6-9 irons

My ideal set is a mixed bag of driver, 3 wood, 5 wood, 3h, 4h, 5h, cavity 6-9 and bladed wedges + putter.

I think that would help me get my lowest possible handicap and score best.

I currently have a 3h only and mid cavity irons. Look nice, I love them but certainly not helping me score my best. I can score well with them but in the long run they probably dont maximise my potential. Thankfully my confidence is high, I trust them. I can hit them well if my alignment and posture are good :D.

I have them only because this is the set I have. If I ever choose to buy a new set it will be from the ground up (except putter).
 
Let me just clarify if I may..........
I have no problems with technology being used to enhance your skills
I use a 460 driver
I own an 18 deg hybrid which I can swap with my 2 iron, depending on what course I'm playing. Parkland=hybrid, links=2 iron.

What I do find a shame is some people using technology to replace a skill.
'I cant putt so I'll buy a new putter'
'I cant get out of bunkers so I'll buy a LW with less/more bounce, different grind, different shaft'
'I cant hit a 5 iron so I'll buy a hybrid'
'I cant hit a 1/2 wedge so I'll buy a LW.
etc

I'd like to see people experiment with golf more and learn the skills of 'shot making' I think you'd be surprised at how good you can be.
How many options you can have with only one wedge
How to shape the ball with your irons
Learn how to change the height your driver/3 wood go

I know this takes practice and time which some people dont have which is a shame.
But as they say.........
You only get out what you put in and the satisfaction of learning a new skill is something that can't be measured in pound notes.

Don't punish yourself, challenge yourself
 
Quick question if anyone knows

Is it true to say that for some manufactures the 5I loft of today is similar to the 3I loft of 50 years ago (no idea how long since you started playing Bob) & despite ever expanding sweet spots/more forgiveness etc the loft that we're attempting to hit consistently well will require the same skill used to hit an oldie 3I? (or a 4I to 2I etc)




Just had a look at AG with near 80 sets of Irons on sale just now... zero, nada, zilch have a 3I in the set, not much point learning how to hit one of them then

Only 50% have a 4I in the set so that's heading south now and wont be long before its extinct

I'd go so far as to promote learning how to use a hybrid to replace your 5I before that's taken away from players too!
 
Last edited:
bobmac said:
Let me just clarify if I may..........
I have no problems with technology being used to enhance your skills
I use a 460 driver
I own an 18 deg hybrid which I can swap with my 2 iron, depending on what course I'm playing. Parkland=hybrid, links=2 iron.

What I do find a shame is some people using technology to replace a skill.
'I cant putt so I'll buy a new putter'
'I cant get out of bunkers so I'll buy a LW with less/more bounce, different grind, different shaft'
'I cant hit a 5 iron so I'll buy a hybrid'
'I cant hit a 1/2 wedge so I'll buy a LW.
etc

I'd like to see people experiment with golf more and learn the skills of 'shot making' I think you'd be surprised at how good you can be.
How many options you can have with only one wedge
How to shape the ball with your irons
Learn how to change the height your driver/3 wood go

I know this takes practice and time which some people dont have which is a shame.
But as they say.........
You only get out what you put in and the satisfaction of learning a new skill is something that can't be measured in pound notes.

Don't punish yourself, challenge yourself
Click to expand...

Great post Bob
 
bobmac said:
Let me just clarify if I may..........
I have no problems with technology being used to enhance your skills
I use a 460 driver
I own an 18 deg hybrid which I can swap with my 2 iron, depending on what course I'm playing. Parkland=hybrid, links=2 iron.

What I do find a shame is some people using technology to replace a skill.
'I cant putt so I'll buy a new putter'
'I cant get out of bunkers so I'll buy a LW with less/more bounce, different grind, different shaft'
'I cant hit a 5 iron so I'll buy a hybrid'
'I cant hit a 1/2 wedge so I'll buy a LW.
etc

I'd like to see people experiment with golf more and learn the skills of 'shot making' I think you'd be surprised at how good you can be.
How many options you can have with only one wedge
How to shape the ball with your irons
Learn how to change the height your driver/3 wood go

I know this takes practice and time which some people dont have which is a shame.
But as they say.........
You only get out what you put in and the satisfaction of learning a new skill is something that can't be measured in pound notes.

Don't punish yourself, challenge yourself
Click to expand...
The sentiment is spot on and the point about time/practise is probably the biggest issue for people,
The rules allow you to carry 14 clubs, so surely it's about maximising that to suit your game, some carry 2 wedges some 4, some carry the 5Iron and 5Hybrid why struggle with a club when changing your set up will give you what you want and save on time and practise, the practise can then be targeted elsewhere.
 
Depends which irons you look at.
The irons aimed at the lower handicap like the Titleist MB, the Ping S55 and a few of the Mizuno range MP4, MP5, MP 15 MP 25 etc all have 3 irons at 21 degrees which is the same as my 3 iron which is 28 years old.

I'd go so far as to promote learning how to use a hybrid to replace your 5I before that's taken away from players too!
Click to expand...

I dont think the 5 iron will ever be taken away from players
 
Hogan had 7 clubs from 150 yards in... I have the same. Beyond that I just want to get the ball to the hole.

Last year I used Driver, 3 wood, hybrid, 4-PW, 3 wedges and a blade putter. This year I am Driver, 6 hybrids, 3 irons, 3 wedges and the biggest putter in the world. Last few 9s I average scratch (clearly it does not really count for anything).

Have I dumbed things down... As I write this I kinda think I have. Am I enjoying myself... Hell yes!
 
bobmac said:
Let me just clarify if I may..........
I have no problems with technology being used to enhance your skills
I use a 460 driver
I own an 18 deg hybrid which I can swap with my 2 iron, depending on what course I'm playing. Parkland=hybrid, links=2 iron.

What I do find a shame is some people using technology to replace a skill.
'I cant putt so I'll buy a new putter'
'I cant get out of bunkers so I'll buy a LW with less/more bounce, different grind, different shaft'
'I cant hit a 5 iron so I'll buy a hybrid'
'I cant hit a 1/2 wedge so I'll buy a LW.
etc

I'd like to see people experiment with golf more and learn the skills of 'shot making' I think you'd be surprised at how good you can be.
How many options you can have with only one wedge
How to shape the ball with your irons
Learn how to change the height your driver/3 wood go

I know this takes practice and time which some people dont have which is a shame.
But as they say.........
You only get out what you put in and the satisfaction of learning a new skill is something that can't be measured in pound notes.

Don't punish yourself, challenge yourself
Click to expand...

Why is it punishing yourself for using whatever way you wish

The aim of golf is to get the ball in hole - that's it

There is nothing special about using only one wedge or 2 irons

It's the satisfaction of playing the game with friends and getting low scores
 
bobmac said:
When I started playing golf, a set of irons were 3-SW
Nowadays, with people buying more hybrids and specialist wedges, is it likely manufacturers will end up selling just 4 irons in a set (6-9)?

I know people will buy whatever clubs makes golf easier and they haven't got time to practice so why bother.......just fill your bag full of hybrids and wedges and bingo, I'm your uncle.
Click to expand...

The world moves on, attitudes, technology and society etc. and that applies to golf - no point standing still. I only have 1 hybrid but am considering an addition in the new year.
 
Liverpoolphil said:
Why is it punishing yourself for using whatever way you wish

The aim of golf is to get the ball in hole - that's it

There is nothing special about using only one wedge or 2 irons

It's the satisfaction of playing the game with friends and getting low scores
Click to expand...

I know you don't like seeing someone else's point of view but the points you don't get astound me at times.

Bob is saying it shouldn't be impossible but it should be a challenge.
 
it is true that people might be thinking they are using technology to replace a skill, but i have rarely ever seen a new club overcome the swing fault that caused the original problem.

the player who couldn't hit a 5 iron off a tee probably won't be able to hit the new hybrid off the tee well either. no matter what they say, new clubs aren't that more forgiving.

on the subject of hybrids, i tend to think that if you took your clubs back in time to st andrews of 1800's the golfers of the day would be much more familiar with the head shape, loft and shaft length of our hybrids than they would of the drivers and fairways we carry now. so to suggest that hybrids are something new is incorrect...
 
freddielong said:
I know you don't like seeing someone else's point of view but the points you don't get astound me at times.

Bob is saying it shouldn't be impossible but it should be a challenge.
Click to expand...

Golf still is a challenge - it is never how it's how many

You can insult people by calling it's no skill or dumbing down etc but golf is getting the ball into the hole in as few as shots is possible
 
Depends on why you play the game really. If you get your kicks my mastering all the intricacies of the game, shape shots both ways and have enough skills to manufacture shots with clubs then knock yourself out, feel free to use as 'traditional' a set as you want. If you get your kicks by using the latest technology to get the ball in the hole in the fewer shots as possible then use all the help you can get. Or if you are somewhere in between then mix and match.

I kind of know where I stand, I'll take all the help on offer as it is just a leisure pass time to me. And I have not got the time and skill to make the game harder for myself than it already is. Trust me, it provides more than enough of a challenge even with a bag full of hybrids and frying pan sized drivers.

But there's no right or wrong answer, as long as all approaches are catered for and you are free to do what you want.
 
Last edited:
I tend to agree with both parts of the argument here.

Are golfers incentivized to improve and work on something nowadays as much as they used to be? no.

Does it really matter as long as it gets people playing? no.

for what its worth, I've recently dropped my hybrid and put a 2iron in the bag, largely because of the high club head speed I generate and the tendency to hook a hybrid.

I'm also about to take delivery of a set of blades for my new set of irons. However, if an OS set of irons would have been better for me, would i have bought them? 100%
 
freddielong said:
I know you don't like seeing someone else's point of view but the points you don't get astound me at times.

Bob is saying it shouldn't be impossible but it should be a challenge.
Click to expand...

I suspect that if you went to any course on any day of the week and asked everyone if they thought the game was providing a sufficient enough level of challenge then the vast majority would say it was. I'd say you could probably make a much stronger argument for all the tech making the game easier for pros. For for (most of) the rest of the people that play golf, and those who need to be encouraged to play golf if the game is to remain a major sport, it has/will made the game more enjoyable.

Yes of course it provides more instant gratification, but that boat sailed a long time ago in society. After all, how many of us are writing beautifully structured letters to GM? Or how many of us have possibly lost the art of doing that, but instead can use technology and a browser spell checker to make our point in seconds on a forum?
 
MendieGK said:
I tend to agree with both parts of the argument here.

Are golfers incentivized to improve and work on something nowadays as much as they used to be? no.

Does it really matter as long as it gets people playing? no.

for what its worth, I've recently dropped my hybrid and put a 2iron in the bag, largely because of the high club head speed I generate and the tendency to hook a hybrid.

I'm also about to take delivery of a set of blades for my new set of irons. However, if an OS set of irons would have been better for me, would i have bought them? 100%
Click to expand...

That's it summed up well

I'm going for fitting and fully happy to have OS if that's what is shown to be better for me
 
Liverpoolphil said:
Golf still is a challenge - it is never how it's how many

You can insult people by calling it's no skill or dumbing down etc but golf is getting the ball into the hole in as few as shots is possible
Click to expand...

I have not insulted anyone if anyone has been insulted then that is on them, just stated golf is being made easier.

Just stated a fact.
 
A 2 handicap golfer moves from a links course to a parkland course so he takes out the 2 iron 'driller' and replaces it with an 18 degree hybrid 'floater'.
He also changes his wedges for more bounce for the long lush fairways. He buys a heavier putter for the slower greens.
Dumbing down?
I think not.

A 22 handicap golfer cant hit a 5 iron due to a rubbish swing so buys a 5 hybrid.
He duffs his wedges so buys more wedges. His putting stroke is all over the place so he keeps buying more putters
Dumbing down?

By all means use technology to enhance your skills but dont try and replace a skill with the latest shiney
Those who do may end up with a rubbish technique and a garage full of drivers, wedges and putters
 
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