Do you still carry a 5-iron?

[Flanpro]

I’m 65 and just added a 5 iron back into my back in February. I had switched to a hybrid but wasn’t as confident with the hybrid playing other shots beside a full swing. With the 5 iron I can play knockdowns in the wind, low draws and fades against the wind - with the hybrid I just found I had one shot. Maybe over time I will find the hybrid will be a better choice but not right now.
My irons are Ping g430 with graphite shafts. 

[Golfhack23]

I do still carry a 5 iron but have been thinking recently about removing it. I hit it once every 2 or 3 rounds. 

[JGreene]

39 years old here and the 5 iron is the longest iron I have in my bag. Although I don’t typically hit it very well and dispersion is the worst. I moved the 3 and 4 over to hybrids earlier this year and still wonder how I should replace the 5 iron. Lots of options with a hybrid or 7 wood. 

["Mr. 72"]

Yes, I still carry a 5 iron. I also carry a 4 iron. I still like both clubs. I have a 2 hybrid as well - the first one I've owned that isn't a "hook master".  ...Not that I hit every long iron great, but I've just always been a better long iron player than a hybrid/fairway wood player.

[JSheiner]

While I have a 5 iron, I have essentially replaced it with a 25 degree hybrid.

[ForeRite]

Ping 425 driver, 3w, 3h, 4h, 5h

titleist t200 6i-gw

vokey sm8 52, 56

 

i was so inconsistent with the 5iron. And have more fun with a 3hybrid vs 5wood. Distance was similar. I needed control over carry.

but yeah just made the switch to 5 hybrid. Loving it. Easier and less stressful for same and usually more consistent distance.

[Carnousty]

I play Scott golf blades and find them very accurate. I am 70 years old and the 5 iron is the lowest I carry. I use a 5 hybrid which provides more loft and a bit more carry which is important because I play on a mountain course where elevation is a serious calculation. The 5 iron is a very accurate club and often considered the best in the bag. A true go to.

[PatParent]

I have Arccos, and after using it for a little while, my club averages showed that the gap between my 5 and 6 irons was 5 yards. I'm 59 and don't have the speed I used to, so I ditched my 5 iron and replaced it with an hybrid and that restored a proper gap between my 6 iron and my 5 hybrid.

[Wheelieb]

I have a 5 iron and still carry it. I’ve delofted my 7 wood so it goes further than my 5 iron, but since I struggle with it I kind of want to find a 9 wood to see if I can replace my 5 iron with it. 

[Crankenstein]

61, 18 hcp, slowish iron swing speed so… I do 7wd, 5hyb, then Hot Metal high launch 5 iron. Gapping is decent 

[Shinnman]

Longest iron in my bag is a 7-iron.  I’ve gone 3W, 3H, 4H, and 5H after my driver.  Also carry 4 wedges now after the PW as that is 41….46, 50, 54, and 58.  

[goldenhawk]

I will turn 54 this year. And I still carry a T350 4 and 5 iron.  There are some courses I play that are fairly long from the tees I play from and both irons still do the job.

[Pgoody]

I’m turning 50 this year. Yes. I still carry a 5 and a 4 iron. Only replaced the 3 with a hybrid. I like having a 4 iron and sometimes I wish I had a 3 iron to hit lower shots when I need to shape something under or around a tree. Or if I want to hit an iron off the tee which I rarely do because all I have is a 4 iron. The hybrids get up in the air too quick so I don’t think I would replace the 4 or 5 iron anytime soon. 

[kenkuiper]

No. Replaced with a 6 hybrid.

[Mzappy]

I’m 69…the 5 iron has been my line of good/bad results for a while…right now I carry 5/7/9/11 woods and then a 6 iron…with loft jacking most 5 irons are the 4 irons of the past…  

[actusreus]

I am the exception here. 64 yo. I carried 4 5 and 6 hybrids for several years. But I never hit my 5 hybrid that well. When i went to Paradyms, I switched back to 5 and 6 irons and gained distance and accuracy.

 

[berkeleybob]

@Shrek74 I was here last year, reflecting on recent games and realizing that I was struggling with my 5-iron at the age of 56. I ended up with a 5 utility club and wrote about it here.

[Bisucas]

When I upgraded my irons to the Callaway Apex Pro 21, I decided to replace my 5, 4, and 3 irons with the equivalent Apex Pro hybrids. Exact same lofts (26°, 23° and 20°). Bot only are the easier to hit they allow the ball to go much higher and may have improved slightly my distance.

[RickLit]

Morning,

Yes, I still have a 5 iron in my bag. I started the switch to hybrids and removed my 2, 3 and 4 irons from the bag. But until I feel comfortable with the Hybrid's, my 5 iron has a use....lol

[TK_]

With the stronger lofts of the new irons, I totally understand not carrying a 5 iron. They’re basically driving irons. Length is not an issue, but accuracy is. When I had my decades old Nike slingshot’s, the lofts were more preferable in my opinion and I even carried the 4 iron. With this ever growing trend, you may see more and more players opt for 3/4/5 different hybrids in the bag. Especially if they struggle with long irons. 

[tip taylor]

No I do not my bag consist of high lofted fairway woods and 7 and 8 hybrids 9-, gw sw I van hit long irons but not the distance they should go so that's why 3 5v7b9 11 fairway woods in my bag 

[IanCC]

It’s an interesting topic. I wonder whether, with a set being essentially putter, wedges and full shot clubs with a max of 14, how many of us still carry the full 14 and not say 13 or 12 for consistent gapping? With some comments of carrying a 5 iron for specialty shots like punching out etc or short game shots whether a set of 12/13 would include a hybrid 5i replacement and then 1 or 2 clubs (to take it to 14) for those specialist shots like a chipper or your old 5i or a (left field) lag putter? The makeup of your bag is not written in stone but to be the tools you need to play the shots you have to to score your best. 

[BillyD]

As a 70 year old golfer, I switched out to a 24 degree hybrid about 5 years ago.   I find it easier to hit and I am able to get good height and get the ball to stop on the green.   My irons are 6-GW.   I have two fairway woods:  3 wood and 5 wood.   I have two hybrids:  21 degree and 24 degree.

[TK_]

6 minutes ago, Bisucas said:

When I upgraded my irons to the Callaway Apex Pro 21, I decided to replace my 5, 4, and 3 irons with the equivalent Apex Pro hybrids. Exact same lofts (26°, 23° and 20°). Bot only are the easier to hit they allow the ball to go much higher and may have improved slightly my distance.

Now, I hit my ball high naturally. So I have to ask, have you run into trouble dealing with wind? Windy days kill my score.

[dannyobrien3]

Driver, 18* hybrid, 4i-p, 50, 54, 58 wedges.

i like the 4 & 5 iron for being able to hit a variety of shot shapes and trajectories. 
 

I haven’t hit a fairway or hybrid that felt like a try replacement for the 4 or 5 iron yet. 

[Wburdett]

I'm 55 haven't played a 4i for years tried hybrids and now have moved to 7 wood.  That said I do carry a 5i as it's useful inany areas that's my 200 could for a par 3 and recovery if need a long low recovery.  I think if you're going to score you have to have clubs that you can control ball flight w wins hybrids and fw just very hard to do on full shots imo 

[Chrisco]

I still carry my 5 iron. I also have a 5 hybrid which gives me a little more loft and easier to hit out of the rough. 

[ChaosReigns]

I have the stealth 3 hybrid (rescue).. and 4 iron through gap wedge all Qi10 but stealth plus driver and fairway 3 wood, and that’s the first gen stealths with the new qi10’s.. Forgot to add that the 5 iron is my first go to for long distance, 4 iron is the same but more used in the ruff because for some reason I can get under the ball more in the heavier stuff then with the 5

Edited May 12 by ChaosReigns

[rhanlen]

Turning 54 this summer. I always use my 5 iron.  One of my most used clubs.  Very reliable and versatile.  Used a lot on Par 5s when distance to green on 2nd shot is 250+ with danger.  Safer to pull out the 5 iron and hit it 200-215 and have an easy wedge into the green.  Also great club to punch out from the woods. 

[MarvChamp]

Thanks for the topic! It's important (especially for very old guys like me) to adjust in these days of strong lofted clubs.

I play an older set of Mizuno JPX800 HD's with traditional lofts. 5 iron 25 degrees.

I had dropped the 4 and 5 iron; so I recently purchased 2022 Mizuno 5 and 6 ST-X 220 Hybrids. The 6HY is 26 degrees and the 5HY is 23 degrees, much like a traditional 4 and 5 iron for me, but soooo much easier to hit and launch with good old guy distance.

Added a matching 7FW and scoring much better when I am mindful of course management and don't try to reach out there beyond myself. Best to all, -Marv