Equipment
My favorite irons of all time: Titleist 962B
They were, and still are, my favorite irons of all time. I played the best golf of my life with them, and every “best iron shot” I ever hit was with these irons.
It was a multi-faceted love affair: look, feel, turf interaction, ball flight, curb appeal, David Duval played them, and on and on.
It was the only set that I had two of, for a gear junkie like me, that is huge. And BTW, this set has the best looking 7-iron ever.
Once again, I went to my Titleist R&D resource, Larry Bobka, to find out the backstory of what I think is the greatest cast players iron ever made.
JW: What was the goal of developing this iron? Was it to please a certain player and find a “tour” 962 iron?
LB: Well it was fairly simple actually. We had just signed David to be the face of the DCI line if irons and had to make him an iron that he would put into play. Marching orders came in and we went off and made it. So essentially it is the David Duval iron.
This week, we have our Tour Photographer, Greg Moore, on the ground at the OccuNet Classic at Tascosa Golf Club in Amarillo, Texas, for the 14th event of the 2026 Korn Ferry Tour season. With that, we see some great things in the Lead Tape Report as we roll into Amarillo.
Joel Thelen
Monday Qualifier, Joel Thelen is in the field this week. He has played on the Korn Ferry Tour for a full season in 2023, and he is back in action this week. A couple of clubs caught my eye this week in his bag.
First off: His trusted Titleist 816 H2 hybrid. This club came out in October of 2015, and it still remains strong in the bag. Also, take a look at this Odyssey White Hot OG 7, putting a capital S in the 7S model. This custom neck has some impressive lean for an arm-lock-style putter. The bottom of the putter is covered in tape for optimal weighting.
Mitchell Meissner
Taking a look at Mitchell Meissner’s bag this week, we have some great lead tape coverage. Top to bottom working from fairway metals, irons, and wedges. We can see on the short irons and wedges that there is tape at the base of the grip, adding a little counterbalance. Along with that, some tape on the short irons and wedges as well. Moving to his putter, he rolls the Odyssey 7 Bird putter. Meissner putts left-handed and strikes the ball right-handed.
Bud Cauley had >14 clubs in his bag when photographed prior to the Memorial Tournament.
Driver: Titleist GTS2 (8 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
3-wood: Titleist GTS3 (15 degrees, B1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Chemical Tensei 1K Pro Red 70 TX
7-wood: Titleist GTS3 (21 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Chemical Tensei 1K Pro Red 80 TX
Irons: Titleist U505 (3), Titleist 620 MB (4-9)
Shafts: Fujikura Ventus Black HB 8 X, True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 (48-10F, 52-12F, 56-14F), WedgeWorks (60-K*)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putters: Scotty Cameron Tour Prototype, Scotty Cameron GOLO 6.3 Prototype
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Align
Ball: Titleist Pro V1
In our forums, one user has offered up a prompt for the true sickos, inviting fellow forum members to share every set of irons they’ve ever owned. As to be expected, this is a lengthy forum topic.
@Lamosteve began:
Can you name every set of irons you’ve owned? Here’s mine
Spalding Dots
Spalding Eclipse
Ram Lazer FX
Lynx Parallax
Mizuno EZ Comp
Ben Hogans
Cleveland CG Red
Taylor Made R9s
PING i20
PING iE1
Taylor Made M6
Our members in the forum have been offering up their own collections. Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.
- macedan: “Started with a hand-me-down Golden Bear set from my brother when I was in high school, never really played more than once a year or got into the game until about summer of 2017. First purchased a set of Cleveland CG4’s (I actually really miss this set sometimes, soft & not terribly large for a GI iron), moved into Nike Vapor Fly’s by the end of the year. Those lasted until spring of 18 when I decided I wanted new, so I traded them in for TM Rbladez. Honestly, although I liked the Rbladez, poor decision on my part, I think this was really about the only time so far that after a week or two I was kicking myself for not staying with what I had. Rbladez stayed with me until late last summer when I switched to P790’s and (knock on wood) I am hoping this will be my longest lasting set.”
- JimmyC59: “MacGregor Jack Nicklaus Triple Crown. Palmer The Standard. Still play these.”
- jgrzask: “Tommy Armour 845u
Mizuno MP-32
Mizuno MP-33 (2 sets)
Bridgestone J33cb – still own
Srixon i-302 (2 sets) – still own
Tourstage X-Blades – still own
Mizuno Hot Metal – still own
Nike Forged Blades – still own
Titleist 714 AP1 – still own
Cobra Forged SS – still own”
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Rich Douglas
May 9, 2020 at 5:21 pm
If your favorite irons are some old set, play them. If you don’t have them, find them. But my question is, if they were so great, why aren’t you still playing them?
While I’ve made a couple of mistakes along the way, for the most part by best irons are the ones in the bag. The rest is just waxing nostalgic and convenient forgetfulness.
Benny
May 9, 2020 at 3:40 pm
Great article and while I always thought DCI’s were the ugliest kid on the block. Fun read JW!
George Stevenson
May 10, 2020 at 1:01 pm
Probably the ugliest iron ever made!
BRADLEY
May 9, 2020 at 8:03 am
I am playing my favorit iron of all time right now the DCI 990 3-pw. I have kicked around getting a set of the 762 or even the 762b. Now after reading this I might have to buy a set.
Sam
May 9, 2020 at 5:39 am
Do you guys even edit these articles before you post them?
stanley
May 8, 2020 at 11:00 pm
we need titleist to make a forged version of this iron.. o man!!!!
Shallowface
May 9, 2020 at 11:19 am
Why? The cast version is as soft as forged and more durable. If the molds still exist, I would think they could produce these immediately, as long as people would accept the old school lofts (a big if I’ll grant you).
Stump
May 8, 2020 at 10:01 pm
Does anyone know if the 962B came in lefty? I had a set of lefty 962 2-SW and gave them away. I really wish I had them back. I’ve been trying to find another set without much luck.
My buddy gave me a 962 1 iron for my birthday so I’ve got the start of a new set!
Chris G
May 8, 2020 at 11:44 pm
Nope sorry bud, the 962 (and 990 which came later) were only available in the regular version. Little thicker top line, and a little more cavity. We got them Righties back two years later when Phil gave us the 731PM. Yes!!
Peter
May 8, 2020 at 9:43 pm
I had the normal 962 irons but I remember looking at the B version each time I went in the pro shop and wanting those instead. I would probably give up my mizuno blades for a new set of these.
EJ
May 8, 2020 at 8:49 pm
Not the B, but just picked up a set of unstamped 962, 2-pw, x100 for the princely sum of $103… I’ll get a set of “B” eventually and blend them in. Went into those from a set of Titleist 660 and I’ve played all the usual, mp14, mp29, 681, 690, etc. These are up there with the best of them…
brian
May 8, 2020 at 7:49 pm
I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I mean, some find the Ping Eye aesthetically pleasing, too…
Personally, I find that 962 7 iron to be ugly as sin.
Duder
May 8, 2020 at 8:13 pm
My favorite irons of all time are the Mizuno MP 37 hands down! Wish I was young again, lol.