Same length clubs but ball speed much higher with lower irons

[Bamberdele21]

There was a guy on here that was very clued up with the cobra one lengths but I’m struggling to locate him.

I’ve noticed a 20/30mph increase in ball speed between my GW and 5I, even though my club lengths are exactly the same.

Will the 20+ degree difference in loft give me this much extra ball speed?

I’m a little bit confused. Any help appreciated.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Could it be that sub consciously you feel the need to swing faster with a 5i than a PW. I think most of us do that, whether intentional or not.

The big chief, @MikeH uses them I believe. Is that who you mean?

 

[Ethan]

Loft has an effect. More loft results in a less efficient transfer of club head speed into ball speed, like a glancing blow is less efficient than a solid one.

Have you measured club head speed at impact? Club head weight is also likely to be a factor and may cause varying club head speeds, and that if then amplified by loft creating different efficiencies of strike. .

 

[Bamberdele21]

Could it be that sub consciously you feel the need to swing faster with a 5i than a PW. I think most of us do that, whether intentional or not.

The big chief, @MikeH uses them I believe. Is that who you mean?

could well be him. I generally try to hit every club at full force when practicing anyway so that theory doesn’t sit right with me.

Loft has an effect. More loft results in a less efficient transfer of club head speed into ball speed, like a glancing blow is less efficient than a solid one.

Have you measured club head speed at impact? Club head weight is also likely to be a factor and may cause varying club head speeds, and that if then amplified by loft creating different efficiencies of strike. .

This would make sense because my 5i head does feel weightier.

Is it a general thing where the lower you go with the irons the heavier the head will be?

 

[Ethan]

This would make sense because my 5i head does feel weightier.

Is it a general thing where the lower you go with the irons the heavier the head will be?

In progressive length clubs, the shorter clubs are heavier than longer, but I don't know what the situation is for one length.

 

[greenone]

I'd imagine the speed measurement is not taking into account the vertical vector. More loft increases this.

 

[Ethan]

I'd imagine the speed measurement is not taking into account the vertical vector. More loft increases this.

That is what I was trying to say. The smash factor of higher loft clubs is lower than for lower loft clubs, implying a less effective transfer of power.

 

[SimonC]

A 20 to 30mph increase in ball speed absolutely, this is the speed of the ball not the clubhead.

If you look at the PGA Tour Trackman averages there is a 30mph difference between PW & 5 iron (102 to 132mph)

 

[Bamberdele21]

A 20 to 30mph increase in ball speed absolutely, this is the speed of the ball not the clubhead.

If you look at the PGA Tour Trackman averages there is a 30mph difference between PW & 5 iron (102 to 132mph)

I can understand that totally with normal clubs that have a longer shaft the further down you go with the irons

 

[Crow]

Smash factor for an amateur might be 1.4 with a 5 iron and 1.2 with a PW.

Assuming clubs are 7 iron length then club head speed might be 85 mph.

Clubhead speed translating to ball speed:

5 iron = 85 x 1.4 = 119 mph
PW = 85 x 1.2 = 102 mph
A difference of 17 mph

Very approximate but might explain the difference.

 

[SimonC]

I can understand that totally with normal clubs that have a longer shaft the further down you go with the irons

As Crow has stated on his post above the smash factor will be higher with the lower lofted clubs. In basic terms the less loft on the club the more energy can be transferred into the ball.

I have around 35mph of ball speed difference between my gap wedge and 5 iron. There is only around 8mph difference in clubhead speed between the 2 clubs

 

[Bamberdele21]

Makes sense.

In progressive length clubs, the shorter clubs are heavier than longer, but I don't know what the situation is for one length.

Club head weight does feel slightly heavier in my lower irons tho?

If you look at the first picture of my SW and compare it to the 5i you will see a much chunkier steel back which surely must add weight?



Can anyone here confirm the weight difference. For some reason I expected all my clubs to be the same length and same weight. Also to have the same lie angle but nearly every club is half a degree different going through the specs ?

 

[Foxholer]

I can understand that totally with normal clubs that have a longer shaft the further down you go with the irons

Just remember that head weights vary with variable length clubs, but are all the same (about 270gms) for one-length clubs. So the different lengths are down to the effect of loft - including the differing launch angles.

 

[Bamberdele21]

Just remember that head weights vary with variable length clubs, but are all the same (about 270gms) for one-length clubs. So the different lengths are down to the effect of loft - including the differing launch angles.

Do you have a source pls pal?

 

[jim8flog]

Makes sense.



Club head weight does feel slightly heavier in my lower irons tho?

If you look at the first picture of my SW and compare it to the 5i you will see a much chunkier steel back which surely must add weight?

View attachment 41197View attachment 41198

Can anyone here confirm the weight difference. For some reason I expected all my clubs to be the same length and same weight. Also to have the same lie angle but nearly every club is half a degree different going through the specs ?

Cobra say all heads are adjusted to the same weight

With standard clubs-

Having built many sets in the past I can guarantee that in a standard set of club the heads get heavier as the loft increases. However this extra weight does not equate in to a heavier feeling club as the shaft gets longer you are adding weight from the longer shaft. What is important is matching what is called swing weight, this guide to how the club feels and how heavier a swing weight club a player is able to effectively swing. Clubs in the same set will normally have the same swing weight from longer irons to clubs aroun 45 degree in loft and a 'heavier' swing weight in wedges. Swing weight is changed by adding/removing weight from the head or sometimes by adding weight to the butt end of the shaft.

Change of 'lie angle' with clubs is normal in a standard set as the club gets closer to you to the shorter the club, Heads will also flex towards you in the swing and this will be less so in shorter clubs are they are effectively stiffer at the tip of the shaft.

 

[Foxholer]

Do you have a source pls pal?

Google 'golf iron head weights single length clubs'
Doing a bit more digging, there's a smidgeon of doubt about it, at least in the early days, though! Tough (impossible) to get identical swing weights from single length clubs if the head weights is different though! But different swing weights may be an integral part of S-L clubs.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I tried the one lengths on a launch monitor. I really loved it aside from the mental problem I had with a PW the length of a 7 iron and struggling with chipping with the shorter irons. That said my gapping was pretty consistent through the bag and my PW was around 102 (about right) and my 9 iron was 124 (slightly longer than my I series). My 5 iron was 165 (longer than my Pings) and so a decent gapping. Had I been confident chipping with the longer lower end clubs I would have pulled the trigger

 

[Bamberdele21]

Change of 'lie angle' with clubs is normal in a standard set as the club gets closer to you to the shorter the club, Heads will also flex towards you in the swing and this will be less so in shorter clubs are they are effectively stiffer at the tip of the shaft.

So if lie angle matters with a normal bag of clubs should there really be a 3 degree difference in lie angle with my SW and 5i O-L?

I’m struggling to see why my SW is at 61.5 degrees and my 5i is at 64.5 when all my shafts are exactly the same length so they would surely all flex the same without a need for a change in lie angle.

 

[Bamberdele21]

Google 'golf iron head weights single length clubs'
Doing a bit more digging, there's a smidgeon of doubt about it, at least in the early days, though! Tough (impossible) to get identical swing weights from single length clubs if the head weights is different though! But different swing weights may be an integral part of S-L clubs.

Would be interesting to see if there is any official data on these head weights but I’m sure they were advertised as all being weighted the same.

Im not too convinced tho

 

[Foxholer]

Would be interesting to see if there is any official data on these head weights but I’m sure they were advertised as all being weighted the same.

Im not too convinced tho

Here are the specs https://www.tgw.com/golf-clubs/golf-irons/cobra-king-mens-rad-one-length-irons
Head weights (at least 3-9irons) must be the same, otherwise swing weight(s) would be different.