Andrew75

Well, I'm a minimalist, my lead arm doesn't go past parallel to the ground except maybe on a hard hit driver or fairway. In fact that's one of my swing keys on drives, "left arm parallel to ground backswing is finished". 

I was taught "one is pretty much a captive to what has come before during the downswing" .  I think this is largely true, and any consciousness of movements during that phase of the swing needs to be within the context of a completed swing or else it likely won't hold up or last. 

Turning my hips left in the downswing while keeping right heel down in a fairly narrow stance. It shallows the downswing. Just keep your head steady. 

Golf has never adequately repaid my superior skills. I doubt it ever will. 

Ah, so he was just among some houses that are part of the course? I've never seen that. 

Isn't that a bogey? OB, two stroke penalty when dropping in fairway under new rule, 4th shot hybrid to 135, 5th shot 9 iron to 6 feet, one putt for a 6.

Golf has never adequately repaid my superior skills. I doubt it ever will. 

If, from a flat lie, your solidly struck iron shots start with a pull and tend to hook even slightly after that, you're irons are too upright. If they start with a push and tend to fade, even slightly, you're too flat. Even slightly (even without a divot 5 or 6 feet out of your intended 15-25 yard out window for initial direction and more than 10 feet either side of the pin for landing area for both with any iron-woods are more difficult to asses and slightly different and you might get by with an ill fitted wood) and so you must make diligent assessments over several rounds.  Individual irons in the set can be out of kilter, too. If the ball is constantly finishing at the pin, your lie is correct. It's very difficult to adjust your swing to the lie and vice versa. 

Golf has never adequately repaid my superior skills. I doubt it ever will. 

So typical in the golf business. Because most consumers are uninformed or don't care and buy instead because they're favorite golfer gets paid a bunch to use the brand, it's hard to make informed purchase decisions. Companies feel they don't need to provide that info or wish to hide it. 

Good exercise.
Today -1 70 with 11 clubs
13 drivers  (fwy hit - 11/13)
5 5 woods (fwy hit - 1/1)
0 21 hybrid 
3 7 irons 
2 8 irons 
3 9 irons 
3 PW 
2 AW 
1 49* 
5 SW 
33 putter 
GIR 16/18
But when I need the 21 hybrid I really need it, just not today, though two or three of the 5 woods could have been hybrids. I use the 49* more when I miss more greens. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

First, I know of no fitter within a thousand miles who carries the clubs I'm interested in. Second, most of the fitters have no experience with the clubs I am interested in. Third, once you have loft, lie, flex, bounce, and shaft material worked out it's all pretty basic. There are various types of heads on irons and woods that do various things. This is all easily ascertainable, as is one's swing speed, club path, and types of misses.  Fourth, any real fit that would be worthwhile would be prohibitively expensive, since it would need to last a minimum of two months and take place under various course conditions, slopes and wind and be subject to the constant tinkering that goes on with a serious golfer trying to play golf shots in real time conditions. Fifth, fitters seem to add one more layer of mystification, but don't really solve much, especially when considering honest self assessment, record keeping or old fashioned lessons.  Just take some lessons from your pga pro and ask their advice if you're a newbie or sporadic player.  It's amazing how gullible everyone is to these marketing strategies  

I tournament play with 10 or, more often, 11 clubs and rotation starts at the ends, but the clubs in that rotation are fairly safe.  All clubs have been tested and the last year or so stabilized. Out more than in are the Unicorn, Cleveland's 420cc 16 degree 2 wood, and my Mizuno S18 45/5 wedge. Little used is my TR21 Honma 24* hybrid, but given the right track it stands ready. More out than in, my Epon 210kgx 58/11 wedge. But the 50/10 (bent to 49/9) of the same Epon model is a stalwart. In after extensive testing and stiff competition are the 7-AW of Yamaha UD+2 irons. 

You are correct on all of this; however, the realities and peoples perceptions about equipment show that this isn’t what people do. What you find on the forum are “serious” golfers that dive in and figure this stuff out to players that just walk into a store and buy some club because they want it today and their favorite social media personality plays those clubs. 
players should know how far they carry the ball not total distance or how far that one shot went that was down wind and downhill.  people also don’t want to take the time to figure out those distances.  Depending on the person, getting those distances might be difficult for the following reasons:
the don’t trust launch monitor data they don’t want to or struggle to hit indoors  they can’t use gamer balls on the range or go out and actually measure distances courses are too crowded to hit multiple shots into greens.   they simply don’t practice.
  Lofting of clubs is always a back and forth heated discussion…”traditional” lofts vs strong lofts.  People on forums always ask what loft of club should I play and how many degrees should be between them,  but like you indicated, skill, club type,  course conditions, etc, all influence what is needed.  
 
There are general answers but ultimately players need to hit clubs and see what works for themselves and like you said, learn how far they hit their clubs. 
 
 
 

https://www.tourspecgolf.com/geotech-prototype-c17-left-handed-forged-irons-5-pw-6pcs.html

https://www.tourspecgolf.com/geotech-prototype-c17-left-handed-forged-irons-5-pw-6pcs.html

First, I know of no fitter within a thousand miles who carries the clubs I'm interested in. Second, most of the fitters have no experience with the clubs I am interested in. Third, once you have loft, lie, flex, bounce, and shaft material worked out it's all pretty basic. There are various types of heads on irons and woods that do various things. This is all easily ascertainable, as is one's swing speed, club path, and types of misses.  Fourth, any real fit that would be worthwhile would be prohibitively expensive, since it would need to last a minimum of two months and take place under various course conditions, slopes and wind and be subject to the constant tinkering that goes on with a serious golfer trying to play golf shots in real time conditions. Fifth, fitters seem to add one more layer of mystification, but don't really solve much, especially when considering honest self assessment, record keeping or old fashioned lessons.  Just take some lessons from your pga pro and ask their advice if you're a newbie or sporadic player.  It's amazing how gullible everyone is to these marketing strategies  

First, I know of no fitter within a thousand miles who carries the clubs I'm interested in. Second, most of the fitters have no experience with the clubs I am interested in. Third, once you have loft, lie, flex, bounce, and shaft material worked out it's all pretty basic. There are various types of heads on irons and woods that do various things. This is all easily ascertainable, as is one's swing speed, club path, and types of misses.  Fourth, any real fit that would be worthwhile would be prohibitively expensive, since it would need to last a minimum of two months and take place under various course conditions, slopes and wind and be subject to the constant tinkering that goes on with a serious golfer trying to play golf shots in real time conditions. Fifth, fitters seem to add one more layer of mystification, but don't really solve much, especially when considering honest self assessment, record keeping or old fashioned lessons.  Just take some lessons from your pga pro and ask their advice if you're a newbie or sporadic player.  It's amazing how gullible everyone is to these marketing strategies  

So why go to a fitter at all, if ever? To me they're a sham and a fad. It's so easy to educate yourself with all the data these days.  They know nothing more than me, and nothing the average golfer couldn't pick up in 20 minutes of study.
 

These are not forged. 

There's a single club in my bag that regularly carries 200+.  I carry my driver 215 pretty consistently. Next in line is a 5 wood at 190ish.  

I'd have to say my current gamers, Yamaha inpres ud+2 2019 forged. Lofts are strong, but the clubs spank the ball well and soles are narrow yet forgiving. The fricoff sole is top notch.. Longest point and Shoot irons would be Bridgestone JGR hybrid irons. Soles are wide, but under many conditions they rock.  Another underrated iron is Royal Collection SFD x7 forged. Long and playable. 

I like that. Though I only carry maximum 11 clubs, I will sometimes take a 59 degree wedge and other times a 15 degree Freiheit driver, depending on the course. The main question is how will I configure wedges. Typically I go 38, 46, 55, but I can also go 38, 43, 49, 56 or 38, 46, 54, 59. I have a lot of really nice wedges. Bounce will also fluctuate, but never more than 11.

I carry 10 to 11 clubs, even for tournament play, and I use them all, frequently enough. 
5 handicap, walk/carry, superlight bag, hilly course, age 62, cancer survivor, it's about health and fun more than every advantage.