Lofts on irons

[GuyInLyon]

Is anyone in favour of abandoning the numbers 3-9 on irons and simply have the lofts on the sole as we do with woods, hybrids and wedges already?

Yes, although I prefer the whole brassie/mashie thing myself.

 

[Orikoru]

This thread is a collosal win for the marketing community.

Lofts in golf sets barely change. Only really good players can hit clubs with less than about 27 degrees. Which used to be a 4 iron.

They would then probably have a 3 iron or 7 wood, go into 5 woods at 21 degrees and down to a 3 wood at 16, and Driver normally 10-12.

Amazingly thats what mosy people still play, but the 27 degrees is a 6 iron and the iron set they bought stops at 45 degrees rather than 56 so we have to fit 2 more wedges in. They then fill the bottom with woods (hybrids are 5 woods for anyone old enough to remember why there called 'woods') same as always.

Only difference is olden sets would be sold as a set of woods 1-3-5, then a set of irons 3-sw, and a putter. So 3 cheques.

Now we're all hitting exactly the same lofts, but we pay seperately for each wood, seperately for each hybrid, the full set price for 5 irons, then pay sepeately for each speciality wedge. 9 cheques.

Salesman 1, Golfers 0.

Except for crow, obviously...

They didn't just one day decide to write 7 on the 6 iron and so on - they lofts got gradually stronger a degree at a time over 20 or 30 years, until the end result was as you describe. But I do agree that it's a crap-bucket for the consumers (i.e. us). You used to buy a set of 3-9,PW & SW, add your driver and woods and you were away. Now the set starts at 5, costs double the amount it used to even though you get two fewer clubs. And you have to purchase an additional 'gap wedge' as well to sit between the PW & SW. I don't know how it's been allowed to happen really. At the very least they should morally include a gap wedge in the iron sets along with the PW and SW since you obviously need one. I don't know how they get away with not doing that. Having a PW and SW that are 10-12 degrees apart is tantamount to buying a set with a 7i and a 9i but no 8, in terms of gaps.

 

[Voyager EMH]

Sweaty sock said - Only difference is olden sets would be sold as a set of woods 1-3-5, then a set of irons 3-sw, and a putter. So 3 cheques.

I've been counting on my fingers and that is 13 clubs. From about 1976 I had the above, but with 1-2-3-4 woods. More usual was for players to have 1-3-4-5 woods. Some show-offs would have 1 and 4 wood only and have the 1 and 2 iron in the bag. I was not too much behind the times when embracing metal-woods late 1980s - went for the 1-3-5 then and would vary the decision of leaving out the 1 or 2 iron (I had been one of the show-offs for a bit) For the last fifteen years I have never been without the 64 degree wedge. Next one up is 52 so no "standard" sandiron loft. No problem. Its the 64 for greenside bunkers and similar shots. Full swing with the 52 goes 95 yards, never feel short of loft from shorter distances, and about 110 yards for the PW. So 6 degrees between PW and U-wedge and 12 degrees to next wedge, but it suits me and my game. Just find what suits you and don't be too bothered about the lofts, is my experience.

 

[RichA]

I've been counting on my fingers and that is 13 clubs.

Do you use extra long grips?

 

[Voyager EMH]

2 woods are great clubs to use with modern, low spin balls, here's my 1970s Slazenger 2 wood.

View attachment 35661

Superb! Mine is older Slazenger Ambassador, red paint, red insert on face and no screws. Was using as a fairway wood once placing came in late autumn through the winter up to about 25 years ago. In winter now I use Great Big Bertha 10 degree (acquired at zero cost) as the fairway wood (when placing allows) as I can never get the deep-face drivers in the air without a tee-peg. I do pity the players who just use the same clubs all year round. There is one course in my county with a 90 degree dog-leg left to right par four. Take an old 1-iron (Ram forged) there every time just for that shot. So easy to deliberately slice a 1-iron.

 

[Voyager EMH]

Do you use extra long grips?

Took me few moments (old person) but I clicked "like".

 

[RichA]

Took me few moments (old person) but I clicked "like".

I'm an old person too. It took me several moments to think of it.

 

[Voyager EMH]

I'm an old person too. It took me several moments to think of it.

Wonder how many whipper-snappers have no clue what either of us are going on about?

 

[Crow]

Superb! Mine is older Slazenger Ambassador, red paint, red insert on face and no screws. Was using as a fairway wood once placing came in late autumn through the winter up to about 25 years ago. In winter now I use Great Big Bertha 10 degree (acquired at zero cost) as the fairway wood (when placing allows) as I can never get the deep-face drivers in the air without a tee-peg. I do pity the players who just use the same clubs all year round. There is one course in my county with a 90 degree dog-leg left to right par four. Take an old 1-iron (Ram forged) there every time just for that shot. So easy to deliberately slice a 1-iron.

I could never go back to playing the same clubs, week in, week out.

I've got a full set of the Ambassadors.
The default 1, 3 & 5 woods, 3 to SW in the irons and the brass putter.

 

[Voyager EMH]

I could never go back to playing the same clubs, week in, week out.

I've got a full set of the Ambassadors.
The default 1, 3 & 5 woods, 3 to SW in the irons and the brass putter.

View attachment 35677

Love the matching bag. My 2-wood is an even older version. What's on the sole of the putter? I remember words like "magic touch" for some of them.

 

[BubbaP]

........

Only difference is olden sets would be sold as a set of woods 1-3-5, then a set of irons 3-sw, and a putter. So 3 cheques.

Now we're all hitting exactly the same lofts, but we pay seperately for each wood, seperately for each hybrid, the full set price for 5 irons, then pay sepeately for each speciality wedge. 9 cheques.

Salesman 1, Golfers 0.

Except for crow, obviously...

Cheques.

Mmm yes I think I recall those from when I was using Crow's clubs ????

 

[Crow]

Love the matching bag. My 2-wood is an even older version. What's on the sole of the putter? I remember words like "magic touch" for some of them.

I just got a Slazenger "Lucky 13".