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New 2019 Maltby Driving Iron FDI(updated highly requested old HDI)


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Update. Even with Mis hits these Maltby heads are the perfect replacement for your standard hybrids and fairways. I broke 80 for the first time yesterday with a 78 at Arizona National. When your long irons stay on line it makes a huge difference. 180 yard par 3s become very do able and short par for tee shots become cake. 

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I use the Maltby TE forged irons with Nippon 950 shafts(great combo and love the irons) but I find it hard to believe these FDI's would out perform my Tour Edge EX10 hybrids with Recoil 670 shafts and E8 Beta 3wood with the Aerotech Claymore shaft and my new CBX #2 iron-wood with the hzrdus shaft, but I've been proven wrong before, lol. Like with the irons, I had Mizuno MP57's before, I'll be hard pressed to get the TE's out of my bag now.

I've never tried the Recoil 660 shafts, how do they compare to the 670?

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  • 1 month later...

The KEs are really fantastic. I have to start by saying they described him as a player is iron. They are not, they are a game improvement iron and they look the part. However, you can work them. They really perform admirably and are incredibly forgiving. I loved my Yonex Ezone MBs but if I hit the center of the club face they would go 20 yards further than normal. As a 13 handicap I just didn’t hit the dead center of the club face enough. I purchased these as a transitional set As I plan to go get fitted at club champion at some point. My distances are much more predictable with this set and the KBS tour 110s are the best iron shaft I’ve ever played. Overall, really good irons. Just be prepared to adjust to looking at a super fat top line. But they do not just want to go high and left like my Callaway Big Bertha game improvements did. They can hit any shot you want and feel fantastic. 

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I'm considering those, my fairway woods and hybrids has lost its starting positions so now I have a 18 to 21 degree gap to fill. I still have the old black KE4 4 and 5. I'll probably build both the new KE4 2, 3 and compare with the Dynacraft's driving iron to see which performs better.

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  • 4 weeks later...

I have the 3 HDI and have loved that club but I had an extra FDI 3 after a customer backed out. I reshafted it exactly like my HDI which has an Xcaliber Tour X. The FDI in satin is a stunning head. Finish is just beautiful.
In play it's been a nice improvement in feel over the HDI which has the DBM finish. The HDI has a much better feel and leaves you with a crushed it feel. I had not tried them head to head but the new one is going a long way. May be my better swing these days but it's just launching the ball.

If you want an iron type hybrid look no further.

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Unfortunately Golfworks really botched my order and my ordered in May FDI just arrived last week.. To make matters worse, it arrived with the wrong shaft.  That aside, I'm still trying to decide what to make of it.  We now have our true summer conditions with lots of hardpan and my FDI 4 has been very long - sometimes too long as it rolls through doglegs into the woods, etc.  Feel is lively but solid.  Plays very neutral which is what I was seeking since my left miss was sometimes exacerbated by hybrids.

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  • 7 months later...

I expect the KE4 FDI I ordered will be delivered tomorrow.  It is the 2 hybrid with the stock Maltby shaft in the pak assembled with standard length and loft, 1 degree upright.  I'm putting this against the Titleist 816 H1 21* and hoping it will be easier to control left to right and gap well between my 4 iron and 5 wood.  The local courses are closed so I'll be hitting practice balls (foam) in the garage.

Dave

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As I mentioned yesterday I received my KE4 FDI today and given the courses are closed I put it through the paces in my garage net hitting foam balls and birdie balls.

First impressions are positive.  It is a reasonably large head and inspires confidence at address.  I must have swapped a shorter shaft on my 21* 816 H1 because the Maltby at standard club length (40") has a longer playing length by about 1/2".  The FDI is much larger than the TE forged in all dimensions, but particularly in sole width and top line.  The FDI looks looks very nice.

It is hard to tell what is going on hitting foam balls/birdie balls in the garage.  Initial takeaways are that it launches noticeably lower than both my 4 iron and the 21* hybrid, but I was able to get it in the air whether off a tee or off my Fiberbilt flight deck.  I was also able to start it on my intended line.  I'll have to see shot curvature when I'm able to hit it outdoors.

The regular flex Maltby Pro hybrid shaft is thought to play firm on the Golfworks site, but honestly I'm not seeing it.  It flexes substantially more than my iron shafts which is probably to my benefit as I need launch in a club like this.

For the club to stick in my bag I need it to: 1) be able to flight it straight and count on it going mostly straight, 2) provide a useful backup tee option on tight holes that have caused me problems the past couple years, 3) be an option for hitting into longer par 3s (none have trouble in front so run out is ok there), 4) be able to gap properly between my 4 iron and 5 wood.

Address:TE forged 4 iron left / KE4 FDI 2 hybrid middle / Titleist 816 H1 21* right

20200330_162703_1000.jpg.cdae8f1ead0fd9b35780d0709cc6f429.jpg

Soles: TE forged 4 iron left / KE4 FDI 2 hybrid on right

20200330_184217_1000.jpg.ec5d47064bf96927bcb0cd645da893de.jpg

Backs of clubs: TE forged 4 iron / KE4 FDI 2 hybrid

20200330_184256_1000.thumb.jpg.abf46c05b76c12bbc2721d52f1d8acea.jpg

Club faces: TE forged 4 iron top / KE4 FDI 2 hybrid bottom

20200330_184330_1000.jpg.d38c81fe8e68edf0d1d2205d8758d280.jpg

Dave

 

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I wonder if I may end up with the same issue, but I hope not.  They are inexpensive enough that it is worth trying for me.

I find the hybrid launches high enough that it does not provide much roll out at all off the tee and I tend to spray it left/right.  I'm hoping this club will be easier to consistently square up and give potential for more run, but I have to be able to get it airborne consistently.

Dave

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i used the FDI today with my Mevo and Sklz hitting net in the backyard.  I was having trouble finding the center and found ball speed losses accordingly. 

I think I was putting better all around swings on my 3 wood and found ball speed deviation was smaller with that than the FDI.  I'm not fully used to the FDI yet and will need further testing.

I'm typically a low 120s ball speed guy with the driver on good strikes and on solid strikes with the FDI was seeing 110 ball speed. Good 3 wood strikes ball speed today was 117. 

My swing speed is slow for a club of this type, but the local courses I play have a few short par 4s where mishit drivers go OB  and also have 170-ish par 3s where the FDI could have a purpose.

Dave

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i used the FDI today with my Mevo and Sklz hitting net in the backyard.  I was having trouble finding the center and found ball speed losses accordingly. 
I think I was putting better all around swings on my 3 wood and found ball speed deviation was smaller with that than the FDI.  I'm not fully used to the FDI yet and will need further testing.
I'm typically a low 120s ball speed guy with the driver on good strikes and on solid strikes with the FDI was seeing 110 ball speed. Good 3 wood strikes ball speed today was 117. 
My swing speed is slow for a club of this type, but the local courses I play have a few short par 4s where mishit drivers go OB  and also have 170-ish par 3s where the FDI could have a purpose.
Dave
Which loft did you go with?

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2 hours ago, Popeye64 said:

Which loft did you go with?

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19*.  Options I'm considering:  19* FDI gapping with 24* TE 4 iron and even 4* gaps from 5i through GW or 21*, 25* 816 H1 hybrids into the same 5i-GW.  My long club off the turf is a 5 wood.

Dave

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19*.  Options I'm considering:  19* FDI gapping with 24* TE 4 iron and even 4* gaps from 5i through GW or 21*, 25* 816 H1 hybrids into the same 5i-GW.  My long club off the turf is a 5 wood.
Dave
For your swing speed the 19 is pretty aggressive. The 21 would have fit better with your 4 iron and been a lot more playable for you.

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4 minutes ago, Popeye64 said:

For your swing speed the 19 is pretty aggressive. The 21 would have fit better with your 4 iron and been a lot more playable for you.

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I thought a 3* gap from 21* to 24* would not work.  19* may be too low of a loft, but is too early to say.  If 19* turns out to be too low one option is to bend it.

It is a relatively low cost experiment.  Maltby clubs are a tremendous value.  I really like the TE forged.

Dave

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I thought a 3* gap from 21* to 24* would not work.  19* may be too low of a loft, but is too early to say.  If 19* turns out to be too low one option is to bend it.
It is a relatively low cost experiment.  Maltby clubs are a tremendous value.  I really like the TE forged.
Dave
The modern lofting drops to a 3° gap in the lower lofted clubs.
For instance the TS-2s drop to a 3° gap after the 7 iron. But grow to 5 ahead of it.
The TS-1s 3-4 are 2.5° which then goes to 3.5 and gets as high as 4.5.
So to your point the 3° gap is actually where you want to be.

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Since my initial poor session I've had 3 more sessions each with promising results.  Today I played a simulated round using my outdoor net (which means switching clubs for each shot and not necessarily getting in a groove with a particular club) with passable results.  

Unless there directional issues that I can't see given I'm hitting into a net I think this club is a good fit for "must stay inbounds" tee shots and ~ 170 yard par 3s.

My 2018 Top Flite Gamers I've been using with the metallic dots are getting really worn.  I'm going to take them out of play and start using new ones.

Simulated round:

2I
Shot View Ball Speed (mph) Club Speed (mph) Smash Carry (yds) Launch Angle V (°) Spin (rpm) Height Time (s)  
1   103.3 76.9 1.34 145 18.2 3964 64′4″ 5.1 delete
2   115.3 80.9 1.43 169.8 17.3 3787 77′12″ 5.7 delete
3   109.8 79.5 1.38 159.7 21.1 3964 88′1″ 5.8 delete
Avg   109.5 79.1 1.38 158.1 18.9 3905 76′10″ 5.5  
Dev   4.9 1.7 0.03 10.2 1.6 83 9′9″ 0.3  

Yesterday off tee:

2I
Shot View Ball Speed (mph) Club Speed (mph) Smash Carry (yds) Launch Angle V (°) Spin (rpm) Height Time (s)  
1   103.8 74 1.4 144 16.5 4034 57′10″ 4.9 delete
2   108.2 72.8 1.49 157.9 21.9 3624 87′5″ 5.7 delete
3   108.2 75.2 1.44 159.5 22.5 3294 88′11″ 5.8 delete
4   108 76.8 1.41 155.8 20.6 4027 83′1″ 5.7 delete
5   113.7 77.3 1.47 169.2 21.4 3578 95′3″ 6 delete
6   109.8 76.6 1.43 161 17.9 2902 66′11″ 5.2 delete
Avg   108.6 75.4 1.44 157.9 20.1 3577 79′11″ 5.5  
Dev   2.9 1.6 0.03 7.5 2.2 398 13′2″ 0.4  

 

Yesterday off the mat: --- I do not believe the spin number

3I
Shot View Ball Speed (mph) Club Speed (mph) Smash Carry (yds) Launch Angle V (°) Spin (rpm) Height Time (s)  
1   109.8 77.6 1.42 153.5 17.3 5379 75′5″ 5.5 delete
2   107.8 75.7 1.43 150.3 18.6 5378 77′7″ 5.5 delete
3   106.3 77.2 1.38 149.5 18 4576 70′2″ 5.3 delete
Avg   108 76.8 1.41 151.1 18 5111 74′5″ 5.5  
Dev   1.4 0.8 0.02 1.7 0.5 378 3′1″ 0.1  

Dave

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21 hours ago, Popeye64 said:

The modern lofting drops to a 3° gap in the lower lofted clubs.
For instance the TS-2s drop to a 3° gap after the 7 iron. But grow to 5 ahead of it.
The TS-1s 3-4 are 2.5° which then goes to 3.5 and gets as high as 4.5.
So to your point the 3° gap is actually where you want to be.

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Hi Popeye, so I am trying to understand why companies make the gaps bigger in your scoring clubs and smaller in your long irons?  I would think we would want smaller gaps in scoring irons/wedges?  Is it because of the tech in the new age clubs?  

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Hi Popeye, so I am trying to understand why companies make the gaps bigger in your scoring clubs and smaller in your long irons?  I would think we would want smaller gaps in scoring irons/wedges?  Is it because of the tech in the new age clubs?  
Distance sells. Somewhere in the industry in the UGI and SGI categories they decided the slower swing players needed some help. So they started adding loft and higher launching irons. The trend caught on and now its seems that even players style irons are creeping up in loft.
I still have a pretty fast swing and I struggle with the 5° gaps but I see slower players seem to be just fine.
I do play SGI style irons in my long irons but a blade style in my scoring irons. So its 4° gaps for me in the scoring clubs up to 6 iron.
So I actually play two 6 irons the blade 6 iron is 31°. The SGI iron 6 iron is 27° and the 5 is 24°. That leaves me a utility iron at 21°.
For me it's just the right gapping.

Distance is sexy and it sells. Bottom line.

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1 hour ago, Popeye64 said:

Distance sells. Somewhere in the industry in the UGI and SGI categories they decided the slower swing players needed some help. So they started adding loft and higher launching irons. The trend caught on and now its seems that even players style irons are creeping up in loft.
I still have a pretty fast swing and I struggle with the 5° gaps but I see slower players seem to be just fine.
I do play SGI style irons in my long irons but a blade style in my scoring irons. So its 4° gaps for me in the scoring clubs up to 6 iron.
So I actually play two 6 irons the blade 6 iron is 31°. The SGI iron 6 iron is 27° and the 5 is 24°. That leaves me a utility iron at 21°.
For me it's just the right gapping.

Distance is sexy and it sells. Bottom line.

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I am guessing if I bent my TS2’s weak to more traditional lofts I wouldn’t like the result with ball flight? 

Wish I was good enough for more players type iron but I have a lot of swing speed but need the forgiveness of a GI iron. 

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I am guessing if I bent my TS2’s weak to more traditional lofts I wouldn’t like the result with ball flight? 

Wish I was good enough for more players type iron but I have a lot of swing speed but need the forgiveness of a GI iron. 
It's really tough to start bending a modern set to get to traditional lofts. The 5° gaps make it impossible. I never liked aggressive loft changes as it changes bounce as well. Not in a good way.
That's why I cant get away from the MMB blacks and then the TS-2 long irons. The TS-2s are so easy to hit and accurate from long range.
I work in the TS-1s at times but I just love the 4° gaps of the MMBs. I keep going back to them.

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I've seen this driving iron in the catalog I get in the mail. Had my eye on it and may have to give it a try after reading this thread.

D  :ping-small: G30

3W :Hogan: coming soon

5W :ping-small: G30

Irons :Hogan: Ptx 22, 26, 30, 34, 38, 42,46 degrees

PW  :Hogan: TK 50 degree

SW :cleveland-small: Rotex 2.0 56 degree

LW :cleveland-small:  Rotex 2.0 60 degree

P    :ping-small:    Sigma G Anser

Ball 1 :taylormade-small: Tour Response    Ball 2 :Snell: Mtb-x

Bag 1 :Hogan: Mini Tour            Bag 2 :Hogan: Stand

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I've put the 19* FDI through the paces enough now to make a reasonable conclusion that it is equivalent distance wise to my 18* 5 wood off the tee.  Good hits are about 1 MPH different in ball speed with about 500-700 RPM less spin.

I haven't used it enough off the deck to make the same conclusion, but early returns are that it is very similar.  The difference may be that mishits with the FDI, while not losing much more ball speed than the 5 wood, result in a quite low flight that may be difficult to take to the course.  5 wood mishits still have reasonable peak height although distance falls off badly.

The FDI does not appear to satisfy my original intent of gapping properly between the 5 wood and 4 iron.  It may be that the FDI is going farther on pured hits than expected or I had vanity distance with the 5 wood.  More testing is needed to fully evaluate consistency off the deck.  I noticed last season that 5 wood shots on par 5s would tend to balloon at times.  I was using a 917F2 at the time.  It is very windy in northern IL and it is possible the lower spin with the FDI could be a benefit.

I can't get over how good the club feels and sounds.  Feel/sound is fantastic and far exceeds my expectations.

The courses here are not open so all feedback is using real golf balls outdoors into a net with my Mevo.

Dave

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I had another range session this morning putting my various long club options through the paces off the deck: ST190 3 wood, ST190 5 wood, 816 H1 21* hybrid, G15 3 iron (20*), KE4 FDI 19*, and TE forged 4i (24*).

1. The G15 3i iron was quickly eliminated as the offset and overall look is so dissimilar to the rest of the set that I can't consider it.

2. I hit the 816 H1 5 times and despite my best efforts something about my swing at the moment and that club is just not resulting in good ball speeds. 

3. The TE forged 4 iron is very consistent, this is a great club for me and gaps in well but is probably not useful for long par 3s or par 5s.

4. I hit the FDI 23 times.  6 were various categories of bad strikes, 2 of them 20+ yards less than median carry, another 2 10+ yards less, and another 2 5+ yards less. The balance of 17 were ok to excellent strikes.  Among the 17 only 1 of them failed to reach 60 foot height.

5. I hit the 5 wood 19 times.  It just does not go as far as I would like it to.  I'm getting about 5 more yards carry out of it than the FDI.  Mishits still get sufficient launch.  I had a similar mishit % and std dev of carry as the FDI.

6. I hit the 3 wood 9 times.  The average shot is 14 yards more carry than the 5 wood. 

Takeaways:

The data says the 3 wood is clearly the best option for me for maximum distance advancement shots (2nd shots par 5s).  The 5 wood gaps reasonably well behind the 3 wood, but is NOT a max advancement club. 

The FDI is useful for the 170 yard par 3 shot I mentioned, shots from 165 off the deck, and shots were the wind is a concern.  It would probably be wise to bend the FDI 1* to 2* weak to try to get it to gap ideally between the 4 iron and 5 wood.  I need more testing with the 816 H1 because I had success last year with that club.

Dave

Edited by dthrog00
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