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Driving Iron or Hybrid?


chisag

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20 minutes ago, Miketheripper said:

I've been avoiding commenting on this topic, why? Because I've been cheating for months now by carrying 15 clubs in my bag, I dropped the 4 iron years ago in favor of a hybrid, but lately with all the hype about driving irons and GI long irons I decided to buy a low cost driving iron, which worked pretty well, then I decided to buy the matching GI 4 iron for my set, and I hit I about the same as the driving iron, but if I'm really honest, for my age and skill level the hybrid is the best choice, but ego and pride won't allow me to pull the set 4 iron out of the bag, so I've been playing for months with 15 clubs still trying to decide between the long iron or the hybrid, even though I know the hybrid is the right choice for my age and skill level.
I still haven't given up on the driving iron either, damn! I'm indecisive.

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Well, here is my advice. For 10 rounds, hit both the 4 iron and 4 hybrid when you would normally only hit one of them. Then assign each shot a value from 1-10, 1 being terrible and 10 bring wonderful. After the 10 rounds, take the average of the data you have collected and pick the best one. 

Wilson Staff C300 9.0* Fujikura Pro 58 stiff

Callaway Rogue 3W Mitsubishi Diamana D+ LTD 80 stiff

Mizuno MP-18 MMC FLI-HI 2 iron UST Mamiya Recoil 95 stiff

Ping I200's 4-W Aerotech Steelfiber I110 CW stiff

Ping Glide 52* and 58* stiff

Bettinardi Studio Stock #38 Armlock

 

 

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Well, here is my advice. For 10 rounds, hit both the 4 iron and 4 hybrid when you would normally only hit one of them. Then assign each shot a value from 1-10, 1 being terrible and 10 bring wonderful. After the 10 rounds, take the average of the data you have collected and pick the best one. 
Sounds like a pretty good idea, I definitely need to do something to help push me into making a decision.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I know I'm a bit late to this party and somebody else might have already mentioned it but if you're considering going the UDI route, Dynacraft makes what appears to be a really solid option in both 18 and 21 degrees. I haven't played them but am going to be picking up the 18* after work today very lightly used for $30. Hireko is a component club company where you can either buy parts to build your own clubs or they'll custom build clubs to your specs. If you bought the head by itself it's like $15 + shipping. Don't let the "non-name-brand" be a factor. Component club companies can make some really excellent stuff that shouldn't be overlooked. You can order one custom built on Hireko Golf for around $40 shipped. https://www.hirekogolf.com/golf-clubs/custom-golf-clubs/golf-irons/dynacraft-driving-iron-custom-assembled.html

Additionally, an excellent Hybrid option under the component branding is the golfworks Maltby Ke4 Hybrid. I currently play the 21* option and absolutely love it! I've even compared to other big name current offerings and this thing outperforms most. 

https://www.golfworks.com/maltby-ke4-tc-hybrid-pak/p/pma0301/

These are some very inexpensive options to allow you to experiment without breaking the bank. It's also fun to be a little more involved with club building IMO. 

 

If you'd like, I can provide more feedback, pics, etc on the Dynacraft UDI after I have a chance to hit it this weekend. 

   PXG 0311 Gen 5 9°/ Fujikura MotoreX F1 6X
:cobra-small:  F6 3 Wood 14* / Kuro Kage Silver 65X
:cobra-small: F8 6 wood 20* / Fujikura MotoreX F3 6S

:cobra-small: RADSpeed Hybrid 24*
post-76102-0-38507100-1525284411_thumb.jpg TS1 4-GW / FCM Precision 6.5 Rifle
post-76102-0-38507100-1525284411_thumb.jpg  TSW Wedge - 56/12
:edel-golf-1:  EAS 1.0 / Grip master 2.0 

MAXFLI  Tour CG

 

 

 

 

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... The problem with the Hireko is the amount of offset compared to most of the OEM DI's. Better players which is the DI market,  usually do not like much offset let alone excessive offset. By comparison some have complained about the 3.2mm of offset on the TM 790 UDi and the Hireko has 4.2mm of offset. If offset does not bother you this is a great experiment and I wish you good luck with your's. 

Driver:     :taylormade-small:  Qi10 10.5* ... Ventus Red Velocore 5R
Fairway:  :cobra-small: Aerojet 3/5 ... Kai'li Blue 60R
Hybrids:  :ping-small:      430 Hybrid 22*... Steelfiber 780Hy 
                  :taylormade-small:  DHy #4 ... Diamana LTD 65r 
Irons:       :titleist-small:         '23 T200 5-Pw ... Steelfiber i95r
Wedges:  :taylormade-small: Vokey 50*/54*/58* ... Steelfiber i95r
Putter:     :cobra-small:  Sport-60 33" 
Ball:           Maxfli     Maxfli Tour

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17 minutes ago, chisag said:

... The problem with the Hireko is the amount of offset compared to most of the OEM DI's. Better players which is the DI market,  usually do not like much offset let alone excessive offset. By comparison some have complained about the 3.2mm of offset on the TM 790 UDi and the Hireko has 4.2mm of offset. If offset does not bother you this is a great experiment and I wish you good luck with your's. 

I too was very curious and almost concerned about the offset posting on the Hireko web site. My current irons are .100 offset through the entire set so I'm used to playing with little to no offset. I did find this post on MGS that shows a top profile of the club and the offset doesn't seem very aggressive at all. I'm almost wondering if the specs on Hireko are off somehow? Even the poster of the topic made the statement that the offset isn't off-putting at all. Now granted, this is a 21* which is slightly less offset than the 18* and I don't know what his point of reference is to offset as he doesn't have his clubs listed in his signature. Going off of the pics though, this is something that I can live with. Currently I play a Callaway Apex 2 iron which does have more offset than I prefer. For $30 though, I don't really think I can go wrong with giving it a whirl. 

 

 

   PXG 0311 Gen 5 9°/ Fujikura MotoreX F1 6X
:cobra-small:  F6 3 Wood 14* / Kuro Kage Silver 65X
:cobra-small: F8 6 wood 20* / Fujikura MotoreX F3 6S

:cobra-small: RADSpeed Hybrid 24*
post-76102-0-38507100-1525284411_thumb.jpg TS1 4-GW / FCM Precision 6.5 Rifle
post-76102-0-38507100-1525284411_thumb.jpg  TSW Wedge - 56/12
:edel-golf-1:  EAS 1.0 / Grip master 2.0 

MAXFLI  Tour CG

 

 

 

 

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Demoed a lot of different clubs in the hybrid and driving iron range and for me personally, I feel the driving iron is overall a more versatile club if you can hit it. Replacing my hybrid with one has been a huge game improvement plus nothing beats taking an iron off the tee when your buddies are pulling hybrids and woods.

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One of my favorite clubs in my bag is my Titleist 816 hybrid.  I've hit a number of memorable shots with it and I can use it from the tee, out of the rough, in the fairway and chipping next to the green.

I added a driving iron to my bag this year to replace my 4i and although I hit some good shots with it I just never really got comfortable using it.  I think I'm going to replace it next year with another hybrid and do what Webb did at the Players -  2 hybrids and then a 5i.

But - and this is key as @chisag has stated - try them both.... you'll know relatively quickly which one fits you the best.

DriverCobra  Aerojet LS
Woods-
Cobra  LTD 3w 15*, 5W 19*,  F9 24* 
Irons- XXIO X (6-A)

Wedges- Callaway Jaws Raw (54/58)

Putter- Bettinardi BB56
Ball- Maxfli Tour X/Wilson Triad
Buggy- Clicgear 4.0
Bag- Callaway Org 14/Fairway C

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Now that we are in the off-season and I have a couple spots I’m considering updating next year I’m pondering driving iron over my 19* hybrid but also pondering one instead of 16.5* wood. I normally only use the wood off the tee and the concept of DI there is intriguing. The forgiveness of the hybrid has me leaning staying with one in that spot since it’s a tee and approach shot club on longer holes

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

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one other consideration - at least for me it was - are you a sweeper or do you take a full divot?

I'm more of a sweeper and just "bruise" the ground and that makes a hybrid more comfortable.  I suppose if I took a bit more of a divot a driving iron might be more comfortable?

DriverCobra  Aerojet LS
Woods-
Cobra  LTD 3w 15*, 5W 19*,  F9 24* 
Irons- XXIO X (6-A)

Wedges- Callaway Jaws Raw (54/58)

Putter- Bettinardi BB56
Ball- Maxfli Tour X/Wilson Triad
Buggy- Clicgear 4.0
Bag- Callaway Org 14/Fairway C

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6 hours ago, strokerAce said:

one other consideration - at least for me it was - are you a sweeper or do you take a full divot?

I'm more of a sweeper and just "bruise" the ground and that makes a hybrid more comfortable.  I suppose if I took a bit more of a divot a driving iron might be more comfortable?

Definitely agree with this, I take a fairly large divot and that makes a DI a LOT more comfortable than a hybrid. I could never get over the "swing it like an iron" thing with a hybrid.  

Wilson Staff C300 9.0* Fujikura Pro 58 stiff

Callaway Rogue 3W Mitsubishi Diamana D+ LTD 80 stiff

Mizuno MP-18 MMC FLI-HI 2 iron UST Mamiya Recoil 95 stiff

Ping I200's 4-W Aerotech Steelfiber I110 CW stiff

Ping Glide 52* and 58* stiff

Bettinardi Studio Stock #38 Armlock

 

 

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So here's the Dynacraft 18°. Bought it tonight for $30. I really think that the specs on the hireko site are off. As you can see, the offset is quite minimal. I put it side by side with my 4 iron (middle) and my Callaway Apex 2 iron (left). The Apex offset is much more aggressive. Can't wait to put this thing into action!1116181847a.jpeg1116181927-1.jpeg

Sent from my VS985 4G using MyGolfSpy mobile app

   PXG 0311 Gen 5 9°/ Fujikura MotoreX F1 6X
:cobra-small:  F6 3 Wood 14* / Kuro Kage Silver 65X
:cobra-small: F8 6 wood 20* / Fujikura MotoreX F3 6S

:cobra-small: RADSpeed Hybrid 24*
post-76102-0-38507100-1525284411_thumb.jpg TS1 4-GW / FCM Precision 6.5 Rifle
post-76102-0-38507100-1525284411_thumb.jpg  TSW Wedge - 56/12
:edel-golf-1:  EAS 1.0 / Grip master 2.0 

MAXFLI  Tour CG

 

 

 

 

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20 hours ago, strokerAce said:

one other consideration - at least for me it was - are you a sweeper or do you take a full divot?

I'm more of a sweeper and just "bruise" the ground and that makes a hybrid more comfortable.  I suppose if I took a bit more of a divot a driving iron might be more comfortable?

 

... While it is better to take a divot with both a hybrid and a DI, sweeping any hybrid with good contact will produce good results and even balls hit a hair thin will suffer very little with a hybrid. Otoh a DI can also be hit with excellent results just brushing the ground but shots hit thin will suffer much more than the hybrid, as will shots hit toward the toe. So while there is some truth to there being a difference between sweeping or hitting down and thru, a more accurate determining factor is ball striking. With most hybrids and DI's you can get away with marginal to poor ball striking using a hybrid but not with a DI that pretty much needs good contact to perform, so that alone will mean the majority of golfers will probably have better results with a hybrid.

... And of course as you stated above, comfort and confidence is paramount to hitting any shot. I just feel I will be more accurate using a DI compared to a hybrid. But you look at the top players on the LPGA Tour, which more resembles Am's swing speeds and you see players like Lydia Ko, Mo Marin and even Michelle Wie among many, many others that are laser accurate with multiple hybrids in their bag. 

Driver:     :taylormade-small:  Qi10 10.5* ... Ventus Red Velocore 5R
Fairway:  :cobra-small: Aerojet 3/5 ... Kai'li Blue 60R
Hybrids:  :ping-small:      430 Hybrid 22*... Steelfiber 780Hy 
                  :taylormade-small:  DHy #4 ... Diamana LTD 65r 
Irons:       :titleist-small:         '23 T200 5-Pw ... Steelfiber i95r
Wedges:  :taylormade-small: Vokey 50*/54*/58* ... Steelfiber i95r
Putter:     :cobra-small:  Sport-60 33" 
Ball:           Maxfli     Maxfli Tour

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So here's the Dynacraft 18°. Bought it tonight for $30. I really think that the specs on the hireko site are off. As you can see, the offset is quite minimal. I put it side by side with my 4 iron (middle) and my Callaway Apex 2 iron (left). The Apex offset is much more aggressive. Can't wait to put this thing into action!1116181847a.thumb.jpeg.059dcd48c44d4d4086518a98119c4cee.jpeg1116181927-1.thumb.jpeg.798d0036eaadc25f003eaeb414c9860a.jpeg

 

Sent from my VS985 4G using MyGolfSpy mobile app

 

 

I would have to agree with you on the specs possibly being wrong, I have a 21-degree dynacraft DI that I assembled for under $30, and to my eye it appears to have a very moderate amount of offset. It's actually a pretty nice hitting club, especially for the price.

 

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

 

 

 

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On 7/11/2018 at 7:40 AM, mooremikea said:

Has anyone gone with a GI or SGI club instead of a "driving iron". 

I went with a Wilson 1200GE 1 or 2 iron until the PRGR 200i came out with big fanfare.

Early Pings before that.

For me, the driving iron,    or GI long iron  used as one,    like the driver and putter,    was a one-trick-pony.

I only played it as an alternative to hitting driver on tight driving holes.

Sometimes I carried a one-trick-pony sand iron as well, which brought the total  of one-trick-ponies  to four.

I never worried about overlapping lofts if the clubs were shot-specific.

Ten clubs were usually enough for a linear loft progression.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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On 11/17/2018 at 1:08 PM, Miketheripper said:

I would have to agree with you on the specs possibly being wrong, I have a 21-degree dynacraft DI that I assembled for under $30, and to my eye it appears to have a very moderate amount of offset. It's actually a pretty nice hitting club, especially for the price.

 

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

 

 

 

took this thing to PGATSS to get a feel and collect a bit of launch monitor data. Holy schnikes this thing is a hot rocket! Off the deck, avg carry around 230 with about 15 yds of roll out. Spin was mid-high 3's with a height of around 30 yds (that's armor piercing right thur!). Off the tee, the spin was a tad higher, distance was about an extra 5-10 yds but with less roll out and about the same total distance. These are the exact #'s that I would want to see from a UDI. Not to mention, the feel and overall performance far exceeded my expectations for something that I paid $30 for. I've had a chance to hit a "few" of the other UDI's on the floor (Exotics CBX iron wood, TM P790, Callaway X forged, Ping Crossover, Mizuno MMC, Cobra King UT, Titleist 718, and Srixon Z U85 (pretty much 70% of the MGS most wanted UT iron testings) and I'd put money on it to say that this would stand its ground with anything on the market and for $30-$40 this wins the bangs-for-bucks category by a landslide. So stoked about this find! 

   PXG 0311 Gen 5 9°/ Fujikura MotoreX F1 6X
:cobra-small:  F6 3 Wood 14* / Kuro Kage Silver 65X
:cobra-small: F8 6 wood 20* / Fujikura MotoreX F3 6S

:cobra-small: RADSpeed Hybrid 24*
post-76102-0-38507100-1525284411_thumb.jpg TS1 4-GW / FCM Precision 6.5 Rifle
post-76102-0-38507100-1525284411_thumb.jpg  TSW Wedge - 56/12
:edel-golf-1:  EAS 1.0 / Grip master 2.0 

MAXFLI  Tour CG

 

 

 

 

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