Joshgellsworth Posted April 12, 2018 Share Posted April 12, 2018 “Not even God can hit a 1 iron†was a phrase I've heard my entire life around the course, now with trend of strengthening lofts are we soon to say “not even God can hit a 3 ironâ€. I rarely see 4 irons in bags now let alone a 3 iron, when does the common set become 5-pw? Will wedges soon be sold as 4 pcs sets to accommodate to the new lofts? I now hit my pw 165 yards, so it's getting harder to get perfect gapping from my iron to wedge transition without having more wedges than irons. The courses are staying the same length so when do we start building our new found distance towards a game with more accuracy? Adams Speedline 4G ultralite driver stiff shaft Taylormade SLDR driver extra stiff shaft Ping G20 3 wood stiff shaft Adams redline 3&4 hybrids stiff shaft Adams redline 5-PW stiff shaft Titleist Vokey sm5 wedges 52, 56, 60 Boccieri golf Heavy putter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shankster Posted April 12, 2018 Share Posted April 12, 2018 Loft wise pretty close. My RBZ Tour 3 iron is 19°, so more like a 2 iron, but close. Marketing, at its finest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deejaid Posted April 12, 2018 Share Posted April 12, 2018 They are getting rare. I put mine back in the bag after having a 20* Hybrid in its place that I wasn't hitting consistently. I hit the 3-Iron pretty well, though admittedly not as consistent as I'd like, but no worse than the hybrid. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk WITB: Stan Thompson “Reactionizer” persimmon woods 1-4 Spalding Tour Edition 3-PW Spalding Top-Flite E.V.A. Sand Club Rife Legend Z Putter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joshgellsworth Posted April 12, 2018 Author Share Posted April 12, 2018 I think I was making more of a statement than a question. What we consider a 3 iron is actually what a 1 iron would be 10+ years ago. Generally a 1 irons would have fell under the 15-18 degree range but now we are seeing 3 irons ranging 17-19 degrees. It was uncommon to see a 1 iron in a bag and I feel that we are headed to seeing the demise of 3 irons included in sets due to the strong lofts. We are at a time when club manufactures are are just making stronger lofted clubs to help distance gains but at what point will that end? At this rate a 5 iron will be at 19 degrees replacing a 3 iron. What will that mean for us? Buying more wedges to make up the distance gaps because I'll soon be hitting my pitching wedge 190 yards lol. Adams Speedline 4G ultralite driver stiff shaft Taylormade SLDR driver extra stiff shaft Ping G20 3 wood stiff shaft Adams redline 3&4 hybrids stiff shaft Adams redline 5-PW stiff shaft Titleist Vokey sm5 wedges 52, 56, 60 Boccieri golf Heavy putter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdumble21 Posted April 12, 2018 Share Posted April 12, 2018 I used to have a hybrid instead of a 3 iron for a while, but the one I've got currently (i200) is more accurate and longer (by about 10m). Unlike the driving irons of the same lofts (e.g. T-MB, UDI, etc.), mine is a traditional iron rather than a chunkier one. Honestly, I think that the 2 iron (~17 degrees) is more of the modern 1 iron as there are still a lot of people who have them in the bag (as a driving iron, e.g. Titleist T-MB). Driver: Cobra F9 Speedback (9.0) with Fujikura Atmos 7X (Avalanche White) 3 Wood: Callaway Epic Sub-Zero (15 degrees) in Rogue Max 75g stiff shaft Hybrid (not in play): Callaway Apex 20 degree with Kurokage 80g Stiff Shaft Driving Iron: Wilson Staff Utility Iron 18 degree with KBS Hybrid Stiff shaft Irons: Wilson Staff CB 4-PW in KBS 120 Stiff shafts Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM6 - 50; Callaway MD4 - 56; Vokey SM9 - 60 Putter: Taylormade Rossa CGB Golf Ball: Srixon Z-Star Diamond Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickyBobby_PR Posted April 12, 2018 Share Posted April 12, 2018 Lofts to mcare just numbers and they vary based on design because oems have to get launch and spin right. From purely a loft number yeah the 3i is probably the new 1i but outside of a blade or even a players cb the 3i is more forgiving than the old 1i Something like an ap3 3i, maybe a tmb 2 or 3i, p790 2i would be options for some over a hybrid in that spot for guys who trouble with hybrids or prefer the look of irons. Driver: PXG 0811 X+ Proto w/UST Helium 5F4 Wood: TaylorMade M5 5W w/Accra TZ5 +1/2”, TaylorMade Sim 3W w/Aldila rogue white Hybrid: PXG Gen2 22* w/AD hybrid Irons: PXG Gen3 0311T w/Nippon modus 120 Wedges: TaylorMade MG2 50*, Tiger grind 56/60 Putter: Scotty Caemeron Super Rat1 Ball: Titleist Prov1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mooremikea Posted April 12, 2018 Share Posted April 12, 2018 I agree with some of the earlier comments when talking about lofts. Should the question be can anyone hit an iron with less than 18 degrees of loft. For some of the SGI irons with strong lofts that could be a 4 iron and for irons with what we now call "traditional" lofts that could be a 2 or 3 iron. I struggle with an iron with less than about 25 degrees of loft and get much better results from a hybrid. Driver - Ping G410 Plus 10.5 - Ping Tour 65 Stiff 4 Wood - Callaway Rogue - Project X Evenflow blue 6.0 Hybrids - Titleist 818 H2 - 3(c-1) and 4(c-4) - Tensei CK Blue 70 stiff Irons - Callaway Apex CF 16 5-AW - True Temper XP 95 Steel Stiff Wedges - Ping Glide 54 SS, 58 TS Putter - Edel e1 Torque balanced Indianapolis 5.5 Index Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fozcycle Posted April 12, 2018 Share Posted April 12, 2018 I carried a Spalding 2 iron for many years (still have it in the garage). I believe it to be about 80 years old now. Today, I sport a 16.5* 2H(Cobra Bio Cell). It is adjustable from 16.5* to 19*. I get a straight 190, a faded 180 or just a punch out from under the trees. I love this club and it will be hard to replace it when I order my new Cobra F8's. Driver: 0311 XF 10.5* w/Project X Cypher 40 gram Senior shaft or 0811 XF 12* w/Evenflo Riptide CB Senior shaft Fairways: 0211 5W & 7W w/ Evenflo Riptide CB regular shaft and Tour Edge E521 9W w/Fubuki HD50 regular shaft Hybrid: None in bag at the moment Irons: Titleist T300 5-PW w/Fubuki MV Senior graphite shafts w/Golf Pride Tour Wedges: Edison forged 49*, 53* and 57* wedges with KB PGI Senior shafts(80 grm). Putter: 33” Evnroll ER6R or ER2 or Bellum Winmore Model 707, or Nike Method Core Drone w/Evnroll Gravity Grip Bag: Vice cart bag(Black/Lime). Ball: Snell MTB Prime X, Maxfli Tour/S/X CG, Titleist Pro V1x or Titleist TruFeel Using Shot Scope X5 and Pinned Rangefinder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MDGolfHacker Posted April 12, 2018 Share Posted April 12, 2018 My current bag still has a 3 iron (Mizuno MP-57's). In fact, I used it yesterday. Love the feel of a well struck shot with it. The new setup coming for the Cobra Connect II challenge will most likely be from a 4 iron up (no 3 iron option) and a hybrid on the bottom end. MDGolfHacker TSssWhat's In This Lefty's Bag? Driver: TSR2 11° Project X HZRDUS Black 4G 60g 5.5 Flex Fairway Woods: F8 3W Project X Even Flow Blue 75g shaft Fairway Woods: Hybrid: TSR2 18° Graphite Design Tour AD DI-85 Shaft Irons: 2021 T200's 4-GW AMT RED shafts Regular Flex Wedge: Tour Satin RTX 4 Wedges in 52° and 56° 2 Dot Putter: Gray Matter TDP 2.2 32.75" Bag: Three 5 Ball: PRO V1 / Z*Star RangeFinder: In search of new range finder Social Media: Facebook: MD Golfhacker Twitter: @mdgolfhacker Instagram: mdgolfhacker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerceratops Posted April 12, 2018 Share Posted April 12, 2018 I play the nike vapor speed irons, and found that my 4i (21) and 5i (24) both go about the same distance (~200 carry). I expect a 3i to match would not go further for me. I picked up a 3h to fill the gap between the 5i and 3w (that I never hit well). I'd agree, that the modern 3i is nearly impossible to hit for a mortal, "utility" clubs not withstanding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PING Apologist #9 Posted April 12, 2018 Share Posted April 12, 2018 I agree with your initial thought on this as I don't know of anyone (yet) that carries anything like a 2 or a 1 iron and even 3 irons seem to be rare too. My current set up has my irons starting with a 4 that I rarely hit unless I'm far out and in some super thick stuff, otherwise I'll default to my 3H that I can hit pretty well most of the time out of the first cut-if it's short. My gaping near the top of my bag is fairly close together since I carry both a 3 & 5 wood too, but I generally reserve those for hits out of the fairway on long par 5's. I only keep the 4i around for "chunking" and actually have considered replacing it with another hybrid or even a crossover which might even be better... In my DLX Cart Bag: Driver: G410 SFT, set to 9.5*, Mitsubishi Tensei CK Orange 60, stiff (MGS Official 2019 Tester) 3W: G-Series SF TEC, set to 16*, Aldila Tour Blue ATX, 65g, stiff 5W: G400 SFT, set to 19*, Aldila Tour Blue ATX, 65g, stiff 7W: G410 SFT, set to 22*. Alta CB 65 Red, stiff Irons: GMax, Green Dot, 5-PW, Project X Graphite Blue 6.0, 80-90g , stiff Wedges: Glide 2.0 Stealth, 50* SS, 54* ES & 60*/8 Forged MGS Special from the Wedge Wizard, Green Dot, Alta CB graphite, 84g, stiff Putter: Vault 2.0 B60 Copper, 33", black dot w/GP SNSR grip (PING Sigma 2 Fetch under "see-trials") Ball: MTB BLACK (MGS Official 2018 Tester for the MTB RED) Shoes: Classics Tour w/Black Widow Softspikes Disabled Marine Veteran. Semper Fi! #No apologies, just Play Your Best #Powertotheplayers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azkaevolution Posted April 12, 2018 Share Posted April 12, 2018 Does it really matter what number is written on the bottom of the club as long as you hit it the distance and trajectory you want to hit it? who cares if the PW is an old school 9i, a GW the old PW, etc. Other than ego, what's the difference b/w hitting a 21* club from 1988 or 2018? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joshgellsworth Posted April 12, 2018 Author Share Posted April 12, 2018 The problem is lying with having to spend more money on wedges due to the distance increases.when you need to start buying your wedges at 40 degrees to close the gap from your PW is a issue that I'm not looking forward to Adams Speedline 4G ultralite driver stiff shaft Taylormade SLDR driver extra stiff shaft Ping G20 3 wood stiff shaft Adams redline 3&4 hybrids stiff shaft Adams redline 5-PW stiff shaft Titleist Vokey sm5 wedges 52, 56, 60 Boccieri golf Heavy putter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PMookie Posted April 12, 2018 Share Posted April 12, 2018 My Edel 4 Iron was 23, and I'm having my new Mizunos bent a degree strong, so it will be 23 also. Not sure what that USED to be, but I'm staying in irons with “traditional†lofts for the sole purpose of not having to build the bottom of the bag. I'm tired of companies saying “it's a 6 Iron†when, for me, it goes as far as a four iron... I know folks need the distance, but a 24* 6 Iron is NOT a 6 Iron..... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro Driver: Ping G430 Max 9*, Ping Tour 70X Fairway: Ping G425 15*, Ping Tour 70X Hybrid: Ping G425 22*, Ping Tour 80X Irons: Ping i230 4-GW, TT DG X100 Wedges: SMS 50D/54V/58DModus 130 stiff, +1” Putter: EAS 1.0 Ball: Titleist 2023 AVX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
00sportsman Posted April 12, 2018 Share Posted April 12, 2018 I agree with your initial thought on this as I don't know of anyone (yet) that carries anything like a 2 or a 1 iron and even 3 irons seem to be rare too. My current set up has my irons starting with a 4 that I rarely hit unless I'm far out and in some super thick stuff, otherwise I'll default to my 3H that I can hit pretty well most of the time out of the first cut-if it's short. My gaping near the top of my bag is fairly close together since I carry both a 3 & 5 wood too, but I generally reserve those for hits out of the fairway on long par 5's. I only keep the 4i around for "chunking" and actually have considered replacing it with another hybrid or even a crossover which might even be better... Me!! My Eye2 2-iron is never leaving my bag. I hit it better than any hybrid I've ever tried, and I can't even begin to tell you the number of times I've used it off the tee in tight quarters. I'm not perfect with it, by any stretch, but it's staying put. I don't have a 3-iron, however. My i20's start with 4. I always try to remember that I'm not good enough to get mad! My Bag: G400 Max G30 3W King S9-1 5W Aeroburner 3 Rescue/Hybrid G400 5-UW RTX4 52* and 56* 2Bar Mallet Traverse II Cart Bag Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zylem Posted April 12, 2018 Share Posted April 12, 2018 I believe the average player should explore replacing thier 3 and 4 irons with hybids if they haven't already. The hybrid tech is crazy these days. They are built to get the ball up in the air and can be played out of bunkers and most lies the iron they replace. They also great "chippers" around the greens. I feel like you do give up a little control playing hybrids over irons but they more than make up for it with their reliability. Even at my best I dreaded hitting a 3 iron off the tee. Now a days though it's just another shot. There are still a few courses I play that I carry a 4 iron for but for the most part I am team hybrid now. Heck I have a 2 hybid I carry every now and then when the course requires it. It sort of replaces a 5 wood. My Wife's set only has 7,8,9 irons and wedges everything eles is either hybrids or woods. This set has really helped her keep her interested in learning the game because of how much easier it is to hit the clubs at the top of her bag. So long story short, to answer your question, yes I see the 3 iron going the way of the 1. Not necessarily because lofts are getting stronger but because hybrids are so much easier to hit. Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revkev Posted April 12, 2018 Share Posted April 12, 2018 Here we go again 1 iron, 2 iron, 3 iron, 2 hybrid, 5 metal, 4 metal who cares? All that matters is that you know how far you hit it and how it works in your bag. Is it marketing? Certainly some but there have also been technological advances that cause the ball to be launched higher so lofts need to get stronger to mitigate against that. It's not all hype, some of the stronger lifting is necessary to make the clubs function properly. If you are blessed with enough distance to hit a PW 165 then perhaps you should consider working with a fitter to put together a set that gives you the appropriate gapping. That's what all of us need to do. Finally despite the so called distance gains the actual average drive for amateur golfers has hardly increased over the past 20 years and neither have our handicaps decreased. Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy Taylor Made Stealth 2 10.5 Diamana S plus 60 Aldila R flex - 42.25 inches SMT 4 wood bassara R flex, four wood head, 3 wood shaft Ping G410 7, 9 wood Alta 65 R flex Srixon ZX5 MK II 5-GW - UST recoil Dart 65 R flex India 52,56 (60 pending) UST recoil 75's R flex Evon roll ER 5 32 inches It's our offseason so auditioning candidates - looking for that right mix of low spin long, more spin around the greens - TBD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forefiji Posted April 12, 2018 Share Posted April 12, 2018 I think we have to add in club design. The old 1-iron had a 16 deg loft to offset the higher CoG. Today we lower the lower to offset a low CoG. Even the irons of today are really hybrids at the long iron end. Essentially half iron half wood. So to just consider loft ignores so many other variables Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cbk57 Posted April 12, 2018 Share Posted April 12, 2018 My irons being old are traditional lofts. My 3 iron according to specs I can find should be 23 degrees. I purchased a 3 hybrid which is 19 degrees. I can see no reason I would need a 1 or 2 iron as the 3 hybrid is such a sweet hitting club. It is also easy to hit and is very straight hitting. Any time I can I would hit my 3 hybrid over my 3 iron as I find the hybrid a bit easier but my 3 iron does fill the gap between the hybrid and my current 4 iron which should be 26.5 degrees. If I were to buy a new set, I would not bag a 3 iron with current lofts as even the most conservative lofts a 3 is usually about 21 degrees from my research. Driver Taylor Made M2 Ping G 3 wood 14.5 loftPing G hybrid 19Hogan Radial 3-PW(forged circa 1989)Evnroll ER2, Golf bag, old and worn out circa 1989 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GolfSpy_APH Posted April 12, 2018 Share Posted April 12, 2018 I currently have a 2 iron the 4 iron in my bag and really enjoy using them. I've used hybrids in the past, but have fallen in love with the 2 iron. No not the most forgiving, but does exactly what I want it to do on the course so I really can't see changing it out. It does seem like a lot more hybrids into sets as standard. Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy as of Nov 6, 2023 (Past WITB) Driver: Paradym TD w/ GD ADDI 6X Driver Shootout! Wood: F7 3 wood 14.5* w/ Motore F1 Shaft Irons: T Series - T200 5 Iron T150 6-9 Iron T100 PW/GW Wedge: Toura Golf - A Spec 53,37,61 degree Putter: Mezz Max! Balls: Vice Pro Plus Drip (Blue/Orange) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revkev Posted April 13, 2018 Share Posted April 13, 2018 Does it really matter what number is written on the bottom of the club as long as you hit it the distance and trajectory you want to hit it? who cares if the PW is an old school 9i, a GW the old PW, etc. Other than ego, what's the difference b/w hitting a 21* club from 1988 or 2018? I agree with what you're says but there is a difference. Today's club will have technology that makes it easier to hit regardless of what it's called or its type. It may even be a 4 hybrid (mine's a 22). I hit my 22 degree 3 iron in 1988 about 215. It was hit or miss. I hit my 4 hybrid today about 190, pretty consistently and on a much higher trajectory. Today's Indian would be the biggest difference between now and ‘88. Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy Taylor Made Stealth 2 10.5 Diamana S plus 60 Aldila R flex - 42.25 inches SMT 4 wood bassara R flex, four wood head, 3 wood shaft Ping G410 7, 9 wood Alta 65 R flex Srixon ZX5 MK II 5-GW - UST recoil Dart 65 R flex India 52,56 (60 pending) UST recoil 75's R flex Evon roll ER 5 32 inches It's our offseason so auditioning candidates - looking for that right mix of low spin long, more spin around the greens - TBD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cbk57 Posted April 13, 2018 Share Posted April 13, 2018 I agree with revkev, I always liked my long irons better than my woods, I could hit my 3 iron better than I could hit a 7 wood or a 5 wood as a rule. However, my new 3 hybrid is much easier to hit than my 3 iron and much more foregiving. If and or when I buy a modern set of irons i would not carry a 3 iron at all anymore. As nice as my 3 hybrid is, I am more likely to get a 4 hybrid and replace my 3 iron actually. Driver Taylor Made M2 Ping G 3 wood 14.5 loftPing G hybrid 19Hogan Radial 3-PW(forged circa 1989)Evnroll ER2, Golf bag, old and worn out circa 1989 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zylem Posted April 13, 2018 Share Posted April 13, 2018 I agree with revkev, I always liked my long irons better than my woods, I could hit my 3 iron better than I could hit a 7 wood or a 5 wood as a rule. However, my new 3 hybrid is much easier to hit than my 3 iron and much more foregiving. If and or when I buy a modern set of irons i would not carry a 3 iron at all anymore. As nice as my 3 hybrid is, I am more likely to get a 4 hybrid and replace my 3 iron actually. This is what I pretty much did. I replaced my 3 and 4 iron with a 4 and 5 hybrid. My goal was to match the lofts of the clubs. Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revkev Posted April 13, 2018 Share Posted April 13, 2018 My Titleist ball fitting last month was an eye opener on this. There is often a gap between the line negative iron that you bag and the most lofted wood/hybrid. I did away with 4 iron so last MGS sho that I can't remember. 5 iron was about 10 years ago. I handled the gap between it and 6 iron by strengthening the 6 2 degrees and the 7 one. I was very good with that set up. But things change especially as we get older. Fast forward to last month. I was struggling even with 6 iron. I have a 6 hybrid am not a big fan, two hard to control. So I'm thinking that I will make the same move. Enter the ball fitting. After the iron part the fitter told me that I could actually hit 7 iron (what was being tested) by going with an iron that has a wider sole and more loft. Counter intuitive but what the heck. I shot 76 on Sunday the first time out with the irons that have a wider sole and a bit more loft. Yesterday at the range I was reaching the 175 flag with six iron - downwind so 165 or more with no wind. The gap problem is resolved. The lesson here is that a good fitter can help with gapping and there may be ways to help the Indian hit his target more frequently through the proper equipment. Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy Taylor Made Stealth 2 10.5 Diamana S plus 60 Aldila R flex - 42.25 inches SMT 4 wood bassara R flex, four wood head, 3 wood shaft Ping G410 7, 9 wood Alta 65 R flex Srixon ZX5 MK II 5-GW - UST recoil Dart 65 R flex India 52,56 (60 pending) UST recoil 75's R flex Evon roll ER 5 32 inches It's our offseason so auditioning candidates - looking for that right mix of low spin long, more spin around the greens - TBD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zylem Posted April 13, 2018 Share Posted April 13, 2018 I have noticed a bigger gap between my 5 hybrid and 5 iron than elsewhere in my bag. It's not huge and I am able to make up for it by gripping down some on the 5 hybrid. At one time I thought about doing what Kev did, strengthening my 5 iron a degree or two but I held off and played a few rounds. It's seems like maybe I've lucked out some because that distance in the gap doesn't really come up on the courses I play. So I'm just letting it ride. I seem to remember that during my last fitting the fitter saying I could strengthen all my iron 1 degree because I hit them a little higher than most. But I was right on the threshold for the recommendation so we left them stock. Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrg92 Posted April 19, 2018 Share Posted April 19, 2018 was walking around roger dun and could barely find any sets with a 3 iron. In fact most of the 3 irons i found were driving irons tucked away in the back of the store. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDHolmes Posted April 19, 2018 Share Posted April 19, 2018 I still carry a ping zing 2 iron for those low punch shots or as a wind beater. It's always a fade and good for 220ish yards on full swing. It seldom gets me into trouble and often out of trouble. I switch it out with a 2 hybrid from time to time. Unlike a 4 or 5 iron, it gets used every round Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newballcoach Posted April 20, 2018 Share Posted April 20, 2018 The Steelhead's I tested last year had what everyone would consider to be strong lofts. I was excited to play with the 3-iron, because I had never had one before. It's 18 degrees. I don't hit it very well from the grass (I sometimes use it for punchouts, but the length makes even that hard to do). The one place where it shines is off the tee. There are always a few holes at every course I play where a shorter, more accurate drive is to my benefit, and that's the job for the 3-iron. My friends are mad I have it, because they can't rely on me to hook s*** into the woods all the time. When I talked to the callaway rep last year while I was getting fit, he was discussing lofts and basically saying that if they can get the 7-iron level spin, launch and height from a club that is 3-4 degrees stronger, they will do it because it means more distance. While I agree that creates big gaps with wedges, it makes sense for the average golfer. Most internet golfers are not your average hacker. WITB Driver- PING G400 LST w/ Project X Evenflow Black Fwy- TM Aeroburner 16.5HL Irons- Callaway Steelhead XR (3-PW) Wedges- Callaway MD3 (50,54,58) Putter- Cleveland TFI Satin Cero Ball- Snell MTB-X Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbtrsc Posted May 5, 2018 Share Posted May 5, 2018 Well, I now sorta see now where you're going with this - but as I mentioned before, the last time I carried a 1-iron it was a 16-degree Tommy Armour 845 back in the early 1990s. And it and the matching 2-iron were sold as options - and it was also when they introduced us to "Gap Wedges" - as a matching 52* W3, to fill in the gap between their 48* PW and 56* SW, was also available. ... I remember the TV and print ads, and some of the other geezers here probably do as well. And sure, over the last 10 years we've all seen the loft race, which most manufacturers have participated in to exaggerate their claims in iron distances, and to feed our vanities - and probably at the same time to make consistent the loft distances between the lowest iron someone might play and the hybrids many of us have replaced one or more of our long irons with. Personally, I had no interest in buying a set with a 3-iron or a 4-iron when I purchased new irons last year - as I'd abandoned them going on 30 years ago upon finding a 7-wood I was able to hit and stop on greens instead of watching even well struck long irons roll through and off the back of greens, which I later replaced with hybrids. How you choose to make up your bag is up to you, like everyone else. I still don't know if I'm buying your 165-PW. End of the day I really don't much care what the numbers are stamped on clubs, as long as their lofts satisfactorily fill the gaps I need for my game. And if it means I'm adding a fourth wedge to my bag, so be it. ... Because, hell, I was carrying 3 wedges in the '90s even before I even considered adding a lob wedge. I had the TA845s as well. That one iron was about 2-3 degrees stronger lofted than any other on the market at the time. And I could KILL it! I had the full set 1-LW. Sometimes I wonder why I still don't. Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy ------------------------------ Driver: Titleist TSr2 11 - UST Helium 5F3 Fairway: Titleist TS2 16.5 and 21 - Evenflow Riptide CB R Irons: Titleist U505 4U and T300 5-GW - Aerotech SteelFiber i80 R Wedges: Cleveland Black RTX ZipCore 54 and Full Face 58 - True Temper Dynamic Gold Wedge Putter: Odyssey TriHot 5K TripleWide Bag: Titleist 15 Cart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stage1350 Posted May 7, 2018 Share Posted May 7, 2018 Just play forged blades. Most still have a PW closer to 47-48° and haven't gone as strong as garlic on their lofts. Tour Issue Callaway GBB Epic Sub Zero 9° / Graphite Design P9003 TX OR Tour Issue Taylormade M1 430 9.5° / Graphite Design P9003 TX Tour Issue Callaway XHot 3 Deep 13° / Graphite Design DI-10 TX Tour Issue Callaway XHot 3 Deep 13° / Project X T1100 95g 6.5 Tour Issue Titleist 915Hd 17.5° / Graphite Design DI-105 X Tour Issue Callaway BB Alpha 815 18° / Graphite Design DI-105 X Scratch AR-1 v2 3-PW / Tour Issue Dynamic Gold X7 Raw Bridgestone J15CB 3-PW / Tour Issue Dynamic Gold X7 Scratch FIT 54°DS and 60°DS / Tour Issue Dynamic Gold X7 Bettinardi H2 Forged 54° and 60° / Tour Issue Dynamic Gold X7 Rotating 8802 style putters Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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