Long irons - why so unpopular ?

[Parmo]

would countenance using a hybrid...its lazy golf to me. You should learn how to use the 3 or 4 iron instead of "papering" over your poor swing!

As mentioned before, are you "papering" over poor putting by using a two ball putter?

btw where are your 2 & 1 irons?

 

[Robobum]

I'm in the lazy golfer corner with a whole load of paper covering my swing!! What a load of sh!te!!! I'm equally as capable of putting a bad swing on every single club in my bag, putter included.

I carry a 19* hybrid and also a 3iron with the same loft. For me, the hybrid goes about 12-15yds further than my 3iron if I'm hitting them both flat out. The hybrid comes into a league of it's own with it's versatility, I can also chop up a big high cut out of the rough anywhere from about 170yds upwards, lands like a wet tea bag and not like a scalded cat as it's iron equivalent would.

Damn this technology that helps us enjoy the game more

Hellbunker:- playing off 13.5...2008 target? sub 13

From your signature, may I suggest you need to consider some hybrids yourself??

 

[Herbie]

(The question that essentially possed). Long Irons Or hybrids...?

I love my long Irons. Though I know when I'm rusty or not played for a while my 3 iron may not go much or any further than my 4 iron. Though when everything is working well, when the swing is working nicely & naturally in the midle of the season, there really is nothing more satisfying than hitting a 3 iron sweetly & seeing the results.

In-fact, even when not hitting my longest irons at the best, normally they will be far more consistently on-line than the consistency with a hybrid any day of the week.

There has been some constination from different viewpoints of whether hybrids can be seen as proper golf. Someone replied to another poster that given an analogy of modern tennis raquets why would we want to use an old wooden raquets. Yes there is a lot to be said in any sport for taking advantage of any advance in technology that may be available, but just as equally there is something to be said for someone wanting to playing any sport in its purest earlier form. However & this is a big however the hybrid club in golf infact is nothing new at all. Don't believe me, then have a flick through any book containing pictures of antique clubs & there we will all find the unmistakable images of those diminutive headed clubs made from wood.

There is a hybrid iron for everyone, whether its the classic image, the long iron with loads of sole, or a hybrid more in common with a wood than anything else & everything inbetween.

Up until recently & until I got my Ping hybrid the hybrid I was using I'd be less than 50% sucsessful with in any way shape or form whether in distance or direction, yet give me the alternative long iron then I'd actually be less likely to get into big trouble no matter how bad or good the strike.

The irony of it is the Ping hybrid I use is not really there to replace 3 iron but as an alternative to my 5 wood, yet with a slightly different yardage.

Is the hybrid cheating...? Nah.

Are Long irons unpopular...? Not as far as I'm concerned. its simply that hybrids have become flavour of the month for quite some time & reason.

A hybrid is not an iron & its not a wood, its its own club, but having some advantages of both.

Now although I wouldn't be seen dead having a complete set of hybrids I think that for some there might be an advantage to some to get enjoyment from the game.

But I do wish some club golf pro's would stop trying to get every man & his dog to throw away their long irons when there is no reason to, As I really think some players are missing out on the satisfaction of hitting a long iron well.

So why drop a long iron or two to make use of a hybrid or two, why not carry both or be able to put either in the bag at whim, why miss out on either club.

Brilliant post and so true. I looked back in time yesterday after this post and remembered a golfer I used to play with. He had Driver,2 wood,3 wood,5 wood,7 wood, 6 iron to SW, chipper and putter and a left handed 7 iron and he played off 2, not a long iron to be seen simply because that is what he prefered, in the same way another chap I knew had irons 1 to sw and a gw, and I never found it necessary to challenge the merits of either.

 

[Fore]

I was really struggling with my 3 & 4 irons off the tee.
I wondered if it was because they are i-brids (not hybrids) and that maybe they were just too heavy. I decided after much consternation to try some Hybrids. I couldn't hit those very well either. None of these clubs were getting any further than my 5 iron. I then decided to try a 7 wood and a 5 wood and i had real success with them. Hence i have added them to my set. I now have 15 clubs so it looks like the 3 i-brids days in my bag are numbered. All in all it comes down to personal choice and what suits the individual. The only reason i was reluctant to change to a Hybrid/Fairway wood was purely because i did not want to ruin my brand new complete set. But whats the point in struggling on with something that's not working.
New technology - Bring it on!!!

 

[wssadb]

I think its just a forgiveness thing. why use a long iron if you will hit it well 7/10 times when you hit a hybrid well 9/10 times.

hybrids are definately more forgiving and I think that is the reason the low irons have been ditched.

well thats why I ditched mine anyway

 

[Parmo]

As mentioned, its about enjoyment of the game and with most of us working hard and having little time its about getting the most satisfaction from the game in the time we have free.