Launch monitor #'s - 6 iron

[Perkins Rooster]

Last year I bought i20's and opted for CFS regular flex shafts - hardstepped one time. At that time my swing speed was 77-78 mph, but as my swing speed has crept into the low 80's I was wondering if the shafts were too soft for me. So I got on a LM today with 6 irons and compared my shafts to CFS stiff:

Regular hard-stepped:
Carry: 155 yards
Launch: 17.3 degrees
Spin: 5677
Height: 24 yards

Stiff:
Carry: 159
Launch: 20.0
Spin: 3762
Height: 26 yards

Dispersion was pretty good (range of about 5 yards left or right) with both, a couple yards better with the stiff, but we're talking about a small sample size, 7 shots each. Swing speed was 81 with the regular and 82 with the stiff.

I was surprised the stiff shaft launched higher, but with less spin. 3,762 seems a little low fora 6 iron - no?

Should I make the investment to switch to stiff shafts?

Thanks!

 

[Wake]

I definitely wouldn't switch to the stiff with those numbers. You will have much more success holding greens with your current spin numbers.

I might would try again, you may have thinned a couple that really threw off your results, but those spin numbers are too low IMO.

 

[Hawk]

It's definitely on the lower side, but that'll get you more carry distance and high ball flight (if your launch is up there like it is). Just might have trouble holding greens. I'd go back on another day and do it again to see if things remain the same for you before making a switch.

 

[golf4life]

Even 26 yards is pretty low launch, and that spin is really low in the stiff. A shaft like the KBS 90 in stiff might be a great fit for you. It should get your height and spin up to more optimal numbers. Definitely worth a test drive IMO.

 

[Perkins Rooster]

The stiff shaft had masking tape on the face since it was off the rack at the store - would that screw up the numbers?

Wake - Good thought but I don't think I hit any thin as the height was up there - 26 yards. G4L - At first I also thought the height seemed low, but I was looking at the LPGA trackman figures and I'm right in the ballpark with them as far as carry, and height.

 

[arydolphin]

Rule of thumb for spin with an iron: take the number of the iron and multiply it by 1000, then give or take 10%. So for a 6 iron, it's 5400-6600. Spin in the 3000s for a 6 iron is very low.

 

[Rob Wedge]

I had some low spin numbers like yourself with a 6i. Moved to Nippon 1050 stiff soft stepped once and they went up in the 6k range. Much easier to hold greens now. May be worth to give them a swing as well as the KBS 90's.

 

[sleuth]

Rule of thumb for spin with an iron: take the number of the iron and multiply it by 1000, then give or take 10%. So for a 6 iron, it's 5400-6600. Spin in the 3000s for a 6 iron is very low.

Agreed. Pretty general rule of thumb, based on other characteristics. Stay with the Reg hard stepped.

You will undoubtedly hit further with lower backspin, but unlike driver, iron fitting shouldn't be based on maximum distance/numbers. More backspin means less side spin, tighter shots, and holding greens.

 

[Perkins Rooster]

Agreed. Pretty general rule of thumb, based on other characteristics. Stay with the Reg hard stepped.

You will undoubtedly hit further with lower backspin, but unlike driver, iron fitting shouldn't be based on maximum distance/numbers. More backspin means less side spin, tighter shots, and holding greens.

Good point, I forgot about the directional forgiveness that backspin provides.

 

[jag398]

Agreed. Pretty general rule of thumb, based on other characteristics. Stay with the Reg hard stepped.

You will undoubtedly hit further with lower backspin, but unlike driver, iron fitting shouldn't be based on maximum distance/numbers. More backspin means less side spin, tighter shots, and holding greens.

agree 100%

the spin is way to low with those shafts; however, you may find some other stiff shafts that will get you closer to the 5400rpm you want.

 

[jlukes]

You might not need the extra spin if your angle of descent is steeper with the stiff shafts than it is with the regular shafts.