1 Iron Golf Clubs

[DocParty]

I don't actually agree with your statement that if they were any good the pro's would move to them.

They are sponsored, they play the clubs the sponsors provide and their set of clubs can run over $3000 without even thinking about it.

They have their clubs tweaked every week/month depending on how they 'think' they are playing. Golf is a mind game as much as anything.

Not trying to be offensive here at all. Everyone has a different approach and what works for one guy or gal is good enough, we should leave it at that.

I have hybrids, lots of people think these are not 'real golf clubs'. I should be hitting forged they say or Pings or whatever.

Well I hit my 7 through 3 hybrid quite well and use standard cavity back short irons. None of them have failed me.

By the way, all of my hybrids are the same length (well nearly). 7 through 5 the same length, 3 and 4 the same length. (only one half inch difference in the two groups)

Now I'm not like a bunch of guys and gals out here knocking the ball off the tee 300 plus yards as I see regularly stated. I never will. Too old and broken.

But I can stay in the fairway from tee to green all the time. It's just up to my swing being correct, steady and consistent. This is where I think the same length clubs have helped me.

Not for everyone, but if it helps one person, then that one person should go with it. Golfs a game, supposed to be enjoyed not frustrating and none of us that I know makes his or her living playing golf exclusively.

[rickr3]

You play baseball?  throw a ball at 2 degrees of angle with a certain amount of effort.  now throw a ball at a higher degree of angle with the same amount of effort.  Does it go as far?  Did you use a longer arm to throw the first ball?  One iron lengths make sense.

[jevbrowser]

What has gone unnoticed (or at least un-highlighted) is that this thread contains 2 completely separate and distinct arguments - either for or against the same-length theory – that are totally unrelated.  So I will break them out from a logical standpoint.

1.

1.  11.  Lots of talk about the “science” (physics, angles, distances, plane theory, etc…………).  The missed point on this science argument is this:  The same-length system developers/advocates do NOT dispute the science behind the argument that – all other scientific factors being equal (except clubhead speed) - a shorter shafted 3 iron will travel less distance than a longer shafted 3 iron.    Of course it will…….due to shaftflex/clubhead speed.  So stop arguing against the same-length iron theory based on the science or physics of “distance”.  It’s off-point.  That argument misses the real point, which is:  Your swing PLANE will be more CONSISTENT with the same-length system, since your goal (via the practice range) with same-length clubs will be to ALWAYS apply the SAME swing PLANE to all of your irons (in contrast to your goal with conventional clubs being to apply the consistently appropriate but DIFFERENT swing plane to each different-length club in your bag, based upon it’s length .............which overburdens/complicates your practice range sessions…….hence your game ).  And the ability to CONSISTENTLY apply the APPROPRIATE swing plane to every iron swing is the MAIN thing that separates ALL of us on this forum from the approx. 250 tour players. Men/Boys.  Period. It’s why tour player swing coaches focus on consistency and not style.  We know for sure that it ISN’T clubhead speed that separates us since Bubba Watson’s is 123mph and Webb Simpson’s and Vijay Singh’s are 112mph.  Some of us can go 112 or higher so we know it’s not that.

2.   2.  Which brings us to the second distinct and separate argument:  Tour Players have the talent/skill to take ANY length club and apply a consistent and "appropriate" swing PLANE to it at will………..we can’t……….period.  So using the argument that if same-length is so great, why don't Tour players use them?  It's offpoint.  Tour players would NEVER opt for same length clubs.  Why?  Simple.  It won’t help their “scores”.  They don’t HAVE to use same-length clubs to lower their scores.  On the contrary, it would raise their scores due to decreased distances.  The rest of us – until we get on Tour – would probably achieve lower scores with same-length clubs. If any of us could apply as consistent a swing plane to each swing we make, then we wouldn’t need to use same-length clubs either.  If we're honest, we all know that we are striving toward, or trying to emulate the Tour players games.  That’s what we do.  But the question you have to ask yourself is this:  When you are on the course, are you trying to emulate Tiger’s “shot-making”, or are you trying to emulate his “score” at the end of the round?  If you are a true sports competitor and understand the very essence and nature of competition, then your answer will always be “score”.   So, would you rather continue your [perhaps ] narcissistic attempts to emulate Tiger’s “shot-making” for those fleeting and scarce moments of glory on the course?  Or would you rather sacrifice that glory, in exchange for lower overall round SCORES?  (even at the expense of your buddies bustin yer onions because you have “training wheels”).  Because your shots (swings) will (unless you are a Tour player) be more CONSISTENT with same-length clubs, which means your SCORES will likely be lower.  Put more simply:  Would you rather hit your 3 iron 190 yards, 50% of the time being in the short stuff and 50% of the time being in the long stuff, and consistently score an 82?  Or would you rather hit your 3 iron 170 yards, 90% of the time being in the short stuff, and 10% of the time being in the long stuff, and consistently score a 76?  (which by the way is my story, albeit irrelevant to my objective argument here)

Don't confuse the 2 separate arguments.

That’s it.

Jev

[Johnny1790]

Well...gonna take the plunge and have a go myself. I'm off a 16 handicap and have always struggled with the longer irons. I have occasionally hit a vein of form and flushed them for a few weeks but the inconsistency always creeps in. Ironically, the best game I ever played was a special competition with only 3 clubs (driver, 7 iron and putter). Shot 75 off the stick, went out the next day with a full set and shot 86...go figure. I have never broke 80 since that day. The most vivid memory from that round was the first 2 holes being quite difficult, but after that the 7 iron seemed to be glued to my hands and I could not miss. Just repetition, and the feel of the club meant I could petty much play any shot within it's range easily. Never tried it again, but noticed a couple of retailers selling single length clubs (1-iron and Pinhawk) so am going to invest in one of them and review afterwards. I don't feel that I have very much to lose, as I play G25 at the moment and can always revert back if they don't suit me in the end. Pennies are an issue so I will probably go the cheapest option as I need them sending to Australia as well. I feel the concept will work as playing the same club over and over again certainly worked on that day for me, but I could equally custard pie myself in the face :-)

[ryan772]

I kind of like the idea of the 1 iron clubs. Im not a scratch golfer by any means and couldnt really tell u my handicap except my last 3 scores have been 89,84,86n but i rarely use a lower then a 7 iron. The course i usually play on is about 6600 yards, and i generally manage it so im hitting a 9 or wedge. I get into trouble hitting 7,6,5,4, but can put a 9 iron withen 10 feet from 160 out all day long. If all my clubs if i could hit my 4 iron even 190 with the same length club i would take that all day

[dmcnab]

Hi Ryan772...it seems you are using the 1Iron golf clubs? I just ordered a set and can't wait for them to arrive.....hope I made a smart move....do you like the clubs? How do they perfom?

[ryan772]

No. Havent tried them but actauuly think it would help my game. Ime weak from 180 out, although i just bout a 4h that i was dropping about 200 yards today. I know that the guy that won the ncaa championship is using same length irons.

[dmcnab]

Has anyone on this topic tried a set of 1Irons? They have a 30 day moneyback guarantee...the theory sound perfectly logical to me, and I know that they aren't going to be some perfect magic bullet, but the idea of the same swing for every club (in exhcnage for some loss of distance, you are supposed to get much improved accuracy)....I am looking for feedback from someone who is using them? Thanks.

[ryan772]

Im pretty long with my irons already, about 145-p 155-9n so i feel like losing a few yards wouldnt hurt me so i may have to look into this. Would it be possible to cut my shafts on my irons to the same length and acheive the same results as buying a set from a site like 1iron?

[danL]

Im pretty long with my irons already, about 145-p 155-9n so i feel like losing a few yards wouldnt hurt me so i may have to look into this. Would it be possible to cut my shafts on my irons to the same length and acheive the same results as buying a set from a site like 1iron?

Not if you want them all to be the same weight like 1 iron.

[ryan772]

Duh i completely spaced on that point.

[vangator]

Has anyone on this topic tried a set of 1Irons? They have a 30 day moneyback guarantee...the theory sound perfectly logical to me, and I know that they aren't going to be some perfect magic bullet, but the idea of the same swing for every club (in exhcnage for some loss of distance, you are supposed to get much improved accuracy)....I am looking for feedback from someone who is using them? Thanks.

I play the Pinhawk Single Length clubs. You will find them weird at first. In fact, you may hate them initially. Stick with it though. Get to the range and swing them a lot. You'll probably have trouble getting them airborne at first. You'll have to unlearn a lot of your old swing. Play the ball where you'd normally play your 7 iron and keep you head down. Go to the 1iron website. David Lake has a lot of good stuff on the golf swing, particularly using SL clubs. But the info is good regardless of the clubs you swing. Once you get the hang of them, you'll never go back to "conventional" clubs. Good Luck!

[dmcnab]

Typically, I play the ball from the middle of my stance anyway...driver is played off the inside of my left foot, but most everything else is middle of the stance......that's why I thought that switching to something like 1Iron made sense (after reading David Lake's material on his website)...they are to be delivered on Tuesday, so I am plan on testing them out ASAP, following David's "Playability Tips"....I will post something here as to my initial (and subsequent) impressions...I normally shoot in mid-to high-90s, and so I am looking for some significant improvement ( would like to shoot in mid-80s on a regular basis, and sometimes even lower, and know that achieving this will take some practice)...hope that I am not expecting too much

[Johnny1790]

Have another 6 weeks and pennants is over. Will order them then and we can compare notes.

[HockeyGolfer18]

I carry a Ping Eye 2 iron after my driver, 4 wood and that bridges the gap very well between my 4 wood and 4 iron I use my 2 iron as a driving iron

[Johnny1790]

So, as luck would have it I have managed to pick up a set (3-LW 11 clubs) plus a driver for AU$199 on ebay.

Hopefully will have them by late this week. Not quite the right wtf for me so may have to add a 1/2" extension to each to get them to match, and bend a degree upright. (just going to see where they match in my G25's and go from there).

Should be easy enough to "test" the concept and I will have nothing to lose with the experiment (maybe another few $'s for the mods).

Still mid-way through Pennants, so won't be gaming them any time soon...just driving range gauging distances and feel to begin with...watch this space...

[vangator]

Does pennants mean penance, or you half way through the baseball season? If you switch back and forth between conventional clubs and 1 Irons, you're going to hate them. Probably both. :-D Unless you're a scratch player, you've probably been setting up to the ball poorly and swinging with too much right side. You're going to hit low worm burners and then you're going to start trying to help the ball in the air. The best advice I can give you is to practice hitting the ball easy with your left arm only. To be consistent at all, you have to keep your left arm from what I call "over rotating". This should also help promote an inside out swing with more of your body instead of your arms. After you think you are making some decent contact, try it with both arms. When you setup to the target, align your face on the path you want (probably at the target or just to the right or left depending on you shot shape) and make your swing. Trust that you've made the right alignment and follow through. No need to pick your head up to follow the shot immediately. It should go where you aimed it. You should watch the 5 keys videos. Start with the first key and work toward building a swing. You can't do it all at once.

[Johnny1790]

Pennants...it's what we call one golf club against another...match play. Not sure what the U.S. Equivalent is but I'm sure you have similar. Thanks for the advice. I do have a fairly upright swing so was hoping to just have a few range sessions to feel the weight etc. (when you get something new you want to try it don't you?). I still have 4 weeks imatch play then back to normal and probably taking 2-3 weeks of just range time to get used to them. Really looking forward to trying them...ive been a while pondering I can tell you. I will definitely look at the videos you have mentioned and report how things are going. Cheers