One length irons

I am curious who out here is using them? and who has used them been then switched back to progressive?

SL fan here. Made the move 2 years ago and dumped all the hybrids and went all the way back to a 4i. It took a bit of time getting used to the longer wedges but for those of us who are deficient with skills, it's nice to be able to try and make the same setup and swing repeatedly.

Would be cool to see a chart with single length sales volume vs Bryson DeChambeau tournament success

Dave, did you lose any distance in the 4-6 one length irons compared to variable length 4-6 irons? Assuming your iron lengths are based off of the 7-iron.

My set is built off a 7i and I gained almost a full club throughout the bag. I think it's from making more regular contact with the sweet spot due to 1 swing other than anything else. I hadn't hit a 4i in probably 20 years opting for various flavor of hybrids. Now I'm comfortable hitting a 4i pretty much anywhere.

Consistent pure contact is exactly what I seem to lack once I'm into the longer irons. I tried the Cobra one-length 5i to kill time last year while wife was out shopping. Loved the results, but have always took simulators with a grain of salt. Which iron set are you currently gaming?

I tried SL in 2017, but only to 6i. I think part was I was trying at 8i length. I went to a 5 hybrid as swing speed not sufficient to elevate a 5i. Played well at first, but found AW & SW went to high and short. After coming off Michigan winter hiatus in 2018, iron played suffered. Went back to VL with success. Worked on swing in 2019. I am going to give SL another try in 2020 and see how new swing works with SL. I also may try a graphite shaft in them to see if lighter overall weight has any benefits. If you have any specific questions, post them up.

My set is the F8 with the Aldila Rogue Pro shafts cut down 1/2". It took a bit to get comfortable with the change but it takes so many variable out of the mix.

I do have a 3h in SL but truthfully struggle to find consistency with that club.

You had mentioned a difficulty getting used to longer wedges. Was that just the pitching wedge or did you make all your wedges the same length?

My set is a 4-GW and I have standard length Cally 56/60 degree wedges. The first few rounds when you're 120 out yet feeling like you're holding a 7i takes some time to get used to it and it's not uncommon to come up short as you're swinging too easy. After a couple of rounds and some trust/confidence built up it's just another club and the length doesn't make a difference.

Started playing golf 20 years ago and then took about 15 years off. Switched to SL when I started playing again last year. I'm a terrible player (don't usually break 95 unless I'm really trying). Being able to groove a single swing with SL really appealed to me.  Previous to SL I was terribly inconsistent and knew that I wasn't even lining up consistently with all of my irons. Only get out for 5-10 rounds a year right now so there's a lot of clubs I rarely hit so I didn't have confidence swinging them. With SL I have much more confidence; I feel this has improved my consistency but don't have an apples-to-apples comparison. Mentally though, it has definitely helped.

I have F9's. Struggle at the top of the bag (80mph-ish 7i speed) but hitting a SL 5i that only goes 5 yards past my 6 is better than shanking a VL 5i into the trees. I've got the SL Cobra hybrids too, but can't hit them to save my life. They're crazy hook machines for me; I just really struggle to make good contact with them. In my brain I know that I should at least be able to make similar contact as the irons but I just never do. I dumped them both for SL driving irons which I make much better contact with. I can't really get the driving irons in the air, but on the public So Cal courses I play the fairways are hard in the summer so they usually run out enough to go further than the irons.

At some point I will go back and work on the SL hybrids and see if I can figure them out. I also dumped my 3W and only carry a 5W. Considering trying something like a Cally Super Hybrid; see if I can hit it better than my 5W.

I also carry a VL 60 deg wedge (Cally PM). Initially I just didn't feel comfortable making partial swings for pitch/flop shots with the SL wedges. After a year I'm starting to feel that maybe I could game a SL 60.

If I start improving enough, I could see switching back to VL if I can't sort out the top of my bag, but that's a big if.

F8 in steel and just got a set of F9s in stiff graphite, 4-SW. Going head to head next week on our 5 day trip to Florida. Got away from SL a while and missed the simplicity of the setup being constant. Went back to VL a while but no more for me.

Built a Pinhawk 4 iron and PW as testers, trying to get both extremes of the length change from standard length irons. Liked them well enough, slowly filled out the rest of the set, 4-SW. Have played them a few times, the idea is interesting, but I'm not entirely sold on it. I would have to commit to it for a period of time for a real evaluation, which I haven't done yet.

Inconclusive for me at the moment. Intrigued by the concept.

I am in the process of switching from VL Wilson Staff to Sterling SL. I am working with a local fitter who has made up a 6i and 7i with 2 different shafts of his recommendation. The first round the clubs were too short (I play 1.25" longer due to height) and I was losing about 15 yards per club. So...he extended the 1.25 inches and things are turning around. I have asked for different types of shafts to try and will out again this weekend and compare. I will say the 6i has a high pitched "clink" when hitting. Hopefully he will be making up some 9 through wedges to try this weekend as well.

You are on the right path: Find the right shaft length, then the right shaft. consider swing weight - but that can fall into place as the length and weight of shaft are right. The high plink sound of the Sterlings in the 7-4 iron are from the spring-face engineering. Personally I LOVE the sound - lets you know you've nutted the shot - and very forgiving design. as you get into these consider finding the best ball position for all full swings - get it grooved - it will become second nature, but it takes some transition time, both range time and 5-6 rounds. Consider the partial shots; chips pitches - some people naturally are comfy with the SL wedges others may need to either choke down or use a familiar /favorite SW or LW for the partial shot. I've built 50+ sets of the Sterlings - may data shows about 30% stay with a traditional length wedge for partial shots.

Thanks TKS!!!

BTW...what are the SL players using for bags?

after a brief affair with my becu eye 2's I have decided to get back on the sl trail again, along with playing 10 clubs or less this year, should be fun!!!!!

I am super interested to see the new Wishon design!

Ive gone back and forth and am back to doing SL.

I lose distance with SL but the crazy shots are gone. I don't get the wild pushes or hooks anymore really. When I do SL I get very upright and single plane like Dechambeau which simplifies it all.

IMO if you go single length you owe it to yourself to at least TRY going single plane single length. Its transitions well through the bag and makes the game feel incredibly easy.

He had me at less offset. 2mm offset thru the set, milled face wedges. 2nd gen is almost always best.

I used Wishon SL irons from 5H to LW for almost 2 years. They are not that forgiving but not bad too.

I switched last year to the F9 SL from 4H to PW and have regular 50/54/58. The cobra's are more forgiving for sure but less feel.

I plan on getting a new set soon. I was leaning towards the cobra forged tec.

I think I prefer the variable lengths for the short irons and single length for the long irons.

I'm planning on 4H, 5I, 6I, SL and 7-LW Variable. I don't have the swing speed for a 3H SL Hybrid, so staying with the regular 3H

I was leaning towards the cobra forged tecI love mine. I switched to one-length irons after 30 years of play with a 9 handicap. One-length clubs have improved my consistency, and it's nicer to work on one swing.

I tested club gapping with a flight computer - I get proper distance gaps. The only change I made was the 3-hybrid I went with a bit longer shaft than one-length, to get the gap to my standard length 5 wood and driver. But I may switch from a 3-hybrid that to the one-length utility club this year.

The wedges (60, 56, PW, GP) are fantastic at one length. This was a concern before buying the clubs, but I find that I much prefer pitching and chipping at full length, much more comfortable and more consistent.

I doubt I'll ever go back to variable length.

I'm surprised that I don't see more SL sets out on the course than I have. In the last two years I've only run across one other player who uses SL. I've played two different sets -- Cobra F7 and Sterling. I prefer the design of the Sterlings, but I don't like the fact that they're based on 8-iron length. I prefer the length of the Cobras, but there are other features of that clubbed design that I don't like. They're too 'game-improvement' oriented. I wish someone would make a set that looks more like 'players' irons. The forged Cobras should have filled that niche, but I never got them to perform like I wanted.

Personally I lost a lot of distance in the longer irons going from VL to SL.

I'm likely going to be going back to VL as I don't seem to do any better or worse either way.

When I play single length I play very upright with the single plane swing like Bryson does. When I play VL I play with a shifting two plane swing like most modern golfers do.

My best rounds are damn near identical from a scoring stand point, doesn't matter which way I play so I'll likely go back to VL because I generate a lot more speed with the longer irons and thus hit it a lot farther. With my SL single plane swing I go from 4 iron to 5 wood and I just wind up avoiding hitting the 5 wood so I hit the shorter 4 iron a lot.

The biggest thing for me is I can hit my long irons a lot higher with VL which makes a difference.

At my home course I had more 100 yard wedge shots today because I can hit a VL driving iron about 225 as compared to hitting my SL 4 iron 200 yards or missing it only 195.

Won't go back to one lengths unless I can get them in the Cobra MB make up or 0311T makeup from PXG and getting a comprehensive shaft fitting with them.

I liked my Cobra Forged Tour but, like many stated, the yardages ran into each other at the top end and the 120 FLT shaft felt like a noodle. I didn't like the height as well that I was getting out of them. I tried to change CG with lead tap, use different / lower launching balls, messed with setup and that just jacked up my swing.

It's a good idea and is a proven design but, I would wanna try it different ways. Neither are either in reach or monetarily make sense.

I fit and built over 50 sets of SL irons, mostly Sterlings. I've moved numerous people from pinhawks.OneIron, Cobra, etc. Following solid fitting principles:

Length: 7 or 8 iron length based on golfers ability to hit the center of the face Set make up: Stop trying to get that 4 or even 5 iron to fly high if you don't have the swingspeed and /or AoA - move to a Utility or Hybrid at more length. No Shaft Tip / CG adjustment will replace Loft with out changing other specs.. The Sterlings are notably superior in design in the 7-4 with the engineered faces, none of the others come close. Struggling with the 5? Try a Sterling/ Or the New EQ1-NX System from Wishon.Same ball position for all full swings*. Most people report a touch forward of the normal 7/8 iron. (*all "shots" are still possible if you work the ball high /low/ right/left)The last wedge - 30% of my fittings stay with the final wedge after a time with the SL sets.

I’m not sure what you mean by your fourth item,could you please elaborate/explain. Thanks.

Huge fan of the Sterlings, may have to upgrade when the EQ1's come out. I hear they will have a consistent offset throughout the set and I would prefer that over the Sterling progressive offset. Distances have worked out over time, biggest improvement for me is consistency in accuracy across the set without practice time. My distances were comparable to my VL clubs, but I do hit the higher end of the bag higher.

5-195, 6-180, 7-165, 8-155, 9-145, pw-130, gw-115, sw-105 max

I ended up dropping the LW as I was not consistent with it. I went back to a 60 deg wedge that I had played before, which was an 1" over in length, I normally hit it 80 yds and under if I have a clean lie.