CountLippe
Active member
I find dispersion left to right much tighter with a long iron whereas carry distance more consistent with a fairway wood or hybrid. Horses for courses.
Utility 4 iron
- Thread starter spongebob59
- Start date
Voyager EMH
Slipper Wearing Plucker of Pheasants
I was playing a social game today and I noticed one of the chaps had a Taylormade P790 UDI 2-iron 17°. So naturally I asked if I could have a go.
Our 9th is the shortest par-4 and I hit my 16° hybrid from the tee. Then I hit the TM UDI to compare.
Hit both well and both went straight down the fairway. Both balls lying next to their pitchmarks and the hybrid had gone 10 yards further. Much as expected.
I think the TM UDI would beat my 20° hybrid by a few yards, but doubt it would be as useful from the rough.
No place for it in my bag, but it did feel like an easy club to use from the tee. We have a 202 yard uphill par 3 and I would certainly have a use for it there sometimes.
If I had never bothered to learn to play with hybrids then this would definitely be something that I want to have. Or something very much like it.
Our 9th is the shortest par-4 and I hit my 16° hybrid from the tee. Then I hit the TM UDI to compare.
Hit both well and both went straight down the fairway. Both balls lying next to their pitchmarks and the hybrid had gone 10 yards further. Much as expected.
I think the TM UDI would beat my 20° hybrid by a few yards, but doubt it would be as useful from the rough.
No place for it in my bag, but it did feel like an easy club to use from the tee. We have a 202 yard uphill par 3 and I would certainly have a use for it there sometimes.
If I had never bothered to learn to play with hybrids then this would definitely be something that I want to have. Or something very much like it.
Backsticks
Assistant Pro
The longest iron that is sensible for golfer who arent on the plus side, is a 29 or 30 deg. Probably your 7 iron. Below that, if your interest is your score, then hybrids and high loft woods is the formula. Long irons are fine in a niche, or retro special interest sort of way. There are people playing wooden woods. Which is fine too. But for a tiny monority. Utility irons have a role for those who havent made the hybrid leap yet, whether out of delusion, or oneupmanship. Effectively its the acknowledgement that a long iron is not the way, but still hankering after one.
Utility irons are hybrids in disguise, only less effective.
Utility irons are hybrids in disguise, only less effective.
Voyager EMH
Slipper Wearing Plucker of Pheasants
There is something in what you say.
Today I had driver, 3 wood and two hybrids of 16° and 20°.
The lofts of my nine irons were 21,24,28,32,36,40,45,50,57.
I could swap the two longest irons for hybrids of 23° and 26° and that would work for me. Then my longest iron would be 28°. (in a quiet voice: "5-iron")
It is that low running shot from out of the trees with a bit of fade or draw spin that I find easier to achieve with a low-lofted iron than a higher lofted hybrid or any hybrid.
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Wabinez
Journeyman Pro
Absolute tosh
I find that slightly patronising if I’m honest.
I’m a steady 7/8 handicap and by far and away my most consistent golf is played with my longer irons. And in summer, when the rough is up and the fairways running fast, it’s 2-iron from tees where I would usually take driver.
If I understand you correctly, only those off plus handicaps should bother with irons longer than a 7-iron? That’s a hell of a generalisation.
I loved my Titliest 716 T-MB 3&4 irons. Very straight, very long even off a decent fairway lie. I never got away with my 2 hybrid but the 4 hybrid was my get out of jail club - fluffy lies and first cut.
Backsticks
Assistant Pro
Well, a 5 iron, in old money, but the point is the same. And maybe a 4 iron of old, but a 6 iron today is useful to some. And sure, its a generalisation, but as such, applies in general to most.
Maybe its the iron labelling arms race that has people too slow to realise they are handicapping themselves by not transitioning to hybrids higher up the lofts.
garyinderry
Ryder Cup Winner
I have a similar opinion but not quite as stringent.
If your handicap is in double figures you'd be far better off loading your bag with hybrids.
There's always the odd great ball striker with a brutal short game but more often than not most double digit handicaps would hit more greens with 4 5 and 6 hybrids in the bag than irons.
There's loads of people who aren't plus handicaps who use a driving iron really well. When they do it's an absolute weapon. Most of these guys have a bit or speed about them. They hit more fairways and lose less balls from big misses with the big stick.
Backsticks
Assistant Pro
Golfers with a swing speed 105mph+ CAN hit a long iron. But I think some mistake being able to do so, with therefore they SHOULD do so. They would do even better with the corresponding hybrid. Some of it is probably ego, and there is no denying seeing a 21deg iron launch a ball at speed is very impressive.
Coach Lockey must be followinging us. Vid up a few hours ago has some Arcos data. More greens are hit with hybrids.
Coach Lockey must be followinging us. Vid up a few hours ago has some Arcos data. More greens are hit with hybrids.
Slab
Occasional Tour Caddy
I won't describe myself as any exception that breaks/proves a rule but a mid handicapper & I've only had long irons for a few months and loving using them on course way more than I ever did hitting hybrids.
4iron is 19 degree and 5I is 22 (I dunno if these are what the Lockey fella had in mind because in his video he never actually said what he considers a long iron)
No doubt my 3&4 hybrids (gathering dust) are more versatile i.e out the first cut, but they're nowhere near as pleasing to hit for 2nd shots off the fairway and (luckily) I'm finding the irons more consistent too
I'll still pop in a 5hybrid at 25 deg on occasion i.e when I know the 1st cut is lush but getting to be less often
Voyager EMH
Slipper Wearing Plucker of Pheasants
MAN PLAYS WITH 19 DEGREE IRON AND SAYS HE GETS ON WELL WITH IT
This must be one of those Fake News things
This must be one of those Fake News things
Smokey Lomcevak
New member
In my experience, this idea of brinkmanship/oneupmanship or even macho or flex around long/driving/utility irons only seems to exist in the mind of those who don’t play them. It doesn’t, as far as I can tell, feature in the decision making process of any of those I play with who do have these in the bag.
Speaking personally, I feel a lot more confident hitting a 38.5 inch 22° 4 iron off the deck than anything longer. I know if I get it wrong, as I often do, it won’t go very far but it will go straight enough. Trying to do the same with a longer shafted hybrid or FW chasing a e.g. 220yd carry is riddled with the dangers of the weak spinny leaky fade or the killer long left miss. And then there’s the top…
There aren’t many par 4’s I’ve played where 2I then 7I or 4I then 6I won’t cut the mustard in still air. Into a stiff breeze, the 450 yarder is no longer a par 4 for me, and the last thing I’d want to be doing is spinning up a large headed club from the fairway in pursuit of an unlikely GIR. If I lose that hole to a par without getting a shot then fair dinkum.
Speaking personally, I feel a lot more confident hitting a 38.5 inch 22° 4 iron off the deck than anything longer. I know if I get it wrong, as I often do, it won’t go very far but it will go straight enough. Trying to do the same with a longer shafted hybrid or FW chasing a e.g. 220yd carry is riddled with the dangers of the weak spinny leaky fade or the killer long left miss. And then there’s the top…
There aren’t many par 4’s I’ve played where 2I then 7I or 4I then 6I won’t cut the mustard in still air. Into a stiff breeze, the 450 yarder is no longer a par 4 for me, and the last thing I’d want to be doing is spinning up a large headed club from the fairway in pursuit of an unlikely GIR. If I lose that hole to a par without getting a shot then fair dinkum.