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Is the 4i on it’s last leg?


Solidstrike

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Many of us remember when the 1i iron was replaced with driving irons, then the 2i was replaced with hybrids, then recently the 3i has essentially disappeared from modern sets, or from perception as it was rebranded to be a 4i. I would think that the 4i is next.

 

Do your think it’s on its last leg?

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Not even close. Maybe in gi and sgi sets were the 4i is 21* or less loft. Because the majority of players who need a gi set arent able to elevate a jacked 4i.

 

But in traditional sets cbs and mbs that still have a 24* 4i theyll be here forever.

 

Most traditional cb and mb sets still come with a 3i. I still game a 3i.

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I stopped carrying my 4 iron very recently, replaced it with a 22* hybrid that serves as a 4 and 3 iron, my 5 iron is 25*. Partly because of stronger iron lofts these days.

 

My Srizon Z765s have stronger lofts so my PW-5 Iron (46* to 25*) are comparable to my old Tommy Armour 845s 9I to 4 Iron (44* to 24*).

 
TaylorMade Stealth HD 10.5 Driver
Yamaha RMX 220 17* 5 Wood
Callaway Apex 21 Hybrids - 21* and 24*
Callaway Apex 21 P-6 Irons
Titleist Vokey SM9 Wedges 56-14F and 60-4T
Slighter Seattle Custom Putter
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I don't think the set has changed all that much for decent players. I totally understand a higher handicap using more hybrids as they are easier to hit.

 

But i think most guys with <10 indexes the sets have barely changed. Most 4 irons today are like 21-23 degrees. That is what a 3 iron used to be and most guys in this handicap range still use 4 irons

 

If you use a 3 iron, there's a good chance it's 18-20 degrees, which is what a 2 iron used to be.

 

I regularly use a 18 degree iron.

Srixon ZX5 w/PX Hzrdus Red 60

Srixon ZX 15 w/PX Hzrdus Red 70

Tour Edge C723 21* w/PX hzrdus black 80

Titleist T150 4-AW w/PX LZ 6.0

Titleist Jet Black 54/60 with PX LZ 6.0

Deschamps Crisp Antique 

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12 index got rid of my 4 hybrid over a year ago, love my 4 iron

Callaway BBV 10.5 Neutral w/ 44.5 inch Motore 565 speeder shaft stiff
Callaway BBV 3 Wood, 15.5 stiff, 5 Wood 19 stiff
Callaway X2 Hot 19 Hybrid stiff
Callaway X2 Hot 4-PW
Ping Glide 50 SS
Cleveland CG16 , 56
Wilson Staff Grant Park Putter

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Never thought about it, but I can’t even remember using my 4 iron on the course this year.

Driver: Titleist Tsi3 w/HZRDUS Smoke Yellow TX 6.0 
3 Wood: Cobra King Speedzone/HZRDUS Smoke Yellow 70

5 Wood: Callaway Mavrik Subzero/Aldila Rogue White 70
Long Irons (4-6): Wilson D7 Forged/DG120TI
Short Irons (7-P): Wilson Staff Model Blade/DG120TI

Wedges (50/54/58): Callaway Jaws MD5 w/TI S200
Putter: Original Odyssey White Hot XG No. 7
Ball: Titleist Left Dash

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I still play one if at all possible. I am not as accurate with a hybrid, which is all mental, and probably not as consistent in terms of contact with a 4 iron. But I find it easier to aim a 4 iron than a 4 hybrid. I do think a 22 degree 4 iron is where I want to be launch-wise. About to try a new one.

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PXG GEN6 5 wood w/Diamana S-plus 70 stiff

Yamaha RMX VD 7 wood w/Diamana S-plus 70 stiff

Callaway Mavrik Pro hybrid (22) w/Aldila Tour Blue 85 stiff hybrid

Wilson Staff Model CB 5-G w/DG s300 shafts

Edel T grind 54 w/Nippon 125 wedge shaft

Fourteen RM-12 58 w/Dynamic Golds400

Axis1 Rose putter, 34 inches

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Going by the 24/38 rule most 4 irons are extinct. I certainly haven’t carried one in a while. With the hollow driving irons and hybrids it doesn’t really make sense for me. While I’d love a 4 iron I think the 23 degree utility I have just lets me get away with more

TaylorMade Qi10 10.5* 
Callaway BB Alpha 816 16*
Srixon Z H45 Hybrid 19* 
Srixon ZX Utility 23*
Srixon ZX5 Mk II 5-AW

Callaway Jaws Raw Black 54 & 58
TaylorMade Spider Tour Black
Bridgestone Tour RX

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I'm high single digit. My new set coming z785 was ordered 5-PW. I will be using 23 degree 4 utility iron, srixon u65 with steel shaft. It's a monster off tee and easy off deck. Could easily bag the 3 and 4 iron but I dont carry any hybrids so this is a better setup for me.

 

Driver, 3 and 5 wood. 4 utility, 5-PW, 50/55/60. I think it should all depend on what courses you are playing. For me, the utility iron will get used off the tee on a lot of holes.

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As a player that uses traditional lofts (22*-48*) in irons, definitely not planning on dropping any of those clubs for hybrids- could possibly see a practical use once speed diminishes or face substantially different playing conditions more commonly.

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Titleist 904f 17* YS7+s
Titleist 962b 3-pw s300
Cleveland zipcore tour rack custom 52* s400
Cleveland zipcore tour rack custom 58* s400
Ping Zing2 BeCu

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I'm high single digit. My new set coming z785 was ordered 5-PW. I will be using 23 degree 4 utility iron, srixon u65 with steel shaft. It's a monster off tee and easy off deck. Could easily bag the 3 and 4 iron but I dont carry any hybrids so this is a better setup for me.

 

Driver, 3 and 5 wood. 4 utility, 5-PW, 50/55/60. I think it should all depend on what courses you are playing. For me, the utility iron will get used off the tee on a lot of holes.

do you have a big gap between your 5 wood and the 4 utility?

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I'm high single digit. My new set coming z785 was ordered 5-PW. I will be using 23 degree 4 utility iron, srixon u65 with steel shaft. It's a monster off tee and easy off deck. Could easily bag the 3 and 4 iron but I dont carry any hybrids so this is a better setup for me.

 

Driver, 3 and 5 wood. 4 utility, 5-PW, 50/55/60. I think it should all depend on what courses you are playing. For me, the utility iron will get used off the tee on a lot of holes.

do you have a big gap between your 5 wood and the 4 utility?

 

Not really. 15-20 yards. I can choke up on 5 wood to take some off if needed. I'd rather have a slightly bigger gap there than at low end of my bag.

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Callaway Steelhead XR 4+
Mizuno MP-18 mb 4-PW
Titliest SM7 50f, 54s, 58d
SC Phantom X 5.5

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I don't think the set has changed all that much for decent players. I totally understand a higher handicap using more hybrids as they are easier to hit.

 

But i think most guys with <10 indexes the sets have barely changed. Most 4 irons today are like 21-23 degrees. That is what a 3 iron used to be and most guys in this handicap range still use 4 irons

 

If you use a 3 iron, there's a good chance it's 18-20 degrees, which is what a 2 iron used to be.

 

I regularly use a 18 degree iron.

 

^ this

PXG Black Ops Tour 1 Fujikura Motore X F3

PXG Black Ops 3 wood hzrdus black

PXG Black Ops 17* hybrid hzrdus black

TaylorMade P770 4-9 KBS Tour

TaylorMade  MG 46/52/58wedges

TaylorMade Spider mallet 72 putter

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I can hit a 4 iron pretty good most of the time from a tee or fairway but I can hit the 4 hybrid from just about any lie better. So for me I choose hybrid. It’s one of my favorite clubs and I feel more confident with it.

Ping G400 @ 10.5° (Ping Tour 65S)

Ping G400 5 wood @ 16.5° (Ping Alta CB 65S)

Ping G410 7 wood @ 20° (Ping Tour 75X)

Titleist 818H2 @ 22° (PX 6.0)

Ping i210 PowerSpec 5-U (DG S300)

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I don't think the set has changed all that much for decent players. I totally understand a higher handicap using more hybrids as they are easier to hit.

 

But i think most guys with <10 indexes the sets have barely changed. Most 4 irons today are like 21-23 degrees. That is what a 3 iron used to be and most guys in this handicap range still use 4 irons

 

If you use a 3 iron, there's a good chance it's 18-20 degrees, which is what a 2 iron used to be.

 

I regularly use a 18 degree iron.

 

Good post. My Z945 blade 4-iron is at 22* and is only 1* strong to spec. Its a disguised 3-iron with shorter shaft length.




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My irons are either jpx-ez 25-45 deg (5-pw). Or, mp-30 23-48 deg (4-pw). I keep the 22 deg 4hy in the bag with either set. The gapping is better with the jpx 5-p than the mp-30 4-p and I rarely use the 4 iron anymore so I expect there’ll be less sets with 4 irons on the market in the future.

 

Hats off to all who hit their long irons better than a hybrid.

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  2. 4W 16.5° V-Steel Diamana Kai li 75g stiff
  3. 4Hy 22° MP-650 Fujikura Orochi 85g Reg
  4. 5 iron 27° MP-30 Dynalite Gold XP S300 115g
  5. 7 iron 35° MP-30 Dynalite Gold XP S300
  6. 9 iron 43° MP-30 Dynalite Gold XP S300
  7. GW 52-08° Vokey TVD M KBS Hi Rev 120g
  8. LW 58-07° Vokey SM 4 Project X 6.0
  9. Putter Ping Cadence Mid Ketch 350g
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Well I won't be ditching my 4-iron any time soon.

 

Paid extra to get a 3-iron in my set, though that isn't in just now due to how I have the bag set up.

 

I can only speak for myself, but I still feel my misses are much smaller with an iron than with a lofted wood or a hybrid.

 

Only reason I have a hybrid in the bag is for versatility - namely being able to shift it out of lies in the rough I wouldn't fancy getting an iron on and being able to hit out a very high shot if required.

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Don't think so, it might end up with a different number on the bottom, but don't see it going anywhere.

The Dee Three - Titleist TS4 9.5 deg, EvenFlow White 6.5 65g, A1 Setting

Henrik - Titleist 917 F3 15 deg, Rogue Max 75x, B2 Setting

The Walking Stick - Titleist 818 H2 19 deg, Rogue Max 85x, B2 Setting

The Interloper - TaylorMade P770 3 iron, S400 Tour Issue, +0.5inch +1 deg loft

The Blades - Nike VR Pro 4 - AW, S400 Tour Issue, +0.5 inch

The Sand Iron - TaylorMade MG2 TW-12 Grind, 56 degree, S400 Tour Issue

The Flopper - TaylorMade MG2 TW-11 Grind, 60 Degree, S400 Tour Issue

The Putter - Nike Method 003 from The Oven

 

"Golf is only called golf as all the other four letter words have been taken"     - Leslie Nielsen

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Last legs as in disappearing like the 2i? No, but in practical use, probably. Of my "more avid than average" friends (call them single digit players, if you'd like), a couple still carry a 4i, but I almost never see them being used. Most use a hybrid mainly because the balls land from a more vertical trajectory and therefore stop more predictably. With this group, it's more about that than being able to strike it reliably.

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I use my 4 iron a lot. I use it on short narrow par 4s all the time off the tee. I still have a 4H but the iron is so much more accurate with the same distance.

Driver- Tour Edge EXS 220

4W- Sub 70 949X

4H- Sub 70 949X

Utility- Sub 70 699U 21 degree

Irons- Sub 70 749 5-PW

Wedges - Sub 70 286 50+54 degree

                 Tour Edge 1 out 58 degree

Putter- Cleveland Huntington Beach #11

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I think for the majority of ams the 5i is the longest iron they can consistently hit off the deck, so fo GI sets I can understand the 4i being replaced with hybrids/Di. But I agree in players irons there will always be a place for 4i, but 10 years ago we had the same argument about the 3 and it's now a special order for most player iron sets.

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