Jaacob BowdenProfessional Golfer & Long Drive Champion
Do Same Length Golf Clubs Work?
By Jaacob BowdenWhen I began my golf journey as an average length hitting 14-handicapper, I quickly found out about the benefits of getting custom fit for golf clubs. It's very much similar to getting fit for a pair of shoes. Were a runner to be wearing oversized floppy red clown shoes, he would not be near as fast or effective in his run as if he were to wear a pair of good running shoes. His performance would even be further enhanced were he to buy something that was made for his particular type of run - sprinting on a track, going long distances, trail running, etc. The same is true for golf clubs.
So I traded in the cheap set of clubs that I had bought from Wal-Mart for a nice new set of Callaway X-12s. Right away I noticed a difference in performance because they were custom fit to my body and swing style in regard to the club length, lie angles, and shaft flex.
As I continued to progress and my handicap started to come down, I got teased a bit by better players for playing cavity back irons with graphite shafts. They told me that, "Good players only play steel shafts and blades." Not knowing any better, I switched to some forged steel-shafted Titleist 690 MB blades so that I could be in the "good player club".
While they were very pretty looking and it made me feel more macho to be playing blades, there really was no improvement in performance. In fact, it probably hurt my game more than anything. Since the steel was heavier than the graphite, my ego didn’t like that I had to hit one more club than usual to go the same distance. People also told me that it would be easier to hit draws and fades with blades, but I found it to be no different. And while they certainly had a butter-type feel when I hit a ball on the sweet spot, I was basically forced to hit the sweet spot because any mis-hit would result in a really bad shot – plus the vibration of the mis-hit on the club would sting my hands and arms. I suppose it was a bit of a negative feedback loop.
Since we as golfers can lose a bit of feel under pressure situations, I decided to stay with the heavier steel shafts. However, I knew that I wanted to eventually go back to at least a small form of a cavity back for the extra forgiveness. Once I had enough money saved up, I switched to a set of forged and fitted Wishon 550 C forged irons. Several really cool things about this set were that they were my first irons that were MOI-matched (basically meaning each club was weighted to require the same starting strength), we fit each individual club for the lie angle rather than fitting only one and setting the rest to the conventional gap sequence, and we also put some vibration dampeners in the shafts and switched to jumbo Chamois oversized grips (cheap long-lasting arthritic grips).
This was by far my best set up to this point. It was fit for me and my golf swing, I got back the extra forgiveness of a cavity back, and the clubs had a softer feel which my joints appreciated. Yet, I still knew deep down that this wasn’t the best possible way to go.
Why Same Length Golf Clubs?
As I’m sure many of you know, a conventional set of golf clubs is typically built in ½ inch increment lengths with varying clubhead lie angles throughout the set, and the head weights get lighter in weight as the club gets longer in length. Let’s take a look at the specifications of the above-mentioned Wishon 550C forged irons.As you can see, there is variance and a progression in each club with loft, lie, and weight that corresponds to the different lengths in clubs. Most golfers know that a 3-Iron will go farther than a Pitching Wedge, and many will tell you that the 3-iron goes farther because it is a longer length club and the loft makes the ball come off the club at a lower angle. This is true. While the length of a club makes a minor difference in how far you can hit a ball, typically the club also gets harder to hit cleanly. Any possible gain from a longer length club can be offset by the even greater distance loss from the off-center hit. Since loft is the primary determinant of how far a club goes, I thus knew I wanted an iron set that was the same length. The problem is that this won't work with a conventional set, though, because each club head weighs differently in 6-8 gram increments. For the same length concept to work, all the club heads need to weigh the same. There's also the issue with conventional irons of the fractionally different swings you need make to accommodate for the differences in lengths and lie angles. How hard is it to be consistent when you have to use a slightly different swing with every iron (especially when you might only play and practice once per week or month)?
Benefits of Same Length Clubs
Think about the benefits of same length clubs. Because the clubs are the same length and same head weight, you can use the exact same swing with the exact same ball position and setup throughout the bag and still get consistent yardage gaps (remember, loft is the primary determinant of distance). The Moment of Inertia (MOI), swing weights, club weights, head weights, shaft weights, shaft flexes, lie angles, etc are all the same. With so many variables being the same, your swing consistency goes up, you hit the ball in the sweet spot more often (and pick up any minor distance gain you would have missed out on from a longer length club), your accuracy improves, and your confidence goes up. As a result, scores go down!Why Aren't All Manufacturers Making Same Length Clubs?
To my understanding, companies aren't making same length clubs as a result of misguided manufacturing decisions made earlier in the 20th century. Now that thousands and thousand of iron sets have been made this way, consequently I think the modern golf psyche is now so deeply entrenched in the idea that irons have to all be different lengths, that no major manufacturer is willing to take the risk at trying to change the design perception of the entire golf industry. Even though the science supports same length clubs, we're still stuck where we are because of a mix of stubborn tradition and a business risk that few will take on.I was still set on the idea of finding a same-length golf company and after doing a lot of internet research, I found that Tommy Armour Golf unsuccessfully tried to sell same-length irons called the EQLs back in the 1980s. As for something modern-day, as luck would have it I also came across two small companies that are going this same-length route.
Here is some basic information about each company and their clubs. Note in the charts how much more consistent the head weights and lie angles are compared to a conventional set.
Pure Fit Golf's iMatch SLs from My Ostrich Golf
The first were the Pure Fit Golf's iMatch SL (Single Length) Irons distributed primarily by My Ostrich Golf.
Manufacturer Specifications
Features/Notes
- Cast Irons - soft 1020 Stainless SteelCost/Price
- Cavity Back with Progressive Offset
- Weight Ports - 4g, 6g, and 8g for adjusting swing weight
- Designed to be Built to a 6-iron length of 37.5 inches (except SW at 35.5 inches)
- Loft and Lies can be Adjusted +/- 4 degrees
- Only available in Right Hand
- Head Sold as a Component Only
- $18.50 per iron headCompany
Company: myOstrich Golf
Address: 2 Main St, Suite 15-107
Biddeford, ME 04005
USA
Phone: +1 877 567 8742
Email: customerservice@myostrichgolf.com
Website: www.myostrichgolf.com or www.purefitgolf.com
Contact Person: Tim Hewitt
1iron Golf irons by David Lake
The second were the 1iron Golf Clubs by David Lake in Perrysburg, Ohio.Manufacturer Specifications
Features/Notes
- Cast Irons - High Grade17-4 Stainless SteelCost/Price
- Cavity Back
- Designed to be Built to a Fitted 7-iron length Based on the Golfer's Wrist-to-Floor Measurement
- Available in Right and Left Hand
- Shaft tip size 0.370"
- Loft Degree Tolerance of 0.5 degrees
- $629.00 for 3-PW ($78.62 per club Ð includes shaft and grip)Company
- $90.00 each for a GW, SW, or LW
Company: 1iron Golf, Inc.
Address: 7302 W Lake Road
Perrysburg, OH
USA
Phone: +1 419 662 9336
Email: sales@1irongolf.com
Website: www.1irongolf.com
Contact Person: David Lake
Case for Buying Pure Fit Golf's iMatch SL (Same Length) Irons by My Ostrich Golf
1) Cost / Price - Although David Lake offers sets of used 1irons through his website at discounted prices, the iMatch SL irons definitely beat out the 1irons in price for new clubs. If you figure a $15 shaft and a $5 grip, the iMatch SL's give you about $40 per club to work with to cover installation and assembly costs.
2) Customization Ð Although one can certainly swap out the grips and shafts on the 1irons, the iMatch's also offer a higher degree of customization with the weight ports and type of softer steel used to cast them. In this way, it's easy to fit them in lengths other than to a fitted 7-iron (which is what 1iron Golf does).
Case for Buying David Lake's Same Length 1irons Golf Clubs
1) Design Consistency - The 1irons are a bit more consistent in their design than the iMatch's. There is no progressive offset, no weight change with the Sand Wedge, or no variation in bounce (except for the Sand Wedge) with the 1irons.
2) More Clubs - Although most people have trouble hitting a 3-iron and would do better with a hybrid, the 1irons offer more clubs. If you want, you can get a whole set from 3-iron to Lob Wedge.
3) Loft/Lie Drift - Because the 1irons are made with a harder-type cast steel, you won't have to worry as much about the loft and lie angles drifting over time.
4) Left Handed Clubs - If you are a left-handed golfer, the only option you will have is the 1irons.
5) Customer Service - To be honest, I have very little contact experience with customer service at My Ostrich Golf. However, I do know that David Lake is excellent in this regard. He has responded thoughtfully to every email I've ever sent him. It's not just me either. Other people around the internet seem to say the same thing too.
6) 30-Day Money Back Guarantee - You have to be willing to step outside the industry box to be willing to try same length clubs, and the fact is that the concept won't be for everyone. If you are not sure if you'll want them and still would like the option of getting your money back in full without questions being asked, the 1irons are the way to go.
7) Discounts and Coupons - David Lake gives away free club head covers or other similar things when you mention a Coupon Code with your purchase.
If you decide to purchase, you can use their Coupon Code 10507 to get your freebie.
My Choice
Although I really like the customization options and the fact that the cost of the iMatch SL's were cheaper, in April of 2007 I ended up going with a whole set of 1irons (I put my own grips on and am planning on putting in different shafts that are spine-alined). The primary reasons for me personally choosing them were that I liked the design consistency and that I could buy a full set of clubs.At first it was a bit awkward to get used to them. I made the same old misses with my long and short irons as I did with my old clubs. Plus, it was a bit strange to hit such long length wedges. But after about a month, my brain and body got used to the idea that I could make the same swing with the same ball position with every club in the bag. My iron consistency improved dramatically (especially with the long irons) and my chipping also actually got better. I like to use different clubs around the green, so with the only variable that changes in the club being loft...the only thing that changes in the shot is it's height.
By the time July rolled around and I played in the Long Beach Open, using the 1irons I shot my first tournament round ever in the 60s. Not bad for someone who was a recent 14-handicapper!
That said, although I believe in the same length iron concept and really prefer my 1irons to any other set I've ever had, I must admit that they are still not my dream set. Were I in the golf club design business, I would have forged irons (so that the loft and lies could be more easily bent and customized) available in right and left handed options and in each of a blade, smaller cavity back, and deeper cavity back design. Other than that, the 1irons are really close!
One Other Thing to Keep in Mind
If you decide to buy a set for yourself, there is one other thing to keep in mind. I know some people that have purchased a set of same length clubs and have experienced distance losses compared to their old irons. After a bit of investigation, I discovered that there were key differences in their clubs. For example, a steel-shafted 47-degree Pitching Wedge will not likely go as far a graphite-shafted 45-degree Pitching Wedge. While they are both "Pitching Wedges", one is two degrees stronger and lighter weight than the other. Of course, it will go farther!Questions About Same Length Clubs?
I hope this information has been of use to you.If you have any questions about same length clubs, feel free to ask!
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