Different shaft brand for long irons?

Having trouble controlling flight with my modus 125 in the long irons. Threw a KBS tour in the 4 iron and it helped a ton. They’re only 8 grams lighter and slightly less stiff but it helped immensely with launch and ease of hitting draws/fades. Just wondering if anyone else has different shafts in their long irons (4 and 5 irons are the ones I’m thinking of switching)

Personally, I've never got the logic behind a change of shaft for an iron head that is the same design/model as the rest of the set. But some of the ascending weight shafts seem to essentially be doing the same thing (lighter, softer) even if they are all stamped the "same" flex and model.

As long as it works, I guess that is fine. In some ways, it's the same as getting a longer iron with more forgiveness.

> @golfinguru11 said:

> Having trouble controlling flight with my modus 125 in the long irons. Threw a KBS tour in the 4 iron and it helped a ton. They’re only 8 grams lighter and slightly less stiff but it helped immensely with launch and ease of hitting draws/fades. Just wondering if anyone else has different shafts in their long irons (4 and 5 irons are the ones I’m thinking of switching)

What ever works is the only valid rule in the end, but its not "normal", but ive made a few sets where #3 and #4 was made like "hybrids or driving irons" going graphite and lighter, but before thats done, we should try to figure out why the long end is to hard to play.

That could be as simple as play length, or Total weight, or the classic SW system who give the long irons more resistance than many can handle, or a combination of them all, so instead of mixing different shafts into the set, a 3/8" set up might be the best where we use the same shaft all the way.

Another option is like mentioned above, Ascending wgt shafts, but we have to analyze whats the issue first, and then look at what options there might be to solve it, so i consider a mix of shafts like this to be the last resort if the other options dont seem right.

> @"Howard Jones" said:

> > @golfinguru11 said:

> What ever works is the only valid rule in the end, but its not "normal", but ive made a few sets where #3 and #4 was made like "hybrids or driving irons" going graphite and lighter, but before thats done, we should try to figure out why the long end is to hard to play.

>

It's not a mystery why long irons are difficult for many golfer to hit. Length, loft, and weight, that's it.

Longer clubs are more difficult to control the timing of.

The lower lofts on long irons make it more difficult to achieve optimal launch height. Less forgiving CG, with the irons compared to woods, hybrids, etc., also makes achieving optimal launch more difficult.

Misalligned face angles also creates a more slanted spin axis with lower lofted clubs and results in more hook or slice.

Finally the overall heft of the long irons again makes it harder for many golfers to swing it correctly and with enough speed to make it work.

People who struggle with long irons, should try to change one of these aspects. Length and loft are unrealistic changes with long irons, so we are left with weight, or head design to achieve more forgiving higher launch. So why not put a lighter shaft in the long irons.

> @"Adam C" said:

> > @"Howard Jones" said:

> > > @golfinguru11 said:

>

> > What ever works is the only valid rule in the end, but its not "normal", but ive made a few sets where #3 and #4 was made like "hybrids or driving irons" going graphite and lighter, but before thats done, we should try to figure out why the long end is to hard to play.

> >

> It's not a mystery why long irons are difficult for many golfer to hit. Length, loft, and weight, that's it.

> Longer clubs are more difficult to control the timing of.

> The lower lofts on long irons make it more difficult to achieve optimal launch height. Less forgiving CG, with the irons compared to woods, hybrids, etc., also makes achieving optimal launch more difficult.

> Misalligned face angles also creates a more slanted spin axis with lower lofted clubs and results in more hook or slice.

> Finally the overall heft of the long irons again makes it harder for many golfers to swing it correctly and with enough speed to make it work.

> People who struggle with long irons, should try to change one of these aspects. Length and loft are unrealistic changes with long irons, so we are left with weight, or head design to achieve more forgiving higher launch. So why not put a lighter shaft in the long irons.

Why is length unrealistic? its always the first we should look at since its the most important parameter of all, and 3/8" sets DONT mean we have to "moi match", so length is absolutely something we should consider changing if we cant handle the long irons as they are.

If something works well for you, that's all that really matters. There are no hard and fast rules for golf equipment, because no two golfers are the same. I've used graphite shafts in my long irons before and steel in the other irons with great success. If something helps you hit the ball better, then it is right for you.

> @drumdude96 said:

> If something works well for you, that's all that really matters. There are no hard and fast rules for golf equipment, because no two golfers are the same. I've used graphite shafts in my long irons before and steel in the other irons with great success. If something helps you hit the ball better, then it is right for you.

I think this is all I was looking to hear. Consistency is key, and I’m hitting them more consistently well.

> @"Adam C" said:

> > @"Howard Jones" said:

> > > @golfinguru11 said:

>

> > What ever works is the only valid rule in the end, but its not "normal", but ive made a few sets where #3 and #4 was made like "hybrids or driving irons" going graphite and lighter, but before thats done, we should try to figure out why the long end is to hard to play.

> >

> It's not a mystery why long irons are difficult for many golfer to hit. Length, loft, and weight, that's it.

> Longer clubs are more difficult to control the timing of.

> The lower lofts on long irons make it more difficult to achieve optimal launch height. Less forgiving CG, with the irons compared to woods, hybrids, etc., also makes achieving optimal launch more difficult.

> Misalligned face angles also creates a more slanted spin axis with lower lofted clubs and results in more hook or slice.

> Finally the overall heft of the long irons again makes it harder for many golfers to swing it correctly and with enough speed to make it work.

> People who struggle with long irons, should try to change one of these aspects. Length and loft are unrealistic changes with long irons, so we are left with weight, or head design to achieve more forgiving higher launch. So why not put a lighter shaft in the long irons.

I'm not a fitting and don't have the knowledge that some of you guys do. But my thought has been if shaft X works in your 6-iron, 7-iron, 8-iron, etc. the shaft is not the problem (weight, flex, profile, feel, etc are all good). If you can't hit the next lower lofted iron well, it doesn't seem like the shaft's characteristics itself are the problem. I'd guess that for many people it's just a lack of loft on the next iron that pushes them over the edge (either not enough clubhead speed and/or the clubhead is just too penalizing).

I guess the lighter shaft can fix some of this if you can swing it faster. But it seems like a softer shaft is often just adding a bit more dynamic loft at impact? If so, just bent the problem iron weak (but no one wants to say I have a 5.5 iron). Or get a different clubhead design like SGI iron or hybrid.

Again, I guess whatever works is all that matters in the end...

Tiger has done it. He’s not the only one

> @iteachgolf said:

> Tiger has done it. He’s not the only one

Which irons? I thought he's used X100 in 3-iron - PW forever. In his early days I believe he had split Mizuno iron heads - where the shafts also different? I'm not including the occasional driving iron in the conversation.

Quite a few guys have used R300 in the long irons and S300 in the rest of the set, or S300 long irons and X100 in the rest. Like I said before, whatever works.

> @agolf1 said:

> > @iteachgolf said:

> > Tiger has done it. He’s not the only one

> Which irons? I thought he's used X100 in 3-iron - PW forever. In his early days I believe he had split Mizuno iron heads - where the shafts also different? I'm not including the occasional driving iron in the conversation.

He’s used PXI in his 2 iron for most of the time since 2012ish. Often not a driving iron, but an actual 2 iron.

A GolfWorks Academy instructor used to run his own custom club shop in 1980s. Back in the day, he would normally softstepped the 2i and 3i without telling the golfer.

As for me, I had my 4i refit from a KBS Tour 90 shaft to a hybrid shaft, a 75-gram SteelFiber HST 780. Shaft about 20 grams lighter, but clubsmith rebalanced it so it doesn't feel feathery. The clubhead is hollow, so it's halfway to hybrid now. Still learning to use it, but I can hit it off the fairway much better now. And, I can hit a low runner with it if needed.

> @iteachgolf said:

> > @agolf1 said:

> > > @iteachgolf said:

> > > Tiger has done it. He’s not the only one

> > Which irons? I thought he's used X100 in 3-iron - PW forever. In his early days I believe he had split Mizuno iron heads - where the shafts also different? I'm not including the occasional driving iron in the conversation.

>

> He’s used PXI in his 2 iron for most of the time since 2012ish. Often not a driving iron, but an actual 2 iron.

OK, thanks. I've seen it in his driving iron but didn't recall it elsewhere (I think Rory also has a lighter flex in the driving iron). I still think it's odd if the 2 iron head design/model was the same as his 3-PW, although as many have noted whatever works is fine. Obviously his golfing credentials are a bit more impressive than mine as well...

I have a UDi 3i that I play with a precision rifle 6.5 as opposed to my iron set with project x 7.0. Two very different profiles to me, but in play feel great.

I also recently put together a set with the 3/8” steps based on posts I’ve read before from Howard. I’ve only had it in play for a few rounds now, but so far I’m enjoying it. As Howard said, the long irons don’t feel intimidating at address. And to the other posters point it also made them swing weight a little less so compared to my standard length set they are definitely easier to swing.

All that to say that I wouldn’t discount the length of the irons as a factor. Do what works, but for me, it’s been a great result.