Do you use a 2 or 3 iron?

[NoTalentLefty]

When in my 30s in the 90s I carried a 1 iron. . Some reason I could nail that club. Now a 5 iron pretending to be a 6 iron is the lowest in bag.

[alittleoverpar]

I carry both 2 and 3 irons.  They are utility irons, so the sole is a little thicker than my blade irons.  I'm tall and have always had an upright swing so I generally don't have trouble hitting long irons.  I find the irons to be more versatile than hybrids, at least for me.  When I can't hit them anymore I'll replace them with something......or maybe just quit golf.  😐

[Klubster]

You  know, with the modern lofting of irons-especially the "distance" irons, you could be carrying a 2, 3 and 4 iron, all of the same loft.

[Dinosaur]

3 - P.  

[BagofToast]

Sometimes both. 90% of the time I carry 5w then 20° 3i. Sometimes if the course is set up better for it I’ll carry 17° 2i and 21° 3i changes based on course setup than condition. 

[pwgj1478]

I've got a R9 TP 2 iron that's been in & out of my bag for the past 8-9 years. It's going back in. Off the tee or fairway I rarely use it, but it's great for a low punch shot.

[Ephemerlol]

I play a 19* 3 iron built up as a utility.  It's my tee club when driver is too risky and great for long low runners.  My 20* hybrid is the club I actually use to gap with the 4 iron into greens though. 

[dvq9654]

I play a 3 iron more often than not, but it's mainly because I can't hit a hybrid to save my life. I'd rather have a slightly mishit 3 iron go a few yards short compared to a well struck hybrid going 30 yards left. That's a me issue in all likelihood, but I am continually surprised by how badly I hit hybrids. I'll have a honeymoon phase every once in a while, but it's challenging to keep one in my bag.  

 

I also generally hit a 3 iron great off the tee, so I don't feel like I'm losing much, other than potentially some distance on extra long par 3s (e.g., 230 yards)

[ChipNRun]

For a long time, my brother carried a 21* 2i from an earlier club mix. In scrambles, if we had a 200-yard shot into the wind, he would take the 2i and hit a low draw that hit on the front fringe and skipped on, often inside 20 feet.

 

On a longish par 3, he would take it out and do the same thing.

 

Uh... he carried it because it worked?

 

(Alas, he switched irons pre-pandemic and no longer carries it.)

[Phabs]

I carry a 2 iron as a fairway finder. 

[Christen_The_Sloop]

My 4w at 17 goes about 250-260. My 4-iron goes in the neighborhood of 220-225. It's 24 degrees. I have a 22 degree Mizuno clk that is a little less consistent and goes maybe 5-10 yards further. It's kind of splitting hairs, but I want something that goes 5-10 yards further.

 

Right now I am testing the 2 iron (19 degree) from the set (MR23 US Spec Tourstage) and a 3i (20 degree) Titleist Tmb716. I get more elevation with the Tmb and slightly less distance. It's a little less consistent than the CLK hybrid too, but it's really close. The 2 iron is surprisingly unforgiving. I might need to find a shaft that fits better (thinking some sort of soft stepping). I've been considering picking up a 20 degree Royal Collection ti 20 degree hybrid head too (the old Sonartec). The 4w I have is a Royal collection and I am just starting to appreciate it.

 

I have a nice collection of old one and two irons. They are fun to hit. They would make it to the course too, if I wasn't having such a time getting out - only two rounds this year.

 

 

[Valtiel]

17 hours ago, mryank said:

 

• Most modern swings have pretty severe delofting (sometimes up to 10-15*), which means delofting a 2-iron to the same degree would basically be stinger city (i.e. 3* dynamic loft).  Take a look at Brooks Koepka's trackman numbers -- 30* 6-iron being de-lofted 14* to 16*.  If you extrapolate, he's taking his 23* 4-iron down to maybe even like 9*.  So on top of lofts that are even stronger than before, there is an even greater de-lofting phenomenon (i.e. the obsession with left wrist bowing, etc...) that basically shifts the dynamic lofts of these clubs even further to 1i/2i territory of old.
• 
•  

 

That's a bit of a misunderstanding of what this clubhead data means and how it scales from club to club. Firstly you're looking at dynamic loft and assuming that is the amount he is delofting the club, but that's not really correct as it's more complicated. Dynamic loft is spin loft minus AoA which gives the loft relative to the horizon, but not relative to the ball (that's spin loft). Assuming a 30* 6-iron as you mentioned, Brooks is delofting the club about 5* here, not 10-15*. You won't typically see 10*+ of delofting until you get down to the wedges. 

Secondly, angle of attack scales with the length of the club. Brooks would most certainly not be hitting down 9* on a long iron, he's probably be closer to -4*ish. The amount of delofting changes based on the club as well, which he'd be doing a few degrees less with said long iron. With those two factors plus the understanding of dynamic loft vs. spin loft, he won't be taking his 23* 4-iron down to 9*, he'd probably be taking it down to 19*ish with a roughly -4* AoA resulting in a dynamic loft of around 15*. This is what you see with good players; a compression of the dynamic loft in the longer clubs. 

Edited June 25, 2022 by Valtiel

[ShortGolfer]

I play a SGI 22* Mavrik Max lite as a driving iron. And for low flight shots.

[BIG STU]

In my vintage rounds I do--- Can somewhat still hit one not as effectively now or as high. But it is still fun to try during those rounds where the main factor is kicks and giggles and not score. Back in the day I could hit a blade Mac 2 iron about 220 or so with roll out. LOL now days about chest high maybe 180 on a good roll out, But it is fun to try for me

[Radeon962]

I have not carried anything lower than a 5 iron in probably 20 years.  I filled the gap with 7w and 9w.

 

Playing PXG 0311XP and stock specs (loft and length) are essentially 1/2” longer and near the same loft as my previous set numbered iron to numbered iron, so now starting at 6 iron.

 

Filling the gap on the long end with Callaway UW 19* and 21* at -1/2” most likely as I’m waiting on the 19* to arrive.

 

 

[mat562]

I use both, albeit I play weaker lofts in my irons (my 2-iron is at 19 degrees and the 3-iron is 22) and both are now a friendly utility-headed long iron rather than the set-matching clubs I used to play.

 

I've always carried long irons. They work for me, suit the courses and conditions I play, and I hit them well relative to my level of play. I have enough speed to still hit them pretty high, I can flight them down when I want to - which I strugge to do with a lofted wood - and I get good results from both the tee and any sort of decent lie. Hybrids simply don't work for me, and when I need a club that will flight the ball high for long approaches I have a favourite 4-wood (or whatever 19 degrees qualifies as these days) which goes into the bag in place of one of the utility irons.

 

The answer I always give when people ask why I play a long iron and so-and-so pro on the tour doesn't is always the same: 'I don't roll them in like Brad Faxon either, but I still carry a putter.'

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 26, 2022 by mat562

[uglande]

I used to buy a 2 iron every year, practically, because they are fun to hit and can be useful. But I've discovered that I can hit little stinger shots with my mini-driver (and used to do the same with 3 wood) that produce the same results as a 2 iron but with minimal effort. 

[uglande]

Just now, uglande said:

I used to buy a 2 iron every year, practically, because they are fun to hit and can be useful. But I've discovered that I can hit little stinger shots with my mini-driver (and used to do the same with 3 wood) that produce the same results as a 2 iron but with minimal effort. 

And 2 iron from the fairway is pretty useless. 

[jblough99]

I’m currently playing Callaway Razr-X MB’s 3-PW but I bent all the loft roughly 2* weak  Let’s me carry 2 specialty wedges (54* & 59*) which I prefer.  Leaves 2 open slots for fairway wood which I’m still trying to sort out.
 

3 - 21.5

4 - 25

5 - 29

6 - 33

7 - 37

8 - 41

9 - 45

PW - 49

Edited June 28, 2022 by jblough99

[mryank]

3 hours ago, Valtiel said:

Dynamic loft is spin loft minus AoA which gives the loft relative to the horizon, but not relative to the ball (that's spin loft)

Dynamic loft - AOA = Spin loft (not spin loft - AO = dynamic loft). Spin loft has nothing to do with delivered/dynamic loft. It's just a metric incorporating AOA and dynamic loft together. Steepness of attack has no relation to how much de-loft is taking place at impact, relative to static loft - it's mostly a function of shaft lean. If Koepka'a delivered loft is 15* less than his static loft, then that is all you need to know: he's presenting 15* less.

 

It's true that de-lofting does not scale linearly as you move to long irons, but my point is generally that the degree of shaft lean today by many players is more than before. DJ, Rahm, Morikawa, Brooks are all severe left wrist flexion @ impact players.

 

 

[lefty1978]

This year I had to be honest with myself and truly evaluate my game to become to best I could be. Part of this process was to give up my 3 and 4 irons and replace with hybrids. Even if I mis hit a hybrid, it will go around the same number, can't honestly say that about my irons. Its all about winning that $$ on the course. Lol.

[llewol007]

I play a 3 iron still then I finish off with my 3 wood and Driver. I like the playability of my 3 iron so I keep it in the bag. I’ve had 3 and 4 hybrids before and can play them but just choose to stick with what I’ve got

[codeman]

I play a 716 AP1 3 and 4 iron with whatever 5-PW iron set I'm bagging. I use the 3i mainly off the tee when I need to find a fairway or from the fairway when I can run the ball up to the front of the green. 

 

I also have a 5 wood that I will rotate in sometimes. The 3i is just much easier and more reliable to hit off the tee for me.

Edited June 25, 2022 by codeman

[bankbank]

I use a mizuno 225 4 iron which is 20.5°. Does that count as a 3 iron? The set's 3 iron is 19° I think, and I'd be happy to play those too. But 2 iron is pushing it for me 

[Trippels]

Have 2 and 3 iron in Mizuno HMB, at 14 and 18 degrees. Will get the same lofts in the new 225 irons.

I've also tried the same lofts in both the CLK hybrids, and the STZ woods.

 

18 degrees in the hybrid and wood went extremely high, and gave a big gap down to the 4 iron. 

The 3 iron is also easier to adjust trajectory and curve on than a hybrid and wood.

 

The 2 iron is mostly a second tee club, and I've found it less wild in the left/right misses than an equivalent hybrid/wood. If the hole has enough trouble that I'm not hitting driver, then going all the way down to a club at 2 iron length is the best course of action for me. And I pretty much never need to hit a super high shot into a green from the sort of distance a 2 hybrid or 3 wood would go for me.

The 2 iron is also excellent for hitting low running shots, much better than hybrids or woods.

 

The only drawback of using irons is more distance punishment on mishits, but that's less of an issue compared to the areas of benefit.

 

And of course, having a bag with just putter and driver, then the rest irons looks amazing.

[theothertwo]

Last time I used a 2 iron was the Tommy Armour 845 back in late 1990's.  The last time I used a 3 iron was around 2006 Bridgestone J33 CB.  Now my longest iron is a strong lofted 6 iron which is really a 5 iron.

[Nard_S]

Carry a #3i, very useful on the 6400 yard track I play, it's standard club on 4-6 tee shots. Can move ball 30 yards either way, great for doglegs. Can use old King Cobra #5W as alternate. 

 

Truth is long irons are zero fun to practice with, the yardage gap they fill is the most unrewarding of zones. Not bomber length, not flag hunting, so I never give them their fair due.

[Doyouevenblade]

They also don’t include driving/utility irons as ‘irons’ so I’m guessing the number is a bit higher going 3-P, if you include those as replacements.  
 

By the study I carry 4-P but if you include my u500 as a 3i, it is 3-P

Edited June 25, 2022 by Doyouevenblade

[Stinger83]

I go 3 driving iron then 4-PW

[Bmurr7]

Really like my 712u 3 iron.