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Anyone Else Lose 2+ Clubs Distance w/Irons When Temps Are Below 50°?


MattM
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Like the title says....I'm just wondering if anyone else loses insane distance with their irons when it gets below 50 degrees.  My summer distances have my 9 iron at 150 yards average...8 iron 160 or so.  Then ten yards up every club you go.  

So now, both anecdotal and from Game Golf over the last 10 rounds my iron distances have really really dropped!  I was hitting my 8 Iron to a 145 yard pin!  That's way to much club for me to have to do that.  The wierd thing is that my Driver hasn't lost much distance.  I dunno it's just strange.  My shots seem to be a lot straighter though (which I like).

Anyway, I'm just wondering if anyone else seems to have the same problem and what you did to fix it. 

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6 minutes ago, MattM said:

what you did to fix it. 

Move to somewhere where it doesnt get below 50.

 

9 minutes ago, MattM said:

Anyway, I'm just wondering if anyone else seems to have the same problem a

Everyone has the same problem, it's physics:

Quote

A chill in the air also affects the ball after it is struck. Cold air is denser than warm air and creates additional drag on the ball. Former USGA technical director Frank Thomas has said the difference is about two yards of carry for every 10 degrees change in temperature. Going by Thomas' math, you're looking at a loss of six yards if you're playing in the 42-degree temps they had at the Match Play as opposed to 72 degrees -- or the difference between Day's ball finding the green on the first hole or finding the bunker.

Dean Snell, senior director of R&D, golf balls for TaylorMade, thinks Thomas' figures are about right. "When the golf ball gets colder, it can lose a few miles per hour in ball speed, which can mean distance loss due to speed," said Snell. "[The] optimum temperature range is 70 to 90 degrees. At 40-degree temps the ball can slow down and be shorter by 5 to 10 yards. But the balls are not 40 degrees when played. It takes a while for them to completely get to 40."

Snell added that cold temperatures also have an effect on other elements of the game. Players usually wear bulkier clothing and their bodies are not as flexible, further reducing swing speed that can result in fewer yards. 

golf-equipment-blogs-hotlist365-gwar01-g

By E. Michael Johnson On the first hole of his semifinal match against Matt Kuchar at the WGC-Accenture Match Play, Jason Day had an iron shot from 166 yards into the green. Although Day...

 

Driver: :callaway: Rogue Max ST LS
Woods:  :cobra: Darkspeed LS 3Wood/3Hybrid
Irons: :tmade: P770 (4-PW)
Wedges: :callaway: MD3 50   MD5 54 58 degree  
Putter: :odyssey:  White Hot RX #1
Ball: :srixon: Z Star XV

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50 degrees is relative to the individual golfer depending on what part of the country they are accustomed to.

50 degrees is not much of a  distance loss for me (I do lose a little) as long as a colder, chill factoring wind is not present.

In colder weather I might tend to rotate balls every few holes. Then again I don't think balls would cool off that fast, unless they were played in extremely colder weather. None of my golf equipment is stored in colder ambient temps when not traveling

If it's really cold, I might play a softer ball, but it's rare I actually make that switch. 

When I lose excessive distance per club due to colder temps, is when I am wearing extra clothing to stay comfortable in colder weather. The extra clothes restrict my swing, and slows it down. Add that to what the colder (denser) air does to the ball flight distance, the total loss of distance can add up significantly. The only  plus is, that I am more accurate with the slower swings.

As far as my swing from warmer to cooler months, in the warmer months, I am more lose. My swing is more fluid. My entire body acts mote golf friendly. I'll get max distances from my swing in the warmer, triple digit months. After it gets cooler, my body is less golf swing friendly. So, you add a less fluid swing, with extra clothes, and the ambient temp's effect on the ball flight, loss of distance per club is going to happen. The fix is to take how many extra clubs you need for the required distance. Then wait for the warmer seasonal weather to show up again. 

In My Bag:
A whole bunch of Tour Edge golf stuff...... :beer:

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  • iacas changed the title to Anyone Else Lose 2+ Clubs Distance w/Irons When Temps Are Below 50°?

I know that even in Florida...cooler mornings affect the ball flight. As the day warms up, it goes further. I usually forget this for about the first few holes. 😡

My bag:

Taylor Made R7 (x-stiff).
Taylor Made Burner 2 irons (stiff)
Cleveland Wedges (gap and 60)
Odyssey two ball putter (white) 

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I play in the 40s here in Virginia Beach area. I lose about 15-20 yards on all my clubs compared to summer. Longer the club more the distance loss. I also think I am not as loose in winter and lose some swing speed as well.

Vishal S.

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Yes, the temperature of the ball is a factor and so is the fact that I have more clothing on and my muscles aren't as warm. Swing is probably slightly shorter due to the latter two factors.

Bill

“By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.” - Confucius

My Swing Thread

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2 hours ago, MattM said:

Like the title says....I'm just wondering if anyone else loses insane distance with their irons when it gets below 50 degrees.  My summer distances have my 9 iron at 150 yards average...8 iron 160 or so.  Then ten yards up every club you go.  

So now, both anecdotal and from Game Golf over the last 10 rounds my iron distances have really really dropped!  I was hitting my 8 Iron to a 145 yard pin!  That's way to much club for me to have to do that.  The wierd thing is that my Driver hasn't lost much distance.  I dunno it's just strange.  My shots seem to be a lot straighter though (which I like).

Anyway, I'm just wondering if anyone else seems to have the same problem and what you did to fix it. 

Yes, a poll would have prevented my response. 😁

:ping:  :tmade:  :callaway:   :gamegolf:  :titleist:

TM White Smoke Big Fontana; Pro-V1
TM Rac 60 TT WS, MD2 56
Ping i20 irons U-4, CFS300
Callaway XR16 9 degree Fujikura Speeder 565 S
Callaway XR16 3W 15 degree Fujikura Speeder 565 S, X2Hot Pro 20 degrees S

"I'm hitting the woods just great, but I'm having a terrible time getting out of them." ~Harry Toscano

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yeah - I lose that on my two longest irons,

Switching to a much softer compression ball mitigates the problem greatly though

Edited by rehmwa

Bill - 

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My distance loss seems to only be with my irons though.  I don't know I guess I just don't compress them into ground as much as I do in the summer.

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I reckon I lose about 10% carry all through the bag for a 20C drop in temp. Add in less run off the tee and approach shots can be 40 yards longer. 

Stevie T

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I played yesterday in New York, temp was 44 degrees so I was clubbing up on each shot. I got interested in this question so I looked it up. I read that you drop 1.5% for each 10 degree drop in temp, not so much, (the air is denser). They stated that in colder weather the player is wearing more layers of clothing altering the swing and that has more to do with it then the actual temp. I'm still thinking about that answer but I think there may be something to it.

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Unless it’s low thirties I don’t see any difference in distance.  I don’t think I am good enough to know that a well struck 6-iron went a few yards shorter because there are enough other reasons it might do so.  

 

I played a lot of golf in low 30s weather though and that was an extra club.   50 degrees, I am pretty much the same as 80 degrees afaik. 

—Adam

 

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How much change in distance might be due to the lower temperature of the clubhead?  Would it be different for a blade vs something like the Ping G700 (maraging steel)?

Craig
What's in the :ogio: Silencer bag (on the :clicgear: cart)
Driver: :callaway: Razr Fit 10.5°  
5 Wood: :tmade: Burner  
Hybrid: :cobra: Baffler DWS 20°
Irons: :ping: G400 
Wedge: :ping: Glide 2.0 54° ES grind 
Putter: :heavyputter:  midweight CX2
:aimpoint:,  :bushnell: Tour V4

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12 hours ago, cooke119 said:

 I got interested in this question so I looked it up. I read that you drop 1.5% for each 10 degree drop in temp, not so much, (the air is denser). They stated that in colder weather the player is wearing more layers of clothing altering the swing and that has more to do with it then the actual temp. I'm still thinking about that answer but I think there may be something to it.

You probably read the same article that I quoted/linked on the first response to this topic

Driver: :callaway: Rogue Max ST LS
Woods:  :cobra: Darkspeed LS 3Wood/3Hybrid
Irons: :tmade: P770 (4-PW)
Wedges: :callaway: MD3 50   MD5 54 58 degree  
Putter: :odyssey:  White Hot RX #1
Ball: :srixon: Z Star XV

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12 hours ago, Missouri Swede said:

How much change in distance might be due to the lower temperature of the clubhead?  Would it be different for a blade vs something like the Ping G700 (maraging steel)?

It’s simple physics. The air is denser and the materials in the ball are less bouncy. If a club depends upon plastics for bounce then I’m sure it’s affected adversely as well.

:ping:  :tmade:  :callaway:   :gamegolf:  :titleist:

TM White Smoke Big Fontana; Pro-V1
TM Rac 60 TT WS, MD2 56
Ping i20 irons U-4, CFS300
Callaway XR16 9 degree Fujikura Speeder 565 S
Callaway XR16 3W 15 degree Fujikura Speeder 565 S, X2Hot Pro 20 degrees S

"I'm hitting the woods just great, but I'm having a terrible time getting out of them." ~Harry Toscano

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On 11/30/2018 at 5:34 PM, MattM said:

 I guess I just don't compress them into ground as much as I do in the summer.

You made me chuckle.

Bill - 

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Yes, air is denser.  At ~40*F, I take one more club.

Diego’s Gear
Driver: Callaway Great Big Bertha at 11.5*
5W: Taylormade Jetspeed 19*
Hybrid: Ping G5 22*
Irons: Mizuno MX-23 4-PW
Wedges: Cleveland RTX 2.0 50*, 54*, 58*
Putter: Ping Ketsch 33”
My Swing: https://thesandtrap.com/forums/topic/93417-my-swing-foot-wedge/

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Note: This thread is 1937 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

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