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Iron Shaft Length and Fitting

Nippon Shafts
Hawk

Hawk

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Talk to me a little about iron shaft length if you will.

What are side effects of an iron that is too short for you?
What are side effects of an iron that is too long for you?


Only rule I ask is that we don't have the accuracy/shaft length debate in this one. I'm aware of that, but really curious about set-up, contact, etc.
 
Hawk said:
Talk to me a little about iron shaft length if you will.

What are side effects of an iron that is too short for you?
What are side effects of an iron that is too long for you?


Only rule I ask is that we don't have the accuracy/shaft length debate in this one. I'm aware of that, but really curious about set-up, contact, etc.
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Funny, I was thinking about this the other day. I have always played standard length. Now that I am playing 2 degrees flat, I almost feel like I am crowing the ball and have been hitting the ball off the heal alot lately where as before my miss was off the toe. Had me wondering if I needed to check the lengths of my shafts.
 
I never really thought all too much about it, until my fitting last weekend. Had some interesting things pop up. I'm about to throw that thread up this AM. But I will be back here.
 
Hawk said:
Talk to me a little about iron shaft length if you will.

What are side effects of an iron that is too short for you?
What are side effects of an iron that is too long for you?


Only rule I ask is that we don't have the accuracy/shaft length debate in this one. I'm aware of that, but really curious about set-up, contact, etc.
Click to expand...

I've always been fit to 1/2 inch long in my irons, and I've never been fit to driver length. I'm not really sure why, it's just what is often defined for me.

That said, in the past few weeks, I've demoed a bunch of irons and started choking up on my own irons because of heel contact and hitting heavy. The results speak for themselves, but I'm fully prepared to return to stock length at this point. Going from heel/heavy to middle of the face and flush rattled me.
 
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I have a few reasons I'm asking.

Static fitting puts me at right at that 1/4-1/2 long range.
In a mini-fitting, a Cleveland guy was trying to put me in a longer shaft and I sort of resisted it.
I have the opportunity to go that route now if I wish.
 
In my fitting I was fit to standard but 2* flat. only hit my new clubs once and i was pulling it further left than normal. I did adjust my footwork and it seemed to straighten me out... Before the fitting I always wondered if I should play shorter irons though...
 
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Canadan said:
I've always been fit to 1/2 inch long in my irons, and I've never been fit to driver length. I'm not really sure why, it's just what is often defined for me.

That said, in the past few weeks, I've demoed a bunch of irons and started choking up on my own irons because of heel contact and hitting heavy. The results speak for themselves, but I'm fully prepared to return to stock length at this point. Going from heel/heavy to middle of the face and flush rattled me.
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Interesting Dan. I look at contact with basically every iron I hit, and it's always toe side of center. I'm not saying dead on the toe, but my wear mark are situated just a little out that way if that makes sense. I'm trying to find a picture I posted awhile back.
 
I play +1/2" shafts

When I played standard length, I really had issues with being bent over a little and getting pretty steep because of it. Also developed a bad habit of gripping all the way to the butt of the grip.

Don't really have experience with the side effects of shafts that are too long.
 
Generally, clubs that are too long show contact towards the heel of the club as well as higher in the face, costing ball speed and control. Once one adjusts themselves to the longer length and gets contact towards the center of the face, they still may see the ball mark higher on the face resulting in decreased ball speed. Too short and the impact shifts to the toe side and lower on the face.
 
I talked about this with Freddie when we were in Dallas. All of my measurables tell me I should be -1 inch. A while back I tried it but hated the feel. I told Freddie that my current set is bent 3 degrees flat and he was just like man thats a lot to bend a club. Last week my shop finally got in some Bio Cell LH fitting irons. I hit them stock then he gave me a -1/2 inch stock shaft and he commented on how much better my posture looked with the -1/2. Once I was swinging the -1/2 inch he put me on a lie board and it came out just 1 degree flat versus the 3 I needed to go at standard lenght.

Everything going forward will be -1/2 inch and 1 degree flat
 
As someone who is 6 footish (might be a bit taller) I play standard length and could not fathom playing longer. I have had shorter ones that were standard length only because of different manufacturer lengths and they worked great. I now have a 1/2 inch longer than my originals only because I now play TalyorMade. Took me about a week to get used to, but they fit like a glove now.
 

Here is the pic I was talking about.


Now, I'm not naive enough to think that my swing isn't a major contributing factor, but even as I work on it, I still see something similar, if not just a little more towards the center.
 
Hawk said:
Interesting Dan. I look at contact with basically every iron I hit, and it's always toe side of center. I'm not saying dead on the toe, but my wear mark are situated just a little out that way if that makes sense. I'm trying to find a picture I posted awhile back.
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I found it weird as well. I don't plan on cutting down my shafts just yet, going to let the swing settle in for the season and see where it goes. Quite honestly, I am used to my contact being on the toe side of center. Having an afternoon of heel contact followed by an evening demo of center striking at stock length was strange. Seeing it again while choked up just adds to it.
 
Hawk said:
Talk to me a little about iron shaft length if you will.

What are side effects of an iron that is too short for you?
What are side effects of an iron that is too long for you?


Only rule I ask is that we don't have the accuracy/shaft length debate in this one. I'm aware of that, but really curious about set-up, contact, etc.
Click to expand...

If the clubs are too long I have a real hard time getting through the ball. Mizuno irons come in at -.25 standard, I still take off another quarter of an inch. It seems like I can go pretty short and feel comfortable. But I don't have the ability to use long clubs.
 
This is an area where I need to be fitted. I have always played standard length, but always wondered about the lie angle and if that would help me consistently hit them. For some reason I've developed a habit of choking down a little (prob 1/4 - 1/2 inch) and when I do that I noticed that my shots have a better trajectory and distance. When i hit a bad shot I always look at where I am gripping the club and it seems like I did not choke down.

I will ask this question to the more experienced guys that have been fit or have raised this question before, what is more important the length or the lie angle? I think anyone can always "choke down" and make a club work, but if the lie angle is off that could be the bigger culprit IMO.
 
been struggling with the perfect length myself, as i'm 6'5", and have played irons from standard to +1.5". At standard length, i hit balls thin a whole lot more often which i think is an obvious reaction.
 
For me, if I'm playing irons that are too long (and usually playing more upright than the irons I was fit for), I end up with high hands at address if I'm not careful, and that ends up being a recipe for shanks.
 
Martsy said:
been struggling with the perfect length myself, as i'm 6'5", and have played irons from standard to +1.5". At standard length, i hit balls thin a whole lot more often which i think is an obvious reaction.
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I had an interesting conversation with the rep from Cleveland that came to the 2012 Morgan Cup. He basically said that the idea of going over 1/2 inch long was a bad practice. He claimed that even Vijay was only 1/2 inch long. It came up as I was discussing some fittings I'd read about where people were put in irons 1 inch long or more.
 
Hawk said:
I had an interesting conversation with the rep from Cleveland that came to the 2012 Morgan Cup. He basically said that the idea of going over 1/2 inch long was a bad practice. He claimed that even Vijay was only 1/2 inch long. It came up as I was discussing some fittings I'd read about where people were put in irons 1 inch long or more.
Click to expand...


i've heard different school of thoughts. Club pro at a course i used to work at as a kid swore than unless you had unusually long arms or legs, you should only need to play standard. Which kinda made sense to me since longer arms should make up for longer legs. But then i look at the WITB for people like Bubba Watson who's 6'3" and plays +1 irons. I'm playing +1 on my speedblades right now which is really +1.5" since their standard is .5" over already, and it might be too long for consistent swing. I'm planning on possibly reshafting with Recoils, and may go with 1/2" less than i'm playing now. But i think i'm just going to do a full refitting this may when our new Golfsmith opens up here.
 
Martsy said:
i've heard different school of thoughts. Club pro at a course i used to work at as a kid swore than unless you had unusually long arms or legs, you should only need to play standard. Which kinda made sense to me since longer arms should make up for longer legs. But then i look at the WITB for people like Bubba Watson who's 6'3" and plays +1 irons. I'm playing +1 on my speedblades right now which is really +1.5" since their standard is .5" over already, and it might be too long for consistent swing. I'm planning on possibly reshafting with Recoils, and may go with 1/2" less than i'm playing now. But i think i'm just going to do a full refitting this may when our new Golfsmith opens up here.
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I wonder how much value can be put into Bubba's fitting though, considering how unorthodox a lot of his swings are. It'd be interesting to hear fitters speak to that.
 
Canadan said:
I wonder how much value can be put into Bubba's fitting though, considering how unorthodox a lot of his swings are. It'd be interesting to hear fitters speak to that.
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no doubt about that. think i read he uses a ping oversize grip with 10-12 wraps!
 
I play +1" that is due to the fact that i am tall 6'3" when i played standard length clubs i had a hard time not fading them i think i had the tendency to reach for the ball and open my club face i have not played clubs that are to long but i would think i would push left with them
 
I view shaft length a little different than most people. I find lie angle to be the most important for how I feel over any given club so I've developed my iron lengths around two factors.

Factor 1. What is the longest iron length I can swing comfortably and make consistent center contract.
Factor 2. What is the shortest iron length I can swing comfortably and not feel too bent over.

I'm 6'2 but the longest club for me is 39". I start my set at 21° so that is where I put my longest club. The shortest club for me is 35.5". Anything less and I feel awkward over the ball. I'm actually thinking of moving to 36" as it's getting harder to stay down through the ball as I get older and the hamstrings tighten up. I will then design and tweak lofts around gaping the clubs to work within the two lengths.

With all that said as long as the lie angle is correct for each club length I will make center contact.
 
Brianbigoats said:
I play +1" that is due to the fact that i am tall 6'3" when i played standard length clubs i had a hard time not fading them i think i had the tendency to reach for the ball and open my club face i have not played clubs that are to long but i would think i would push left with them
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Have you gotten on a lie board with stock length irons? I'm of similar height and a simple adjustment from stock to 1* upright sorted out any fade I was putting on the ball.
 
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