Do you use a 2 or 3 iron?

[nichho]

I always struggle with consistency with fairways and hybrids, not so much but direction.

 

I only carry two woods and the 25* hybrid is in the bag as a genuine rescue club, so everything at the top end is in there to get me as far down the fairway or as close to the green as possible. My Mizuno HMB 3i does this job better than anything else because while it is not as long as a fairway it will find the short stuff much more frequently.

 

As an added bonus it is a better tool for windy days and long par 3 where an equivalent hybrid would just balloon and come up short.

[AdmiralPicard]

Depends on how you look at it. My longest iron is 15° of loft, and my second longest is 19° of loft. Neither of them have club numbers, just the loft stamped on bottom.

 

I’m dating myself here, but that’s about a zero iron and a two-iron from when I was learning to hack it around cow pastures. These days that’s a solid 6-iron and a weak 7…

 

So, yeno?

[ChipNRun]

Those considering a transitional long iron, look in the used club barrels for a pre-1990 Ping Eye2.

 

2i = 18.5* loft, 39.25" shaft

3i = 21.5* loft, 38.75" shaft

 

Perimeter-weighting to help with launch, and a rounded

leading edge to minimize grab if clubhead comes in

a little heavy.

 

Ping irons have forever stayed with 0.355 taper tip hosels, so you have lots

of options if you want to reshaft the Eye2.

[alittleoverpar]

On 6/25/2022 at 9:07 AM, jblough99 said:

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 - 22

4 - 25

5 - 29

6 - 33

7 - 37

8 - 41

9 - 45

PW - 49

I hope you love your Razr MB's as much as I do.  What a great set of irons.  I have a Razr MB 2 iron that I can play.  The thing looks like a butter knife but feels like butter two when you flush it. I mostly use the Cally utilities, they are a bit more forgiving.

 

 

[jblough99]

7 minutes ago, alittleoverpar said:

I hope you love your Razr MB's as much as I do.  What a great set of irons.  I have a Razr MB 2 iron that I can play.  The thing looks like a butter knife but feels like butter two when you flush it. I mostly use the Cally utilities, they are a bit more forgiving.

 

 

 

If you ever want to get rid of that 2 iron let me know.

[alittleoverpar]

3 minutes ago, jblough99 said:

 

If you ever want to get rid of that 2 iron let me know.

If I do I will, but don't hold your breath.  It took me ages to find one. 

[Nard_S]

1 hour ago, jblough99 said:

 

If you ever want to get rid of that 2 iron let me know.

Hah, I was going to say the same thing.

 

Used #3i this weekend 5 times, 2 not so good, 2 okay, 1 spectacular, best off the deck in years.

[Bubbtubbs]

On 6/26/2022 at 6:39 AM, AdmiralPicard said:

Depends on how you look at it. My longest iron is 15° of loft, and my second longest is 19° of loft. Neither of them have club numbers, just the loft stamped on bottom.

 

I’m dating myself here, but that’s about a zero iron and a two-iron from when I was learning to hack it around cow pastures. These days that’s a solid 6-iron and a weak 7…

 

So, yeno?

My 4i is still 26.5°.

[Singletrack1]

On 6/24/2022 at 2:20 PM, getitdaily said:

Neither. I use a 4i that has a 3i loft. 

 

I call it my thor iron.

 

This ^.

 

I carry a 3i that identifies as a 4i. 🤣 It's a 3i by loft (Rogue ST Pro) at 21 degrees. It's one of the most versatile clubs in my bag! Off the tee fairway finder. Punch out club. Long par 3's. 2nd shot on long par-5's for position when you have zero chance of getting home or it's dumb to try.

 

I've always hit long irons well, and can also hit this one very well. 👍

[joeburger]

Titleist U500 2 iron, love it

[Pepperturbo]

All depends on what each person takes from golf.  I would not tell anyone to chose equipment similar to what's in my bag, nor am I influenced by what others chose or do.  I have carried 2i-PW for thirty + years, and most of the time MBs.

 

My golf thrill is the same today as it was when I took up the game; striking the ball pure, distance and trajectory control.  Do both well, score happens, do them lousy, crap happens.  😊

 

You can't leave ego totally out of it, as it helps drive some of us to excel.  Nobody I've ever met that's competitive is ego less.  Yesterday, after a stinky tee shot leaving my ball well behind my playing partners drives, I had 192yds into a breeze to a front pin.  The ground short of the green fed left OB.  Had to land the ball on the right side in front of the green to get the ball on the green under the pin.  Ball was above my feet, right side of fairway.  Using a 21' 3 iron I smacked a purr-dee baby draw to the front edge of the green, under the pin 12'.  Thank you DASH -ProV1x. 😛

 

Right after I struck the ball, when it hit the green and stuck, each playing partner looked at me and said WOW.  Yep, it felt good to hear.  Each of them had no more than 5i in the bag, plus hybrids and appreciated a well executed long iron shot  Funny, nobody says anything when someone hits a hybrid, but hybrids are merited for some people, not all though.  Choose wisely. 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 29, 2022 by Pepperturbo

[AdmiralPicard]

4 hours ago, Bubbtubbs said:

My 4i is still 26.5°.

I was promised flying cars, and 220 yard 7-irons in the future.

[alittleoverpar]

25 minutes ago, AdmiralPicard said:

I was promised flying cars, and 220 yard 7-irons in the future.

The 220 yard 7 iron is coming......it will just have a 4 iron loft.  🤣

[Celebros]

I had a 3-iron until a couple of years ago (added a 5-wood to replace it).

 

I had a 4-iron until this year (added a hybrid to replace it).

 

So glad I've made the change.  Much greater margin for error off the tee on short par-4s or into green on par-5s.  Only time I miss either club is when I need to hit a very low punch/recovery shot, as I feel more comfortable hitting that shot with an iron rather than a wood or hybrid.

Edited June 27, 2022 by Celebros

[Bubbtubbs]

3 hours ago, AdmiralPicard said:

I was promised flying cars, and 220 yard 7-irons in the future.

There's probably a 220y "7" somewhere, but it's definitely below 35°.

Edited June 28, 2022 by Bubbtubbs

[CDLgolf]

My first iron is a 5 iron. I gave up on long irons several years ago. For me hybrids are much better in all situations.

[raynorfan1]

I play both a 21* 3i and a 19* 2i, and I'm not a pro.

 

The 2i hits a much lower trajectory than a 19* hybrid...which is useful when you have to punch out of the woods as often as I do.

 

In all seriousness, I find both irons to be relatively versatile clubs and I have space in my bag to carry them.

[Deep Sunoji]

4 hours ago, Pepperturbo said:

All depends on what each person takes from golf.  I would not tell anyone to chose equipment similar to what's in my bag, nor am I influenced by what others chose or do.  I have carried 2i-PW for thirty + years, and most of the time MBs.

 

My golf thrill is the same today as it was when I took up the game; striking the ball pure, distance and trajectory control.  Do both well, score happens, do them lousy, crap happens.  😊

 

You can't leave ego totally out of it, as it helps drive some of us to excel.  Nobody I've ever met that's competitive is ego less.  Yesterday, after a stinky tee shot leaving my ball well behind my playing partners drives, I had 192yds into a breeze to a front pin.  The ground short of the green fed left OB.  Had to land the ball on the right side in front of the green to get the ball on the green under the pin.  Ball was above my feet, right side of fairway.  Using a 21' 3 iron I smacked a purr-dee baby draw to the front edge of the green, under the pin 12'.  Thank you DASH -ProV1x. 😛

 

Right after I struck the ball, when it hit the green and stuck, each playing partner looked at me and said WOW.  Yep, if felt good to hear.  Each of them had no more than 5i in the bag, plus hybrids and appreciated a well executed long iron shot  Funny, nobody says anything when someone hits a hybrid, but hybrids are merited for some people, not all though.  Choose wisely. 

 

 

 

 

Oh yes, they do. Especially 3H out of a bunker for a 220 yard approach shot on a long par 5 just to land 15 yards short of the green. Up and down from there could’ve gotten me a birdie but I had to be content with a par due to my 2 putts.

[ShortGolfer]

It wasn't easy but I hunted down a LL flex ladies 4 iron with 22* of loft.

Why?  I learned to play a 3I as a young kid forty years ago and am comfortable hitting long irons.

I used it last year primarily as a driving iron but it worked great for punching out of trouble and advancing the ball down the fairway whenever I needed a low ball flight.

 

[kevinmdowney]

On 6/24/2022 at 9:53 AM, Dpavs said:

I was looking at some data and for 2021 it looks like only 28% of the top 100 players continue to use a 3 iron. It made me wonder... ego aside, why would anyone who is not a professional still choose to do so?

The below chart is from this study.

 

Well it’s all in the loft specs.

 

My new set 5i is 25, so about the spec of a pre-1970s 3i - which was the longest iron in 3-pw set. 2i was 20, and 1i was 16-17.

 

So I have a 25 5i, then 21 and 18 utility irons - almost like 2i and 1i from the old days.

 

 

[phi482]

Lots of folks saying they keep a 2-3 iron. I recently swapped out a HMB 3 iron for a 7 wood. I confirmed my decision yesterday with a 230 yard shot from the rough to 12 feet. No way that happens with a 3 iron. Now, I still have it and will swap out with weather but the 7 wood is so much better from the deck it’s not even close. 

[Warrior42111]

I have a 2i hollow bodied driving iron at 18* (ZX ultility) that then jump to my 5i at 22* HMP 21 and my 5W (ping G400) is 17.5*

 

The gapping and set up just works for me. The 2 is great off the tee while the 5W can be used to go for the green and hold. Then 4* to my 5i is a good gap based on my distances.

[steventoo]

I have a Titleist U510 1 iron utility at 16 degrees and a T200 3 iron at 20 degrees. It’s an iron build instead of the utility build (whatever that means - is it just the shaft?) and it slots in well with the T100S irons but gives a fair bit more help than the T100S 3 iron.
 

I’ve had a 3 iron in the bag for over 20 years - my first few beginner sets, then Titleist 755 irons for a bit over a decade, then T100, then T200.

Edited July 1, 2022 by steventoo

[ebitdaiquiri]

Until recently I have been using a 3i 20*

 

I'm getting older and 3i not what it used to be from the tee or fairway for me, but it's still great for punching out of trouble

 

Now I've swapped out my driver for 3h 19*, which has been magic for me from the tee and fairway. I still have my 3i for punch shots 

[tomathist]

I use my Nike VFP 4 iron with Ventus HY shaft as my "driving" iron.

I use it often when I need ~220 yds off the tee.

[stimpmeterp]

9 hcp.  These days the longest iron I carry is a 26° that has a “6” on the sole.

[OnTheBag]

We keep an old 2i in the tractor shed at the course and use it to chase king snakes back out into the trees where they belong.  Other than that, I haven't hit a 2i or 3i on purpose since the invention of hybrids.  

[Deep Sunoji]

Just received my G425 3i crossover, will try it out on the course tomorrow. Also ordered a G425 2i crossover.

[Dpavs]

15 hours ago, phi482 said:

Lots of folks saying they keep a 2-3 iron. I recently swapped out a HMB 3 iron for a 7 wood. I confirmed my decision yesterday with a 230 yard shot from the rough to 12 feet. No way that happens with a 3 iron. Now, I still have it and will swap out with weather but the 7 wood is so much better from the deck it’s not even close. 

 

This is pretty much my thinking these days also. While I understand that there may be windy or other days that anyone might want to stick long iron in the bag as a specialty club... for my part I just don't think they are versatile enough to warrant a permanent place in the bag anymore. Hybrids or woods seem to be a much smarter choice in my book.

[NRJyzr]

17 hours ago, phi482 said:

Lots of folks saying they keep a 2-3 iron. I recently swapped out a HMB 3 iron for a 7 wood. I confirmed my decision yesterday with a 230 yard shot from the rough to 12 feet. No way that happens with a 3 iron. Now, I still have it and will swap out with weather but the 7 wood is so much better from the deck it’s not even close. 

 

1 hour ago, Dpavs said:

 

This is pretty much my thinking these days also. While I understand that there may be windy or other days that anyone might want to stick long iron in the bag as a specialty club... for my part I just don't think they are versatile enough to warrant a permanent place in the bag anymore. Hybrids or woods seem to be a much smarter choice in my book.

 

It's going to depend on the individual.  A high trajectory and high spin player may well have been able to hit that shot.  When I was one of those players, before Father Time asserted his dominance on my game, I had that shot.  Relative to my level of LOFT, that is.  😉

 

In those days, I couldn't play fairway woods at 2 iron or 3 iron lofts, they were just too high to be usable.  As I've aged out of being that player, I've started inserting hybrids where necessary.

 

But even now, I don't have much of a problem hitting a 3 iron from 3 iron distance, and holding the green.  2 iron is another story, but when I bag the 2 iron, I'm not looking to use it to hold a green.  Which is where the 17* hybrid comes in to play as the other side of the 2i/2h toggle in my bag.

 

Couple random thoughts in the morning...