The Spalding Black Hawks from Golfsmith may best be thought of as “compromise irons”. They have graduated cavities that are quite shallow in the short irons and considerably deeper in the long irons. The size of the cavity inside the head is relatively substantial, especially in the long irons. However, much of the weight that would have normally been removed from the overall cavity is left in place to form the steel struts that create the distinctive Black Hawk filigree pattern. What results is a low weighting pattern that spreads across the bottom half of the face. This retains mass behind the impact position and makes the Black Hawk less like a game improvement iron and more akin to “cavity muscle backs” – like the Titleist DCI 990 or 962’s. The short irons play in an almost bladelike manner. Some noticeable forgiveness is present for off-center hits on the longer irons, but so is some added punch on centered hits.
The feel at impact with the Black Hawks is enjoyably pleasant on sweetspot hits. The Rifle steel shafts adds a touch of smoothness to impact sensations. The feel can be quite solid and substantial when struck properly. Marginal hits can feel a bit thin and dull, however. Much of this is due to the low swingweight of C9.5 that occurs when no weight is added before assembly to the Golfsmith hosel ports. Our testers found that those Black Hawk demos that had been given swingweights of D2 produced a more consistently solid feel. We would recommend that most players add alittle lead to the head before assembly. The adjustable weight port provided on Golfsmith component heads is a nice feature. It provides some good flexibility, but amateur clubmakers need to remember that most players require higher swingweights than those achieved when these heads are assembled without added weight.
The appearance of these distinctive Spaldings drew mixed responses from our testers. Some found them to be exceedingly stylish and handsome. Others found the looks to be somewhat overstated. As one college tester said, “They look old-fashioned – retro – the kind of iron that old guys would like”. (By ‘retro’ he meant the 1980’s, and by ‘old’ he meant over forty.) Whatever the opinion on the unusual aesthetics of the Black Hawks all testers agreed that they have a look of quality to them. They also agreed that coupled to the Rifle steel shafts and the Winn Tour Series Harmony grips they look like very expensive, premium irons.
The Black Hawks set up at address in a clean, rounded sort of way. They have a relatively compact look to them. The topline is moderately thin, but it rolls off from the face so that it has the appearance of being a bit thicker than it actually is. The progressive offsets to the hosel are considerable, but are not disconcertingly large. All of our testers found that the Black Hawks set up nicely, but were a touch vague when it came to alignment.
During hitting sessions, online consistency with the low swingweight set was good enough for all testers, but it was rarely noteworthy. With elevated swingweights of D2, consistency improved noticeably for most testers. Trajectories were arched and average to high depending upon the player. Distances were consistently good and ballooning was never a problem. However, those seeking less height and a slightly more penetrating trajectory might prefer to opt for a lower hitting steel shaft such as the True Temper Dynamic Gold.
Overall, the Black Hawks proved to be solid, steady performers that performed well from a variety of lies. They are good, all-around irons, but the low swingweights of C9.5 give minimal authority when hitting from heavy lies. The heads can glide through the grass nicely, but some distance can be lost due to lack of oomph.
It should be noted that the black and brown Winn Tour Series Harmony grips looked great with this head/shaft combination. However, some testers complained about an oily feel to the grips. They found it quite distracting.
Summary: The Spalding Black Hawks have distinctive looks that will appeal greatly to some players, but just moderately so to others. All agreed that they have the look of quality, however. In general, the Black Hawks proved to be easy to play. They are “player cavity backs” created with mid- to mid/high-handicapped players in mind. They provide some sincere forgiveness on longer irons, but play almost bladelike in the shorter irons. Feel is pleasantly substantial and solid, but not soft and mellow in the pronounced manner of many “game improvement” cavity backs. That will appeal to many players who seek a smaller, more aggressive cavity back iron. Most of our testers found the low-swingweight set we tested to be too light. All preferred the feel and consistency of the heavier D2 demos.
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