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Benefits of Building irons 1/4 inch short - 37.75 5i - Your thoughts...

Nippon Shafts
ProZoneGolf

ProZoneGolf

Clubmaker/Fitter
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Here are some of my thoughts on a iron build.
IMO: For me I think a lot of iron shot control can be gained with a set built 1/4 inch short. This being 37.75 5 iron. For me I have found the control to be easier for many reasons.

I know wrist to floor measurements usually dictate length, IMO this set up works well for golfers who play std length 38 and measure to this fit (so this is not for everyone)

Here is a example of this build: S300 shaft 132g at 38 inch long, SW is D2, now build it shorter at 37.75 with a 45g grip attain D2 SW, yet lower overall weight by approx 4-6g and have the iron shaft shorter for more control, and slightly less flat swing plane. IMO for me I have better shot control 1/4 inch short.

Many player build their driver 43.5 to 44.75 for control...why not the irons?
 
ProZoneGolf said:
Here are some of my thoughts on a iron build.
IMO: For me I think a lot of iron shot control can be gained with a set built 1/4 inch short. This being 37.75 5 iron. For me I have found the control to be easier for many reasons.

I know wrist to floor measurements usually dictate length, IMO this set up works well for golfers who play std length 38 and measure to this fit (so this is not for everyone)

Here is a example of this build: S300 shaft 132g at 38 inch long, SW is D2, now build it shorter at 37.75 with a 45g grip attain D2 SW, yet lower overall weight by approx 4-6g and have the iron shaft shorter for more control, and slightly less flat swing plane. IMO for me I have better shot control 1/4 inch short.

Many player build their driver 43.5 to 44.75 for control...why not the irons?
Click to expand...
Why not just choke down 1/4 inch?
 
T2GRN18 said:
Why not just choke down 1/4 inch?
Click to expand...
I agree here. I don't think amateurs are sensitive enough to reap many benefits from 1/4 of an inch. Heck, inconsistencies with grip probably vary by that amount each time. More, like 1/2" or so, I could see that having an effect.

As for me, I'm weird, I actually lengthened my irons 1/2" when I reshafted and I'm hitting them the best I ever have. Hard to paint a broad brush with anything as fitting is key.
 
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I think it might be a good idea. I agree with the choking down point but sometimes it can be difficult to be consistent with the exact amount of choke down.
 
ProZoneGolf said:
Here are some of my thoughts on a iron build.
IMO: For me I think a lot of iron shot control can be gained with a set built 1/4 inch short. This being 37.75 5 iron. For me I have found the control to be easier for many reasons.

I know wrist to floor measurements usually dictate length, IMO this set up works well for golfers who play std length 38 and measure to this fit (so this is not for everyone)

Here is a example of this build: S300 shaft 132g at 38 inch long, SW is D2, now build it shorter at 37.75 with a 45g grip attain D2 SW, yet lower overall weight by approx 4-6g and have the iron shaft shorter for more control, and slightly less flat swing plane. IMO for me I have better shot control 1/4 inch short.

Many player build their driver 43.5 to 44.75 for control...why not the irons?
Click to expand...
As far as amateurs go, distance is a huge selling point. I don't see many people wanting to shorten their clubs. Also, 1/4th inch would have little affect on a weekend golfers shots IMO. As said above 1/2 inch would probably have more results.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk
 
Benefits of Building irons 1/4 inch short - 37.75 5i - Your thoughts...

I have a set that is 1/4 inch short relative to the other, and the effective lie angles are the same. If you asked me to tell you which was shorter after handing me the club, I am not sure I could. An older set was 1/2" short and that felt different to me.

There was actually a good discussion about this a while back - I can't link because I'm on Tapatalk and can't find it but there were a lot of good thoughts on both sides.
 
Mizunofan99 said:
I think it might be a good idea. I agree with the choking down point but sometimes it can be difficult to be consistent with the exact amount of choke down.
Click to expand...

That is assuming that the average golfer is gripping the clubs at setup in the exact same spot down every time. If the case is for consistency, it comes from both items, the golfer and the club.
 
Couldn't the simple answer be to get fit for your irons?
 
I'll throw out the complicated answer.

Everyone should be fit for their clubs but forgive me if I don't understand the point of shortening all clubs arbitrarily. I choke down on 75% of my iron shots because I don't have perfect yardage anyway. Also, different models/brands of irons vary in 1/4" to 1/2" in length and the lofts have gotten stronger over the years. My "standard" length 5 irons for 30 years were 27-28* of loft and 37.5 -38" in length. With my current GI set, Callaway calls that a 6 iron as the specs on my 6 iron are 27* loft 37.5". Not coincidentally, I now hit my 6 iron the same distance as all my old 5 irons.
In the end, the number on the bottom of the club is just a number, gap distances are the important thing.

On a related topic, one of the best changes I've made to my irons recently was putting 4 extra wraps under the lower half of the grip, it helps tremendously when choking down on the club. You can get the same thing with less hassle by putting Golf Pride MCC Plus 4's on your clubs but I just didn't like the feel of the MCC's on my irons after being used to the feel of GP Tour Wraps for the last couple decades.
 
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JB said:
That is assuming that the average golfer is gripping the clubs at setup in the exact same spot down every time. If the case is for consistency, it comes from both items, the golfer and the club.
Click to expand...

Not to forget, ask an amateur golfer to choke down a 1/4" 100 times. I bet "1/4"" is different every time.
 
I have my current set built a little shorter than stock and hate it. They are such a poor fit for me. Get properly fit from the start and be done with it.
 
Quarter inch is fairly minor albeit it is a change.
We make adjustments ~ tinker if your will all the time.
Why not try it on a club and see how you like it?
Sure a "fitter" might not say it is ideal but you never know how it will work.
Try it.
 
Go from some spikeless to large spikes and its about a 1/4 of an inch too.
 
Sometimes the change is purely psychological.
Doesn't mean it won't work unless the physics are way out of whack.
I cut down an extra 20" hybrid (3-iron) to fit in as a 4-iron the other day ~ cut 2.0 " off.
Worked out pretty good, had a heck of a time keeping the SW up but it is not bad.
Sometimes change is good.
 
My J15 DF are being built 1/2" - 1/4" short, but it's all about fitting. It works really well for me, but it's not going to work for everyone.
 
My 5 iron is 37.50 inches. SW was maintained at D2 by adding weight down the shaft. All my irons and wedges are 1" below standard and I'm sure I play the shortest driver at THP at 42.50 inches, but again the D3 SW was maintained by special ordering. The shaft is short, but the results is some loss of distance but a total fairway finder. All my clubs are much shorter than today standard lengths.

It all comes down to a very in depth fitting, some trial and then the build. I am now taking a serious look at irons/wedges all the same length.
 
You might see some improvements or maybe not. It depends on how good the current length of your irons fit you.
FWIW I play my 5iron at 37,75" measured without a grip.


Gesendet von iPad mit Tapatalk
 
My answer is get your irons fit properly.
 
I am sure there is value (beyond simply getting fit of course) but after building my own sets, I realized just how little a 1/4 inch difference makes. With confidence, I can go out to the course with irons 1/2 inch long or short and still make decent contact. More than likely I'll exaggerate on the 1/2 inch short and choke up on the 1/2 inch long.

Things like swing weight don't concern me the way they do others I guess. Give me a club and I'll swing it.
 
HoosierGolfer said:
My 5 iron is 37.50 inches. SW was maintained at D2 by adding weight down the shaft. All my irons and wedges are 1" below standard and I'm sure I play the shortest driver at THP at 42.50 inches, but again the D3 SW was maintained by special ordering. The shaft is short, but the results is some loss of distance but a total fairway finder. All my clubs are much shorter than today standard lengths.

It all comes down to a very in depth fitting, some trial and then the build. I am now taking a serious look at irons/wedges all the same length.
Click to expand...

That is an unbelievably short driver - that's shorter than my 3W! I'm right with you on the iron lengths though, I was professionally fit to a 37.5" 5 iron - although I was told they may have to build it to 37.75" to get SW correct, but I don't see a 1/4" making much difference.
 
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I have seen good fitters not use a static measurement to determine a persons iron shaft length. They look at a persons swing, how and where they are striking the ball. I have seen someone who would nor all be a +1 be fitting into std and some who would be -1/4" be fit into +1/2.
 
emart2173 said:
I have seen good fitters not use a static measurement to determine a persons iron shaft length. They look at a persons swing, how and where they are striking the ball. I have seen someone who would nor all be a +1 be fitting into std and some who would be -1/4" be fit into +1/2.
Click to expand...

I feel people play too long of irons in general, I'm 6-4 and play between 1/2 short and std. i cut my own so I leave alittle play for feel and yardage gaps, closer to std on the short irons
 
emart2173 said:
I have seen good fitters not use a static measurement to determine a persons iron shaft length. They look at a persons swing, how and where they are striking the ball. I have seen someone who would nor all be a +1 be fitting into std and some who would be -1/4" be fit into +1/2.
Click to expand...

My fitting was based on strike, no static measurements. -1/2 it is.

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
 
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