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Is a 5 iron considered to be a long iron?


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I'm struggling to hit my 5 iron and it seems to be the most inconsistent club in my bag since I ditched the 3 and 4.

Is the 5 also considered to be a long iron?

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It is. What irons do you have?

:tmade: SLDRs 14* driver, 17* fairway, 19* and 22* hybrids | :odyssey: Versa White #1 putter

:nike: XR Pro 24*, 27*, 31*, 35.5*, 40*, 45*, 50* irons | :vokey: SM4 54*, 58* wedges

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Originally Posted by Davie81

I'm struggling to hit my 5 iron and it seems to be the most inconsistent club in my bag since I ditched the 3 and 4.

Is the 5 also considered to be a long iron?

Interesting question......

Back in the day, most players carried 2-PW, a SW, driver, and a couple of fairway woods.  With a bag like that, 2-4 were considered long irons, 5-7 were your mid-irons, and 8-PW were the short irons.

These days things are all goofed up.  Now a lot of long irons have been replaced by hybrids, and a lot of us are carrying a bunch of wedges too.   I guess it's relative.  When it's longest iron you're carrying, it sure feels like a long iron.  Call it whatever, but however you refer to it, the truth remains.  The longer the iron, the lower the loft and longer the shaft, the more difficult it is to hit for the less skilled golfer.  FWIW.....they make higher lofted hybrids too if you're more comfortable with them.

In David's bag....

Driver: Titleist 910 D-3;  9.5* Diamana Kai'li
3-Wood: Titleist 910F;  15* Diamana Kai'li
Hybrids: Titleist 910H 19* and 21* Diamana Kai'li
Irons: Titleist 695cb 5-Pw

Wedges: Scratch 51-11 TNC grind, Vokey SM-5's;  56-14 F grind and 60-11 K grind
Putter: Scotty Cameron Kombi S
Ball: ProV1

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My 28 degree 5 iron is a mid iron, but the mx17 is a shade stronger at 26 degrees which is getting real close. Regardless, it's your long iron.

Cobra LTDx 10.5* | Big Tour 15.5*| Rad Tour 18.5*  | Titleist U500 4-23* | T100 5-P | Vokey SM7 50/8* F, 54/10* S, SM8 58/10* S | Scotty Cameron Squareback No. 1 | Vice Pro Plus  

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to me a 5 irons i a mid iron (7,6,5) short irons are pw,9I,8I long irons are 2,3,4

Dirver: Mizuno JPX 825 9,5 Fujikura Orochi Red Eye Stiff 65 g.
3 wood: Mizuno JPX 825 14 Fujikura Orochi Red Eye Stiff 75 g.
Hybrid: Mizuno JPX 825 18 Fujikura Orochi Red Eye Stiff 85 g. 
Irons: Mizuno MP 59 3 / PW KBS Tour stiff shaft ( Golf Pride Niion )
Wedges: Taylormade ATV Wedges 52 and 58 ( Golf Pride Niion )
putter: Taylormade ghost series 770 35 inch ( Super Stroke slim 3.0 )
Balls: Taylormade TP 5

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To me its a mid-iron.  If you struggle with your 5-iron, replace it with a 5-hybrid.  No sense in struggling with it when theres options out there to make it easier.

Whats in my :sunmountain: C-130 cart bag?

Woods: :mizuno: JPX 850 9.5*, :mizuno: JPX 850 15*, :mizuno: JPX-850 19*, :mizuno: JPX Fli-Hi #4, :mizuno: JPX 800 Pro 5-PW, :mizuno: MP T-4 50-06, 54-09 58-10, :cleveland: Smart Square Blade and :bridgestone: B330-S

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Today, I'd call it a long iron. You almost never see a 3 iron anymore. Many don't even play with a 5 iron. Short: (Wedges, PW, 9) Mid: (8, 7, 6) Long: (5-4-3)

Ogio Grom | Callaway X Hot Pro | Callaway X-Utility 3i | Mizuno MX-700 23º | Titleist Vokey SM 52.08, 58.12 | Mizuno MX-700 15º | Titleist 910 D2 9,5º | Scotty Cameron Newport 2 | Titleist Pro V1x and Taylormade Penta | Leupold GX-1

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What qualifies as a long iron has shifted through the years.

After World War II, the long irons were 1, 2 and 3, medium irons were 4, 5, and 6, and short irons were 7, 8, and 9.

(The 1 iron had about 17* loft, and was used by stronger players like Hogan and Nicklaus. Some players with 1 irons used it strictly as a driving iron, and occasionally dropped out the 2i to make room for it). 1i was a challenging specialty club, and most players didn't carry one.

When the 2 iron fell out of most non-player iron sets - due in part to ever-stronger iron lofts - long became 3 and 4, medium 5, 6 and 7, and short irons 8, 9 and P.

If you're having trouble with your 5 iron, you might softstep the shaft. This involves replacing the 5i shaft with one tipped for 4i (slightly more flexible) and then butt-cutting it to length. This will soften the feel and help a little getting the ball launched.

Focus, connect and follow through!

  • Completed KBS Education Seminar (online, 2015)
  • GolfWorks Clubmaking AcademyFitting, Assembly & Repair School (2012)

Driver:  :touredge: EXS 10.5°, weights neutral   ||  FWs:  :callaway: Rogue 4W + 7W
Hybrid:  :callaway: Big Bertha OS 4H at 22°  ||  Irons:  :callaway: Mavrik MAX 5i-PW
Wedges:  :callaway: MD3: 48°, 54°... MD4: 58° ||  Putter:image.png.b6c3447dddf0df25e482bf21abf775ae.pngInertial NM SL-583F, 34"  
Ball:  image.png.f0ca9194546a61407ba38502672e5ecf.png QStar Tour - Divide  ||  Bag: :sunmountain: Three 5 stand bag

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If you go by name alone, then a 5 iron in 1960 was a mid iron, so it would be a mid iron today.

If you consider loft and even length, then a 5 iron in 1960 was a mid iron, today by loft your 5 iron is close to being a 3 iron.  The 7 iron of today is the 5 iron of 1960 when it comes to loft.

Club 1960s-70s 1980s 1990s-00s 2010+
1-iron 17 17 16 NA
2-iron 20 20 18 NA
3-iron 24 23 21 18-21
4-iron 28 26 24 22-24
5-iron 32 30 27 24-27
6-iron 36 34 31 27-31
7-iron 40 38 35 31-35
8-iron 44 42 39 35-40
9-iron 48 46 43 40-44
PW 52 50 48 44-48
GW N/A N/A 52 48-52
SW 56 56 56 54-56

The 2013 lofts are even stronger, for instance the more recent 5 irons have a loft of 23 degrees.  Tour models and forged have a bit weaker loft by 1 to 2 degrees.

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As others have said, by loft it's a long iron but traditionally it's a mid iron.  Mid or long, if you don't hit it well you either need to practice more with it or switch to a 5 hybrid

Joe Paradiso

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The 5 iron should be the best club in your bag, a "go to club" for playing a variety of shots under various circumstances.

If your having troubles, check your ball position at address, you probably have it a little too far back in your stance or behind center causing the  swing to be too steep into the ball.

Or it could be "the dread slide" which will cause complications with contact/swing path.

All of the other options mentioned above are also great suggestions as well.

Take a lesson, or have someone look at a few swings on the range, or video and post it.

My advice, "swing hard in case you hit it!"

Club Rat

Johnny Rocket - Let's Rock and Roll and play some golf !!!

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Note: This thread is 4019 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

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