1 Iron over the Driver?

[bub72ck]

When I was in college I made a poor decision in a tournament (going for a green over water, made an 8). After that tournament, the coach made me qualify for one round without any woods. I put a roommates Mizuno 1 iron in the bag and managed to shoot 71 (course was fairly short). This of course reinforced the coach's opinion that I "didn't need any woods"...

That was 16 years ago and I assume it's the last time I will use a 1 iron.

[driveandputtmachine]

Bringing back some old memories. In high school I had a Tommy Armour 0 iron. 1 irons are for hackers, real men play 0 irons.

Honestly though some of our high school matches were on real dog tracks, the 0 iron sure didn't carry far, but on those dirt fairways it rolled FOREVER. During the summer playing amateur events it stayed at home, there weren't many State amateur events played on dog tracks in NC. When I went to Scotland in 2018, I actually threw it in the bag, but I never had a real windy day to use it and take advantage. and the courses I played were pretty open, so I didn't need a 50 foot peak height shot. I did hit it on one hole, because nostalgia, and my driver was 50+ yards past it.

[setter02]

I've gamed DI down, but never a true 1i at top of the bag. I've only ever known 1 person who did (had Wilson Midsized RM's), with ok success, but was embarrassingly far behind everyone. I understand wanting to keep it in play, but there has to be better options even going the thriver route.

[Pepperturbo]

@Stinger83 - I no longer hunt Dove, just larger game. But when I did I used a 20g O/U and buddies used 20g or 16g and my FIL used .410 O/U. A 12g without a very wide pattern choke leaves nothing for dinner table. There's an argument that says 12g is like a CB, a lot more forgiving. A 20g or .410 require more skill, like MB. Have a good day.

[rgk5]

A great idea if you are 25 years old and your name is Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman, Tiger Woods, Brooks Koepka or Dusitn Johnson.

[NCBOB]

1 irons have gone the way of the persimmon. Put it in a museum.

[greenwavegolfer]

There's just no way you'd take a driver out of the bag for a 1i. What would you hope to get in terms of distance, maybe within 30 yards of driver carry realistically? And you'd definitely be losing forgiveness. Plus if you can't control a driver well enough where you're looking for something else the answer doesn't lie in a 1-iron I can promise you that. Maybe if you were only playing 6,000 yard courses it might be fun but on a course of any decent length you're going to be losing something not having a driver in the bag.

[Golfingfanatic]

@steel09 What an absolute beauty. May I ask where/how you got it?

[extrastiff]

I’d be curious how often Cameron hits iron off tee when he could hit 4 wood or driver. based on what Berkshire said.

[steel09]

If you follow torquegolf.com, they have both the 1 and 2 iron for sale for the miura mb-101 set. They aren't cheap but you also don't see these often. I have a full set of Miura MB-101's from 1-PW. They are beautiful. And as intimidating as the mb-101 1 iron is, it pales in comparison to the 1957 baby blade 2 iron I have

[ChipNRun]

Until last season, a guy in our group played with a version of the old King Cobra II irons, shafted in R-flex graphite. He only carried a 3W at the time - no driver - and had 1i and 3i at long end of bag. He let me hit the 1i, and I could get about 180 yards from it off the tee. That's the same distance I get with my 4i.@steel09, I hate to do this, but I'm required by GolfWRX rules to ask THE QUESTION... Did you get fitted for your driver?
Also, what it the trouble pattern with your driver?
With the right shaft, you might be able to use it for a driving iron. But, I doubt you will get both control and longer distance from a 1i.

[steel09]

All good questions and to be totally transparent, I don’t think i could mentally allow myself to pull my driver out of the bag. I got fitted into a taylormade Sim 9.0 with a ventus black 6x shaft. It’s a rocket launcher and I get really good numbers with it.

 

So yes, rest assured.... I’ve been fit! With that said, Even on good days, I can get my driver to leak a little left (draw) and miss fairways and be in trouble 285 yards off the tee. With my 2 iron U500, I may only get 260 out of it, but it’s much harder to miss left and right.

 

Ive yet to hit the 1 iron, but if I could get it out there 270+ total (after roll out), it could potentially be more valuable to me than being 295 off the tee in the rough stuff.

 

Again, all this is total speculation and under a best case scenario. Because, a mis-hit 1 iron vs a mis-hit driver could be a huge hit on distance off the tee. Gotta ask those who have done it and played a super low lifted iron if it’s better to be shorter off the tee in the short stuff or longer off the tee in the long stuff?

 

(Let’s see how long we can go before the infamous: “there’s 15 clubs in the bag tho...” comment) ?

[BigArse33]

Love the long irons. Is this 1 for sale by chance haha ?

[ColinKelvin]

Up until a few years ago I used an old Ping Eye 2 1-iron on a long but tight links course I often play on holiday. I was about a 12-h-cap at the time. I hit hybrids these days but the 1-iron was probably longer and ran out more when I was in the groove with it. It was partly a confidence thing to feel that I'd hit it well almost every time, and it was ideal for narrow, hard fairways.

[Sean2]

My son has a 1-iron. I find it's great when you are in the trees and need to hit a low punch shot. :-)

If it works for you, that is all that matters.

[ChipNRun]

You would have to shaft up the 1i and see how it flies.

As per your most recent post, a U500 2i that you can control might be more reliable than a 1i.

As for your driver, you might take a lesson and see why you miss left on occasion. If a diminished left miss always got you first cut of rough, would that work?