An Examination of Irons

The golf equipment industry has historically approached the design process for irons by modeling and prototyping the 6-iron, testing it to satisfaction, then applying that same physical design into the other irons, from the 3-iron to the pitching wedge. And while that thin-face and perimeter-weighted design makes a 6-iron work well, it doesn’t extrapolate more than 8-10 degrees in either loft direction.

In the long end of the set, this is why hybrids have taken over to the extent that an extremely small percentage of golfers carry a 3-iron anymore, and 4-irons aren’t far behind. In other words, we’ve finally found that a completely different design from the 6-iron design works better on clubs with 8-10 degrees less loft.

Likewise, your 9-iron and "P-club" are as far from your 6-iron as your 3-wood and driver. So they should be designed differently. The thin face that produces high and long 6-iron shots makes short irons launch too high and gives you inconsistent distance control. That much perimeter-weighting is also not needed on higher-loft clubs. Finally, the increasingly stiffer shaft flex into the “money clubs” compromises feel where you need it the most.

Your short range performance suffers because of it.