If majority of the LPGA don't use 4 irons.. why do you?

[ProV1Killa]

53 minutes ago, ChipNRun said:

Taller golfers generate more leverage than shorter ones, thus taller golfers would have better luck with long irons.

The secret that I never mention.  At just under 6'4" I'm above average height.  Add in my 34" inseam and arms long enough that I still fit into standard length clubs and you have the answer to how I never seem to loose SS.  Lol, what these young guys will learn some day is that my moving the club on my natural arc with no extra effort and decent mechanics is pretty darn close in speed as their squatting, jumping, and spinning technique.  Oh, and also a lot easier to find the middle as I don't have to "break dance" to get there.

[ProV1Killa]

6 minutes ago, cardoustie said:

We all know 4 cappers can beat LPGA players, so carry long irons at will 

Not that I'm a 4 capper, but I like my chances against the majority of LPGA players if it is just a competition with the top end of the bag.  Now if I have to beat them from 150 and in also I would be inclined to pass on that opportunity.

[Pepperturbo]

1 hour ago, Mike_C said:

I tried ditching my 4 iron, but you just can't punch out of the woods and under trees nearly as well with hybrids......

 

 

This ^^^

 

In a recent game, on a dog-leg left Par 4, I yanked my drive left into a stand of trees.  The ball was setting up, only a stand of trees with low-hanging branches in front of my ball, 30yds between me and the green.  I only had 145yds in.  I only saw three shot options; punch out to the fairway, costing a stroke and the hole, hit a hard hook which wouldn't hook enough, would have landed right of a greenside bunker in rough, or create something under the tree branches.  Not a shot most would choose.  Two playing partners were in the fairway, one or both were thinking they had the hole, the other friend was in right rough but with a clear shot to the green; all 3 were around 140-150 yds in.

 

Using a hooded 620 MB 21' 3i, ball slightly back in my stance, stable feet, choke down, and a hard 3/4 swing, staying down on the ball, not much of a follow though, my ball traveled straight 7-8' off the turf, under all the branches, found the left fairway, and ran up to the apron area, little pitch to 4', back pin, made the putt, walked off even.  

 

That shot couldn't be made with a hybrid because of soft rough and hybrids design doesn't want to keep the ball low.      

[pdaero]

I've played a 3 iron, let alone a 4 iron, for my entire golfing career. My irons have progressively become more 'playersy' as I went from GI to blade to now forged CB as my ballstriking has improved. I have no issue creating speed or differentiation between a 3 iron at 21*, 4 iron at 24*, and 5 iron at 27* - about 10-12 yards in-between. I could see forgoing a 3 iron at some point but comfortably hit my 4 iron 195-205 with plenty of height and spin to hold a green, and 3 iron 210-215. I actually switched 3 irons to an old MP Fli-Hi with a KBS Tour V as it was a little more forgiving, and more importantly spun less.

 

I think if an LPGA player created 105 swing speed with a driver, similar to Lexi Thompson, she could easily play a 4 iron and get the necessary spin to hold a green from distance. Most are not there, though they have the precision of strike to comfortably play one if they could provide enough spin.

[ShortGolfer]

I just did some testing and found that my old Mavrik Max lite 4 iron is much easier to hit than my new XXIO12 5 iron so the Mavrik Max goes back in the bag. 

The situation is reversed with the AW, as the new club is much easier to hit.  Figure I had enough time to learn the 5 iron.

 

That may be another factor.  Who gets fitted for long irons?  You may need a different shaft.  The Mavrik Max Lite has a 40g LL  flex shaft.  Whatever works.

[Port and Starboard]

On 10/12/2023 at 2:38 AM, bombs said:

I've just made the shift from 4 iron to 4 hybrid and life on the course has never been easier.

 

Can hit it anywhere on the face and still get incredible results. Impossible to hit it fat. Goes through the rough with ease. Workable. Can hit it high/low. 100% stress free golf. 

 

Admittedly I'm not practicing as much as I used to but I feel like i've stumbled on a cheat code. 

 

SO GolfWRX.... why the long irons? Let's be honest - we know you can't hit em 😘

 

Because I need to be slapped on side the head a few times before I get it?

[BHI 99]

Because guys aren’t that smart. 🤣

[dubbelbogey]

With a 5i and the ball a little bit more towards my rear foot and a little bit more forward shaft lean, it's not hard to have a punch shot come out pretty much as low as a 4i punch shot. Honestly, I find it's not that much of an adjustment at all. They're both somewhat "manufactured" feel shots anyway, so the difference is slight. (Just goofing around on the range, it's fun to see how low you can hit higher lofted clubs like 8/9/PW)

 

 

 

 

[R5Two]

Because I swing it hard enough to elevate 4i. Long irons are really not that much more difficult to hit than short irons 

[phizzy30]

12 hours ago, MtlJeff said:

 

We're all degrees of old! Every year i have to play Quebec AMs against 18yr olds who hit their hybrids past my driver

 

I'm like McConaughey in Dazed and Confused. I get older, and they stay the same age

Tell me about it.  I have 3 high school kids I train atm and they they were 170+ ball speed before they came to me.  Mind you, they never touched a dumb bell their entire life.  I know it's genetics, better nutrition, blah, blah, blah, but I swear Jeff, there's something in the water these days.......lol. 

[golfschnell]

I love my Maltby TS1M4 iron and find it performs much more consistently for ME than the 4 hybrid I also have. The 4 hybrid is easier to hit from some awful lies but the 4 iron has much more consistent distance and dispersion. I can choke down on my 3 hybrid when I need the forgiveness from very bad lies. 

 

The one thing I haven’t seen mentioned in this thread is to why some people don’t carry a 3 and 4 hybrid is that many companies don’t have enough loft differential between a 3 and 4 hybrid so there is not enough difference in distance between the 2. My 3 hybrid and 4 iron give me very good and consistent distance gaps.

Use whatever works best for your game, and don’t ignorantly assume that what works best for you or others will work best for everyone.

 

 

[ShortGolfer]

I should think more about shot shaping instead relying on club loft, now that I'm playing a urethane ball instead of a cheap 2 pc ball.

That actually works for me because I'm cross dominant and can arbitrarily favor one hand or the other.

 

But, I did some practice yesterday and found I could punch a shot with my 22* club through a tiny gap in the trees with reasonable consistency.

Edited October 14, 2023 by ShortGolfer

[blades_are_life]

20 hours ago, Pepperturbo said:

This ^^^

 

In a recent game, on a dog-leg left Par 4, I yanked my drive left into a stand of trees.  The ball was setting up, only a stand of trees with low-hanging branches in front of my ball, 30yds between me and the green.  I only had 145yds in.  I only saw three shot options; punch out to the fairway, costing a stroke and the hole, hit a hard hook which wouldn't hook enough, would have landed right of a greenside bunker in rough, or create something under the tree branches.  Not a shot most would choose.  Two playing partners were in the fairway, one or both were thinking they had the hole, the other friend was in right rough but with a clear shot to the green; all 3 were around 140-150 yds in.

 

Using a hooded 620 MB 21' 3i, ball slightly back in my stance, stable feet, choke down, and a hard 3/4 swing, staying down on the ball, not much of a follow though, my ball traveled straight 7-8' off the turf, under all the branches, found the left fairway, and ran up to the apron area, little pitch to 4', back pin, made the putt, walked off even.  

 

That shot couldn't be made with a hybrid because of soft rough and hybrids design doesn't want to keep the ball low.      

artistry

[this_is_golf]

My 4 iron was my best club off the tee today. 

[ZAS]

I don't carry a 4 iron

[bazzle18]

Have always found longer irons to be more consistent than hybrids/fairway woods. Hybrids have traditionally been hooking off the planet, fairway woods I struggle with ground contact and spin issues, and I've always been a good iron player.

[Dan Drake]

I don't currently carry a 4i.  But, I do have a 2016 Apex 4 hybrid head shafted up with a DG X7, so I think I still qualify for the knockout rounds of "Studliest Golfer on the Interwebz" title, no? 

 

Or is it the title of "Golfer with the most odd collection of club combinations that no one else would ever sanely consider?"  

 

Either way, I'm IN!

[phizzy30]

Just now, Dan Drake said:

I don't currently carry a 4i.  But, I do have a 2016 Apex 4 hybrid head shafted up with a DG X7, so I think I still qualify for the knockout rounds of "Studliest Golfer on the Interwebz" title, no? 

 

Or is it the title of "Golfer with the most odd collection of club combinations that no one else would ever sanely consider?"  

 

Either way, I'm IN!

Anyone who has X7's in their irons are either frontin' or stuntin' from what I've seen out on the course.  You seem like the latter. 

[Dan Drake]

44 minutes ago, phizzy30 said:

Anyone who has X7's in their irons are either frontin' or stuntin' from what I've seen out on the course.  You seem like the latter. 

On days where I'm swinging it well, I can stunt with most folks.  

 

On the days where I'm not, its the hardest front you've ever seen!!!

[Jwin323]

Because this is WRX, and nobody here has more than 9i into any green.

[bodhi555]

I carry both a 3 and a 4 iron, mostly as I hit them better than the alternatives. 

 

*Shrug* 

[karstens_ghost]

Because I, like many other male players lately, use a "fat 4". It's not in the set, and it's a hollow club. I don't want two hybrids in my bag, ever.

 

Driver, fairway, hybrid, fat 4, extra cavity 5, slightly wide 6, and then 7-G can be anything.

 

Honestly, the title is a macho check. If you have a purpose, it doesn't matter. Swing speed is the #1 factor in all of this, and most men swing fast enough to warrant the flight of a 4-iron over a 23º hybrid.

 

But good click bait.

[Ripken08]

On 10/12/2023 at 7:13 PM, tatertot said:

Good golf may not be about ego, but your posts sure are ...

High five tater! 

[black bnr32]

Any GI-ish long iron flies straighter than a hybrid.

 

Fight me.

[Acfresh]

3/4 iron is my fairway finder…for days when the driver just isn’t behaving

[tatertot]

3 hours ago, karstens_ghost said:

Because I, like many other male players lately, use a "fat 4". It's not in the set, and it's a hollow club. I don't want two hybrids in my bag, ever.

 

Driver, fairway, hybrid, fat 4, extra cavity 5, slightly wide 6, and then 7-G can be anything.

 

Honestly, the title is a macho check. If you have a purpose, it doesn't matter. Swing speed is the #1 factor in all of this, and most men swing fast enough to warrant the flight of a 4-iron over a 23º hybrid.

 

But good click bait.

Love the "fat 4" ... Mine is Cleveland UHX.

[Avidswampthing66]

My set ends at 5 and the fun begins at 4

[bombs]

Whoa 5 pages of responses. 

 

After more testing my latest conclusion is that carrying multiple hybrids is not for me.

 

Gapping not right. No versatility. Essentially carrying two clubs that do the same thing. Just no. 

 

4 iron is back IN. 🤠

 

A 3W has also snuck in. For now. 

 

Edited October 16, 2023 by bombs

[karstens_ghost]

1 hour ago, tatertot said:

Love the "fat 4" ... Mine is Cleveland UHX.

 

You'll start seeing how many pros have a fat 4… or maybe just a fat 3. It's getting less common that their longest iron is the same as the set.

 

https://www.golfwrx.com/725332/tom-kims-winning-witb-2023-shriners-childrens-open/?utm_source=Front&utm_medium=Featured_Center_Top&utm_campaign=GolfWRX_OnSite&utm_content=main

 

^ Perfect example.

Edited October 16, 2023 by karstens_ghost
example added

[ewaldbeukes]

Because:

 

1. I dont play on the LPGA (I would probably get my a** handed to me)

2. It came with the set

3. I hit really nice high draws with it that carry around 215m and land soft enough to birdie / eagle par fives.

4. Its a great club on tight driving holes

5. Its a Srixon ZX7 head so plenty of forgiveness in there...

6. I can hit it 1m off the ground when I need to get out under trees while adding some cut or hook in there. Cant do that with my Hybrid 

 

To be fair I carry a 19 Degree hybrid that I also like but for high soft shots and certain tee shots. It goes 235m in the air. So it depends on the shot, feel like I have more versatility having both.