Long Iron Swing Weight/Gripping down Question

[Alex1975]

Hi all,

I have been working loads on long irons the last few weeks, I just do not have the same confidence with them that I do with my other clubs as stupid as that sounds.

Last night I gripped a good inch/inch and a half down the shaft and played some beauties. It is my understanding that gripping down an inch changes the swing weight about 2 points so an inch and a half about 3 points, that is a lot!

Are the cleaner shots about swing weight or having more control over a shorter shaft or both?

If swing weight comes into this at all then could I not change the swing weight of my 4 iron to mirror whatever it is when I grip down the club and get the same feel? I would guess this would mean putting weight in the butt?

Thanks

Alex

 

[One Planer]

I'm not sure it changes the swing weight, as the butt of the shaft is still there.

It may change the preceived swing weight.

I'm happy to be corrected on that though.

I can't remember the last time I pulled a 3 or 4 iron for a shot. If I'm hitting that sort of distance off the tee or into a green, I grip down my 19° hybrid.

Perhaps I should get a hybrid and take them out

 

[Alex1975]

I'm not sure it changes the swing weight, as the butt of the shaft is still there.

It may change the preceived swing weight.

I'm happy to be corrected on that though.

I can't remember the last time I pulled a 3 or 4 iron for a shot. If I'm hitting that sort of distance off the tee or into a green, I grip down my 19° hybrid.

Perhaps I should get a hybrid and take them out

The amount of clubs I have had in that 4 iron spot over the years would blow your mind, the 4 iron is staying, I just want to hit it better!! The best shots I hit with it seem to be when I really get down on the back of the ball but that is easier when I chock it down a little. Just give me 185 yards and straight...grrrr!!!

 

[One Planer]

The amount of clubs I have had in that 4 iron spot over the years would blow your mind, the 4 iron is staying, I just want to hit it better!! The best shots I hit with it seem to be when I really get down on the back of the ball but that is easier when I chock it down a little. Just give me 185 yards and straight...grrrr!!!

I've always been, very much, anti-hybrid, but the 19° 910H is an absolute weapon. I'm sure I could crank a 21° to 22.5° and it would fill the gap nicely

If you're getting the result and the flight you're after gripping down, keep doing it :thup:

A further question though. Where are you positioning the ball in your stace when you play these shots?

 

[Alex1975]

Ye the 19* 910H is one of the best clubs I have ever owned, its awesome but 19* is too long for this slot, its more like a 2 iron. I owned a 24* 910H but my feeling was that the shaft was so stiff once it had got that short that it had no where near the same feel as the 19* so I sold it. As I say, there have been lots of clubs in that slot.

I feel that if I keep chocking the 4 iron I may as well take a 5 iron and give it a rip, as I have been doing when I am on course.

I am playing the ball ahead of center.

I used to be scared of my 5 iron but buying a 4 iron made the 5 iron friendly... Maybe I should buy a 3 iron and made the 4 iron friendly

 

[Foxholer]

I don't believe it's a Swing Weight thing as such, though there will be a change of balance involved.

To me, it's more likely to be because of a shorter swing and a smaller radius arc - gripping tht far down means the shaft is 6 or 7 iron length, so much easier to control.

If it's woking, just keep doing it! :thup:

 

[Alex1975]

I don't believe it's a Swing Weight thing as such, though there will be a change of balance involved.

To me, it's more likely to be because of a shorter swing and a smaller radius arc - gripping tht far down means the shaft is 6 or 7 iron length, so much easier to control.

If it's woking, just keep doing it! :thup:

Gosh ye, I guess there is only about a 1/4 of an inch between clubs so 1.5 in inches is a lot. Ill have another play tonight, that seems kinda extreme now you say that...

 

[One Planer]

Why not just measure 1/2" down the grip an put a bit of tape around the grip at that point?

That way you'll grip consistently in the same spot every time.

 

[Foxholer]

Gosh ye, I guess there is only about a 1/4 of an inch between clubs so 1.5 in inches is a lot. Ill have another play tonight, that seems kinda extreme now you say that...

Half inch gaps normally (though some have 3/8" at that end).

Nothing extreme about it at all - though apologies for introducing possible doubt.

The fact that you are hitting it well when you grip don is all that matters - so keep doing so!

 

[Alex1975]

Thanks, though I am highly distracted by your change of avatar...

 

[sawtooth]

Are the cleaner shots about swing weight or having more control over a shorter shaft or both?

If you put some impact tape on the clubface you may find that you are hitting the ball more out of the middle. I was hitting out of the toe slightly and a pro handed me the same iron with a slightly longer shaft. The mark left on the tape moved to the middle after that.

Something I will bear in mind when it comes to fitting in future.

 

[Alex1975]

If you put some impact tape on the clubface you may find that you are hitting the ball more out of the middle. I was hitting out of the toe slightly and a pro handed me the same iron with a slightly longer shaft. The mark left on the tape moved to the middle after that.

Something I will bear in mind when it comes to fitting in future.

I play off a dirty matt and see the mark of every shot. Forr sure I hit it more out the middle if I choak the club but that still could be swing weight. Even a poor golfer can feel the difference in 3 swing weight points and I can.

Having practiced again with the 4 iron this evening I am of course reading too much into the above and it will be a little bit of a psychological issue and an inevitable swing issue, knowing me a plane fault. However the question I ask still does interest me.

I hit a good hybrid so a 4 iron should not be a problem!

 

[kid2]

Al.... I play with a scratch handicapper that does the same with the longer clubs.... Iv started doing it also and you get a hell of a lot more control.....
You wont really loose distance either as if your not catching them right while gripping normally then gripping and in down will give you more control and also let you find the middle of the face more often.

 

[DCB]

Is there a possibility that your swing with a long iron is slightly flatter than that with a shorter iron ? Might be worth getting a check done.

 

[Alex1975]

Is there a possibility that your swing with a long iron is slightly flatter than that with a shorter iron ? Might be worth getting a check done.

No doubt about it DCB!! My body loves to get flat as soon as my head is looking the other way and of course with the longer club it will be a flatter swing anyway so the two are colluding against me!! hehe. I think some of it is trying to hard to hit down and with a long shaft its hard. With hybrids and woods I do not have that swing thought. My bad one with the 4 iron is a nasty shank that is pretty destructive.