Help! What's Up With These "Standard" Lengths?

[RBenn1701]

Hey all, new player here that's very confused about club lengths.

I recently bought a couple 09 Burner irons off CallawayPreowned to replace an older set of borrowed bladed irons.. they are both "standard" length, but the Burners are 1.5" longer than the older ones. I have also started looking at the specs on various modern club sets, and see a discrepancy between lengths of "standard" club sets.

Now, I know that club sellers have long been increasing length/reducing loft as a way to advertise "we have more distance!!" (i.e. building a 7 iron like a 6 iron and calling it a 7 iron)...so is that all that's going on here? I know that on paper, longer is better, but in reality the farther I stand from the ball, the harder it is to put a good swing on it... so should new golfers just go ahead and buy SHORTER clubs than what we "should" be using, to compensate?

For context, I am 6'0 and my wrist-to-floor measurement is 36.5, which all fitting models indicate makes me a "standard/regular." But I'm more comfortable swinging a shorter club, apparently. 

Edited June 7, 2020 by iacas
edited text to clean it up

[Vinsk]

16 minutes ago, RBenn1701 said:

Hey all, new player here that's very confused about club lengths.

I recently bought a couple 09 Burner irons off CallawayPreowned to replace an older set of borrowed bladed irons.. they are both "standard" length, but the Burners are 1.5" longer than the older ones. I have also started looking at the specs on various modern club sets, and see a discrepancy between lengths of "standard" club sets.

Now, I know that club sellers have long been increasing length/reducing loft as a way to advertise "we have more distance!!" (i.e. building a 7 iron like a 6 iron and calling it a 7 iron)...so is that all that's going on here? I know that on paper, longer is better, but in reality the farther I stand from the ball, the harder it is to put a good swing on it... so should new golfers just go ahead and buy SHORTER clubs than what we "should" be using, to compensate?

For context, I am 6'0 and my wrist-to-floor measurement is 36.5, which all fitting models indicate makes me a "standard/regular." But I'm more comfortable swinging a shorter club, apparently. 

Hello and welcome to TST. There can be discrepancies with club lengths just as there are with shaft flexes. It’s best to just know from your fitting/fittings what length is best for you then check before you buy.

To clarify the 7i made like a 6i comment..this isn’t true. The new technology out there has changed the performance of irons mainly being higher launch and lower spin. However..we still want a 7i to act like a 7i in regards to trajectory and ability to hold a green. Due to the faces being ‘hotter’ the lofts have to be adjusted to fit the new ball speed/trajectory so that your 7i still performs like a 7i. 

[RBenn1701]

1 hour ago, Vinsk said:

Hello and welcome to TST. There can be discrepancies with club lengths just as there are with shaft flexes. It’s best to just know from your fitting/fittings what length is best for you then check before you buy.

To clarify the 7i made like a 6i comment..this isn’t true. The new technology out there has changed the performance of irons mainly being higher launch and lower spin. However..we still want a 7i to act like a 7i in regards to trajectory and ability to hold a green. Due to the faces being ‘hotter’ the lofts have to be adjusted to fit the new ball speed/trajectory so that your 7i still performs like a 7i. 

Not sure I really buy that, but regardless the fact remains that clubs are longer which makes them harder for high handicappers to hit. Which still leaves me with the initial problem, do I buy shorter clubs or force myself to adjust to unusually long "standard" lengths? 

[Vinsk]

57 minutes ago, RBenn1701 said:

Not sure I really buy that, but regardless the fact remains that clubs are longer which makes them harder for high handicappers to hit. Which still leaves me with the initial problem, do I buy shorter clubs or force myself to adjust to unusually long "standard" lengths? 

It’s nothing to ‘buy’. It’s science, fact. If 1.5” makes a big difference to you then go shorter. This is why we have fitting. Fitting isn’t adjusting you to a club...it’s fitting the clubs to you. Knowing how you perform with a certain length has more value than what you ‘feel’ you’re doing. 

You can do a simple Google search and read about lofts and why they’ve changed due to the technology. It’s not just putting a 7 on a 6i. 

The truth about strong lofted irons | Today's Golfer

---

The truth about strong lofted irons

 

[RBenn1701]

50 minutes ago, Vinsk said:

It’s nothing to ‘buy’. It’s science, fact. If 1.5” makes a big difference to you then go shorter. This is why we have fitting. Fitting isn’t adjusting you to a club...it’s fitting the clubs to you. Knowing how you perform with a certain length has more value than what you ‘feel’ you’re doing. 

You can do a simple Google search and read about lofts and why they’ve changed due to the technology. It’s not just putting a 7 on a 6i. 

The truth about strong lofted irons | Today's Golfer

---

The truth about strong lofted irons

 

Great, two unhelpful posts in a row... I'm not looking to get into an troll/flame war over "what the science says," I'm trying to get a tiny bit of insight into what length of clubs I should be using. As you cant/wont comment on that, I'll wait for someone who will.

And news flash, not everyone is willing/able to spend 500 bucks on a "fitting"...it's also not a particularly helpful suggestion for new players, who won't be swinging consistently enough to get a truly valid result from the fitting anyway. Been on a few sites like this, and I just keep getting unhelpful elitist "suggestions" to spend tons of money on lessons and fittings and ball-flight simulators etc, and not much at all on practical advice. Think I liked bowling better.

Edited June 7, 2020 by RBenn1701

[boogielicious]

7 hours ago, RBenn1701 said:

Hey all, new player here that's very confused about club lengths.

I recently bought a couple 09 Burner irons off CallawayPreowned to replace an older set of borrowed bladed irons.. they are both "standard" length, but the Burners are 1.5" longer than the older ones. I have also started looking at the specs on various modern club sets, and see a discrepancy between lengths of "standard" club sets.

Now, I know that club sellers have long been increasing length/reducing loft as a way to advertise "we have more distance!!" (i.e. building a 7 iron like a 6 iron and calling it a 7 iron)...so is that all that's going on here? I know that on paper, longer is better, but in reality the farther I stand from the ball, the harder it is to put a good swing on it... so should new golfers just go ahead and buy SHORTER clubs than what we "should" be using, to compensate?

For context, I am 6'0 and my wrist-to-floor measurement is 36.5, which all fitting models indicate makes me a "standard/regular." But I'm more comfortable swinging a shorter club, apparently. 

Most likely you would need standard length, but with us being able to see your set up and stance, we’d be only guessing. Do you have a down the line view of you at set up you can share?

[Missouri Swede]

4 hours ago, RBenn1701 said:

Great, two unhelpful posts in a row... I'm not looking to get into an troll/flame war over "what the science says," I'm trying to get a tiny bit of insight into what length of clubs I should be using. As you cant/wont comment on that, I'll wait for someone who will.

And news flash, not everyone is willing/able to spend 500 bucks on a "fitting"...it's also not a particularly helpful suggestion for new players, who won't be swinging consistently enough to get a truly valid result from the fitting anyway. Been on a few sites like this, and I just keep getting unhelpful elitist "suggestions" to spend tons of money on lessons and fittings and ball-flight simulators etc, and not much at all on practical advice. Think I liked bowling better.

Fitting doesn’t have to cost $500. I got my current irons at a national big box store in 2018.  I ended up buying from them, so the cost of fitting was dropped.  I forget what it would have been if I didn’t buy—$75 or something?

My static fitting from my at home measurements (Ping chart) would have put me into a blue dot,  +1/2 inch.  Dynamic fitting and trying a few shaft options put me into Ping black dot, standard length.  And it was a fun way to spend a couple of hours.

I’m not sure how stores are handling fitting these days with the current social distancing restrictions, but checking online or calling should answer that.

The other option would be to buy a set of used (but recent) standard length irons, game improvement or super game improvement, and go from there.  Get experience, learn to love the game, see what guys play, see what they say here on the forum. Then if you want, trade in (or keep as backup) and get another set (with or without fitting).

[Double Mocha Man]

Question of the Day:  Would a fitter (who should absolutely charge for his/her services) and represents Ping, Taylormade and Mizuno ever recommend a set of Titleist irons, which he/she doesn't sell????????

[Colins69]

4 hours ago, RBenn1701 said:

Great, two unhelpful posts in a row... I'm not looking to get into an troll/flame war over "what the science says," I'm trying to get a tiny bit of insight into what length of clubs I should be using. As you cant/wont comment on that, I'll wait for someone who will.

And news flash, not everyone is willing/able to spend 500 bucks on a "fitting"...it's also not a particularly helpful suggestion for new players, who won't be swinging consistently enough to get a truly valid result from the fitting anyway. Been on a few sites like this, and I just keep getting unhelpful elitist "suggestions" to spend tons of money on lessons and fittings and ball-flight simulators etc, and not much at all on practical advice. Think I liked bowling better.

Well u feel better now right ?

 

Opinions are free and sometimes not what your looking for, just read them and be grateful that someone else took minutes out of there life to reply. Time they never get back, then you abuse them into the bargain so maybe I won't get a reply because people won't reply because of idiotic behavior like yours. 

 

Say nothing if your incapable of being polite....

[pganapathy]

9 hours ago, RBenn1701 said:

Hey all, new player here that's very confused about club lengths.

Without a swing video it is very difficult to give you any advice.  But a simple tip I can give you is to choke down a bit on the club if you feel they are too long for you.  If that works, then you won't have any issues.  I hesitate to suggest shortening the existing shaft since it can throw the weight off and potentially affect your swing.

[Vinsk]

6 hours ago, RBenn1701 said:

And news flash, not everyone is willing/able to spend 500 bucks on a "fitting".

Here’s another news flash: fittings don’t cost anywhere near $500. Many places give you a fitting for free if you buy the clubs there. But to ask to hit a 7i with a lie board or something to get an idea what length seems to work for you is a few bucks. 

[darthweasel]

On ‎6‎/‎7‎/‎2020 at 9:12 AM, RBenn1701 said:

Great, two unhelpful posts in a row...

I am pretty new here so will be gentle, but...I found both of posts very helpful and informative.

 

I had wrongfully been buying into the "they just changed the loft" lie, and his first post gave me a direction to look and he was exactly correct. It was very helpful because it was true. Good knowledge to have.

 

Then the second post, his point about fitting isn't changing you to meet the club, it is changing the club to meet you addressed a specific question that you asked. It may not have been the answer you WANTED, but it was certainly an accurate, very helpful answer. And I can attest that when I got serious about the game, the club fitting was worth every penny. Of course, it also was a waived fee when I bought clubs at that course, and strokes came off my game instantly. I did purchase somewhat more expensive clubs than I intended but have never regretted it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ChetlovesMer]

On 6/7/2020 at 8:26 AM, RBenn1701 said:

I recently bought a couple 09 Burner irons off CallawayPreowned to replace an older set of borrowed bladed irons.. they are both "standard" length, but the Burners are 1.5" longer than the older ones. I have also started looking at the specs on various modern club sets, and see a discrepancy between lengths of "standard" club sets.

"Modern" clubs are often longer than their older counterparts. But 1-1/2 inches feels like a lot. 

For example the Burner 2.0, which I think are the irons you got are only 1/4" longer than the Ping Eye 2's. 

Here are Burner 2.0 specs. You may want to measure yours against these to see if they truly are "Standard" length. 

Club	Length	Loft	Lie	SW
3	39.5"	19°	60.75°	D3.5
4	38.75"	21°	61.5°	D3.5
5	38.25"	24°	62°	D3.5
6	37.75"	27°	62.5°	D3.5
7	37"	31°	63°	D3.5
8	36.5"	35°	63.5°	D3.5
9	36"	40°	64°	D3.5
PW	35.5"	45°	64.5°	D3.5
AW	35.5"	50°	64.5°	D3.5
SW	35.25"	55°	64.5°	D5
LW	35"	60°	64.5°	D5

 

 

On 6/7/2020 at 12:12 PM, RBenn1701 said:

Great, two unhelpful posts in a row...

As @Colins69 mentioned, Be Nice. The folks on this forum are genuinely trying to help. A better option here may have been to say "Thanks for the information; What I am really interested in is ...." 

As grandma always said "You catch more flies with honey." 

Welcome to the forum. Let us know if you want more information about your clubs.