Before these I was hitting Golfsmith Tour Cavity Forged irons and decided to go with a set of blades because I like the way they set up behind the ball (mainly due to the smaller club head) and am looking to improve my game, especially with regards to shot shaping. I found it difficult to adjust my trajectories with the Golfsmiths. I went with the 680's sight unseen after hitting the 690's and being impressed with the way they felt compared to the Mizuno MP33's, which were my first choice. It should be said that the MP's are great clubs also and you can not go wrong with them if you're looking for a great set of forged musclebacks. After two months with the 680's, I have nothing but good to say about them. I can't imagine ever needing another set of irons until I completely wear the grooves off of these. That said, there are some "traits" to these clubs that potential buyers should know. First off has to do with their forgiveness, or more appropriately, their lack thereof. Distance on pured shots is quite good- up there with the best of 'em at the same lofts. However, when you begin to stray off-center, the penalty in distance can be a good twenty yards when you miss by as little as a half-inch toward the toe or heel and the ball-flight is considerably lower. Being an eighty's shooter as I am, it comes into play with my club selection on days when I'm not hitting them so well. If I don't feel comfortable with the shot, I'll take a club more because I know that a miss-hit will leave me well short of the green with a club that I know if hit well can get me there. Therefore, for the casual golfer who spends most of his golfing time on the course and rarely thinks of going to the range, these clubs will only deter from your enjoyment of the game and will probably leave you puzzled with how far you think you hit each club. For those looking to seriously improve their ball-striking (me), these clubs will ruthlessly let you know how you're progressing. For those who already strike the ball perfectly, I hate you. Leave now. Just joking, for good ball-strikers, these clubs offer consistently good distances and fairly boring flights. The other aspect to be aware of is these babies like to be worked. It doesn't matter if they're draws or fades as I haven't noticed any biases to these clubs. To get the most out of these, I have to make a firm decision before each shot which way I'm going to work the ball into the pin. They respond very well to slight movements (for me, I turn my shoulders sooner in the downswing for a fade and hold them back a bit for a draw), and it doesn't take much to pull off a big hook or cut. Trust me, I do it all the time. Without even trying. Seriously though, they are very easy to work left and right. High and low trajectories have been much easier to pull off than my old Golfsmith's, though I can't really go into depth about their abilities since I am certain that I have yet to tap into their real potential in this area, having just recently begun to attempt these types of shots. The last bit that I can think of is the specs of my clubs. They have the Dynamic Golds with Sensicore in stiff (my swingspeed is 93mph with a 6 iron). The feel with these shafts is almost one of numbness when you pure a shot, which I prefer. Those looking for livelier feel would probably do well to shop around for other shaft suggestions. I hope that this review is helpful in your purchasing decisions and I thank you for taking the time to read it.

Customer Service

When I ordered the clubs I was given a 7-10 business day timetable for their arrival. They came in on the sixth day with a nice little sheet showing the specs of each club including their individual swingweights(each was either D2 or D2-1/2)

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Ones mentioned in review

Wow... After waiting a week or so for the clubs I finally got out to the course today. Stupid me went straight to the first tee without hitting any range balls... Mistake number 1. I've been playing since I was four and still suck... Won many tournaments growing up and think that I've a decent swing, blah blah blah. I've been playing 962s for about 5 years (once every two, three or four weeks) and thought this would be the next logical progression and maybe what my game needed. My first impression is that was a really bad thought in that these clubs are not easy to hit well - they're easy to hit, don't get me wrong, but not easy to hit well. The distance seems to be about the same or maybe even a 1/2 club less than my 962s??? I hit the 962s really, really high so I thought the 980s would be a good choice. Maybe in the long run as I'm not giving up yet but I may have bitten off more than I can chew. I'm sure the scratch golfers out there would do very, very well but I'm not sure the guys in the mid-80s will...

The price is a bit high because of the import duty and tax in Thailand. But,... After a number of testing different sets of clubs - MP-33, 690MB with NS shaft, 680, Nike Combo, and Nike Blade. I have to say that the 680 was the best overall blade. It looks fantastic. I feel so good when holding this clubs in my hands. It's true that it produces a bit lower ball flight, but I didn't lose any distance. The feel is very solid when striking the ball even off the sweet spot a bit. I do think Titleist have done a great job on this model. The 680 has a pretty small club face. It's a bit smaller than my old MP-14. This 680s are excellent clubs. I would highly recommend to all serious golfers who shoot in the 80s or lower. Special thanks to Richard and Alex for his comment and suggestion.

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Callaway X-12, Taylor Made 320, MP-14

What a great set of irons – don't think I need to comment on the looks! Sweet feel and actually quite forgiving. First thought about buying the 690mb, but the 680s with their slightly higher muscle back produce a lower ball flight, which for me, being a high hitter, is perfect. Played callaway X14 pro series before. Also a good club, but the 680s win, especially playing shots out of the rough. Give em a try. 

Customer Service

Custom fit dept. does a nice job!

Just got these clubs on eBay for a bargain. haven't played with them yet but went to the range twice. My preliminary report suggests that they are more forgiving and half a club longer than my Titleist DCI 962B's. Also more accurate. They seem to go exactly where you aim them. No surprises except that the less than perfect hits produce a much more decent shot than I expected. The instant the ball is struck, you know exactly what happened. The feel is very helpful. Forget all the crap you hear and read about blades being hard to hit. It's not true! Sure, you need to be a decent ball striker to get the most out of these blades. But they do inspire concentration and focus and will make you a better golfer in the long run. Highly recommended for anyone with a reasonably consistent swing and the patience to work on their ball striking technique. Having played with cast cavity back irons all my life, I can honestly say that forged is the way to go.

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Titleist DCI Black, 962B

I just bought the 680 irons (2-PW) with DG S-300 after demoed for them fun. The contact is very solid, trajectory lower than my MP-33. Less butterlike than MP-33 but excellent feeling when stroke correctly. Distance same as my MP-33. Must be a good ball srtiker to use them, just a little less easy to hit due to smaller blade and higher center of gravity. I loved this blades in windy condition or normal condition. Yes I am a fan of Titleist products, but when a product is good, users should say it. Specs of standard Titleist are 1/4 longer on paper but side by side with Mizuno standard, they are the same lenght, I dont know where is the 1/4 of inch. Mizuno MP-33 and Titleist 680 are superior products in my mind. I will keep them for a long time. P.S. They are in soft steel, so buy iron covers if you want them to look in good condition.

Customer Service

Not use, but these irons was not easy to find in Canada.

Similar Products Used:

MP-33, Nike Blades