Irons and Distance

[Dunit507]

Just a random question. What kind of irons do you play and what kind of distance do you hit them? I am sitting here thinking I don’t know an exact number for each iron and more of a general range. This is my 1st year playing the 2016 Ping G and also the 1st year i have used a distance app while i play so the 1st time i am learning my true distances. 

know I can hit my 9 150 but I don’t try to hit a 9 from 150 every time. I may take a little off my 8 for a 150 yard shot as well. I feel like 145 is my 9 and 155 is my 8 but depending on lie, uphill/downhill to green, where is the better miss, how does the green slope etc makes up my mind.

Guess I am just curious where my distance falls in line with other people. I’m a 5.2 last time I checked my handicap at the course computer. 

[Carl3]

I play the Ping E1 irons and I go for the following distances

5i 175 yds

6i 165 yds

7i 155 yds

8i 145 yds

9i 135 yds

PW 120

UW 100

 

[dennyjones]

[Valleygolfer]

Yea I don't think distance is a clear comparison for handicap. 

[Dunit507]

12 minutes ago, Valleygolfer said:

Yea I don't think distance is a clear comparison for handicap. 

Never suggested it was. I am was just bored as hell 

[Dunit507]

55 minutes ago, dennyjones said:

This is a fair estimate I would say. Of course with lofts not the same from set to set you will see some variation. I am certainly longer with the new Pings compared to my old Zing 2’s. I was interested in seeing what kind of distance guys are getting with different iron sets. See if anyone has any strange combos etc. Very bored today having got a round in this morning, day off work, and fiancé working late.

[MarvChamp]

The chart posted by @dennyjones has been fairly representative for me as well as my golf buddies. Best, -Marv

[ScottyT]

Tiger says he hits his 9 iron 142.  Average on the PGA tour for 9 iron is 136  and an 8 iron is 149 according to Golfweek Magazine.   Those are using  clubs with "true" lofts, although many of the pros adjust lofts to  improve gapping consistency.   It's common knowledge that some manufacturers "juice' their lofts, so that what used to be, say a 9 iron, is now more like an 8 or even a 7.   I'm an 8 hcp and play Tom Wishon (custom built), with Acura "R" shafts.  Tom Wishon is a top-notch clubmaker and designer, has written several books on design/building clubs and is well respected in his field.  He bemoans the "juicing" of lofts as being mostly a marketing tool that manufacturers use to claim their club is "longer" (he's not a big fan of adjustable lofts, either; check out his videos to see why).  I used to play Mizuno's with TT steel shafts but started noticing a distance drop off as I got older,  so I switched to the graphite shafts after being fit.  On a calm day, I hit my 7 between 145-150 when I hit it solid.

[klineka]

2 minutes ago, ScottyT said:

Tiger says he hits his 9 iron 142.  Average on the PGA tour for 9 iron is 136  and an 8 iron is 149 according to Golfweek Magazine.  

Yeah in 2009... https://golftips.golfweek.com/average-yards-per-club-pro-golfer-20585.html

The average PW on the PGA tour is now 136, with the average 9 iron being closer to 149.

This article from 2015 backs up what I was thinking with the PW distance: https://blog.trackmangolf.com/trackman-average-tour-stats/

Do you have a recent source to back up the Tiger Woods claim? I feel like when I've watched him on TV this year, his PW goes 140-150 and have seen him hit a 7 iron like 180.

[Vinny Cap]

Nice chart @dennyjones.  Thanks for putting that up.

With my setup below I am on the white and purple numbers with smooth comfortable swings.

Have seen some red numbers when swinging for the fences.

Edited August 29, 2018 by Vinny Cap

[FrivolouslyWasted]

13 hours ago, dennyjones said:

When I’m swinging well, my driver is between the LPGA column and the 250 column and my irons probably synch up pretty well with the LPGA column. I typically play older irons with weaker lofts than today’s gear, which would explain the slight divergence. 

 

The only way way I can hit a lob wedge 88 yards is to blade the hell out of it, though. Don’t know how to explain that one. 

[Kalnoky]

I am between purple and white, except for the short irons, I am between purple and red.

When my lower back gets tired the scale starts sliding <-----

I'd say it's pretty accurate

[Jeremie Boop]

I tend to fall between red/black columns. Ping E1 series irons.

[poser]

3 hours ago, ScottyT said:

Tiger says he hits his 9 iron 142.  Average on the PGA tour for 9 iron is 136  and an 8 iron is 149 according to Golfweek Magazine.   Those are using  clubs with "true" lofts, although many of the pros adjust lofts to  improve gapping consistency.   It's common knowledge that some manufacturers "juice' their lofts, so that what used to be, say a 9 iron, is now more like an 8 or even a 7.   I'm an 8 hcp and play Tom Wishon (custom built), with Acura "R" shafts.  Tom Wishon is a top-notch clubmaker and designer, has written several books on design/building clubs and is well respected in his field.  He bemoans the "juicing" of lofts as being mostly a marketing tool that manufacturers use to claim their club is "longer" (he's not a big fan of adjustable lofts, either; check out his videos to see why).  I used to play Mizuno's with TT steel shafts but started noticing a distance drop off as I got older,  so I switched to the graphite shafts after being fit.  On a calm day, I hit my 7 between 145-150 when I hit it solid.

 

Maybe back in the balata ball days or something but, tiger hits 9 iron alot longer than 142 now with same old lofts.

[Dunit507]

29 minutes ago, poser said:

 

Maybe back in the balata ball days or something but, tiger hits 9 iron alot longer than 142 now with same old lofts.

Even back in the day Tiger was longer. He hit a 6 iron 200+ out of the bunker at the Canadien open years ago. I don’t remember ever hearing Tiger hitting the 9 that short to be honest. Not trying to stir up shit..... just what I recall.

[dbuck]

The chart posted by dennyjones works pretty close for me. I carry my driver about 225 or maybe just a little more.

[amished]

Mizuno MP-33s, take 5 yards off the red column and you have my distances within a yard or two until you get to the higher lofted clubs.  My 56* is right around that 105 mark, 52 right at that 115, and PW at that 125 which matches pretty good.  I've always struggled more with confidence over my longer clubs though so I probably subconsciously take some off of that.

[JonMA1]

I have to admit, my distances are not as predictable as they used to be. Probably because I've slowed everything down to try and make my swing a little better.

Generally speaking, my 6i was my 150 yd club for a long time with 10 yard gaps between each irons. Even when my scoring was higher, I was always amazed at how consistently close my distances were - so long as I made ok (not necessarily great) contact.

Lately, it's hard to say. I'll often take a longer club and swing easier for no other reason than to try and control my weight shift. (When I swing hard, I tend to finish off-balance and back on my trail foot.)

According to GameGolf, here are my last 15 rounds vs my "stock" full-swing distances (carry plus roll)...

GG                   Desired

9i: 109                 125               

8i: 129                 130               

7i: 142                 140               

6i: 170                 150               

5i: 166                 160               

4i: 174                 170               

4h: 188                 ??               

This is where GG stats are a little deceptive. I would never pull my 6i if faced with a forced carry of 150 yards. There are a couple tee shots from an elevated green where I often use that club which kind of pad the numbers. GameGolf also disregards duffs - of which there are a lot.

My driver is averaging 220yds according to GG for those same 15 rounds.