Need Help With Making a Hogan Combo Set --- 7.5 iron

[TheCompleteHacker]

Alright Gentlemen and (Ladies...if any)...it looks like I may be in a bit of trouble.

 

I've been waiting patiently to have the spare money for a reshaft.

 

The Heads:

 

Apex Plus - in the 5, 6, & 7 spots

 

99 Apex Blades - in the 8, 9, & Pw spots.

 

The Shafts:

 

KBS C Taper S+ - pulled from a set of XTDs I traded for...

 

 

The Problem:

 

I just went back over the lofts that will make up this set...

 

...and well I got a 6* gap between the Apex Plus 7 iron and the Apex 8 iron.

 

Turns out the blades lofts are week compared to the Apex Plus.

 

Note: The X Forged are there for comparison, as they are what I've played for the last year, and I will retain them as a backup set.

 

The lofts are as follows:

 

 

As you see from the very bottom there is a huge gap. So the question now is, do I have the Blades bent stronger (down a degree each) and have the Apex Plus bent weak a degree? Or do I just throw a club in the gap (i.e. the 7 iron blade bent 1 degree weak...would make a 34, 37, 40 gapping.)

 

P.S.> This idea of building a combo set was dreamed up in my head before I learned of the Hogan FTX... So yea, I already had all the parts.

[TheCompleteHacker]

I guess here is two ways to have the lofts bent to address the gap issue.

 

Im not sure which seems more practical, bending 5 clubs 1 degree each, or bending 3 clubs in a progression of degrees.

 

[Par-net-birdie]

I'd bend the 5,6,7 to match the 99's

After playing classic for so long I bent my miuras

Weak , as I prefer a 50* pw now

I have access to a trackman and loft and lie

So it's fun to tinker with your gapping

 

[TheCompleteHacker]

I guess that would make since. I could feel good about altering the Apex Plus as they're cheap, as opposed to the 99s which are coming from a 2-Pw set that I may want to reassemble some day.

[baloo]

I usually prefer to add loft as it increases bounce and decreases offset slightly. Either way will work just fine though.

Some people like a stronger loft to lower the ball flight a touch.

[scomac2002]

I'd bend the 5,6,7 to match the 99's

 

^^^This. It adds bounce. Strengthening lofts on classic blades can be problematic due to a lack of bounce in the first place.

 

I have a similar issue with a set of Golden Ram Tour Grinds that are missing the 6 iron. I'm going to attempt to bridge the gap through bending most of which will be accomplished by weakening the 4 and 5 iron. The 7 iron had already been bent to 33° and it's a bit sketchy to hit; works a bit like a plow share.

[TheCompleteHacker]

Yea. I was worried about the bounce change. I don't mind a reduction of bounce by 1* but if the 7 iron is moved 2* and the factory bounce angle is say like 2*, then I'll have 4* of bounce. This really won't be that noticeable, but I was thinking if the set sends 3*, 4.5*, 5*, 2*, 2*...and so on...it may cause some inconsistencies in feel.

 

The other worry is, I can be a pretty shallow swinger, so if the 7 iron goes 2* weak, I worry at address we may have a bit of leading edge lift.

[84425]

Just a thought: as these are two different kind of heads, shouldn't you first test the irons out before bending them (strong/weak). I would not be surprised if you would hit the Apex Blade 8 iron slightly further than you would hit the Apex Plus 8 iron, so that in fact the change in loft progression would not be noticable in play.

[super20dan]

i agree-testbefore bending

[mocokid]

Bend them ALL to the apex plus lofts, as they are only 1* different from the Callaways you have played.

[Juice__25]

Agree. Need to worry about distance gap not degree gap. While the two correlate, the different heads effect that.

 

Plus, what does the top of your bag look like? Seems like there might also be a weird gap there between whatever you decide to use.

[TheCompleteHacker]

To All -

 

I never really worry about distance gaping. There is gonna be a hole at the top between D,3w, 2i, 3i, 4i...but I don't worry about these things, as I can always take a bit out of the swing if a club is too long...

 

...but I guess if Im going that route, I could always take a club up and then take a bit out of the swing if the case is that a club is short.

 

The reason for degree gaping was more so to try to establish a set distance gaping between the sets, but since you all have brought up the fact that the difference in heads may cause a distance gap (even if the degrees of loft are equal) I suppose I should test them first.

 

My typical yardage is as follows:

 

D: Carry 240 Total 260-280 depending on conditions

3w: ??? I've never hit a 3w well, and I have yet to assemble the 3 wood that I will be experimenting with.

2i: ??? The 2i is in the bag as a utility club. It is solely being utilized for punch shots on long 5s when I have bad drives that find their ways under low lying limbs. It's not intended to be a long iron, although I did hit a low trajectory shot last weekend that probably only carried 200, but ran out to the back of the green which was 298 out.

3i: 190

4: 180

5: 175

6: 165

7: 155 ** I am constantly making technique and mechanics changes to my swing. I have gotten as much as 175 out of my existing 7i.

8: 145

9: 135

Pw: 125

52 & 56: I can get as much as 120 out of these if need be.

[NRJyzr]

I'd bend the 5,6,7 to match the 99's

After playing classic for so long I bent my miuras

Weak , as I prefer a 50* pw now

I have access to a trackman and loft and lie

So it's fun to tinker with your gapping

 

 

I agree with the above. No good reason to strengthen the blades, it makes more sense to tweak the Apex Plus to fit the 99s.