer until you are truly satisfied with the new purchase...

Don't really like my previous AP2 either... the face feels 'springy' as compare to the solid feeling that comes with cavity backs such as Mizuno Mp64, Miura CB-202, etc...

Just to add on that Ap1 and Ap2 lofts are different even for same iron. That's why AP1 can hit further than AP2 if you notice.

Pizzaman wrote:

... Don't really like my previous AP2 either... the face feels 'springy' as compare to the solid feeling that comes with cavity backs such as Mizuno Mp64, Miura CB-202, etc...

I can appreciate what you meant when u mentioned lacks "solid feel" on cavity-backed and pocket-cavity iron head ... Thats why I stick to muscle-backed iron albeit I don't possess tour caliber skill ...

i was glad that i bought a set of MBs from a nice bro here ard 1 yr back... Since then, I bought quite a few sets of irons from cavity back to pocket cavity & to the super forgiving ones. But none proves to me that they are much more forgiving then the MBs. Maybe I did not give them enough time to shine. Mishit from any set is the same, but the feeling of a good strike from MB is exceptional.

Here's a video on Forged vs cast irons ...

The video seems to assume that forged = blades, and cast = cavity, which is not always the case.

There are forged cavity irons and also cast blades on the market.

And nowadays there also cast and forged multi-material clubs to create even more variables. Or the club can be made from both cast and forged components!

A cavity back forged iron like the Mizuno JPX-forged feels softer on almost every strike when compared to cavity back cast offerings like RBZ Tour or the Ping G series.

i hv my 712 ap1 irons and think i understand how you feel... very forgiving and also good in distance...
..thats is why iam comtemplating sell this backup set or not.....   
ha still thinking after 4mths....   

ap1 is really an easy iron set to play with...  but my only gripe is that it is not so accurate maybe due to its super forgiveness and bulky design...

I just don't get that "soft" feel that most people are talking about.   I have Taylormade Burner 2.0 and Miura iron.  Burner 2.0 is cast and Miura is forged.   They both feel solid on decent strikes.  But I don't feel Miura feels softer than burner 2.0.   

I also demoed a Tourstage iron, the sales guy said it's forged.  But I still don't get that "soft" feel.   

Also my wife commented "how can a steel feel soft?? it's a steel".

While I am still trying to figure it out myself on the word "feel" on the iron head itself, I also asked what is the feel if I use a forged iron and use a "soft" ball and what is the difference if I use a "hard, 2 piece" ball on a forged iron. What if I use a cast iron head and use a "soft" ball, do I still get the same feeling as that of a forged head?  Still trying to understand....

However, I came across Mark Crossfield in youtube where he did a blind test between a forged and cast iron (he was blind folded).  Well, he can't tell which is which! It seems that feel is more like what we hear!!! Yes, I am like....WHAT???? Do have a look at that youtube and perhaps some techincal golfers can provide some light into this "feel" thing.

Cheers.

My random thoughts:

Impact, vibration and sound are closely linked. Different materials vibrate differently, and it is vibration which generates sound. So what you hear does have some co-relation to the material and the feel. (Pardon my O-level physics).

There used to be a Mizuno hands-on-exhibit which I came across at Golf House (not sure if the exhibit is still there). Customers were invited to hit a spoon-like metallic piece onto pieces of forged and cast steel. The sound produced is very different between the two.

If I mishit or skull the ball using a forged blade vs using a cast cavity - there's a huge difference in feedback. My wrists will sting from skulling with a forged blade. Not so with a cast cavity. How much of it is due to forged vs cast or blade vs cavity, I can't be sure.

The idea of softness is more pronounced when you drop or hit of concrete. Cast, very hard and forged very soft. Imho.

Mizuno like to flaunt their grain flow forged iron and their harmonic impact technology, which they claimed allow the better feedback to the players.

superputt wrote:

I just don't get that "soft" feel that most people are talking about.   I have Taylormade Burner 2.0 and Miura iron.  Burner 2.0 is cast and Miura is forged.   They both feel solid on decent strikes.  But I don't feel Miura feels softer than burner 2.0.   

I also demoed a Tourstage iron, the sales guy said it's forged.  But I still don't get that "soft" feel.   

Also my wife commented "how can a steel feel soft?? it's a steel".

Me too. Still don't understand and can't recognise what is a soft feel. Super puzzled after hitting forged irons.

What if stick a shaft into a block of butter and try hitting the ball? Will that take soft feel to the extreme? Just an analogy.

I suspect the feeling that I miss and loved from my AP1 cast irons maybe the feeling of "forgiveness". And possibly why I do not like the feel of the forged AP2s.

One thing cannot quantify is also the cavity factor.

stickman wrote:

While I am still trying to figure it out myself on the word "feel" on the iron head itself, I also asked what is the feel if I use a forged iron and use a "soft" ball and what is the difference if I use a "hard, 2 piece" ball on a forged iron. What if I use a cast iron head and use a "soft" ball, do I still get the same feeling as that of a forged head?  Still trying to understand....

However, I came across Mark Crossfield in youtube where he did a blind test between a forged and cast iron (he was blind folded).  Well, he can't tell which is which! It seems that feel is more like what we hear!!! Yes, I am like....WHAT???? Do have a look at that youtube and perhaps some techincal golfers can provide some light into this "feel" thing.

Cheers.

Bro he was blindfolded and blast music into his ears. More importantly, King of Pop!

I like to feel the impact vibrations in the hands. The feeling of a good contact is always soft n effortless. Crossfield worn gloves on both hands to eliminate the vibrations, yet he knew his shots even blind folded n hearing obstructed.

i thought he should be trying to feel the clubs with the hands, if you cover up everything, how to feel?

My bad on missing the hearing part!!! yes, Now i remember, the King of Pop!!!!! and the underline statement is if we don't see or hear, he cannot tell the difference between cast or forged even by feeling it from the hand...Now that is something that I am struggling with, is there any marketing strategy element in all this or what?

Well for now, I am searching for the song by the King of Pop.

perhaps , he is trying to show forged or cast make no difference . only a matter of preference

This Video seems can help.