An iron is a type of club used in the sport of golf to propel the ball towards the hole. Irons typically have shorter shafts and smaller clubheads than woods, the head is made of solid iron or steel, and the head's primary feature is a large, flat, angled face, usually scored with grooves.
Full Answer
What are the best golf irons?
The following irons are suitable for golfers with the above-listed abilities:
- Cleveland Golf 2018 Men’s Launcher CBX Iron Set.
- TaylorMade Golf M5 Iron Set.
- Callaway Golf 2020 Mavrik Max Iron Set.
What are the different irons used for in golf?
What Are The Different Irons Used For In Golf?
- Long Irons. The 2-iron was made “famous” by Tiger Woods when he emerged in the golf world and gave name to a special kind of shot – the stinger.
- Mid Irons. Moving into the mid irons, we’re now looking at the 5-iron. ...
- Short Irons. The shorter irons are the precision irons. ...
- Wedges. ...
- Summing It All Up. ...
What are the types of irons in golf?
Types Of Irons Golf
- For the test, every handicap level (low, middle and high) tested the three main iron categories: compact "players" irons, standard game-improvement models and super-size, ultra-forgiving irons . ...
- THE LOFT, LENGTH, AND DISTANCE. ...
- The Definitive Golf Irons Buying Guide. ...
- Set Composition. ...
- Meet the Irons. ...
What are golf irons used for?
While restocking your golf bag could be pricey, the Callaway Golf Winter Warehouse Sale is currently offering deals on pre-owned golf clubs, including up to 40% ... scale with very slight to no wear and used no more than 10 rounds of golf by the previous ...
What is the A iron golf club used for?
"It is a club that is designed for accurate—or aggressive—approach shots. Whether you're in the fairway or the rough or attempting a long bunker shot, an A-wedge is a very versatile golf club that can be used in a lot of different situations."
What is a players iron in golf?
Players distance irons are golf irons that are built for golfers who want precision and feel but also need some distance from the clubs that they hit. Many golfers feel that a player distance iron is like a blade iron with a bit of extra forgiveness and distance in place.
Is a driver an iron or a wood?
1 is the largest wood and is known as the “driver”; this club allows the ball to travel the farthest and to play from the tee on the par 4s and 5s. A 3-wood tends to be used without a tee and to play from the fairway.
Is a 1 iron the same as a driver?
The most significant difference between a driving iron and a driver is the shape and construction of the club head. A driver has a large (usually titanium) head, and it is going to be one of the largest golf clubs in the bag. The iron has more of a blade type head, and it is typically built for shorter shots.
What's the difference between Tour irons and regular?
1:283:16Whats The Difference Between A Tour Iron and a Standard Golf ClubYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipDesign. So it's the shape of the head. And then it's the performance of that club as well as wellMoreDesign. So it's the shape of the head. And then it's the performance of that club as well as well built around the specs. That's going to give you those tall or regular version kind of numbers.
What are the different types of irons?
Types of Irons For GolfForged Irons. Forging a club is very similar to what the village blacksmith used to do. ... Cast Irons. The alternative to forged irons is the cast iron. ... Blade Irons. ... Cavity Back Irons.Sets Of Irons. ... Hybrid Sets Of Irons. ... Steel Shafts. ... Graphite Shafts.More items...
What club replaces an iron?
Compared to traditional long irons, a utility iron's design can offer higher ball speeds and launch angles. In theory, it makes them a suitable replacement for those who struggle with hybrids, fairway woods, or long irons.
How many irons are there in golf?
A full set of golf clubs consists of twelve clubs: three woods, one wedge, one putter, one hybrid, and six irons. But, do you really need all twelve, and can some golf clubs be downright superfluous for your golf game? Turns out you should use your full set of golf clubs for every game.
What is a birdie in golf?
Birdie: In the 19th century, the term "bird" was the equivalent of "cool" or "excellent" - golf scholars believe this is where the term came from. An Atlantic City, New Jersey, course claims that the term originated there in 1903. The meaning being a score of one under par.
Should I use a driving iron instead of a driver?
Driving irons are aimed at hitting long, low penetrating shots and are easier for some to hit accurate, straight shots than their drivers. High handicap golfers will be better off making use of a hybrid rather than employing a driving iron, off the deck but also possibly for some off the tee.
Why are woods harder than irons?
The woods generally feature longer shafts and less-lofted clubfaces; therefore, they hit the ball farther but are harder to control than irons. Woods are normally used off the tee box for maximum distance, but can also be used from the fairway or rough when you have a long way to go to reach the green.
How do you drive with irons?
3:068:17HOW TO HIT YOUR HYBRID OR DRIVING IRON - Simple Golf TipsYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThere one of the big things that i see a lot of people do making them mistaken is adding too muchMoreThere one of the big things that i see a lot of people do making them mistaken is adding too much tilt almost trying to play it like a driver. So they get the ball. Position. Right off the lead foot.
What is an iron in golf?
Iron. Irons are golf clubs that are designed to send the ball on distances between that of fairway woods and hybrids and that of wedges. This category of clubs is usually the most represented in a golfer’s bag – oftentimes at 7 clubs and classically numbering from 3-iron all the way to 9-iron.
What are golf clubs made of?
In the very beginning of the game, golf club shafts were made from hardwood. In modern club design however, the shafts of irons are predominantly made from steel, although a sizable segment now feature shafts made from graphite and both are readily offered by club manufacturers.
What is loft on irons?
The loft (or angle of the clubface in relation to a vertical line) of irons climbs higher as does the number on the sole of the club. Or in other words, the loft will be lower on lower-numbered iron than on high-numbered irons.
What are the different types of iron clubheads?
Types of Iron Clubhead: Cavity Back vs Muscle Back (Blades) Irons either belong to one of two clubhead categories: the cavity back or the muscle back. Muscle back irons features smaller head sizes than their counterparts and are generally made using the forging process.
Which shaft is better for golf?
Better golfers with faster swing speeds will tend to prefer steel shafts as they are thought to provide more feedback to the hands. In contrast, graphite shafts will usually be preferred by golfers with lower swing speeds and those with more limited body strength.
What is an iron in golf?
Irons in a golf bag. An iron is a type of club used in the sport of golf to propel the ball towards the hole. Irons typically have shorter shafts and smaller clubheads than woods, the head is made of solid iron or steel, and the head's primary feature is a large, flat, angled face, usually scored with grooves.
What is the lie angle of an iron?
The lie angle of an iron is often adjusted to fit a golfer's swing so that the head of the club is in the right position at impact. Most club manufacturers offer customized lie angles between 2° flat and 2° upright. If an iron lie is too upright it can cause a shot to miss to the left for a right handed golfer (or right for a left handed golfer) and if the lie angle is too flat, it can cause a shot to miss to the right for a right handed golfer (or left for a left handed golfer).
What is the hosel on an iron?
For irons, the hosel, an undefined part of the iron, is very noticeable, forming a barrel shape on the inside face of the club and the "heel" of the sole of the club. Many modern irons have a more offset hosel, integrated into the clubhead at a lower point and further from the hitting area of the club.
What is a pitching wedge?
The pitching wedge is the lowest-lofted club typically called a wedge. It lies on the cusp between the numbered irons and the wedges (in fact it is sometimes labelled the "10-iron"), and is useful for a variety of short shots from firm or semi-soft lies.
What are the 5 to 7 irons?
The irons from 5 to 7 are typically called the "mid irons", and are generally used from the fairway and rough for longer approach shots, between 130-210 yards depending on the club, player and course. They are also used on hillier fairways to avoid hitting a low rise, which is a risk with long irons. These irons are commonly needed for the second shot of a long par-4 or the second or third shot of a par-5, and whenever the player must "lay up" their tee or second shot to avoid a hazard in range of their woods or long irons. Mid irons are common "bump and run" clubs in close-in situations where the player does not wish to hit a more lofted chip shot, but needs more rolling distance than a pitch or bump-and-run with a short iron would produce.
How many clubs can you have with a driver and two fairway irons?
This usually comes at the cost of having to remove other clubs, often the long irons, from the bag in order to meet the 14-club limit; with a driver and two fairway irons or hybrids, for a player to have four wedges, they must start their numbered irons at the four-iron instead of the three.
What is the lowest lofted iron?
The 1 iron, or driving iron, is the lowest lofted and longest iron (14 or 16 degrees of loft), although Wilson did make a 0 iron for John Daly. Often called a butter knife because of how it looks, the 1 iron has the least surface area on its face and so is commonly regarded as the most difficult club in the bag to hit.
What does driving irons look like?
Some golfers like the look of irons better than fairway woods or drivers. Driving irons resemble the look of an iron which is appealing to a lot of golfers when setting up at the ball.
What is the consistency of driving irons?
Consistency- Many golfers struggle with finding consistency in a driving iron. In addition to the small clubface, driving irons require a golf swing much similar to that of a 4 iron or 5 iron which are hard clubs to hit for beginning golfers. (Follow the steps below to improve!)
How to hit a driving iron?
Tips to Hit a Driving Iron Successfully 1 Play the ball higher in the stance- The golf ball needs to be played closer to your front foot 2 Don’t break the wrists- During the backswing, drag the club about 2 feet before starting your swing. If you break the wrists to soon and start the swing, you are going to come down too steep at the golf ball and struggle with consistency. 3 Hold the finish- After making contact, make sure to rotate all the way through the ball so that your chest is pointing towards your target. This helps make sure you are fully releasing the clubface through impact.
What degrees are driving irons?
2 Iron – 17-19 degrees. 3 Iron-19-22 degrees. 4 Iron- 22-25 degrees. Compared to standard irons, driving irons generally have a bulkier back of the club, which adds more weight to the swing and the ability reach further distances off the tee. They are different than hybrid golf clubs which are the combination of a fairway wood and an iron clubface.
What happens when you play golf in wind?
Windy conditions- If you have ever played golf into the wind, you know how much distance you can lose off the tee. With a driving iron, golfers can hit long, low shots that don’t get too high into the air and cause the ball to balloon even higher . Trees- Trees are prevalent on most golf courses and can be frustrating when trying to avoid them.
How many clubs can you use in golf?
The ability to be able to hit low golf shots can be beneficial in poor playing conditions or when needed to hit under trees. The USGA allows golfers to use up to 14 golf clubs, including a putter. So if you are under 14 clubs, it wouldn’t hurt to add a driving iron to your bag!
How far should you drag the club before you start your swing?
Don’t break the wrists- During the backswing, drag the club about 2 feet before starting your swing. If you break the wrists to soon and start the swing, you are going to come down too steep at the golf ball and struggle with consistency.
History Of Blade Golf Irons
Blade irons are the original golf irons, strictly speaking. Before the introduction of casting techniques, all golf irons were forged from a single piece of metal, usually steel or iron.
Design And Construction Of Blade Golf Irons
As mentioned above, blade golf irons resemble the shape of a blade and have full metal backs. They are constructed from a single piece of metal using labor-intensive and highly complex forging techniques that make them quite expensive.
Why Golfers Use Blade Golf Irons
By now, you must be wondering if blade irons are so pathetic; why do golfers use them in the first place. Well, there are certain areas where cavity back irons are useless, and blade golf irons excel. Scratch golfers and low handicap golfers prefer using blade golf irons because of their better playing experience for skilled players.
Drawbacks Of Blade Golf Irons
If you’re not someone with a single-digit handicap, blade golf irons might not be the best idea for you. Here are a few reasons why.
In A Nutshell
Summing up, blade golf irons are traditional irons with a slim topline and sole. If handled properly, they are a delight for hitting some fancy strokes on a golf course. However, if you’re switching from a cavity back iron, it would be best if you thought about it carefully before making the decision.
What is a wood golf club?
Wood golf clubs are long-range clubs used at the beginning of every hole when you tee off. For longer courses, use wood golf clubs in the second swing. Woods have large, circular club heads with a flat front where you strike the golf ball.
What are the different types of golf clubs?
The three common types of golf clubs are wood, iron and putter. You can find these types of golf clubs at our golf pro shop in South Florida.
What does the number mean on a golf club?
Golf club numbers refer to the loft, which is the angle of the golf club face. When you adjust the loft, you are changing the height and distance the golf ball will travel when struck. The lower the golf club number, the less loft, the less intense the angle on the golf club face; this means the golf ball will travel more distance at a lower height.
Why are putters so easy to remember?
Putter Golf Clubs. Putters are easy to remember because they have short shafts and smaller club heads. You may recognize this club from the last time you played mini-golf, but, hopefully, your putter is much better than those!
Is it hard to learn to play golf?
Learning to play golf can be difficult due to the golf rules and regulations that come with it. A common question asked by rookies and veteran golfers alike is the meaning behind the various golf club numbers.
Why is it important to choose the right golf shaft?
Choosing the proper shaft is a hugely important part of the fitting process. The shaft will greatly influence the feel of your irons, not to mention the launch, spin, landing angle, and distance of your golf shots. Also, there are no standards in ...
What is the lie angle on iron fittings?
Lie angle is one of the most important specs to get right in an iron fitting. If it’s off, you’ll have a much harder time with accuracy and hitting more greens. Historically, lie angle has been measured by reading divot patterns or using sole tape and a lie board to mark strike point being centered, toe, or heel down.
Do upright clubs go left or right?
Upright clubs tend to go more left…. Bending them upright might give a cleaner divot but would make his misses even further to the left. Not a good move as a fitter. Incidentally, when the face is closed, the toe is lower, the lie board was giving him a false impression of his club’s lie angle at impact.
How to identify a wedge in golf?
A golf club manufacturer might identify an A-wedge by stamping an "A" or "AW" on the sole near the toe of the club, but it's becoming more common all the time to stamp the wedge's degrees of loft there. The "a" in A-wedge stands for either "approach" or (less commonly) "attack," and you might see a manufacturer use one of those names ...
What does the A in a wedge mean?
The "a" in A-wedge stands for either "approach" or (less commonly) "attack," and you might see a manufacturer use one of those names ( approach wedge or attack wedge) instead of A-wedge. As already noted, A-wedge itself is just another name for the gap wedge, a club known by more different names than any other modern club in golf: gap wedge, ...
What is an A wedge?
The A-wedge is a golf club that is another name for a gap wedge, which is used for shorter and softer shots, and one of the four main types of wedges, which include (from least loft to most loft) the pitching wedge, A-wedge, sand wedge and lob wedge.
What are lob wedges called?
Beginning in the latter stages of the 20th century, lob wedges (sometimes called X-wedges) ...
Why are utility irons better than hybrid irons?
If a golfer tends to spin the ball more than normal, a utility iron would be a better fit because it can help control the ball more with less spin. Utility irons are a better fit for players who don’t match up well with hybrids.
What is the benefit of a utility iron?
He told me that the main benefit of a utility iron (versus a traditional long iron) is that they can launch the ball higher due to a lower center of gravity, achieved through a hollow face. Additionally, they’ll have a little more MOI (a measure of forgiveness).
Who owns Pete's Golf?
Woody Lashen. Woody Lashen is the co-owner of Pete’s Golf located in Mineola, NY. They have been recognized as one of the top clubfitters in the industry by almost every media organization. I’m lucky to have him as a resource on all matters related to clubfitting.
What performance attributes do you value most in an iron?
If your answer to this question is something along the lines of wanting more distance or needing to hit the ball higher or that maximum forgiveness is essential, you can probably stop reading at the end of this section. Game-improvement irons of some sort are going to be the right choice to best meet your needs, which is perfectly fine.
How often do you find the center of the clubface?
The question is pretty simple in theory, but it might be harder to answer than one might guess, and here’s why. Many golfers don’t pay enough attention to what’s happening at impact. They’re simply focused on results, which is important to note because hitting the center of the clubface doesn’t guarantee a good golf shot.
How good are your bad shots?
One of the biggest misconceptions in golf is that what matters most are your good shots. That’s actually not the case. Even the best players in the world only hit so many perfect golf shots in a given round, and a really good shot is a really good shot regardless of the ability level of the player who hits it.
In what direction is your golf game trending?
If you’re reading this, you already know how difficult golf is, and it’s a game where success can be fleeting. If you’re in the market for a new set of irons, an objective assessment of where your game is heading is important.
What is your go-to shot under pressure?
Pressure in golf isn’t only for professionals trying to win on their respective tours. Golfers of all ability levels feel pressure on the course at times, whether they’re trying to shoot a personal low score, trying to beat their best friend in a $2 Nassau, or trying to win a club championship.
Set Composition
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…
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 the long irons. We still classify it as a mid-iron…
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. …
Overview
An iron is a type of club used in the sport of golf to propel the ball towards the hole. Irons typically have shorter shafts and smaller clubheads than woods, the head is made of solid iron or steel, and the head's primary feature is a large, flat, angled face, usually scored with grooves. Irons are used in a wide variety of situations, typically from the teeing ground on shorter holes, from the fairway or r…
Design and manufacture
Historically all irons were forged from a flat piece of metal, which produced a thin clubhead that resembled a blade. Modern investment casting processes enabled manufacturers to easily mass-produce clubs with consistent properties. This manufacturing process was first used by Ping, and also made it possible to take weight out of the back of the clubhead and distribute it around the perimeter. …
Components
Investment casting, while allowing for a greater range of design options, produces a very stiff and inflexible head that can be difficult to adjust for a player's desired lie and loft. Forged irons, while they allow for easier and a greater range of adjustments, are limited in the designs that may be achieved.
The shaft length of an iron decreases as the iron's number increases; therefore the iron number i…
Types of irons
Most irons in a player's bag are labelled with a number indicating their loft; the higher the number, the higher the loft. A matched set of irons will have a regular, progressive increase in loft through the irons, which may differ from set to set due to other design considerations that can affect launch angle and distance. Irons have been seen ranging in number from 0 through 12, but the most common number range in the modern iron set is 3 to 9.
See also
• Obsolete golf clubs
External links
• Best Golf Irons for High Handicappers
• Blade Irons Vs Cavity-Back Irons
• Public patent information on muscle-back iron
• Public patent information on cavity-back iron
History of Blade Golf Irons
- Blade irons are the original golf irons, strictly speaking. Before the introduction of casting techniques, all golf irons were forged from a single piece of metal, usually steel or iron. These clubs resembled a shape similar to a blade, hence the name blade irons. These irons have a full metal back and are also sometimes called “muscle-back irons.”...
Design and Construction of Blade Golf Irons
- As mentioned above, blade golf irons resemble the shape of a blade and have full metal backs. They are constructed from a single piece of metal using labor-intensive and highly complex forging techniques that make them quite expensive. Due to the forging method, the weight is distributed more evenly across the clubhead, although a significant amount of it lies near the sol…
Why Golfers Use Blade Golf Irons
- By now, you must be wondering if blade irons are so pathetic; why do golfers use them in the first place. Well, there are certain areas where cavity back irons are useless, and blade golf irons excel. Scratch golfers and low handicap golfers prefer using blade golf irons because of their better playing experience for skilled players. Blade irons provide much better feedback and feel to the …
Drawbacks of Blade Golf Irons
- If you’re not someone with a single-digit handicap, blade golf irons might not be the best idea for you. Here are a few reasons why. 1. Blade irons have a high COG and low MOI, making them less forgiving. You will have little to no protection against off-center shots and are more likely to slice or hook the ball. 2. The feel, sound, and feedback from off-center hits are often unsettling for ma…
in A Nutshell
- Summing up, blade golf irons are traditional irons with a slim topline and sole. If handled properly, they are a delight for hitting some fancy strokes on a golf course. However, if you’re switching from a cavity back iron, it would be best if you thought about it carefully before making the decision.