Single length irons?? Anyone using them?

[Boerdoc]

i am getting frustrated with inconsistent ball striking and the chunks that happen and ruin a good round. Presently I am using mizuno jpg ez forged from 5-9 irons and mizuno wedges. I have worked the past two years eliminating the over the top and consistently hit draws to straight balls. If anyone plays single length irons please give some feedback. I know that the problem is me but I may need a crutch to help me out with this.

[inorkuo]

there isn't a single length for hybrids, woods, and driver so you still need to be able to swing different length clubs. i feel your pain though. i'm still working on grooving a consistent swing myself. some days it's good and others i can't seem to feel what my body is doing.

[Jasonstanley]

My clubs are different lengths but they all seem to go the same distance!

[Boerdoc]

My clubs are different lengths but they all seem to go the same distance!

I love this response. LOL

[Boerdoc]

there isn't a single length for hybrids, woods, and driver so you still need to be able to swing different length clubs. i feel your pain though. i'm still working on grooving a consistent swing myself. some days it's good and others i can't seem to feel what my body is doing.

I am hoping to have all irons one length, maybe a lob wedge and hybrids differing.

[Joko]

I would be interested in trying single length 4i-8i or so depending on fitting. Personally I think it makes sense. Especially for those just needing more consistency, which most of us I think would love.

[rrobinson]

I bought a set of Sterling Irons http://sterlingirons.com recently (thanks Tom Wishon and team for the XMAS delivery!) and am very pleased with the accuracy I am getting with them. I'm still learning how to adjust (mentally) hitting a 4 or 5 iron that is only the length of a 7 iron (you can fit for all clubs to be a typical 7 or 8 length), but the fact that I can still hit the 4 iron 215 yards makes me happy so far. Placing the ball in the exact same spot and swinging exactly the same for every club has really helped me with grooving a more consistent swing I think. It's early days but I'm hoping that after a few more months of indoor winter sim practice I'll be looking forward to a whole a new game IRL in the spring!

[Stingreye]

I would be interested in trying single length 4i-8i or so depending on fitting. Personally I think it makes sense. Especially for those just needing more consistency, which most of us I think would love.

I could see doing that. I wonder how much you would have to mess with the lofts to get the gapping correct since you will not be picking up club head speed from the length. I don' think I would want my wedges longer......

[SirNeedaSim]

Consider this thought, if you can get more length out of longer wedges without sacrificing accuracy, why wouldn't you want to make them longer?

[Stingreye]

You are 100% correct, if accuracy goes up, I wouldn't care one bit.

[rrobinson]

I could see doing that. I wonder how much you would have to mess with the lofts to get the gapping correct since you will not be picking up club head speed from the length. I don' think I would want my wedges longer......

Here is the gapping on the Sterling Irons:

[SirNeedaSim]

From what I recall seeing on the TWG site, one of the ways they manage the gapping between the clubs is by modifying the COR of the club faces. Shank selection and tuning for the individual golfers need is also another key variable of consideration that needs to be taken into account. Proper shaft selection and tuning applies to any set of clubs.

[SirNeedaSim]

Glad to see you ask this question Boerdoc, I was contemplating making a switch for the same exact reasons. The logic behind the single length irons makes perfect sense in my mind. I love the concept. Had I not bought a new set of G30's just months before stumbling onto the single length TWG concept I would have definitely went the single length route as it just makes sense.

However, that not being my case I'll share some things I did that helped me. When I was fitted for irons initially the focus of the fitter was on the 7i watching my ball flight and taking some body measurements. So called Pro / Fitter never had me hit a lie board and I was dumb enough to not know better. I was fitted into standard length / lie clubs. My first red flag was shots always to right of target. Did some research, reading and learning and concluded I needed to hit each of my clubs on a lie board. I went to the range, borrowed the pro shop lie board and got some impact stickers for the soul of the clubs and started hitting balls. Sure enough all of my clubs were too flat of lie angle causing toe to strike ground prematurely forcing face open and block shots to the right. Impact tape results was all the proof I needed.

Sent clubs back to Ping and asked them to bend clubs +2.5 degrees upright. First round with adjusted clubs yielded much better ball striking, closer to the pin on approach shots, 2 birdies and at least 3 missed birdies. If you haven't hit each club on a lie board I highly recommend doing so as poorly fitted clubs may be contributing to your problems.

The next best thing I did was buying impact stickers for the club face and hit balls at the range. Painters tape or masking tape works as well. What I learned from using the face impact tape on each club was my tendencies with each club. My natural swing is a slight out to in that produces a baby fade. However, I discovered the harder I swing, the more out to in I become causing hits closer to the toe that just felt like poor strikes. I discovered this hitting each club 50%, 75%, 100% and man up beyond control and ability modes and examining the patterns and results. Not that I understand my tendencies, I play the ball toward the hosel more. The amount I adjust toward the hosel depends upon how much I have to man up and go after the ball. This has improved hitting the sweet throughout my entire bag.

If you take the time to learn your tendencies you will find things that are causing poor strikes and you will become a better golfer regardless of what clubs you swing. I have some other thoughts I can share if interested but will end for now this, if your due for new clubs, I say go for it with single length irons. I see nothing but Pros and zero Cons. My next iron set will be single length and I will be professionally fitted by TWG. TWG website has some great videos. If you haven't visiting it I highly recommend doing so as it's a great site for learning.

[SirNeedaSim]

As for the chunking problem, start paying attention to terrain conditions where the problem is occurring as that's a tell tale sign to the root of the issue, no pun intended...lol

If it's occurring on a flat lie, your probably either playing ball too far forward, gripping too long or chili dippin during the downswing. Committ to getting club length right using practice swings just before and beside the ball and make sure your hitting grass at front edge of ball. Don't move your hands or fingers after getting grip length right and step right in and hit. If you still chunk your most likely chili dippin.

If it's occurring on ball above the feet lies, your probably just gripping too long and need to accommodate lie / terrain condition by gripping shorter.

On downhill lies there is a natural need to play the ball further back in the stance and align shoulders to slope of terrain to prevent the chunk.

Single length irons won't fix improperly accomodating the various terrain variables golfers have to accommodate for. I'm no pro but these are lessons I learned the hard way.

Attached picture of the "Personal Pro" is probably one of the best Fathers Day gifts I've receive. Worth the $6 to $8 bucks it costs all day long.

[doublebogey]

Sorry but what is this "Personal Pro" you're referring to? Thanks.

[inorkuo]

I was curios too and did a search. it looks like a quick reference guide. http://giftsforegolfers.com/shop/per...ro-golf-wheel/

[SirNeedaSim]

Yes, a valuable reference guide. On side focuses on Driver problems and cures. The other side focuses on Problem Lies and how to execute.

[Joko]

For me, just thinking abstractly, I would like my 4 or 5 iron through 7 or 8 iron to be the same length. I would not want 4-9 to be the same length, but maybe I'm wrong in that thought.

Really if i had 5-7 the same length that would be great, as long as gaping was adequate. I'm not going to be a pro golfer, but the less each club "changes" the better.

Im so new to the game, looking this year to take more lessons and really identify my swing. Interested to see how single length irons pan out.

[wbond]

Instead of a lie board and tape, use a dry erase marker and put a straight vertical line on the ball and face it towards the club. Then when you hit it will leave a mark on the clubface showing you either flat or upright. Much better than lie board as some are distracted by this. Also, foot spray is better than impact stickers, just spray on and impact leaves a mark and it wipes off very easily.

[SirNeedaSim]

Stickers you can peel off and journal so you have records of results relative to the things tried and changes made. I use stickers at range sessions for that reason. When golfing 18 at a real course, I do exactly what you suggested, vertical line on ball, but I use a red sharpie and it works great and wipes off easily too. I won't hit those balls on the sim sessions because I seen a warning about possible transfer marks to the impact screen. Will dry ease marks wipe off impacts screens? Good solution if they do.

[wbond]

No you don't want to use the marker with impact screen. It will transfer.

[Boerdoc]

Thanks for all the feedback. My coach at Golftec is OK with me making the change but they are not yet ready to fit for them. It should be in the next week or so. I will also talk to my coach about the lie angles per SirNeedaSim . Recently I changed my posture significantly to stand more upright. After grooving this into a habit I am sure the lie angles are very off. BTW this is happening in the simulator and not related to terrain. Since my clubs are forged they can take a lie angle correction easily. Maybe I should try that first and see. Since my chunks seem to be on irons and not wedges or hybrids as much this makes sense.

I will keep you posted.

[SirNeedaSim]

I noticed chunking issue after just starting to use a CCE mat. If that's the mat you are using, try gripping shorter as that has worked well for me.

[Jeff Tilley]

I built a set of single length irons from Diamond Tour Golf, a components company that specializes in clones, but do have their own line too. I built them using FST 115 Pro shafts, 4h and 5-SW built at 37" (7-iron length). I met up with a couple golfing buddies at the driving range a couple days later to try them out. All 3 of us went thru the setup starting with the SW, no launch monitor, just observing ball flight on the range. I started, and hit everything down to the 5 iron well. I couldn't get used to the shorter 5 iron and 4h. One of the other guys hit everything but the GW and SW well, said he couldn't get used to the longer wedges. The last guy hit EVERYTHING well, said he had no issue with any of the lengths. I took them to the course a couple times, but never got comfortable with the 5 iron and 4h. Distances seemed normal on everything too. I'm thinking of putting heavier grips on the set and trying them again since part of the problem for me was the swingweight came out to D4.5, which is entirely too heavy for my liking. I would like to get them down to D0-D1. I know that's probably not gonna help with my issue with the 5 iron and 4h, but it will at least remove all doubt when I decide to sell them. Curiosity killed the cat, right? Keep in mind, if you try a set of SL irons, that the ball position needs to be in the same spot every time since all clubs are the same length. That takes some getting used to, also.