I Loved These New Irons But I Wish This Problem Had Been Fixed First

Vice Golf has spent the last decade disrupting the golf ball market, moving from the realms of cheeky upstart to a legitimate hardware option for many players.

Its latest offering, the VGI03, is a one-piece forged 1020 carbon steel iron aimed squarely at the better player. While Vice is known for a "fun" aesthetic, the VGI03 is a serious attempt to challenge some of the best irons, which balance premium construction with a direct-to-consumer price point.

From the first glance, it is clear that the VGI03s are very "Vice." It’s a company that likes to do things a little differently, and the "in the bag" look is genuinely interesting.

The finish is almost a matte powder coating, and I really enjoy it; it diffuses glare perfectly and gives the club a rugged, modern industrial feel. A particularly classy touch is the subtle logo engraving on the hosel - the lack of paint fill here always makes a club look far more expensive than its price tag suggests to me.

However, the aesthetics aren't a total home run. In my opinion, the main Vice logo on the back of the club feels a bit loud and somewhat cheapens what is otherwise a very premium-looking forged head. Additionally, there is a black line in the "crease" on the back of the club that feels unnecessary (unless I am missing some technical relevance) and breaks up the clean lines of the muscle back.

Behind the ball, I found the VGI03s superb. This is where Vice has clearly done their homework regarding what a low-handicap player wants to see. The blade length is compact, the offset is minimal, and the top line is razor-thin without feeling intimidating.

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I will say, however, I showed these to a few low-handicap friends of mine, and a couple of them pointed out a slight overlap of the top edge into the hosel in that all-important transition area. While it was a negative for some of them who like to think of themselves as purists, I didn't mind it at all. In fact, I found them a total joy to look down on, offering the kind of confidence at address that you usually only get from the "big four" manufacturers.

While I haven’t received a full spec sheet just yet, I put the 7-iron on my loft and lie machine, and it measured at 33°, placing it on the traditional side of the spectrum.

I might sound like a broken record here, but performance - in terms of launch monitor data - is essentially identical in terms of launch, spin, and carry to every other forged blade on the market in the 33˚/34˚ 7-iron area, simply because there is so little to play with in terms of technology. There are no flexing faces or hollow bodies to work with here, so the differentiators come in the untangibles in this iron category.

In terms of feel, the 1020 carbon steel provides exactly what you would expect from a quality one-piece forging. The strike is soft and muffled, providing plenty of feedback; you know exactly where you’ve hit it on the face, which is a vital trait for the scratch golfers and ball strikers Vice is targeting.

My one criticism regarding performance lies in the turf interaction. The sole feels a little harsh and unforgiving through the strike for me. It lacks the sophisticated contouring and leading-edge relief that allow the best players' irons to slip through the turf effortlessly. If you tend to be a little "diggy" or catch one slightly heavy, the VGI03 doesn't offer much insurance.

That said, at $999 for a 4-PW set, the value here is undeniable. You are essentially getting a premium forged players' iron without the luxury-brand markup. Vice even offers a 60-day return policy (even on custom builds), which is almost unheard of in the industry.

My only real concern is the market itself. Historically, the "blade" or "muscle back" user is the snobbiest demographic in golf. These players usually prefer to stump up the extra cash for the heritage and prestige of Mizuno, Titleist, or Miura, which gives me concerns about who will be buying this model.

That said, brands like Takomo and Ben Hogan have proven there is a growing appetite for high-quality, lower-priced DTC blades. If players can get past the "value brand" stigma, the VGI03 is a very capable performer that looks great in the bag and will offer some very comparable performance to some much more expensive options.