Irons

Question
QUESTION: Dear Dathaeus,

I抦 someone who likes my irons much better than my woods.  I don抰 have any fairway woods in my bag because I抦 not consistent with them.  Now I hit my 5 iron 170 consistently and fairly straight.  I hit my 4 iron 180 yards BUT not as consistent as my 5 iron.  I抎 like to get a custom made club which uses a 5 iron head attached to a 3 iron shaft?in other words a longer shaft than what would normally be used for a 5 iron.  Have you ever heard of such a thing.  I know it抯 unusual but short of taking lessons to learn how to hit my woods properly, I抦 trying to think of ways to get more distance with my long irons.  Thank you,

Germain

ANSWER: Hi, sorry for the delay.

The best solution for you is something that gets you more consistent distance with your current iron swing and feel.  The answer is hybrids, or driving irons.  They are the sweetest clubs out there.  I use a driver, 3 wood, and then 2-hybrid (my favorite club in the bag), 4-hybrid, and then 6-LW.  I only have the gap between my 6 iron and 4-hybrid because with the 2 and 4 hybrid, I love them so much, I can cover between 185-245 with them, depending on lie, wind, etc.... I can either hit a high fade with the 4-H into the wind from 170 yds, or hit my 2-H over 250 yd downwind with a hard draw, and everything in between.

Remember, golf is not always about using all your clubs.  It is using your favorite clubs as often as you can.

There are many models of hybrids.  DO NOT get the ones that look like chopped off woods.  Get the ones that are just like an iron, with a small metal/composite piece attached behind the metal.  You do not have to change your swing for these.

Try some at the range, at the shop, and then at the course.  I guarantee you will find at least 2 you will like to cover between your 5-i and 3W.

Hope this helps.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hello again Dathaeus,

Can I ask why you said not to get the hybrids that look like chopped off woods but to get the ones that look just like irons.  Thank you.

Germain

Answer
It is actually both psychological and performance oriented.

1. Visually, during setup, the ones that look more like irons look just like that.  Yes, you can tell yourself to do the "same" swing as your irons, which is much more effective for you with any club.  But why play these mind games when you can play with something that makes you feel like you are still hitting an iron and you CAN do the same swing with no negative effects?  Occams razor applies more and more here.

2. Driving irons FEEL more like irons, heavier and more solid, than wood-like hybrids, which feel a little lighter and the contact feels more "light."  From what you have told me, you will enjoy the driving iron type of hybrids a lot more than wood-like hybrids.
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On a side note, I appreciate your 10's rating across the board, but was there a reason you chose to specifically not nominate me?  I would like to know what else I can do in my answers to deserve such an accolade, because even from this followup, I am assuming my answer has been one of the best, of not the best you have received here on this site or anywhere.  We "experts" here do not get paid  dime for our time so this is really all we have to feel like the asker appreciates our answers and thinks they were actually helpful.  Thank you.