Should we do away with "numbered" irons?

[MadAdey]

nice to know im not the only crazy one who thinks this would be a good idea

I'm in on this one also. Would maybe help some people when it comes to selecting their wedges too. When's Pw can be anything from 44 to 48 in a modern set sometimes you need something to bridge the gap between a PW and SW or you could end up with a 12* gap.

 

[louise_a]

I don't know the lot on my 6 iron, but I do know how far I can hit it, surly that's the important thing. Numbers are a simple way of differentiating between clubs.

 

[Airlie_Andy]

Just to take this further below are the 6 iron lofts of various clubs I had a quick look at;

Taylormade Speedblade - 26.5
Taylormade Rocketblades - 26.5
Taylormade Rocketblades tour - 29.5
Taylormade Tour Prefered CB - 28.5
Taylormade Tour Prefered MC - 30
Taylormade Tour Prefered MB - 31

Mizuno MP4 - 30
Mizuno MP64 - 30
Mizuno MP59 - 30
Mizuno MP54 - 30
Mizuno JPX 825 - 28
Mizuno JPX 825-Pro - 29
Mizuno JPX EZ - 28
Mizuno JPX EZ Forged - 28

Callaway Apex - 27
Callaway Apex Pro - 29
Callaway X2 Hot - 26
Callaway X2 Hot Pro - 27
Callaway X Forged - 30

Ping G10 - 30.5
Ping G25 - 29
Ping I25 - 30
Ping S55 - 30
Ping Anser - 30

There is 5 degrees of loft difference between the Callaway X2hot and the Taylormade Tour prefered MB yet they are both classed as a 6 iron. The lofts vary so much that really the number on the bottom of the club is only really useful as a way of differentiating between clubs for an individual but surely stamping the loft would have the same effect with the added bonus of standardising the clubs?

 

[stevie_r]

Just to take this further below are the 6 iron lofts of various clubs I had a quick look at;

Taylormade Speedblade - 26.5
Taylormade Rocketblades - 26.5
Taylormade Rocketblades tour - 29.5
Taylormade Tour Prefered CB - 28.5
Taylormade Tour Prefered MC - 30
Taylormade Tour Prefered MB - 31

Mizuno MP4 - 30
Mizuno MP64 - 30
Mizuno MP59 - 30
Mizuno MP54 - 30
Mizuno JPX 825 - 28
Mizuno JPX 825-Pro - 29
Mizuno JPX EZ - 28
Mizuno JPX EZ Forged - 28

Callaway Apex - 27
Callaway Apex Pro - 29
Callaway X2 Hot - 26
Callaway X2 Hot Pro - 27
Callaway X Forged - 30

Ping G10 - 30.5
Ping G25 - 29
Ping I25 - 30
Ping S55 - 30
Ping Anser - 30

There is 5 degrees of loft difference between the Callaway X2hot and the Taylormade Tour prefered MB yet they are both classed as a 6 iron. The lofts vary so much that really the number on the bottom of the club is only really useful as a way of differentiating between clubs for an individual but surely stamping the loft would have the same effect with the added bonus of standardising the clubs?

As you correctly state, the main purpose is for the user to be able to differentiate. Stamping the loft on the sole won't actually standardise anything.

 

[Airlie_Andy]

As you correctly state, the main purpose is for the user to be able to differentiate. Stamping the loft on the sole won't actually standardise anything.

Why not?

 

[stevie_r]

Why not?

Because my 6 Iron would say 28 on the bottom, a TM TP MB would say 31, I don't see anything standardised in that

 

[Airlie_Andy]

Because my 6 Iron would say 28 on the bottom, a TM TP MB would say 31, I don't see anything standardised in that

That's the whole point. It wouldn't be called a 6 iron it would be called a 28 of which TM would also have a 28. The fact it used to be called a 5 iron is kind of the whole point of this discussion.

A strong lofted set of irons might start at say 21 degrees and finish at 44 degrees which starts you closer to the long clubs but means more wedges are needed at the other end of the bag. Whereas a weaker lofted set might start at say 26 degrees and finish at 50 degrees which means less wedges but a bigger gap from woods to irons. If you bought your set based on lofts instead of 4 iron to PW (and all sets ran from say 21 degrees right through to 50) then thats standardising and makes more sense to me. Maybe im just weird.

 

[stevie_r]

That's the whole point. It wouldn't be called a 6 iron it would be called a 28 of which TM would also have a 28. The fact it used to be called a 5 iron is kind of the whole point of this discussion.

A strong lofted set of irons might start at say 21 degrees and finish at 44 degrees which starts you closer to the long clubs but means more wedges are needed at the other end of the bag. Whereas a weaker lofted set might start at say 26 degrees and finish at 50 degrees which means less wedges but a bigger gap from woods to irons. If you bought your set based on lofts instead of 4 iron to PW (and all sets ran from say 21 degrees right through to 50) then thats standardising and makes more sense to me. Maybe im just weird.

Don't think you are weird at all, just missing the point that the number on the bottom just enables you to identify a particular club in your set. The details of what that club number relates to in terms of loft is readily available on the internet when you are looking for a set of bats.

 

[Snelly]

Interesting.

I think the loft stamped on an iron in addition to the iron number is a great idea. Particularly in the 2nd hand club market when someone needs to fit the upper irons with woods and the lower irons with wedges.

An excellent idea.

 

[Airlie_Andy]

Don't think you are weird at all, just missing the point that the number on the bottom just enables you to identify a particular club in your set. The details of what that club number relates to in terms of loft is readily available on the internet when you are looking for a set of bats.

Which is fine for people like us but most of my "occasional" golfing friends have no idea what lofts there irons are and were shocked when I told them the lofts vary so much.

 

[cookelad]

Which is fine for people like us but most of my "occasional" golfing friends have no idea what lofts there irons are and were shocked when I told them the lofts vary so much.

To be fair I'd have to look up what lofts I have on my irons (and I'm definitely not an occasional golfer) I do know my distances for each club, and I'm not sure I really care beyond them not being the "jacked up" lofts of the TM super dooper mega rocket blades. But then I'm sure a golfer from the 60s/70s would look at mine and say the lofts are strong!

 

[MashieNiblick]

That's the whole point. It wouldn't be called a 6 iron it would be called a 28 of which TM would also have a 28. .

But they wouldn't, they'd have a 27 (or a 29) with a different shaft and head. What now. Which one is best?

 

[One Planer]

How would people stand if they had lofts bent to suit distance gapping duing custom fit?

The sole is stamped 6 and 31°, but the loft has ben bent to 33° for gapping reasons. Same with other clubs through the set.

The ° information would be irrelevant and mis-leading.

 

[Airlie_Andy]

But they wouldn't, they'd have a 27 (or a 29) with a different shaft and head. What now. Which one is best?

My "idea" is that you could have any loft you like between say 21 and 50 so if you wanted a 28 that's what you would get. Shaft and head will clearly never be "standardised" but the lofts certainly could be. Everyone seems to manage to use upto 4 wedges with different lofts printed on the bottom so why wouldn't the same thing work right through the set?

 

[Airlie_Andy]

How would people stand if they had lofts bent to suit distance gapping duing custom fit?

The sole is stamped 6 and 31°, but the loft has ben bent to 33° for gapping reasons. Same with other clubs through the set.

The ° information would be irrelevant and mis-leading.

if you could choose any loft you like at the custom fit stage and that loft is printed on the club why would you need to alter the lofts again?

 

[garyinderry]

anyone willing to spend hundreds of pounds on clubs without researching them is an idiot or go one better, ask the sales assistant to print the lofts out if you are interested.

next we will be printing "hit with this side" on the face! :rofl:

 

[One Planer]

if you could choose any loft you like at the custom fit stage and that loft is printed on the club why would you need to alter the lofts again?

Simple.

Most irons sets run in uniform ° gaps (3°-4°) changing as the clubs get shorter. If I understand the thread these would be stamped on the sole as per my example (6 & 31°) 7 and 34° etc.

If during a C/F better distance gapping is achieved by bending lofts (From 31° to 33°), that would make the °number below the iron number irrelevant.

Or would the OEM have to run additional head lofts for C/F purposes?

 

[Airlie_Andy]

Simple.

Most irons sets run in uniform ° gaps (3°-4°) changing as the clubs get shorter. If I understand the thread these would be stamped on the sole as per my example (6 & 31°) 7 and 34° etc.

If during a C/F better distance gapping is achieved by bending lofts (From 31° to 33°), that would make the °number below the iron number irrelevant.

Or would the OEM have to run additional head lofts for C/F purposes?

Not sure how feasible it is but the lofts wouldn't run like that because they aren't called anything (like a 6 iron for instance) you would have the choice of choosing any lofts you like and that number is stamped on the bottom. I guess it would require a much more thorough fitting process though.

 

[One Planer]

Not sure how feasible it is but the lofts wouldn't run like that because they aren't called anything (like a 6 iron for instance) you would have the choice of choosing any lofts you like and that number is stamped on the bottom. I guess it would require a much more thorough fitting process though.

I see what you mean.

Personally I can't see OEM's doing that, simply because of the additional cost(s) involved in making extra heads.

Where now you have a number (6) and the model loft (31° (Not stamped)) these could be bent to spec' where as, what you are suggesting, would be a different head/loft combo and not to mention the weighting issues between lofts?

 

[Slab]

How would people stand if they had lofts bent to suit distance gapping duing custom fit?

The sole is stamped 6 and 31°, but the loft has ben bent to 33° for gapping reasons. Same with other clubs through the set.

The ° information would be irrelevant and mis-leading.

But somehow the player would still need to know this information otherwise when he gets his yearly (cough) loft & lie check how will a fitter know to check/adjust against?