Are these as forgiving as a hybrid? Do they have a low boring ball flight?

There are a few long par 3’s where I play, and was considering purchasing one of these….

Any thoughts welcome….

Trust me, don’t. Even if you have a swing like Tiger you will struggle with it, there is a reason why hardly anyone use these anymore… including the pros :)

stick with Hybrids and 5/7/9 woods

Are these as forgiving as a hybrid? Do they have a low boring ball flight?

Driving irons, like hybrids, come in a wide variety and in some instances may be the same thing.

Early driving irons were nothing more than 1 or 2 irons. Gradually they became more perimeter weighted and developed deeper COGs until they eventually evolved into hybrids.

The turning point probably came with the earliest Cobra Baffler. It was not the first to have a hollow head like a metal wood, but it was the first of the popular brand clubs to deliberately move the COG lower and deeper in the clubhead to assist in getting the ball airborne. The original Baffler retained some of the charecteristics of a driving iron, ie: the flat face, but it was the first real step in popularising the hybrid.

Hybrids are forgiving for the following reasons:

1. They have a deep and low COG (centre of gravity) which increases launch angle and decreases backspin. So you end up with a higher but more boring ball flight. Conventional long irons start out lower but tend to soar, or balloon, more.

2. They have bulged, or radiused, faces which, combined with the deeper COG, provide a controlled ‘gear effect’ as with wood heads. Without going into the science of gear effect, it provides a self correcting spin. Toe hits start out to the right and draw back while heel hits start left but fade back to target.

3. The increased offset and deeper COG increase the MOI (moment of inertia) of the clubhead which means there is less twisting of the clubhead on off-centre hits. Your mishits end up more on target.

So, to answer your question, hybrids are a lot more forgiving than’traditional’ driving irons.

They are also a better option than traditional driving irons into the wind as, even though they have a higher launch angle, they do not tend to soar as much as driving irons.

Your answer might be to look at a lower lofted hybrid. I have recently made myself a 16* Nakashima NX1 which is giving me a remarkable trajectory. The ball gets up more quickly than I thought it might but stays on a good boring trajectory. It just seems to go forever.

Mick

I believe it was Seve that said “Not even God can hit a 1 iron!!)

Lee Trevino said that. Seve’s not sharp enough to come out with a quote like that!!!

Lee Trevino said that. Seve’s not sharp enough to come out with a quote like that!!!

I definately agree with the hybrids. I recently started playing and the clubs i bought came with a 22* and 18* hybrid. I love the 18* off the deck (fairway or light rough) and its not too bad off the tee if its teed up nice and low…..So in my opinion the hybrids are a great thing!

Thanks for the detailed explanation Mick, really appreciate it. I think I will stick to the hybrids.

I currently have a Ben Hogan 22 deg hybrid, but was thinking of buying either an 17/18deg driving iron, or hybrid. Hybrid looks like the answer.

Thanks to the other fellas for you input.