Seduced by Distance Irons...

[DaveGoodrich]

Basically, you need to decide the lowest loft iron you can hit effectively, and highest lofted iron you "swing full." For me that's about a 28* iron and a 50* wedge. In some irons I play, that's an "old school" 5-PW. Other sets I play, thats a "jacked" 6-GW set. Who cares what the numbers on the bottom say. For someone else, they may need irons that go from 19* iron to 56*. Regardless, fill the space in between with as many clubs as you need to keep your gaps reasonable.

 

Also, I'm a big proponent of 5 degree gaps in the mid-irons for those with modest swing speeds. Gives you an extra club at whichever end of the bag you need it.

 

[IamMarkMac]

> @lang30 said:

> > @IamMarkMac said:

> > > @lang30 said:

> > > > @IamMarkMac said:

> > > > > @lang30 said:

> > > > > > @tannyhoban said:

> > > > > > Play what works.

> > > > >

> > > > > Exactly this. I don't understand why people get worked up about distance irons. Big deal if your buddy pulls out an 8 iron while you grab a 6 or 7. Golf should be fun and I'm not going to apologize to anyone because I choose to play clubs I enjoy - jacked lofts or not.

> > > >

> > > > People get worked up because distance "gloat" is a real thing. And some people can't stand it when someone is pleased with himself reaching a 150y par 3 with an 8i that's jacked because that person should somehow understand that he didn't really hit an 8i to 150y and he doesn't hit as far as the person who hit the green with the traditionally lofted 8i.

> > > > I find that you need to be a pretty good golfer to just let that go. If you're having trouble with distance/accuracy yourself, the gloater doesn't help and just kind of ticks you off.

> > > >

> > >

> > > I know you are right that there are gloaters out there, but surely in some cases the person is genuinely happy with the result of a shot. If asked what iron i hit and i get a response like, "wow, big hitter", I always mention my irons are strong lofted.

> > >

> > > Should we give everybody blade irons at the same specs and go back to persimmon drivers? Probably need to get rid of distance balls too.

> >

> > Well you asked why people get worked up and that’s why I think they get worked up. Myself? If you tell me it’s an 8, it’s an 8.

> > I’ve played with more than one golfer that couldn’t stop gushing about how far they hit their new clubs that didn’t understand a lick about loft and only knew the number stamped on the club. I’m not about to explain jacked lofts to them nor do I want to rain on their parade like that.

> > You mention to others that your clubs are strong lofted, why do you even do that? If the person who said “big hitter” didn’t understand jacked lofts, he just enjoyed your shot and doesn’t care what the actual loft is. If the person did understand jacked lofts, then he was probably being sarcastic so who cares what he thinks?

>

> Why do I do that? I'm just making a statement of fact on my equipment.

>

> As for your distance gloat concern, you really have few options - ignore it and move on, sort it out when you both tee up a driver, or maybe grab yourself some jacked clubs.

>

> If you want to convince Cobra to stamp 2 thru 9 or 3 thru P on my currently labeled 4 thru G irons, I'm happy to play those instead.

 

But that's my point. Why does anyone need to get their irons stamped to match traditional loft? I play HMPs which although marketed as a players club, are pretty jacked. But see, I don't even think that my irons are jacked, the way I look at it, these are the modern lofts.

And as far as I'm concerned, unless you're playing niblicks and mashies, you don't really have the right to point to any other club as jacked.

[gbartko]

I don't know about you guys but at my club we don't break ties using hole handicap. Instead we give it to the guy who's pitching wedge has more loft. 2nd tie breaker is who has less offset in their 2 iron. 3rd is who's lob wedge has less bounce. 4th tie breaker is who's driver face angle is more open. It's never happened yet but the 5th tie breaker is when we measure d**ks. As always - YMMV.

[kiwihacker]

> @gbartko said:

> I don't know about you guys but at my club we don't break ties using hole handicap. Instead we give it to the guy who's pitching wedge has more loft. 2nd tie breaker is who has less offset in their 2 iron. 3rd is who's lob wedge has less bounce. 4th tie breaker is who's driver face angle is more open. It's never happened yet but the 5th tie breaker is when we measure d**ks. As always - YMMV.

 

:smiley: LOL

[rxk9fan]

One reason I am starting to come around to the "modern loft" is that I get to play them as they come from the OEM. With most new sets, I either ordered the set strong a degree or two or got on a monitor and bent them strong as we worked through the set to get gaps and trajectory where I wanted it. My normal swing often spins too much and goes higher than I want. Since I have not been able to fix that flaw, hitting stronger lofted clubs fixes it for me.

A shot that spins too much and goes too high is ugly where I live in the spring. Played Friday with 20mph winds and gust to 40mph. I still played like total crap but the few I hit decent had the ball flight I was looking for.

 

[scott19]

I'm a huge fan of the more traditional lofts in Wilson sets right now. My Wilson FG Tour V6's won't be leaving the bag for a very long time. 4 iron is 24 degrees and at the other end the PW is 47.

[glenk69]

I tried distance irons last year. Hit them amazing for about two weeks. And them completely lost my swing. I just had no feel for what was a good and bad swing. I went back to my blades this year (Adams MB2) and am hopeful that I can get my swing back by playing a club with more feedback. Hopefully, by playing the blades I can get the precision in my swing and get rid of the sloppiness. I tried this once before back in the early 90's with some Ping Eye 2 ripoffs, and the same thing happened. You'd think I'd learn. I don't really have an issue with the lofts being jacked on distance irons you just have to be aware of your lofts and gaps.

[vman]

I have modern jacked lofts relative to the number on the sole but if I look at my 4-A wedge as 3 -pw, well, it doesn't make a lot of difference does it.

[cardia10]

Tried this with P790s for 2 weeks then figured out how inefficient 195 yard 7 irons were. I got over chasing distance pretty fast.

[Shakester]

I have no problems with strong lofted clubs but they aren't for me. I tried it. I bought a new set of P790 and played them for about 3 rounds before returning them for the P770. Just couldn't get use to the gap in distances. My problem with them are the people who constantly tell me what club they've hit. They'll get up to the tee and announce to everyone what club they're using like we're suppose to be impressed.

[mantan]

 

 

> @Shakester said:

> I have no problems with strong lofted clubs but they aren't for me. I tried it. I bought a new set of P790 and played them for about 3 rounds before returning them for the P770. Just couldn't get use to the gap in distances. My problem with them are the people who constantly tell me what club they've hit. They'll get up to the tee and announce to everyone what club they're using like we're suppose to be impressed.

 

I never understood it. I don't give a rip what anybody hits. If I ask, I always frame the question at 'what yardage did you play it at' then adjust it to my clubs.

 

[atj5206]

I don't care if the lofts are jacked, found it easy enough to adjust after a few rounds (going from Ap2 to King ForgedTec). Also don't care if my PW goes 110 or 140. That's why we have ~nine irons in the bag.

My irons over the last 22 years: Ping ISI -> Titleist AP2 -> Cobra King Pro MB/CB combo "experiment" -> Cobra ForgedTec

Back to shovels and I'm lovin' every minute with em!!! :-)

[OrangeGravy]

The only thing that bothers me about the "loft jacking" is that iron sets are so different from model to model or oem to oem. I wish they were all pretty much the same, so it was easier to mix and match without much trouble. You'd still certain designs more efficiently than others, but it would make it more straight forward to blend sets even from different oems generally speaking.

 

If I had the time and resources, I'd probably have a 3-5 different models making up my iron set from 4-P. I've yet to find a set that I like the long, mid, and short irons equally from a "I know I'm gonna hit this club well" standpoint looking down at address.

[smithy23]

my gripe with the distance irons is i usually find them really clunky and i prefer what id deem a players iron.

As a mid Handicapper 11, and having a bad forward press i always had my irons loft weakened 2* so i could get the ball up and to stop on a green.

You can mess about with the lofts for ages but with a few decent lessons a hard winter learning a grip change ive gone back to fairly nice lofts almost 4* gap between the clubs

4# 22* MP Fli Hi

5# 26* MP Fli Hi

6# 30*

7# 34*

8# 38*

9# 42*

PW# 46*

that gives me options for the wedges and i have a collection coming on but now it goes with a 53* and 60* to round it out and i find that works for me and takes away some of the indecision by carry 50/54/58 etc

6-PW are JPX900 Tours

 

[tannyhoban]

Just spitballing, but maybe the reason OEM's continue to make and market strong irons is because they sell. And that's an individual's choice.

[ghoonk]

> @puttingmatt said:

> Other than soothing your own ego, what do you really gain from playing jacked lofts ? Might make you feel better, but does not make you better, and

> most golfers are well aware of the new jacked lofts

> on clubs these days, meaning they know your seven iron equals their five iron for loft. Make bragging about iron distances mute.

 

Actually, my ego tells me to play my Miura MC501s. I've been having issues recently and not really enjoying golf. Shot an 83 two weeks back and was averaging 85 for a month before that, and it's been downhill into the 92-95 scores since.

My playing partner and best friend (i.e. SWMBO) had me switch back to my TM M-CGB irons (i.e. my idiot set, which I'm way too proud to play) so I'd be less cranky during and post-round. Jacked lofts et al, I shot 81 on Sunday and 76 yesterday afternoon - hitting more greens, stopping the ball just fine (I was playing a yellow Titleist Tour Soft ball. Sucks that she's right - but I now realise I'd rather be bragging about my scores than my distances or the type of blades I play, M-CGBs be damned.

[ghoonk]

> @IamMarkMac said:

> > @lang30 said:

> > > @tannyhoban said:

> > > Play what works.

> >

> > Exactly this. I don't understand why people get worked up about distance irons. Big deal if your buddy pulls out an 8 iron while you grab a 6 or 7. Golf should be fun and I'm not going to apologize to anyone because I choose to play clubs I enjoy - jacked lofts or not.

>

> People get worked up because distance "gloat" is a real thing. And some people can't stand it when someone is pleased with himself reaching a 150y par 3 with an 8i that's jacked because that person should somehow understand that he didn't really hit an 8i to 150y and he doesn't hit as far as the person who hit the green with the traditionally lofted 8i.

> I find that you need to be a pretty good golfer to just let that go. If you're having trouble with distance/accuracy yourself, the gloater doesn't help and just kind of ticks you off.

>

 

I used to think that way as well. My early years in golf was spent playing with a buddy who used to hit his 5i 200 meters, while I could barely get mine past 150m (distances in meters cos my early years with golf was spent in Singapore).

 

I spent years chasing his yardages with each club and only recently realised that at the end of the day, only two things matter - what's on the scorecard, and how much fun I had out there.

[Jifmoli]

Ignorance is bliss. When I started playing in 2011 I knew nothing about lofts and traditions. Book said "know YOUR distance with each club". So I try that.

I like long high flying shots and my distance clubs give me that, pluz probably the forgiveness i need at 25HC. I do like an xtra approach wedge for the 90-110m range but anything shorter i use a 56o, so it does not cost me too much extra money. My gaps between the main irons is similar to the original poster of this thread. Mind you, i usually play with a half set so gapping bothers me less anyway.

[rsgolfhard]

I'm really fighting this right now. I'm thinking about new irons, and torn between more players irons with more normal lofts or game improvement with stronger lofts. I play Ap2 710's and have for about 8 or so years. I know im a bad WRX'er. Not sure which way I'm gonna go. I'm a 7 handicap but players irons scare me for some reason.

[swing thoughts]

The question for me is "why are we seduced?" I am not ashamed to admit that I want everyone to think I hit the ball a long way. There, I said it. probably because I've always been the skinny guy on the football team, doing MMA, etc. But I found a way to get past it, I play blades now. I usually manage to work something like the following into a conversation on the course: "Yeah, but these Mizunos don't go anywhere. It's been a bit of a transition, but I'm adjusting to losing 15-20 yards per club." Yes, I'm that guy, but I promise I'm not a blowhard about it. And I don't do it when I'm playing with older players or guys who suck and hit their 7 iron 125 when they catch it right. But I do care and I can't help it.

[IamMarkMac]

> @ghoonk said:

> > @IamMarkMac said:

> > > @lang30 said:

> > > > @tannyhoban said:

> > > > Play what works.

> > >

> > > Exactly this. I don't understand why people get worked up about distance irons. Big deal if your buddy pulls out an 8 iron while you grab a 6 or 7. Golf should be fun and I'm not going to apologize to anyone because I choose to play clubs I enjoy - jacked lofts or not.

> >

> > People get worked up because distance "gloat" is a real thing. And some people can't stand it when someone is pleased with himself reaching a 150y par 3 with an 8i that's jacked because that person should somehow understand that he didn't really hit an 8i to 150y and he doesn't hit as far as the person who hit the green with the traditionally lofted 8i.

> > I find that you need to be a pretty good golfer to just let that go. If you're having trouble with distance/accuracy yourself, the gloater doesn't help and just kind of ticks you off.

> >

>

> I used to think that way as well. My early years in golf was spent playing with a buddy who used to hit his 5i 200 meters, while I could barely get mine past 150m (distances in meters cos my early years with golf was spent in Singapore).

>

> I spent years chasing his yardages with each club and only recently realised that at the end of the day, only two things matter - what's on the scorecard, and how much fun I had out there.

 

I was the same when I started. I had a couple of different realizations to make me stop thinking about it so much:

1. There’s always going to be someone who can hit it longer.

2. Distance didn’t automatically make a better golfer.

It’s just one of those things I think you learn over time. Kind of like when you’re betting with your foursome, you start to notice the same hundred bucks just circulates in the group. If I was going to have prodigious distance, I’d have known that far earlier in my golf life. So i don’t sweat those that do.

[Petethreeput]

The story of "was-one."

After 15 years it was time to get new irons, he finally succumbed to the lesser golfers who would tell him the new technology could only help. He hit the newest Pings and gained about 15 yards per club and the flight was high and straight. But when "was-one" found himself in the trees he couldn't flight the ball down as easily or create the spin he was used to generating to move the ball around the trees between himself and the green because his clubs had manufactured this out of them. The clubface was a thin piece of metal with some polymer behind the face to even out any mishits. When he was in the trees he hit it high and straight... into the trees, and his game suffered.

"Was-one" ended the season as "now-five." He pulled his '03 Pings out of the closet for the final round of the year and carded a one over.

"Now-five" also has a different set of clubs.

[GSDriver]

All that matters is how many, not how...I don't care if hit 2, 5 or 9 iron, if it goes where I want and I can make the putt, it's all good.

[oiler45]

This topic always surprises me with both the number and kinds of responses. Sounds like a lot of people are pretty thin-skinned or pay too much attention to other people's games. Who cares what the number on the bottom of the club says? As long as your distance and gapping works does anyone really care if you hit a 7 or an 8 iron close to the pin? I'm a high single digit but am getting older, slower and shorter. I know my G700 PW is about the same loft as my 8 iron of yester-year and I hit it about as far as my old 9 iron - but who cares? If you're worried that someone hits their irons longer than you because their clubs are stronger lofted - just beat them on the scorecard and worry about something else.

[Popeye64]

> @"swing thoughts" said:

> The question for me is "why are we seduced?" I am not ashamed to admit that I want everyone to think I hit the ball a long way. There, I said it. probably because I've always been the skinny guy on the football team, doing MMA, etc. But I found a way to get past it, I play blades now. I usually manage to work something like the following into a conversation on the course: "Yeah, but these Mizunos don't go anywhere. It's been a bit of a transition, but I'm adjusting to losing 15-20 yards per club." Yes, I'm that guy, but I promise I'm not a blowhard about it. And I don't do it when I'm playing with older players or guys who suck and hit their 7 iron 125 when they catch it right. But I do care and I can't help it.

 

Chick's dig the long ball.... I guess we get wrapped up in bigger, better, faster. We lose sight of what's really important in golf and that's scoring. But there is also the fun part about golf and that's where the hitting the ball farther,, seduction comes in.

I'm glad I dipped into the distance iron pool because it made me take a good long hard look at my game. I easily realized for me, scoring better was a lot more fun than how far it went.

[DaveGoodrich]

I play in a Men's league with handicaps between scratch and 30+, and ages between 35 and 80. Folks are hitting anything from a pitching wedge to a 3-wood from 150 yards. Even among the competitive "better" players in this league, there is considerable variation in age, size, build, athletic experience, etc. With this level of variation in the golfing public, why would anyone care about what someone else is playing from a given distance? It's not how far, but how many...

[BogeyParBogey]

> @Popeye64 said:

> > @"swing thoughts" said:

> > The question for me is "why are we seduced?" I am not ashamed to admit that I want everyone to think I hit the ball a long way. There, I said it. probably because I've always been the skinny guy on the football team, doing MMA, etc. But I found a way to get past it, I play blades now. I usually manage to work something like the following into a conversation on the course: "Yeah, but these Mizunos don't go anywhere. It's been a bit of a transition, but I'm adjusting to losing 15-20 yards per club." Yes, I'm that guy, but I promise I'm not a blowhard about it. And I don't do it when I'm playing with older players or guys who suck and hit their 7 iron 125 when they catch it right. But I do care and I can't help it.

>

> Chick's dig the long ball.... I guess we get wrapped up in bigger, better, faster. We lose sight of what's really important in golf and that's scoring. But there is also the fun part about golf and that's where the hitting the ball farther,, seduction comes in.

> I'm glad I dipped into the distance iron pool because it made me take a good long hard look at my game. I easily realized for me, scoring better was a lot more fun than how far it went.

 

Popeye,

Are you back with the MMBs?

[kiwihacker]

> @oiler45 said:

> This topic always surprises me with both the number and kinds of responses. Sounds like a lot of people are pretty thin-skinned or pay too much attention to other people's games. Who cares what the number on the bottom of the club says? As long as your distance and gapping works does anyone really care if you hit a 7 or an 8 iron close to the pin? I'm a high single digit but am getting older, slower and shorter. I know my G700 PW is about the same loft as my 8 iron of yester-year and I hit it about as far as my old 9 iron - but who cares? If you're worried that someone hits their irons longer than you because their clubs are stronger lofted - just beat them on the scorecard and worry about something else.

 

Fair enough but if you are hitting that PW as far as you used to hit your old 8/9 iron how many more wedges do you need to hit the same distance as your old PW and fill out the gaps to your most lofted sand/lob wedge?

[kiwihacker]

> @"swing thoughts" said:

> The question for me is "why are we seduced?" I am not ashamed to admit that I want everyone to think I hit the ball a long way. There, I said it. probably because I've always been the skinny guy on the football team, doing MMA, etc. But I found a way to get past it, I play blades now. I usually manage to work something like the following into a conversation on the course: "Yeah, but these Mizunos don't go anywhere. It's been a bit of a transition, but I'm adjusting to losing 15-20 yards per club." Yes, I'm that guy, but I promise I'm not a blowhard about it. And I don't do it when I'm playing with older players or guys who suck and hit their 7 iron 125 when they catch it right. But I do care and I can't help it.

 

Hmm... where's the old 'Not sure if serious ' emoji when you need it? :smile:

[kiwihacker]

> @DaveGoodrich said:

> I play in a Men's league with handicaps between scratch and 30+, and ages between 35 and 80. Folks are hitting anything from a pitching wedge to a 3-wood from 150 yards. Even among the competitive "better" players in this league, there is considerable variation in age, size, build, athletic experience, etc. With this level of variation in the golfing public, why would anyone care about what someone else is playing from a given distance? It's not how far, but how many...

 

This is all very true. Most golfers wouldn't have a clue and could care less about the lofts on their clubs. Only a small, obsessed clique of golfers that occupy forums like WRX care about such trivia. :)