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Started By
Message
Iron Distance Loss
Posted on 1/15/21 at 7:50 am
Posted on 1/15/21 at 7:50 am
Pre-Warning of Dear Diary but you guys have some knowledge:
This will be my 3rd full season playing golf, def. a classic baseball player swing but decent enough athlete to make solid contact and generate power. I'm 32, using a second hand set of Cleveland CG Gold Irons from what appears to be 2007. Shaft is regular flex.
Anyway, irons were generally my strong suit. Never really had a problem hitting through 4-5 iron and always was able to get good compression/distance. 5 iron was 190ish, 7 around 170 with roll. Nothing high and stopping on a dime but I was able to hit down on the ball well and take a nice divot. Obviously this compression is where my distance was coming from.
I went and got a lesson here in Nashville at Profectus. Found out my grip was REALLY strong and I had the club face closed almost all the way back. Moved my grip to neutral and started with a correct takeaway and having club toe pointed at the target.
I can def. feel this is more natural and the "correct" way to play but it has absolutely crushed my distance. I've lost 20-30 yards with each club and the game is not really fun right now. Even down to the wedges where I could consistently hit my 60 anywhere within 100, I'm now hitting my 52 just to get 100.
Profectus measured my swing speed at the end of the lesson and I was anywhere between 100-110 depending effort. Is it possible the regular flex is hurting me because I'm generating more club head speed now (that was the instructors point of changing takeway, where my club points, and hinging wrist better). Is it possible my irons are "Dead" being 14 years old? Or am I just not hitting down on the ball enough anymore? I try to make a concerted effort to do so, it's just crazy how much my distance has fallen off.
Long post, just looking for tips before I go drop another couple of bills on a lesson.
This will be my 3rd full season playing golf, def. a classic baseball player swing but decent enough athlete to make solid contact and generate power. I'm 32, using a second hand set of Cleveland CG Gold Irons from what appears to be 2007. Shaft is regular flex.
Anyway, irons were generally my strong suit. Never really had a problem hitting through 4-5 iron and always was able to get good compression/distance. 5 iron was 190ish, 7 around 170 with roll. Nothing high and stopping on a dime but I was able to hit down on the ball well and take a nice divot. Obviously this compression is where my distance was coming from.
I went and got a lesson here in Nashville at Profectus. Found out my grip was REALLY strong and I had the club face closed almost all the way back. Moved my grip to neutral and started with a correct takeaway and having club toe pointed at the target.
I can def. feel this is more natural and the "correct" way to play but it has absolutely crushed my distance. I've lost 20-30 yards with each club and the game is not really fun right now. Even down to the wedges where I could consistently hit my 60 anywhere within 100, I'm now hitting my 52 just to get 100.
Profectus measured my swing speed at the end of the lesson and I was anywhere between 100-110 depending effort. Is it possible the regular flex is hurting me because I'm generating more club head speed now (that was the instructors point of changing takeway, where my club points, and hinging wrist better). Is it possible my irons are "Dead" being 14 years old? Or am I just not hitting down on the ball enough anymore? I try to make a concerted effort to do so, it's just crazy how much my distance has fallen off.
Long post, just looking for tips before I go drop another couple of bills on a lesson.
This post was edited on 1/15/21 at 7:55 am
7
Posted on 1/15/21 at 8:16 am to STLhog
Definitely need to move up to stiff flex in your irons. I'm guessing your driver shaft is stiff flex, so have you seen any loss in distance with that club?
Posted on 1/15/21 at 8:17 am to STLhog
quote:
100-110 depending effort. Is it possible the regular flex is hurting me
Yes, 100%
quote:
Is it possible my irons are "Dead" being 14 years old?
Doubtful, I have a Titleist 5i blade from the 70s that still smokes when you hit it on the screws. I know guys still playing Ping i2s that are ancient
Posted on 1/15/21 at 9:46 am to InaccuratelyLong
quote:
so have you seen any loss in distance with that club?
Correct, using a M6 with a stock stiff shaft. Probably Mid 200s carry when I don't slice it.
Taking the club back correctly and pointing the tow at the target at the top has required a lot of work turning my hands/wrists over but when I do correctly, distance is fine.
Posted on 1/15/21 at 9:58 am to STLhog
Seems like a no brainer to me then. Speaking of Profectus, I have gift card that I'll be using for lessons with them this Spring. Any feedback or thoughts after you went to them for a lesson?
Posted on 1/15/21 at 10:04 am to InaccuratelyLong
quote:
Speaking of Profectus, I have gift card that I'll be using for lessons with them this Spring. Any feedback or thoughts after you went to them for a lesson?
It's pretty legit, the tech is great and Erol was super cool. At first I was frustrated that he seemingly was starting me over but its become clear it was a necessity.
It's nice hitting out of the bay with the Trackmaster feedback right behind you. Not a lot of places offer both.
Posted on 1/15/21 at 10:11 am to CoachChappy
quote:
Doubtful, I have a Titleist 5i blade from the 70s that still smokes when you hit it on the screws. I know guys still playing Ping i2s that are ancient
I play with some old Cobra's that are 20 years old. They still hit great
Posted on 1/15/21 at 10:12 am to STLhog
Strong is long. Neutralize your grip and you will lose distance, but gain accuracy in most cases. I was taught to hit it as far as possible and then learn to control that.
Posted on 1/15/21 at 10:17 am to STLhog
quote:
I could consistently hit my 60 anywhere within 100
Are you sure your new swing is not just putting the proper loft on your clubs?
Hitting a 60 degree 100 yards takes some serious club speed
Also, its not THAT bad of distance, if you are hitting your 5iron 170.
This post was edited on 1/15/21 at 10:20 am
Posted on 1/15/21 at 10:20 am to barry
quote:
Are you sure your new swing is not just putting the proper loft on your clubs?
Hitting a 60 degree 100 yards takes some serious club speed
I think you're probably spot on. Should have said I was probably hitting more with the leading edge and de-lofting before but was still able to get the ball pretty high.
I think I'm now using the bounce properly, its just really thrown me off on my approach and created some huge distance gaps and some confidence issues.
Posted on 1/15/21 at 10:22 am to barry
quote:
Also, its not THAT bad of distance, if you are hitting your 5iron 170.
I completely agree. And really not trying to sound like a full of shite big hitter guy. It's just a weird feeling losing this much distance.
And it's caused problems on longer par 3s because I simply don't have the club and have to try and hit a 4 iron or 5 wood which doesn't always go well.
Posted on 1/15/21 at 10:31 am to STLhog
Meet me over at Gaylord's range and we'll get that swing figured out, baw
Posted on 1/15/21 at 10:50 am to STLhog
quote:
I completely agree. And really not trying to sound like a full of shite big hitter guy. It's just a weird feeling losing this much distance.
I feel you man, I went through a swing change this year and its thrown all my distances out of wack and I have no idea what to hit sometime.
I've come to the conclusion of clubing down and swinging not as hard and then just trying to rip it at the top end of my bag when I need to with my 4iron or 3 hybrid. Easy swing of my 4iron gets me 180-190, but I can rip it 205 if I need to...results may vary on distance from center of target
Posted on 1/15/21 at 5:03 pm to STLhog
First point to be made is it sounds like the guy gave you a decent lesson. Try to take a few follow up lessons and see it thru to the end. Do whatever the hell he tells you to do, even if it feels goofy.
If you’re interested in playing better golf long term you can’t run around w a closed club face/strong grip and expect to clean up any other long term technique issues like club path, your bunker play, pitching from tight lies, etc.
If you’re interested in playing better golf long term you can’t run around w a closed club face/strong grip and expect to clean up any other long term technique issues like club path, your bunker play, pitching from tight lies, etc.
Posted on 1/15/21 at 7:00 pm to STLhog
If your club is not shut then you’re probably adding loft but you can still deloft and get distance without a shut face. Also, if the flex is too light for your swing and transition the shots would be a ballooning on you for a loss of distance. That doesn’t seem like what you’re saying here.
Its likely it’s a temporary change that you may be concentrating on these new mechanics and not swinging as hard or efficiently. As someone else said keep with the lessons and you’ll probably become more accurate and gain most of that distance back through a more efficient move while probably being able to stop the ball better.
Also, I swing around 110 and could never hit a 60 100 yards without hitting it thin. My 105 club is 54 degree or more like a knock down with a pitching wedge.
Its likely it’s a temporary change that you may be concentrating on these new mechanics and not swinging as hard or efficiently. As someone else said keep with the lessons and you’ll probably become more accurate and gain most of that distance back through a more efficient move while probably being able to stop the ball better.
Also, I swing around 110 and could never hit a 60 100 yards without hitting it thin. My 105 club is 54 degree or more like a knock down with a pitching wedge.
This post was edited on 1/15/21 at 7:02 pm
Posted on 1/15/21 at 7:40 pm to czechtiger
quote:
If you’re interested in playing better golf long term you can’t run around w a closed club face/strong grip and expect to clean up any other long term technique issues like club path, your bunker play, pitching from tight lies, etc.
100% this.
Drop your concern for distance relative to others and play your swing. Distance off the tee is much more important.
Posted on 1/16/21 at 11:15 am to MikeD
Good stuff guys, much appreciated.
Going to keep with the lessons and get a decent set of new, fitted irons this spring.
Going to keep with the lessons and get a decent set of new, fitted irons this spring.
Posted on 1/16/21 at 11:46 am to GWfool
quote:
If your club is not shut then you’re probably adding loft
It’s this simple. You’re not shutting the club face down anymore. You’re probably hitting it higher and spinnier. Costing you some distance but you’re likely going to be more accurate and hold more greens.
Posted on 1/17/21 at 3:12 am to STLhog
Cold weather perhaps.
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