I try and be objective in seeing what I see, and no one would like to see these things work more than me.
Now baby steps as I was about to give up on these irons.
My CC has a Kiawah B9 low wind, Legend Tourney greens and medium pin selection comp. going on. Out came the L81 Nike Ball:
First round a 30 - happens and a good refresher, but mainly the irons felt OK. Second go a very solid 28.
First par 3 long back left pin I miss dinged my 3 iron right, got ripped and rightly so, but stayed about pin high.
Second par 3 was also the long one so a 3 wood, no iron to test sensibly IMO.
Feeling very confident at the last I thought why not. 188 out, and only a 3MPH basically cross wind, but ever so slightly pushing along I thought lets see. I wound the 5 iron BS to FBS hard against the dirt, and 100% power dinged. Ball flew straight as an arrow just past the back left pin, and hopped back for a 6' down 2" almost straight gimme.
That last hole summed up the whole round. Like using the R11s, but just better with some common sense appreciation of extra spin - not much more needed. I hasten to add I am not some one trick pony, FBS kid BTW before any one jumps on that.
Using these things was like throwing darts all the way round, and I could not fault one shot.
First to acknowledge no stern test of anything, but the last two days I would have been lucky to get within 15 foot at Beth in low winds with these in any comp.
Nothing has changed about the way I played these irons. I like to think I am a level headed considered person who steps back to evaluate first. I can only report what I see, and do not usually come to these forums with poor rounds, but this was (well hopefully was and not just a blip) an ongoing problem.
As I mentioned before I did have a late couple of good signs, some time after the shelves of the high level Nikes got back on line. Very likely 2+2 being made to = 5, and a zaney conspiracy theory. I have no clue just as it happened is all I can say.
Better irons are only there to keep pressure off the putting as much as possible - basics. These were failing miserably at that all over the place, no question at all. I hope something close to these early signs of good (great) performance continues, and if it does I will test them out in a few RGs soon.
No more for me today as grass needs cutting lol Yep I am lucky enough to have been put in charge of doing that, as well as being chief taxi service for the kids, dog walker and broom up me ar$e allowed to sweep up at the same time. What was that fatdan said about focus:)