Driving Irons????? anyone hit one?

[shankopotamus]

I need help! I havent been able to hit the driver lately. Im spraying shots all over the place. Typically I am hitting a HUGEEE slice, and every once in a while I hit one dead left. I hit my irons decent for the most part. So I am thinking about purchasing a driving iron. Any suggestions???

Thanks in advance!

[Lemay427]

A bandaid is never the way to go. Save the money on buying a driving iron and go get a lesson. I bet the teaching pro will get your driver straight.

Kenny

[PiKapp23]

You would be better off to get a good hybrid (2H or 3H) than attempting to use a 'driving iron'. I have used them over the years and they are sometimes difficult to hit unless you are a very good ball striker. A hybrid or 3/4/5 wood would probably be a much better option for you (of course most 'driving irons' these days are really just a hybrid of some sort anyway). I did use a Callaway Big Bertha 2 Iron for driving for a few years when I was struggling with my driver (this was when hybrids were still very new and most were not as easy as that BB was). If you prefer an iron over hybrid or wood find the most forgiving one you can find in a 2 or 3 iron and use that.

[shankopotamus]

Thanks for the advice! I have been concidering lessons for quite some time, just have yet to commit to them. I am currently hitting and OLD goldwin ADVP, and have been told to have a "baseball swing". Which doesnt suprise me. (been playing baseball since I was 3). Would some new technology, i.e. more forgiving/ draw driver, be a better bet than the "driving iron"?

[PiKapp23]

Thanks for the advice! I have been concidering lessons for quite some time, just have yet to commit to them. I am currently hitting and OLD goldwin ADVP, and have been told to have a "baseball swing". Which doesnt suprise me. (been playing baseball since I was 3). Would some new technology, i.e. more forgiving/ draw driver, be a better bet than the "driving iron"?

Ironically, I responded a few days back about the worst club I have ever hit and had to mention my worst as a Goldwin ADVP driver. I used to play the Goldwin irons and loved them, but tried the driver and hated it. Worst feeling club I've ever hit (at least from a reputable 'premium' company like Goldwin used to be). I almost mentioned some of the other 'worst' ever hit clubs and they would have been a couple of driving irons I tried several years back.

I agree with Lemay about lessons - they are always a good idea rather than trying to bandaid your game together and probably make it worse in the long run. I do think a new driver will help you game as well, though. if you look for new drivers look for something with a higher MOI (such as Nike Sumo 2 5900 or many others). There are some really good deals on these now. I would not recommend a 'Draw' biased driver because it is also little more than a bandaid and as your swing improves it will end up causing more issues than it fixes. Also, if looking at a new driver be sure to test several with different shafts (the flex is very important, but there are also big differences in torque and kick point that can have as much or more impact on your swing). A professional fitter can help you find the right club/shaft combo.

[shankopotamus]

Thanks pikapp! The ADVP has never felt "solid" to me. Ive always thought it was just me! I think its time to retire her. Going to head to golf galaxy tom. to test out some new drivers. Lessons are in the near future! (just trying to be consistantly in the 80's). Thank you for your feed back!

[misty_mountainhop]

Used them a lot in the past....used to call them a 1-iron. My game isn't up to them anymore but my current 2-iron works surprisingly well.

I'd go for a hybrid (I'd have one but for my current 2-iron going so well) or why not hit a 3-wood?? People seem to have forgotten about the 3-wood; typically almost as long as a driver (except into wind), a bit shorter shaft so easier to hit well (usually) and easier to get it on the short grass. Look how well Cabrera was hitting his last week (1st playoff hole excepted!).

[clearwaterms]

Thanks pikapp! The ADVP has never felt "solid" to me. Ive always thought it was just me! I think its time to retire her. Going to head to golf galaxy tom. to test out some new drivers. Lessons are in the near future! (just trying to be consistantly in the 80's). Thank you for your feed back!

just wait till you get to the 80's. I just want to keep getting better.

[MSB256]

have been told to have a "baseball swing". Which doesnt suprise me. (been playing baseball since I was 3).

I've played baseball since I was 4 and sometimes I can look at people hitting drives and say, yep, he might have been a baseball player.

Being a baseball player myself, I can vouch that lessons from a pro are worth the money... I've only had two, but he started with my grip and then helped me get my swing more on plane. You never realize how ugly your swing may or may not be until you see it on video. I would recommend lessons over anything else... but a new driver could be a good thing.

[shankopotamus]

I've played baseball since I was 4 and sometimes I can look at people hitting drives and say, yep, he might have been a baseball player.

I agree. I definently need lessons. I am anxious/ affraid to see my swing on video

[MI Rob]

You will probably be better off with a 3/4/5 wood or a 2/3 hybrid.

[MSB256]

I didn't mean to sound like a jerk, your'e swing may not be ugly at all, you just never know till ya go get it on video. Plus a pro can always give you useful advice and tips.

[shankopotamus]

I didn't mean to sound like a jerk, your'e swing may not be ugly at all, you just never know till ya go get it on video. Plus a pro can always give you useful advice and tips.

No offense was taken. All of my golfing buddies are fairly good golfers. (all played in high school and a few are still scratch golfers). They tend to get a good laugh out of some of my drives. i.e. when i aim literally 80 yards left, then hit a huge push/ POWER FADE to the right 80 yards OB. I take it all in fun.

[MSB256]

That's a good attitude and just wanting to really get better is a good thing. I'm trying too! I have been know to hit a slice that's more like a 90 degree angle to the right.

[shankopotamus]

That's a good attitude and just wanting to really get better is a good thing. I'm trying too! I have been know to hit a slice that's more like a 90 degree angle to the right.

haha yeah me too. Last weekend I teed off into a 20mph wind that was kinda left to right but also in my face. I hit one of my "legendary" drives. It sliced sooo bad that the ball literally ended up behind me 2 fairways over. Even I had a good laugh at that one.

If it wasnt for my decent iron play, id probably have to quit.

[skwon11]

I think I have a King Cobra Driving Iron (somewhere in the garage) I could send to you if you wanted to give it a swing... I'd send it to you for shipping... let me know if you're interested.

[Pinseeker81]

I need help! I havent been able to hit the driver lately. Im spraying shots all over the place. Typically I am hitting a HUGEEE slice, and every once in a while I hit one dead left. I hit my irons decent for the most part. So I am thinking about purchasing a driving iron. Any suggestions???

Hey, where in Deer Park do you live? I live off of Pasadena Blvd and East Blvd.

[Awsi Dooger]

I use a King Cobra Original Oversize 17 degree graphite shafted driving iron and love it. I'll take it out of my bag occasionally for a round or two when I'm not hitting it often, then I'll wonder what the heck I was thinking.

The weighting simply feels terrific. I hit the sweet spot more consistently on that club than any other. That's not exaggeration for impact. I clean my clubs after every round and the one certainty is the grass marks on that driving iron will be smack on the sweet spot circle.

A clubfitter reshafted it for me about 5 or 6 years ago, after the original shaft broke. I didn't get a fitting but the guy estimated perfectly. He recommended R flex instead of S, and lengthened it to fit my 6-4 frame. I think it's a Wilson shaft. I don't know the specifics and don't care. That club is not going to be altered.

The offset helps it play much more gentle than a typical low lofted iron. It feels as simple as a 6 iron. I don't get quite the height off the turf as I did a few years ago since I'm approaching 50, but still reasonable. When I play tree lined courses it's a great safety club. And if I have a high carry necessity on a dogleg, I'll pull out the driving iron automatically. I can't count the number of skeptical views I've received from players who don't know my tendencies with that club, very high off the tee. Then they want to try it themselves.

An ideal driving iron is not a 1 iron. I have a Hogan 1 iron and the Cobra is decidedly more forgiving, but not as long. In my 30s prime I could belt that Hogan 1 iron about 245-250 off the tee. The driving iron was more like 235 tops, now closer to 225. Keep in mind that's sea level. I'm in Miami currently.

I'm not touting a driving iron for everyone. In my case it's a club that simply gels, for whatever reason. My swing has always favored irons above woods, for one thing. The driving iron has also received frequent use off the tee when I'm playing miserable and don't trust my swing with a driver in front of a large unfamiliar crowd.