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The truth about strong lofted irons

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  • #31
    Just stamp the lofts on them.

    Comment


    • #32
      Originally posted by dmcdam View Post

      Seems like a lot of work. Don't you just know how far each goes? I don't care about the specs of my 7 iron vs other 7 irons, I just know that the one in my bag goes X distance.
      Exactly. Not just the one in my bag, but that one with my swing.

      That's all that matters.

      The only bad news is that if sharkhark is right, I could improve my game and lower my score but.... it'll cost some $$$.

      "Confusion" will be my epitaph
      ...Iggy

      Comment


      • #33
        Originally posted by ARL67
        Jacked lofts is one thing, which I'm perfectly OK with, as there is other tech in the design to get the launch higher.

        But look at those shaft lengths in that Epic Forged set.
        The 8i is also full 1/2" longer, so it really is a 7i when factoring both its loft and shaft length. Then the length spread from 8-7-6-5-4 is in 5/8" increments, with the 4i at 18* at a whopping 39.5" !

        I'm 5'9" and have adopted shorter length increment sets over the last many years, with currently 2 sets built with 3/8" length increments. I'll be rebuilding one of those sets to 1/4" increments, where the 5i will be 37.0" ungripped. I'll still get my 10 yard gap increments ( FYI my 5i = 170-175 yard club , Driver is 230-240 yards ), Heck, even if my iron gapping goes down to 8 yards, these shorter sets are so much more playable IMO. Heck #2, if the gapping gets too short up top, I could make the 7i a bit stronger, remove the 6i from the bag, make the 5i a bit weaker, then add another hybrid up top.

        Why don't the OEMs take all their fancy iron head tech and actually make a set a bit shorter than typical stock lengths ??? I'd suggest an 8i at 36.25" ( 1/4" shorter than traditional length), then go up in 3/8" increments. I'd naturally suggest a 0.5 swing-weight increment for an MOI build, but that would be too much schooling / explanation for a typical customer. All this new head tech should not require longer shafts, it should be the opposite.


        Not sure if these replaced the Epic forged but the PW is now 38 degrees.

        Mens Epic Forged Star Irons Product Specs
        #5 22° RH / LH Custom Only 38.875" 59.50° 3.6 D0
        #6 24° RH / LH Custom Only 38.25" 60.00° 3.4 D0
        #7 26° RH / LH Custom Only 37.625" 60.50° 3.3 D0
        #8 29° RH / LH Custom Only 37.00" 61.00° 3.1 D0
        #9 33° RH / LH Custom Only 36.50" 61.50° 2.8 D0
        PW 38° RH / LH Custom Only 36.00" 62.00° 2.4 D0
        AW 43° RH / LH Custom Only 35.75" 62.50° 2.3 D0
        GW 49° RH / LH Custom Only 35.50" 63.00° 1.9 D0
        SW 55° RH / LH Custom Only 35.25" 63.00° 1.9 D0
        Ping G410 Plus 10.5*
        Ping G410 3W 16*(17*)
        Ping G400 7W 20.5* or 3H 19*
        Ping G400 4H - 22*
        Ping G400 5 - UW
        Ping Glide 3.0 54/14 WS
        Ping Glide 3.0 58/10 SS
        Gamer: Odyssey Tri-Hot 5K One (Evnroll gravity grip)
        Back up: SeeMore DB4 Nashville (303 milled)

        Comment


        • #34
          Originally posted by sharkhark View Post

          Or they could use my slogan.
          Use shorter or old school irons and be a guy who fights to go under 80 a couple Times a season to a guy with new tech strong lofts and shoots low 70's all the time.
          10 HDCP or 4?
          From trying to find a partner for events to be asked all the time now....
          Looked at the epic forged star irons on the website, they remind me of my old Fusions which I loved.
          Ping G410 Plus 10.5*
          Ping G410 3W 16*(17*)
          Ping G400 7W 20.5* or 3H 19*
          Ping G400 4H - 22*
          Ping G400 5 - UW
          Ping Glide 3.0 54/14 WS
          Ping Glide 3.0 58/10 SS
          Gamer: Odyssey Tri-Hot 5K One (Evnroll gravity grip)
          Back up: SeeMore DB4 Nashville (303 milled)

          Comment


          • #35
            As an avowed retro guy I seldom pay attention to the specs of the modern irons. However.I was a little stunned by those of the Epic irons.
            Epic 7 iron has almost the exact specs of my 20 year old Apex 5 iron, and no, I can't carry my 5 iron 190yds.
            There is something in those pretzels.
            things change

            Maga Lies Matter

            Comment


            • #36
              Originally posted by ARL67
              Shark, I would think your previous set of irons were ill fit for you ( shafts ? ). I never argue with success, so if you have found a setup to greatly improve your game, then that is awesome, regardless if it is from strong lofts and over-length clubs. Maybe your natural stance and mechanics favour standing taller ?

              But your 9i is my 8i in both loft and length. ( MP-18 MMC, a set that is 2 years old, not old-school at all ). Your 7i is my 6i, but your 7i is even a bit longer shafted than my 6i.

              Your Epic set is what I would call "super modern lofted'.
              Heck, a PW used to be 48 old-school, then that morphed into 46 which we thought was strong, while your Epic PW is 41. That Epic set even has 2 "gap wedges", what your set calls a 46* AW and a 51* GW, followed by an "acceptable" 56* SW.

              It's fine for you to say you hit your " 27 degree 37-5/8" length " club 176 yards with ease,. But calling it 7i because that is what is stamped on the bottom is only drinking the marketing kool-aid. You can't defend that it is "by name" a 7i -> it is a 27* club at 37-5/8" long and that is really all that matters.

              Clubs should really have removable labels that each user can apply for what that club is for them. We are already doing those translations ourselves: "Oh I have 130 to the hole, I need to grab my 9 iron". Just label that nine iron club "130" instead. For another player their 130 club might be a PW, so they'd label their PW "130". I recall Bryson DeChambeau, before is signed up with Cobra, gave each of his Edel irons a name, not a number.
              I don't call my irons anything.
              your completely missing the point and probably I should just stop because your fixated on trying to prove new irons are just a 5 iron labeled a 7 iron and your heads stuck in the sand.

              I look at each iron as a tool. I need 185. Ok I take my 6 iron and choke down half inch to not go 190.
              It's a tool.
              My older irons none went that distance. Despite lots of lessons and irons fit to me. Many golfers struggle with standards designs and low lofts trying to elevate them.

              What's your handicap by the way.
              And what is the longest yardage you can hit easily 9 out of 10 times?
              PING CAMO BAG...
              WEAPONS...
              SRIXON ZX5 10.5
              3W TM M2
              HYB 19 deg Callaway Epic
              5-aw Callaway Epic Forged

              SW TM Milled Grind 56
              LW TM MILLED GRIND 60

              PUTTER Rotation TM Spider Tour, Scotty np2 ,
              3 ball Fang, RIFE TOUR

              Comment


              • #37
                Originally posted by Jasonp View Post
                But its the design not the lofts.

                Not saying newer designs aren't easier to hit. Yes a new 5i is easier to hit then an old 4i 100%. But the distance is loft simple as that.
                Disagree.
                Just put a 20 year old iron (25 degree loft) into the hand of a recreation player versus a modern iron of the same loft with 100 grams of tungsten ideally positioned in the iron head at the right spots.

                My buddy just upgraded from 15 year old irons to a modern set made in 2020. He couldn't hit an iron over 150 yards to save his life and now he's striping irons from 180-190 yards out.

                I don't care what the number or the loft is. The fact is he can now hit an iron consistently from 30-40 yards further out. Neither set was fitted and have standard issue steel stiff shafts.
                Last edited by ping1-a; Nov 15, 2020, 09:36 AM.

                Comment


                • #38
                  Originally posted by ping1-a View Post

                  Disagree.
                  Just put a 20 year old iron (25 degree loft) into the hand of a recreation player versus a modern iron of the same loft with 100 grams of tungsten ideally positioned in the iron head at the right spots.

                  My buddy just upgraded from 15 year old irons to a modern set made in 2020. He couldn't hit an iron over 150 yards to save his life and now he's striping irons from 180-190 yards out.

                  I don't care what the number or the loft is. The fact is he can now hit an iron consistently from 30-40 yards further out. Neither set was fitted and have standard issue steel stiff shafts.
                  You completely missed what I said.

                  Yes the new stuff is more forgiving and easier to hit. So for a high handicapper he may not have been able to hit a 27* iron whether it said 7i or 4i .

                  But if you put that 20y old 4i or 5i with 27* of loft and put it in the hands of a low cap and also give them a modern 7i with 27* of loft they will go very close to the same distance.

                  Again I'm not disagreeing that some people couldn't hit a club that went 180y whether it said 3i or 9i. But new designs have helped that not jacked lofts.

                  Its why new jacked irons don't come with a 3i or 4i half the time. No matter the design a high capper cant hit something with any consistency that has under 24* of loft. Look up the 24/38 rule golf.

                  Comment


                  • #39
                    Originally posted by ARL67
                    Shark, I'm only fixated that the loft/length spec rules.
                    We both have a club in our bag that is about 27* and about 37-3/4" long.
                    I'll happily call mine a 5i, you can happily call yours a 7i, it doesn't really matter, it's what's stamped on the bottom of our clubs when we reach for the required tool, I can move on from the naming debate.

                    I'm surprised more companies don't follow the Hogan PTX model.
                    Though the current Hogan offerings don't label by loft any more.




                    FYI: My game has greatly improved over the last 2 seasons, thanks primarily to finally figuring out a reliable Driver setup and swing. Formerly struggling off the tee put so much stress on the next shot, bad for the brain / mood. I now shoot usually high 70's on courses that are 6000-6400, shot Par 4 times this year for the very first time at 3 different courses, Driver is 230-240, 7i is 150-155. I'm very solid 8i and down, very good greenside chipper so lots of Par & Bogey saves, and a solid 2-putter. My 7-6-5i need improvement, and I'm often tinkering with various setups for those clubs as I do my own club-building, having a good golf-shop setup at home.

                    Cleveland UHX irons have the loft stamped on the bottom next to the club number.
                    Ping G410 Plus 10.5*
                    Ping G410 3W 16*(17*)
                    Ping G400 7W 20.5* or 3H 19*
                    Ping G400 4H - 22*
                    Ping G400 5 - UW
                    Ping Glide 3.0 54/14 WS
                    Ping Glide 3.0 58/10 SS
                    Gamer: Odyssey Tri-Hot 5K One (Evnroll gravity grip)
                    Back up: SeeMore DB4 Nashville (303 milled)

                    Comment


                    • #40
                      I dont care what number is on the iron. my criteria is that, they feel good, easy to hit, about a 10 yard gap from club to club and if needed I can flight them high or low.
                      Driver - Taylormade SIM MAX 9.0 Diamana S
                      3W - Taylormade M4
                      5 wood - Callaway X Hot
                      4 Hybrid - Taylormade R15
                      Irons - Taylormade 2017 P790 5-PW
                      Wedge - 52 Raw Jaws/56 MD 2 tour grind
                      Putter - Scotty Cameron Newport 2

                      Comment


                      • #41
                        Originally posted by hammy1983 View Post
                        I dont care what number is on the iron. my criteria is that, they feel good, easy to hit, about a 10 yard gap from club to club and if needed I can flight them high or low.
                        Exactly. I could care less if the lofts are strong. I fill the gaps at the top with the appropriate wedges and go from there.
                        MEMBER OF THE 2012 AND 2015 RYDER CUP CHAMPS!

                        Comment


                        • #42
                          Originally posted by sharkhark View Post

                          I have no idea what your saying. I apologize.

                          Let me try to explain. I couldn't hit my old 6 iron or 5 iron.
                          I could hit my 7 that went 145.
                          My new 7 iron goes 176 and is effortless. My 6 iron goes 190.
                          It's easy to hit.

                          I couldn't hit my 6 iron well and it went 155.
                          Then my 5 iron was harder to hit and went anywhere from 160 to 175 with not a clue which distance and hope and prayer over water as I couldn't hit it well.

                          Need 190 I had nothing. A hybrid that did 200.
                          Need 180?I had nothing.

                          I don't get this whole it's just a number on the bottom.
                          By that argument I'm hitting it easy and way longer and accurately consistent distance.

                          If before past 160 I had issues and 170 forget it and 180 forget it and 190 forget it.
                          All guesswork and mostly bad contact and short shots.

                          To all those simply saying just take a different club and swing it and pretend you have new stronger lofted and well designed Tech with extra tungsten to get height etc it's a bad argument.

                          I have gone from a 10 HDCP to as low as 4 this season.
                          I've gone from about 81 to 83 on average to shooting 36/36-72 even par as my new lowest round.
                          I've shot 74 4 times this year 75 several times. More 76 than I can count.

                          I had yardages before I couldn't hit my skill in lower irons was straight and on target then fell off as irons got lower.

                          I have no fear now.

                          This argument just take a 6 or 5 instead of a 7 iron strong lofted would make sense if I could hit them that distance.

                          All I had was bunched up irons going 10 yards or less more. And inconsistent contact results.

                          Not anymore.

                          If someone can currently hit 180 or 190 with an iron then of course they could take a different Iron regardless of label on bottom but if no option regardless if it's 6 or 5 or 4 etc then u can't hit the distance and new design strong lofted helps.

                          My 4 Iron now goes 205? I dropped a hybrid.

                          My old 4 Iron? 170 or 180 or 190 or duff and 160.
                          Who knew.
                          Firstly, congrats on the progress! That's a really big step for sure, and shooting in 70's is addictive - I took a year off in that respect with some swing changes and infrequent play but am hoping to be back next year.

                          I think the number on the bottom is entirely arbitrary, we might as well give the clubs unique names - what are you hitting here? - my "sparkle iron".

                          I'm sure lots of tech and slightly shorter shafts is helping you hit these clubs far, but for me, comparing your 35 degree 7i to a 27 degree is apples and oranges.

                          Fundamentally though, who cares. While its TGN, it isn't about how far you hit the club with the 7 on its sole, it's about the progress you mention in your own game and if it distance irons are the recipe for you, awesome. I bet they are helpful for many players looking for more distance.

                          A smaller subset will find the lofts too strong, and prefer more traditional lofts to create better connection with wedges but there are lots of options for that group as well.

                          I will say it again, I really did love the Cobra Forged TEC irons I hit @ TXG. With less club speed (~97 vs 102) I was carrying probably 25yd's further with the 6i. But, the Cobra 6i was 26 degrees while the 921 tour is more traditional @ 30. If I need that distance in the 921's, I'd just pull the 5i (which still is 27, not yet to 26 ;-)

                          P

                          Comment


                          • #43
                            Originally posted by ARL67
                            FYI: My game has greatly improved over the last 2 seasons, thanks primarily to finally figuring out a reliable Driver setup and swing. Formerly struggling off the tee put so much stress on the next shot, bad for the brain / mood. I now shoot usually high 70's on courses that are 6000-6400, shot Par 4 times this year for the very first time at 3 different courses, Driver is 230-240, 7i is 150-155. I'm very solid 8i and down, very good greenside chipper so lots of Par & Bogey saves, and a solid 2-putter. My 7-6-5i need improvement, and I'm often tinkering with various setups for those clubs as I do my own club-building, having a good golf-shop setup at home.
                            Not trying to hijack but what was it you did re the driver setup and swing??

                            Comment


                            • #44
                              Originally posted by ARL67
                              Hi Andy, i know it's off topic, but a quick question if i may: after carefully reading and trying to precisely interpret your driver swing as you described it in the link u provided: when you are 2' in front of the ball and when you start your back swing from there, do you fly the driver head OVER THE TEED BALL, or pass the club along the ground and the ball being outside (away from) the driver toe ???
                              Thanks and cheers

                              Comment


                              • #45
                                ^^^exactly as i originally understood it - much appreciated

                                Comment

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