Driving iron help/advice

[Bondte]

For some reason I cannot hit the driver (nor 3 wood) consistently from the tee (hooks/slices/shanks,...). I do have taken some classes which result in 1 out of 10 good drives at best. I don't know whether it is the shaft or just a mental issue,
but it is a stock shaft (TM M2) so it shouldn't really give problems. Irons, I am a quite solid hitter. Very pleased with the P790's. For the past couple of months I have only teed off with my 4i as I just couldn't take it anymore.
Unfortunately, the area where I live there are no fitting facilities or tryouts. So I haven't been able to try different shafts, driver heads or even different club options.

 

And that's how I came to considering a driving iron. Pure distance is all that matters in this case. Since I have absolutely no experience in them I am looking for some help/advice for some doubts I have:
- I like TM so I am looking at the P790 udi/sim udi/dhy. Any of you have experience in how they compare distance wise, or is plain loft the answer? I do prefer a lower ball flight, but distance is all I am looking for at the end

- Would it be a good option to bend the club into a 1 iron or would it compromise the club's 'strengths'?

- As I would prefer a similar feel to the 4i, am I correct in assuming to opt for a heavier x shaft? It confuses me as my irons are stiff shafted but the easiest club I hit is a 4-hybrid which comes with a 85R. Just this club
   lacks in distance compared to the 4i.

 

Any advice would be highly appreciated.

 

Thanks,

Peter

 

[ChipNRun]

11 hours ago, Bondte said:

For some reason I cannot hit the driver (nor 3 wood) consistently from the tee (hooks/slices/shanks,...)

 

Sounds like you have a variety of mishits. Get a face decal for your driver, hit 10 shots and see where you're making impact. If impact is all over the clubface, chances are the shaft is too long.

 

So, try choking down a half-inch, then an inch. See if the shorter shaft helps your control.

 

Is shorter doesn't help, get a driver fitting. Find out if the driver settings can be tweaked, or if the club is wrong for you.

 

If you go without driver, you will be sacrificing a lot of distance off the tee.

[llewol007]

Gotta figure it out. The reason I say that is because a driving iron can only get you so much in distance. Have you tried lofting up with a driver. Driving irons are great but if you can hit a hybrid, try that out as well. 

[Rbsiedsc]

I was in your same boat and actually bought a DI when i was struggling. It worked great but i was 50yrds farther away on approach shots and it wasn't really helping. What did help was testing my driver at 44.5". Contact was better and misses weren't as bad. I also sucked with a 3w and am now giving the callaway super hybrid a go. I can move it back in my stance and use it like a DI and still get 20 more yards of distance. The other bad thing about DIs is they are a one trick pony which it taking up space in your bag. Most amateur golfers cannot hit it off the deck very well, if at all.

[is200LS]

DI flat face should help you drive straighter if you like long irons. Get a light but stiff graphite shaft and treat it like a long iron, hit it exactly like your 4i and you will likely do ok. I hit my 2 DI from the tee and off the deck, its good for long par3s and second shot of par5s if you suck with 3w. You should practice more with the driver. its definitely a mental issue, don't try to hit it far, use PW tempo and try to make good contact. It will be straight and easy 200 yards, then you go from there once you get confident.

[vtpachyderm]

Thanks for this post - I was (am) in the same boat, where my tee shot is what is costing me shots in a major way, and will try a driving iron this season to replace my hybrid as I pull that left quite a bit and that is a killer miss on certain holes at my home course. I've bought a Cobra ForgedTec 3 with a Catalyst 8.0 shaft, which is similar in feel to what I play in the rest of my set. I did try the TM 2 UDI, but found that impossible to hit, so went with a little more loft and slightly more forgiving head (to my eye/mind) in the cobra.

 

I play graphite all the way down the bag except for wedges, so have tried to stay consistent with weight progression and how it matches my hybrids.

 

But I haven't given up on the driver, and like you don't have access to fitting options, but what I did do was buy a shorter shaft (0.5" shorter) and extra weights for my head (Cobra F7) and have access to an indoor GC Quad range. This was a revelation as it told me exactly why I suck hitting the driver, and now am working my way with my current driver and the adjustment options to try to get a swing that works for me. FWIW - I think I hit my irons and hybrids really well. 

Edited March 5, 2021 by vtpachyderm
Little more detail to actually answer the OP

[Tree Levino]

I agree with the above that a shorter driver could be very helpful. I hate to be harsh, but driving irons are very punishing when miss hit and if you don’t have a good amount of speed - I’d say a minimum of 105 with that club - you won’t be able to effectively use it anywhere on the course except off the tee and perhaps chipping out from under trees. You need to work on your swing. You can’t effectively put up good scores if you can’t hit a driver and fairways. Good golf doesn’t happen overnight. It takes a TON of work and you can’t hack it by just putting a 1 or 2 iron in the bag. 

[B_of_H]

I have a p790 udi.  It goes almost as far as my 5 wood after roll out unless its soft and wet.  it hits low rockets and the only way I can hit it into a firm green is to hit a high cut which isn't my natural shot.  if you want max distance with the udi then put a med/high launch and low/med spin shaft in it.  If you want accuracy and confidence then put the same shaft as your irons in it. 

 

If you play a light regular flex shaft then I don't know if a driving iron is the way to go.  Its really a club (long irons) that you need to have speed and strength to hit.  I would think that if you are on the slower side of swing speed and having trouble with woods/hybrids then the 1st thing that comes to mind is checking your swing.  are you on plane?  getting steep in transition then stall/flip through impact?  What exactly are your misses with woods?  what is the flight like and do you take deep divots with irons?  

[cavemeister]

Peter,   how far do you hit a 7 iron?

I have a udi 17 and the u510 16 1 iron. The u510 is much longer...you can really feel the spring affect...

Regarding driver--get a 7x ventus black...

[OsnolaKinnard]

Tour Edge Exotics CBX ironwood or EXS ironwood in whatever loft you like. Low spin, distance monsters.

[Tree Levino]

10 hours ago, cavemeister said:

Peter,   how far do you hit a 7 iron?

I have a udi 17 and the u510 16 1 iron. The u510 is much longer...you can really feel the spring affect...

Regarding driver--get a 7x ventus black...

Lol what is this post even? Get a Ventus 7x for this guy that can’t even make decent contact with a driver? Gotta love Wrx sometimes 

[bnperrone]

If you're hooking and slicing and shanking the driver 9 times out of 10 then you really don't want to waste a ton of money swapping shafts. That's not a shaft issue. It's swing mechanics. Not being rude, but recommending XYZ shaft isn't going to actually help you.

 

Regarding your driving iron questions, if you need to just buy something to try, I'd probably stay away from the UDIs and stick to the DHY if you like Taylormade. I have a 790 UDI and I like it a lot but I agree with others who have said it's likely not the right fit for how you describe yourself. U510, Ping crossovers, Srixon U, Mizuno HMB, and several other options are out there as well. All of them will likely be easier to hit than the Sim UDI or 790 UDI. Best of luck.

[bnperrone]

2 minutes ago, TigerInTheWoods said:

Get a Ventus 7x for this guy that can’t even make decent contact with a driver? Gotta love Wrx sometimes 

Exactly. Just a shaft swap away from turning whiffs into 300+ bombs

[chippa13]

The GAPR mid/DHY could help if the OP hits the 4i well off the tee. I play the mid 3 and 4 mostly off the tee. Strangely, since I've started with the GAPR 3 2 years ago, my driver swing has improved to the point where I'll pull it on a couple holes a round.

[cavemeister]

11 hours ago, TigerInTheWoods said:

Lol what is this post even? Get a Ventus 7x for this guy that can’t even make decent contact with a driver? Gotta love Wrx sometimes 

Well, I guess I didn't explain my logic to you. That's why I asked about 7 iron speed.  And he's hitting it left and right--when I give my friends my driver it straightens them out even though it's an X and their swing is not repeatable. 

[b.helts]

21 minutes ago, cavemeister said:

Well, I guess I didn't explain my logic to you. That's why I asked about 7 iron speed.  And he's hitting it left and right--when I give my friends my driver it straightens them out even though it's an X and their swing is not repeatable. 

[cavemeister]

 

[Bondte]

On 3/4/2021 at 11:02 PM, ChipNRun said:

 

Sounds like you have a variety of mishits. Get a face decal for your driver, hit 10 shots and see where you're making impact. If impact is all over the clubface, chances are the shaft is too long.

 

So, try choking down a half-inch, then an inch. See if the shorter shaft helps your control.

 

Is shorter doesn't help, get a driver fitting. Find out if the driver settings can be tweaked, or if the club is wrong for you.

 

If you go without driver, you will be sacrificing a lot of distance off the tee.

Thanks! 

Will certainly try out a shorter shaft when I get the chance. It sounds logic too. 
Regarding to face impact, you are right, it is all over. I had the opportunity to play with some very decent players last weekend. They also mentioned
I don't hold the driver in a correct position.
Distance I am not worried too much. The 4i iron will roll out to 240 - 260 yards depending on the surface. (Should mention I play 2000m altitude, balls fly a bit further)

 

Thanks for the advice again!

[Bondte]

On 3/5/2021 at 2:37 AM, is200LS said:

DI flat face should help you drive straighter if you like long irons. Get a light but stiff graphite shaft and treat it like a long iron, hit it exactly like your 4i and you will likely do ok. I hit my 2 DI from the tee and off the deck, its good for long par3s and second shot of par5s if you suck with 3w. You should practice more with the driver. its definitely a mental issue, don't try to hit it far, use PW tempo and try to make good contact. It will be straight and easy 200 yards, then you go from there once you get confident.

Thanks!

 

I do suffer with driver tempo. For some reason I just want to whack the life out of it. 

 

Never tried to swing it slow(er) actually. Will certainly give it a try.

[Bondte]

On 3/5/2021 at 6:59 AM, TigerInTheWoods said:

I agree with the above that a shorter driver could be very helpful. I hate to be harsh, but driving irons are very punishing when miss hit and if you don’t have a good amount of speed - I’d say a minimum of 105 with that club - you won’t be able to effectively use it anywhere on the course except off the tee and perhaps chipping out from under trees. You need to work on your swing. You can’t effectively put up good scores if you can’t hit a driver and fairways. Good golf doesn’t happen overnight. It takes a TON of work and you can’t hack it by just putting a 1 or 2 iron in the bag. 

 

Thanks.

 

Some guy I played with a couple of days ago lend me his gapr lo. Couldn't stand the sight of it but I actually quite liked the feel and ball flight.
The few miss hits I had weren't punishing at all. The ball didn't fly, but the roll out was straight and decently long for a miss hit. Something I could live with.

 

I do agree golf takes ages to play well consistently. Have been at it for over 20y, on and off, and have always hovered between hc 10 and 20. I guess I am not a natural.
The more feedback I read, thanks for yours, the more convinced I get it is primarily a mental issue. 

[Bondte]

On 3/5/2021 at 8:32 AM, B_of_H said:

I have a p790 udi.  It goes almost as far as my 5 wood after roll out unless its soft and wet.  it hits low rockets and the only way I can hit it into a firm green is to hit a high cut which isn't my natural shot.  if you want max distance with the udi then put a med/high launch and low/med spin shaft in it.  If you want accuracy and confidence then put the same shaft as your irons in it. 

 

If you play a light regular flex shaft then I don't know if a driving iron is the way to go.  Its really a club (long irons) that you need to have speed and strength to hit.  I would think that if you are on the slower side of swing speed and having trouble with woods/hybrids then the 1st thing that comes to mind is checking your swing.  are you on plane?  getting steep in transition then stall/flip through impact?  What exactly are your misses with woods?  what is the flight like and do you take deep divots with irons?  

Thanks for the answer.

 

My iron play I have very few issues. Usually only when I get tired or had a few too many. Swing speed I have no idea but I am pretty confident it's not slow. I hit decent
numbers, normal to high flight compared to others around me, and fairly straight. 

The fairway wood I have less issue from the deck than from the tee. So I am pretty confident, by all the feedback given, it is a mental issue. Maybe the length
of the shaft, the idea of wanting to whack it out of orbit, tempo, and probably a bit of all...

 

Will spend more time on the range and less on the course for a while. Thanks again

[Bondte]

On 3/6/2021 at 6:39 AM, bnperrone said:

If you're hooking and slicing and shanking the driver 9 times out of 10 then you really don't want to waste a ton of money swapping shafts. That's not a shaft issue. It's swing mechanics. Not being rude, but recommending XYZ shaft isn't going to actually help you.

 

Regarding your driving iron questions, if you need to just buy something to try, I'd probably stay away from the UDIs and stick to the DHY if you like Taylormade. I have a 790 UDI and I like it a lot but I agree with others who have said it's likely not the right fit for how you describe yourself. U510, Ping crossovers, Srixon U, Mizuno HMB, and several other options are out there as well. All of them will likely be easier to hit than the Sim UDI or 790 UDI. Best of luck.

Thanks, very helpful comment regarding to brand/club choice. 

 

I guess I will have to wait until I can travel again to try out different options, or finally figure out how to swing that driver. Have read some very good tips here.

[Bondte]

On 3/6/2021 at 9:31 AM, chippa13 said:

The GAPR mid/DHY could help if the OP hits the 4i well off the tee. I play the mid 3 and 4 mostly off the tee. Strangely, since I've started with the GAPR 3 2 years ago, my driver swing has improved to the point where I'll pull it on a couple holes a round.

 

I was fortunate last weekend to try out the gapr lo. I really liked the feel and ball flight, but have a big issue looking down at it. Guess I have a more conservative
mind when it comes to how a club should look. Or you could call it stubborn ...
Eventually, I do think I will end up with some sort of long iron or equivalent. I will let you know whether my driver swing improves also.

 

Thanks!

[Bondte]

On 3/6/2021 at 6:03 PM, cavemeister said:

Well, I guess I didn't explain my logic to you. That's why I asked about 7 iron speed.  And he's hitting it left and right--when I give my friends my driver it straightens them out even though it's an X and their swing is not repeatable. 

For shafts etc I will have to wait until I can travel to a place with fitting facilities.

With all the feeback given though, I do not think the shaft is the main problem. 
7i I will hit 190 - 195y on a normal tempo swing. This at altitude, sea level would be 10y less +-. Not that slow nor extremely fast I imagine.

[Pepperturbo]

On 3/4/2021 at 9:18 AM, Bondte said:

For some reason I cannot hit the driver (nor 3 wood) consistently from the tee (hooks/slices/shanks,...). I do have taken some classes which result in 1 out of 10 good drives at best. I don't know whether it is the shaft or just a mental issue,

Driving irons are just modified long irons, which for most people are more difficult to hit than driver or 3wd.  Not trying to be cruel but if you can't consistently hit those two club, what makes you think driving iron is the answer?

 

A number of friends have tried my 17* 2 iron with 90g "S" Tensei AV White AM shaft.  Not one hit it further than 170yds, while this ole man hits it 215-240yds.  Making a driving iron work demands power and a good swing.

[Bondte]

On 3/8/2021 at 2:15 PM, Pepperturbo said:

Driving irons are just modified long irons, which for most people are more difficult to hit than driver or 3wd.  Not trying to be cruel but if you can't consistently hit those two club, what makes you think driving iron is the answer?

 

A number of friends have tried my 17* 2 iron with 90g "S" Tensei AV White AM shaft.  Not one hit it further than 170yds, while this ole man hits it 215-240yds.  Making a driving iron work demands power and a good swing.

I have no problem at all hitting long irons. For the past months I have only teed off with the 4i. That's why I am of the idea a 2i would be pretty similar but I would gain a bit of distance. Every hole below 440y the 4i doesn't give me any issues. Long par 4's and 5's is where I have to get out of my comfort zone.

 

I'll find out the hard way 🙂

[mgoblue83]

Wasting your time.

 

You will never be happy hitting irons off every tee and being 100 yards behind your partners. You won't score any better either. Spend the time and effort to fix your swing and learn how to hit a driver correctly and it will lead to long term happiness and success in golf. 

[chipa]

I have never been very good with fairway woods but actually better with a 2 iron even though I am a double digit hc.

 

My advice is to shorten the driver to steepen the swing and add control and make sure the shaft is at least 85 grams and stiff as tolerable with low torque and maybe look at a TM Mini Driver.

 

As far as the driving iron I would go with the same spec shaft as the driver and find one with little offset. I just ordered a Bang Mellow Yellow 20 deg. 3 iron with around 4.5 mm offset which is a little more than I like but I like the look of the head with a 39.25" shaft. It should be good for around 217 carry off the tee,

 

This should be fine where I play that is a short course (6100 yds) plus there are lots of elevated tees and the air is a little thinner so I get lots of distance. Yesterday I hit my 4 iron about 280 on one hole with the tee about 100 feet above the fairway. It took a 35 yard hop and roll so about 245 carry.

Edited March 22, 2021 by chipa