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One Length irons - Cobra - any feedback ?


TheSliceKing

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Anyone hit the SL sand or lob wedges?

I currently use a TLT fitting system and that brings my wedges up an inch to 36.4. A short period of growing pains hitting the odd fat shot which would then lead to a thin one trying to compensate ... but now that I'm use to them they're money. Fly a tad higher but stop faster and distance is still spot on.

 

In May I'll try a 1/2 set of Sterlings and see what my results are with the lower lofted irons.

Bag: Ping Hoofer Camo / Moonlite Driver: TM SIM2 Max 9* Hybrids: Cobra RAD Speed 19* & 25* Irons: Wishon Sterling SL 6-SW Wedge: KZG Forged TRS Grind 60* Putter: SGC WB Northwood Lovingly built by: Dan's Custom Golf

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Nobody on this board has played these ?

 

I bought a set of these clubs in late January and have gamed them twice on course (very poor weather in the Seattle area) and have practiced with them at the range about a dozen times. I bought the cast version for more "playability", moving from forged Mizuno M-63s. I went through the fitting process and highly recommend it. It is absolutely necessary to dial in your coordinates.

 

Though it wasn't solicited by OP, here are my thoughts on moving from variable to single length irons. (I'm a 12 capper)

 

1. The short irons fly higher and longer. Comparing a pure shot with these to my forged Mizunos, the difference is significant.

2. I didn't find it difficult to adjust to the single length aspect all, especially with GW-9i, I much prefer the longer length. I didn't feel like I needed to dial down my swing but they definitely go farther. I'd say with GW-7i, I've picked up about 8-10 yards per club.

3. For long irons (4 and 5), I still feel like I'm hitting long irons, if that makes sense. Just because the clubs are the same length as my GW, I still have a tendency to want to swing harder to get loft. My hope is that is only temporary, and may be more an issue of my swing and mental game than the clubs themselves.

4. Long irons definitely fly lower. They just do. No matter whether I put the ball more forward in my stance, the trajectory is lower, though I still maintained the distance I had with variable length irons, all things being equal. It flies flatter, longer... like somewhere between a normal shot and a stinger. Holding the greens is tougher.

 

Overall, I'm happy I've made the investment. I'm way more dialed in with my short irons, so I have a lot more confidence on my second shots if I'm playable off the tee. For someone that is a mid-capper looking to improve consistency, I recommend these. I don't see better players benefitting from this because if you are a better player, you're probably a good iron player to begin with. I see these as an option for someone looking to "find" something that can fundamentally improve iron game performance, not someone who is at the level of simply making tweaks for incremental improvement.

 

Interesting points. I am a 12 capper myself and have been debating these. My iron game is so so, not particularly strong but not my weakest point either. Overall the idea of consistency is appealing to me. I was at my local store the other day and decided to take a few swings with these. Hit the 5 7 and 9 irons. Didnt feel any weirdness at all having different irons at the same length. Actually felt quite comfortable. Part of me wants to get these in 5-PW or GW, then standard wedges as I rarely am taking full swings with those so variable length would be preferred. Anywho, appreciated your insight

 

I played another round with this set yesterday and was extremely pleased with my iron play consistency. Because the irons overall fly longer, I found myself using less club off the tee, still giving myself "short iron" second shots, knowing I could get a stock 5i distance with a solidly struck 7i. In short, I saved few shots using course management like this. Also, I say go with the GW. It is amazing.

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Has anybody tried having the 3-4-5 one length, 6-7-8 one length, and 9-PW one length? Or some variation of that? I hit the PW in a shop the other day and couldn't get over how long it was.

 

I play my 9-SW at 36"/64* D5. It's awesome. So much better. I don't do it below that (8 is 36.5/63.5, 7 37/63), and I play "hybrids" below that.

 

I like it in the higher scoring clubs because it makes me able to have a really solid "clock" backswing system out of the fairway, bunkers and around the green. It all feels the same.

 

I tried creating another "tier" of low irons at 37/63 and it didn't work. Working the ball feels impossible over 200 yards with a tiny little shaft. I didn't like it. If it was a perfect lie in perfect conditions, no issue but it took away all sense of touch for trajectory and curve in the long clubs (for me).

 

My "tiers" are driving irons through 4-6 (Adams dhy), a 7, an 8, then 9-sw SL. Loving how it can score. It makes short game (150 and in) much more predictable and much much MUCH less about feel which for a very technical player like me is fantastic.

 

Yes I realize I didn't like SL before. I was wrong. At least at the top (and not a 37" sand wedge).

G400 Max 9* Ventus Red 5X, SIM Ventus Red 6X 

Callaway Mavrik 4 (18*) - AW (46*) Project X 5.5

Vokey SM4 50* SM5 56*

Cameron Phantom 5S

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I'm a fan of single-length irons, and the Cobra model is a pretty good entry into the market. But, they're not without their own set of issues. The biggest problem, oddly enough, is psychology. It’s hard to be 100 yards from the green and put a 7-iron swing on a gap wedge. Similarly, it’s hard to be 185 yards from the green and not over swing. You need a lot of discipline to swing each club the same. Also, you need a fair amount of swing speed to produce the desired separation between the clubs, particularly the long irons. As a rough estimate, I'd say you'd need a 7-iron swing speed above 85mph. They won’t work well for slower senior or beginner swings.

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Anyone hit the SL sand or lob wedges?

 

Not as of yet because they are both backordered. So until they arrive I'll just continue to use my traditional length Cleveland 56 & 60. BTW... my short game is the best part of my game.

 

I just received my SL 4-GW a few days ago and because of where I live (snow) I've only been able to hit these into a net in my basement. I do like the look of clubs, the way they setup and feel. I've also spent quite a bit of time chipping, it is different because of the longer shafts, but I found it a lot easier to adjust to than I had originally anticipated.

 

I'll be going down to Myrtle Beach next week with some of my golfing buddies, 13 rounds in 7 days. I'm pretty confident that I'll be very comfortable with the SL concept after a few rounds under my belt. Based on my limited testing these irons they have actually exceeded my expectations.

 

Just to clear up some typical "internet misinformation". The Cobra King F7 One length irons are based on the Cobra King F7. The one length irons and have the exact same lofts as the the variable length King F7 irons which they are based on. What Cobra did do is to move the COG around in every club head, to compensate for the SL shaft. With graphite shafts, the SL F7s have a swing weight of D0 through the entire set (4-Pw,Gw,Sw,Lw). The traditional length F7s swing weight is same up the 9i, but Pw=D1, Gw & Sw=D2.

 

Hope that helps.

What's in my Ping Pioneer Bag

Ping G400 Max 10.5˚, Alta CB 55 S-Flex

Ping G400 5w, 7w, Alta CB 65 R-Flex
Ping G400 5h, 6h, Alta CB 70 R-Flex

Callaway Apex CF16 7-PW, UST Recoil 660 F3 R-Flex

Titleist Vokey Tour Chrome SM8 50.12F, 54.12D, 58.10S, Mitsubishi Tensei Pro AM2 Red R-Flex

TaylorMade Hi-Toe 64˚ Wedge, Recoil ES 760 F3

L.A.B. Golf DF 2.1 34”/74˚ Black with Custom 1+28 Sightlines, B.G.T. Stability Tour Black shaft w/ LAB Press OG 3.0 Grip

Srixon Z-Star XV Yellow | Srixon Q-Star Tour Divide Orange/Yellow, Seamus Headcovers

Callaway Chrome Soft #1 Lost Ball on Tour - Mark Crossfield

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Has anybody tried having the 3-4-5 one length, 6-7-8 one length, and 9-PW one length? Or some variation of that? I hit the PW in a shop the other day and couldn't get over how long it was.

 

I play my 9-SW at 36"/64* D5. It's awesome. So much better. I don't do it below that (8 is 36.5/63.5, 7 37/63), and I play "hybrids" below that.

 

I like it in the higher scoring clubs because it makes me able to have a really solid "clock" backswing system out of the fairway, bunkers and around the green. It all feels the same.

 

I tried creating another "tier" of low irons at 37/63 and it didn't work. Working the ball feels impossible over 200 yards with a tiny little shaft. I didn't like it. If it was a perfect lie in perfect conditions, no issue but it took away all sense of touch for trajectory and curve in the long clubs (for me).

 

My "tiers" are driving irons through 4-6 (Adams dhy), a 7, an 8, then 9-sw SL. Loving how it can score. It makes short game (150 and in) much more predictable and much much MUCH less about feel which for a very technical player like me is fantastic.

 

Yes I realize I didn't like SL before. I was wrong. At least at the top (and not a 37" sand wedge).

 

Man…I have thought about doing exactly what you've done with the Dhy's (I have 21, 24, and 27), and then making the 6-9 irons the same length and the PW-LW the same length.

 

My current irons are based on a 39" 5 iron. I was thinking of a 39" Dhy hybrids, a 38" 6-9 iron and a 36.5" PW-LW.

 

Now to just start tinkering with shafts, extensions, and lead tape.

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Has anybody tried having the 3-4-5 one length, 6-7-8 one length, and 9-PW one length? Or some variation of that? I hit the PW in a shop the other day and couldn't get over how long it was.

 

I play my 9-SW at 36"/64* D5. It's awesome. So much better. I don't do it below that (8 is 36.5/63.5, 7 37/63), and I play "hybrids" below that.

 

I like it in the higher scoring clubs because it makes me able to have a really solid "clock" backswing system out of the fairway, bunkers and around the green. It all feels the same.

 

I tried creating another "tier" of low irons at 37/63 and it didn't work. Working the ball feels impossible over 200 yards with a tiny little shaft. I didn't like it. If it was a perfect lie in perfect conditions, no issue but it took away all sense of touch for trajectory and curve in the long clubs (for me).

 

My "tiers" are driving irons through 4-6 (Adams dhy), a 7, an 8, then 9-sw SL. Loving how it can score. It makes short game (150 and in) much more predictable and much much MUCH less about feel which for a very technical player like me is fantastic.

 

Yes I realize I didn't like SL before. I was wrong. At least at the top (and not a 37" sand wedge).

 

Man…I have thought about doing exactly what you've done with the Dhy's (I have 21, 24, and 27), and then making the 6-9 irons the same length and the PW-LW the same length.

 

My current irons are based on a 39" 5 iron. I was thinking of a 39" Dhy hybrids, a 38" 6-9 iron and a 36.5" PW-LW.

 

Now to just start tinkering with shafts, extensions, and lead tape.

 

Yeah I did it myself too - it's why I set up a workshop. It's somewhat semantics - my Apex mb PW is 47, so if you have a more regular pw loft you would say mine is pw-sw (9 is 43 I think). It's the scoring clubs. I have four swings with each club (horizontal, vertical,

3/4, full) plus choking an inch plus two basic tempos to give me insanely consistent wedge distances and trajectories. I also really like the heavy shafts and super heavy heads (all are weight of an sm4 56 wedge) with scoring shots.

 

I just never liked the longer clubs shorter. Might be odd on that respect. I felt like they lost all touch. Like i needed a high draw 27* dhy into a green with water today after having to punch a bad drive sideways. I felt like In the long game I lost the ability to see big curves and unique trajectories with SL. I love the alida blue 85Xs.

 

Playing 85 gram shafts long irons then tour issue s400s seems odd but it really works. My scoring clubs are extremely different from my middle of the green clubs.

 

Good luck! One thing I did discover is that a good way to add tape is to epoxy the tape together seperately rather than stick it all to the back. This allows you to pack the take very densely with the epoxy and stick on something small and neat. Another thing is it gives you a chance to fix a miss. I push and putting weight in the heel helped a lot. It doesn't have to be even on the back of the clubs.

 

Good luck!

G400 Max 9* Ventus Red 5X, SIM Ventus Red 6X 

Callaway Mavrik 4 (18*) - AW (46*) Project X 5.5

Vokey SM4 50* SM5 56*

Cameron Phantom 5S

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All I've heard is good things about the long irons. Why is no one buying single length 3-7 then normal length 8-PW?

 

There are two potential benefits in SL irons, as well as two trade-offs.

 

The first benefit is in hitting lower-numbered irons with a shorter shaft. Easier and more accurate with better misses has been my experience.

 

The second benefit is grooving one swing with the irons. I didn't think this would turn out to be much of a thing, especially since I still had 5 other full-swing clubs that were not in the SL group. But it turns out that it IS a thing.

 

The first trade-off is that the lower-numbered irons fly significantly lower that traditional irons. That hasn't created problems for me, but I'm just one guy.

 

The second trade-off is having to hit the higher numbered irons and wedges with a longer shaft. This was definitely a thing for me for two reasons. First, they fly much higher, which is good for sticking greens but bad in the wind. Second, I was getting lousy distances with the PW and GW. But it turns out I was unconsciously backing off those clubs because of the longer shaft. Once I realized that and started going after the ball aggressively, I got my distances back.

 

Your idea is one I entertained, thinking the real benefit was in hitting a 4-iron with an 8-iron shaft. You get one benefit and have one trade-off using that makeup. My experience has been that both benefits are much better than the associated trade-offs. I'm glad I did the full 8 irons (4-GW). I have a traditional set in the garage, but I haven't hit them since I got the Sterlings.

 

On a related note, I shortened my driver by 2" (to 43.5). It feels and seems like I'm still popping it out there (due to better and more consistent contact, I assume), but I haven't run the numbers in a sim yet. My driver and 3W are now the same length with the same swingweight. I like them.

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Spent about an hour with these tonight. I actually thought I would not like them, but I in fact felt really comfortable, with the 5-9I. It was indoors on a mat, though the numbers looked pretty good. Switching between the irons felt great and I was amazed to see flight and distance differences. I'd adopt these if I could get a deal.

 

I can see why you would discredit these if you are a low HC or are a traditionalist iron player. Why risk your 3 HC for such a strange concept. But, if you are a tinkerer, a higher HC who does not mind giving or gaining then these are worth a try.

 

But here's the dilemma: if you accept the notion that swing speed is generated by good mechanics, and both are associated with lower handicaps, then these clubs are best for low-handicap golfers. in fact, if your swing speed with an 8I is less than 80 mph, you really can't rock the 5I and get a good gap away from the 6I.

 

My swing speed with an 8I is over 85, so I not only have the 5I, I also have the 4I and have a good gap between them. I don't carry a handicap anymore, but I've been below a 5 and I'm certainly still single-digit. I made the switch (to Sterlings, not Cobra) and I don't think I'm going back (even though I have a perfectly new--2016--set of irons in the garage).

 

To take advantage of these you really have to bring it and be willing to make the switch. (It takes some time.) But I don't play competitively anyway, so I didn't have anything on the line (except the cost of the clubs, natch).

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But here's the dilemma: if you accept the notion that swing speed is generated by good mechanics, and both are associated with lower handicaps, then these clubs are best for low-handicap golfers. in fact, if your swing speed with an 8I is less than 80 mph, you really can't rock the 5I and get a good gap away from the 6I.

 

My swing speed with an 8I is over 85, so I not only have the 5I, I also have the 4I and have a good gap between them. I don't carry a handicap anymore, but I've been below a 5 and I'm certainly still single-digit. I made the switch (to Sterlings, not Cobra) and I don't think I'm going back (even though I have a perfectly new--2016--set of irons in the garage).

 

 

I agree with this and think it's an essential point that gets lost in the discussion. You've got to have a pretty mature swing speed to take advantage of single-length irons. Otherwise, you won't see any separation in the long irons. Personally, I carry a set of Sterlings, but I'm testing the Cobras one at a time, because I like feel of the long irons better than the Sterlings. I have a lot more shot-making flexibility with single length irons that I ever did with conventional irons. The game is more fun.

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All I've heard is good things about the long irons. Why is no one buying single length 3-7 then normal length 8-PW?

 

There are two potential benefits in SL irons, as well as two trade-offs.

 

The first benefit is in hitting lower-numbered irons with a shorter shaft. Easier and more accurate with better misses has been my experience.

 

The second benefit is grooving one swing with the irons. I didn't think this would turn out to be much of a thing, especially since I still had 5 other full-swing clubs that were not in the SL group. But it turns out that it IS a thing.

 

The first trade-off is that the lower-numbered irons fly significantly lower that traditional irons. That hasn't created problems for me, but I'm just one guy.

 

The second trade-off is having to hit the higher numbered irons and wedges with a longer shaft. This was definitely a thing for me for two reasons. First, they fly much higher, which is good for sticking greens but bad in the wind. Second, I was getting lousy distances with the PW and GW. But it turns out I was unconsciously backing off those clubs because of the longer shaft. Once I realized that and started going after the ball aggressively, I got my distances back.

 

Your idea is one I entertained, thinking the real benefit was in hitting a 4-iron with an 8-iron shaft. You get one benefit and have one trade-off using that makeup. My experience has been that both benefits are much better than the associated trade-offs. I'm glad I did the full 8 irons (4-GW). I have a traditional set in the garage, but I haven't hit them since I got the Sterlings.

 

On a related note, I shortened my driver by 2" (to 43.5). It feels and seems like I'm still popping it out there (due to better and more consistent contact, I assume), but I haven't run the numbers in a sim yet. My driver and 3W are now the same length with the same swingweight. I like them.

 

I think its under-rated how often scoring clubs are stock shots (dead straight, trajectory controlled by backswing), etc... and long clubs are not (under tree limbs, curving around stuff, low/high, MUCH more wind-effected (since the ball is in the air alot longer), etc..

 

For me, SL is great in my 9-PW irons (43*-55*, four clubs) using super-heavy shafts and even heavier heads. I didn't like it in the low irons. Realize this backwards, but just like you propose a 3-7 SL set and non-SL above, try SL at the *top* and then something insanely easy to hit (like DG Dynalites, or Graphite, I use Aldila Tour Blue 85) with SGI heads in the low irons. The best part is the high scoring SL set is relatively an easy DiY project compared to a whole set (b/c equalizing head weight doesn't require much tape, nothing like equalizing a 3 and a 9).

 

Every player is different, but despite my earlier misgivings about SL, I think there is a spot in the bag where every player becomes better using SL. I just think that spot is different for every player!

 

I got three F15 titleist woods cheap during CPO's latest +50% trade, I'm going to try an SL off-the-tee set of 9-12-15-18 at 42.25" using leaded cotton balls in the heads and cheap-ish shafts. We will see how it works. Realize lie is an issue there, but off the tee it shouldn't matter too much, and there isn't a huge difference between the 12 and the 18 (probably because they are fighting a slice bias in the design).

 

I still don't like SL in the low irons because working the ball high/low left/right feels awful. But in the scoring clubs it is incredible.

G400 Max 9* Ventus Red 5X, SIM Ventus Red 6X 

Callaway Mavrik 4 (18*) - AW (46*) Project X 5.5

Vokey SM4 50* SM5 56*

Cameron Phantom 5S

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While this topic asked specifically about the Cobra irons, the discussion seems to be centered on single-length irons, with lots of speculation by those who have minimal/no experience with them. Since I've been playing extensively with Wishon Sterling clubs since last October, I wanted to share my experience.

 

First, a little about me so you have a context for my context.

I'm 52yo and picked up clubs for the first time in Feb 2016, taking lessons to get started on the right foot. Since that time, I've practiced at least 1-2 hours per day and have played over 50 rounds. My current handicap is 18, so I'm not a "good" player yet. I started with Callaway Diablo Edge clubs then switched to the Wishon's in order to simplify my game since golf is hard enough to learn without changing club lengths ever swing.

A couple odd things. I'm naturally left hand but was trained in stick sports like a righty, so I golf right handed. This definitely affects my coordination. Also, I have a bad back, though it's been fine for the last year. But because of that, short clubs are painful for me to use. Having all my irons 8i length has eliminated my discomfort. I'm also not a fast swinger. As a beginner, I've been focussed on accuracy over distance. My benchmark is about 150yds with the 5i and 200+ with 3w and driver.

 

On to the clubs.

Like I said, switching from regular to single length irons almost completely eliminated the back pain I was experiencing, especially during practice, where I might chip and pitch 100 balls with a short club. Huge plus.

When I hit the sweet spot, the clubs feel amazing. Sure, they ping, but when hit right, they feel great and send the ball accurately where I want them.

Distance control is excellent with them. I chip with my gap wedge and am as good as anyone getting onto the green close to the pin from inside 100yds.

Overall distance is a little shorter than the Diablos. But the gaps are consistent.

 

Overall, I love the clubs. Wouldn't go back.

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Another vote here for SL.

 

Absolutely love my Cobra SL set. Wish I would have taken the time to order a set to my needs, but I found a great deal and was antsy to buy. I took them out and shot one of my best rounds ever, then the next time I really struggled. I decided to sell them and go back to my normal set. Then I changed my mind. I kept thinking about how good that first round was and decided to get them adjusted and give them a fair shake. I cancelled my listing and I am so glad I did.

 

Now I've had them properly adjusted and the love affair has begun. I shot even par for 9 holes after work the other night. I haven't done that in years (HC has risen from a 4 to an 8 over the last few years). Last year I rarely broke 80 and I have probably 9 rounds in with the Cobras and I don't think I've been in the 80's once (except for the second round alluded to before, but that was a 43 for 9). 4 and 5 irons used to absolutely kill me, now hitting 5 is really no big deal. Short irons took a while to adjust to, and I'm still learning 3/4 shots, but getting easier every round.

 

I just ordered the 4 iron from Cobra last week (original set was 5-GW) and also shortened my driver and 3 wood a bit and hitting them both better than ever. My LW and SW are still standard, so no change there, but seriously thinking about switching to SL for them as well and go "full bag". I was keeping my Callaway X2 Hot Pros as a backup set (my safety net), but sold them on craigslist last week. I've had no desire to go back to regular length clubs now.

 

Agreed they are not for everybody, but I think a lot of people discount them without giving them a try. My buddies were the same way until they saw my improvement in the last month. They can't believe how consistent I've been.

 

One added bonus, and it may be purely mental, is the fact that my putting has improved lately. I think that because I'm hitting so many more GIRs that I'm not constantly having to make everything to save a par (or worse) so I'm much more relaxed and puts are either going in or leaving easy tap ins. It also doesn't hurt that my buddy bought me my first Scotty last year and it's a great feeling putter ;)

 

Just my .02.

 

EDIT: Forgot to add how much I enjoy chipping with the longer length irons. I used to use my SW/GW pretty exclusively, now I'm using more GW-8 and my chipping has improved and also it's taken some strain off of my back.

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and also it's taken some strain off of my back.

 

This is a massively under-rated feature of SL. I experienced the same thing.

 

I was a naysayer and was wrong. I'm not sure they're "Better" but they are at least as good as VL.

G400 Max 9* Ventus Red 5X, SIM Ventus Red 6X 

Callaway Mavrik 4 (18*) - AW (46*) Project X 5.5

Vokey SM4 50* SM5 56*

Cameron Phantom 5S

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I have a low 70s 7 iron swing speed. I find my SL (conventional face) 25* 5 iron to be marginal. It's good off a tee or nice lie. And I'm a high ball hitter.

 

That does NOT mean I can't use SL clubs. Anything above my SL set is not a club where I expect to hit a green anyway. I mean, I will hit some, but my expectation with hybrids is realistic, to maybe hit the green, but at least be around it. A lot of golfers can't hit a conventional 5 iron worth a darn anyway.

 

I think even starting at 7 iron, an SL set would be very worthwhile. Just my experience.

M4 Driver
4, 7, 9 woods

5, 6 Adams hybrids
7-GW Maltby irons
54 & 58º Wedges
LAB Mezz.1 box stock
 
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and also it's taken some strain off of my back.

 

This is a massively under-rated feature of SL. I experienced the same thing.

...

 

Why do you think this happened?

 

Myself, I gained confidence with SL, and if that translates to a lower effort swing, that could lead to fewer hurts.

M4 Driver
4, 7, 9 woods

5, 6 Adams hybrids
7-GW Maltby irons
54 & 58º Wedges
LAB Mezz.1 box stock
 
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Thought I'd add my $0.02 on SL. I've been at it about 14 months now with the Pinhawks 4-LW. I also carry 2 Titleist hybrids that I cut to the same length and swing weight at 18 and 21 deg. My issue with the irons has always been consistency in striking and really hitting them too high. So with my pretty high swing speed and no launch/loft issues, hitting 4 and 5 iron have really improved. I do still have a tendency to swing too hard since the targets are far away but a smooth swing with those still has nice trajectory and roll out is not bad. I really don't mind the wedges being long either. That was not a huge adjustment for me. The toughest thing I've found is bunker shots. I forget the bounce on my set but suffice to say there isn't much compared to a typical SW or LW. I'm really a bit lost on those shots now and can't seem to practice enough to really get comfortable again. I rarely hit my 60 now so i think i will likely replace it with either a re-shafted Vokey to the same length (8I for me) or just put it back as is in short version.

 

I'm also hooking my hybrids something fierce right now, but back injury is some part of that. I likely will still cut a couple inches off of them to get them closer to the irons just to see how that goes since its no where but up for here.

 

I will say my improvement was 3-4 shots over the summer but I really fell back late this fall with a back issue. I had a few rounds where it really came together and the confidence was there across the irons. Gapping was really fine as well and didn't make be try to adjust trajectory. just put the same smooth swing on it and let the club do the work. If i can get my head and body to do that, this really gets easier and more fun. The chipping challenges didn't matter as much then either since I was on the green a lot more. Until I can get that injury under controls, I'm not a good test case because the swing i can make it probably hurting any length club! I am interested in either the Cobra or Edel though just to see what a more reputable manufacturer is bringing to the table now.

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and also it's taken some strain off of my back.

 

This is a massively under-rated feature of SL. I experienced the same thing.

 

I was a naysayer and was wrong. I'm not sure they're "Better" but they are at least as good as VL.

 

Why do you think this happened?

 

Myself, I gained confidence with SL, and if that translates to a lower effort swing, that could lead to fewer hurts.

 

My hip hinge isn't nearly as severe. If

All my wedges are 36.25 I don't have to bend down an extra inch to grab a 35" 60. I play with very little knee bend (like virtually all good players - note I said virtually, there are some who play with a ton like Gary player) at address so the part that is "flexing" to put my hands lower is my lower back. A lot (virtually all) of (note: a lot, not all) bad players take their stance like their playing defense in basketball which takes the strain of the back and, while it feels more athletic, makes it much harder to both send your weight left quickly to start downswing and to rotate with significant force.

 

Flexing is in quotes because it isn't actually flexing. Your hip joint is flexing toward the ball but your lower back is holding your weight up. Less tilt down, the more gravity helps your back especially for those of us who may be a little bigger. Getting down that extra inch makes our lower back flex a lot more so we don't fall on our face at address.

 

Another issue is the actual swing. If a player reverse pivots in their backswing (right hip goes toward the target not just up and back) the catch up move is to flex the lower back away from the target - if you don't you'd hit it an inch fat -creating the "reverse C" downswing seen in tons of bad players (left hip forward, head/shoulders leaning back, left knee flex straight out, right leg not losing flex). A longer club makes this much harder on the lower back because your right shoulder drops and you scoop at impact.

 

If SL helps your back with the long clubs there is a very good chance (note:

Golf isn't Chess there are a million ways to be good this is general) your swing isn't very good and you are reverse pivoting and then scooping. Scooping is a lower back move. Shorter club, less strain.

G400 Max 9* Ventus Red 5X, SIM Ventus Red 6X 

Callaway Mavrik 4 (18*) - AW (46*) Project X 5.5

Vokey SM4 50* SM5 56*

Cameron Phantom 5S

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I got three F15 titleist woods cheap during CPO's latest +50% trade, I'm going to try an SL off-the-tee set of 9-12-15-18 at 42.25" using leaded cotton balls in the heads and cheap-ish shafts. We will see how it works. Realize lie is an issue there, but off the tee it shouldn't matter too much, and there isn't a huge difference between the 12 and the 18 (probably because they are fighting a slice bias in the design).

 

 

Lie won't be a big issue--note that almost no one adjusts lie angles on woods. But weight--static and swing--will be. If you shorten shafts, you have two approaches available. First, you can shorten the existing shaft. Take an equal length from the tip and from the butt. Or you can install a new shaft. But....

 

In either approach, you'll have to add weight to the clubhead. This is because the clubs were manufactured to go with standard-length shafts and you're taking weight off. You'll either have to add liquid metal into the clubhead or add lead tape. (Where you add the tape can also affect ball flight, so choose well.)

 

As an alternative, you could add a non-tapering grip and choke down. But if you have to make-up 2 inches like I did, you end up with a significant amount of the butt outside your grip. This counterweights the club, lowering the effective swingweight. Some players counterweight purposely and don't mind the lower swing weight (often going from mid-D (D5 or so) to high-C (C9 or so). I didn't care for it when I counterweighted a set of irons a few years ago.

 

My advice would be to see a clubfitter about your options.

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I was thinking of take a few old irons I hardly use and cut them to the same size-but haven't as yet.

You can't do that. All the heads must be the same weight. I built a set of Pinhawk's I ordered the heads all the same weight but different lofts and used steel shafts all the same length the only way to keep the SW right. Same thing with me. Long irons ok but 8-pw hard to pitch and chip and much longer on full shots. Ebay 3 days later and sold them immediately soon as I listed them.
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Ok here is my .02 cents regarding single length having played the Sterlings. For me though its true the set up is the same for every club the ball flight is not. What I experienced and couldn't get use to was how high the short irons flew which made me start to manipulate my swing to lower it and how low the long irons flew which made me try and lift the ball to get the height. On the range my ball striking was solid and consistent. It just didn't transfer to the golf course when faced with wind or a force carry to hold a green. Really in the end single length is such a compromise that you really need to test and determine which part of your game your looking for help in. In the end the ball flight never ever looked right to my eye.

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I was thinking of take a few old irons I hardly use and cut them to the same size-but haven't as yet.

You can't do that. All the heads must be the same weight. I built a set of Pinhawk's I ordered the heads all the same weight but different lofts and used steel shafts all the same length the only way to keep the SW right. Same thing with me. Long irons ok but 8-pw hard to pitch and chip and much longer on full shots. Ebay 3 days later and sold them immediately soon as I listed them.

 

You can get very very close with lead tape and a swing-weight scale. It will at least let you know if you want to go in on SL.

G400 Max 9* Ventus Red 5X, SIM Ventus Red 6X 

Callaway Mavrik 4 (18*) - AW (46*) Project X 5.5

Vokey SM4 50* SM5 56*

Cameron Phantom 5S

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I just read thru all the posts real quick. Seems like this quickly turned into a single length iron discussion with a lot of theory's on single length irons from people. Hopefully my feedback adds something for people to think about. I am 36 and started playing golf at age 30, playing consistently for five of the six years. Last summer played basically none, bought a house with some land, so busy with projects. My ball striking was junk the first time I tried the cobra forged. I got a country club elite mat, love the mat, a 7 iron and hit balls everyday for a month. This was in the winter which paid huge dividends because I just hit ball after ball into a net, soon enough I was hitting the ball very solid.

 

Fast forward to when the PGA superstore in Denver got the demo set in. I had $900 in credit there so I went in on a Monday night when the store was dead and spent about an hour in the simulator. Basically I was getting good launch and spin numbers. 7 iron was 185 at sea level setting, 6- 195, 5- 205, 4-215. I was really happy with what I was seeing and how easy it was to have more consistency with the long irons, but my strike pattern on the pw was better for me than a standard length wedge. I ordered 4-pw with dynamic gold s400 stiff the 4 and 5 soft stepped once, length 37.25", D4 swingweight. From the factory cobra did a good job all swingweights were within a 1/2 point and two clubs were maybe a 1/8 long, nothing to worry about.

 

Fast forward again and I have played about 10 9 hole rounds (i have a 4 year old boy and 2 year old girl so 18 is not always in the cards) Basically I really like these clubs and they have vastly improved the number of real golf shots I hit in a round and more than that my misses are so much better. The fat shot has all but disappeared from my game. I have no issue with height on the long irons on good strikes, and I love the extra height on the shorter clubs, but can flight them down just the same as a standard set. I took an old 55* wedge ground it down to the weight of a 7 iron and shafted it to match. This is were I was very skeptical about one length, I had zero issue out of the sand, high shots, low, 50 yard chip, full shots etc. So I ordered the matching gap wedge and 56*

 

My take away from all this is if you are in the single length irons are an awful idea camp, then it's a horrible idea for you, and you will never make it work. If you are a good golfer, single digit handicap, with moderate to high swing speed, and an open mind, I think you could see a significant improvement. If you are high double digit handicap player with lower swing speed, the longer irons are going to be harder to elevate without a doubt, but I have never played with a low swing speed player that could hit a nice high 4 iron, that's just the reality of it. My last comment is in my mind single length makes sense to me, I thought about this six years ago when I picked this game up. In my mind now I pull a club and I just think make my normal swing, the mental part of this is bigger than anything else in my opinion. Pulling 7 iron out of my bag for 90 percent of my shots has been a huge confidence boost. Golf is hard and takes time, having 8 clubs the same length has allowed me to practice less but still see improvement. I feel like I can spend more time chipping and putting, the part of the game were you actually lower your handicap. Get fit if you go down this road and have an open mind. I fully admit that if you have played golf since a little kid this would be a difficult change, glad I made the change, and bought an epic driver, ha ha. Sorry for being long winded.

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I bought the Cobra's 5i to GW. Demo'd them on their driving range (mats only) and loved them, especially the 8-GW. Bought em and practiced 3x a week during the weekday (on mats as the closest golf course doesn't allow you to go off mats). Played 4 rounds. Shot an average of 10 strokes over my normal score each round. What worked well on the range did not carry over to the course. Was digging trenches behind the higher lofted clubs and hitting stingers with the 5 & 6 irons that were probably 10' off the ground the entire time in the air. Having had a 5 &6 hybrid with my prior clubs I had major problems hitting the irons. After the 4th round I had lost all confidence with the clubs. Fortunately, the golf shop I bought them at had a 30 day return policy. Brought them back on day 29 and exchanged them for a set of Ping G30's. Have only played those once with a few range practices, but first round out I shot my normal score. So far I like the G30's a lot more than the Cobras. Have never owned Pings before so I'm pretty excited now.

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And for what it's worth, I haven't seemed to notice any difference in ball flight with the cobras vs. my Callaways. I tend to hit my irons on the high side anyway so I haven't seen a change. I was never that consistant of a

ball striker though so maybe if I would have hit my old irons as good as I hit the cobras there might have been an issue.

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