Register Now
Registration is free, quick and simple, so join Sandwedged now!
Join SandwedgedGolf Clubs Explained: The Irons
Irons are most commonly used for shorter shots than the woods and are the most versatile club in terms of the variety of different shots that can be made with the same club. The irons range from numbers 1 to 9 and as a general rule of thumb, the closer you are to the green, the higher the number of iron you should use. The most standard set of irons that a golfer would take in his or her bag would be 3,4,5,6,7,8,9 in addition to a pitching and /or sand wedge.
The lower the number of iron, the longer the length of shaft is. As a result, the 1 to 4 irons are called the 'long irons', the 5 to 7 irons the 'mid irons' and 8 irons to wedges are known as the 'short irons'. Typically the shorter irons are easier to hit than the mid irons, which are in turn easier to hit than the long irons. This is because the shorter the shaft, the easier it is to control the swing, with the greater loft helping to get the ball airborne.
Learning how far you can hit each iron is one of the most important things for any golfer. Although there are guides as to how far certain irons can be hit, there is no 'right' distance, it will be totally down to your individual game.
The irons get their name simply from the fact that they were made with metal clubheads. There are three types of iron design; muscle-backs, cavity backs and hybrids.
Muscle-back irons
Muscle-backs are irons that have a full back of the clubhead. They are mainly used by accomplished golfers because they provide greater feedback to a golfer but as a result, require significantly greater consistency. Muscle-backs can give greater accuracy but at the cost of a little distance, which means that off-centre strikes will lose a golfer significant yardage.
Cavity-back irons
Cavity back irons are characterised by a hollowed-out centre which allows for weight redistribution around the perimeter of the clubhead. Mid to high-handicappers will most likely use these irons as there is less variation between a centred hit and an off-centred hit, thus being more forgiving than muscle-backs.
Hybrid irons
Hybrid irons are relatively new types of golf irons. Although similar in terms of loft, length and numbering, the clubhead is similar to a fairway wood. This results in greater distance but a little less accuracy.
If you need some advice or guidance how to hit your golf irons correctly, why don't you check out the Sandwedged golf tips and tricks videos?