I've Used The Same Irons For 10 Years. Here's Why They're So Hard To Replace...

Despite new technology introduced every year and the best golf irons released each season looking very tempting to me, I have used the same set of Mizuno MP-5 blades since 2016.

These stunning 2015 chrome musclebacks are still some of the best looking irons I've seen and they're performing well for me a decade later. I can't really say how often you should upgrade your irons, but I would be happy to play these for another few seasons at least.

I've got them in 5-PW and they're fitted with True Temper Dynamic Gold S300 shafts. I think they're standard lie but apart from that, I don't know much else.

I didn't get custom fit for them but we've had a good, long-term relationship that I honestly can't see ending any time soon. They briefly came out of the bag for a few months in 2020 when I had some custom-fit Honma blades, but I found they were far too good for me.

After striking them well from a lush mat in my fitting, it became much harder to consistently pure them from real grass and in the variety of lies you find out on a golf course. It was a lesson learned, and the next replacement in the iron department will be easier to hit, not harder.

While the MP-5 is technically a blade, I would describe it more as a larger muscleback. Mizuno said at the time that it features "a channelback to deliver the stability of a small players cavity in a more precise package."

The Japanese company also said the MP-5 is larger than a traditional blade and comes with the forgiveness of a cavity back. I would say that's correct.

I couldn't tell you their spin characteristics or whether I'm losing out on performance (I probably am) but iron play has become the strongest part of my game in recent years, and it might well be down to my gorgeous, and reliable, MP-5s.

I know almost exactly how far they travel on good and bad strikes, and their muscleback design allows me to shape them quite easily. I know how to hit them straight, high, low, right-to-left and left-to-right. I know when I've hit a bad shot it was my fault, and nothing ever surprises me.

They're a lovely set of forged irons that feel great, give good feedback and frame the ball beautifully at address.

Ultimately, it's hard to believe that - ten years on - there's anything significantly better out there. They're made from a Grain Flow Forging process from a single billet of 1025E Pure Select Mild Carbon steel, and they really do feel great.

Paul Casey clearly thinks the same, as the 15-time DP World Tour winner and current LIV Golfer still has them in the bag, too.

If I had look for any criticisms of the MP-5s, I can probably come up with two.

They're unsurprisingly not super forgiving, so I am always weighing up a move to a chunkier, more friendly iron. But then would I have the control and ability to shape shots with a more forgiving model? I have no idea.

I also don't hit them very high. Whether that's due to the head, shaft or a combination of both, I would say I launch them lower than most and probably spin them more than most, too, due to my steep delivery.

Having used them for ten years, we have got to know each other very well so these negatives come with the huge pro that I know them better than any iron I've ever used. There's no surprises, no jumpers and ultimately they're 'my' irons.

New irons are also very expensive, and I have a set that isn't broke and doesn't need fixing.

I originally had them from 4-PW but traded the 4-iron in for an old Titleist 816 hybrid, which I've previously written about. It was released in 2015, like the MP-5 irons, meaning half the clubs in my bag were released 11 years ago!

I still love my 4-hybrid, and would recommend one to any golfer, as I find it significantly easier to strike out of the middle and get up in the air than a traditional 4-iron.

New technology is obviously great and designed to help you, but there's often not a lot wrong with older equipment - as I've found. There's still a lot to be said about forgotten gear of the past.

My irons go for around $250-$350 on the second-hand market and I can't imagine there's much from today that could beat them by a significant margin, although I haven't hit anything modern so I could be wrong.

So, thank you to my 2015 Mizuno MP-5 irons.

They've aged like a fine wine, remain in good condition and will be with me for life.

I've shot under-par with them (once) and multiple level-par rounds, so we have had plenty of good times - as well as many bad times, too.

What is the oldest club in your bag? Let me know in the comments section.