Strong lofts

[Boomy]

I didn’t realise this strong lofts thing was as bad as it is until I’ve looked into some new irons ?

The Callaway Epic Forged pitching wedge is 41 degrees FGS ? it’s an 8 iron no wonder it goes a long way!

They’re all at least 5-6 degrees stronger, at least 2 clubs in old money! Your average joe isn’t hitting it further.... the clubs are 2 clubs stronger! Fake numbers in my opinion but if it works then hey!

 

[Deleted member 3432]

I didn’t realise this strong lofts thing was as bad as it is until I’ve looked into some new irons ?

The Callaway Epic Forged pitching wedge is 41 degrees FGS ? it’s an 8 iron no wonder it goes a long way!

They’re all at least 5-6 degrees stronger, at least 2 clubs in old money! Your average joe isn’t hitting it further.... the clubs are 2 clubs stronger! Fake numbers in my opinion but if it works then hey!

If you are looking at new irons go and talk to Simon about testing the new Srixon's, they are seriously good clubs.

 

[Boomy]

If you are looking at new irons go and talk to Simon about testing the new Srixon's, they are seriously good clubs.

I was considering some new irons until I researched further and discovered the ‘fake news’ super strong lofts. I love my Titleist AP2’s tbh.. but was thinking of something slightly more forgiving on off centre strikes, and thus also helping keep distance. I’ve heard a lot of good things about the Srixon irons and was chatting to Simon about them, I wish I’d made it to the demo day to try some out. I’d want forged, with traditional lofts and probably a slightly lighter shaft than the project x rifle I play at present.

 

[Swinglowandslow]

I was considering some new irons until I researched further and discovered the ‘fake news’ super strong lofts. I love my Titleist AP2’s tbh.. but was thinking of something slightly more forgiving on off centre strikes, and thus also helping keep distance. I’ve heard a lot of good things about the Srixon irons and was chatting to Simon about them, I wish I’d made it to the demo day to try some out. I’d want forged, with traditional lofts and probably a slightly lighter shaft than the project x rifle I play at present.

Curious about the phrase ..."on off centre strikes.."
I know what you mean but I am dubious about how it helps.
What I mean is - hope I explain adequately.-
Say you hit a blade well and it goes your calculated distance.- fine. Water was carried , or bunker was carried and you are on the green.
Or maybe you have a forgiving club which when hit well goes the required distance, carrying water or bunker, whatever and land on the green.
Now, hit them both wrong, and neither will go the full distance.
The forgiving won't sting your fingers, and will go further than the blade , BUT neither will land on target, neither will carry the water or bunker.
Sometimes , even, the forgiving club sends your ball far enough ( on a bad strike) to just reach the hazard whereas the blade might have kept you on the grass at least.
By all means choose the club you can swing easiest correctly, that may be one or the other, but a badly hit shot with either club will not get you to target.

 

[Deleted member 3432]

I was considering some new irons until I researched further and discovered the ‘fake news’ super strong lofts. I love my Titleist AP2’s tbh.. but was thinking of something slightly more forgiving on off centre strikes, and thus also helping keep distance. I’ve heard a lot of good things about the Srixon irons and was chatting to Simon about them, I wish I’d made it to the demo day to try some out. I’d want forged, with traditional lofts and probably a slightly lighter shaft than the project x rifle I play at present.

I only changed from my old Z745's as I felt a change of shaft would be beneficial.

I went a touch lighter into Modus 120 but the best thing about the ZX range is they blend so well you can split the set anywhere you chose without looking down at a chunky top line. This is the 1st blended set I've had with ZX5 in 4 and 5 iron and the rest in ZX7 and I'm hitting my irons better than I have for years.

Got the specs for a Utility 2 iron but the old Zu45 2 iron is smoking it at present so may leave that till next season.

 

[Deleted member 29109]

I was considering some new irons until I researched further and discovered the ‘fake news’ super strong lofts. I love my Titleist AP2’s tbh.. but was thinking of something slightly more forgiving on off centre strikes, and thus also helping keep distance. I’ve heard a lot of good things about the Srixon irons and was chatting to Simon about them, I wish I’d made it to the demo day to try some out. I’d want forged, with traditional lofts and probably a slightly lighter shaft than the project x rifle I play at present.

I genuinely can't get my head round why the loft of a club makes any difference.

My newish irons are now 4 to gap wedge. My previous irons 3 to PW.
The new 4 iron goes just further than my old 3 iron but as high as my old 5 iron. Win win as far as I'm concerned.

You still have 14 clubs, why get hung up on the number on the bottom if they do the job you want?

 

[RichA]

For what it's worth, Ping offer all of their stronger lofted iron sets in optional "retro loft", generally 2 or 3° weaker.

 

[Orikoru]

I genuinely can't get my head round why the loft of a club makes any difference.

My newish irons are now 4 to gap wedge. My previous irons 3 to PW.
The new 4 iron goes just further than my old 3 iron but as high as my old 5 iron. Win win as far as I'm concerned.

You still have 14 clubs, why get hung up on the number on the bottom if they do the job you want?

Really? We've discussed it before at length, but in a nutshell: You get less irons for your money now since the longest ones are too hard too hard to hit, yet the iron set actually costs more than it used to - and then you have to spend more money to buy one more wedge than you used to as well.

 

[Maninblack4612]

Really? We've discussed it before at length, but in a nutshell: You get less irons for your money now since the longest ones are too hard too hard to hit, yet the iron set actually costs more than it used to - and then you have to spend more money to buy one more wedge than you used to as well.

I don't think that prices have gone up because lofts have become stronger. Most people buy 14 clubs anyway, how they are composed is irrelevant so they don't have "to buy one more wedge". Nowadays clubs are priced individually so you don't need to buy clubs you're not going to use. You mention earlier being unable to hit a modern, game improvement, low c of g 6 iron. I think that you're in a minority there, unless you're over 70. A modern 6 iron is so easy to launch that if you can't do it there's something seriously wrong with your swing.

Getting back to price, I agree that prices of the main models have escalated recently, but nobody forces you to buy them. My set of Wilsons cost less than £400 & I can hit the 6 iron beautifully when my swing is working. I'm sure other none mainstream makes will be similarly priced.

 

[KenL]

Some makers latest offerings, Callaway Apex range for example, are cheaper than the previous model.

 

[Boomy]

Curious about the phrase ..."on off centre strikes.."
I know what you mean but I am dubious about how it helps.
What I mean is - hope I explain adequately.-
Say you hit a blade well and it goes your calculated distance.- fine. Water was carried , or bunker was carried and you are on the green.
Or maybe you have a forgiving club which when hit well goes the required distance, carrying water or bunker, whatever and land on the green.
Now, hit them both wrong, and neither will go the full distance.
The forgiving won't sting your fingers, and will go further than the blade , BUT neither will land on target, neither will carry the water or bunker.
Sometimes , even, the forgiving club sends your ball far enough ( on a bad strike) to just reach the hazard whereas the blade might have kept you on the grass at least.
By all means choose the club you can swing easiest correctly, that may be one or the other, but a badly hit shot with either club will not get you to target.

You perhaps need to go and try a selection of new irons to see the differing levels of forgiveness. I tried half a dozen different ones last night and was really surprised at how some of them performed on off centre hits I.e a shot from nearer the toe still reached the target with the Callaway Epic Forged (it almost feels like cheating with that club) versus a ‘toey’ strike with the Titleist T100 got nowhere near.

 

[Boomy]

I don't think that prices have gone up because lofts have become stronger. Most people buy 14 clubs anyway, how they are composed is irrelevant so they don't have "to buy one more wedge". Nowadays clubs are priced individually so you don't need to buy clubs you're not going to use. You mention earlier being unable to hit a modern, game improvement, low c of g 6 iron. I think that you're in a minority there, unless you're over 70. A modern 6 iron is so easy to launch that if you can't do it there's something seriously wrong with your swing.

Getting back to price, I agree that prices of the main models have escalated recently, but nobody forces you to buy them. My set of Wilsons cost less than £400 & I can hit the 6 iron beautifully when my swing is working. I'm sure other none mainstream makes will be similarly priced.

I tried the Wilson D7 forged last night, really impressed with them. Nice feel and very forgiving. Again they’re a stronger loft than I usually play but I’d certainly consider them if I do decide to buy new.

 

[Boomy]

I genuinely can't get my head round why the loft of a club makes any difference.

My newish irons are now 4 to gap wedge. My previous irons 3 to PW.
The new 4 iron goes just further than my old 3 iron but as high as my old 5 iron. Win win as far as I'm concerned.

You still have 14 clubs, why get hung up on the number on the bottom if they do the job you want?

I’d imagine there’ll be sets out there that are just slightly stronger than a traditional loft and that’s ok, say 1 degree or so stronger... but some of those I tried last night the PW in the set is stronger than my current Titleist 8 iron.... so I currently use 48, 52, 58 wedges (sometimes a 56 in wet conditions/courses) That Callaway set up is like 41 PW 46 GW 50 SW do you then add a 54 and 60? Each to their own 100%, but that kind of set up isn’t for me. If I’m hitting my 7 iron 160 I know that’s about right, not hitting a new 7 iron 190-200 because it’s actually a 5 iron in disguise.

 

[Deleted member 29109]

Really? We've discussed it before at length, but in a nutshell: You get less irons for your money now since the longest ones are too hard too hard to hit, yet the iron set actually costs more than it used to - and then you have to spend more money to buy one more wedge than you used to as well.

Yes really. I'm talking about my experience and opinion. My set of clubs are roughly made up of the same lofts they were 20 years ago. Only the number on the bottom of some of them has changed. I have the same number of irons in my bag now as I did 20 years ago

I have absolutely no problem hitting my G400 6 iron. Or the 5 and 4 iron. They are incredibly easy to use. The 4 iron is much easier to launch than my previous Diablo Forged 4 iron despite the stronger loft making it equivalent to the Diablo 3 iron. The Pings are so easy to use its like playing a different game compared to the Macgregors I had before that.

The price of some clubs has gone up. But so has pretty much everything else.

 

[Deleted member 29109]

I’d imagine there’ll be sets out there that are just slightly stronger than a traditional loft and that’s ok, say 1 degree or so stronger... but some of those I tried last night the PW in the set is stronger than my current Titleist 8 iron.... so I currently use 48, 52, 58 wedges (sometimes a 56 in wet conditions/courses) That Callaway set up is like 41 PW 46 GW 50 SW do you then add a 54 and 60? Each to their own 100%, but that kind of set up isn’t for me. If I’m hitting my 7 iron 160 I know that’s about right, not hitting a new 7 iron 190-200 because it’s actually a 5 iron in disguise.

There are. The players irons are weaker lofts than pur GI irons.
My current 7 iron goes 175 ish. That used to be a 6 in my old irons. It took a few weeks to adjust but am now entirely comfortable with the distances.

We'll all have a different opinion. It dose not matter as long as we have what is appropriate for our own game.

 

[Orikoru]

I don't think that prices have gone up because lofts have become stronger. Most people buy 14 clubs anyway, how they are composed is irrelevant so they don't have "to buy one more wedge". Nowadays clubs are priced individually so you don't need to buy clubs you're not going to use. You mention earlier being unable to hit a modern, game improvement, low c of g 6 iron. I think that you're in a minority there, unless you're over 70. A modern 6 iron is so easy to launch that if you can't do it there's something seriously wrong with your swing.

Getting back to price, I agree that prices of the main models have escalated recently, but nobody forces you to buy them. My set of Wilsons cost less than £400 & I can hit the 6 iron beautifully when my swing is working. I'm sure other none mainstream makes will be similarly priced.

Why would you think I meant that?? They are just are more expensive now, plus you get one or two less clubs for your money that's all. I took the 6 iron out because it didn't go any further than my 7 iron - 6 iron is 26°, whereas the the 27° hybrid I replaced it with does go further as it's supposed to. My swing speed is only 85mph with driver so I've always struggled with long irons until I binned them altogether. Twenty years ago nobody would call a 6 iron a 'long iron' but nowadays it is.

Well nobody forces us to buy anything? What a daft point.

 

[Maninblack4612]

Why would you think I meant that??

Because that's what you seemed to be saying

Why would you think I meant that??

Well nobody forces us to buy anything? What a daft point.

My point was that prices are high because people are daft enough to pay them. Some manufacturers, including Wilson, make perfectly good clubs for much less than the likes of Titleist & Callaway. But they don't advertise them as much or sponsor a lot of players so people get the impression they're not as good.

 

[Orikoru]

My point was that prices are high because people are daft enough to pay them. Some manufacturers, including Wilson, make perfectly good clubs for much less than the likes of Titleist & Callaway. But they don't advertise them as much or sponsor a lot of players so people get the impression they're not as good.

The Wilson clubs now are still more than the Wilson clubs of 20 years ago though aren't they?? And Wilson have still strengthened the lofts so you get one less club than you used to like everyone else. So it's an irrelevant point.

 

[DanFST]

The Wilson clubs now are still more than the Wilson clubs of 20 years ago though aren't they?? And Wilson have still strengthened the lofts so you get one less club than you used to like everyone else. So it's an irrelevant point.

£100 in 2000 is equivalent in purchasing power to about £172.66 today. So not really golf specific or a relevant point.

 

[Maninblack4612]

The Wilson clubs now are still more than the Wilson clubs of 20 years ago though aren't they?? And Wilson have still strengthened the lofts so you get one less club than you used to like everyone else. So it's an irrelevant point.

1. Is there anything now that cost the same as 20 years ago?
2. I got the same number of clubs as the last set. BUT I can hit the 4 iron much better & further than the old one
3. It's hardly irrelevant that Wilson sell a set of clubs for around half the price of similar Titleist.