launching 3 iron

[radar1]

Hi all, just thought I would start this afresh though it is related to my 3and 4 iron post.I am trying to sort my bag in light of now being able to use my 3and4 irons My question is.. can one launch a ball with a long iron, and have a trajectory similar to a 7 wood and still gain more yardage than say an 8 i in the same lie?
Peter

[Paraneva]

Re: launching 3 iron

Nope!

If you could increase the speed of the clubhead beyonds all physical limits, the trajectory of 3 could look "quite" similar to 7 but yet, no you cannot do it (*)

web4homes.com/golf represents standards for a bogey golfer on a good day (**)

Notice how the (back) spin rate decreases with the longer clubs.

The backspin rate is one of the most important factors affecting the trajectory of the ball: longer club, lower trajectory => longer distance (with proper spin)

And the effects of too low or too high (back) spin rates are nicely depicted at (where insufficient could mean even forward spin or negative backspin)

2.bp.blogspot.com/_YNbhi1sOQrM/SVXl27-h3zI/AAAAAAAAADw/4cDZ_SOZM6E/s1600/spin-trajectory.jpg

The clubs are different but you should be able to use them with nearly the same swing because they each have a different loft that takes care of the launch angle.

(*) at higher speeds, the friction of the air depends on higher powers of the speed so even in theory you cannot launch the ball to a club 7 trajectory with a club of 3

(**) I don't know if it is typical but my hybrids differ from the woods in table #1: 2H=18°, 3H=21°, 4H=24°, 5H=27°)

[radar1]

Re: launching 3 iron

Thanks for the answer Paraneva, I need time to process this but could you keep an eye out for my reply, I think this could be interesting. I got a yes answer from another site
Regards Peter

[radar1]

Re: launching 3 iron

I do believe you are right. But it might be possible to launch a 5h like a 7w

[GBergstrom]

Re: launching 3 iron

Hi radar, just thought I'd chime in on this one - hope I'm not too late, but it might give others something to think about.

I'm going to guess that the apex (higest point your shot reaches) with your 3 iron is considerably lower than it is with a 7 wood. Even the pros can't launch their 3 irons as high as a fairway wood or a hybrid (google "pga tour averages trackman"). If you live in a place where the conditions are regularly soft and damp, a club with more carry like a 7 wood or a 21 degree hybrid would make more sense. Likewise, if you live where the conditions are regulary windy, a long iron that keeps the ball down a bit might make more sense.

For us amateurs, I would vote for all the carry I could get. I don't have a 7 wood, but I do have a 21 degree hybrid and a 19 degree fairway wood, and both launch high and land like a butterfly. Food for thought.

Cheers, GB

[keiko]

Re: launching 3 iron

Good to see you back paraneva and hope weather is permitting great golf there.
Anyway, I find questions about trajectory to be rather moot but to satisfy the poster, hit down with all irons and hybrids and some fairway clubs. The natural loft is what it is and when one tries to manipulate it, one finds problems. Accept that a 3 iron when hit properly will of course have less trajectory than a 7 W. That's fine and should not be a problem. If hit properly, a low iron can and should still fly pretty high and will stop normally with a bounce and check on the greens unless hit from the rough.
I am old school so I enjoy hitting the low irons; heck, I just took my 1 iron out of my bag last year.

[BrianW]

Re: launching 3 iron

Fairway woods and Hybrid clubs have a centre of gravity that is lower and further back in the clubhead than an iron. The COG in an iron is towards the front of the clubhead, it has to be due to the width of the clubfaces material. The lower the centre of gravity and the farther back the centre of gravity is from the face of the club, the higher the trajectory of the shot will be for any given loft angle on the clubhead. This accounts for the lower trajectory in an iron and higher with woods.

[kbp]

Re: launching 3 iron

To the OP. Of course you can hit a high launching 3 iron......if you mainipulate the effective loft. Dependent on the lie, also. Are you that good?

Anyone who has played a "7 iron only" tournament (a round using only the 7 iron) knows you can hit a lot of different trajectories and distances with the same club IF IF IF you know what your doing.

OTOH, if you want a 7w flight, why not just hit the 7w.

[rogue]

Re: launching 3 iron

I dont think i understand this post too much. But Kpb is defo right. of course you can manipulate the loft of a club in so many ways. Ball position more forward makes it more difficult to strike the ball first, but from a good lie can offer a higher flight from both shallower angle of attack and increased dynamic loft. What about playing a fade, opening the face to the right and increasing the loft. What about where your hands are at impact.

Plus trackman stats show a ceiling of 30 meters for all clubs, regarldess of loft. a 7 iron peak height is te same as a 3 iron for a pro

[keiko]

Re: launching 3 iron

In my post I said the loft is what it is unless you manipulate it. At least everyone agrees with that since that is what they posted later.

[kbp]

Re: launching 3 iron

Yes, of course, except that you are suggesting the loft NOT be manipulated and I am suggesting it is a handy skill to have IF IF IF the player has the ability.

[rogue]

Re: launching 3 iron

Yes, of course, except that you are suggesting the loft NOT be manipulated and I am suggesting it is a handy skill to have IF IF IF the player has the ability.

agreed. Manipulating the loft is not a bad thing. the easiest way is to open the face (turn right) and play more of a fading shot. This would offer a higher flight and a softer landing ball (all other things being equal). A more difficult way is to move the ball position forward. Again you would just have to be adept at hitting the ground in the right place. Lastly trying to flick your hands through impact requires much more skill but doesnt really offer any more benefits that the above two ways.

If you dont manipulate the loft in short game also you are severely limiting yourself.

[keiko]

Re: launching 3 iron

Here you 20 something handicap guys are telling other high handicappers to manipulate irons when you and they can't hit an iron the normal way yet.
go figure, I am out of this site and will stop wasting my time.

agreed. Manipulating the loft is not a bad thing. the easiest way is to open the face (turn right) and play more of a fading shot. This would offer a higher flight and a softer landing ball (all other things being equal). A more difficult way is to move the ball position forward. Again you would just have to be adept at hitting the ground in the right place. Lastly trying to flick your hands through impact requires much more skill but doesnt really offer any more benefits that the above two ways.

If you dont manipulate the loft in short game also you are severely limiting yourself.

[rogue]

Re: launching 3 iron

Here you 20 something handicap guys are telling other high handicappers to manipulate irons when you and they can't hit an iron the normal way yet.
go figure, I am out of this site and will stop wasting my time.

What a moron. For one I am a professional, and able to do all the advice i give. Secondly I taught myself to hit the ball right and left and high and low from the very beginnings of my golf. In fact today i taught a group of beginners the basics of face variance, getting them to hit left and right shots by doing a jack nicklaus style 'rotate clubface then grip' method. it's Not rocket science and easily somthing anyone can grasp as long as they can strike a ball.

Whatever gave you the idea i was a 20 handicapper when i school you on everything pertaining to golf knowledge. If you can't handle your opinions being challenged then don't spout them as gospel. The good thing is keiko that in every bad thing that happens to you there are positives. So for example, if I school you in something, you get to learn from someone who actually knows from first hand experience as a professional, and as second hand experience in teaching others to do the same.

The difference between us keiko is that if someone challneges my ideas and actually comes up with an evidence or rational conclusion to why their ideas are correct, I applaud that and am willing to take the learning from it. When someone challneges you however, you throw out your dummy and attack the person. Well here is someone attacking you back. idiot. Don't care if this post gets deleted by moderators, they all think the same of you

[steve-o]

Re: launching 3 iron

i used to love this site,but now it seems all anybody wants to do is put other people down. to bad.no wonder it seems like only the same few people answering post,because thats all thats left here.to bad !