So you added a driving iron. What is your go-to fairway club from 240?

[RoyalMustang]

For those of you who moved to a driving iron, what did you replace it with? 

 

I've been experimenting with a couple of driving irons. One is just a forgiving player's distance iron; Cally Apex Pro 3-iron. The other is the Taylor Made 790 2-iron. Since I've made some swing changes this summer, I've gained a ton of consistency off the tee in those long irons, and I'm a lot more likely to be in the fairway with that club vs my 3H. The hybrid goes higher and has more spin, which is not good in windy conditions. It also seems to have more side to side variance in a minor miss; we have 2 holes in particular that are super narrow and intimidating from the tips, and you can run up a score in a hurry with one less than perfect swing. 

 

The issue is that I really need a 230-245 fairway club in my bag. My course has 4 par 5's, 2 of which are quite reachable from our 525 tees. If you hit a good tee shot, you have a great opportunity to get home in 2 if you can fly 220-240. That's the hybrid distance and it's a perfect club for approaches and eagle putts. Given my game, that's where I make up strokes and average under par. 

 

The driving iron is a lot tougher off the fairway, as is the 3-iron. I can only get home with my 4-iron when I really smoke the first drive, and I am not good enough nor able to take enough off my 3-wood to consistently hit 240. Being long on any of these par 4s is a no-no. 

 

I could ditch my 4-iron and just play 3-iron/Hybrid; the only issue is that we have two par 3's from 210, and if the wind is up slightly or quite a bit, I use that 4-iron. 

 

Ideally, I want a tee and fairway club that goes 230-245, has middle trajectory, minimal dispersion, and enough spin to stop on greens while still being accurate.  

 

 

[tatertot]

Usually 6 iron ... then lob wedge.

[NoTalentLefty]

Two Wedges or a hand canon when nobody’s looking.

[Glock917]

Yeah I have a similar setup. 

 

I have a UDI stealth 2 iron but I rarely would game it around my area. Would rather just have my 21 UW for that gap cause of its versatility and would rather use it at that 220-240 gap than my 2i.

 

I supplement that by having my 4i as a driving iron type instead.

 

The only way I would put in that 2i is somewhere super linksy or if I go over the pond in the UK area. 

[stormbringer]

My 5 wood is the club for the shot you are describing.  I also carry a 20 degree hybrid.  Depending on wind, uphill/downhill, pin front/back and lie would dictate which one I hit.  All things being equal I'm using the 5 wood.  I can vary the 5 wood trajectory but usually it's quite high and stops within 10 feet.

 

YMMV

Edited October 3, 2023 by stormbringer

[Boricua Golf]

I actually took my DI out and replaced it with a 7W, my 4i is 210-220, my 7W is 235-245, the DI is about the same 235-245 but with way less spin, great for into the wind shots and short par4s, the 7W is just as good but with better spin numbers...

[philly2kuk]

220-240 is between a hard four wood and a soft driver for me…

[Pepperturbo]

Can't bring myself to buy a hybrid, they still look funny in my eye. 

 

Closest I can get to a hybrid is the Tour AD IZ Hybrid, 85g, stiff shaft in my T200 17' 2 iron, worth 215-225+yds, with a solid smack. LOL This dog learned the game using a 15.5' 1 iron. LOL, Progress for me was going to a 2 iron.  Recently on a golf trip, played The Gold, Blue/White combos, 6350+yds, Par 5's were 507-544, got very close using Driver & 2i, except for the 544, no run on the course, and carded 79.

 

My 15' 3 wood is worth 230+  and 10' Driver 245+yd carry. 

 

The error so many make with a long irons off the deck is they fail to choke down 1.5"+ for solid contact. 

Edited October 2, 2023 by Pepperturbo

[RoyalMustang]

2 minutes ago, Pepperturbo said:

Can't bring myself to buy a hybrid, they still look funny in my eye. 

 

Closest I can get to a hybrid is the Tour AD IZ Hybrid, 85g, stiff shaft in my T200 17' 2 iron, worth 215-225+yds, with a solid smack. LOL This dog learned the game using a 15.5' 1 iron. LOL, Progress for me was going to a 2 iron. 

 

The error so many make with a long irons off the deck is they fail to choke down 1.5"+ for solid contact. 

 

Good point: my DI is exactly 1.5" longer than my 4-iron. 

[Kmagnuss]

From 240 in the fairway I'm hitting a wedge.  Then another wedge, as long as I pured the first one.

[PNW]

I play 19 degree Mizuno Fli-Hi driving iron that I am just more comfortable with than my 5 wood just because the shaft suits me well. I've thought about fitting for different 5 wood shaft or hybrid but I generally hit the driving iron well enough off tee and fairway that it's not a priority to find an alternative yet. The MP Fli-HI is a pretty forgiving driving iron head though.

[Ironzol24]

my top end is

16.5 4w - 255-265

19 degree UW - 235-245

4 hybrid - 210-220

 

i like the suggestion of doing a 4 driving iron and keep the hybrid in personally. I have had a LOT of success with apex UW, it really does have a nice flight for me, not as much spin / launch as a fairway wood or hybrid of similar loft so it's a fantastic club off the tee for me. 

Edited October 2, 2023 by Ironzol24

[Pepperturbo]

7 minutes ago, RoyalMustang said:

 

Good point: my DI is exactly 1.5" longer than my 4-iron. 

My new T100 4i is 38.5" and T200 4i is 38.5"

All my 2 irons are 39.75", 1 iron is 40"

[Jayjay_theweim_guy]

I am in the process of converting my set 3-iron to a DI.  Mainly because it currently doesn't go that much further than my 4-iron, and I have an extra hybrid shaft lying around, so why not?

 

240 is firmly in 2H range for me, but it doesn't have a high floaty trajectory.  I've yet another shaft that's going into that one this week, over the Ping CB it came with.  We will see.

 

The 3H does have a higher trajectory, but at 'only' 145-148 speed, 240 is a tad ambitious.  230 is doable though.  You hit the ball harder than I do.

 

Then I go to 4-iron, which usually tops out at 210-ish.  Accordingly, likely adding back some loft to this 3H to get to 21°, and we'll see if a constant 225 results.  Love the 1K Black in it.  90-95% of the feel of the OG VB, at 1/3-1/4 the cost.

[hawkeye13]

I need a reliable 250 club. I hated my hybrid and swapped it out for a a driving iron - Sub70 2 iron with a hybrid shaft in it. Can't hit the damn thing. When I pure it I can absolutely launch it, but it is the least reliable club in my bag. Next up for me is a new hybrid or possibly 7W. 
 

From 240 right now I usually just try to step on a 4iron which will get close, then have a little chip/pitch up to the green. If there are bunkers in front then I may just hit a 6 iron or something to stay short and have a little pitch in. 
 

I think I'll get a 3iron with my next iron set because I do feel comfortable with my 4. But the driving 2 iron is a whole different beast for whatever reason. 

[Jayjay_theweim_guy]

4 minutes ago, hawkeye13 said:

I need a reliable 250 club. I hated my hybrid and swapped it out for a a driving iron - Sub70 2 iron with a hybrid shaft in it. Can't hit the damn thing.

You also hit the ball harder than I do, but a 4W or 5W wouldn't work for you here?

 

Aside, as someone new to hybrids, I'd thought the point of the numbering system was to denote which iron they were to replace.  I.e., can't gap your 3-iron from your 4?  Get a 3-hybrid.

 

So I do, and find that the sucker does not go 5 MPH or 12-15 yds further than my 4-iron, but closer to 10 MPH and 20-25 yds further.  LOL.

Edited October 2, 2023 by Jayjay_theweim_guy

[elwhippy]

From 240 I am laying up, unless we are on a firm Links or down a hill. 

[SBH9458]

I’m actually eyeing a 2 utility for this purpose, as well as the narrow fairway finder.  Looks like the Callaway 2024 Apex UT is long order time…

[MattC555]

Adding another tee only club to your bag will give you a gap somewhere.  I prefer a 3 wood to the driving iron for this reason.  I can still hit it off the deck.  In your scenario I'm hitting my 7 wood hard. 

[Gsea]

Ping icrossover, tee and fairway perfection.You're welcome 

[Mikey_HACKilroy]

It would seem a 17° 2-Hybrid would be in order here as I feel you should be able to drop it in that range. Otherwise, time to get better with the 3-Iron. 😄 😄

 

 

[ago33]

Callaway UW

 

 

I had a 2 driving iron in the bag. However I could not stop it on a green or hit it from a semi poor lie. UW hits high floating bombs from all over the golf course.

[uglande]

240 is 5 wood

 

I have bought and sold so many 2 irons over the years. But I've finally kicked the habit. They look cool and are fun to play around with, but it's a one-trick pony, and it's not even that great at that one trick. I can hit a lazy five right down the middle of any fairway that goes as far as 2 iron swinging out of my shoes. And forget about hitting into greens. 

[Phabs]

Soft cut 8 iron. 🤣

[wam78]

I recently added the new king tec 19* hybrid to my bag and it’s been outstanding.  Never really played one until now.  It’s a perfect club from 225-240.

 

I’ve played all sorts of driving irons over the years and I love them!  Just learned how to play a hybrid and now I’m wondering why I have not made the change sooner.

[RoyalMustang]

1 hour ago, Mikey_HACKilroy said:

It would seem a 17° 2-Hybrid would be in order here as I feel you should be able to drop it in that range. Otherwise, time to get better with the 3-Iron. 😄 😄

 

 

 

I haven't hit in a couple of months, but I'm playing better. I'll be taking the 3-iron out for a test drive tonight: who knows? If I could hit it well, it probably could replace the 4-iron in the bag if I just choke down when I need 220 and not longer. 

[RoyalMustang]

44 minutes ago, uglande said:

240 is 5 wood

 

I have bought and sold so many 2 irons over the years. But I've finally kicked the habit. They look cool and are fun to play around with, but it's a one-trick pony, and it's not even that great at that one trick. I can hit a lazy five right down the middle of any fairway that goes as far as 2 iron swinging out of my shoes. And forget about hitting into greens. 

 

Would a 5-wood give me more accuracy than my hybrid? That's the issue: I need something high enough with enough spin for stopping power when called for, but something uber accurate when I have to find a fairway. In wind, the hybrid is not my friend. 

[RolandofGilead]

3 hours ago, RoyalMustang said:

The issue is that I really need a 230-245 fairway club in my bag.

This is the classic 2i/driving iron versus 5W/hybrid conundrum. It sounds like you really make your hay with the hybrid into par 5s. I would keep that in the bag and learn to hit a lower tee shot with your longest iron. It is probably easier to figure that out because you are hitting from a tee on a perfectly level tee box, versus a fairway or rough (hybrid). Trust yourself and figure that out instead of compromising another strength of your game.

[jacob7071]

On most days, I play a strong 3w (13.5*) and a 4w (16.5*) and a Cally X Forged UT 3i (21*).  On windy days, I'll swap out the 3+ and 4w for a traditionally lofted 3w (15*) and a UT 2i (18*).  Unless I have a bad lie, I'm plenty confident I can carry the 3i 215-220, the 4w 235-240 and the 3w 240-245.  I'm much more inconsistent on the carry for the 3+ and 2i, so I've just accepted my limitations, and I don't go for those greens unless I have a great lie and no trouble to carry.  Honestly, I make more birdies laying up to the fairway 25 yds short of the green than I do putting it in the greenside bunker.  

 

Best advice I'd give is, you can't carry 15 clubs, so play to the strengths of the 14 clubs you do have.  For me, it's drop the 2i in favor of a higher lofted fairway wood.  I've found on holes where I want to use the 2i (into the wind or tight, short-ish par 4), the 3i isn't that much of a difference.  Maybe I'll have a 9i into the green instead of a PW.  Big deal, right?

[Primo1868]

Truth be told - it all depends on how far you hit your clubs and if you can reliably hit them off the tee and deck. 

 

I've gone through all the iterations one could imagine.

Driver 3w, 3H, 4i

Driver 3w 2H 4i

Driver 3w, 5w, 4i

Driver, 2H, 4i

Driver, 5w, UW, 4i

Driver, 5w, 2i, 4i

Driver 5w, 3i, 4i

Driver, 5w, 2i, 4H, 5i

etc

 

Sounds like we hit the ball similar distances. What I play 75% of the time is:

Driver

5w - 265 total

3i - 235 total

 

For me, and unfortunately for most 2i is a one trick pony. I only bag it when I'm playing a golf course with a large number of short and tight par 4s. I opt into that and don't have a dedicated 240 club in that set up because I'm leveraging my odds. The reality of it is though, most scenarios where you would hit 2i.. a 4i isn't leaving that poor of a result.

 

I think, based on what you said, your best option is to find and put in play a 2H, something with a smaller head that won't balloon on you.