50 Words or Less
The Vice Golf VGI01 irons look great at address. Notable forgiveness for their size. Solid feel. Very strong ball flight – fitting is a must.
Introduction
If you’re not sure why we continue to see so many direct to consumer golf ball companies popping up, look no further than Vice Golf. In just a handful of years, Vice went from offering a couple balls to being a full-fledged OEM with clubs, apparel, bags, and more. Who wouldn’t try to copy that playbook?
In this review, I’m taking a close look at the Vice Golf VGI01 irons to see if their move into clubs was a wise one or if they should have remained the internet’s favorite golf ball.
Curious about Vice Golf balls? Check out our review of their Pro Soft and Pro Zero HERE and a review of the Pro and Pro Plus HERE.
Looks
At address, the Vice Golf VGI01 irons look really good. They have a thin top line, minimal offset, and a moderate blade length. I also like how the taller heel and straighter leading edge give the face a more squared appearance, though that’s a personal preference.
In the bag, we can see how Vice was able to keep the topline so thin. The back of the iron has a big “step” from the thin upper portion to the much wider sole. I’ll discuss how this affects performance shortly, but it is an appealing look. The simple “Vice” word logo on the back gives this set a premium, classic appeal.
The Vice Golf VGI01 irons are offered in three different looks. Seen here is the version known as “Black” which is not to be confused with “All Black” – an iron with a black finish and black paint fill. The VGI01 Lime has this same silver finish but with lime paintfill. Vice allows players to choose a custom paintfill and ferrule through their custom program.
Sound & Feel
I was very impressed with the look of the Vice Golf VGI01 irons, and I was hoping that would continue with a satisfying impact sensation. Striking a premium ball, my hands got a feeling that was very solid but not particularly soft. They’re not firm or unpleasant, just right in the middle on the soft/hard spectrum. The VGI01 does provide good feedback on impact location through the hands.
The sound of impact is a match for the feel – a solid “thud” that’s average in volume. This also pairs well with the iron’s more traditional look. Audio feedback is fairly minimal, which, for me, is preferable to an ugly sound making your mishits even more dispiriting.
Performance
The tagline “a pro looking iron everyone can hit” gives the Vice Golf VGI01 irons a lot to live up to. We’ve established that they do have that traditional players look, but is there enough forgiveness to make them playable for a wider range of golfers? They seek to achieve that playability with a hollow body construction like the TaylorMade P790 [review HERE] and a “Low CoG for High MOI.” Gear-educated golfers know that a low CG and high MOI are not related, but we’ll leave that aside for now.
In my testing, the first thing that stood out about these irons was the low ball flight. They launched a bit below my normal window with below average spin. This added up to landing angles that peaked at 40 degrees – significantly below what’s recommended for holding a green. While I am a low spin player, all of these numbers were below what I normally see. To add further context, the lofts on the Vice Golf VGI01 irons are in line with other players distance irons.
Turning to ball speed, the VGI01 irons are impressive. In my testing, they produced ball speeds and smash factors that are competitive with the most popular irons in the players distance category. For a high spin player, these ball speeds with low spin could translate to huge distance. Vice Golf irons are available at Club Champion for those smart golfers who want to be fit before opening their wallet.
Vice Golf’s website notes that the VGI01 irons have a “mini grind & increased bounce” but does not specify the bounce angle on the sole. Vice claims that this “enhances turf interaction for cleaner strikes and fewer fat shots.” This is not dissimilar from the sole Srixon uses on their irons, like the ZX7i [review HERE] – a higher bounce sole with trailing edge relief to make the sole feel thinner in the turf. In my testing, I did not find the sole particularly noteworthy in terms of great turf interaction or digging resistance. It’s a fairly middle of the road sole, which is fine for most players.
Finally, we arrive at the question of forgiveness. Given their address look, I think the Vice Golf VGI01 irons are impressively consistent. The speed stays high if you’re around the center of the face, and the launch and spin won’t get weird unless you explore the edges of the hitting area. There are more forgiving irons if you’re open to something just a hair bigger, but this much forgiveness with a top line this thin is laudable.
Conclusion
Are the Vice Golf VGI01 irons “a pro looking iron that everyone can hit”? I’d stop well short of saying “everyone,” but this is a very good looking iron that’s more playable than the top line would suggest. Overall, it’s an intriguing first offering from Vice Golf, but the low spin necessitates that golfers be well fit before putting these in the bag.
Buy the Vice Golf VGI01 Irons HERE
Vice Golf VGI01 Irons Price & Specs
He founded Plugged In Golf in 2013 with the goal of helping all golfers play better and enjoy the game more.
Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.
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2 Comments
Those are very nice looking irons, and it’s nice to see that they can be fitted in person.
For me, personally, I would benefit more from a traditional SGI iron, but I always appreciate seeing what’s out there.
They have a larger iron, too. I have a review of that coming out on Monday.
Best,
Matt