Traditional lofted irons - how many Wrx gearheads still playing ?

[cardoustie]

1 hour ago, Dan Drake said:

I actually think that there is something to be gained by going this way.  While I am 100% an advocate of hitting your driver as far as possible within whatever your "playing" speed is, hitting your irons as far as possible just isn't a recipe for success.  Yes, we want to hit them higher and farther and with more spin to make approach shots easier, but not by swinging out of our shoes/out of balance.  I can honestly say that the chase for distance with irons has led me down this path, so I know that it has done the same to others as well.  

 

Intentionally playing irons with "traditional" lofts, after a small period of adjustment I'm sure, is a great way to overcome this mindset.  So what if your buddies are now hitting the same club into greens as you?  Big deal, you are going to hit it closer and last time I checked, lowest score still wins.  

 

Oh, and added bounce and less offset never hurt (for me anyways) either!

 

 

I think the added spin / loft benefits me to be honest

 

Every time I try to go strong lofted and modern hollow heads, like @bladehunter, I get killed (p790, t-mb)

 

Re-Learning, for the fourth or fifth time,  that softer shafts in irons is OK for me as well but I need to stay X in woods and hybrids

 

More control as @Dan Drakesays

[Titleist_PT23]

3 minutes ago, cardoustie said:

For me 47 is semi-modern traditional traditional, 

 

 

[wayne18]

Just received Ben Hogan PTX Pros

 

4i-  24*

5i-  28*

6i-  32*

7i-  36*

8i-  42*

9i-  44*

Pw- 48*

 2* Flat, 

[theothertwo]

2009 TOURSTAGE X-Blade 701 - semi traditional lofts I believe.  Traditional length PW is 35.25" and 5i is 37.75".

 

PW- 46

9 - 42

8 - 38

7 - 34

6 - 30

5 - 26

 

 

 

[chippa13]

1 hour ago, Dan Drake said:

I actually think that there is something to be gained by going this way.  While I am 100% an advocate of hitting your driver as far as possible within whatever your "playing" speed is, hitting your irons as far as possible just isn't a recipe for success.  Yes, we want to hit them higher and farther and with more spin to make approach shots easier, but not by swinging out of our shoes/out of balance.  I can honestly say that the chase for distance with irons has led me down this path, so I know that it has done the same to others as well.  

 

Intentionally playing irons with "traditional" lofts, after a small period of adjustment I'm sure, is a great way to overcome this mindset.  So what if your buddies are now hitting the same club into greens as you?  Big deal, you are going to hit it closer and last time I checked, lowest score still wins.  

 

Oh, and added bounce and less offset never hurt (for me anyways) either!

There isn't a club in my bag that makes me swing out of my shoes. Lofts, traditional or otherwise, make no difference in how hard I swing the club for a shot. Last I checked, a club hasn't been able to talk me into anything, mainly because it can't talk.

[Hawkeye77]

5-26 6-30 7-34 8-38 9-42 PW-46 "Stenson" Legacy Blacks - those are the specs from when I had them re-shafted and lofts/lies set back in 2016. I remember toying with having them bent a couple degrees stronger, but discussion about bounce with the guy doing the work and gap with my next wedge kept me from making what I think would have been a mistake.

 

Based on irons friends have bought the past several years my lofts are weak, but they aren't like the Staff Tour Blades from 1980 I wish I still had. 

 

Actually dumped the 5i late season out after finally getting an additional hybrid.  I can hit the 6-PW no problem, like the spin, the distances are consistent for me, but I'm no scratch player.  

 

@cardoustieWent from Eye2+ to Eye3+ back in the day. From the Eye3+ to the ‘14 AP2s.  To this day I can’t say I really had a good reason to change, but the Titleists were shiny and “forged”. 

Edited January 22, 2021 by Hawkeye77

[Chadwickog]

1 hour ago, agolf1 said:

You are really playing with a "jacked" PW too (at least a real PW).  But keep telling yourself that you are a TRADITIONALIST.  Some people are smart enough to know it only matters that all of your irons fly the right distance and match with your fairways/hybrids and wedges.  Could be a 680 PW bent weak or a T400 W2.

Haha its all good, I know a 47 is strong compared to old school. I don’t get bent out of shape over it my post was mostly made in jest. 
 

But it is worth making the point that those who make the argument about the numbers just being different is wrong because of the different shaft lengths. 

[Bad9]

6 minutes ago, Chadwickog said:

Haha its all good, I know a 47 is strong compared to old school. I don’t get bent out of shape over it my post was mostly made in jest. 
 

But it is worth making the point that those who make the argument about the numbers just being different is wrong because of the different shaft lengths. 

Well...In addition to having stronger lofts, iron lengths have also gotten longer. When I started golfing my 5 iron was 30° and 37.5". In the KE4S set its 25° and 38". The 6 iron is 28° and 37.5" Thats built to standard specs of the day.

[Skhacker]

I bend all my irons a couple degrees weak to get as close as I can to “traditional” but some are so jacked (even players irons) that I still can’t always get there. I like seeing loft on my long irons. 

[BIG STU]

Yep see my signature based off a 48* PW. I do carry a 52* but not from a distance standpoint thing but for some shots I can hit with this paticular wedge.

 

[cardoustie]

I love my 23 and 26 OG apex hybrids, there is not a “long iron” invented that could displace these ... so that changes where my irons need to start .. I know the 4i won’t ever see gamer time ... but I will practice with it

 

the other aside is I love the old gray finish for the eye2 and i3+ etc. ... looks, anti-glare and most of all bullet proof durability 

 

gotta sort wedges out ... love my SM2 TVD m grinds in 56 and 60.  My 2 go to clubs around greens though I do carry a 64 at times

 

 I do have a 50 glide and 50 iwedge I could make 51* > perhaps just bend the 56 to 55 and the 60 to 59

[BIG STU]

19 minutes ago, cardoustie said:

I love my 23 and 26 OG apex hybrids, there is not a “long iron” invented that could displace these ... so that changes where my irons need to start .. I know the 4i won’t ever see gamer time ... but I will practice with it

 

the other aside is I love the old gray finish for the eye2 and i3+ etc. ... looks, anti-glare and most of all bullet proof durability 

 

gotta sort wedges out ... love my SM2 TVD m grinds in 56 and 60.  My 2 go to clubs around greens though I do carry a 64 at times

 

 I do have a 50 glide and 50 iwedge I could make 51* > perhaps just bend the 56 to 55 and the 60 to 59

I have learned especially since my back injury we do not have the SS anymore to elevate those long irons like we used to. Lately I am up to two hybrids a 20* and a 22*. Right now I do have a 25* on the bench deciding what shaft I want to try. I can still basically hit the 3 and 4 irons but at this stage of life it takes a lot of effort for me. Right now I am experimenting with a set of TP CBs with Steelfiber 95 shafts to help the shock on my back. According to specs  ( and I checked them myself) they are about 2* or so stronger than my old VIPs but I do not see any distance changes. According to the published spec sheets they have some odd ball half degree lofts like Ping does But like I said it does not seem to make any difference for me ball flite or distance wise

Edited January 22, 2021 by BIG STU

[Aviador Naval]

I would love to see a “critical mass” develop  of “seasoned guys playing irons they grew up with” that would compel OEMs to deliver the ‘player’ type hybrids in higher lofts - say 26/27.  I use, and am a huge fan of, hybrids but I tend to overspin the traditional designs once loft gets greater than about 23 and I can handle the ‘players’ model down to about 21 deg.  That would allow continuing to use clubs I’m used to looking at for another decade or so at 28+ degrees while affording proper flight profile between 6i and my first fairway wood.

 

Hopeful but not holding my breath...

[Hawkeye77]

4 hours ago, Dan Drake said:

I actually think that there is something to be gained by going this way.  While I am 100% an advocate of hitting your driver as far as possible within whatever your "playing" speed is, hitting your irons as far as possible just isn't a recipe for success.  Yes, we want to hit them higher and farther and with more spin to make approach shots easier, but not by swinging out of our shoes/out of balance.  I can honestly say that the chase for distance with irons has led me down this path, so I know that it has done the same to others as well.  

 

Intentionally playing irons with "traditional" lofts, after a small period of adjustment I'm sure, is a great way to overcome this mindset.  So what if your buddies are now hitting the same club into greens as you?  Big deal, you are going to hit it closer and last time I checked, lowest score still wins.  

 

Oh, and added bounce and less offset never hurt (for me anyways) either!

Reading “The Complete Golfer” by Harry Vardon (1905) right now. He says, “Always use the club that takes the least out of you.”  
 

But he also says, “Do not be tempted to invest in a sample of each new golfing invention as soon as it makes his appearance.” So what the h does he know, lol. 

[boggyman]

Posted earlier but I’ve literally spent thousands to no avail, my FG17s with the traditional lofts just flat out work! Nothing has ever unseated them. I NEED to stop looking but as king as I can afford to tinker I’m sure I will. I’m going to work extra hard this year to stick to them thoroughly for the year and get to lower single digit HC. 

[Valent]

It’s when the numbered irons start getting so off that you need to have W1 and W2 to fill in the gap left at the bottom of the set that annoys me, all the crap about better flight windows become just marketing spiel. They’ve just delofted them to make it seem like you’re hitting your irons further. Which is basically an unnecessary pissing match anyway. Hit the club that gets the ball into the hole.

Last set I bought was the Titleist 718 CB as they were the closest I could find that still had “normalized” lofts. Loved the design of the TaylorMade P7MC, but can’t see bending them back 1-2 degrees to get them normal and throwing the bounces out of whack too. Oh well, I’ve got enough clubs anyway!

 

-VS

[cardoustie]

40 minutes ago, Aviador Naval said:

I would love to see a “critical mass” develop  of “seasoned guys playing irons they grew up with” that would compel OEMs to deliver the ‘player’ type hybrids in higher lofts - say 26/27.  I use, and am a huge fan of, hybrids but I tend to overspin the traditional designs once loft gets greater than about 23 and I can handle the ‘players’ model down to about 21 deg.  That would allow continuing to use clubs I’m used to looking at for another decade or so at 28+ degrees while affording proper flight profile between 6i and my first fairway wood.

 

Hopeful but not holding my breath...

I actually have a tour issue adams a12 proto in 28* that may see bag time this summer, I have assorted sole weights as well, need to find the right shaft from my selection to optimize performance ... maybe my 97g hb6 PX

 

its a solid 190 club and my 5h is my stock 200 stick

[NoTalentLefty]

Traditional lofts don’t exist, it’s an ever evolving group of numbers 

[NRJyzr]

The sets I'll be reshafting with graphite for primary use in 2021 have a 51* or 49* PW.  For what it's worth.  🙂

 

[uglande]

Love the Mizuno MP-20 blades with traditional (1970s) lofts. I want buttery feel, control and consistency with my irons. I also play softer shafts in my irons than my woods.

 

I went down the P790 road but will never go back. Feel sucks. Inconsistent. Awful turf interaction. No feedback. And with my blades, the thin topline and sole, and low offset, is such a beautiful look. I just want to hit iron shots all day long. And while I don't work the ball a lot with my irons, I CAN. So if I need to bend one or flight it, it's no problem. 

[tdelam]

Yep - Miura CB-801 are standard... 

 

 

PW - 47

9 - 42

8 - 38

7 - 34

6 - 30

5 - 27

4 - 24

 

Edited January 22, 2021 by tdelam

[Dan Drake]

1 hour ago, Hawkeye77 said:

Reading “The Complete Golfer” by Harry Vardon (1905) right now. He says, “Always use the club that takes the least out of you.”  
 

But he also says, “Do not be tempted to invest in a sample of each new golfing invention as soon as it makes his appearance.” So what the h does he know, lol. 

Harry clearly wasn’t a WRX’er!! 😂🤣😂🤣

[kiwii]

Not sure if this counts but I play a 5-GW set. it works for me because I have all my distances covered and only need 2 traditional wedges. The GW is 50*. So if you really want to see it this way, I play lofts weaker than tradition given that the GW is really my PW.

[LeftyMatt24]

47 here. I go 47, 51.5, 56, 60. JPX 921 Sel a degree weak throughout. 

[kiwihacker]

Ok ignoring the number stamped on the club I'll just compare the lofts of my 3 - GW (21° - 51°) compared to a modern 5 - GW ( also 21° - 51°). 

 

21°/ 21°

24°/ 24°

27°/ 27°

31°/ 31.5°

35°/ 36°

39°/ 41°

43°/ 46°

47°/ 51°

51°/ - 

 

Not exactly the same is it? 

 

However what I like about the modern setup is that it is much easier to hit a 21° club. We were throwing out our 'hard to hit' 21° 3 irons and replacing them with hybrids but nobody would find a 5 iron hard to hit would they? 

[Aviador Naval]

1 hour ago, kiwihacker said:

Ok ignoring the number stamped on the club I'll just compare the lofts of my 3 - GW (21° - 51°) compared to a modern 5 - GW ( also 21° - 51°). 

 

21°/ 21°

24°/ 24°

27°/ 27°

31°/ 31.5°

35°/ 36°

39°/ 41°

43°/ 46°

47°/ 51°

51°/ - 

 

Not exactly the same is it? 

 

However what I like about the modern setup is that it is much easier to hit a 21° club. We were throwing out our 'hard to hit' 21° 3 irons and replacing them with hybrids but nobody would find a 5 iron hard to hit would they? 

Do you really have a 21 degree 5i?  I know some sets are stronger than others (and I don’t give a rip what folks choose to play) but 5i @ 21 - Yowzer...

[bcflyguy1]

Lofts on my '21 Apex Pro irons
3i: 21.5

4i: 24
5i: 27
Lofts on my '20 Apex MB irons
6i: 31

7i: 35

8i: 39

9i: 43
PW: 47

 

I also have a set of '13 X Forged that I like to play occasionally and their lofts are almost identical.

[Glenn Salongo]

I don't understand why they are called modern and traditional lofts. Isn't it the CG that has moved down (and back)? The loft change is just the compensation for it in my opinion.

 

How strong lofts you need comes down to how far you need to hit your mid-irons for the course you play.

[BIG STU]

6 hours ago, Aviador Naval said:

I would love to see a “critical mass” develop  of “seasoned guys playing irons they grew up with” that would compel OEMs to deliver the ‘player’ type hybrids in higher lofts - say 26/27.  I use, and am a huge fan of, hybrids but I tend to overspin the traditional designs once loft gets greater than about 23 and I can handle the ‘players’ model down to about 21 deg.  That would allow continuing to use clubs I’m used to looking at for another decade or so at 28+ degrees while affording proper flight profile between 6i and my first fairway wood.

 

Hopeful but not holding my breath...

I know where you are coming from here---- I have just started tinkering with hybrids so there is a little conjecture here. To begin with they are designed with hot faces for those of us with slower SS but then again so are some of the newer irons with 2 piece welded faces. I think in a lot of cases shaft selection will make a difference. Another thing I think that would tone down the faces some is the addition of like Speed Foam. I do have a aftermarket clone 28* head I have been experimenting with and like you said I get a lot of spin with it. In fact it tends to balloon with me. I also do not get the distance I need with it because it goes so high. From what little I have experimented I can see this may be a long road to get them where I want to

[BIG STU]

6 hours ago, cardoustie said:

I actually have a tour issue adams a12 proto in 28* that may see bag time this summer, I have assorted sole weights as well, need to find the right shaft from my selection to optimize performance ... maybe my 97g hb6 PX

 

its a solid 190 club and my 5h is my stock 200 stick

I have that Adams a12 in 22* and for me it is around a 170 club---- My Adams Boxer 19* I get about 185 out of. My Adams Tight Lies 4 wood as I call it at 16* I can get 200 out of. Of course this is with me being 63 years old and at sea level. Lately when I can I have been experimenting with a ( GASP) M-6 Driver with a 45 gram shaft. Been getting around 230 or so carry which is impressive for me in my current health condition. I know the M-5 and M-6 can be border line conforming and I wonder if mine may be non conforming not that I care

Edited January 22, 2021 by BIG STU