When will it end? - 38 degree PW.....

Crow

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They're not even trying to hide it now!

Bridgestone's latest offering goes from 5 iron to AW and includes 2 (yes two!) PWs, the first of which has a loft of 38 degrees!

The 5 iron is 39.25 inches long!

https://pluggedingolf.com/bridgestone-tour-b-jgr-hf1-irons-review/


If ever proof was needed that the whole set has just been renumbered this is it.
Below are the specs for the new Bridgestone clubs

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Below are typical specs for 1970s MacGregor irons, starting at the 2 iron!
First line is lofts, second line is length.
A club has gone AWOL as Bridgestone only have 8 but the each end is pretty much identical; 22 and 22 degrees, 50 and 49 degrees.

But look at the shaft lengths, the new 5 iron is almost an inch longer than the old 2 iron! :ROFLMAO:
No wonder I prefer playing vintage clubs. :D

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hairball_89

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A lot of lofts have had to come down due to the spin that is created by modern technology.

I don't understand this entirely. My first set of clubs were a 2014 set of game improvement irons. The loft on the 7 iron was 36* and pw 48*. My latest set, 18 months old 7i is 30.5 and pw 45. So in 4 years has tech really moved on so much that a 7i from 4 years ago is the same loft now?

Surely those lofts and 2 pw is just willy waving?!
 

Lord Tyrion

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Do people really care about what loft they have on their 7 iron or PW etc ? For me all that matters is how far I hit each club and ensure the gapping is good.

It helps to have some sort of comparison between sets, brands etc. If the number means nothing then why even bother having the system? If there is no consistency then drop the numbering and just put lofts on the bottom of irons.
 
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It helps to have some sort of comparison between sets, brands etc. If the number means nothing then why even bother having the system? If there is no consistency then drop the numbering and just put lofts on the bottom of irons.
You can find out the loft with every single set and even then you can ask a club fitter to adjust the lofts if required

The number only means something to you and how far you hit that number - any time you get fitted you can ensure the lofts are the same or you can just get a gapping session
 

HomerJSimpson

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Distance is king when it come to marketing and cranking the lofts is the easiest way to give it to the consumer. Personally as long as I know how far each one goes I don't care really. That said I'm not sure how much control I'd be confident of getting off a 43 degree wedge. Leaves a huge gap then to a gap wedge
 

Imurg

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Although it's extreme, as the Rogue X are, you have to look at the standard of player these clubs are aimed at.
These are super, super, extra super game improvement irons.
They launch the ball high and I mean high. Look at the soles of the clubs, there's more metal there than on a Metallica album!!
There's hardly a player on this forum that would benefit from these clubs, they're for the total beginner who can't hit a normal iron.
I think, in general, lofts are stabilising. There will always be extremes at both ends of the spectrum.
Nothing to panic about..
 

Grant85

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After seeing some of this, I definitely think it is not really worth changing your irons unless you have a lot of time to investigate what you are buying and to test out a reasonable amount of equipment.

Personally think there is a big advantage to having normal length shafts. Longer clubs with power lofts might make you feel a bit better playing 'shorter' iron into a green, but for the most part accuracy is going to be far more important than a few extra yards with a 7 iron.
 

Orikoru

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The loft gaps don't even make sense on those though. My Callaway 5 iron is 23°, so their 5 is only 1° stronger than that. But get down to 9 iron, mine is 38.5 I think and theirs is 33. Seems a bit weird.

I'm not sure others will be following this. Fast forward another 20 years and people will have iron sets starting at 7 with six wedges.
 

jusme

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I worry about where this is going. At some point in the future I will want to buy irons and I will want 'normal lofts' in them. If that's not possible, please scrap the iron number and start printing lofts on the clubs
 

Jacko_G

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I don't understand this entirely. My first set of clubs were a 2014 set of game improvement irons. The loft on the 7 iron was 36* and pw 48*. My latest set, 18 months old 7i is 30.5 and pw 45. So in 4 years has tech really moved on so much that a 7i from 4 years ago is the same loft now?

Surely those lofts and 2 pw is just willy waving?!

Basically with advancement in club design, C.O.G getting lower and lower has meant that launch angles have crept up and up. Modern design grooves, laser etching, more grooves on faces etc etc has also increased the spin rates which creates even more launch angle.

As a result and to offset the high launch to a degree or to maximize it properly manufacturers have had to decrease loft.

That is the simple version of what is happening.

Yes clubs are going further than previously but it's not just down to lofts being cranked down.
 

Jacko_G

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Distance is king when it come to marketing and cranking the lofts is the easiest way to give it to the consumer. Personally as long as I know how far each one goes I don't care really. That said I'm not sure how much control I'd be confident of getting off a 43 degree wedge. Leaves a huge gap then to a gap wedge

Not entirely true, it's become a necessity to control spin and launch as per my post above this.

Common misconception that they just jack lofts to increase distance and carry.
 

bobmac

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The 6 iron in the Bridgestone set above is the same loft as a 4 iron AND 1/2'' longer than an other set I've seen.
Of course they will go further.
I agree, they should stamp the lofts not a number
 
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