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Golfing Focus

Your irons yardage gap is only half the test

Published 2 months ago • 2 min read

Hi Reader,

The second way an iron fails your bag audit

Last week I asked you to check whether any of your 14 clubs are doing nothing by measuring the yardage gaps between them.

But that is only the first test.

Your 5-iron might sit exactly where it should between your 4 and 6. But if you can’t produce that distance reliably, the gap exists only on paper.

That is what MyGolfSpy examined this week.

Their normal score when testing an iron set combines results from a 5-iron, 7-iron and pitching wedge. This time they separated the 5-iron because the overall score can hide one troublesome club.

The Mizuno Pro M-13 showed why. Its complete 'iron set' test score wasn’t an accuracy leader, but its 5-iron was one of the easiest in its category to control.

And in that context one of the key trends we've noticed in recent years analysing the bags of the top 100 PGA Tour pros makes perfect sense - the 'mixed' iron set.

  • 58% of the top 100 currently use more than one iron model
  • In 2023 that number was 42%
  • Go all the way back to 2021 and it was only 27%

So when you're finalising your irons set up don't judge the set as a whole and assume they all have to work for you to put them in play.

Each individual iron must earn its place - and earn it twice!

It must cover a useful distance and produce that distance reliably.

If your shorter irons work, test the longer ones separately before replacing the set.

Don't be afraid to mix it up!

What a 'good' used set actually costs

If one long iron fails or doesn't fit anymore, you can replace one club.

But if several irons overlap, fly unpredictably or no longer suit you, a replacement set doesn't have to be new.

​MyGolfSpy searched one used retailer and found the best mix of price, performance and availability around three to four model years old.

A 2023 TaylorMade P7MC set started at $336.99.

​Our own research across 67 iron sets found they lost an average of 19.1% of their value each year. The average $1,040 new set was listed for $385 used.

So if you're bag audit suggests a few replacements are needed there are some great alternatives out there.

⚠ One warning: regripping six or seven clubs can add $42 to $91 before installation!

The bargain is only a bargain once it is ready to play.

Thanks for reading and as ever and most importantly enjoy your golf!

Play well until next time 👍

Graeme Hay

Founder, GolfingFocus.com

Golfing Focus Limited, 73 Maple Road, London, KT6 4AG
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