Irons with steel shafts or graphite

[Reddevil99]

Hi I'm new to this site 

I'm looking for some advise I have always played with steel shaft irons and wedges but at my local course I'm seeing more people with graphite shafts on there iron. Does anyone have any experience with playing with graphite shafted iron and could tell me the pros and cons.

I play with a graphite shaft on my driver and woods

Thanks

[Dave325]

welcome to the site! I'm no expert on equipment design, so I go by the feel. I went from a set of steel shafted Pings last year to a set of Taylor Made graphite shafts and really love them. In fact, I picked up a steel shafted 5-iron of the same make/model and don't notice to much difference other than my steel shafted club is a bit stiffer. My graphite shafts are the flex type, but you can get them in different types too. Hope this helps. I would suggest trying them out if you can.

[SavvySwede]

Unless you have trouble getting the ball high enough or desperately need some extra yards with the irons I would stick with steel. The extra weight of a steel shaft tends to smooth out the transition and improve feel for the clubhead for most people.

[mvmac]

3 hours ago, SavvySwede said:

Unless you have trouble getting the ball high enough or desperately need some extra yards with the irons I would stick with steel.

Yep, this ^^^

[caniac6]

I got a set of G30 irons with graphite to help with a bit of arthritis. Didn't help as much as I thought it would, hit som great shots, and some really, really bad shots. Could not control shots as well as I could with steel. I played with them for about 6 months, and sent them back to Ping to get reshafted with steel. Much more consistent.

[Rip62]

I played with graphite shafted irons several years and switched back to steel last fall. I didn't play very regularly until a couple of summers ago and they worked well for me. Since I started playing more my swing got more consistent and my swing speed increased some. I lost the control I had previously and was consistently missing greens. I only played with the new new irons a few times but my distances and dispersion improved almost immediately . I would demo some before you go spend the money. 

[BigUnit68]

On 3/8/2016 at 9:04 PM, SavvySwede said:

Unless you have trouble getting the ball high enough or desperately need some extra yards with the irons I would stick with steel. The extra weight of a steel shaft tends to smooth out the transition and improve feel for the clubhead for most people.

Yup, this.

I bought a set of graphite shaft irons years ago, played them for half a season and got rid of them for just this reason.  

[onthehunt526]

I agree with @SavvySwede .

Unless, you have issues getting the ball in the air, or have a lower swing speed, steel is the way to go in irons.

I've even messed around with graphite in my irons. In fact, my very first set of Tour Edge irons I had, were graphite-shafted (I had Comp 950s, I gave them to my Stepdad so they're still in the family). I hit the clubs well but with my clubhead speed they do not benefit me.

On the flipside, my wife, who is a beginner, they benefit her immensely, she really only gets around 70 mph of Driver clubhead speed, so steel wouldn't benefit her. 

[Mr. Desmond]

47 minutes ago, onthehunt526 said:

I agree with @SavvySwede .

Unless, you have issues getting the ball in the air, or have a lower swing speed, steel is the way to go in irons.

I've even messed around with graphite in my irons. In fact, my very first set of Tour Edge irons I had, were graphite-shafted (I had Comp 950s, I gave them to my Stepdad so they're still in the family). I hit the clubs well but with my clubhead speed they do not benefit me.

On the flipside, my wife, who is a beginner, they benefit her immensely, she really only gets around 70 mph of Driver clubhead speed, so steel wouldn't benefit her. 

Whoa, whoa, whoa.

Havent' read the thread, but there is a time for graphite.

That time is called health, and long term health. I've gone to graphite over the last 7 years because my elbows and shoulders were taking a lot of shock with resulting PAIN. If you only play and do not hit the range much, heck, you might not get these health problems until you are old and lame like me (61).

At the same time, if you want to avoid health issues, UST has Recoil, and Aerotech has Steelfiber brand graphite that will go 95g, 110g and 125g and relatively low torque and sometimes, may even perform better for you than steel, depending on the player, of course. Of course, other well known makers have entered the graphite iron market.

So before you stick with the traditional answers (and maybe from guys who haven't played graphite or looked at the cheesy liteweight graphite stock shaft offerings), check out  heavier graphite. Your body may thank you, especially if you are a range rat and/or hit off the dreaded mats.

Edited March 21, 2016 by Mr. Desmond

[onthehunt526]

6 minutes ago, Mr. Desmond said:

Whoa, whoa, whoa.

Havent' read the thread, but there is a time for graphite.

That time is called health, and long term health. I've gone to graphite over the last 7 years because my elbows and shoulders were taking a lot of shock with resulting PAIN. If you only play and do not hit the range much, heck, you might not get these health problems until you are old and lame like me (61).

At the same time, if you want to avoid health issues, UST has Recoil, and Aerotech has Steelfiber brand graphite that will go 95g, 110g and 125g and relatively low torque and sometimes, may even perform better for you than steel, depending on the player, of course. Of course, other well known makers have entered the graphite iron market.

So before you stick with the traditional answers (and maybe from guys who haven't played graphite or looked at the cheesy liteweight graphite stock shaft offerings), check out  heavier graphite. Your body may thank you, especially if you are a range rat and/or hit off the dreaded mats.

I didn't think of heavier graphite for better players. 

Graphite is also good in irons for seniors and people with physical limitations such as arthritis, shoulder and back issues, etc... 

I apologize, @Mr. Desmond. I forgot to get into the golfers who really DO need graphite shafted irons.

[Mr. Desmond]

Just now, onthehunt526 said:

I didn't think of heavier graphite for better players. 

Graphite is also good in irons for seniors and people with physical limitations such as arthritis, shoulder and back issues, etc... 

I apologize, @Mr. Desmond. I forgot to get into the golfers who really DO need graphite shafted irons.

@onthehunt526 No need to apologize. We are discussing a great issue, and discussion invites all views. It's fun.

[Big Lex]

On ‎3‎/‎8‎/‎2016 at 7:45 PM, Reddevil99 said:

Hi I'm new to this site 

I'm looking for some advise I have always played with steel shaft irons and wedges but at my local course I'm seeing more people with graphite shafts on there iron. Does anyone have any experience with playing with graphite shafted iron and could tell me the pros and cons.

I play with a graphite shaft on my driver and woods

Thanks

Don't fall into a trap of thinking that all graphite shafts are the same. Or all steel shafts, for that matter. There are so many options, with both materials, that it really isn't a choice of one vs. the other. Consider going to a fitting, you might be surprised at what you find.

I played with steel for years. My latest set of irons was custom fit, and I ended up with Aerotech Steelfiber shafts.

I highly recommend them.

I'm not a senior, and I don't have slow swing speed or any difficulty getting the ball in the air.

They are better than steel shafts. As the name suggests, there is some steel fiber incorporated into them; they are predominantly carbon fiber, but with steel fiber incorporated into them.

They have flex properties, weight, and stiffness that make them feel much more like steel shafts than older graphite shafts did. I've picked up distance with them, and have not lost any accuracy. They do not hit the ball any higher or lower than steel shafts I've used....well, they may be different, but it's not as if they balloon the ball because they are graphite.

 

Edited March 21, 2016 by Big Lex

[onthehunt526]

9 minutes ago, Big Lex said:

Don't fall into a trap of thinking that all graphite shafts are the same. Or all steel shafts, for that matter. There are so many options, with both materials, that it really isn't a choice of one vs. the other. Consider going to a fitting, you might be surprised at what you find.

I played with steel for years. My latest set of irons was custom fit, and I ended up with Aerotech Steelfiber shafts.

I highly recommend them.

I'm not a senior, and I don't have slow swing speed or any difficulty getting the ball in the air.

They are better than steel shafts. As the name suggests, there is some steel fiber incorporated into them; they are predominantly carbon fiber, but with steel fiber incorporated into them.

They have flex properties, weight, and stiffness that make them feel much more like steel shafts than older graphite shafts did. I've picked up distance with them, and have not lost any accuracy. They do not hit the ball any higher or lower than steel shafts I've used....well, they may be different, but it's not as if they balloon the ball because they are graphite.

 

That's also a valid point, there are many graphite shafts out there. There are infinite amounts of weight options, kick point, torque ratios that suit many golfers.

This is a tangiently related, but it is on topic. 

The shaft essentially functions as the engine of the golf club. A proper fitting will pinpoint the proper shaft for any golfer. Whether it be steel or graphite, a proper fitting will in the long run, be the way to go. Whether you're 29 have a high swing speed, and need Stiff Steel in their irons. Or maybe a guy wanting to avoid wear and tear and play heavier graphite shafts...

The point is, there isn't a correct shaft for everyone... that's why there are so many options.

[inthecup]

I was fitted for and just ordered a set of Apex irons with Aerotech Steelfiber 95g shafts.  I have tendinitis in my left elbow which may be what drove the fitters choice.  I have a test shaft in my current 7 iron and it felt stiffer than the steel shaft it replaced. 

I believe eve things have changed.  

[newtogolf]

15 minutes ago, inthecup said:

I was fitted for and just ordered a set of Apex irons with Aerotech Steelfiber 95g shafts.  I have tendinitis in my left elbow which may be what drove the fitters choice.  I have a test shaft in my current 7 iron and it felt stiffer than the steel shaft it replaced. 

I believe eve things have changed.  

I've heard a lot of great things about the Aerotech Steelfiber shafts.  I will definitely test those shafts next time I get fitted for irons.  

The Aerotech Steelfiber shafts come at a premium price, last I checked it was like $60 per club over the standard shaft options.  Has the price gone down at all?