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Trouble with iron launch

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Mango Smash

Mango Smash

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So after playing on Sunday I have realized I have a large conundrum. I tend to launch my irons very high. On a windy day like it was Sunday afternoon, this causes some havoc hitting in to the wind or playing a cross breeze. The only irons I have hit recently with a great trajectory were my Apex MB. The issue with them is they are very punishing on off center hits. I play DG x100 shafts soft stepped once. Does anyone know of some irons or shafts I can try that might bring my launch down? I would love forgiveness, but all of the GI irons I have hit are designed to launch high. A bit of a catch 22 for me.
 
Mango Smash said:
So after playing on Sunday I have realized I have a large conundrum. I tend to launch my irons very high. On a windy day like it was Sunday afternoon, this causes some havoc hitting in to the wind or playing a cross breeze. The only irons I have hit recently with a great trajectory were my Apex MB. The issue with them is they are very punishing on off center hits. I play DG x100 shafts soft stepped once. Does anyone know of some irons or shafts I can try that might bring my launch down? I would love forgiveness, but all of the GI irons I have hit are designed to launch high. A bit of a catch 22 for me.
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Have you tried C Tapers?

ctaperChart.png
 
I have played C Tapers in the past. The S+ felt great, but the launch was just as high just with less spin.
 
C-Taper would be my recommendation. I launch Dynamic Gold shafts very very high, the profile doesn't seem to work for me. C-Tapers are very boardy and low launching and may help you out. I currently play Project X 6.5 because I prefer the ball flight, which is a bit flatter than C-Taper but peaks higher.
 
Instead of switching shafts, try to keep your hands low through impact. Almost exaggerate the move and your ball flight should come down.
Mango Smash said:
So after playing on Sunday I have realized I have a large conundrum. I tend to launch my irons very high. On a windy day like it was Sunday afternoon, this causes some havoc hitting in to the wind or playing a cross breeze. The only irons I have hit recently with a great trajectory were my Apex MB. The issue with them is they are very punishing on off center hits. I play DG x100 shafts soft stepped once. Does anyone know of some irons or shafts I can try that might bring my launch down? I would love forgiveness, but all of the GI irons I have hit are designed to launch high. A bit of a catch 22 for me.
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Thanks for the tip Freddy! If I can get someone to record my swing I will post it up in that forum for you to critique. I know it had to be a swing flaw, but I don't practice enough to correct it.
 
A high launch is typically from a steep AOA. If you keep the hands low through impact it will lower the flight. Think of it as a full swing knock down.
Mango Smash said:
Thanks for the tip Freddy! If I can get someone to record my swing I will post it up in that forum for you to critique. I know it had to be a swing flaw, but I don't practice enough to correct it.
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Tadashi70 said:
A high launch is typically from a steep AOA. If you keep the hands low through impact it will lower the flight. Think of it as a full swing knock down.
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That makes a lot of sense. I am pretty steep with the irons and wedges. Something odd that has helped keep my flight straighter and a touch lower has been to move it slightly back in my stance. It makes me think about coming in less steep otherwise I may miss the ball.
 
I have project X 6.5 in my irons for the same reason. Nice boring flight. I have a set of c tapers in a different set and they high high as well. The 6.5 px shafts are great. A bit board like feel but you get used to it.
 
F.N.G said:
I have project X 6.5 in my irons for the same reason. Nice boring flight. I have a set of c tapers in a different set and they high high as well. The 6.5 px shafts are great. A bit board like feel but you get used to it.
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I have played PX 6.5, 7.0, flighted 6.5, x100 (hard stepped, soft stepped, and straight in), c taper S+ and X. I've also hit almost all of the Recoil 95, 110, and 125 in retail and prototype. I just hit everything high. The PX 6.5 weren't bad, but they do feel rigid. The C taper X and PX 7.0 I just couldn't load consistently. I had to go after every shot all out or it felt like rebar.
 
Mango Smash said:
I have played C Tapers in the past. The S+ felt great, but the launch was just as high just with less spin.
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And what was wrong with that? In my experience high spin is what leads to shots getting eaten up in the wind. Seems if you could keep the flight and lose some spin that would be a solid choice.
 
based on what you've tried and been unsuccessful with, and the fact that Freddie knows all, sounds like a swing issue far more than an equipment issue. fwiw aerotech steelfibers tend to play very stiff to flex but $$$. I have some i110 s flex you're welcome to free of charge. 4-pw bought brand new in a custom set of ping i25 then pulled late last year. I'm on tapatalk but iirc you're in Orlando, so we can figure out something without shipping charges. just a thought


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Once again Freddie is right on the money! I have an upright swing, can generate good club head speed with irons, and have yet to find a shaft that can bring my ball flight down with irons. Only by changing my swing am I able to flight balls lower (not great at it, but can bring it down). Moving the ball back didn't help either btw, just caused them to balloon up in to the wind. My current hyrons are high launching, which is part of my acceptance of my naturally high ball flight (it does have some advantages).
 
Wake said:
And what was wrong with that? In my experience high spin is what leads to shots getting eaten up in the wind. Seems if you could keep the flight and lose some spin that would be a solid choice.
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The spin was a bit less, but not substantial by any means. Maybe 300 rpms or so. I think it may just be time to schedule a lesson with someone and try to fix it rather than band aid the situation. Probably won't get to do that for some time though since baby #3 will be coming in Dec.
 
When you say high launch, what are your launch angles and peak heights?
 
Personally, I'd keep the ball flight you have now and learn how to hit a nice 3/4 knock down shot for those times where you need to keep it out of the wind.
 
I will have to get on a monitor to check that for you. I am going to get some driver stats soon so I will hit a few irons as well to get some numbers. I say high as a comparison to anyone I've played with. I don't mind the height on my longer irons through my 6 iron. 7 through wedges are pretty much sky balls.
 
Mango Smash said:
I will have to get on a monitor to check that for you. I am going to get some driver stats soon so I will hit a few irons as well to get some numbers. I say high as a comparison to anyone I've played with. I don't mind the height on my longer irons through my 6 iron. 7 through wedges are pretty much sky balls.
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The only thing is your perception may not be reality. You might be hitting your irons the ideal height, and like others have mentioned, you just need to learn to hit a knockdown shot in windy situations.
 
Mongo - what's your divot pattern like? Are you a digger, picker, every once in a while?
 
C tapers will definitely launch low, based on my last shaft fitting, the difference in launch between them and say a tour 90 was night and day. You could also maybe go for something in between a GI and Players iron. Seem to be a lot of those being made these days.

And FWIW, I have never had any issues hitting a punch shot with a GI iron for those ultra windy days.

~Rock
 
Mango Smash said:
That makes a lot of sense. I am pretty steep with the irons and wedges. Something odd that has helped keep my flight straighter and a touch lower has been to move it slightly back in my stance. It makes me think about coming in less steep otherwise I may miss the ball.
Click to expand...

When you do that, it is likely that your hands stay in front of the clubhead and you are hitting down on the ball. I know for me when I don't sequence my swing and get my hands in front of my body on the swing the clubhead gets ahead of the hands and I add loft. When I keep my hands in front of the clubhead and hit down on the ball, my ball flight comes down and I can flight it into the wind.
 
blugold said:
Mongo - what's your divot pattern like? Are you a digger, picker, every once in a while?
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I am definitely a digger. My divot is usually either straight or slightly outside in (I almost always hit a fade).
 
Mango Smash said:
I am definitely a digger. My divot is usually either straight or slightly outside in (I almost always hit a fade).
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That tidbit tells me, I'm unqualified mind you, that Freddie is right. You're very steep and that is causing the problems. No shaft will fix that. Listen and follow Panda on this.
 
I had a very similar problem, I went with DG Ultra Lite soft-stepped once. It's not the most preferred feel but I have some soft core inserts and made them workable.
 
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