What's your longest iron?

Seven iron for me. The six iron I couldn't hit any further than the seven. My five iron I couldn't hit it full stop. So they both live in the cupboard, replaced by hybrids. I figured it was a combination of very strong lofts (26° on the six iron, 23° I think on the five) and my swing not being the fastest - hybrids much easier to launch and go the distance required.

Weirdly though I can hit the seven iron fine, pretty much. Odd that the six iron was that much more difficult just for 4° loft difference and a quarter of an inch longer or whatever.
Just seen this. Not surprising, I think, that you have trouble with the longer irons when you play them so near the centre of your stance. Was hitting 6 irons at the range today & took particular notice that the ball was around 4 inches inside my left heel. This is what my pro tells me to do, as does Tommy Armour in his book "How to play your best golf all the time" (published 1954)
 
I replaced a hydrid, now sold, with a 7 wood about 6-8 weeks ago. I find the 7 wood much easier to hit and I hit the ball far more consistently. Whether it is psychological or design I don't know but it works for me. Even my bad shots are fairly straight, just straight and along the ground :rolleyes:. More often than not though it goes high and goes well. Doing that with my hybrid was far more elusive.

I suspect the question to ask yourself is how clean and good a ball striker you are. If you are a good one then a hybrid will be the one to go for, you can probably control the shape of the shot more. If you need a little extra help then go for the 7 wood. Mine has certainly helped me a lot, it is my go to 2nd club shot at my course.

Golf clubs are like bikes...there’s always another one you are looking to buy (as in N+1, if you get that reference)

In truth neither 7 Wood nor hybrid are clubs that are the ‘next club I will buy’ — that’s new driver, new wedge and new putter - then maybe new set of irons — but I am wondering if I need a 7W or Hybrid for use on long par 3s...something to fly 210 and stop quickly

I’ve not hit a 7 wood but the Hybrid was surprisingly nice
I hear the common ‘miss’ is a pull tho with hybrids
 
Golf clubs are like bikes...there’s always another one you are looking to buy (as in N+1, if you get that reference)

In truth neither 7 Wood nor hybrid are clubs that are the ‘next club I will buy’ — that’s new driver, new wedge and new putter - then maybe new set of irons — but I am wondering if I need a 7W or Hybrid for use on long par 3s...something to fly 210 and stop quickly

I’ve not hit a 7 wood but the Hybrid was surprisingly nice
I hear the common ‘miss’ is a pull tho with hybrids
7 woods tend to go high and drop softly. Mine does, as do the others that I've seen. There are definite advantages to that, par 3's as you suggest. There is also a lovely feeling seeing a ball soar into the air rather than skim knee high :LOL:.

I have the skillset to miss both ways with a hybrid but you are right in that most who struggle with them tend to pull them. Not sure the technical reason why, maybe it is the light nature of them.

If you found a hybrid easy to hit then a 7 wood will be a walk in the park. If you are hitting one 210yds then I suspect you are a good enough ball striker to want to control the ball a little more and a hybrid would be more up your street. One to store away in your mind for another day and come back to (y)
 
4 iron for me. I just about still have the clubhead speed to get it to fly high enough. Although it has the loft of a traditional 3 iron the head design & graphite shaft make it easy to hit. I can't use hybrids, hit them too high. Into the wind I'd rather grip down on a 3 wood to control the height.
 
Titliest 718 t-mb 3 iron. Easiest 3 iron I’ve hit in years. I also have the 4 iron, and thinking of trying to get the full set.
 
3 iron (19 deg) is my longest iron. I have actually just started keeping stats and it is interesting. I’ve used my 3 and 5 for some low punch shots under trees which skews the average as I’ve only recorded 5 rounds so far.
417E4BF6-F5A8-4C26-BB36-ED0CF54431DB.png
 
I used to have hybrids from 4 to 7, but I have gone back to irons for 5 to 7 and just retained the 4 hybrid. I prefer the feel of hitting an iron and, on balance, I hit them straighter.
 
3 iron (19 deg) is my longest iron. I have actually just started keeping stats and it is interesting. I’ve used my 3 and 5 for some low punch shots under trees which skews the average as I’ve only recorded 5 rounds so far.
View attachment 37798
Not tempted to leave 3, 4 and 5 in the garage? 6 seems to do the same job for you. Even if you ignore the average, the max difference is minimal.
 
Not tempted to leave 3, 4 and 5 in the garage? 6 seems to do the same job for you. Even if you ignore the average, the max difference is minimal.
I think the average yardages can be misleading.

Mine below would suggest something similar, but where I play is quite windy and has a bit of elevation change in places.

As an example. Our 5th is SI 1 and around 400 yards. With the prevailing wind it can be a driver and a 5/6 iron. Last night I hit a 3 hybrid approach. With the wind behind its a 5 wood then 9 iron/PW. The approaches will be hit from roughly the same place. That really screws with the average yardages.

Screenshot_20210730_092127_com.garmin.android.apps.golf.jpg
 
I think the average yardages can be misleading.

Mine below would suggest something similar, but where I play is quite windy and has a bit of elevation change in places.

As an example. Our 5th is SI 1 and around 400 yards. With the prevailing wind it can be a driver and a 5/6 iron. Last night I hit a 3 hybrid approach. With the wind behind its a 5 wood then 9 iron/PW. The approaches will be hit from roughly the same place. That really screws with the average yardages.

View attachment 37802
I don't know what app that is, but most of what you're saying suggests that this tool recording the average yardages and whatnot is almost completely useless really.
 
I don't know what app that is, but most of what you're saying suggests that this tool recording the average yardages and whatnot is almost completely useless really.

Those yardages are absolutely meaningless
 
Yep. They are taken from a 10 round average. I don't use them.

Half the fun of the game is working things out. Our course is playing so fast at present a 200 yard shot might be a 9 iron although if the wind switches it might be everything you have and thats when these sort of stats become meaningless.
 
Half the fun of the game is working things out. Our course is playing so fast at present a 200 yard shot might be a 9 iron although if the wind switches it might be everything you have and thats when these sort of stats become meaningless.

Indeed it is. I don't do golf by numbers. I know(ish) what my stock yardages are, which are used as a guide. Very rarely do I need to hit that number. I can often be 2 clubs up or down from the stock yardage. And that's the fun part for me.
 
Top