My 5 and 6 Iron Go About the Same Distance

[snapfade]

According to Shot Scope over last 15 rounds my Performance Average for my 5/6 iron is 189/187, the Average is 189/178.  I have recently moved back a set of tees so those clubs come into play more now. I understand the algorithm used to determine Performance Average, but should I use that as a "hard target" when assessing my game or go with the Average?  One reason I am asking is if I can fly the 5/6 around the same distance, I could get rid of say the 5 and add a 3wd. I need to collect some more on course data to dial it in I suppose but I find it interesting. 

[p1n9183]

Do ShotScope account for weather? roll? altitud? wind? lie? etc... etc.. 
If not, you need a lot more shots in order to cancel out all that different variables.

The best way to compare is with a launch monitor or hitting shots on the course with both from the same places at the same time. 

Unless the loft of the clubs are modified to have similar loft, you are not going to hit both clubs the same distance. 

[snapfade]

17 minutes ago, p1n9183 said:

Do ShotScope account for weather? roll? altitud? wind? lie? etc... etc.. 
If not, you need a lot more shots in order to cancel out all that different variables.

The best way to compare is with a launch monitor or hitting shots on the course with both from the same places at the same time. 

Unless the loft of the clubs are modified to have similar loft, you are not going to hit both clubs the same distance. 

Performance Average uses algorithms to remove all outlier shot distances (both long and short) to give the golfer a true representation of the distance a well struck golf shot travels. The issue with just an average distance is that if you hit a tree 40 yards in front of you this is included in that statistic as does a shot caught clean then bounds down a cart path.

When deciding how far you hit each club we would suggest to take the P-AVG distances over the average distances.

The P-AVG will take some time until the algorithm kicks in, until then the system will half the total distance, after you have played around 5 rounds you should start to get some P-AVG distances with your clubs. The more shots you take the more accurate the P-AVG gets. 

Any shot marked as a positional shot or a shot hit within 50 yards of the pin is not included in either the Average or P-AVG calculations.  Click here to find out more about Positional shots.

I did that.

If I take Shot Scope's advice, then both 5/6 go the same distance. I'm pretty sure user error comes into play, but it seems they account for that. Agreed more data is needed and I just ordered a launch monitor 🙂 

Edited March 25 by snapfade

[klineka]

When was the last time you had the loft/lies checked?

If it's been a while it's possible that the loft on the 5 and 6 have both shifted closer towards one another so they're both really playing as like 5 and 1/2 irons or something.

[snapfade]

10 minutes ago, klineka said:

When was the last time you had the loft/lies checked?

If it's been a while it's possible that the loft on the 5 and 6 have both shifted closer towards one another so they're both really playing as like 5 and 1/2 irons or something.

They are new irons, Ive had them for about 2 months if not a little less. I could have them checked though, could be a manufacturing issue I suppose but I'm leaning more towards the user. I just ordered a launch monitor a little while ago, it will arrive tomorrow so I will screw with it and get some better data hopefully.  There is a 3 degree difference in loft and a half inch in length (Titleist T-300) I play the ball in the same position for both irons, hands on the grip in the same place.  Ill experiment with ball position this evening when I go out and see if that make a difference.  

[GolfLug]

What are your 4 and 7 iron distances? If data is good then gapping bias somewhere on the high side of the set is not that unusual. It could also mean that it is your inflection point where you could do better distance wise by switching to a hybrid for 5 iron and above. Just saying. 

Or graphite shafts..

[SG11118]

I had similar problems.  The combination of my launch angle and my swing speed was putting my 6I at about 180 and the lower trajectory of my 5I couldn't get long enough air-time to get more yardage than that.  I ended up switching to a 5 hybrid that launches higher, and I can probably get 195 out of it. 

With how the manufacturers have decreased the lofts on clubs to promise longer hitting irons, today's 5 irons are what 3 or 4 irons were years ago.  Maybe compare the lofts of your new irons with your lofts of your old irons and consider a 5 hybrid instead of a 5 iron.  

[billchao]

I’m with @p1n9183 on this one, even as a Shot Scope user. Performance average is not the same as knowing your carry distance, which is really what you want. I actually don’t find any of the club distance stats particularly useful at all, but I also own a Mevo+.

[boogielicious]

Are you tossing both clubs with the same overhand motion? The 5 iron is a little lighter and should fly farther. 😜

[snapfade]

1 hour ago, billchao said:

I’m with @p1n9183 on this one, even as a Shot Scope user. Performance average is not the same as knowing your carry distance, which is really what you want. I actually don’t find any of the club distance stats particularly useful at all, but I also own a Mevo+.

Ive ordered the Mevo.

4 hours ago, GolfLug said:

What are your 4 and 7 iron distances? If data is good then gapping bias somewhere on the high side of the set is not that unusual. It could also mean that it is your inflection point where you could do better distance wise by switching to a hybrid for 5 iron and above. Just saying. 

Or graphite shafts..

I was using a driving iron but just bought a 3 hybrid, The driving iron was deg and 206 p-average.  7 iron is 166. Theres a significant gap between 5/6-7. 

[iacas]

1 hour ago, snapfade said:

Ive ordered the Mevo.

Did you order it via the sidebar/coupon code? 🙂 

I would also get the lofts/lies checked.

[pganapathy]

One thing I learnt as I aged is that club head speed slows down and how well you hit your longer irons suffers.  I can still hit my 3 iron well and get distance on it, but the consistency is way down.  I now start from the 6 iron.  I am guessing the same is true for you, though if you got new clubs a few months ago, I have to assume you got fitted.  I would believe you should drop the 5 iron based on what you say

[GolfLug]

3 hours ago, snapfade said:

Ive ordered the Mevo.

I was using a driving iron but just bought a 3 hybrid, The driving iron was deg and 206 p-average.  7 iron is 166. Theres a significant gap between 5/6-7. 

If 5 iron is 189 and 7 iron is 166 then really you are hitting your 6 iron exceptionally well (distance wise). Either your 6 iron has a loft disparity or that it maybe your best one-length master - meaning it is the club that you swing the 'best' for an optimum ball flight. Mine is my 8-iron. When swinging well I hit it as far as my 7 iron, but I don't close gaps with other clubs as well regardless of how well I am swinging.

[ChetlovesMer]

11 hours ago, billchao said:

I’m with @p1n9183 on this one, even as a Shot Scope user. Performance average is not the same as knowing your carry distance, which is really what you want. I actually don’t find any of the club distance stats particularly useful at all

I agree with both @p1n9183 and @billchao.

I will also say you need to have a lot of rounds before Shotscope really starts to find your averages. For example, here's a screen shot of my performance averages for my hybrid to my 60. 

When I look at that, it seems about right. My gap wedge is probably a little high, my 7 iron is probably a little low. But it's more or less what I'd expect. That's based off of 24 rounds. 

However, if I only look at the last 10 rounds I get this. 

If I only look at my last 10 rounds, Then suddenly I'm hitting my GW farther than my PW. My 8 iron and my 9 iron are now the same. As @p1n9183 mentioned, Shotscope doesn't take uphill downhill, the wind, whether or not you are trying to flight one in low, fade one in, draw one around a tree, etc... All of those things are "normal" golf things that happen during a normal round (or 10 rounds in this case). 

If you are going to use Shotscope for your distances, you need a lot of data. 

Anyway, I hope this helps. 

 

[snapfade]

Ive only had these irons for a little while so that may have something to do with it as far as data goes.  Mevo comes today so we will see what it tells me, Thanks everyone for you insight. 

[iacas]

12 hours ago, iacas said:

Did you order it via the sidebar/coupon code? 🙂 

Seems maybe… no?

Hit ten good shots with each. For each, post:

• Clubhead speed
• Ball speed
• Launch angle (vertical)
• Carry yardage
• Peak height
• Total spin

Should tell us a lot.

[snapfade]

2 hours ago, iacas said:

Seems maybe… no?

Hit ten good shots with each. For each, post:

• Clubhead speed
• Ball speed
• Launch angle (vertical)
• Carry yardage
• Peak height
• Total spin

Should tell us a lot.

No I ordered from Amazon using a nice credit balance on a return I had a while back.

OK will do. 

[snapfade]

5 iron

• Clubhead speed 89.2 mph
• Ball speed 111mph
• Launch angle (vertical)  19.6
• Carry yardage 153.9
• Peak height 87'7"
• Total spin 5519

6 iron

• Clubhead speed 91.7 mph
• Ball speed 111.6 mph
• Launch angle (vertical)  20.9
• Carry yardage 151.1
• Peak height 97'11"
• Total spin 6426