Research conducted ten years ago with over 1,000 golfers highlighted that whilst most could hit their 9-, 8- and 7-irons very consistently, from the 6-iron onwards the standard of ball striking dropped off rapidly.
On average the mid- to low-handicappers hit their 5-irons further than their 3- and 4-irons. Even the better golfers tested had minimal distance gaps between the 3-, 4- and 5-irons.The stronger loft in the long irons makes it harder to get the ball airborne, plus they have longer shafts which expose weaknesses in your swing, so it’s difficult to strike the ball well.
Things have changed since that research was conducted. We’ve beaten the drum warning about 6-irons that have stronger lofts and longer shafts – the challenges are greater now. The point’s also been made that, with these stronger lofts and longer shafts, most golfers should play hybrids instead of the irons marked ‘3’ and ‘4’ in the bag. But testing I do with golfers shows that many would be better off replacing their 5-iron with a hybrids as well.
There isn’t a ‘one size fits all’ standard here. Each golfer has their own swing speed, swing characteristics and smash factor through the set. By
analyzing
your swing I can see at which loft/ shaft length point in your set of irons you are more likely to do your scorecard damage. Bear this in mind while building your set: you should be able to hit consistently each iron or hybrid eight to 12 yards further than the previous loft. Purchasing irons that you can occasionally hit a great distance is no good when the time comes to add up the scores on your card. Distance needs to go hand in hand with accuracy.
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