Driving iron advice/suggestions

[doctorgriffo]

After doing a bunch of speed work and addressing some longstanding shoulder and back flexibility issues (while stuck at home through multiple CA COVID lockdowns), I’ve added a ton of speed which is playing havoc with my bag. I’ve got the driver, 3 wood and mid irons sorted (for now!) but have a specific need for something I can hit off the tee that is low, hard and straight. My 24deg x forged UT with a stiff modus 120 (same as my other irons) used to do that job, with 17 and 24deg hybrids filling in the gaps. Now, with additional speed, the hybrids come down with snow on them (40+ yards in the air, 48-50deg descent) and the UT is spinning at 4.5-5k, going 35 yards in the air and coming down at 45-47deg. I play out on the coast, and in wind, quite a lot, and I’m longing for something that will fly flatter with less spin - looking to hit fairways about 230ish yards (for reference, the ball speed with the UT is I’m the high 130s, 3 wood is in the upper 140s and driver is about 160-165 ball speed).

 I am totally naive about driving irons, with all the shaft and head options, and don’t have access to testing a range of them with a fitted, especially right now, but I enjoy buying and selling single clubs to noodle around on the launch monitor at home (the classified section of this website is awesome!). I know it is personal, and ideally I would get fit, but that isn’t an option right now, or as much entertainment for me.

[MPAndreassi]

It may be as simple as just getting something lower lofted. I have a SIM UDI 18* that I use for that kind of shot. I play mine at 40” and it gets out there pretty far. If you want something that flies a specific number you can always play it a shorter length to get more of an iron like carry number. 

Edited January 3, 2021 by MPAndreassi

[bnperrone]

If your swing is basically the same but faster, an easy first step could be stiffer versions of the same shafts. I'm sure a dozen people will have a dozen different theories here, but I'd start with similar but firmer.

 

Edited January 31, 2021 by bnperrone
spelling

[A.Princey]

Callaway GI long irons have really low spin, like sub 3000 at times, with decent launch. My Rogue X is phenomenal off the tee for me, and the standard Rogue 3i would likely be very similar, but possibly hard to find. Good luck.

[OsnolaKinnard]

Tour edge exotics CBX or EXS ironwood...low spin...long range bullets.

[doctorgriffo]

Update - I picked up a used Srixon u85 3 iron (20 deg) with the stock recoil 95 shaft, and it is awesome. Very forgiving,  but you feel it when you don’t quite get it right, and a nice flight for a tee club. 

[doctorgriffo]

Have played a few rounds with this and hit it a lot indoors with a LM, and it feels nice and flies OK, but I do get a little cut with it (whereas I hit a soft draw with all my other irons including an x forged UT 4 iron). My other irons have modus 120s in them - is it likely the shaft? It is totally playable, and actually works pretty well for the course I play, but interesting that the shape is different from all my other irons. 

[OsnolaKinnard]

18 hours ago, doctorgriffo said:

Have played a few rounds with this and hit it a lot indoors with a LM, and it feels nice and flies OK, but I do get a little cut with it (whereas I hit a soft draw with all my other irons including an x forged UT 4 iron). My other irons have modus 120s in them - is it likely the shaft? It is totally playable, and actually works pretty well for the course I play, but interesting that the shape is different from all my other irons. 

 Check the lie angle.  I had a similar ball flight with my TEE ironwoods, and bent them up 2* and now get a baby draw/ straight flight.

[CokeZero]

On 1/29/2021 at 12:59 PM, doctorgriffo said:

Have played a few rounds with this and hit it a lot indoors with a LM, and it feels nice and flies OK, but I do get a little cut with it (whereas I hit a soft draw with all my other irons including an x forged UT 4 iron). My other irons have modus 120s in them - is it likely the shaft? It is totally playable, and actually works pretty well for the course I play, but interesting that the shape is different from all my other irons. 

Who dat with a avatar of 11 tee at CVR in the beginning of that insane fire? 

[doctorgriffo]

48 minutes ago, CokeZero said:

Who dat with a avatar of 11 tee at CVR in the beginning of that insane fire? 

15th at Pasadera....

[BallerNate]

On 1/16/2021 at 8:29 PM, doctorgriffo said:

Update - I picked up a used Srixon u85 3 iron (20 deg) with the stock recoil 95 shaft, and it is awesome. Very forgiving,  but you feel it when you don’t quite get it right, and a nice flight for a tee club. 

Just picked up the same U85 3 iron...can’t wait to game it and glad to hear you’re having positive results with it!

[CokeZero]

3 hours ago, doctorgriffo said:

15th at Pasadera....

Ok my bad, only played Nicklaus Club once & thought it was weird. Used to loop at Peb

[wdaig1]

There are several good driving iron options out there.  I use the TM P790 UDI.  But the shaft is the key.  The Nippon GOST is incredible in the driving irons.

[BallerNate]

5 hours ago, wdaig1 said:

There are several good driving iron options out there.  I use the TM P790 UDI.  But the shaft is the key.  The Nippon GOST is incredible in the driving irons.

Is your P790 UDI an 18* or 20*? If it’s 18* how much more difficult to launch are those compared to 20*?

[wdaig1]

6 hours ago, BallerNate said:

Is your P790 UDI an 18* or 20*? If it’s 18* how much more difficult to launch are those compared to 20*?

It’s an 18 and the GOST shaft is really what enables me to get the perfect flight I am looking for to hit the 235-240 yard shot with hybrid type mid flight.  And then if you want to hit a low one into the wind, you can do that too.

[BallerNate]

1 hour ago, wdaig1 said:

It’s an 18 and the GOST shaft is really what enables me to get the perfect flight I am looking for to hit the 235-240 yard shot with hybrid type mid flight.  And then if you want to hit a low one into the wind, you can do that too.

Very interesting...good to know! So you feel like you’re able to hit the same shots with an 18* as you could with a 20*? Good to know on the Nippon GOST shaft too, will definitely look into that one!

[wdaig1]

11 hours ago, BallerNate said:

Very interesting...good to know! So you feel like you’re able to hit the same shots with an 18* as you could with a 20*? Good to know on the Nippon GOST shaft too, will definitely look into that one!

Can’t answer that one.  I am trying to fill a distance gap and have a club that is versatile.  One I can shape left to right and right to left and high and low.  This head and shaft combo is money.

[BallerNate]

1 hour ago, wdaig1 said:

Can’t answer that one.  I am trying to fill a distance gap and have a club that is versatile.  One I can shape left to right and right to left and high and low.  This head and shaft combo is money.

Makes sense, thanks for the info! Trying to find the right club between my 3W and 4-iron yardage and shot versatility also, so the P790 UDI is definitely on my list (along w/ the Z U85 I picked up, the SIM DHY and the SIM UDI).

 

Edit: Along with trying to figure out the right shaft as well

Edited February 1, 2021 by BallerNate

[bear87]

My friends and I have built up a TaylorMade GAPR Mid with a Diamana Thump shaft and love the results.  Pretty easy to hit, and versatile too.  Not for everyone, but if it works for you, its a nice looking set up at a reasonable price, all in.

[wdaig1]

2 hours ago, BallerNate said:

Makes sense, thanks for the info! Trying to find the right club between my 3W and 4-iron yardage and shot versatility also, so the P790 UDI is definitely on my list (along w/ the Z U85 I picked up, the SIM DHY and the SIM UDI).

 

Edit: Along with trying to figure out the right shaft as well

I went with strong 4 which I can hit 220 full.  Don’t have a 3 iron and have this P790 UDI for the 2 iron.  I hit a 5 iron 205.  So if I have to go in between I can cut a 4 iron.  There are a lot of clubs to choose from on the back end.

[BallerNate]

2 hours ago, bear87 said:

My friends and I have built up a TaylorMade GAPR Mid with a Diamana Thump shaft and love the results.  Pretty easy to hit, and versatile too.  Not for everyone, but if it works for you, its a nice looking set up at a reasonable price, all in.

That’s good to know. Have you hit other Driving Irons like the DHY, UDI, P790 UDI, Srixon Z U85 etc? How does it compare to those?

[hagimihale]

I have a Mizuno MP18 MMC Fli-Hi 2i (16.5*) in the bag for exactly this reason.  I have a KBS C-Taper Light 115X in it.

 

I live in FL and fairways are now hard and run for miles, and some days it's quite windy so there's an incentive to keep the ball under the tree line. Typical shot is a low screamer that carries about 220 and rolls out to 240. 

 

This has become my default club off the tee if I'm not hitting driver.

[bear87]

21 hours ago, BallerNate said:

That’s good to know. Have you hit other Driving Irons like the DHY, UDI, P790 UDI, Srixon Z U85 etc? How does it compare to those?

I did try the UDI and U85 and I find the GAPR Mid to be much more forgiving/easier to hit than either of those two clubs. 

[BallerNate]

18 minutes ago, bear87 said:

I did try the UDI and U85 and I find the GAPR Mid to be much more forgiving/easier to hit than either of those two clubs. 

Interesting...good to know. Will give the GAPR Mid a hard look also! Trying to figure out my Driving Iron/Hybrid slot...picked up a Z U85 last week, and also considering the P790 UDI, SIM UDI, and SIM DHY. Have the Cally Rogue X too...that spot in my bag is totally up for grabs right now!

[socalbonzi]

I did a similar search.  Ended up between U510 and ZU85, landed on the ZU85, and couldn't be happier.  Swapped the recoil with a hzrdus black hybrid shaft, and it now feels like cheating.