Driving Irons

dan_ep82

Seems nearly all the major companies are starting to offer supposedly easy to hit driving irons from Callaways Prototype thing,their new Apex driving irons to TM's new UDI and the driving iron from Nike that Rory's using.

Personally I can't see myself with one in the bag but can anyone see themselves using them?

The reason I can't see myself using it is I don't think I'd get as good a result off the fairway or tee as my hybrid. Perhaps better ball strikers or someone who mainly plays links would see the benefit?

levitronix

dan_ep82 wrote: »

Seems nearly all the major companies are starting to offer supposedly easy to hit driving irons from Callaways Prototype thing,their new Apex driving irons to TM's new UDI and the driving iron from Nike that Rory's using.

Personally I can't see myself with one in the bag but can anyone see themselves using them?

The reason I can't see myself using it is I don't think I'd get as good a result off the fairway or tee as my hybrid. Perhaps better ball strikers or someone who mainly plays links would see the benefit?

I use a mizuno mp h4 3 iron set at 19' and its a bomber off the tee in these conditions on parkland courses

m r c

I have 2, the mizuno 3 and 4 iron. I play on a links course but I'd use them regardless. Currently I have a titleist 3wood an hybrid and I'm 99per cent sure I'm changing those for the mini driver and a 1 iron mizuno h5 when it's released. Some ppl are better long iron players than metalwood players I'd be one of them tbh. I like to have options off the tee, the driver and driver mini and 1iron I wouldn't bother with off the deck 99 percent of the time they'd be for off the tee

dan_ep82

I've only ever hit as low as a 3iron in an AP2 and found I wasn't getting the carry I was looking for.

Are the Mizuno irons easy to get in the air?

I use the Cobra Amp 19° of the tee when I don't use the driver, currently don't carry a 3 wood. I find the cobra long off the tee, its one of the clubs in my bag I hit really well. Even on a mis strike I carry 200yds which is plenty for a lot of tight holes

m r c

dan_ep82 wrote: »

I've only ever hit as low as a 3iron in an AP2 and found I wasn't getting the carry I was looking for.

Are the Mizuno irons easy to get in the air?

I use the Cobra Amp 19° of the tee when I don't use the driver, currently don't carry a 3 wood. I find the cobra long off the tee, its one of the clubs in my bag I hit really well. Even on a mis strike I carry 200yds which is plenty for a lot of tight holes

Truth is Dan if you have that kind of comfort with your hybrid I wouldn't be changing.
I still mi**** way too often for my liking but that said I am lucky? I hit my irons high and long, so I don't have any problem with launching irons.
I do believe that the mizzys are much easier to hit than an AP2 3 iron, I think that down to being hollow they are probably easier to use than the AP1.
The main thing i like in them over say a game improvement iron is that it has very little offset.

dan_ep82

m r c wrote: »

Truth is Dan if you have that kind of comfort with your hybrid I wouldn't be changing.
I still mi**** way too often for my liking but that said I am lucky? I hit my irons high and long, so I don't have any problem with launching irons.
I do believe that the mizzys are much easier to hit than an AP2 3 iron, I think that down to being hollow they are probably easier to use than the AP1.
The main thing i like in them over say a game improvement iron is that it has very little offset.

I'll be sticking with the 19° Cobra for sure.

I'm thinking for getting either a 21° Hybrid or an iron to fit between my 4i (24°) and my 19° Hybrid rather than putting a 3 wood back in the bag.

I wouldn't have a problem with getting irons in the air, even the 3i I hit was decent enough to game it and it had a 1/2" longer shaft.

The dilema I have is I can hit the Cobra quite well from the tee,fairway and rough and I'd hate to put an iron in the bag I can only hit off the tee. I've tried a few 21° hybrids and I find they go just a little too high although I havent had a chance to try a 21° in my current cobra.

What loft has your Mizuno iron got?

m r c

The 3 is 21 and the 4 is 24. I've checked the 3 cos its in the bag but I've left the 4 in to be reshafted/reglued. The shaft came loose in it so I got the pro to reapply the epoxy. But I'm fairly sure its a 24. The new h5 one i mentioned comes in 16 deg so it must fly.
I tend to keep away from yardage's on this forum but I was downwind playing th 15th in Co Sligo last week and the 3 iron went 260 down the middle. There's your answer there it does go fairly high to go that far down wind. I'd often get 230-240 on the links fairway out of my 3 so it a deadly weapon to have in the bag.

dan_ep82

m r c wrote: »

The 3 is 21 and the 4 is 24. I've checked the 3 cos its in the bag but I've left the 4 in to be reshafted/reglued. The shaft came loose in it so I got the pro to reapply the epoxy. But I'm fairly sure its a 24. The new h5 one i mentioned comes in 16 deg so it must fly.
I tend to keep away from yardage's on this forum but I was downwind playing th 15th in Co Sligo last week and the 3 iron went 260 down the middle. There's your answer there it does go fairly high to go that far down wind. I'd often get 230-240 on the links fairway out of my 3 so it a deadly weapon to have in the bag.

Fits in with the AP2 lofts then and I prefer the look of the H series over the 712u.

Never played links but in the headfort I usually get about 210-230 from a good strike depending on roll from the 19° so the 21° sounds like it would fill the gap I have for 200yds.

I'll have a look in the pro shop tomorrow, I've a bit of credit in there so I might find something that suits.

Do you find you can work the ball or does it just want to go straight? Generally I'll just try to hit it straight but sometimes I want a small bit of draw

DuckSlice

I have an old afc bb plus tour one iron. It's about 15 years old and I stopped using it soon after I got it. But I'm a far better golfer now so I was half thinking of trying to use it again. There is a couple of holes where you can't go right and was thinking it would be great off the tee for those holes, but I dunno. Will have to try it out during the week I suppose.

Dr_Colossus

When I got a new set of irons 18 months ago one of the requirements was a 2 iron as I'm not a fan of hybrids and generally get better control with an iron over a wood. Got a TaylorMade TP MC 2 iron at 17 degrees and love it. Mostly play parkland and it's great on tight holes off the tee or into the wind. Use it on average 4 times a round.

The Chocolate Thunder

I still use my Mizuno Fli Hi II hybrid iron when the wind is up or playing on links courses, absolutely adore it. It's a shame there was never any 15-16 deg version released, I don't think there is one now with the newer models neither, as I'd have been all over it.

dan_ep82

The idea of it is certainly intriguing, something to hit it long at a nice height I can hit straight.

Are the driving irons as easy to hit as a 4 or a 5 or would it feel a bit un wieldy?

mike12

Would like one with the same length shaft as a 5 iron with the loft of a 1 that is very forgiving to hit off the tee on a links.
Find I hit the rescue clubs too high and I don't carry any thing lower than a 5i.

The Chocolate Thunder

dan_ep82 wrote: »

The idea of it is certainly intriguing, something to hit it long at a nice height I can hit straight.

Are the driving irons as easy to hit as a 4 or a 5 or would it feel a bit un wieldy?

Everyone is different, but personally speaking, I can comfortably hit mine as well as a hybrid wood, I find the hybrid iron more dependable with shaping the ball particularly. If you really struggle with long irons, I wouldn't waste my time with one, but if you are somewhat decent and perhaps just lack some consistency with long irons, or even if it's a strength of yours, it's certainly well worth looking into.

m r c

The Chocolate Thunder wrote: »

I still use my Mizuno Fli Hi II hybrid iron when the wind is up or playing on links courses, absolutely adore it. It's a shame there was never any 15-16 deg version released, I don't think there is one now with the newer models neither, as I'd have been all over it.

Mizuno are bringing out a replacement for the current h4, the h5 and it's coming in a 1 iron loft of 16 degrees. I know one of their staffers Chris Wood had been testing a 16 bent to 14 for the open. I think he left it at 16 afaik

m r c

http://youtu.be/Ro0_HTe30js



They are on the mizuno tour van talking about the 1 iron I was on about. Someone might wish to see the vid.

Tones69

Got my 712u 3i coming sometime this week, lookin forward to using it a good bit

TheDoc

I think I'd personally stick with a conventional wood or hybrid.

The leading edge would help getting a good strike and loft out of the roof. With a an iron at that range, your taking fairway. I'd say youd be pretty nackered in rough.

I think your asking for a very consistent and high ball striking rate to be taking advantage of 3irons,2irons and 1irons, over hyrbids and woods.

mike12

TheDoc wrote: »

I think I'd personally stick with a conventional wood or hybrid.

The leading edge would help getting a good strike and loft out of the roof. With a an iron at that range, your taking fairway. I'd say youd be pretty nackered in rough.

I think your asking for a very consistent and high ball striking rate to be taking advantage of 3irons,2irons and 1irons, over hyrbids and woods.

I think i will get one to swap with my 4Hybrid when i'm playing links. I don't like using it off the tee as i hit it too high and i find the 3 wood will run into driver distance. Thinking of the European and all the pinch points around the 250 mark that it would be great to use there to lay up with.

mike12

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/2015-MD-GOLF-SUPERSTRONG-STR-DRIVING-IRON-LOFT-FLEX-HYBRID-NEW-CLUB-TOUR-/161360330956?pt=UK_SportsLeisure_Golf_GolfClubs_JN&var=&hash=item2591d340cc#ht_881wt_952

Anyone seen one of these in the flesh? Looks ok for the price anyone any idea how the stiff shaft would compare to a Project X 6.0 shaft.

TheDoc

mike12 wrote: »

I think i will get one to swap with my 4Hybrid when i'm playing links. I don't like using it off the tee as i hit it too high and i find the 3 wood will run into driver distance. Thinking of the European and all the pinch points around the 250 mark that it would be great to use there to lay up with.

I have a 910H 21* and typically hit it low enough. I know there are the weights there for me to mess around and change it to a lower trajectory if I need. Have to say I never play links golf.

I hit my 4iron lovely, consistent and long enough, and find it makes up for not carrying a 3wood, but I probably wouldn't venture into irons with less loft then that.

What are the actual benefits or having a "driving iron" and not just learning how to hit a driver? Can't help but feel it's counter productive?

What benefits are there to us amateurs using a driving iron, or 3/2/1 irons. I thought hybrids were an incredible introduction to the game, to let us away with hitting those difficult clubs, and use something a bit more forgiving and comfortable.

mike12

TheDoc wrote: »

I have a 910H 21* and typically hit it low enough. I know there are the weights there for me to mess around and change it to a lower trajectory if I need. Have to say I never play links golf.

I hit my 4iron lovely, consistent and long enough, and find it makes up for not carrying a 3wood, but I probably wouldn't venture into irons with less loft then that.

What are the actual benefits or having a "driving iron" and not just learning how to hit a driver? Can't help but feel it's counter productive?

What benefits are there to us amateurs using a driving iron, or 3/2/1 irons. I thought hybrids were an incredible introduction to the game, to let us away with hitting those difficult clubs, and use something a bit more forgiving and comfortable.

I hit my Driver great but find on holes where it requires a tee shot in the 220 to 240 range i'm trying to take some thing off a 3 wood.
See my mate who hits his normal 3 iron 220 off the tee on a links it goes around 240 or so. Just find the hybrid goes too high if there is any wind.

TheDoc

mike12 wrote: »

I hit my Driver great but find on holes where it requires a tee shot in the 220 to 240 range i'm trying to take some thing off a 3 wood.
See my mate who hits his normal 3 iron 220 off the tee on a links it goes around 240 or so. Just find the hybrid goes too high if there is any wind.

I barely to ever have played links so can't comment comfortably I'm afraid

Are you not comfortable taking length of the 3-wood?

My course rarely has a really tough wind, but there are occasions where I found I was needing to maybe hit something a little less then a driver for position. I just struggle with a 3wood, havnt found a model/brand I can hit comfy so ended up learning how to hit an odd shot with my driver. I wouldn't call it a stinger like Tiger does, but its a low controlling flight that isn't my full whack.

Personally, if I find myself "needing" something in terms of placement, position or comfort, I tend to explore what I can do with my current clubs first(assuming the clubs themselves arnt the issue).

As I said I can hit my hybrid perfectly yet struggling with 3 woods. So I'm looking to grab a 17/19 hybrid, and using weight technology lower the loft on it a little.

Although if I'm honest I find my 4iron seems to travel way further then my 21* Hyrbid which is odd. I'm kinda at the point where I might just leave what I have and see how I go .

I gather hearing from people about links golf, that low ball flights are preferred, so assume thats why a driving iron and long irons in general are appealing to you ?