Hitting Long Irons

[Captain_Black.]

I remember many (years ago) giving up practicing long irons on the range after bending the shaft on my 2 iron.
Luckily the club I joined for many years had a practice ground rather than a range. When it was converted to a range I used a range close to me that allowed practice of the ground next to the range.

I have a couple of ranges near me that you can hit off of grass.
On the very rare occasions that I visit a range (almost never) I will hit of grass.
Mats & range balls just give a false impression of your strike.
I can hit almost anything off a mat, but it's a whole different story off of grass or the course.
When I practice, I go up the course when I know it will be quiet & play 9 holes with 2x or more balls & try different things.
I learn things on the course that I never would by going to a range.

 

[chico]

Thanks for the replies. I might give a few hybrids a try the next time I'm down at the range. However the stubborn part of me really wants to hit my long irons better.

 

[Voyager EMH]

When I learned to play with junior sized Dunlop Blue Flash bladed irons, it never occurred to me that I needed to do anything different with the 3-iron than I was doing with the 7-iron.

The longer shaft meant that the clubhead was travelling faster, but my arms and hands were doing the same thing.

I still do that today and it seems to work.
Perhaps I was just incredibly naturally gifted as a nipper with very low clubhead speed.
More likely was that there was no alternative but to keep trying and get on with it.

But how would they sell as many hybrids without the myth that long irons are difficult to play with?
Hybrids can be a good choice. I haven't been without one since 2008.

I am sometimes forced to take a very shortened swing to get out from under the trees.
A 21° iron can be made to work quite effectively with such a swing. Big mistake would be to try and thrash it with such a half-swing.
Extra effort or speed with a long iron - I've never subscribed to that view.

Stop worrying and take your normal swing.

 

[Orikoru]

When I learned to play with junior sized Dunlop Blue Flash bladed irons, it never occurred to me that I needed to do anything different with the 3-iron than I was doing with the 7-iron.

The longer shaft meant that the clubhead was travelling faster, but my arms and hands were doing the same thing.

I still do that today and it seems to work.
Perhaps I was just incredibly naturally gifted as a nipper with very low clubhead speed.
More likely was that there was no alternative but to keep trying and get on with it.

But how would they sell as many hybrids without the myth that long irons are difficult to play with?
Hybrids can be a good choice. I haven't been without one since 2008.

I am sometimes forced to take a very shortened swing to get out from under the trees.
A 21° iron can be made to work quite effectively with such a swing. Big mistake would be to try and thrash it with such a half-swing.
Extra effort or speed with a long iron - I've never subscribed to that view.

Stop worrying and take your normal swing.

I think a lot of people think this, and maybe you can strike it ok that way, but without a certain degree of swing speed they don't realise that their 5 iron goes the exact same distance as their 6 iron and the 4 iron goes slightly less. The line is different for everyone, but there's always a point where less loft = less carry.

 

[Voyager EMH]

I think a lot of people think this, and maybe you can strike it ok that way, but without a certain degree of swing speed they don't realise that their 5 iron goes the exact same distance as their 6 iron and the 4 iron goes slightly less. The line is different for everyone, but there's always a point where less loft = less carry.

Such a player might need a 25° driver.

 

[Orikoru]

Such a player might need a 25° driver.

Driver isn't part of the discussion since you tee it up in the sky to compensate - obviously.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I think a lot of people think this, and maybe you can strike it ok that way, but without a certain degree of swing speed they don't realise that their 5 iron goes the exact same distance as their 6 iron and the 4 iron goes slightly less. The line is different for everyone, but there's always a point where less loft = less carry.

When I started in 1976 there were only blades to choose from in many cases and so it was a case of having to learn to hit them with a degree of competency. My first half set of Petron Impalas were blades and the irons were 3, 5, 7, 9, SW so I had no choice. I had a driver, 3 wood and 5 wood and as a junior these still needed learning. There wasn't the option of hybrids back then

 

[D-S]

When I started in 1976 there were only blades to choose from in many cases and so it was a case of having to learn to hit them with a degree of competency. My first half set of Petron Impalas were blades and the irons were 3, 5, 7, 9, SW so I had no choice. I had a driver, 3 wood and 5 wood and as a junior these still needed learning. There wasn't the option of hybrids back then

You’re right, but people didn’t hit their long irons well so the moment hybrids came out people started switching.

 

[bobmac]

Turn, don't sway and keep your rhythm. Let the shaft do the work.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

You’re right, but people didn’t hit their long irons well so the moment hybrids came out people started switching.

Not strictly true in my case. I didn't get a hybrid until I got fitted for the Ping G25's so around 2013/14. Before then I used my fairway woods or persevered with the long irons