Longest Iron Set debate

[vodeux]

Lets compare 7 iron distances with different clubs!

I have had 5 different Iron sets
My swing speed for driver is like 110 and can hit in the range of 280-320 yrds. (Thank you ft-9)
My 7 iron distance on the avg club is around 165 yrds.

Worst distance ever = taylormade TP iron from 2007 (nspro s). the 7 iron = 155 yrds

Medium distance = Mizuno mx900/mx25/callaway x20 tour (project x 5.5 and 6.0) . 7 iron = 165yrds

Best distance ever = Cobra UFI irons. 7 Iron (nspro s)= 180yds!

UFI Irons were one of the most expensive irons ever made and they have a special insert that really softens the impact. The distance i get is amazing and it's not because of lower loft cause the ball goes even higher than any of my set. In fact it's so high i'm thinking of getting the x100 installed. The only thing negative i have to say about these clubs is that it's so soft u can't really get much feedback from greenside chipping. Win some lose some

anyways lets see what else u guys got. I'm really interested to see the distance of callaway irons like the ft-iron set and i-brid.

[jaskanski]

Who actually cares what distance other people hit their 7-irons? Even if the results were by a robot in a controlled environment it would be equally pointless. Yawn.

[clutchfan]

Original Fusions are the longest I have ever played.

[hardten]

Who actually cares what distance other people hit their 7-irons? Even if the results were by a robot in a controlled environment it would be equally pointless. Yawn.

AGREE! What's the point? Drivers OK, 7 irons ?

[vodeux]

The point is longer irons = less club = easier to hit= more green= less strokes= better score. Not hard to see that if u stop yawning

[QuigleyDU]

it is tough to compare unless everything is the same loft, shaft length etc. the cobra cbs pw loft is 46 it will go farther than my current clubs were the pw is 49.

7 iron to 7 iron comparisons are pointless. golf is not all about total yards but about precise yards.

[oregongolf]

The old exotics irons had to have been one of the longest. They were all .830 COR.

 

Almost all of TM's game improvement irons would also fall into that category.

[scottland]

This is in no way apples to apples. Lofts are never the same.

 

Taylormade's R7 XD irons had a PW loft of 44*. That's my 9 iron loft.

 

But those were probably one of the longest iron sets made if you are strictly looking at the number on the sole. I could carry that 7 iron close to 190 (186-7 ish) But once again, It's a super game improvement iron, and the loft matches most 6 irons.

[oregongolf]

This is in no way apples to apples. Lofts are never the same.

 

Taylormade's R7 XD irons had a PW loft of 44*. That's my 9 iron loft.

 

But those were probably one of the longest iron sets made if you are strictly looking at the number on the sole. I could carry that 7 iron close to 190 (186-7 ish) But once again, It's a super game improvement iron, and the loft matches most 6 irons.

In my humble opinion... the whole "lofts being jacked up" is a little argument is a little silly. The lofts are made that way to launch on the required trajectory. The weight is placed so low and the faces are so hot now that if these super game improvement clubs played traditional lofts, they'd play much differently than they were engineered.

 

I think when they start lengthening clubs to gain distance I'll buy it. Effectively making a six iron (same loft, longer length), but stamping it a seven is dumb.

[vodeux]

People who complain about delofted clubs need a bit of science lesson.

 

usually people who complain about this are people playing forged who are used to 1 piece metal with no face inserts and multimaterial heads that really lowers the cog and gives the iron some cor factor.

 

Now if u have low cog and high cor in an iron it basically acts like a a driver and if u were to use the traditional lofts on these irons u'd be having sky high rainbow shots all day.

 

and like the dude above "who cares" comment. Ya if u're playing single digit or under and have the luxury to practice or play everyday use a forged for ultimate feel. But for the rest of us, weekend golfers, we really need to get irons that goes the distance, straighter and easier.

 

All thumbs up for face inserts and multimaterial.

[kitsoasis]

Loft is one thing, but I think shaft length is another.

Wilson Staff Ci7 and Di7 have stronger lofts and longer shafts which effectively makes it an iron up but with a different number on the sole.

Doesn't really matter in the end anyway, as long as its accurate.

[XYB34A]

So if you hit your 7 iron so far, what do you hit between a jacked up pitching wedge to go with a jacked up 7 iron, and your sandwedge. DO you carry 5 wedges. The loft of the Ping Eye 2 square groove wedge was 50.7 degrees of loft. So what is now a gap wedge was a pitching wedge, with arguably the very first, and maybe still best game improvement iron.

 

So all the people that buy 4 thru gap wedge. You are really buying 3 thru pitching wedge, the OEM's are pulling the wool over your eyes.

 

All of these so called long hitters with modern day iron lofts, amuse me. My son is the best example, with his pitching wedge being 45 degrees of loft. He will say, I hit one more club than you do Dad. I have to remind him that his 8, is basically my 6. He is 17 years old, and plays on the high school golf team.

 

It is what your write down on the card for a score, not how far did you hit it.

[tdawgmd]

People who complain about delofted clubs need a bit of science lesson.

 

usually people who complain about this are people playing forged who are used to 1 piece metal with no face inserts and multimaterial heads that really lowers the cog and gives the iron some cor factor.

 

Now if u have low cog and high cor in an iron it basically acts like a a driver and if u were to use the traditional lofts on these irons u'd be having sky high rainbow shots all day.

 

and like the dude above "who cares" comment. Ya if u're playing single digit or under and have the luxury to practice or play everyday use a forged for ultimate feel. But for the rest of us, weekend golfers, we really need to get irons that goes the distance, straighter and easier.

 

All thumbs up for face inserts and multimaterial.

Amen. Hit what works for you. For example--my Dad and I are both low hcp players. He is in his upper 50's now, and for the last several years has "lost" distance when buying new sets. He had several sets of the titleist players irons(not GI), and was hitting his 7 iron 130 yards(still hits it 250-260 off the tee). I finally told him to stop worrying about having a "players" iron, as he was hitting it so short he was at a huge disadvantage. He ended up with last years tour burners. He has gotten his distance back, and his misses are really good misses. It's like golf viagra.

 

Point is, if you can buy some help, by all means do it--and if the GI irons make you hit it further, you will be hitting shorter irons into the green.

[BogeysBGone]

I have had 5 different Iron sets

My swing speed for driver is like 110 and can hit in the range of 280-320 yrds. (Thank you ft-9)

My 7 iron distance on the avg club is around 165 yrds.

 

Worst distance ever = taylormade TP iron from 2007 (nspro s). the 7 iron = 155 yrds

 

Medium distance = Mizuno mx900/mx25/callaway x20 tour (project x 5.5 and 6.0) . 7 iron = 165yrds

 

Best distance ever = Cobra UFI irons. 7 Iron (nspro s)= 180yds!

 

UFI Irons were one of the most expensive irons ever made and they have a special insert that really softens the impact. The distance i get is amazing and it's not because of lower loft cause the ball goes even higher than any of my set. In fact it's so high i'm thinking of getting the x100 installed. The only thing negative i have to say about these clubs is that it's so soft u can't really get much feedback from greenside chipping. Win some lose some

 

anyways lets see what else u guys got. I'm really interested to see the distance of callaway irons like the ft-iron set and i-brid.

 

 

Look for loft numbers, and shaft lengths - the lowest angled PW for example with the longest shaft will get you the longest distance. Usually those will in an OEM's ultra game improvement set.

 

That being said - if a shaft is too long or too short based on your physique then you won't be swinging optimally - so the distance gains afforded by the strong lofts/longer shafts may be a wash.

[mshills]

The Wilson Ci7 is a loooong set. My guess is that the club stamped "8" is more like a "6.5 iron." Some players love this appendage-size contest. "I hit my eight iron longer than you." If that's what you want, go for it, but that does nothing for me.

 

I want my PW to go 125 yards, 130 if I hit it a little harder. No further.

I want my 8i to go 150 yards, 155 if I hit it a little harder. No further.

 

Tell me what good it does for your PW to fly 155 and your GW 110? I have never, ever understood this.

[taskerc]

The Wilson Ci7 is a loooong set. My guess is that the club stamped "8" is more like a "6.5 iron." Some players love this appendage-size contest. "I hit my eight iron longer than you." If that's what you want, go for it, but that does nothing for me.

 

I want my PW to go 125 yards, 130 if I hit it a little harder. No further.

I want my 8i to go 150 yards, 155 if I hit it a little harder. No further.

 

Tell me what good it does for your PW to fly 155 and your GW 110? I have never, ever understood this.

Totally agree - got rid of my Ci7s for this reason - I have more wedges now that ever :-(

 

So I went back to ping isi's and I feel, even though I have "lost" distance from a particular club number (ie 7) , my gaps between clubs are again consistent without needing a larger army of wedges.

 

 

 

 

I am about a 17 handicap and I find the more important thing for me is consistency, and this seems to help when my clubs gaps make sense.

 

 

 

Chris

[vodeux]

actually i carry 2 wedges 54 and 58 and thats probably why my handicap is 16. My short game is crap.

 

and speaking of more wedges in the bag, dave pelz advocates 4 wedges in the bag, 52, 56, 60 and 64. As I said I don't practice and my current skill level can't justify having so many in my bag.

 

But the issue here is I can practice and learn the short game but I can't practice and learn how to hit 300 yrds avg drives. Likewise with irons, if u have the ability to hit long y not use delofted irons like everyone else and make the game even easier. I can use an 6 iron to hit balls where others use their 4 irons or 5 wood. Which do u think will be easier? And that is something you cannot practice or learn to achieve. So if that is the distance difference the million dollar question is:

 

Which iron is the longest and the straightest in the market right now?

 

So what if the pw is 44-46 deg, it has the same accuracy level as a 50 deg and can hold on the green cause of the low cog. And i guess thats whats the most important in delofted clubs.

 

Lets not forget that the ball technology also improved dramatically and these 3-4 layer balls can spin alot more than the balls 10-20yrs back. Couple these with ur traditional iron set lofts and u r going to see moon balls (pros need not apply cause they deloft their clubs naturally during their swing anyway)

 

so drop this talk on how wrong delofting is and celebrate it by discussing which is the most outrageously long and straightest of them all!

[QuigleyDU]

Lets not forget that the ball technology also improved dramatically and these 3-4 layer balls can spin alot more than the balls 10-20yrs back. Couple these with ur traditional iron set lofts and u r going to see moon balls (pros need not apply cause they deloft their clubs naturally during their swing anyway)

 

 

sorry but you are way off on this point yes ball have improved but they spin way less than previous balls. have you ever hit a balata ball? those spun 10 times more than any prov1 could even imagine.