Ditching the driving iron

[hartrick11]

Here's the progression at the top of my bag. I wonder who else might have had a similar path through this latest driving iron fad.

• 2017: Cobra Bio-cell 2-3 hybrid and 3-4 hybrid, Ping iE1 5-UW.

Everything was off the rack stiff, with more than the occasional hook from the hybrids. This was when I started reading the wrx forums (didn't find the friendlier MGS confines until a bit later). 

• Early 2018: Cobra King 4 utility kicked the 3-4 hybrid out of the bag.

This club carried well when well-struck and my lefts, while still not great, weren't as bad as with the hybrid. I eventually swapped the stock graphite for a C-taper lite 110 shaft which lowered the flight path a bit but didn't solve the lefts (my steep back swing and early release would require lessons which I started last summer).

• about 85 days ago: bought the King black 2-3 utility and paired it with an extra stiff steel shaft to match my irons.

After falling in love with my irons (see signature) which were purchased following my first ever fitting (I know someone who works for Cobra, so will generally buy their stuff unless something else substantially outperforms) I thought I would add the utility to the top of my bag and get rid of my last hook machine: the 2-3 hybrid. 

Fast forward to today, I think the steel extra stiff shaft has helped straighten me out (along with continued drill work on the bi*ch of a swing fix), but at the end of the day my numbers with the utility are no better than a 3 iron, and with feel that is worse than my 4i. Before making my final decision on what to do next, I tried the UDI, the Srixon, the T-MB, and none of those offerings were meaningfully better performing (using the in-store launch monitor at Golf Mart, and the various shafts that were in these demo clubs at the time) than the Cobra utility,  so I've decided to return the utility and just get a Forged Tec Black 3 iron to match my 4i.

I'm sure there is a utility iron/shaft combo out there that would unlock yardage beyond a players distance 3i (which is pretty strong as it is at 19*) while keeping my hook tendencies at bay. Maybe someday I will get a specific driving iron fitting and splurge for a heavy graphite design shaft, but for now, with no more time left on my 90 day return window, I don't feel confident guessing on another utility when I can get a 3i that I know I will like.

Has anyone else who took the driving iron plunge abandoned it for a 3i yet?

[null]

I hate to say it, but if you have gone through all of those clubs and still can't find a club that won't go left (especially a driving iron), then it is 99.999% a swing issue and no amount of shaft or head changes is going to fix that.

[cnosil]

I personally hate driving irons.  I struggle to make them work for me so I just stick with hybrids.  

[hartrick11]

 

18 minutes ago, jlukes said:

I hate to say it, but if you have gone through all of those clubs and still can't find a club that won't go left (especially a driving iron), then it is 99.999% a swing issue and no amount of shaft or head changes is going to fix that.

Totally hear you that the lefts are more of a swing issue than equipment. I have had a few lessons and am working through the swing change with as much range/drill time as I can get in. That work, combined with the fitting into a much more stable, lower launching shaft (I think), has led to improvement on the hooks. 

[hartrick11]

Update - I couldn't pull the trigger on the 3i! I went to return the cobra utility and hit a couple other DI, started pumping the ball with the Gapr LO and the stock stiff shaft (lighter and whippy shaft scared me, but the dispersion data was very clear), so I went with that. I am such an easy mark when I walk into Golf Mart...

So I've got 3 more months with this one before I need to sh*t or get off the driving iron pot!

[Smellis745]

I've been through a few, really liked the Callaway X Forged UT.  I've played a Srixon U45 as well, but have just settled on using a Z545 3 iron bent to 19.  It's just as hot as the other two and for me, plays easier out of the fairway.  I have never been one that could hit hybrids, for whatever reason.  I guess they just don't fit my eye.