# Strong V.s  Weak lofts



## kid2 (Oct 17, 2010)

Iv been reading various posts recently and its bugging me as to why some are so obsessed with the lofts of there Irons...
Iv played both types of Irons....Sets with Standard Pw lofts 46,47,48 deg
And also sets with 45,44,43 deg Pw's........It dont bother me in the least......As far as im concerned its just a No. stamped on the end of a club......

Ill bet that if there was a test done between clubs and players were kept in the dark about what club they were given....They wouldnt tell one from the other.....

Drivers length's and head sizes have increased and there isnt as much debate over this.....

Am i in the minority here or do people actually worry obout what loft there 6 iron has as opposed to there partners...


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## StrangelyBrown (Oct 17, 2010)

It sells clubs... one manufacturer says that their 6 iron goes further than a competetor's 6 iron, which looks great on the advert. It doesn't seem to matter that they're not comparing apples with apples.


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## SammmeBee (Oct 17, 2010)

If you have strong lofts, you can then ditch the 3 iron and not have a 'gap' between your 5 wood/rescue and your longest iron....you can also then carry a couple (or 3) decent wedges to help scoring around the green....


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## DCB (Oct 17, 2010)

Am i in the minority here or do people actually worry obout what loft there 6 iron has as opposed to there partners...
		
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Not worried in the slightest, I can hit either equally badly


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## Tiger (Oct 17, 2010)

Personally I'd prefer a weaker lofted 47* PW and then have 52, 56 with the option of adding a 60.


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## stef92 (Oct 17, 2010)

To be honest, I have a set of Wilson Staff clubs and I had another set before these.

Apparently, they are heavily de-lofted and therefore have extra distance. I don't see it, but I'm sure those who hit shorter balls, can use it to explain why they hit a club more than me etc. And visa versa.

People loft and de-loft their clubs all the time anyway, so I just can't see the importance really!

I don't think it makes anymore difference than perhaps 4-6 yards, so if a manufacturer (Mizuno) makes a club that is enormously long, they should get the credit.


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## thecraw (Oct 18, 2010)

It matters not one iota! The bottom line is that if you know how far you hit each club you won't have a problem with distance contol, whether that means you need to hit a Wilson 8 iron, yet you need a Ping 6 iron for the same distance. 

It boils down to course management and distance control. Simples!


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## jeffc (Oct 18, 2010)

Have been pondering this myself as I am looking at buying a new set of Ping S56 irons. I have a set of Di7 irons up to a 5 iron then a cobra 4 and 3 iron equivalent bafflers 23 20* degree I think.

The problem is that the S56's are 3 degrees weaker, or 3 degrees more loft than the Di7's. The problem is at the top end. If I have the 5 to PW in the S56's as per my Di7's I will have a huge gap from the 23 degree baffler to the 5 iron. This would mean I would need the 4 iron in the S56's effectively cutting my number of wedges by one.

Interesting one but I do like the S56's the ball comes off them really sweet.


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## Oddsocks (Oct 18, 2010)

jeff, if your striking the s56's better, would this not compensate for the weaker loft.

As thecraw said, course management and know your distances. im really struggling with 170-200 yards at the moment and really need to work on this, what the lofts are on my clubs is neither here nor there, you need to know 

165/170 yards, 6iron, 
150/155 Yards, 7iron

Etc etc...

you dont ever go to your back and say " 165 yards, right whats got 38* "


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## jeffc (Oct 18, 2010)

no I don't think about the lofts only what each club will give me and I don't want any big gaps. I am not a long hitter, keeping out of trouble gets me good scores not trying to smash the writting of ball.

For the distances you are after 170 - 200 I cover this with the 20 and 23 degree cobra baffler hybrids. Can usually rely on them unlike my old 3 and 4 iron.Use them damn things for chopping wood nowadays.


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## haplesshacker (Oct 18, 2010)

Craw has it spot on.

But reagarding the perceived gap at the longer end of the bag lets take an example.

My current bats are thus.







Where as 20 years ago your irons would have been more like this.

3 - 23 degrees
4 - 27
5 - 31
6 - 35
7 - 39
8 - 43
9 - 47
PW - 52
SW - 58

So by looking at this, if you think you have a gap between your 23 degree hybrid and your modern 5 iron, you don't. My 5 iron is 26 degrees, and it's not unusual by todays standards.

Another way of looking at is that your 5 iron used to be a 4 iron.

We often talk about loading up the long end of the bag or go for a three or four wedge system. But the fact is that between the driver and say an SW at 56 or even 58, (I'll ignore the LW for a moment!) we are only allowed 14 clubs.

The other thing I have noticed is the loft is not the only consideration. Does a 23 degree hybrid go the same distance as a 23 degree iron? Which are you most likely to use on your course, and which suits your own abilities?

I've recently been nailing my 5 iron, which we know is similar to an old 4 iron. Which has lead me to think about getting the 4 iron for the set as the hybrid has been a bit erratic and I can't seem to hit the thing off the fairway at all.

Anyway. What was I getting to?!

Stronger lofted irons. So what. It's about knowing how far you hit them, and not how far you hit them compared to anyone else. About time we stopped calling them No. 5 iron, No. 6 iron etc, and just had the loft stamped on the sole.

Nothing wrong with carrying a 4 iron and a hydrid of the same loft if they do different distances and can be used from different lies. Consistent distance gaps, doesn't always mean consistent loft angles between clubs.

Or have I got it completely wrong?


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## kid2 (Oct 18, 2010)

Craw has it spot on.

But reagarding the perceived gap at the longer end of the bag lets take an example.

My current bats are thus.







Where as 20 years ago your irons would have been more like this.

3 - 23 degrees
4 - 27
5 - 31
6 - 35
7 - 39
8 - 43
9 - 47
PW - 52
SW - 58

So by looking at this, if you think you have a gap between your 23 degree hybrid and your modern 5 iron, you don't. My 5 iron is 26 degrees, and it's not unusual by todays standards.

Another way of looking at is that your 5 iron used to be a 4 iron.

We often talk about loading up the long end of the bag or go for a three or four wedge system. But the fact is that between the driver and say an SW at 56 or even 58, (I'll ignore the LW for a moment!) we are only allowed 14 clubs.

The other thing I have noticed is the loft is not the only consideration. Does a 23 degree hybrid go the same distance as a 23 degree iron? Which are you most likely to use on your course, and which suits your own abilities?

I've recently been nailing my 5 iron, which we know is similar to an old 4 iron. Which has lead me to think about getting the 4 iron for the set as the hybrid has been a bit erratic and I can't seem to hit the thing off the fairway at all.

Anyway. What was I getting to?!

Stronger lofted irons. So what. It's about knowing how far you hit them, and not how far you hit them compared to anyone else. About time we stopped calling them No. 5 iron, No. 6 iron etc, and just had the loft stamped on the sole.

Nothing wrong with carrying a 4 iron and a hydrid of the same loft if they do different distances and can be used from different lies. Consistent distance gaps, doesn't always mean consistent loft angles between clubs.

Or have I got it completely wrong?
		
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I agree totally with you Hapless......Lofts dont bother me in the least....What i get a kick out of is seeing the expression on peoples faces when they've asked me what iv hit and i tell them it was 2 clubs less than what they've hit  
I too love using my 4 Iron which is 22 degrees which in old lofts was 27 degrees.....I actually hit this better than my hybrid of 24 degrees


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## HomerJSimpson (Oct 18, 2010)

I'm not fussed per se about loft but I do get hacked off with all this fascination by most manufacturers that distance is key. Of course you'll hit it further if your 6 iron is actually a 5 or even a 4 1/2 in old money. We all know distance sells whether its a driver or an 8 iron but at least be honest and upfront about it.

I'm with the guys that say put the loft on the sole and not the number but it'll never happen. I guess the conundrum faced by the OP is solving the top end gap vs extra wedge problem if he really gets on with the S56's. They are seriously good clubs


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## Region3 (Oct 18, 2010)

What i get a kick out of is seeing the expression on peoples faces when they've asked me what iv hit and i tell them it was 2 clubs less than what they've hit
		
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Really?

I couldn't care less what anyone else in my group has hit.

What amazes me, is The 2 people I've played most with recently, both ask me what I'm hitting on par 3's.

One of them is normally 1/2 - 1 club longer than me, and I usually outdrive the other one by about 30yds.

Yet they both think they should be hitting the same club as me 

Every time the longer one asks me, I've been adding "but you hit it further than me" to the end of the sentence every time.

I'm going to stop soon and see if he starts hitting it too far


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## kid2 (Oct 18, 2010)

What i get a kick out of is seeing the expression on peoples faces when they've asked me what iv hit and i tell them it was 2 clubs less than what they've hit
		
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Really?

I couldn't care less what anyone else in my group has hit.

What amazes me, is The 2 people I've played most with recently, both ask me what I'm hitting on par 3's.

One of them is normally 1/2 - 1 club longer than me, and I usually outdrive the other one by about 30yds.

Yet they both think they should be hitting the same club as me 

Every time the longer one asks me, I've been adding "but you hit it further than me" to the end of the sentence every time.

I'm going to stop soon and see if he starts hitting it too far 

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Good one Region......Isn't there alays one in a group that wants to know what you've hit.....Its weird....


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## daymond (Oct 18, 2010)

Interesting topic. The only amendment I would sugest is to have clubs with numbers as now + the loft.
I know reasonably well my iron distances. The problem arises with a new set and how long it takes to recallibrate the distances. loft degrees on both old and new would perhaps shorten the time taken.


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## HawkeyeMS (Oct 18, 2010)

Doesn't bother me in the slightest. The only reason I looked at the lofts of the irons was to see what my PW was so I could get a gap wedge mid way between that and my SW. When I saw that some of my irons are given to 1 decimal place I realised I didn't need to know. I think my 3 iron is 23.6 degrees according to Ping.

The only thing I need to know is how far I hit each one, it makes naff all difference to me what loft they are.

When I come to change clubs I'll just learn how far I hit each one of those.


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## HomerJSimpson (Oct 18, 2010)

I agree. It doesn't matter who's clubs you use unless you know your average distances it makes no difference. No point being in the middle of a fairway and thinking its a 7 iron and watching it wave to the green as it sails over never to be found or plugs 10 yards short into a bunker.

I know I'm not a long hitter anyway so rarely try and force any extra distances but rely on the work I did on the practice ground measuring my shots with my SC5 and I don't care if I have to hit 6 to someones 8 as long as I've put the best swing onit I can and I'm confident and comfortable with my yardage.

Having played with a beast like HTL for the early part of the year it became irrelevant what club he used as it was invariably tow or three different to mine. Play your own ball with your own clubs. It's the only thing you have any control over.


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## Imurg (Oct 18, 2010)

If you have a regular partner and they are regularly a club shorter than you - Me and CVG - then it can work to your advantage. If CVG hits a good 6 iron to the green then I know that a good 7 will do me. Obviously I'll check distances etc etc but knowing I'm a club longer might take away any doubt.

But again its the distance you hit it rather than the loft on the club.


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## RGDave (Oct 18, 2010)

I had a set with the lofts written on. I then had a set I'd had double-checked for the original Mizuno lofts, so I had a pretty good idea. My current set, I have no idea whatsoever about the lofts.
If I went back to my oldest set (on loan), I think I'd soon get the feel for the distances.
Personally, I'd never buy a set based on distance. I'd also not be impressed with a set that went a club further unless I was hitting them better in general.

Thankfully, I never need to guestimate what other folk have hit, unless a player has gone way through the back or come up very short.


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## JustOne (Oct 19, 2010)

The 2 people I've played most with recently, both ask me what I'm hitting on par 3's.
		
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...it comes in handy when Smiffy tells me he's hit a 4-iron because then I know it's a knocked down 9-iron for me!  


Actually that can't be true as Smiffy never has the honour  


I did play a par 3 once and a guy asked me what club I hit, I told him and he replied "That's ridiculous, they don't even hit it that far on TV", I looked at him a bit quizzically and replied..."Does it matter what I hit, it's 6 feet from the pin!".


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## JohnW (Oct 19, 2010)

Interesting thread.

I have a set of Ping i3's that I bought in 2002 so I am thinking upgrading would give me some advantage by adding extra yards to each club. This might not make much difference at the short end of the range, hitting PW instead of 9 is probably not going to change my scoring, but at the other end, surely it would be better to be hitting 6 to a green instead of 5 or 5 instead of 4? This is all assuming that the ball flight is not significantly affected, so hitting a 6 with lower loft still gets a similar flight to my current 6 due to the technological improvements, but goes a club further.

Food for thought.


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## THJahar (Oct 20, 2010)

I don't even care about my lofts.
I think of my clubs like this....
This one is my 130 yard club, this one is my 140 yard club...etc.
When I hear people moaning about the lofts on the Wilson Di9 clubs I point out to them that there's also Ci9's as well with weaker lofts.
you buy the set that fits your swing better. then take a note of how far each club is hit.


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## JamesR (Oct 20, 2010)

It doesn't matter to me what loft I or my playing partners have on a 6 iron. But I suppose different lofts will make a difference to the club.

If you have less loft on the same length shaft you'll surely get a different ball flight?


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