New irons - are they worth an upgrade based on the numbers?

[migolfke]

I had a chance to hit some new irons on trackman. Below are all with DG S300s. Option 1 is my current 7 iron that has 3* more loft than the others. Option 4 has a shaft that is  1/4" shorter. 

 

	Club Speed	Smash	Ball Speed	Attack Angle	Launch Angle	Spin Rate	Carry	Total	Land Angle	Club Path	height
Option 1 - current (35*)	90.4	1.34	120.8	-6.2	17.5	7040	164.7	169.6	49.9	-5	100
Option 2 (32*)	89.2	1.40	124.5	-6.2	16.1	6332	174.4	180.9	48.4	-5.5	99
Option 3 (32*	88.3	1.40	123.7	-5.4	16.6	6236	173.7	180.4	48.6	-4.2	100
Option 4 (32*)	88.2	1.4	123.6	-5.9	15.4	6210	173.7	181	47	-5	93

[Brobespierre]

Looks like you have a traditional lofted 7 up against some lower lofted 7’s, so hard to make a straight up comparison.

 

Your compression is great with all of them. I’d love to be 1.4 with a 7 lol.

 

My opinion would be there are not performance differences here that scream upgrade. And you are striking options 2-5 just as well as the others. Then you are getting into other questions.

 

did you get tighter dispersion with any?

 

can you test them on turf?

 

better feel with any of them?

 

does your gapping benefit from the extra distance with the stronger 7?

 

stuff like that.

 

 

[cgasucks]

Your current 7 iron has a very traditional loft while you're comparing irons that have the same specs as your 6 iron so it's not really a good comparison of Apples to Apples.  

 

That being said, if you want to change irons since you want something shiny and new then go right ahead, it's your money.  If your current irons are covering your yardages with no gaps, then stick to what you got.

 

If it ain't broke....

Edited March 17 by cgasucks

[055]

Agree with the above comments. I like option 3 out of 2,3, and 4 if you change. Can't wait to hear which clubs they all are once you are ready to share. Option 3 AOA is better IMO, and keeps the height. As stated already, how about dispersion?

[caniac6]

Do you need the extra yardage, or are you playing well with your current set? 

[hook_or_slice]

6 hours ago, migolfke said:

I had a chance to hit some new irons on trackman. Below are all with DG S300s. Option 1 is my current 7 iron that has 3* more loft than the others. Option 4 has a shaft that is  1/4" shorter. 

 

	Club Speed	Smash	Ball Speed	Attack Angle	Launch Angle	Spin Rate	Carry	Total	Land Angle	Club Path	height
Option 1 - current (35*)	90.4	1.34	120.8	-6.2	17.5	7040	164.7	169.6	49.9	-5	100
Option 2 (32*)	89.2	1.40	124.5	-6.2	16.1	6332	174.4	180.9	48.4	-5.5	99
Option 3 (32*	88.3	1.40	123.7	-5.4	16.6	6236	173.7	180.4	48.6	-4.2	100
Option 4 (32*)	88.2	1.4	123.6	-5.9	15.4	6210	173.7	181	47	-5	93

 

You should repeat the test with your current 6 iron.

All of the other irons have less spin and more roll-out than your current iron.

Understandable because of the lofts. 

 

You are generating more clubhead speed with your iron. 

But all the rest have a better smash factor. 

 

[Shilgy]

8 minutes ago, hook_or_slice said:

 

You should repeat the test with your current 6 iron.

All of the other irons have less spin and more roll-out than your current iron.

Understandable because of the lofts. 

 

You are generating more clubhead speed with your iron. 

But all the rest have a better smash factor. 

 

Wondering about the smash factor though.  1.34 with current 7 iron and “exactly” 1.40 with the others. Either OP is Iron Byron or the sim is using an algorithm using 1.40 for all strikes.

[Golfcrzy]

Where are your descent angle numbers? Peak height could be nice to know as well, for your preference, but without seeing what angle the ball is coming down, hard to make a suggestion. The roll out number seems to suggest you’ll still hold the green with the lower lofted options and not give up much in terms of sticking it. But I’d like to see the angle. 

Edited March 17 by Golfcrzy
Spelling

[Golfcrzy]

The math works on efficiency dividing ball/club, though opt 2 is 1.39 rounded up.

[Shilgy]

1 hour ago, Golfcrzy said:

The math works on efficiency dividing ball/club, though opt 2 is 1.39 rounded up.

If it was an algorithm the math would work as well.  Were these all same day same sim?  
Not to question your fitter but some have been know to juice the numbers a bit in fittings. So even if the answer is yes, same day, they “could” juice it a hair when switching clubs.

 

It’s just the 1.40 exactly being spit out.  Looks like a default setting to me.

[Port and Starboard]

Pick what looks looks right, feels right, and works better shaping shots.

 

I could care less if my 7 iron goes goes 160 or 170 as long as I can hit it consistently. The shorter hitting club might be more consistent for you than the longer one which is better for your scorecard in the long run.

 

As far as your numbers go..................164 carry with your current 7 iron isn't exactly weak sauce pards. 😉

Edited March 17 by Port and Starboard

[nathans]

As others have commented, your really just playing a loft game here....

 

File away the numbers on your current set an stamp in one number higher.

Edited March 17 by nathans
Error

[Jayjay_theweim_guy]

It looks pretty typical, tbh.  You're dumping 10% of spin and lowering launch 1-2° with mostly the same club speed.  No stickers, I'm not sure what the error bars are on that measurement anyway.  Ofc, it's going to go further.  It'll take longer to stop, OTOH.  

 

Really would want to see SD and other dispersion numbers to tell you more.  Also would like to know why your gamer 7-iron is swinging 1-2 mph faster.  Different feel?  Monitor quirks picking up the head?  Etc.

 

Also, -5° club path on a 7 is quite a bit, right?  But if it works for you, leave it alone, I guess.  I wouldn't change anything w/o more info.  Especially how they feel outside on grass.

[migolfke]

Thanks for the replies. All were hit on the same day. The numbers were normalized because we were outside with some wind, but I don't believe juiced.  My current clubs are MP52s; option 2 is the MP243; option 3 is the T150 and Option 4 is the ZX7. I also tried the T100s and the numbers, including the smash factor looked much more like my current iron (similar loft). I  didn't hit them off real grass, but I can probably try the 243s and 150s off grass. 

 

The fitter gave me comfort that my current irons are still a good fit for me after 15 years or so. He thought the new irons might be a little easier, more forgiving , but definitely wasn't pushing a sale. We also tested some shafts and we can back to the DG300.

 

 

[Hawkeye77]

What does "normalized" mean?

 

Without dispersion numbers and where you were hitting it out of on the face with each iron, for example, I wouldn't hazard an opinion, but doesn't seem to be much in it with the numbers you shared among 1-3 (making allowances for loft).  

[migolfke]

According to trackman: “The normalization feature allows you to counteract the effects of wind, altitude and template and give you ‘normalized’ data.”