Need help on shaft lengths

[jrglfr7]

Today I picked up a set of Titleist Tour Model Forged Blades. I went to Titleist.com and found out the standard spec on these is .5" shorter than today's standards. The 5 iron is 37.5" which was standard back in 1982 when these were made. My question is: Are these going to hit the ball shorter based on the shaft length being shorter and I guess the lofts being weaker? I know the answer should be obvious, but some guys I've talked to say they hit older irons back in the 80's just as far as they hit the blades today with their new standard specs. Anyone have any ideas. I was born in 1984, so I don't know anything on the distance of older blades.

[taylormadefan]

Ideally, if you hit the dead center of the club face time and time again, and never miss, the longer club will go farther.

 

However, there reaches a threshold where at some point, the club starts swinging you and you will not hit the center of the club face time and time again. Sure three out of ten times you might catch it perfectly, and the ball rockets off the club face. However, the other seven times you're coming up 25 yards short and right of target because you missed the sweet spot. With an older muscle back you can expect those kinds of distance losses in the long irons.

 

I think a lot of people would benefit from cutting their clubs down (as long as it fits them). I'm only 5'6" and I play my irons 1/2" under. Since doing so I've picked up a club distance wise since I compress the ball better and hit the center more often.

 

You can expect these clubs to be less forgiving than today's and as you mentioned, the weaker lofts will hit the ball higher and may go shorter. However, if you're hitting the center more consistently and hitting it higher, those things may translate into added length. The key is being able to dial in all these variables into the best combination for you and your swing.

[scotte]

Hi, I was born in 72 and started playing golf in 79. You are right, clubs are about 1/2 inch longer and the lofts are much steeper now a days. hitting a standard 3 iron today is not far off from hitting the old 1 iron.

 

So to your question, do they clubs of yesturday go as far as today?

 

If you were one of those "iron byron" machines, the answer would be yes, a 5 iron today would be about the same as a 4 iron of yesturday (not quite, but almost)

 

Since you are not a machine, you may find that based on your size, lie angle vs. shaft length, the ability to hit the ball in the center, and a few other variables that the older clubs may go further for you.

 

So for you the clubs of yesturday may go further, or may not.

 

Tiger woods still plays the old lofts on his clubs, and feels that is best for him because he said he can control his trajectory by delofting the club with his swing. He said delofting for him is easier than adding loft with his swing.

[jrglfr7]

I am thinking of putting a half an inch on each club. They need regripped anyway, so why not? I do know with the center of gravities based on the high muscle, they've got to hit the ball lower making me probably want the weaker lofts just so I can get the ball in the air. I'm 5'8 with long arms. My wrist to the floor is 28.5", so I'm wonderin if quarter to half inch short irons wouldn't be bad anyway. I think I'll go hit them the way they are, if they work, good, if not, I think I'll extend them. Thanks for the input gentlemen.

[profsanjo]

it doesn't matter if your shaft is an inch longer or shorter. it's not that big of a difference for your ss. it is more likely that you will hit a shorter club farther because you have more control and therefore hit the sweetspot more often. even if you cut your shaft of your driver 2 inches shorter the yardage won't change that much. i think it is all about your ego because you think a longer shaft means hitting farther which doesn't have to be true.