YOU Choose Your Golf Clubs!

Some Thoughts To Help You

It was 4 or 5 years ago when I started seeing OEM clubs that had 6 iron lofts of about 28 degrees. Since the “standard” at that time was about 30 degrees I thought “I bet 6 iron lofts will never get lower than this.”

Well – I was wrong. Today, with some of the 2018 new club releases, you can find sets that have 6 iron lofts of 24 and 25 degrees. Note that these strengthened lofts are being justified by the claim that new technology is allowing club heads to be made that launch the golf ball higher. I will not argue that new technology can possibly do this. But here are some interesting facts related to the new stronger-loft clubs that you might want to think about…

You probably know these guys – Dustin Johnson and Sergio Garcia. Pretty good ball strikers. Dustin plays a set with a 31 degree loft 6 iron, Sergio plays a set with a 30 degree loft 6 iron (and there are many other Tour player similar examples). Not only that, but the OEM club manufacturers all make sets that have more traditional club lofts. So average golfers are better off with clubs with stronger lofts than the best ball strikers in the world…
Some of the new clubs have loft differences between 3 and 4 irons of 2 degrees (normal gaps are 4 degrees), pitching wedge lofts of 41 degrees (more traditional about 45 degrees), sand wedge lofts of 52 degrees (56 degrees typical sand wedge loft). Will these help golfers score better?

The chart above came from Tom Wishon’s 12 Myths booklet. In that booklet, he also talked about what he called the 24/38 Rule (which he still believes is true). Quoting from the 12 Myths booklet, here is the 24/38 Rule…

“Basically, it says that the majority of golfers cannot consistently hit an iron that has less than 24-degrees of loft or is more than 38 inches in its length.

The reason is that a club like that requires swing skills that most average golfers do not have the ability to acquire.”

So – these are facts. Here are some thoughts for you about what you should consider when you purchase your next set of irons…

First – why are you buying? Are you buying because you want More Distance? Is your purchase motivation to Shoot Lower Scores? The choice you make might be different based on your motivation.
For whatever set of clubs that you are considering – be sure you see the Club Specifications for those clubs. Do they make sense to you? Ask the person selling the clubs to you how he can justify the Set Makeup for the clubs you are considering.
Are long irons in your new set important for you to hit well? If so, how will you know if you can hit a 21 degree 5 iron? Maybe you will be able to – but maybe not (24/38 rule?).
If Lower Scores are the driver for your iron purchase – Be SURE you are comfortable with the set makeup for your wedges. If you really really want strong loft irons – well, you might have to play a 5-wedge set to get to play with 56 and 60 degree wedges.
And finally – do not rule out playing with a set of more traditional loft irons. With the right fit, you might be surprised that you can get distance improvements – and set consistency improvements – and also better loft gapping and a set of wedges better for your game.

But in the end – YOU Get To Choose – I hope this post helps you make informed choices to get what YOU really desire for your game.

Bringing YOU The Custom Club Fitting Experience

Of Your Life – And Lower Scores ALWAYS!

TONY

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