Single Length Irons

[ChetlovesMer]

  On 1/29/2019 at 4:46 PM, klineka said:

Tiger blew a back 9 Sunday lead at the most recent Open, should he pick easier tournaments too?

Based on @tinker 's logic, if you implode at the British Open then the length of irons the player used must not work. Since Jack imploded at the British open that must mean variable length irons must not work either right?

Based on that logic everyone should just use irons that are PW length since the shortest length iron is automatically the easiest to hit.

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I don't want to pile on, but it seems like @Tinker just doesn't like Bryson DeChambeau. 

And really, that's fine. 

[boogielicious]

OK folks. Let's ease up a bit. The topic is single length irons. Everyone has an opinion, but let's not jump each other's throats on this.

[tinker]

If the loft is what makes clubs easy to hit why are sl sets making 6,5,4 lower lofted and shorter? 

[klineka]

  On 1/29/2019 at 7:37 PM, tinker said:

If the loft is what makes clubs easy to hit why are sl sets making 6,5,4 lower lofted and shorter? 

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They arent making them lower lofted. The Cobra King F8 Single Length and King F8 Variable Length irons have identical lofts throughout the entire set.

As others have mentioned, the shortening of the long iron shafts and the lengthening of the short iron shafts is to allow the golfer to have one swing across all of their irons. Here is a quote from Cobra explaining that: 

"Proper setup includes foot positioning, spine angle and ball position, and many other variables. These variables change as you switch between longer and shorter length clubs, causing more room for error. With one setup and one swing you can simplify the entire process. Every player has their favorite club and for many, it's a 7-iron."

Single length irons also have different CG's compared to normal clubs, so that optimized CG should provide you the same, if not better performance in the lower irons even though the shaft length is longer in the 8,9,PW

[optionyout]

  On 1/29/2019 at 7:56 PM, klineka said:

They arent making them lower lofted. The Cobra King F8 Single Length and King F8 Variable Length irons have identical lofts throughout the entire set.

 

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I thought it was identical swingweights. 

[klineka]

  On 1/29/2019 at 8:04 PM, optionyout said:

I thought it was identical swingweights. 

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The Single Length do all have identical swing weights, but I was referring to the iron lofts. The King F8 Single Length and the King F8 Variable Lengths both have identical lofts throughout the entire set. See the images below from Cobra

[optionyout]

I see.

[Vinsk]

  On 1/29/2019 at 7:56 PM, klineka said:

hese variables change as you switch between longer and shorter length clubs, causing more room for error.

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Well between driver and a wedge yes. But with the pros it appears the difference in setup through the irons is pretty minimal no? I believe this was discussed in another thread.

That being said, I have nothing against using SLI. I just don’t believe the hype is all. I group it maybe just a tad above the infomercials that say, ‘How would you like to play your best golf ever...well now you can.’ 

I don’t really care that John from Pasadena lowered his scores by switching to SLI. Great. Golf is hard. SLI aren’t a magic solution. There are still many mechanics required of a good golf swing that SLI have no effect on.

[trod]

Pretty new to golf, trying to get better like everybody else. Has anybody used one length long irons in the long irons like 5,6,7 and standard short irons. I can play pretty consistent 7 iron down, some days are shakey with the 5 iron. 

[ChetlovesMer]

  On 1/29/2019 at 11:42 PM, trod said:

Pretty new to golf, trying to get better like everybody else. Has anybody used one length long irons in the long irons like 5,6,7 and standard short irons. 

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I've not tried that personally. I did get paired up at my local course with a young female golfer who had that exact set up. She carried one-length hybrids, 5,6,7,and then her 8,9,PW etc were traditional style. I don't know if that solution is right for everyone, but this girl was pretty good. We talked about it and she said a lot of the girls on her college team were adopting that approach. 

I'd be interested to hear from Iacas, he knows far more junior golfers than I ever will. I'm curious if junior golfers like the one-length thing?

 

[Vinsk]

  On 1/30/2019 at 12:58 AM, ChetlovesMer said:

I'd be interested to hear from Iacas

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Use the ‘@‘ then type members name and select it from the text box to notify a member:

@iacas.

[iacas]

  On 1/30/2019 at 12:58 AM, ChetlovesMer said:

I'd be interested to hear from Iacas, he knows far more junior golfers than I ever will. I'm curious if junior golfers like the one-length thing?

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I've not met one that has done it. Nor do I expect to - you need a reasonable amount of clubhead speed to pull them off in the longer irons, and heck, a lot of juniors go with hybrids right up to a 6- or even a 7-iron.

[Pretzel]

  On 1/30/2019 at 2:10 AM, iacas said:

I've not met one that has done it. Nor do I expect to - you need a reasonable amount of clubhead speed to pull them off in the longer irons, and heck, a lot of juniors go with hybrids right up to a 6- or even a 7-iron.

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I had a hell of a time hitting my 5-iron up until I finally hit my growth spurt - even using regular length irons. The problem was that even when I hit it solidly it would just fly kinda low and wasn't useful if there was rough, a bunker, or some other type of obstacle short of where I intended to hit the ball since a good 1/4 of the distance at least was roll out.

Swing speed is definitely key there. Once I actually grew and got up to an average height (meaning I could generate at least an average swing speed) I had no issues with the 5 iron. Once I refined my technique to swing faster I started carrying up to the 3-iron like I do now because I had the speed necessary to hit them high while still being able to hit them low in the wind more easily (important in the Colorado winds, hybrids with a fast swing like to spin a lot and balloon into the air).

[ChetlovesMer]

  On 1/30/2019 at 2:10 AM, iacas said:

I've not met one that has done it. Nor do I expect to - you need a reasonable amount of clubhead speed to pull them off in the longer irons, and heck, a lot of juniors go with hybrids right up to a 6- or even a 7-iron.

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Interesting. Thanks for that input. 

I've never tried one length irons and I don't know a single junior golfer. I never thought of the swing speed thing. I just thought it may be easier from a teaching standpoint. 

Thanks again for the input. I knew you'd know the answer. 

[iacas]

  On 1/30/2019 at 12:57 PM, ChetlovesMer said:

Interesting. Thanks for that input. 

I've never tried one length irons and I don't know a single junior golfer. I never thought of the swing speed thing. I just thought it may be easier from a teaching standpoint. 

Thanks again for the input. I knew you'd know the answer. 

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It's an answer, I don't know if it's the answer.

But yeah, juniors often benefit from getting the ball higher in the air sooner, so hybrids and higher lofted fairway woods. I do think that is "the" answer for juniors with lower clubhead speeds.

[inthecup]

Fella's I am going to jump into this topic apparently very late.  I am considering a new set of irons for no good reason.  I just want to try something new.  I am blessed with the resources to do something like this.  I currently play Ping i200's and Callaway Apex CF16's.  They both have the same shafts and switching between them is pretty seamless.  The Apex are a bit stronger/longer, I feel a bit more accurate with the Pings.

The theory of consistent iron length is interesting and appealing to me.  I think I am going to do an iron fitting and test some flavor of Cobra and Edel.  Worst case I spend 1-1/2 hours and $150 and decide its a bad idea.  In the middle of winter in Michigan that is entertaining.  I have regular access to a Foresight GC2 with HMT and I know my numbers.

Things have changed.  Modern launch monitors changed club design for the good or for the bad.  You can now tell why which was not always easy to do in the past.  Player and club designers are taking advantage of that.  There are downsides to everything.

[Lil Greener]

I still think the one length irons, if you want to test the theory of the relative importance of one swing using one swing plane for all irons, this is worth spending time on for those who like to learn and are willing to fork out some dough.  Sure, there's only one pro who is committed to them and successful.  If none of the others ever try, it certainly doesn't disprove the sensibility of learning one swing plane and repeating it with every iron.   I'd give it a go.  And have.  But still undecided.

[ChetlovesMer]

  On 2/4/2019 at 1:44 PM, inthecup said:

Fella's I am going to jump into this topic apparently very late.  I am considering a new set of irons for no good reason.  I just want to try something new.  I am blessed with the resources to do something like this.  I currently play Ping i200's and Callaway Apex CF16's.  They both have the same shafts and switching between them is pretty seamless.  The Apex are a bit stronger/longer, I feel a bit more accurate with the Pings.

The theory of consistent iron length is interesting and appealing to me.  I think I am going to do an iron fitting and test some flavor of Cobra and Edel.  Worst case I spend 1-1/2 hours and $150 and decide its a bad idea.  In the middle of winter in Michigan that is entertaining.  I have regular access to a Foresight GC2 with HMT and I know my numbers.

Things have changed.  Modern launch monitors changed club design for the good or for the bad.  You can now tell why which was not always easy to do in the past.  Player and club designers are taking advantage of that.  There are downsides to everything.

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GO FOR IT! 

I'm totally jazzed to hear how it works out for you. 
I've been keeping an eye open for a reasonably priced maybe used set so that I can give the concept a day in court as well. 

Good luck, keep us posted.