What is an Irons in golf?
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.
When did irons get their names?
Prior to about 1940, irons were given names rather than numbers. Some of these names, e.g. mashie, niblick, are found in literature of the early twentieth century. Although these clubs and their names are considered obsolete, occasionally a modern club manufacturer will give a new iron the old name.
Why do golf clubs hit iron shots on the downswing?
That is because iron shots are played with the ball positioned so that it is struck on the downswing. That is, the club is still descending when it makes contact with the ball. Knowing which iron to use in which situation is mostly a function of learning how far you hit each club.
What are golf clubs called Woods?
Meet the Woods The category of golf clubs called "woods" includes the driver and the fairway woods. (They are called woods even though their clubheads are no longer made of wood.)
Why are golf clubs called woods?
Even more recently, manufacturers have started using materials such as carbon fiber, titanium, or scandium. Even though most 'woods' are made from different metals, they are still called 'woods' to denote the general shape and their intended use on the golf course.
What are golf irons called?
Irons come in numbered sets, usually ranging from 3-iron through 9-iron or pitching wedge. They have smaller clubheads than woods, especially front to back where they are comparitively very thin (leading to one of their nicknames: "blades").
What does the A stand for on irons?
approachThe A on a golf club stands for approach. This is typically seen on a club called an approach wedge (AW) or gap wedge. The club has a loft that fits it between a pitching wedge and a sand wedge, usually around 52º.
What is the difference between an iron golf club?
The difference between a wood and iron club refers to the material the club is made out of. A 3-wood and 3-iron will have the same loft angle, as would a 5-iron and 5-wood, though made of different materials, which means they are better suited for different shots.
Do you swing a wedge like an iron?
3:268:28Iron Swing vs Wedge Swing and the Huge Difference You Must KnowYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo now the ball is slightly back and my hands are going to be center slightly hands forward justMoreSo now the ball is slightly back and my hands are going to be center slightly hands forward just slightly because it opens up the face. Better have a little bit open face than a little bit closed.
What are the 3 most used golf clubs?
The 3 most vital clubs are the driver, putter, and wedge, in that order. If you were to look at pro golfers then I'd probably say that order is right.
What does the G mean on a golf club?
What degree is a Gap Wedge? A gap wedge has a loft of 50 – 52º. Golfers tend to hit a gap wedge 75 – 100 yards. This club is also known as a 'G wedge”, so if you are curious a G wedge also has a loft of 50 – 52º.
What does the P mean on a golf club?
Drivers are available in a variety of lofts. Wedges typically don't have numbers. Instead that have letters such as P or PW for pitching wedge and S for sand wedge. The sand wedge, gap wedge and lob wedge might also be identified by the degrees of loft.
What does H mean on golf clubs?
Hybrid golf clubs help fill in the gap between your harder-to-hit irons and fairway woods. They are designed for distance, trajectory, control and playability, combining features from irons and fairway woods. They could even replace a fairway wood or iron in your bag.
Are irons easier to hit than woods?
Iron shots typically don't go as far as wood shots, but are easier to hit accurately. In fact, some players choose to exclusively hit irons, sacrificing distance for accuracy. The woods generally feature longer shafts and less-lofted clubfaces; therefore, they hit the ball farther but are harder to control than irons.
Can you hit irons but not woods?
If you are struggling to hit your driver but not your irons, the issue could be a lack of clubhead speed. If your driver is slowing down as it makes its way into the impact position, you will lose both distance and accuracy. A lack of clubhead speed is a problem throughout the entire game, not just the driver.
Are fairway woods easier to hit than irons?
Fairway woods have shorter shafts, more loft and impart more backspin, making them easier to hit straight and with added control despite their diminutive size when compared to a driver.
What are players irons?
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.
What clubs are in a golf set?
A full set of golf clubs consists of twelve clubs: three woods, one wedge, one putter, one hybrid, and six irons.
What are irons used for in golf?
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.
How many irons are in a golf set?
A modern set of golf clubs typically consists of three woods (the 1-driver, 3, and 5), at least 1 hybrid (3H) seven irons (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and PW), and a putter. This gives you a total of twelve clubs.
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.
How are irons made?
Although most irons are now produced by investment casting , many high end iron sets are still produced by forging, as the resulting clubhead is easier to adjust by bending to adapt the set to a player's specific needs. The resulting club is also generally thought to have an improved "feel" due to the softer consistency of the forged metal as opposed to cast.
Why are long irons so difficult to hit?
Long irons are traditionally regarded as the most difficult to hit, because their low loft gives them a very small striking face and "sweet spot" compared to higher-lofted irons. As such, they are less commonly seen in players' bags, usually replaced with higher-lofted fairway woods like the 5 and 7, or with hybrid clubs that have similar overall performance but are easier to hit. The 2-iron, like the driving iron, is virtually never seen in modern sets, due to both its difficulty and to a "de-lofting" of modern cavity-backed irons which increases the average distance of shorter irons. If the long irons are used, they are often seen with graphite shafts to add additional clubhead speed to the average golfer's swing by storing energy from the downswing and releasing it at impact. Hybrid clubs that replace these irons also often have graphite shafts for the same reason.
Why are graphite irons better than long irons?
These irons often have graphite shafts in newer sets, even when shorter irons have steel; the graphite will give better distance for the average golfer at the cost of some loss of consistency due to shaft torquing.
Why does the shaft length of an iron decrease as the iron's number increases?
This reduced length means that a clubhead of the same mass traveling at the same angular velocity (degrees per second , as swung by a golfer) has lower momentum because the clubhead's speed is slower. To combat this, higher-numbered iron clubheads are heavier than lower-numbered iron heads; there is generally a 1⁄4 -ounce (7 g) increase in mass between one clubhead and the next higher number.
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 a wedge iron called?
Irons with higher loft than the numbered irons are called wedges, which are typically marked with a letter indicating their name, and are used for a variety of "utility" shots requiring short distances or high launch angles. Prior to about 1940, irons were given names rather than numbers.
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.
Which clubhead is the iron?
Irons either belong to one of two clubhead categories: the cavity back or the muscle back.
What does loft mean on an iron?
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 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 a cavitation back iron?
Cavity back irons usually feature larger heads that are made possible by the hollowing out of the back of the clubface.
What is the purpose of a golf ball on the green?
Their intended use is to hit the ball onto the green, from where it can be putted. As such, they are often used for the first stroke on par-3s, and on approach shots to the green from par-4s and par-5s.
Which shaft is better, graphite or steel?
It should be stated that graphite shafts are lighter than their steel counterparts but are also more flexible, generally speaking. Better golfers with faster swing speeds will tend to prefer steel shafts as they are thought to provide more feedback to the hands.
What is the difference between a wood and an iron club?
The difference between a wood and iron club refers to the material the club is made out of. A 3-wood and 3-iron will have the same loft angle, as would a 5-iron and 5-wood, though made of different materials, which means they are better suited for different shots.
What Do the Numbers Mean on a Golf Club?
Now that you are more familiar with the types of golf clubs, what about the golf club numbers? 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.
What does it mean when you adjust the loft of a golf club?
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.
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.
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 golf?
Golf can seem a little complicated to newcomers and first-timers, and understandably so. Learning to play golf can be difficult due to its steep learning curve, rules and regulations, and equipment specifications that accompany the game. A common question newcomers to the sport ask is the meaning behind the various golf club numbers. Thankfully, our South Florida golf course experts at Deer Creek Golf Club are here to share some insight into the golf club numbering system. We will break down what the numbers mean and which numbered club you should use for particular shots.
What are the names of old golf clubs?
Names of Old Golf Clubs. Golf clubs have changed quite a bit over the long history of the sport. There used to be clubs with names like mashie and niblick and jigger and spoon.
What is a wood golf club?
The category of golf clubs called "woods" includes the driver and the fairway woods. (They are called woods even though their clubheads are no longer made of wood.) The woods are the clubs with the largest heads (typically hollow, extending a few inches from side-to-side and a few inches from front to back, with rounded lines) ...
What is wedge golf?
The wedges are the highest-lofted golf clubs. They are used for shorter approach shots into greens, for chips and pitches around greens, and for playing out of sand bunkers.
What is a clubhead in golf?
Clubheads: Clubheads can be a traditional blade; a heel-toe clubhead; or a mallet clubhead. A traditional blade is narrow and shallow, typically with the shaft entering at the heel (although sometimes center-shafted). Heel-toe putters have the same general shape as blades, but with extra weight at the heel and toe to add perimeter weighting, and with other design tricks to help make the clubs more "forgiving" on mishits. Mallet putters have large clubheads that maximize that forgiveness of poor contact. Mallets come in a variety of shapes and sizes, some very large and quite unusual.
What is putter used for?
Putters are used for, well, putting . They are the clubs golfers use on the putting greens, for the last strokes played on a golf hole - for knocking the ball into the hole. There are more varieties of putters on the market than any other club. That may be because choosing a putter is a very personal process.
What is the loft of an iron?
Irons have angled faces (called "loft") etched with grooves that help grip the golf ball and impart spin. They are generally used on shots from the fairway, or for tee shots on short holes. As the number of an iron goes up (5-iron, 6-iron, etc.), the loft increases while the length of the shaft decreases. Meet the Hybrids.
What is the difference between a heel toe and a mallet putter?
Heel-toe putters have the same general shape as blades , but with extra weight at the heel and toe to add perimeter weighting, and with other design tricks to help make the clubs more "forgiving" on mishits. Mallet putters have large clubheads that maximize that forgiveness of poor contact.
What is a long iron?
Long irons are considered any iron between 1 and 4. The important thing that beginners mix up is about the distance that each iron goes. The smaller the number, the less loft so it goes farther. For example, your 3-iron should go much further than a 7-iron!
Why are long irons the hardest to play with?
Long irons are generally the hardest irons for beginner golfers to play with because the lack of loft leaves little room for error. A major trend in golf in recent times is to ditch long irons and go for hybrids because they are more versatile.
Why are woods used in golf?
The first reason is that they are great off of the tee if a golfer is struggling to keep their driver straight. The second reason that woods ae used is that they hit the ball a bit shorter than a driver, so there are situations for it. The third reason is that they can be used in the fairway if you are a long way out.
What is the range of mid irons?
The next category of irons is the irons in the range of 5 to 7. Mid irons are common clubs that golfers use on par 3’s and approach shots with 160 yards. That number can fluctuate greatly depending on how much power a golfer has.
Why do you tee the ball up for a driver?
The reason that you tee the ball up for a driver is that the sweet spot is higher up off the ground and no touching the ground. The driver ball flight is usually medium to high in trajectory and rolls out very nicely.
What is the last club on the golf list?
The last club on the list is a putter, and I am sure if you are on a golf site then you have heard of one. The putter is used on the green and is the last club that you will use on every hole in most cases.
What is a hybrid golf club?
A hybrid is a type of golf club that has become popular relatively recently and it is a mix between a wood and a long iron. The point of them is to be more forgiving and able to use in rougher lies compared to woods.
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 In A Set Of Golf Irons?
Normally a set of irons will consist of 4-9 along with a pitching wedge and a sand wedge. Sometimes golfers will add in a 3-iron if they are skilled in hitting the longer irons. And sometimes a gap or lob wedge is added for the utility.
What are the small numbers on a golf iron?
The small numbers are the long irons, and they will be used for tee shots or long approach shots. The middle numbers are obviously the mid irons, and they will be used on shorter par three holes and approach-shots that are not too long and require more accuracy. Mid irons are easier to hit than long irons. Then there are the high numbers, and those ...
What wedges are used in golf?
Traditionally the only wedges you would find in a golf set was the pitching wedge and the sand wedge.
Why is the Sand Wedge my friend?
Personally, the sand wedge (SW) has always been my friend. Maybe because I like those short, high trajectory shots around the green.
Which is easier to hit, a short iron or a mid iron?
Mid irons are easier to hit than long irons. Then there are the high numbers, and those will be used for the shortest approach shots and some very short par threes. The short irons are the easiest to hit. Lastly there are a vast selection of wedges to choose from. These can be utilized for many shots around the green and in and around hazards.
Why don't golf sets come with a 3 iron?
With the emergence of utility woods the long irons have become less and less popular. The 3-iron suffers from the fact that it is still quite hard to hit well consistently, for the inexperienced golfer. That is also why a lot of golf sets don’t come with a 3-iron, it is something that you need to request specifically.
What irons do you get if you don't buy a half set?
If you’re not buying a half set of irons, you will almost always get a 4-iron in the set.
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
• Public patent information on muscle-back iron
• Public patent information on cavity-back iron
• Public patent information on hybrid iron
What Do The Numbers on Golf Clubs Mean?
- If you are still confused, let’s take an in-depth look at the numbers on your golf clubs. Irons and fairway woods are always numbered, along with a few specialty clubs. These numbers are related to the degrees of loft. There are three types of golf clubs that you will find in every bag: woods, irons, and putters. Woods are long-range clubs that you...
Golf Club Numbers and Distance
- The numbers correspond to the distance that you can achieve from the club. Golf clubs are numbered in a range from 2 to 9. These numbered golf clubsinclude: 1. 3 – Wood 2. 5 – Wood 3. 2 – Iron 4. 3 – Iron 5. 4 – Iron 6. 5 – Iron 7. 6 – Iron 8. 7 – Iron 9. 8 – Iron 10. 9 – Iron There are non-numbered golf clubs: the driver, putter, sand wedge, pitching wedge, and lob wedge. These club…
What Do Numbers Mean on Iron Golf Clubs?
- Irons are categorized as short, mid, and long irons. The long irons are 2-, 3-, and 4 -irons. Mid-irons consist of the 5-, 6-, and 7-irons. Finally, the short irons are the 8- and 9-irons (and in some cases, the pitching wedge falls into this category). However, 2-irons are quickly becoming obsolete. Along with that, some golfers count the 5-iron as a long iron. So the terms can vary depending o…
When Did They Start Numbering Golf Clubs?
- The numbers on the clubs and irons make it easier for golfers to choose the right one for the course. However, that was not always the case. In the early days of golf, there was almost no uniformity in the clubs from one maker to the next. Consistent numbering did not appear until the late 1930s to early 1940s. Before that, golf clubs had names that implied specific characteristic…
in Conclusion
- Golf clubs are numbered because they help us determine distance and loft of our shots. It adds to the consistency as well so that we can recreate shots over and over again.