Anybody play a 2 iron?

[mattttt25]

No, but I have a 1 iron I currently carry. When I bought my set of Tommy Armour 855's about 12 years ago, it was a huge set that included everything from 2 iron to 4 wedge. But when the salesman pulled the set out, he couldn't find the 2 iron. He did have a 1 iron but different serial number. He offered to bend it to make it a 2, but I didn't like the way that sounded and just took the club.

I actually think its pretty cool. Have used it occasionally over the years as a rescue club, may have gotten 2 or 3 good hits off it. When I get my new clubs this year, I may still carry it if I have room.

[RC]

Good Golly Miss Molly... I thought I was the only one here old enough to have carried and played a 1 iron. Great club for windy days, but I don't think I could hit one well any more. There are many times I wish I had a 2 iron rather than my hybrid, but on balance, the hybrid would be and is more useful. A long par three into the wind with an open approach to allow a little run up is a great time to have a 2 iron, but you need to practice it a lot. They seldom baloon like a hybrid can do if you are not careful.

[Blades4me]

LOL, not only do I play a 2i, I also will put my 1i in the bag for a couple of courses here in Portland Or.

I think its mental, but as I have become very comfortable with my long irons I now have trouble hitting my hybrids consistently. LOL, so now I don't carry any hybrids.

[WUTiger]

I've got a old 3i blade from the 60's so maybe it's more like a modern day 4i?

In loft, probably.

Sean Miller has the rest of the story:

When they started delofting irons, they didn't just take existing iron sets and adjust the lofts and lies, they re-engineered them. A vintage 2-iron and a new 3 iron may be the same loft or a couple degrees apart, depending on the manufacturer, but one thing is very likely. You have to put a better strike on the ball to get the same shot out of the older 2 iron. If you can do it, it's money. Also, a new 3-iron (matching or not) may not have exactly the desired flight characteristics suited to wind day tee shots.

In addition on what Sean said... The delofting started with early cavity-backed clubs, which popped the ball up so high you needed a little less loft to get same distance. Then, the marketing guys went crazy and delofted further, trying to get the 170-yd. 7-iron, messing up the yardsticks, and ceating the need for a Gap Wedge. ... Too much of a good thing... We talk about this about once every six months, it seems.

[tm22721]

I practice with a 1960 Wilson Pro Staff Dyna-Powered set of irons, heavy so lots of feel. If you can hit the 1 iron straight (Hogan at Merion in 1950 US Open, 18th hole) you can hit anything.

[dbuck]

I have 1 and 2 irons in both sets, blade and cavity back. The Staffs are the proverbial butter knives and the 16* 1 iron in the DCI set is almost hybrid looking. A stock 7 iron is about 150-155 for me and the rest of the irons are about 10-12 yds. spacing if I do my part. I hit the long irons about as well as the rest of my set, which is to say ok most of the time but not fantastic.

[shortys408]

iv got a ping eye 2 - 2 iron and 1 iron. I can't hit them though.

[KevinC]

I use my 2 iron a lot. It's my out iron from the woods. And unfortunately it gets used 3-4 times a round.

Kevin

[DavidFehertysBike]

hell no......

[pearfootball]

I have a handicap of 3 and use a Callway x-12 2 iron. I dont necesserily have it in my bag all the time. Depends on the conditions and the type of course im playing. Very useful club in dry, firm conditions as with roll I can hit it around 240, therefore making it a club I can use on a par 4 of 400+ yards and not leave myself with too far in. But essentially it is my go to club, which I hit if a particular tee shot doesnt suit my eye, or a if it is tight hole with trouble that can be found with an errant tee shot. Its also a very useful club in the wind, and since im from the UK, and invaluable club when playing links golf. For example I'm playing at Royal St. Georges next week, therefore it will be a club I will use a lot not only off the tee, but also on par 5's and probably par 4's for my 2nd shots. Some people may find the prospect of hitting a 2-iron daunting, but with practice and confidence, it can become an integral part of your bag.

[Matty89]

I play a 17 degree T-MB 718 2 Iron. I've never liked hybrids though, I hit them far too high.

I live in the UK so it can get windy at times where I play. In which case it replaces the driver to hit fairways if there is wind in my face.

I'll gladly hit it off the, or off the deck great club. 

I'm sure the new PING I500's 3 iron is 17 degrees these days now they have there stupid power lofts, retro lofts etc. you can choose from.

Power lofts seem to be for people to brag about hitting a 180-190 7 iron whilst having larger gaps than ideal with 8-PW which seems silly to me. I suppose it will sell clubs to people who only care about crunching it though.

 

Edited August 16, 2018 by Matty89

[Groucho Valentine]

No. Not since hybrid/rescue clubs started catching on 10 or so years ago. Ive been using a 17 or 18 degree hybrid in that slot since then. Gave up on the 3 iron a couple years after that. 

[lastings]

I can pretty comfortably hit a 2-iron off the tee, but, it just sits on my garage because I can hit my 3-hybrid the same distance, and I can hit the 3-hybrid out of the fairway much better.  If it was really windy, I might be inclined to carry the 2, but I live in Minnesota, so it rarely ever is.    I suppose if I ever made it over to Scotland I'd bring it along.  

[Matty89]

If you're confident with long irons you may love a 2 iron I do, the trajectory is a thing of beauty.

I honestly find myself that a bad shot with a rescue wood puts me in more danger than a bad shot with a 2 iron. (Hybrid become a big draw missing left) as I find a lot of rescue woods put weight in the heel to help promote draws. Dispersion is much less with a 2 iron for me also. I can hit the 818 H2 i have straight ish if I set it up with fade weight bias and promote a fade with the surefit. It just feels like it balloons if theres any wind in the face.

I play with Titleist MB's though so theres not much fear involved with the 2 iron especially with the T-MB as it's might forgiving. 

I just feel if I'm having an off day with the driver and missing fairways I can rely on the 2 iron and hit most par 5's with 2 iron / 2 iron if need be.

My course is set up wonderfully for a 2 iron too. The front 9 is parkland, a wayward drive can be still scramble a par whereas the back 9 leads high into the hills and plays a lot more links style with higher winds and deeper danger.

 

If I miss a couple fairways on the front 9 with the driver or feel I'm having an off day there's at least 3 holes on the back I'll leave the driver and 3 wood in the bag in favour of a stinger straight down the middle. It's a confidence club for me I don't feel I can miss a fairway with it and it flies about 270 so it gets down there.

 

 

Edited August 16, 2018 by Matty89

[Patch]

I am currently playing a two iron, which is one of the original (semi?) hybrids. It has it's times to use, and times to  leave it alone. It's a Tour Edge Ironwood. 

I have a golf buddy who a few decades ago broke his putter, and had to finish up, putting with his two iron. It's been his putter ever since, and he is quite good putting with it. 

[NM Golf]

As you can see in my signature I use a Callaway 18° driving iron, which is essentially a 2 iron. Hybrids are hook city for me, I've never found one that didn't have a big miss to the left. My Callaway is awesome, its my go to club when I have to hit it in the fairway. I can hit it 275 yards and straight, most of the time.

[GolfLug]

 

31 minutes ago, NM Golf said:

As you can see in my signature I use a Callaway 18° driving iron, which is essentially a 2 iron. Hybrids are hook city for me, I've never found one that didn't have a big miss to the left. My Callaway is awesome, its my go to club when I have to hit it in the fairway. I can hit it 275 yards and straight, most of the time.

I bought one last month and getting used to it. Have had only one round with it so far. It was handy on some of the shorter par 4s on my course. I still curve it a bit right (stark contrast to my 17 deg hybrid which is hook prone) but that will straighten out with some net  time in my backyard. Itwill become my 210-215 club and make me a bit more brave on 2nd shots on par 5s. The steel shaft is the difference IMO compared to the graphite hybrids. 

It is a beautiful club. The only thing I guess I don't like is that it is a bit clunky feeling compared to my Adams CMBs but I believe that is me still getting used to the strike feels of this club. 

Edited August 16, 2018 by GolfLug

[Groucho Valentine]

1 hour ago, NM Golf said:

As you can see in my signature I use a Callaway 18° driving iron, which is essentially a 2 iron. Hybrids are hook city for me, I've never found one that didn't have a big miss to the left. My Callaway is awesome, its my go to club when I have to hit it in the fairway. I can hit it 275 yards and straight, most of the time.

Used to have that problem with hybrids too. But titleist has really done well over the years to address that problem in their models for better players. 

Edited August 16, 2018 by Groucho Valentine