Seduced by Distance Irons...

[Popeye64]

> @tsecor said:

> unless you are a scratch player, that doesn't even matter so much. If you strike the ball well, you can easily close that gap with a slightly harder swing or softer swing.....> @kiwihacker said:

> > > @tsecor said:

> > > as Dave said above.....who cares what the # is on the bottom of the club......its meaningless

> >

> > It's the gapping I have a problem with. My clubs have 4° gaps from 5 iron to GW. With jacked lofts you need 5-6° gaps to fill out the set. That would be like leaving a club out in my set.

>

>

 

That thinking is quite flawed. Better player or not taking a full swing and making a solid strike will give you some pin point precision. A very repeatable outcome. Taking some off or stepping on a club opens up the window for a lot of goofy shots.

[Barfolomew]

I was almost seduced by distance irons.... Been lookin at new clubs and watchin reviews etc currently hit 8 iron 150-160.

 

The more I thought about gaining 10-15 yards the more it bugged me even tho who doesn't want to hit 1 club shorter but the idea of managing large gaps seemed worse then playin 1 longer club.

 

Finally I started to see my shorter iron distance as a blessing with tighter gaps... when I see pros going 190 with an 8 iron all I can think is must be tough to dial in 180 yards lol...

[tsecor]

here is the point......Nicklaus said when he played on the PGA Tour he carried a driver and a 3-wood, a 1-iron through a 9-iron, pitching wedge, sand wedge and putter....he didn't carry 4 wedges to score with...what were the gaps in between his wedges? 6 - 7 degrees? yup. This modern day BS about having to cover every conceivable gap is the same as a "soft ball" giving slow swingers more distance....its overhyped and not necessary, especially if you are a decent player

> @kiwihacker said:

> > @tsecor said:

> > unless you are a scratch player, that doesn't even matter so much. If you strike the ball well, you can easily close that gap with a slightly harder swing or softer swing.....> @kiwihacker said:

> > > > @tsecor said:

> > > > as Dave said above.....who cares what the # is on the bottom of the club......its meaningless

> > >

> > > It's the gapping I have a problem with. My clubs have 4° gaps from 5 iron to GW. With jacked lofts you need 5-6° gaps to fill out the set. That would be like leaving a club out in my set.

> >

> >

>

> So basically throw out my 47° club and just swing harder or softer with the 43° or 50° club. Okaaaaay ... ???

>

> Wait a second aren't we supposed to load up on extra wedges as they are the 'scoring clubs' from 100 and in? Now you're saying throw one of them out in favour of jacked lofts in the middle and long end of the bag?

>

> Well I guess that will leave room for that 64° wedge I've always wanted! LOL

 

> @kiwihacker said:

> > @tsecor said:

> > unless you are a scratch player, that doesn't even matter so much. If you strike the ball well, you can easily close that gap with a slightly harder swing or softer swing.....> @kiwihacker said:

> > > > @tsecor said:

> > > > as Dave said above.....who cares what the # is on the bottom of the club......its meaningless

> > >

> > > It's the gapping I have a problem with. My clubs have 4° gaps from 5 iron to GW. With jacked lofts you need 5-6° gaps to fill out the set. That would be like leaving a club out in my set.

> >

> >

>

> So basically throw out my 47° club and just swing harder or softer with the 43° or 50° club. Okaaaaay ... ???

>

> Wait a second aren't we supposed to load up on extra wedges as they are the 'scoring clubs' from 100 and in? Now you're saying throw one of them out in favour of jacked lofts in the middle and long end of the bag?

>

> Well I guess that will leave room for that 64° wedge I've always wanted! LOL

 

 

[nostatic]

I have so far found the conventional wisdom of 4* between four wedges to not be particularly effective for my game. But back when I played a lot 20+ years ago, I was good at manufacturing shots and was very comfortable hitting partial swing shots and chipping with 7i as well as PW (I didn't even carry a SW for most of those years). My current gaps are 45* PW, 51* GW, and 58* lob. I have 54* and 55* wedges that sometimes go in the bag, in part because conventional wisdom says I should have something between 51* and 58* but frankly I'm more comfortable hitting a 3/4 GW to hit that distance. Going to play this afternoon, the 55* will stay at home.

 

I think it totally depends on the player and their approach to the game. No one-size-fits-all solution...same with lofts and gapping.

[kiwihacker]

> @tsecor said:

> here is the point......Nicklaus said when he played on the PGA Tour he carried a driver and a 3-wood, a 1-iron through a 9-iron, pitching wedge, sand wedge and putter....he didn't carry 4 wedges to score with...what were the gaps in between his wedges? 6 - 7 degrees? yup. This modern day BS about having to cover every conceivable gap is the same as a "soft ball" giving slow swingers more distance....its overhyped and not necessary, especially if you are a decent player

>

>

 

Yeah I know that Jack's most lofted club was a 56° sand wedge. Until recently my most lofted club was a 56° wedge. I played 47° 52° 56°. His setup probably looked something like this:

Driver

3 wood

1 18

2 21

3 24

4 27

5 30

6 34

7 38

8 42

9 46

PW 50

SW 56

Putter

 

Nice even gaps all the way to the 50° PW. The 6° gap to the Sand Wedge doesn't matter because that is a specialist club used out of bunkers and around the green. The full swing clubs from 18°-50° are all nicely gapped.

 

Jack himself always advocated one basic swing for all the different clubs.

 

Ironic that you're using old timer Jack to defend modern jacked lofts.

 

In the words of Jack himself. ;)

 

 

[Barfolomew]

^^^^^ Yeah I carry a 52 and 60 with no gap issues... the 56 got chucked out the bag

[kiwihacker]

> @Barfolomew said:

> ^^^^^ Yeah I carry a 52 and 60 with no gap issues... the 56 got chucked out the bag

 

Yeah I don't have an issue with gaps once you get to the 50°+ wedges because they are clubs you play around the green, feel shots, pitches, chips, 1/2, 3/4 swings etc. It's the full swing irons from 24°/27° to 50° I'm talking about.

 

Anyway I'm flogging a dead horse here. Time to just agree to disagree. LOL :smiley:

[supdawgie]

Is everyone jumping on the distance iron bandwagon these days? "I hit my club so much further" Umm... your old 7 iron is now a 5 iron :)

 

 

[tannyhoban]

Even with distance irons I'm short. But I can hit some amzingly hot knucklers with the low spin "high launch" variety.

 

[ChaosTheory]

> @tannyhoban said:

> Even with distance irons I'm short. But I can hit some amzingly hot knucklers with the low spin "high launch" variety.

>

 

That is why I have avoided them. I could use another 10 yards for sure. Although all it would do is remove one hybrid from the bag. Which would be good. I just dunno. I'll find out this summer, I think.

[MadGolfer76]

I was forced to try distance irons again for this season, along with softer and lighter shafts. I hurt my left hand, and am seeing a surgeon next month. It isn't my favorite thing to do because I am just not used to looking at that head size behind the ball in an iron. Regardless, I think the bigger issue isn't so much the designs but the lack of spin into the green and the amount of bounce that usually go along with hotter iron heads. With the JPX 900 hm's I have, the bounce is still reasonable, along with spin. The hot feeling is present, but the irons hold the greens well enough. They don't throw darts, but they hit greens fairly well. It is an odd balance.

 

I would much prefer playing a smaller MP model with a heavier shaft, but right now it hurts my hand to do that. I'm also playing three hybrids (19, 22, 25) at the top end of the bag, then 6i through Pw, and then the set-matching (!) sand wedge and lob wedge. All stock shafts, which I haven't settled for in years, but pain is a b****. I'm probably going to shorten my driver and 3w too, just so I can take a 3/4 cut at the ball.

[WarEagleGolf]

I love my i500s. And I got a few of them bent strong to close gaps. PW-8 bent strong to close15 yd gaps back down to 10, and then allow bigger gaps in wedges. Added a 46* wedge, with ,52 and 58 and I'm good. Have all irons to about 3* from 3-PW. .maybe a bit more in the short irons.

 

Makes my world easier. I've held my hncp about the same. Went down early, then came back around. It ain't the arrows. It ain't the numbers on the bottoms. My miss is still a nice pull draw 15yds long. My GIR is about the same. But I'm pin high ALOT more. Little more forgiveness without the offset and large topline? Yes please. Sure I'll shoot the same with my S55, just have to add a hybrid or another wood maybe. Just takes a wedge out. Play distances. Play what works. I was once a "jacked up loft hater", then I found how much more I loved hitting a 3i 220 than 200. Simplified the top of my bag. Allowed me to get a more versatile scoring club for PW.

[IamMarkMac]

> @WarEagleGolf said:

> I love my i500s. And I got a few of them bent strong to close gaps. PW-8 bent strong to close15 yd gaps back down to 10, and then allow bigger gaps in wedges. Added a 46* wedge, with ,52 and 58 and I'm good. Have all irons to about 3* from 3-PW. .maybe a bit more in the short irons.

>

> Makes my world easier. I've held my hncp about the same. Went down early, then came back around. It ain't the arrows. It ain't the numbers on the bottoms. My miss is still a nice pull draw 15yds long. My GIR is about the same. But I'm pin high ALOT more. Little more forgiveness without the offset and large topline? Yes please. Sure I'll shoot the same with my S55, just have to add a hybrid or another wood maybe. Just takes a wedge out. Play distances. Play what works. I was once a "jacked up loft hater", then I found how much more I loved hitting a 3i 220 than 200. Simplified the top of my bag. Allowed me to get a more versatile scoring club for PW.

 

Yeah, I don't get the jacked lofts argument either. I can bend my blades and GI irons to the same loft (or stick the blade on the next shorter shaft) but the thicker and heftier GI sole always gives me a longer shot. Neither can I manipulate a 2i or 3i blade in any way to make it hittable. I do pretty decently with a GI 3iron though (although nowadays i prefer a hybrid on anything over a 5i).

[Popeye64]

> @MadGolfer76 said:

> I was forced to try distance irons again for this season, along with softer and lighter shafts. I hurt my left hand, and am seeing a surgeon next month. It isn't my favorite thing to do because I am just not used to looking at that head size behind the ball in an iron. Regardless, I think the bigger issue isn't so much the designs but the lack of spin into the green and the amount of bounce that usually go along with hotter iron heads. With the JPX 900 hm's I have, the bounce is still reasonable, along with spin. The hot feeling is present, but the irons hold the greens well enough. They don't throw darts, but they hit greens fairly well. It is an odd balance.

>

> I would much prefer playing a smaller MP model with a heavier shaft, but right now it hurts my hand to do that. I'm also playing three hybrids (19, 22, 25) at the top end of the bag, then 6i through Pw, and then the set-matching (!) sand wedge and lob wedge. All stock shafts, which I haven't settled for in years, but pain is a ****. I'm probably going to shorten my driver and 3w too, just so I can take a 3/4 cut at the ball.

 

I fully agree with you on the SGI long irons and how silly easy and far they are to hit and how they really help the top of the bag.

[NRJyzr]

... > @IamMarkMac said:

> > @WarEagleGolf said:

> > I love my i500s. And I got a few of them bent strong to close gaps. PW-8 bent strong to close15 yd gaps back down to 10, and then allow bigger gaps in wedges. Added a 46* wedge, with ,52 and 58 and I'm good. Have all irons to about 3* from 3-PW. .maybe a bit more in the short irons.

> >

> > Makes my world easier. I've held my hncp about the same. Went down early, then came back around. It ain't the arrows. It ain't the numbers on the bottoms. My miss is still a nice pull draw 15yds long. My GIR is about the same. But I'm pin high ALOT more. Little more forgiveness without the offset and large topline? Yes please. Sure I'll shoot the same with my S55, just have to add a hybrid or another wood maybe. Just takes a wedge out. Play distances. Play what works. I was once a "jacked up loft hater", then I found how much more I loved hitting a 3i 220 than 200. Simplified the top of my bag. Allowed me to get a more versatile scoring club for PW.

>

> Yeah, I don't get the jacked lofts argument either. I can bend my blades and GI irons to the same loft (or stick the blade on the next shorter shaft) but the thicker and heftier GI sole always gives me a longer shot. Neither can I manipulate a 2i or 3i blade in any way to make it hittable. I do pretty decently with a GI 3iron though (although nowadays i prefer a hybrid on anything over a 5i).

 

 

A quick question for you....

 

Would you play a set of clubs, with irons and/or wedges from 21* to 53* in even 4* increments? And if so, would you still play them if they were numbered 2-PW?

[smithy23]

> A quick question for you....

>

> Would you play a set of clubs, with irons and/or wedges from 21* to 53* in even 4* increments? And if so, would you still play them if they were numbered 2-PW?

@NRJyzr

would be more inclined to play them as 3 - GW rather than 2- PW as thats how in my head id associate the lofts

and i realise that doesnt make a lot of sense its just what i guess we have been predisposed to with the whole jacked and traditional loft argument

 

 

[NRJyzr]

> @smithy23 said:

> > A quick question for you....

> >

> > Would you play a set of clubs, with irons and/or wedges from 21* to 53* in even 4* increments? And if so, would you still play them if they were numbered 2-PW?

> @NRJyzr

> would be more inclined to play them as 3 - GW rather than 2- PW as thats how in my head id associate the lofts

> and i realise that doesnt make a lot of sense its just what i guess we have been predisposed to with the whole jacked and traditional loft argument

>

>

 

 

It's probably obvious, but what I'm getting at....

 

In the jacked loft discussions, a lot of people say things like "it's the loft that matters, the club number doesn't matter." But, you never see those people playing old school lofts, they only go one direction, stronger.

 

I mean, MP-14s are a great clubhead, and still quite viable in today's game. And some guys won't play them because they have a 29* 5 iron and a 50* PW.

 

If you hit the absolutely perfect 7 iron shot for your swingspeed, the absolute perfect trajectory and spin, why should you feel differently about it because it might have "6" or "8" stamped on the sole? It's already perfect, it can't get any better for your swingspeed.

[chisag]

... I will never understand "seduced by distance" when it comes to irons. Most of us hit the ball a specific distant with our irons. What number is on the sole is completely irrelevant to the ball and the scorecard. I had to adjust a little to my P790's because they are a little longer than my previous 7 iron because the loft is stronger. As long as I know what iron I hit 173yds I really don't care what is on the sole. If it gives me the right combination of spin, trajectory, forgiveness and all my yardages are covered, that is all that matters to me. "Jacked lofts" is just reverse hype and basically meaningless.

[Popeye64]

> @chisag said:

> ... I will never understand "seduced by distance" when it comes to irons. Most of us hit the ball a specific distant with our irons. What number is on the sole is completely irrelevant to the ball and the scorecard. I had to adjust a little to my P790's because they are a little longer than my previous 7 iron because the loft is stronger. As long as I know what iron I hit 173yds I really don't care what is on the sole. If it gives me the right combination of spin, trajectory, forgiveness and all my yardages are covered, that is all that matters to me. "Jacked lofts" is just reverse hype and basically meaningless.

 

What I ran into with the jacked lofts was that my gaps were getting far too big. So when I was in the fairway inside of 165 yrads or so with the distance irons I was having to take far too many 3/4 swings or step on a club to hit a certain number. Going back to traditional lofts my gaps tightened way up and I was able to take full swings and get back to really hitting my distances with confidence. For guys who struggle with distance the stronger lofts work for them. They didnt for me. I was sucked into the must hit it further craze. Though the modern irons with the jacked lofts spin and act as they should I just hit then too far to really be effective because the loft gapping is further apart than the traditional 4 degrees.

[bunta]

the number of the club doesn't matter when youre playing alone or with strangers. It only matters when you're playing with friends.