What makes long irons harder to hit?

[inc0gnito]

Your first answer will presumably be because they are longer. But why does that matter?

Does the length mean it’s harder to keep on plane, or is a timing or weight thing. What is it?

This is just a curiosity question.

 

[bobmac]

A lot it is in the mind, like hitting blades.

 

[Deleted member 21258]

Less loft and length of shaft.

The longer the shaft the harder it is to find the middle of a club. Think if you had a 6 foot shaft, how hard that would be hit, when compared to a 6 inch shaft.

 

[stefanovic]

Do they make 1 and 2 irons any more?
Only God can hit a 1 iron.
(Think that was Lee Trevino).

 

[inc0gnito]

Less loft and length of shaft.

The longer the shaft the harder it is to find the middle of a club. Think if you had a 6 foot shaft, how hard that would be hit, when compared to a 6 inch shaft.

Okay yeah so that’s a good comparison. So it’s more about weight (during the movement) and taking more effort and direction to compensate against the additional forces.

 

[Orikoru]

Longer the club, bigger turning circle to take the head round and meet the ball again. Plus less loft as said.

It honestly does my head in that I can hit a 7 iron well 7/10 times but a 6 iron only like 3/10 times. They can't be that different??

 

[duncan mackie]

Do they make 1 and 2 irons any more?
Only God can hit a 1 iron.
(Think that was Lee Trevino).

I believe the line includes even God can't hit a 1 iron...

 

[inc0gnito]

Longer the club, bigger turning circle to take the head round and meet the ball again. Plus less loft as said.

It honestly does my head in that I can hit a 7 iron well 7/10 times but a 6 iron only like 3/10 times. They can't be that different??

Get single length irons! 😉

Seriously though, have you tried them?

 

[duncan mackie]

The underlying issue is pretth much as Bob posted in post #2.

In no particular order the following get into most handicap golfers heads at some point...
1. I'm using a club to hit it further, so I need to hit it harder/faster
2. Damm, where's the loft on this thing...if I want to get it in the air I need to get under it/whatever
3. The balls bigger than the club head! (One for old blades...)

Length is pretty much the same as a relatively easy to hit hybrid
Swingweight will be the same through the set

When you can swing your 3 iron the same as your 8 you are probably low single figures; or heading that way fast

 

[Orikoru]

Get single length irons! 😉

Seriously though, have you tried them?

No, I really hate the idea of having a really long pitching wedge or 9 iron. It sounds awful. My current solution is just not to use the 6 iron unless absolutely necessary.

 

[garyinderry]

Longer the club, bigger turning circle to take the head round and meet the ball again. Plus less loft as said.

It honestly does my head in that I can hit a 7 iron well 7/10 times but a 6 iron only like 3/10 times. They can't be that different??

Why dont you bin the 6iron and get a 6 hybrid.

3/10 decent hits wont get the the job done.

 

[Orikoru]

Why dont you bin the 6iron and get a 6 hybrid.

3/10 decent hits wont get the the job done.

I'm actually planning to fit for Orka irons this year so I'm going to see if having custom fit irons helps. My current ones are just standard. At least I think they are, they were second hand.

 

[Deleted member 21258]

Okay yeah so that’s a good comparison. So it’s more about weight (during the movement) and taking more effort and direction to compensate against the additional forces.

Pass a bit to technical for my approach to golf. Don't honestly believe it is just in the mind either, I think the people who say it is, must have repeatable swings, which I do not, I could launch the same club 10-20 foot lower or higher than normal and strike it randomly over the face, without even trying. With those kind of variations in launch, it makes a small low lofted, long shafted iron like a 4 iron, almost impossible to hit consistently, especially off the grass.

TBH I gave up on anything 6 iron and above, long time again and went to a 9 wood, 7 wood, 5HL wood, 3HL wood setup. Done wonders for my game from 165-220 yards. Have tried a number of times since hitting low irons again, but don't get the low irons flying nicely, so tends to be low flight, bad strikes, lots of run and dispersion off the planet. Use what works I believe.

Have been trying a high lofted M1 hybrid in the last few weeks(its a no 5, 24 degrees lofted to the max, so 25.5?) , that has a shorter shaft, definitely easier to hit the middle of the face than the 7/9 wood, but don't like the flight on the hybrid(far to low with lots of run, like a long iron, left/right dispersion similar to woods). I think front/back dispersion is more important, so the hybrid with loads of run, wont be making my bag in comps. I am a fairway wood person I have decided

 

[Region3]

1. I'm using a club to hit it further, so I need to hit it harder/faster
2. Damm, where's the loft on this thing...if I want to get it in the air I need to get under it/whatever

When I struggle with mine, it’s usually a combination of the above getting into my head.

“There is no loft on this thing so I have to hit it harder to keep it in the air.”

I know it’s not the case but I also know trying to smash driver isn’t a good idea. I doubt I will learn either lesson before I’m done.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Is a 5i a long iron? As a lad in my early teens just learning the game, it was the club I was told I should learn to hit - before a 7i or 9i. Though as I understand it the 5i I hit back then was probably like today's 6i or 7i?

 

[duncan mackie]

Though as I understand it the 5i I hit back then was probably like today's 6i or 7i?

Don't believe everything you read on forums.....I've still got the then and current.

 

[Orikoru]

Is a 5i a long iron? As a lad in my early teens just learning the game, it was the club I was told I should learn to hit - before a 7i or 9i. Though as I understand it the 5i I hit back then was probably like today's 6i or 7i?

I would say so. Most of the iron sets you buy off the rack start at 5 so they have to be a long iron by default, or you don't have any long irons.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I would say so. Most of the iron sets you buy off the rack start at 5 so they have to be a long iron by default, or you don't have any long irons.

I carry a 3i and a 4i - and weirdly of late I've been hitting these irons better than any of the rest...

I especially enjoy nailing a 3i. Love the flight. Might only hit my best just over 200yds - but I love the flight.

 

[Orikoru]

I carry a 3i and a 4i - and weirdly of late I've been hitting these irons better than any of the rest...

I especially enjoy nailing a 3i. Love the flight. Might only hit my best just over 200yds - but I love the flight.

I have a 20-year old 3 iron in the big, obtained from ArnoldArmChewer - but I'll only use it off the tee. No chance off the ground.

 

[Rlburnside]

I'll let you know tonight😀

After struggling to hit my hybrid which replaced a 5 iron decided to switch back and hitting 5 iron more consistently than the hybrid.

So for a bit of fun I've dug out my 3 and 4 irons which I have never been used before, and go for 9 holes tonight.

Probably be to hard to hit off the fairway but I will be interested how far I can hit them off the tee compared to my driver.