Is a driving iron a right club to have in the bag?

[ckrug]

Hello,

I am a 13.1 current handicap, and have trouble hitting a 3 wood. My current bag is mavrik driver 9 degree, mavrik 3 wood, and tour 2 hybrid, just upgraded from “improvement irons” to Mizuno pro 223 irons. I absolutely love the irons and crush my driver considering the elevation I am playing, but cannot figure out my fairway wood/hybrid. Would a driving iron be better for me as I have a good swing speed to hit it off the deck and can hit the Mizuno 223 irons pretty consistently as a 13.1?

I play around 4,200 ft elevation in Reno, NV and originally from Truckee, CA and end up playing a lot of golf even higher elevation. I am a bigger guy with baseball background and can hit the ball further than the average golfer(7 iron 195-200 yd at my elevation). I have a gnarly hook(call it a big draw) with my old irons and hit the Mizunos pretty dead straight/ slight draw. It is great seeing the ball flight in a straighter line finally with much less offset and a more controlled club. But, when I get to a par 5 I know I could get there with a 3 wood but never execute the shot it has me questioning if I could be doing something different to help out with a bogey or double on a par 5 that kills a round.

I guess my biggest question is; can I hit a driving iron as far as a 3 wood? And would it be a reasonable thing to put in the bag if my swing speed and conditions of the golf I play are sufficient enough? 
 

I have played golf for a long time but recently have been more interested in getting better instead of just smacking a ball around. I was a college athlete and my competitive edge is coming out and would love to put it towards something I am passionate for. 
thank you give me as much input as possible. 

[Shankster]

I go straight from driver to 2 iron.  I would see if you can demo one before purchasing.  You should not expect it to go as far as a 3 wood, I am adding a 2 Hybrid back to my bag (Mizuno) lofted at 14° to be my “3wood” then to the 2 iron.  I might ditch my 3 iron because it is 19° and I’m bunched up at the top of the bag, plus I can’t recall the last time I needed a 3 iron shot.  Club head speed is a necessity to get proper launch conditions for the 2 iron.

As a long iron over woods guy I vote yes, get a 2 iron.  Mine is my “3 wood” currently, for a few more weeks.  But I got it for a specific reason, I was playing the wind a lot in Oregon, and even more so now in Hawaii.  It’s a perfect club for my wind needs.

[AP Major]

I’d recommend giving 5 wood a try. I’d guess if you’re hitting 7 iron that far you’d get some good distance out of it and the trajectory works well with sticking the green when going for a par 5 in two. You could even take a 7 wood for a spin but I prefer the 5 personally.

I have an 18* driving iron - a 2 iron - but it tends to have a lower ball flight, even at faster swing speeds. I almost solely use it off the tee in the wind or as a fairway finder for that reason. A driving iron is pretty much just that, a driving iron.

[GolfSpy_SHARK]

The biggest thing is lofts. I currently go 9* driver, 13* 3 wood and then a driving iron which is an 18* 2 iron.

I am not sure if tbere are any lower lofted driving irons or not that would get you close to the loft you would need. But I can say I really enjoy the driving iron but don’t think it’s going to cover that gap you need for a 3 wood.

[RetiredBoomer]

I don't have a 3-wood,

but I bag both a driving iron AND a 5-wood,
even though they both go roughly the same distance. 

I don't care.
They're two totally different shots, and I want both.

[Shapotomous]

I think you should hit up a local big box used club place that has similators and hit a few DI's off the turf.  See how you hit it and what distance you are getting.  Tee distance and off the deck distance may be way different for you.  I dont think you will get the 3w distance but maybe it will be more consistent contact and be longer than the 2h.  What loft is your 2h?

[MissionMan]

I have a driver, 3.5W and 2 iron. The 2 iron is my go to club 90% of the time outside of driver. I only hit the 3W if I really have to. The 2 iron is marginally shorter than a 3W so it depends a little on a couple of things: How long do you hit the ball and how much do your fairways run. 

[RetiredBoomer]

1 hour ago, MissionMan said:

I have a driver, 3.5W and 2 iron. The 2 iron is my go to club 90% of the time outside of driver. I only hit the 3W if I really have to. The 2 iron is marginally shorter than a 3W so it depends a little on a couple of things: How long do you hit the ball and how much do your fairways run. 

There's a 1.5º gap between your GT2 3-wood,
which Titleist actually calls a 4-wood on their spec sheet,
and your TSR2 5-wood.

That could very possible be a workable gap for you individually--
that's between you and TrackMan to determine--
but it would be a blatant overlap for me.

I don't mind overlaps between different kinds of clubs, but for me,
not with the same type of club that hits the same type of shot.

I also notice that on your long irons, you go with the .370" hybrid version
of the .335" shaft on your woods
rather than match your middle irons.

I find that to be the right move for me as well.

I've only now noticed that you referred to it as a 3.5 wood.   Sorry.

 

Edited August 31 by RetiredBoomer

[MissionMan]

6 hours ago, RetiredBoomer said:

There's a 1.5º gap between your GT2 3-wood,
which Titleist actually calls a 4-wood on their spec sheet,
and your TSR2 5-wood.

That could very possible be a workable gap for you individually--
that's between you and TrackMan to determine--
but it would be a blatant overlap for me.

I don't mind overlaps between different kinds of clubs, but for me,
not with the same type of club that hits the same type of shot.

I also notice that on your long irons, you go with the .370" hybrid version
of the .335" shaft on your woods
rather than match your middle irons.

I find that to be the right move for me as well.

I've only now noticed that you referred to it as a 3.5 wood.   Sorry.

 

You’re correct. It’s a 4w. I referred to it as a 3.5 because mine is configured to be .75 degrees lower than the standard 4 wood. 

i raised the question (at my fitting) of not using my 3w much as my driver is generally as accurate and my 2 iron is long enough on short holes. I’m also comfortable with driver of the deck in strong winds. The only time I tend to use a 5W is when I need extra carry in rain due to the increased spin.  This (the 3.5)  was a good compromise for me, meaning a had a slightly more lofted 3w that I could carry all the time, use it for extra loft over the 2 if needed to get over something like a tree or curve. The interesting part is I actually hit it as long as my old TSR 3W. (240)

Edited August 31 by MissionMan

[Josh Parker]

17 hours ago, ckrug said:

Hello,

I am a 13.1 current handicap, and have trouble hitting a 3 wood. My current bag is mavrik driver 9 degree, mavrik 3 wood, and tour 2 hybrid, just upgraded from “improvement irons” to Mizuno pro 223 irons. I absolutely love the irons and crush my driver considering the elevation I am playing, but cannot figure out my fairway wood/hybrid. Would a driving iron be better for me as I have a good swing speed to hit it off the deck and can hit the Mizuno 223 irons pretty consistently as a 13.1?

I play around 4,200 ft elevation in Reno, NV and originally from Truckee, CA and end up playing a lot of golf even higher elevation. I am a bigger guy with baseball background and can hit the ball further than the average golfer(7 iron 195-200 yd at my elevation). I have a gnarly hook(call it a big draw) with my old irons and hit the Mizunos pretty dead straight/ slight draw. It is great seeing the ball flight in a straighter line finally with much less offset and a more controlled club. But, when I get to a par 5 I know I could get there with a 3 wood but never execute the shot it has me questioning if I could be doing something different to help out with a bogey or double on a par 5 that kills a round.

I guess my biggest question is; can I hit a driving iron as far as a 3 wood? And would it be a reasonable thing to put in the bag if my swing speed and conditions of the golf I play are sufficient enough? 
 

I have played golf for a long time but recently have been more interested in getting better instead of just smacking a ball around. I was a college athlete and my competitive edge is coming out and would love to put it towards something I am passionate for. 
thank you give me as much input as possible. 

I would go try a 4w and see how it hits. Much easier than 3w but almost as long for me and I can control shot shape. 

[KC Golf]

As others have noted, I believe it should be a choice between 2 iron and 5W.  With your swing speed a 2 iron at your index is possible, but you may find it easier in most course conditions to use a 5W.  In thick rough, a 2 iron is tough to hit vs a 5W.

Good luck with your testing…

[ckrug]

On 8/31/2024 at 3:34 AM, GolfSpy_SHARK said:

The biggest thing is lofts. I currently go 9* driver, 13* 3 wood and then a driving iron which is an 18* 2 iron.

I am not sure if tbere are any lower lofted driving irons or not that would get you close to the loft you would need. But I can say I really enjoy the driving iron but don’t think it’s going to cover that gap you need for a 3 wood.

Awesome, Thanks for the insight. I will be looking out for a 2 iron to try as well as a 5 wood that others keep saying.

[MR237]

Given your swing speed and elevation, a driving iron could be a great option. It's easier to control than a 3-wood aI believe especially off the deck, and you’ll likely see good distance, though it may not go as far as the 3-wood in all situations. Since you’re already hitting the Mizuno 223s well, transitioning to a driving iron could give help on par 5s without sacrificing much yardage.

[Louis_Posture]

On 8/30/2024 at 10:40 PM, ckrug said:

 

I guess my biggest question is; can I hit a driving iron as far as a 3 wood?

No offense intended but you're asking the wrong question. Specifically, driving irons are designed for accuracy. 

Consider that if one can hit a driving iron off the par 4 and par 5  tee boxes consistently straight and 225 yards,  he is well positioned to shoot 72 or better on any golf course in the world. Remember, distance is overrated and accuracy is underrated.

[Josh Parker]

5 hours ago, Louis_Posture said:

Remember, distance is overrated and accuracy is underrated.

I wouldn't say distance is overrated at all...  It has been proven that distance can create more chances for lower scores.  That's not to take away from accuracy, but I would much rather have a wedge in my hand than a 6 or 7 iron.  My dispersion is going to be much tighter which means more chances to make a lower score.  

[RetiredBoomer]

My personal experience is that the modern, hollow driving iron with internal tungsten weighting
is MUCH more forging to hit than any one-piece solid iron
down to the #4 or 5. 

They're nothing like the butterknife blade 1-iron and 2-iron that I remember from my youth.

I don't play mine from the fairway however, because it lands too flat and hot to hold greens,
and it isn't great hitting from less than perfect lies.

If you're not just looking for something to back up your driver on tight driving holes, 
then there are other alternatives to consider.  I have no use for hybrids, for example,
but most players hit them just fine.

[vandyland]

Driving irons have less gear effect which has made me trust them more and more off the tee. They aren't quite as forgiving or explosive off the face as a hybrid BUT generally the snap hook risk is greatly reduced. The driving iron (for me) can be one-dimensional in that unless I have a perfect lie in the fairway I am generally only hitting it off the tee. 

I am currently experimenting with only carrying a Driver and a 21* Utility Iron at the top of my bag. Then I go 5i on down in my standard irons. This leaves me with just 12 clubs in the bag but less options can usually benefit me AND these are 12 clubs I really trust. The 4W / 5W / Hybrid clubs that I have all have let me down as much as they have succeeded. 

Edited September 17 by vandyland