Does 1 Degree Make A Difference.

[Golferbest]

So it being the new year ALOT of us are pondering equipment. Quite a few are iron sets. With irons today having so much technology, manufacturers are able to turn up the loft. ( this is not a debate for that subject, there are other threads for that). With these loft changes manufactures are increasing the gap between irons anywhere from 2.0 to 4.5 in some cases.
Almost every set ive had has been between 2.0 and 3.0 degrees and roughly contributes to 10yrd between clubs. This 4 degrees might seem petty but after the 8 iron (in most sets) these gaps just dramatically change distance. For me this 10 - 17 yards between clubs has thrown me off a little.
Now I know there are the option of buying a set that doesnt go above a certain degree of seperarion. Getting clubs bent is aanother option.
Im juat curious if this gap difference has had any effect on anyone else?
If so how long did it take? Was their any curve in learning the longer irons?

 

[Hawk]

Short irons are pretty much always 4-5° and you'll see smaller gaps in the longer irons - maybe down to 3°. I guess I'm not sure I'm seeing a change like you're describing?

 

[Golferbest]

Hmm. So lets say your playing "player" irons. The cap after the 8 irons usually stays within 3 degrees. Usualy results in about a 10 yard difference give or take. Then you look at lets say the bio irons in wich case they go up by 4 degrees. Know I know the 1 degree doesnt seem much. I have norice between 2 and 5 yards increase. Longer irons arent scoring irons so im not sure many tjink of this, im just curious if it has caused some thinking by anyone else.

 

[JB]

Hmm. So lets say your playing "player" irons. The cap after the 8 irons usually stays within 3 degrees. Usualy results in about a 10 yard difference give or take. Then you look at lets say the bio irons in wich case they go up by 4 degrees. Know I know the 1 degree doesnt seem much. I have norice between 2 and 5 yards increase. Longer irons arent scoring irons so im not sure many tjink of this, im just curious if it has caused some thinking by anyone else.

The J40 CBs are 4 degrees.
The MP-64 are 4 degrees too.
The Cleveland 588 CBs are 4 degrees also.

I just randomly looked up 3 sets.

 

[Trout Bum]

I don't have any experience really with stronger lofted clubs yet but in my clubs I do notice a difference in 1 degree of loft change. It's only a couple yds or so but the real difference is in turf interaction, I'm speaking of bending them though not factory lofts. I'm getting ready to go to an improvement set with stronger lofts so I'm pretty anxious to read the responses and learn something new.

 

[Hawk]

Hmm. So lets say your playing "player" irons. The cap after the 8 irons usually stays within 3 degrees. Usualy results in about a 10 yard difference give or take. Then you look at lets say the bio irons in wich case they go up by 4 degrees. Know I know the 1 degree doesnt seem much. I have norice between 2 and 5 yards increase. Longer irons arent scoring irons so im not sure many tjink of this, im just curious if it has caused some thinking by anyone else.

What sets have 3° gaps below the 8 iron? I'm used to seeing that below the 5 or maybe the 6, but that's about it.

I've never really noticed exorbiant gaps in any set of irons I've tested.

 

[Bullitt5339]

I think the design of the club makes the largest difference. But in my uneducated opinion, great ball strikers who hit the club in the exact same spot every time on the club face would notice a degree of difference. For someone like me, who uses the entire face, given the same club, just change the loft by a degree, I'm probably not going to notice a huge difference because my contact varies more than that degree typically.

 

[Nebgolfer]

The J40 CBs are 4 degrees.
The MP-64 are 4 degrees too.
The Cleveland 588 CBs are 4 degrees also.

I just randomly looked up 3 sets.

My Adams A3OS set from 5 years ago is also 4* in the irons (3* in the hybrids)

 

[Paladin]

I used to obsess about lofts of irons. All clubs, really. One thing I'm coming to accept is that golf companies employ engineers full-time to come up with a combination of ball flight, distance, and gapping through an iron set. Those engineers are smarter than me at that. So I'm a little less worried about what loft and gaps of the clubs and more about whether it produces the ball flight and distance I'm going for.

 

[Golferbest]

What sets have 3° gaps below the 8 iron? I'm used to seeing that below the 5 or maybe the 6, but that's about it.

I've never really noticed exorbiant gaps in any set of irons I've tested.

Sorry I was counting up not down. So what it shoild say is 3 degrees before the 8 iron.

 

[Hawk]

I'm sorry man. I think we just might not be communicating this right.

I haven't seen a set of irons that goes in 3° increments from 7-8 iron or even 6-7 iron.

 

[IceyShanks]

I used to stress over my gaps quite a bit, now I've played quite a few different setups throughout my bag, all in all it was my game that determined the score, not the gaps, but I have noticed, especially in the wedges, the need for smaller gaps to give yourself more options in terms of clubs. Which in the end limits the clubs in the top of the bag, that increases the gaps, but I'm ok with that!

 

[Wicked Cool Bearded Man]

I think it does, but more so in lie angle versus gaping. 1 degree off line can lead to about 15 yards off line (I think I've read that before). My gaps are important, but I can adjust to it (except in one place - top of the bag). Lie angle is something that can really foil me.

 

[Jman]

I honestly think gaps are highly overthought. I'm guilty of it, but I really do think they are overthought a lot.

 

[Golferbest]

I tend to overthink almost everything. Golf particularly. Im one who suggests not picking my brain.lol

 

[adamw238]

I honestly think gaps are highly overthought. I'm guilty of it, but I really do think they are overthought a lot.

I'm in agreement with you on this. I used to stress over it a ton. I think as long as your gaps are consistent, there isn't too much of a need to worry about lofts. However, I could see if you were looking at putting a combo set together, there might be some concern. But then again, I think you're splitting hairs.

 

[Trout Bum]

I honestly think gaps are highly overthought. I'm guilty of it, but I really do think they are overthought a lot.

Explain a little more, because for me my gaps are very important, 10 yds is critical.

 

[blugold]

The idea that loft determines distance, and by extension gaps, is faulty logic. Sure, those lofts will impact distance, but to focus on loft and not ball flight is a mistake.

 

[Jman]

Explain a little more, because for me my gaps are very important, 10 yds is critical.

Talking in the realm of degrees between clubs, not actual gaps. The only ones that matter are on the course. Give me 10-12 yards between clubs and then I could care less if the loft gaps are 2 degrees or 12 degrees.

 

[Wicked Cool Bearded Man]

Talking in the realm of degrees between clubs, not actual gaps. The only ones that matter are on the course. Give me 10-12 yards between clubs and then I could care less if the loft gaps are 2 degrees or 12 degrees.

Right. It's about knowing how far you need to hit something and how much of a back swing will do that.

 

[JOEE]

Hypothetically if someone were to hand you a PW at 48 degrees and one at 47, you'd hit them relatively the same. Personally, I think 90% of it will be mental and the other 10% because of the degree difference, if there is any distance differences at all.