Driving Irons anyone?

[rossvanwyk]

So I just wanted to know if anyone out there uses driving irons at all?

I was playing yesterday and my driving has been so inconsistent lately. I know obvious is obvious, but man what an advantage it is to play every second shot from the fairway. My iron play is the strongest part of my game and if I could have a decent shot in on most holes I really would be interested to see how my scores improve. So tired of scrambling, punching out from the trees and manufacturing shots.

Basically, I have the old Dunlop driving iron I picked up dirt dirt cheap. Its gonna very small head but hits like a beast when middled. I understand its probably harder to hit than a hybrid or 3W, but it hits so damn straight its scary. For a while its all I hit off the tee then my game went to hell and a lot changed. But now I'm playing how I was 6 months ago and really keen to give the Dunlop another whirl.

I just want to know if anyone out there still uses one of these? And why I don't see anyone at all with driving irons? Or are they relabelled as hybrids or rescues these days?

Ross

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by rossvanwyk

So I just wanted to know if anyone out there uses driving irons at all?

I was playing yesterday and my driving has been so inconsistent lately. I know obvious is obvious, but man what an advantage it is to play every second shot from the fairway. My iron play is the strongest part of my game and if I could have a decent shot in on most holes I really would be interested to see how my scores improve. So tired of scrambling, punching out from the trees and manufacturing shots.

Basically, I have the old Dunlop driving iron I picked up dirt dirt cheap. Its gonna very small head but hits like a beast when middled. I understand its probably harder to hit than a hybrid or 3W, but it hits so damn straight its scary. For a while its all I hit off the tee then my game went to hell and a lot changed. But now I'm playing how I was 6 months ago and really keen to give the Dunlop another whirl.

I just want to know if anyone out there still uses one of these? And why I don't see anyone at all with driving irons? Or are they relabelled as hybrids or rescues these days?

Ross

They're GI long irons and hybrids now.

I've seen different versions of the Dunlop driving iron. I had one for a while. It was a bit shorter off the tee than a well struck blade 2-iron and shorter than a GI 2-iron. No comparison to a 3-wood is worth making.

Why shorter off the tee than a 2-iron (for me)? The shaft.

[inthehole]

I play a driving iron alot.     I'm at the stage where I try not to use the driver on tight fairways - for me right now, the risk isn't worth the reward.     I hit my driver around 240, the Knight driving iron around 200 (for reference, the 3w around 210, 3h around 185).   For the times when the fairway is narrow & I just don't want to risk a driver or 3W, I pull out the driving iron every time - you are correct, it just feels SWEET when you hit it well.     Dead straight ball flight.     FYI - I have Dunlap & Knight hollow driving irons (both 15*) & the Knight with the steel shaft hits farther & straighter - beauty is they can be had cheap on ebay.

The other 50% of the reason I continue to bag it is for getting out of trouble when you have to keep the ball low (under trees) ... I choke up on it (ALOT) & it's my get out of jail free card - just last week I found myself under a tree - hit the DI pure & low - must have carried about 170 - almost always surprises me how well it plays in these situations when not on a tee (choking up on it for me is the key to make the length manageable off the turf).

Anyways, the hollow driving irons are still valid clubs & IMO continue to have a place in golf ... too bad they are out of favor & none of the bigger companies even make them anymore.     It's like a mega hybrid - it's hollow like a hybrid, but is shaped like a big fat long iron... bottom line is that they seem to work well for guys that hit irons better than woods.

PS - this is exactly the model I have: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Knight-15-5-Degree-Driving-Iron-Graphite-Shaft-Golf-Club-/110788633284?pt=Golf_Clubs&hash;=item19cb8462c4

[bwdial]

Any of y'all ever use the Mizuno Driving Iron?  I had one way back in the early 1990s, and it was remarkably similar to today's hybrids.  If I remember correctly, it even had a removable weight plug.

[inthehole]

Originally Posted by bwdial

Any of y'all ever use the Mizuno Driving Iron?  I had one way back in the early 1990s, and it was remarkably similar to today's hybrids.  If I remember correctly, it even had a removable weight plug.

Did it look like this ? http://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-MIZUNO-14-Driving-Iron-Graphite-Stiff-NICE-/260901056694?pt=Golf_Clubs&hash;=item3cbeea30b6

As Sean will attest, these hollow driving irons were the first quasi-hybrids.

[rossvanwyk]

Yeah I am really thinking about putting the DI back in the bag. Purely and simply for accuracy. My Driver is decent off the tee, averaging aroound 250-260m. 3W is more accurate and not much shorter than my driver. The driving iron carries at least 200m for me, can hit it low, and as straight as an arrow. I love that it has a small head and I can really feel the weight at the bottom. I'm generally a much better iron player than with woods so I think it could prove dividends if I can get the DI firing again.

[bwdial]

Originally Posted by inthehole

Did it look like this ?    http://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-MIZUNO-14-Driving-Iron-Graphite-Stiff-NICE-/260901056694?pt=Golf_Clubs&hash;=item3cbeea30b6

As Sean will attest, these hollow driving irons were the first quasi-hybrids.

Yes it did.  Except that it had a steel shaft... which I snapped in half.

Bit of a temper on this one back then.

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by bwdial

Quote:

Originally Posted by inthehole

Did it look like this ?    http://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-MIZUNO-14-Driving-Iron-Graphite-Stiff-NICE-/260901056694?pt=Golf_Clubs&hash;=item3cbeea30b6

As Sean will attest, these hollow driving irons were the first quasi-hybrids.

Yes it did.  Except that it had a steel shaft... which I snapped in half.

Bit of a temper on this one back then.

I really wanted to like that old driving iron I bought (POS Dunlop) but it just wasn't any longer of straighter than a 2-iron. I bought a Cleveland TA7 2-iron for five dollars off ebay ($27 with shipping) and it blows that driving iron out of the water. I put it into my Cleveland fanboy bag - goes very nicely with my TA3s

I'd say that if a player wants a go-to money driving iron they'd be better off with a MODERN GI or even SGI 2-iron. I saw a PING i-10 2-iron sell for about $12 the other day. Would have bought it myself, but the TA7 is all I need.

See the link for Google search of "Cleveland TA7" below. Seriously, you owe it to yourself .

http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&q;=cleveland%20TA7&um;=1&ie;=UTF-8&tbm;=isch&source;=og&sa;=N&tab;=wi&ei;=DmveTvS_NYLY2AWr55WrBQ&biw;=1261&bih;=710&sei;=EWveToz5COaFsgKH7s3qBg

[inthehole]

Originally Posted by sean_miller

I really wanted to like that old driving iron I bought (POS Dunlop) but it just wasn't any longer of straighter than a 2-iron. I bought a Cleveland TA7 2-iron for five dollars off ebay ($27 with shipping) and it blows that driving iron out of the water. I put it into my Cleveland fanboy bag - goes very nicely with my TA3s

I'd say that if a player wants a go-to money driving iron they'd be better off with a MODERN GI or even SGI 2-iron. I saw a PING i-10 2-iron sell for about $12 the other day. Would have bought it myself, but the TA7 is all I need.

See the link for Google search of "Cleveland TA7" below. Seriously, you owe it to yourself .

http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&q;=cleveland%20TA7&um;=1&ie;=UTF-8&tbm;=isch&source;=og&sa;=N&tab;=wi&ei;=DmveTvS_NYLY2AWr55WrBQ&biw;=1261&bih;=710&sei;=EWveToz5COaFsgKH7s3qBg

... thx !

[sean_miller]

Quote:

Originally Posted by inthehole

... thx !

[Kieran123]

Wow....I'm at work and that was quite the surprise.

Weird search results

[WUTiger]

I carry the 3i from my X20 Tours and use it as a driving iron (or to punch out from under trees). Good on tight holes, or in windy conditions. It's shafted with PX 5.0 Rifle Flighted, so it gets airborne but doesn't balloon.

[clubchamp]

I have a 2 iron that I would use off the tee sometimes but once I found a hybrid I could hit well I've never looked back.

[BuckeyeNut]

Golfers would be better served using a modern hybrid/rescue club..........

Driving irons are obsolete these days.