Question

1.62K viewsOctober 9, 2024

theblake7 501 October 8, 2024 1 Comment

How exactly would/should a fitter replace the longest iron with an ‘easier’ to hit club? For one thing, the golf ball does not know what kind of clubhead hit him.

For context, I was reading the Irons chapter of the Titleist fitting manual, and it revealed some interesting points. The main one being the longest iron a golfer should play is the where he can maintain a descent angle of 45 degrees, and a 5mph ball speed difference between clubs. So for framing my question, lets just say thats the gospel.

So my descent angle with my 22 degree 4 iron is 42 degrees. Maybe its time to toss that out and replace with a what?

One might say that would be a 22 degree hybrid, but if shaft length is the same, and assuming no hot face, surely the ball if struck on the COG with the same dynamic loft, at the same clubhead speed, will have all the same flight metrics as the 4 iron, as the ball doesnt know what hit it. A hybrid can have different design characteristics, but if I am not wrong, things like a low COG are to help golfers get the ball in the air because they already hit the ball low on the face.

So am I right that the only way to increase the descent angle (thus peak height) will be to increase clubhead speed?

The fitter can do that either by a hot face or longer shaft. Then if a longer shaft we most likely need a clubhead thats much more easier to hit. Then some fine tuning of the of the loft to find the happy place.

It does sound like I am talking myself into a 7 wood

Pingpro1959 Posted new comment October 9, 2024

Pingpro1959 commented October 9, 2024

The new Mizuno Optimizer app can recommend the minimum loft for how you load the shaft

1 Answer

The new Mizuno Optimizer app can recommend the minimum loft for how you load the shaft

Answer 1 · 2024-10-08T08:53:52+00:00

You can do it with more loft than the 4 iron. A 23 deg. hybrid, as an example, built to the same specs could produce what your looking for. In theory, you may ask, wouldn’t I hit it a little shorter? Maybe, but maybe not. Possibly 1 degree weaker and a slightly longer length, even 1/4″, might do the trick. A lot of factors to consider and assume. Same shaft flex and weight, same head weight, and cg of the hybrid clubhead will or should definitely be lower and further back in a traditional hybrid design. This is one of things that just takes some, and maybe a lot, of testing.

I have not read the Titleist information. All I know is that the ideal ball flight can be different for every player. I have no idea what my “decent” angles are. I know what trajectories I like to see on stock shots, and I know that I like to hit it lower more than I like or need to hit it higher. Depends on the course, conditions, angles into my targets, etc. My point is not to get too caught up in the exact numbers. I’m sure the numbers they list are solid and maybe a good reference. Not saying they are not. I just think you, or any player, should hit the clubs that produce the trajectories and distances you like or need.

Britt Lindsey

Thanks.

“This is one of things that just takes some, and maybe a lot, of testing”

and thats a great point. For some of us, a lot of testing takes years :)
You are correct. I think all I do is test. Even when I am playing just for me, always “testing” something.

Britt Lindsey
I’ll say, my decent angle with my 7 iron isn’t even 45 degrees according to my Flightscope Mevo+, and have no problems holding greens.. I’ve always struggled with spin and trajectory due to how I deliver the club (I de-loft a lot), and modern iron designs with stronger lofts and lower CGs that promote less spin haven’t helped me there either.

I’m with Britt on this one, and I gave up trying to achieve that 45 degree optimal decent angle, and instead focus more on what’s the longest iron I can hit CONSISTANTLY well instead. My longest iron in my bag currently is a 6i since I struggle getting a 5i up in the air in the trajectory window I want to see, and on target consistently.. I’m not a super slow swinger either at 92-93mph driver SS. I have buddies that have far more speed, spin, and trajectory than I do in my golf group that are starting to move the same direction replacing their 4 and 5 irons with 7 woods and hybrids.. I don’t feel like I’m the only one with 5 headcovers in my bag anymore.. lol.

I’d probably replace my 6i with a hybrid as well much like Fred Couples is.. if only Maltby offered a hybrid around 30 degrees in loft (hint hint @BrittLindsey).