Any golfer, whether advanced or a beginner, needs to invest in high-quality irons to succeed in the game. When choosing irons, you must first understand the various types of irons in the market and how each can impact your game.
Shaft and Flex
The flex and the shaft determine how you’ll feel the club, your swing speeds and the distance it’ll produce. If you want to increase your swing speeds, it’s essential to choose a lighter material like graphite. For those desiring better control over the club head but are comfortable with the swing speeds, and then a heavier steel shaft will guarantee the balance you want. The flex, on the other hand, will vary on how you hit the ball and your style of play.
Forged or Cast
Many irons in the market are cast; they offer a firmer grip besides they are large and provide more distance.
Style
In the market, you’ll find two styles of irons: the muscle-back and the cavity-back. The cavity back features a hollowed-out rear club head while the muscle-back has a full back on the rear. The muscle-backs are ideal for advanced and pro players while the cavity-backs are perfect for beginners.
The cavity-backs offer the player perimeter weighting that will result in increased forgiveness for off-center hits while the muscle backs increase the shot-shaping ability and enhanced performance; thus, they can be challenging for novices.
Hybrid clubs have become more popular for starters even replacing the 3, 4 and 5 irons. These clubs have a more forgiving club faces and are able to achieve straighter shots; they’re also called rescue clubs.
Loft, Length, and Distance
Every iron is categorized into three sets:
- Long irons (2, 3 and 4 –irons)
- Mid-irons (5, 6 and 7-irons)
- Short irons (8& 9 iron and the pitching wedge)
The long irons hit the ball to a long distance with a short loft, while, the short irons result in a higher loft. The higher loft will produce a steeper ball flight angle from the start to the final drop.
When fixing your iron sets, you should ensure that each club is separated from the next by at least 4 degrees of loft starting from the 3-iron to the pitching wedge. This will offer approximately 12-14 yard difference between the clubs. Most long hitters separate their clubs by 3 degrees while short hitters are recommended to have a difference of 5 degrees for the right gapping.
