The Green Fee Part 2 of getting fit involves the irons. When getting fit for irons distance isnt always king. Accuracy and consistency are VERY important. Dont get me wrong distance is important but there is so much more to iron fittings
Numbers to look for
Launch- The angle that the ball leaves the club face
Spin– How much backspin the ball has
Landing angle– The angle that the ball lands. Very important to help the ball hold the green
Lie Angle- The Angle of the center of the shaft and the ground.
Launch and Spin
these go together. Launch the ball too high and you wont get enough distance. Launch it too low and the ball wont stop. Too much spin and you wont get any distance. The ball could also balloon especially in very windy conditions. Too little spin and the ball wont hold greens.
In terms of spin, at a minimum, I really try to look for the number of the club X 1000. Then I subtract 1000. So if its a 7 iron I look for 6000+. I dont want to go over the number of the club X1000. Any more than that and it will probably balloon on you.
The latest trend in golf is high launch low spin irons such as the P790 and the Cobra Forged Tec because of this dont be afraid if spin is too low if launch is high enough and youre getting a good enough decent angle dont shy away from it.
Landing angle
This is the thing I look at the most. Launch and spin are secondary to me when looking at irons compared to desent angle. I can deal with too little spin if the descent angle hits where I want it to. If launch is too low but it has enough spin to hold a green go for it! I look for my short irons to land around 45 degrees. If I am spinning it a lot I can take a lower angle because I know it will hold the green. The ball can also launch very high with low spin to optimize distance but the high launch can provide the necessary height needed to hold a green. With irons holding greens and not running the ball through the green is vital. It has been shown that the key to lowering scores is Greens in Regulation. If you are constantly rolling the ball through the green your scores wont get lower.
Lie Angle
I havent ever seen something affect the accuracy of a club more than the lie angle. Do not just let the club fitter do a static lie angle fitting. Also do not just use a lie board. I hate the lie board. There are a lot of things that could go wrong with the lie board. Always look for a dynamic lie fitting. For example I static fit to lie angle of 2 degrees flat. I actually play the club 1 degree flat. My miss is right so playing a club too flat will just amplify that. What your number is doesnt really matter just be aware of what the results are.
Other things to be aware of
- Set makeup– Dont be afraid of a combo set. If you are a solid ball striker or want a little more control a Game Improvement long irons with a more players club in the shorter clubs.
- Hybrids– Hybrids and Driving irons can really help your game. They make longer irons so much easier to hit. Make sure the ones you get work in your distance gaps.
- Distance Gaps– Once your fitting is finished and the clubs come in make sure that all your distances are covered. If they arent covered get the fitter to try and bend the lofts to your needs. I play off my 8 iron and adjust everything to that
- Bring your current club– I cant stress this enough when it comes to fittings. Bring your current set up to compare to the new stuff
- Communicate- Dont be afraid to tell the fitter how you feel. If the club feels too heavy or you hat ehow it looks say it! All of these things are important to the fitter so he can get you in the perfect club!