Are the days of complete iron sets numbered?

[haplesshacker]

The reason I ask. Is that once you start this game and become more aware of your own abilities and preferences, is the need for complete iron sets still necassary?

The 3 and 4 iron for many is replaced with a rescue or specialist long iron. The gap from PW to SW s huge now-a-days, to the point that you feel kinda let down, and feel that there is a club missing from the set.

Better player sets don't even feature an SW in some cases.

So what's left, six clubs, 5 to PW? Clubs are often advertised by the manufacter as per club price. Yet it would appear that you can only buy the sets from the usual retailers. That's 3 to PW or SW! Though missing the GW!

I understand that as you improve, you will taylor the 14 clubs to suit your needs, but buying clubs that you're unlikely to use, 3, 4, SW, and maybe even PW, and replacing them with more specialist or easier clubs just doesn't make sense.

Oh and whilst I'm here. Drop the whole 4, 5, 6 iron malarky and stamp them with loft. Like a wedge is done!

Thoughts?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I think the majority of sets are now 4-PW (maybe SW depending on the model) as standard. I uguess it's good in some respect as you're not paying for a 3 iron or SW that you have no intention of using and can find a hybrid (to replace the 3) and a SW in a loft to fit in with your wedge set up.

 

[Canfordhacker]

Hapless,

I definitely think it's going the way you describe - no point in manufacturers building for a declining and discerning market that will only buy the clubs they will use (hence the per club price).

I bought my Ping Eye2's 1 iron through Lob Wedge, and loved them all. But I don't think I will ever repeat such a purchase.

 

[gjbike]

All the new Ping iron sets are now only 4 to P/W if you want a sand wedge you just pick what loft of wedge you want from 47 degree to 64 and of course bounce

 

[Smiffy]

Wasn't it a lot easier in the "good old days" though?
"New set of irons Sir?"
3-SW and a trio of matching woods. Sling an old putter in yer bag and you were away.
And if you fancied a bit of "derring do" you'd buy a chipper too.

 

[haplesshacker]

It may have been easier, but as 'blokes' don't we just love tinkering with all the possibilities and combinations to get 'the' 14?

Gone are the days of inheriting an old set of your dads clubs.

 

[RichardC]

Problem now days is that you end up with a cupboard full of various degree hybrids and wedges. As they are the easiest to swap and change.

 

[TRS30]

Both my last two sets have been 4-PW which suited me perfectly as i never use a 3i and wanted to get vokey wedges.

 

[Screwback]

I would hate going into a pro shop and asking for set of irons and only being able to get a 4 to PW, IMO every iron set should have a 3 iron in it.

 

[FourPutt]

I think buying them as separates is the way ahead if they can keep the price competitive. I already have an unused sand wedge in my cupboard which will soon be partnered by the 4 iron when I get a hybrid. Problem is, whenever I see single irons, they seem to be priced so that it is just as cheap to buy the set.

 

[didsbury_duffer]

I would hate going into a pro shop and asking for set of irons and only being able to get a 4 to PW, IMO every iron set should have a 3 iron in it.

Totally agree. If all manufacturers start to do away with 3 and 4 irons, to be replaced with utilities of various degrees, I believe it will be the start of the 'dumbing down' of golf in general. If we're not careful a set of dumb-down clubs will be as follows:
Driver, 3,5,7,9 and 11 woods, 5 utilities, 2 wedges and a putter. If this happens we might as well all play hockey instead, as natural ability and progression will be out of the window. Yes, 1 and 2 irons used to be difficult for higher handicappers to hit, but 3 and 4 irons are not that difficult with practice.

 

[GasMan]

Isn't it what people want from their club sets though? I can see why you'd have a 2i or 3i available in better player sets - I have both in my MP32s but they tend to come out for when the wind is really blowing. I can't see the point of offering them in GI sets except as optional single club add-ons as the higher handicapper would rather have a hybrid.

Just because you're allowed to carry 14 clubs doesn't mean you have ONLY 14 clubs that ever go in your bag for a round surely? Dependant on time of year, underfoot conditions, wind, etc, etc my bag consists of 14 out of a possible 19 clubs. Driver, 3 wood, 4i-PW and putter are all set in stone - never change them. The other 4 clubs are either 5 wood, 2i, 3i, 18deg hybrid, 20 deg hybrid, 50/54/56/60deg wedges. It's arguable that my 2i and 3i could easily be MX range rather than MP32s BUT they allow me to distance gap consistently up through the set and allow me to attack par 5s in 2 without the wind playing to much havoc with distance/direction.

I see the manufacturers becoming wiser to the fact that even amateurs are tailoring their set makeup to the course/conditions/how the swing is behaving and are offering better ways to buy without alienating potential customers. I know I'd far rather as a manufacturer offer the option to custom build sets from an available range of clubs with discounts offered for buying larger volumes of clubs in 1 go.

It would also offer the good club pros the chance to offer that service that can't be matched by the larger outlets/internet retailers. A lot of club pros hate the internetand chains for cutting their margins for them but if they learn to make their service better in helping players to get the clubs in their bag right for them they will get the custom and the profits.

 

[Imurg]

I think more and more manufacturers will begin selling single irons so you can make up your set as you want. Mizuno and Ping both do it already. You buy the clubs you want/need, not the ones you don't.

 

[RGDave]

I have 5-PW and it suits me. It was an "odd" purchase though, because the MX-900s come with hybrid 4 and 4 which I didn't want....and they (the shop) didn't have them.
I added a super-GI 4 iron (Callaway Big Bertha) and 3-rescue to make up the 3-PW set.
If I was buying a set tomorrow, I'd want 5-PW again if possible.
I'd not be keen on losing the numbers really, don't know why.

 

[WhoGivesA]

The 3 and 4 iron for many is replaced with a rescue or specialist long iron. The gap from PW to SW s huge now-a-days, to the point that you feel kinda let down, and feel that there is a club missing from the set.

Better player sets don't even feature an SW in some cases

Next time your at the course on medal day, check out the other players bags, you will be surprised at how many nice shiny 3 & 4 irons you see, a lot look as if they have never been used.
This is mainly as a result of club manufacturers reducing the lofts of the irons so as to make the claims of new longer hitting clubs.
For example when I started playing 3 & 4 irons had lofts of about 24 & 28 degrees now most 3 & 4 irons are (3)19-21 & (4)21-24 that means that a current 3 iron has the same loft approximately as that of a 1 & 2 iron of years ago.
This reduction in loft across the set has opened up the market for manufacturers to bring out extra wedges to cover the gaps(more money for them)
So yes I can see a time when all clubs will be bought singly.

 

[FourPutt]

I know I'd far rather as a manufacturer offer the option to custom build sets from an available range of clubs with discounts offered for buying larger volumes of clubs in 1 go.

Definitely. For me certainly I'd only be after 6 clubs from a set. Would save me a fair bit since my current set came with 8. (don't really use my 4i except for tee shots and my SW is replaced by a 56* RAC) The money saved from the extra two clubs could get a nice hybrid

 

[USER1999]

Bear in mind that if Titleist (for instance) don't offer a 2i in the MB range, it isn't because they are trying to force you to buy a hybrid, it is because they didn't sell enough of them in the out going model to justify tooling up and stocking it for teh new one.

They are following market trends set by you, the purchaser.

 

[Mike_j_golf]

Hi,
My set came 2 to PW the 2,3 and 4 have never seen the light of day hybrids are much more versitile to hit out of the rough so next set i buy will be from 5 up to PW.
Mike

 

[Tiger]

Interesting discussion this. Before I bought my clubs I had a fair amount of practice with an old Wilson Di7 six iron, read loads on the web and in books. The AP1s came 4-PW with optional 3I. I bought the 3 knowing it would be difficult to hit with 21* loft. But everything I read said the 3 is a useful club in good conditions and offers more accuracy and shot shaping potential than a hybrid. I'd like to have a couple of hybrids in the 2I/3I loft bracket for slushy winter lies and agree that you should have an arsenal of clubs to choose from depending on conditions.

My problem/issue is at the other end. With stronger lofts through the set my PW is 45*. That's huge and creates an unwelcome 7* gap to my GW. Looking forward to becoming a better player with the weaker irons in a better player set. I'm already thinking that the next set of irons I buy will be 3I-9I with Vokey wedges at 48, 52, 56 and possibly 60.

 

[Swinger]

Quite possibly!

Mizzy decided not to do a 1 and 2 iron in the MP68. A tour quality blade without a 1 or 2 iron option, Mizuno of all people!! It maybe only a matter of time till like the term 'wood' the term 'iron' refers to something very different than what we are using now. I've seen a few sets of all rescue clubs and think there will be more over the next few years.
The game evolves and you either move with the times or get left behind. I'm getting left behind atm having never hit a rescue iron or wood or a hybird and not really knowing the difference but there will probably be a day when thats all thats in the bag bar a driver, a putter and a few wedges with legal grooves.
I hope this isn't the case but with people investing more money into new gear than time and money into practise and improvement then sooner or later it'll happen.