Are vintage iron shaft lengths shorter than modern lengths?

[Hit em good]

Just got my first vintage iron set, Wilson Bullet Backs, 1969 model. I'm new to vintage...

I notice the iron lengths are clearly shorter than my modern iron lengths. They're about an inch shorter per club. Is that normal, or does my set just have shorter irons perhaps?

Thanks guys,

Hit em good

[Jiggered]

Compare loft and length with loft and length, the difference is much smaller then.

For example; what's the length of the 32 degree loft (or closest) of your 1969 set and what's the length of the 32 degree loft of your modern set?

My guess is one might be a 5 iron and one might be a 7 iron and lengths will be pretty much the same.

[Foozle]

Hit em Good, congratulations on your bullet backs!

I agree 100% with Jiggered, you need to compare loft with loft and ignore the number on the sole.

If you do want to compare your set to the spec in 1969 then the 1970 catalogue in Kaplan gives the standard 7 iron length at between 36.25" and 36.75".

Please also note standard 7 iron loft was 39 Deg! That is probably a PW in today's sets!

Your 4 iron at 27 Deg is probably a closer comparison to a modern game improvement 7 iron both in loft and, as pointed out by Jiggered, in shaft length.

I am an inherent sceptic and personally believe manufacturers have simply swapped the numbers on the sole to convince people that "technology" is gaining them distance and so to sell that "technology".

Every set, vintage or modern, has a club for a set distance, the number is irrelevant. What technology can't reproduce is the feel of your bullet backs.

Enjoy!

 

[hagimihale]

I agree with all of the posters here who are saying to compare lofts - we all know that lofts have been jacked up over time in a marketing effort to help manufacturers sell their irons on increased distance.That being said, YES I think that iron shafts have increased in length, and probably started doing so around the time that lofts started to get jacked up. I played Mizuno MX-23s for years. Got them in 2004 I think, which was likely before most manufacturers were really jacking lofts up.

I upgraded to Mizuno JPX 825 Pros in 2014. They were 1-2* stronger in loft (i.e. NOT a full club) and the shafts (I went from S300 to X100) were 1/2" longer.

So if the OP says that his 50-year-old clubs are a full inch shorter, I believe him.

[NRJyzr]

I don't know when clubs moved longer than this, but in the 50s and early 60s, 5 irons were found at 37" long. There's some variation, of course, but it's generally the number I've seen. At some point, that migrated to the 37.5" 5 iron seen in the 70s, maybe late 70s?

The lofts are definitely weak. It's not definitive, but I've seen something in the past that suggested the late 60s Wilson Staffs were a 24* 3 iron to a 52* PW. The 2 iron was either 21* or 20*, with the 1 iron being 18* if the 2i was 21*, or 17* if the 2i was 20*. This same specs list I'd seen showed the SW at 58*. Of course, there's room to play.

I play my 1980 Golden Rams at 20-52 for 2-PW. Even for a guy accustomed to a 50* PW, it took a little adjustment, but loft is what's important. The number on the sole is just that, a number. If I hit my 32* club 175 yds, why should I feel good about it if it says "7" on the sole, but feel badly about it because it says "5" on the sole? Same damm club.

I did find it funny sometimes hitting a 6 iron on a shortish uphill par 3, when the wind was up. And I really got a laugh when I was playing golf league, and the look on the face of the guy who was shocked when I told him I'd hit 9 iron on the 123 yd par 3. LOL

Heck, if you bought some of Tad Moore's Hickory irons, you might find yourself playing a 36* 5 iron. LOL

[Shallowface]

The Bullet Backs ranged from a 21 degree 2 Iron through a 51 degree PW (Source: Kaplan Book 1970 catalog page).

Lengths were 38.5 or 39 on the 2 iron through 35.25 or 35.75 on the PW. Apparently both lengths were readily available as "standard."

[NRJyzr]

 

Thanks for chiming in, Shallow. I thought about tagging you, but didn't want to bother you.

[Hit em good]

OP here,

Thanks for all the insight on this, fellas. You guys are super helpful.

Our driving range opened back up today, so I'm going to take the vintage set and hit them for the first time. Looking forward to it!!!

Hit em good

[Gsea]

Not only a little shorter but weaker lofts, a good thing imo. Plus I find that shafts are way different and have to be experimented with. The 65 Wilson DynaFlows I have with stiff shafts I love the feel o and can hit them beautifully but the 77 Hogans with legend shafts do not suit me.

[raggal62]

Those Legend iron shafts didn't suit a lot of people. Were only around a few years.

[Foozle]

Hit em Good, be sure to report back how it goes?

Enjoy the vintage experience!

[xgolfx]

Clubs changed radically after WWII. driver brassie spoon cleek was the standard set until the 60'sq. Tour pros and most amateurs played flat back blades. Swing weight arrived in the late 40's. When the Hawk broke his MacGregor driver, he used his brassie off the tee for almost a year. I can't remember any pro who used a driver longer than 44 inches.

MacGregor specs for 1961 Toney Pemna TP 1W shaft propel1 rosewood finish

woods length loft lie d3 swingweight must predominate

driver 43 10 53 face large black fibre aluminum center pin 11/16 on driver,1/2

brassie 423/4 13 53 7 scoring lines on driver spaced to face design

spoon 42 151/2 54 5 scoring lines on fairway woods

cleek 411/2 181/2 541/2 whipping 23/4" pitched linen twine

grip black fineline 10" with gold fill 4 aluminum face screws

Irons MT1 381/2 2 iron FC4000 ceramic face heavy shot blast spray epoxy scoring diamond border lines fill red propel 1 shaft .355 tip grip fineline101/2 d3 swingweight must predominate

CHARLEY PENNA

[mocokid]

Thanks CP !