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what are considered long irons in golf

by Beulah DuBuque Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year ago
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  • If you hit a 7-iron 140 yards or less, a 6-iron should be the longest iron in your set. The 3, 4 and 5 should be hybrids. ...
  • If you can hit your 7-iron 150-160 yards, think about nothing longer than a 5 iron; 3 and 4 should be hybrids.
  • If you can hit your 7-iron 160-170 yards, nothing longer than 4 iron; 3 should be hybrid.
  • If you can hit a 7-iron more than 170 yards, you can use any set make up you choose.

The irons from 2 to 4 are typically called the "long irons"; they have the lowest lofts and the longest shafts, and are designed to hit the ball long distances (180-260 yards) with low launch angles.

Full Answer

What is the typical length of golf irons?

With irons, you have to admit that these are highly versatile golf clubs because they feature varying lengths based on the type or number of iron. So you have 1 to 9 irons, which means different shaft lengths. Typically, this range is between 34 inches and 40 inches (depending on the brand). So here’s the general iron shaft length chart:

What is the longest golf irons?

#4 Srixon Z585

  • Loft (25)
  • Data Gathered (Foresight Indoors)
  • Swing Speed: 94 MPH
  • Ball Speed: 132 MPH
  • Spin: 4,500 RPM
  • Carry: 205 yds

What are the best irons for an average golfer?

The 3 Best Average Golfer Irons

  1. Cleveland Launcher
  2. Taylormade M4 These are one of the more complete irons on the market and that’s why they come with a steeper price tag. ...
  3. Cobra F-Max These are a great set of irons for the average golfer because they won’t break the bank but they still offer all the benefits you’d want such ...

What are the top golf irons?

Top 10 Best Golf Irons Review

  1. Callaway Mavrik Golf Iron Set: Best Golf Irons For Ball Speed. With the A.I technology Callaway has designed Mavrik iron featuring sophisticated face architecture.
  2. TaylorMade SIM MAX Irons: Best Golf Irons For Mid Handicappers. ...
  3. Wilson Staff D7 Forged Golf Iron Set: Best Golf Iron For Beginners. ...
  4. Cleveland Golf Launcher Turbo HB Iron Set. ...

More items...

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Is a 6 iron a long iron?

Long irons are the 2-, 3- ,and 4-irons; mid-irons, the 5-, 6-, and 7-irons; short irons, the 8- and 9-irons and pitching wedge. (Two-irons are becoming obsolete and are exceedingly rare for recreational golfers. Because of this, some sources now count the 5-iron as one of the long irons.

Is a 7 iron considered a long iron?

The long irons are the 4 and 3. And some other Monkeys consider the SW, PW and 9 to be short irons – the 8, 7 and 6 to be mid – and the 5, 4 and 3 to be the long irons.

What are short and long irons in golf?

The most significant difference between these two clubs is the length and the loft. The long irons are, in fact, longer than the short irons. When you start with a club like a pitching wedge in your hand, and you move up to the nine iron, there is an increase in the loft of the club.

Do you hit long irons the same as short irons?

There are a few main differences when it comes to hitting long irons vs. hitting short irons. The biggest difference is the ball position. The shorter and more loft on the iron, the more the ball is in the middle of your stance.

How far does Tiger Woods hit a 7 iron?

And when it comes to how far Tiger Woods, arguably the greatest iron player of all time, hits his irons? Tiger hits his 3-iron a 'carry' distance of 240 yards on average while his 4-iron goes 225 yards and 5-iron 210 yards. When it comes to his mid-irons he hits his 6-iron and 7-iron 195 and 180 yards.

How far should a man hit a 7 iron?

Average 7 Iron Distances are following: Beginning golfers- 100 yards (men) or 60 yards (women) Intermediate golfers- 135 yards (men) and 75 yards (women) Advanced golfers- 165 yards (men) or 140 yards (women)

How far should a 9 iron go?

Golf Club Distances TableCLUBMEN'S AVERAGE DISTANCEWOMEN'S AVERAGE DISTANCE7-iron140 yards120 yards8-iron130 yards110 yards9-iron120 yards100 yardsPitching wedge110 yards90 yards10 more rows•May 6, 2022

How far should you hit a 5 iron?

The average distance a male golfer can hit a 5 Iron golf club is 160 yards. A female can hit a 5 Iron 140 yards. Professional golfers are known to hit 195 to 205 yards with a 5 iron.

Should you swing harder with long irons?

The tendency with longer irons is to put more effort into the shot than you would if you were swinging a pitching wedge. But if you swing these clubs just like your short irons, your timing will be a lot better. You'll also have a better chance of making centerface contact, which matters most when swinging these clubs.

Why can I hit hybrids but not irons?

This additional weight makes the center of gravity for a hybrid much lower than in a standard iron. The larger size and lower center of gravity make hybrids easier for weekend golfers to hit solid and consistently get the ball up in the air.

Why can I hit woods but not irons?

There is a myriad of reasons why you hit your driver better than your irons. However, the root cause for most golfers stems from posture, the position of the ball in your stance, and your swing plane. Plus, the optimal ball speed and forgiveness produced by a driver make it easy to launch.

Why is it harder to hit longer irons?

It becomes much more difficult to square the clubface up at impact. As for ball position, the No. 1 reason why amateurs struggle so much with their long irons--besides not practicing with them--is that they over-exaggerate how far forward they're supposed to play the ball in their stance.

How long is a 7 iron?

What is the Standard Length of a 7 Iron? The standard length of a 7 iron is 37 inches on steel and 37.5 inches with the structure made of graphite. For women, the standard length of a graphite golf club is 36.5 inches, and for steel, it is 36 inches. The standard lengths are set from the shaft weights of the golf club.

What is the difference between a 4 and 7 iron in golf?

4-iron = 170 yards. 5-iron = 160 yards. 6-iron = 150 yards. 7-iron = 140 yards.

Is a 4 iron a driving iron?

If you've ever had an iron set that came with a 2-4 iron, those are not driving irons. Those are standard irons that are just like the other clubs in the set. Driving irons are bought separately, but they have the same loft as a traditional iron. You can get a 2 driving iron, a 3 driving iron, and a 4 driving iron.

Should you hit down on long irons?

To pure a long iron, your backswing should be smooth and controlled, with a slight pause at the top, not a snap, to move between backswing and downswing. The follow through should be full and free of tension, allowing the club shaft to rest on your lead shoulder after making a full turn.

How to swing long irons?

There is small margin for error with long irons, especially when there is not a tee involved, so it’s important to swing with good rhythm and balance. We turn our body away from the ball in one piece and load onto the inside of our right leg with back facing the target. From here, starting from the ground up we shift targetward, approach impact from the inside, strike the ball in a slightly descending motion just prior to the swing bottoming out. Allow the loft of the club to get the ball airborne, we don’t want to hit up on these shots. Although you are hoping to hit the ball a considerable distance, accelerate the club smoothly and fight the urge to over swing. We finish in good balance on our left side, with belt buckle facing the target and right heel completely off the ground.

Is it hard to strike with longer irons?

I’ll forewarn that the longer irons are difficult clubs for most players to strike consistently with appropriate trajectory… meaning, they’re tough clubs to get the ball up in the air. For most beginners, I recommend more forgiving and easier to manage hybrid clubs as replacements for your longest irons.

Why are golf clubs called irons?

The golf clubs called irons are so-called because their clubheads are made of metal. Of course, "woods" are now also made of metal, but that's a relatively recent development. Irons have featured metal clubheads (steel, these days) for centuries. The clubheads of irons are thin from front to back, and the clubfaces are grooved to impart spin on ...

Why are short irons easier to hit than long irons?

Without getting too technical, the reason is that as loft increases and shaft length decreases, a club becomes easier to master. A shorter shaft makes a club easier to control in the swing (think of baseball where a batter will "choke up" on the bat—essentially, shorten the bat—when he's simply trying to make contact rather than swing for the fences). More loft helps get the ball airborne and adds a little more control to the shot.

Why are irons called irons?

The golf clubs called irons are so-called because their clubheads are made of metal.

What is the difference between a blade and a muscleback iron?

The difference is that a blade-style features a full back on the rear ...

How many clubs are in a golf club?

A typical, off-the-shelf set of irons will include a 3-iron through pitching wedge (advertised as "3-PW"), 8 clubs total. The clubs are identified by a number (3, 4, 5, etc.) on the sole of each club, except for the pitching wedge which will have a "PW" or "P." Other irons may be available for purchase separately, including a 2-iron and additional wedges ( gap wedge, sand wedge, lob wedge). None of the additional clubs are necessary for beginners, and especially not the 2-iron. 1-irons used to be available, too, but are now virtually extinct.

How many yards is a 3-iron?

The yardage gap between irons is generally 10-15 yards. Your 3-iron, in other words, should produce shots that are 10-15 yards longer than your 4-iron. The specifics of this gap depend on the player, but the gap should be consistent from club to club.

What are the different types of irons?

Irons are generally categorized as long irons, mid-irons , and short irons. Long irons are the 2-, 3- ,and 4-irons; mid-irons, the 5-, 6-, and 7-irons; short irons, the 8- and 9-irons and pitching wedge. (Two-irons are becoming obsolete and are exceedingly rare for recreational golfers. Because of this, some sources now count the 5-iron as one ...

Why do you need long irons in golf?

Many beginning or inexperienced golfers find it more difficult to hit long irons. Scoring well in golf requires you to progressively narrow your focus as you move from the tee to the green. With a driver, your objective is to get the ball in the fairway, which is usually a fairly wide target. Long irons help you cover significant distance ...

What is the difference between long irons and short irons?

Long irons help you cover significant distance and achieve accuracy--placing the ball on or near the green. Your goal with short irons is precision--consistently getting the ball close to the flagstick.

How to hit a long iron shot?

In the book “Breaking 100, 90, 80” top instructor Butch Harmon says a key to better long iron shots is making sure you take a complete backswing, fully coiling your shoulders. He says you should swing smoothly, not harder--as many amateurs make the mistake of doing in an effort to hit long-iron shots farther. Deliberate is a word to describe the correct long-iron swing. Harmon suggests you swing a little easier than you think is necessary. Instructor Janet Coles in the same book adds that you should recognize long irons are difficult clubs to use, but you can hit more consistent long iron shots if you create a mental image of sweeping the ball off the ground, taking a shallow divot.

How to score well in golf?

Scoring well in golf requires you to progressively narrow your focus as you move from the tee to the green. With a driver, your objective is to get the ball in the fairway, which is usually a fairly wide target. Long irons help you cover significant distance and achieve accuracy--placing the ball on or near the green.

Do you have to take a full swing to swing a golf ball?

You don’t even have to take a full swing. Just make sure you take enough club to reach the distance to your intended target. He recommends that you have 60 percent of your weight on your left side at address and moving the ball back 2 inches in your stance. Your hands will now be slightly ahead of the ball at address.

Super Game Improvement Irons

The super game improvement iron category has been around for less than a decade. There have always been versions of super game improvement irons, but today just about every manufacturer offers its own version.

Game Improvement Irons

Game improvement irons are a toned-down version of super game improvements irons and they fit a much wider range of golfers. Some players can actually stay in game improvement irons for their entire golf life.

Players Distance Irons

The players distance iron genre came out of necessity and consumer demand. Golfers playing game improvement irons who found they weren't getting enough spin on their approach shots but weren't ready sacrifice distance by switching to players irons needed another option. And with that, players distance irons were born.

Muscle Back Irons

Muscle back irons are a more forgiving alternative to the traditional blade. The point of a muscle back iron is to provide feel and workability to better players while incorporating some of the offset and forgiveness found in other types of irons. The word “muscle” refers to the noticeable material you’ll see near the sole on the back of the club.

Players Irons

Players irons are another broad category, but to to put it simply, they are intended for better golfers. Players irons can take on the design profile of cavity backs or muscle backs, but they typically don’t lean towards the blade profile.

Blade Irons

Blades irons feature the thinnest top and bottom line of any golf iron you can find. They are the least forgiving, lowest launching, and overall hardest to hit. Sold yet? No worries, blades aren’t for everyone, but for advanced players, blades can be a tremendous asset to your golf game.

Iron Selecting Guide

Now that you know all about every type of iron on the market, it's time to decide which style is best for your game. Use this table to help guide you to the perfect set of irons.

What is the longest iron in a golf set?

If you hit a 7-iron 140 yards or less, a 6-iron should be the longest iron in your set. The 3, 4 and 5 should be hybrids. Even the 6 iron is marginal.

How many yards can you hit a 7 iron?

If you can hit your 7-iron 160-170 yards, nothing longer than 4 iron; 3 should be hybrid. If you can hit a 7-iron more than 170 yards, you can use any set make up you choose. Speed is vital to lift, and the design of the hybrid can be a huge help.

How much loft does a Callaway 7 iron have?

My Callaway Xhot Pro 7-iron is 0.25″ longer & has 31* loft which I can get out to 160yds.

Why do you need fewer irons and hybrids?

Also…You need fewer irons & more hybrids if the distance gaps between clubs are getting smaller due to a slower swing speed.

Why are hybrids used in golf?

Most golfers fall short in that department, which is why hybrids were created. By design, hybrids are easier to get in the air.

Why do you get fitted on a 7 iron?

A better answer is “get fitted” because any guideline is too general. Manufacturers can’t even agree what is a 7 iron. The shaft also makes a difference and let’s not talk about the ball. Oh and by the way that TaylorMade 5 iron you bought is about the loft as your fathers Wilson Staff 2 iron so there goes your guide.

How wide is a golf ball?

The ball is 1.68 inches in diameter, and the functional striking area on a golf club is about 1.5-inches wide. If you vary in your setup by even 3/4 inch, you have imposed a serious obstacle to success. If you do nothing else to improve your golf game, learn how to set up the same way every time.

Why Can I Hit Short Irons But Not Long Irons?

Each time you put the seven or eight iron in your hands, you feel as though you can do whatever is necessary with the club to get it near the pin.

How to hit long irons better?

One of the best drills is quite simple, and it requires you to hit a single shot with each of your irons all the way up your golf bag. Hit one nine iron, followed by an eight, a seven, etc.

Can Single Length Irons Help?

Single length irons make it much easier for golfers to set up to the golf ball.

What happens when you start with a golf club like a pitching wedge in your hand?

When you start with a club like a pitching wedge in your hand, and you move up to the nine iron, there is an increase in the loft of the club. This increase in length continues its way up the entire set of golf clubs. The longest iron in your bag will be considerably longer than the wedges in your golf bag.

How much less loft is a 7 iron?

Each club is about three or four degrees less loft than the club before them. This means that your seven iron is going to have considerably less loft than your four iron. The longer a golf club is and the more loft that it has, the more difficult it is to hit. As you can see, as you move from the nine iron up to the four iron, ...

Why do golfers struggle to hit the golf ball solid?

As we have mentioned, one of the reasons that players struggle with being able to hit the golf ball solid is that they don’t have enough speed in their golf swing.

Why do golfers do drills?

Golf drills that work on balance and create an efficient turn can also help players looking to improve with their long irons.

When to use long irons?

When it comes to considering what iron for what distance, the long irons are generally for the longer shots – When you have around, or just under, the 200-yard mark to go or are looking to place one on the fairway from the tee.

What is a long iron used for?

But, with minimal loft, the long iron can also be a useful weapon to punch under trees or to keep the ball low under the wind.

How many yards does a pitching wedge hit?

To give you an idea – The average amateur hits their full pitching wedge roughly 105 yards, a 52 degree 88 yards and 58 degrees 75 yards.

What loft is a standard strike?

If using blades or compact irons, with a 7-iron loft of say 33 or 34 degrees, a standard strike will not go quite as far as it would with the game improvers which may have a 7-iron loft of 29 degrees.

How far does an 8 iron go?

With that information they can work out what iron for what distance. But it’s rarely as simple as – “A full 8-iron goes 150 yards. Ah, I have 150 yards: 8-iron then.”

What are the factors to consider when shooting a golf ball?

There are multiple factors to consider – Slope… Is the shot up or downhill? Is the wind hurting or helping? Will the ball run when it hits the ground? How much? What’s the air temperature? In colder conditions the ball won’t fly as far… What’s the altitude? If you’re higher up, the ball will fly further.

How many yards does the average amateur golfer hit?

According to a recent R&A study, the average amateur hits their 7-iron 133 yards.

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Set Composition

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A typical, off-the-shelf set of irons will include a 3-iron through pitching wedge (advertised as "3-PW"), 8 clubs total. The clubs are identified by a number (3, 4, 5, etc.) on the sole of each club, except for the pitching wedge which will have a "PW" or "P." Other irons may be available for purchase separately, including a 2-iron an…
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Loft, Length, and Distance

  • As you go through the set, from the 3-iron to the pitching wedge, each iron has a little more loft than the previous, and a little shorter shaft length than the previous, so each club (going from 3-iron to PW) hits the golf ball a little less distance than the previous. That is, a 5-iron has more loft, a shorter shaft, and produces shorter shots than the 4-iron; the 4-iron has more loft, a shorter sh…
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Long, Mid-, and Short Irons

  • Irons are generally categorized as long irons, mid-irons , and short irons. Long irons are the 2-, 3- ,and 4-irons; mid-irons, the 5-, 6-, and 7-irons; short irons, the 8- and 9-irons and pitching wedge. (Two-irons are becoming obsolete and are exceedingly rare for recreational golfers. Because of this, some sources now count the 5-iron as one of t...
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Distances

  • Learning your distances—how far you hit each club—is much more important than trying to hit each club to some predetermined "correct" yardage. There is no "right" distance for each club, there is only your distance. That said, a typical male recreational golfer might hit a 4-, 5-, or 6- iron from 150 yards, while a typical female might use a 3-wood, 5-wood, or 3-iron from that distance. …
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Hitting

  • Irons can be played from the teeing ground, using a golf tee, and it is often appropriate to do so. On a par-3 hole, for example, you will probably use an iron on your tee shot. Or you might use an iron off any (or even every) tee in order to have better control over the shot. But most of your iron shots will come from the fairway. Irons are designed with divots in mind. That's why they have a …
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