Hollow driving irons - obsolete or diamond in the rough (see pics) ?

[inthehole]

I'm man enough to admit I struggle with the 3 wood something awful.    I've found these hollow driving irons agree with me & they hit every bit as long as my 3 wood off the tee, and so much more predictable with a straighter ball flight.

These clubs are effectively extinct (maybe obsolete is a better word, although I'm not sure why they're out of favor) - one thing for certain,  they're not popular in today's game.     I'd like to know a little history about these hollow driving iron type clubs ... anybody know when they were popular (70's, 80's, or maybe even 90's ??)     Did they ever get any respect from better players, or were they considered crutches for lesser players who couldn't hit a driver ?     Funny, don't see any of them made by the big name manufacturers, other than one obscure model from Mizuno thta pops up on eBay once in a while.     I really like these clubs, but I'm new to the game & don't know their history (google searches turn up nothing - they were made long before the internet even existed I believe)  ... I'd like to know any info from those that have been around a while (perhaps someone might remember something about when these clubs were new) - THANKS !!     Here's what I'm talking about --->

http://www.ebay.com/itm/dunlop-oversized-driving-iron-/300610106951?pt=Golf_Clubs&hash;=item45fdc23647

http://www.ebay.com/itm/DI-350-HOLLOW-DESIGN-DRIVING-IRON-15-GRAFALLOY-A-FLEX-/360405844239?pt=Golf_Clubs&hash;=item53e9dcc10f

[tristanhilton85]

The first Titleist hybrids that I remember seeing were like this.  It was the 503.H

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Tour-Issue-Titleist-503-H-19-Hybrid-/120803337254?pt=Golf_Clubs&hash;=item1c2070a426#ht_500wt_1218

[sean_miller]

Again? They're basically old hybrids with  lower COR.

[inthehole]

Originally Posted by sean_miller

Again? They're basically old hybrids with  lower COR.

OK OK, thats about all I could get off the internet, just hoping somebody knew a little more about them ...

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by inthehole

Quote:

Originally Posted by sean_miller

Again? They're basically old hybrids with  lower COR.

OK OK, thats about all I could get off the internet, just hoping somebody knew a little more about them ...

How much more do you need to know. They never got phased out. They're just called hybrids now.

The typical driving iron does not stand up to a modern hybrids in any way except probably durability, because it's likely stainless steel. The Dunlop versions are common and they were garbage. They're not diamonds in the rough - they're old clubs that still work but the newer versions typically work better.

Look at drivers from the same era as your driving iron examples, or even older drivers from the 70s for example. They're much much bigger today with higher MOI and COR values. Does that mean drivers were phased out? No, they just look different and PERFORM BETTER now.

[inthehole]

Originally Posted by sean_miller

How much more do you need to know. They never got phased out. They're just called hybrids now.

The typical driving iron does not stand up to a modern hybrids in any way except probably durability, because it's likely stainless steel. The Dunlop versions are common and they were garbage. They're not diamonds in the rough - they're old clubs that still work but the newer versions typically work better.

Look at drivers from the same era as your driving iron examples, or even older drivers from the 70s for example. They're much much bigger today with higher MOI and COR values. Does that mean drivers were phased out? No, they just look different and PERFORM BETTER now.

Sean,

I understand the hybrid connection.      But at least to the eye, these hollow driving irons much more closely resemble irons than modern hybrids, which are more like little fairway woods  (the Ping i15 may be the exception).      Thats the allure - these hollow driving irons are like a turbocharged long iron.       For those of us that hit irons better & struggle with fairway woods, seems like a great idea - but I agree, seems the modern hybrid has made them obsolete unfortunately ...

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by inthehole

Quote:

Originally Posted by sean_miller

How much more do you need to know. They never got phased out. They're just called hybrids now.

The typical driving iron does not stand up to a modern hybrids in any way except probably durability, because it's likely stainless steel. The Dunlop versions are common and they were garbage. They're not diamonds in the rough - they're old clubs that still work but the newer versions typically work better.

Look at drivers from the same era as your driving iron examples, or even older drivers from the 70s for example. They're much much bigger today with higher MOI and COR values. Does that mean drivers were phased out? No, they just look different and PERFORM BETTER now.

Sean,

I understand the hybrid connection.      But at least to the eye, these hollow driving irons much more closely resemble irons than modern hybrids, which are more like little fairway woods  (the Ping i15 may be the exception).      Thats the allure - these hollow driving irons are like a turbocharged long iron.       For those of us that hit irons better & struggle with fairway woods, seems like a great idea - but I agree, seems the modern hybrid has made them obsolete unfortunately ...

Yeah, they were the original hybrids. Now most hybrids look more like little fairway woods.

[inthehole]

Originally Posted by sean_miller

Yeah, they were the original hybrids. Now most hybrids look more like little fairway woods.

funny, i never thought of them as the original hybrids,  but I guess thats true...

[Laws of Woo]

Early hybrids pretty much. But some are still made more like your ebay results...check out the MP Fli-Hi Iron hybrid by Mizuno. Looks like a bloated long iron.

[inthehole]

Originally Posted by Laws of Woo

Early hybrids pretty much. But some are still made more like your ebay results...check out the MP Fli-Hi Iron hybrid by Mizuno. Looks like a bloated long iron.

Thx for the tip on th MP Fli-Hi irons - look like a modern version of a hollow driving iron, just too bad they don't make it in a 1 iron loft like a true driving iron (they start at an 18* 2 iron): http://www.mizunousa.com/golf/products/mizuno-mp-fli-hi-iron-hybrid-golf-clubs

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by inthehole

Quote:

Originally Posted by Laws of Woo

Early hybrids pretty much. But some are still made more like your ebay results...check out the MP Fli-Hi Iron hybrid by Mizuno. Looks like a bloated long iron.

Thx for the tip on th MP Fli-Hi irons - look like a modern version of a hollow driving iron, just too bad they don't make it in a 1 iron loft like a true driving iron (they start at an 18* 2 iron): http://www.mizunousa.com/golf/products/mizuno-mp-fli-hi-iron-hybrid-golf-clubs

Mizunos are forged. You can get it bent stronger if you're having trouble ballooning drives with an 18 degree 2-iron.

Personally I have a TA7 2-iron in with my TA1s. The head is almost 50% longer, the sole is much wider and there's more weight out near the toe. If my 3-iron swing is okay, I'd almost have to try and mishit it on purpose to not stripe it
down the middle. I have no idea what loft it is, but it's weaker than my MP-11 blade 2-iron and I hit the Mizuno higher (and slightly shorter).