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Best Distance Irons for seniors


disco111

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I work at a major gold discount store and have access to every brand out there. I am 70 years old and play to a 6 handicap.

 

If you are looking for a distance iron, I'd highly recommend Callaway Rogue X and Ping G700. With the Pings, I'd make sure to order the Power Spec loft, which is a slightly lower loft, which equates to longer distance. The Rogue X loft are really jacked up lofts, their 7 iron is the equivalent to 5 or 6 iron loft in other sets. Ping G700 lofts with Power Spec aren't quite as strong but is stronger than most iron sets.

 

The Ping G700 is probably the easier to hit iron as compared to the Callaway because of the head weighting (added width and weight in the sole).

 

The new graphite shafts are the way to go, and I'd try and get shafts in the 55g - 70g area.

 

Good luck.

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Give the Ping G700 with Alta CB graphite shafts in A flex a try.

 

The Alta CB doesn't make an A shaft. The Senior shaft designation for the Alta CB is SR, and it stands for Soft Regular. They weigh 66g.

 

You can order an A flex in a Recoil shaft which is 59g. The Recoil shaft is a high grade shaft, excellent quality and if you suffer from lower club head speed, that might be a great option for you.

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I have several irons, and the M4's are in the bag for now. The 7 iron is very long and can get out there.I also have GBB OS, JPX EZ, and Ping G's. All of these with A(mature) flex shafts. I have swallowed my pride and play the senior tees. I am looking at the P790's for now, but wish they came with 3/8 inch spacing, so the shorter irons were not so low to work with. I am having shoulder issues and have to be careful. I have an older set of Big Berthas, the Titanium-Tungsten model that cost a fortune when new. I am thinking of re shafting them with a modern, flexible shaft. There just not that much fun as straight is it, and forget green side control, and working the ball, like the the Pings can. For getting the ball down the fairway and on the green, they can do that.

Bag is in overhaul mode

Clubs identify as hacker set

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Give the Ping G700 with Alta CB graphite shafts in A flex a try.

 

The Alta CB doesn't make an A shaft. The Senior shaft designation for the Alta CB is SR, and it stands for Soft Regular. They weigh 66g.

 

You can order an A flex in a Recoil shaft which is 59g. The Recoil shaft is a high grade shaft, excellent quality and if you suffer from lower club head speed, that might be a great option for you.

 

The SR is their "A" flex. They just use the "Soft Regular" so as not to bruise the fragile psyche of us seniors. :stink:

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I have to go against conventional wisdom here. I've tried and failed numerous times to play with graphite shafts - they just don't work for me and I've tried a lot of good ones.

 

What does work is my Speedblades with the standard 85g steel Reg. flex shafts. Plenty of those about and I'd still recommend them - they just simply perform.

 

You'll lose distance as you age. Just accept it and plan your game differently. I spent hours and hours researching and trying different "solutions". There weren't any dramatic solutions. Small changes perhaps, but the distance clubs with hard faces felt and sounded horrible. Just enjoy your golf - if you're healthy enough to keep playing that's the main thing.

 

.

 

Yes , another suggestion , instead of tweaking or changing golf equipments ... how about playing from White ?

 

I'll be 66 this year, and I have no problem going up to the senior tees. Unfortunately, the league guys (most of whom are shorter off the tee than me) play the whites. So I get a different challenge on Thursdays.

 

I will be experimenting with G700 6-iron and 7-iron this spring. I like my AP2's in 9-iron and PW.

Unseen, in the background, Fate was quietly slipping the lead into the boxing-glove.  P.G. Wodehouse
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I don't play distance irons, but I happened to be at the PGA store and swung a Tour Edge EXS 7 iron just for kicks and I legitimately hit it 25 yds further than my current 7 iron. Now the loft of it was like 27* which is what my 5 iron probably is, but I hit it way higher than I would my normal 5 iron. Worth taking a look if you're really looking for distance. From someone that plays a player's style iron, the biggest drawback aside from the giant size is it's really hard to get any feedback on the hit, but if you're seeking out distance, that probably isn't a huge concern.

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"... how about playing from White ?"

 

 

????????????

The OP could play red, blue, green, miniature golf, bowl, or "White"... but none of these will have any effect on the distance he hits the ball!

Driver- Titleist TsR2 with Graphite Design Tour AD

4w - Titleist Tsi2 with Tensei Raw Blue shaft

19 Hy - Titleist 818 H1 with Atmos Tour Spec

23 Hy - Titleist 818 with Graphite Design Tour AD-DI shaft

5i-PW - Bridgestone J15 CB with Recoil F4 110 shafts

50,54,and 58 Wilson Staff wedges with SF shafts

Ping Prime Tyne 4 PSD

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I’m 67 and have a similar swing speed. First find a good teacher, have him check out your swing and make sure there are not some obvious issues. Just take a few because at our age our swing is very hard to change, at least it is for me.

 

Flex is almost irrelevant. Go to launch monitor in a store with your 7 iron, hit a few see how high they and far they go.then get a Rogue X or Ping or whatever 7 iron you like the look of. Tell the salesman you want to hit senior, regular and stiff in graphite and steel. Tell him not to tell you what flex your hitting.

 

Do not worry about loft, worry about finding the club that gos the distance you want, is accurate and holds the green.

 

Now you have a good idea if another club will give you what your looking for. If not go 5,6,7 or even 8 hybrid or 9, 11 wood whatever club you need to get the distance you want and don’t sweat it. Hybrids go Rogue X nothing goes farther that I have found.

 

Good luck.

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I'm 66 and this getting older is a real thing. But I also notice I still have days and swings where I still hit it like I think I should. It just takes a better swing than it used to.

 

OP: you also might look at the swing speed thread. There's something to speed training.

Titlest Tsi2, 10*, GD ADDI 5
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I've put more hybrids in the bag. They fly higher, spin more and hold greens better than

jacked loft "distance" irons.

 

This^. Playing 3,4,5,and 6 hybrids allows me to still play any iron I want from the 7 - LW.

 

Ping G430 Max 10.5

Ping G430 5&7 Wood

Ping G430 19°,22° Hybrids

Callaway 2007 X-Forged 5-PW/ PXG Gen 6 XP's 7-SW

Ping Glide 58ES Wedge

Ping PLD DS72 / Scotty Cameron Studio Select Newport 2.5+ 

Life is like riding a bicycle, to keep your balance you must keep moving

 

 

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Did the obligatory search and only found a thread on 7 iron SS and there were a few references to some brands, but mostly just data reference to smash factors = SS. So now the question for those seniors that have lost serious iron distance and regained that distance. Now a little personal back round to refine choices. Age 75, 7 iron SS was averaged at 75 and that was at Dicks on their swing monitor with a new Ping 7 with an "R" steel shaft. Average carry was 138 with total at 143. As for exercise and stretching to increase SS, I'm tapped out as far as the body will comply, so whatever can help must be derived from equipment. In fact, the last 2 rounds played just this weekend, showed an even more drop in distance. Example; sitting at 152, no wind to affect the shot, hit a 6 on the button and was 20 yds short. This shot, along with others during the round, but particularly this shot, really frustrated me.

 

So what irons would you seniors advise?............

 

To me here's the thing... there has been review after review after review that shows that loft for loft nearly all irons go nearly the same distance (within a few yards anyway). The so called distance irons are only longer because the lofts are jacked. If you are striking your irons well stick with them and simply take more club. Loss of swing speed is simply a reality and no club can compensate for it. As someone else mentioned you could seriously consider dumping everything below a 7 iron and replacing them with hybrids which will gain you a few yards but you will also likely loose some small amount of precision\accuracy in the process. The reality is, as father time marches on, you will need to take more and more club and play from tees that better suit your game. There's no magic club out there that's going to change this.

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I forgot this is WRX where hitting a 7 iron 135 is slow even for a 75 year old. That's all I hit my traditionally lofted 7 iron. And my friends call me Long Ball Leo. I'm longer than they are and they're only in their 60s. Hitting a 7 iron 150 is a standard yardage. So, you're 1 club shorter than that.

 

Modern distance irons are 1 club stronger so there you go. I'm switching to G400 irons so I'm back to hitting my 7 iron 150. Just like I did 30 years ago. It's really a 6 iron or even a 5 iron if you go back far enough in time to see what lofts were on irons in the 70s. But it makes me happy.

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Played today and it was 50*F outside. I was dressed for it, but my body was stiff as to be expected. Driver and 7 wood were great, M4 irons not so much, except a few shots. Short game really fell apart and cost me big, especially putts. The greens were very fast and tough to read. The course I play is very accessible, but the greens are running me away.

Bag is in overhaul mode

Clubs identify as hacker set

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I have had luck with G700s with graphites with my customers. Another to look at is the new Big Bertha that just came out. They are long too. ;)

 

Definitely consider graphite shafts. For irons, the last couple of years the non-SteelFiber graphite shafts feel really solid - not the feathery things of a few years back. One thing about the newer graphites is the balance. The shafts may only weigh 70 grams, but they have a solid feel.

 

You're on the right track getting fitted. Don't be afraid to test graphites far and wide. In these winter months, get a short list of head-shaft combos you like. Then, test them outdoors in the early spring demo days.

 

Explore the UST Recoil family of graphites. UST iron offerings range from the 760/780 F2 (A-flex) at 66 grams to the Recoil 125 F5 (X-flex) at 122 grams.

 

Also, graphites will be easier on your joints and tendons during a long golf season.

What's In The Bag (As of April 2023, post-MAX change + new putter)

 

Driver:  Tour Edge EXS 10.5° (base loft); weights neutral   ||  FWs:  Calla Rogue 4W + 7W

Hybrid:  Calla Big Bertha OS 4H at 22°  ||  Irons:  Calla Mavrik MAX 5i-PW

Wedges*:  Calla MD3: 48°... MD4: 54°, 58° ||  PutterΨSeeMore FGP + SuperStroke 1.0PT, 33" shaft

Ball: 1. Srixon Q-Star Tour / 2. Calla SuperHot (Orange preferred)  ||  Bag: Sun Mountain Three 5 stand bag

    * MD4 54°/10 S-Grind replaced MD3 54°/12 W-Grind.

     Ψ  Backups:

  • Ping Sigma G Tyne (face-balanced) + Evnroll Gravity Grip |
  • Slotline Inertial SL-583F w/ SuperStroke 2.MidSlim (50 gr. weight removed) |
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The rational for wanting a distance iron is, all the young(er) guys I play with/against are playing new irons and the majority of sets all have jacked up lofts, which equals more distance. So even playing from different tees, I'm still hitting 3 to 4 clubs difference. It's a heck lot easier hitting a 7 or 8 as opposed to a 3 or 4 (hybrids included). Granted, they have higher swing speeds but I can hold my own with the driver and be relatively decent on distance. I don't really care all that much with that aspect, but when I'm sitting at 145/150 and have to hit a 5 or 4 and their hitting 9 or wedge, it gets old real quick and extremely frustrating. Gets really hard to score like that and even worse when the frustration starts wearing on you.

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Swallow pride,

play hybrids.

 

Have tried hybrids, several times, but they are not for me. It's a mental thing. I look down at address and see a wood and then attempt to hit them like a wood, with not good results. I though about trying actual woods, 7/9 to replace some irons, but in the Okla wind, all they do is balloon and come up woefully short. I'm actually intrigued about some irons from Tour Edge. Happened to stumble across some posts about the EX3 model, with some favorable responses, but not enough to run out and get them for now. Does anyone here play them or have played them and if so, what was/is your assessment on them.

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Swallow pride,

play hybrids.

 

 

Have tried hybrids, several times, but they are not for me. It's a mental thing. I look down at address and see a wood and then attempt to hit them like a wood, with not good results. I though about trying actual woods, 7/9 to replace some irons, but in the Okla wind, all they do is balloon and come up woefully short. I'm actually intrigued about some irons from Tour Edge. Happened to stumble across some posts about the EX3 model, with some favorable responses, but not enough to run out and get them for now. Does anyone here play them or have played them and if so, what was/is your assessment on them.

Ballooning is the shaft, not the club head. With that said, the X Rogue is an excellent club head. With the right shaft combo they’d be a great senior club. FWIW, my son hit a Rogue X with 4 stamped on it off a par 4 tee box the other day, with a stock reg flex graphite shaft and was mesmerized at the distance and height it provided. And for the record, he plays a Px 6.0 in his TM 730s. He laughed and smiled after hitting the X Big high draw over a big oak. So yes,a SGI CAN BE worked. He’s a 23 year old with a stout game. Good luck in your search.

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Swallow pride,

play hybrids.

 

Have tried hybrids, several times, but they are not for me. It's a mental thing. I look down at address and see a wood and then attempt to hit them like a wood, with not good results. I though about trying actual woods, 7/9 to replace some irons, but in the Okla wind, all they do is balloon and come up woefully short. I'm actually intrigued about some irons from Tour Edge. Happened to stumble across some posts about the EX3 model, with some favorable responses, but not enough to run out and get them for now. Does anyone here play them or have played them and if so, what was/is your assessment on them.

I guess everybody is an individual, and some things work for some and some things work for others. Although, I have made some of my best golf shots ever with hybrids, but that's just me.
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Did the obligatory search and only found a thread on 7 iron SS and there were a few references to some brands, but mostly just data reference to smash factors = SS. So now the question for those seniors that have lost serious iron distance and regained that distance. Now a little personal back round to refine choices. Age 75, 7 iron SS was averaged at 75 and that was at Dicks on their swing monitor with a new Ping 7 with an "R" steel shaft. Average carry was 138 with total at 143. As for exercise and stretching to increase SS, I'm tapped out as far as the body will comply, so whatever can help must be derived from equipment. In fact, the last 2 rounds played just this weekend, showed an even more drop in distance. Example; sitting at 152, no wind to affect the shot, hit a 6 on the button and was 20 yds short. This shot, along with others during the round, but particularly this shot, really frustrated me.

 

So what irons would you seniors advise?............

 

I like some of the advise already written. Go with lighter shafts to help with longevity on the course and added swing speed. Might take a while to adjust to the new feel. Also go with a hot iron like a TM 790 or Ping i500, or PXG XF, or Cally Apex CF type head. Hot face. To offset the low spin you might have to go 3,4 and maybe 5 with a hybrid as well. I went 3,4 irons to hybrids and they are long and high.

 

Tim Reed who runs the Callaway Tour dept and does more at Callaway corporate is a gamer. Great player and also losing distance. He started messing with 7 and 9 fairway heads but built them shorter for control and added weight to the heads to compensate for the light heads. Said they would go long and VERY high to hold greens. Cheating but legal.

 

Egos get in the way of better golf. I like to look int he bags of slower swing speed pros to be the guide. LPGA or Champion tour pros. Lots of head covers.

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