Since PRGR moved the manufacturing of their forged irons back to Japan and Endo, they have produced quite a few wonderful feeling and great performing iron sets for improving golfers and better players. Every year the irons they release are applauded for ease of uses and forgiveness as well. In recent years though, they have also learned through feedback from Japanese tour pros and low handicap athlete golfers, that a premium compact cavity is needed in their lineup to satisfy the demands of the better golfer. Early last year they released a limited edition TR500 Forged iron that did exactly that and was sold out within weeks of becoming available. Late last year they announced their new iD lineup which stands for Inspiration and Data. This new line focused on data taken from golfers over the years and used to design a line of clubs that made golf more fun and more easy for players of all levels. Again at that time, a players cavity was conspicuously missing.

Spin control and accuracy…

Fast forward several months into 2011 and we have the new PRGR iD BL Iron, designed with input from top PRGR tour pros and made for the better golfer. This limited iron is forged from premium S20C at Endo and its compact size and design are aimed at feel and spin control/accuracy. With minimal offset and a thinner top line and sole, the sharp lines frame the ball at address as the iD BL is designed to aim at the target and attack the pin with confidence and direction. The iD BL is purposely designed with a slightly thicker heel side and especially center face area to reward good striking players with pure feel. You can see in the image below how it is thick all the way to the top line resulting in soft impact up and down the center of the face.

Consistent CG height across irons…

The CG height is the same across all irons for a consistent and large sweet spot. The CG is in fact a touch higher due to the thicker center cavity area resulting in a stable more spin heavy ball. A short gravity angle allows for workability and different trajectory shots. Pro Gears key design point on this iron is balance, and that balance provides consistent ball striking and feel across the entire set.

Very nice set up at address…

Better player will love the way the iD BL sets up. With its straight and thin top line and very little offset, it looks like a muscle back at address as there is no hint of a cavity at all, even though the cavity is designed rather thick for that soft feel.  The brushed satin finish is beautiful and anti glare. The face area and score lines stand out giving you a clear framing of the ball.

Pure strikes are rewarded…

As an average golfer and mid-capper, this iron is not targeted at the likes of me. I did not expect it to be an easy iron to hit and I went to the range with that frame of mind already set. Hitting a small head like the iD BL pure certainly requires consistent ball striking if not very dedicated concentration. Pure strikes are rewarded with very buttery feel while shots off the toe can be especially punishing because that is the thinnest area of the head. Even towards the heel  you are not nearly punished as much and feel is still pretty good with very little distance lost. Surprisingly I was able to hit this iron more consistently than expected and I would have to attribute a lot of that to the sole. The grind of an iron or wedge for that matter, not only aids in how a club plays but also plays a part in the feel of a club. The grind of the iD BL allows the player to easily get under the ball and as a player with a slightly more down blow kind if swing, it worked very well with its blunt leading edge, helping me hit the center of the iron more often than not.

Clean one piece forged design…

I usually take comparison pictures to give an idea of size and what not with demos that I get but I didn’t really bother with the iD BL. Right now I only have the Titleist VG3 Forged and Epon AF-502 here with  me and the iD BL is very obviously smaller than both. Thinner top line, less offset and thicker sweet spot.  Better players will really like this iron as I can’t really see any weak spots design wise. Its not technically advanced (ie tungsten in the sole, multi piece design) but a clean one piece forged iron that is well designed with feel and control in mind.  In the end it seems that simple and pure is what better players seem to like anyway.

Available now in limited quantities…

The iD BL Forged is already available in the TSG Pro shop and shipping though sets are limited. One negative, if I had to bring one up, might be shaft selection. You can pretty much only get S200 or PRGR Spec Steel II in M-43 or M-46 flex. The Spec Steel is lighter weight and good for smoother swingers 95-106 driver speeds while the S200 has more weight to it and is better for more aggressive swingers 100mph and up.

Here are some pictures I snapped (taken with the Fujifilm X100 I might add!)

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