Equipment

Forum Thread of the Day: “Best Distance Irons for Seniors?”

Published

5 years ago

Dec 26, 2018

Today’s Forum Thread of the Day comes from disco111, who asks fellow GolfWRX members for their opinion on what are the best distance irons for seniors. Plenty of different clubs get a mention, and some of our older members also offer their advice on how to solve the issue of decreasing length.

Here are few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.

jjfcpa: “I’m 71 and been looking for more distance since I started playing just three years ago. Took a few lessons last year from Golftec just to make sure I had the fundamentals down and was not grooving a bad swing. I have pretty good luck with the short irons, but the long irons are a real problem for me. I’ve tried many irons and brands and just recently acquired a set of Z585’s from Srixon with lofts jacked 2 degrees and UST Recoil senior flex shafts. I’m finally seeing distances that I’ve expected from my mid irons and long irons.”
Cslade: “Rogue X are very strong lofts, but they also have a very low and deep CG. They should launch at about the same angle as more conventional lofts, spin a little less and go really far.”
farmer: “At 68, I play hybrids through the 7 iron. Easy to hit, easy to get into the air, distance is as good as any iron I’ve hit in my senior years. Easily 150 with the 6, easily 140 with the 7, good decision for me.”
wmblake2000: “I’m 66 and this getting older is a real thing. But I also notice I still have days and swings where I still hit it like I think I should. It just takes a better swing than it used to.”

Entire Thread: “Best Distance Irons for Seniors”

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Gianni Magliocco

Gianni is the Managing Editor at GolfWRX. He can be contacted at [email protected].

19 Comments

Methusalem

Jan 14, 2019 at 4:40 pm

Sorry but this makes no sense. What does that even mean „Distance irons for seniors“? Distance irons need a certain amount of clubhead speed so the proper question would be „Are there any distance irons for people with a low clubhead speed?“ And there is only one answer to this: If you can‘t generate enough clubhead speed for your distance iron, replace it with a hybrid. Why is this the forum thread of the day? Its a stupid question.

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budT

Jan 14, 2019 at 10:58 am

Don’t mess with Senior Golfers. We’re the ones who have the time and the money to play golf.

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Tom

Jan 10, 2019 at 12:21 pm

Senior golfers are more concerned about peeing every other hole than distance of their iron shots.

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Brad

Jan 9, 2019 at 6:36 pm

The irons that the majority of seniors should be playing with are the Cleveland Launcher HB irons, or similar from Tour Edge or even the older Cleveland Altitude hybrid irons.

Most of the “distance” irons on the market have lofts that are far too strong for the swing speeds of most senior golfers. Because of D-plane, stronger lofts are also harder to hit compared to clubs with more loft, no matter how low or deep the CG.

Golfers need to get off of the ego train and stop drinking the kool-aid from the marketing machines of these golf companies, so they can actually play better golf and save a few dollars.

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Johnny Penso

Dec 26, 2018 at 4:17 pm

The best distance irons for seniors are called hybrids.

/end thread

Reply Report comment
- MARK
  
  Aug 14, 2019 at 5:41 pm
  
  WHICH HYBRIDS DO YOU RECOMMEND.
  
  Reply Report comment
abe

Dec 26, 2018 at 1:18 pm

If your core is compromised with a loose weak enlarged belly and no x-factor between your hips and shoulders, you will never be able to generate enough kinetic energy to power up your kinetic chain. You are terminal.

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- geohogan
  
  Dec 27, 2018 at 12:05 pm
  
  Power in the golf swing comes from the turning of the torso. Clubhead speed from LAG.
  
  So called X factor is simply an illusion created by proper use of the scapula(loosest joint in the body)
  
  Reply Report comment
Jamie

Dec 26, 2018 at 11:28 am

Lofts being equal, it’s the shaft that will help seniors hit it further in a meaningful way and not the head.

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- smz
  
  Dec 26, 2018 at 2:18 pm
  
  Nothing will help seniors hit it further… it’s ‘old age despair’ creeping into the rest of their life on the golf course. Pathetic.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - JAMES BERRY
    
    Dec 27, 2018 at 8:28 am
    
    Just remember, getting old is a pleasure denied to many. I hope you get the pleasure.
    
    Reply Report comment
    - geohogan
      
      Dec 27, 2018 at 12:08 pm
      
      A truth for every golfer, the day will come when we will have hit our last golf ball.
      
      True at any age, we know not when that shot is our last.
      
      Reply Report comment
      - dixiedoc
        
        Dec 28, 2018 at 11:40 am
        
        Really, the slow play at our club is the 25 to 45 y/o who think that the pro tour is only a step away. Excessive times deciding which iron to hit, excessive times on the greens and you stroll along like you’ve got all the time in the world. The old guys play in about 3hrs and 40 minutes or less. We’ve timed the members so don’t say I’m making it up. You will be old one day too so learn to keep pace.
        
        Reply Report comment
      - Jim K
        
        Dec 28, 2018 at 12:47 pm
        
        Really? Then why are our two foursomes of old men in their 60s and 70s always waiting for the young guys ahead of us to get out of our way so we can finish in less than four hours and get to the bar for a few beers? By the way, most of us usually score between 75 and 85….how about you?
        
        Reply Report comment
        
        Vic
        
        Dec 29, 2018 at 11:08 am
        
        LOL well said.
        
        Reply Report comment
      - joro
        
        Dec 28, 2018 at 1:07 pm
        
        Abe, just remember this, you will get old also, at least I hope you do not leave us early. When you do just remember this shitty remark you made when you are wobbling around the green and trying to crawl out of a trap. It affects everyone that makes old age, but I hope your not hinting that we should just go away.
        
        Reply Report comment
  - Drbopperthp
    
    Dec 28, 2018 at 12:46 pm
    
    GFY
    
    Reply Report comment
    - Howard
      
      Dec 28, 2018 at 2:38 pm
      
      The cultured and educated reply from a moron. No/fewer seniors = fewer players = higher costs.
      If you are lucky you will live long enough to reach our “old age”.
      
      Reply Report comment
  - Robert Dicks
    
    Dec 29, 2018 at 9:48 am
    
    SMZ, if you worded your comment more cleverly, it might be taken tongue-in-cheek or as satire. But nope, it’s just mean. And the #1 reason for slow play is jerks of all ages playing from the wrong tee, not seniors on the course. And for distance as seniors, nothing beats a hybrid, as others have mentioned.
    
    Reply Report comment

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Equipment

A shocking Backstryke putter appearance + 7 interesting gear photos from the Zurich Classic

Published

10 hours ago

Apr 25, 2024

Andrew Tursky

Welcome to New Orleans, where TPC Louisiana plays host to the 2024 Zurich Classic. In between breakfast beignets and nightly Creole feasts, PGA Tour players are also competing in the unique two-man format at the Zurich this week.

Although the vibes in Nawlins are a bit lighter-fare than the recent back-to-back competitions the Masters and the RBC Heritage signature event), the gear news was no less serious this week.

We spotted some recent changes from Rory McIlroy, a very rare Odyssey Backstryke putter, dove into the bag of legendary New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, and spotted Patrick Cantlay continuing to test new equipment.

Get your beads out and crack your crawfish, because it’s time for an equipment rundown from The Big Easy (meaning New Orleans, of course, not Ernie Els).

See all of our photos from the Zurich Classic here

Rory’s on-and-off lob wedge

Since the end of 2023, Rory McIlroy has had an on-again, off-again relationship with a Titleist Vokey K-Grind lob wedge. In his last start, it was on, and the wedge is back in the bag again this week. We got a great look at the complicated grind that McIlroy uses.

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A full look into McIlroy’s bag above also shows that he switched out of the TaylorMade BRNR Mini Copper that he used at the RBC Heritage, and he’s back into the Qi10 core 3-wood. As we discussed last week, McIlroy will likely keep the BRNR around as a course-specific club, trading it in and out for the 3-wood.

See Rory McIlroy’s full 2024 WITB from the Zurich here

Turning Back the clock

Unless Tommy Gainey is in the field, it’s unlikely you’ll ever see Odyssey’s Backstryke technology make an appearance on the PGA Tour.

But then, when you least expect it, Russ Cochran shows up.

For more than a decade – since the 2013 Sony Open in Hawai’i – Cochran has been stuck on 599 PGA Tour starts. This week will be his 600th.

Cochran is in the field at the Zurich this week playing alongside Eric Cole, whose regular caddie is Reed Cochran, Russ’s son.

The Backstryke putter was first released back in 2010, and its unique design helps shift the axis point of the putter closer to the CG of the head. And, the putter is getting a nod this week at the Zurich Classic, thanks to Cochran’s 600th career PGA Tour start.

The putter is certainly awesome, but don’t forget to check out Cochran’s full WITB from this week.

Drew Brees with a Super Bowl winning Scotty Cameron putter

Drew Brees, a legendary retired quarterback for the hometown New Orleans Saints, made an appearance at the Zurich’s Wednesday Pro-Am, playing alongside Zach Johnson, Ryan Palmer, and current Saints QB Derek Carr.

Brees’ bag included a TaylorMade Stealth2 Plus driver, a BRNR Mini 13.5-degree, a Stealth 5-wood, a mixed set of P-790 and P-760 irons, Milled Grind Hi-Toe wedges, and a custom Scotty Cameron “New Orleans Saints” putter, which Scotty made for Brees following his Super Bowl MVP-winning performance in 2010.

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It should also be noted that Brees has his Venmo QR code as a bag tag.

If you’re gambling with Brees on the course, just know that not having cash won’t work as an excuse.

Brilliant.

See Drew Brees’ full WITB from the Zurich here

Stricker’s unrecognizable putter

Steve Stricker has made numerous upgrades to his bag recently, including a new TSR3 driver and T100 irons, but his longtime Odyssey White Hot No. 2 putter is still going strong. It’s the most recognizable unrecognizable putter ever.

Here’s a better look at Stricker’s flatstick, which he started using back in 2007.

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Patrick Cantlay has opened the equipment-switching floodgates

Over on the PGA Tour’s Equipment Report this week, we covered Cantlay’s recent switch into Ping Blueprint S irons, and a Titleist TSR2 driver.

Cantlay hadn’t switched irons for about seven years, so the iron switch he made at The 2024 Masters came as a shock to the norm. He simply isn’t one to change gear very often, so anytime Cantlay makes a switch, it’s news.

It seems the floodgates of equipment testing have opened up a bit for Cantlay, who was also spotted testing a custom Scotty Cameron blade putter on Tuesday this week. By Wednesday, Cantlay was back practicing with his familiar Scotty Cameron T5 Proto mallet, but it’s certainly something to keep an eye on going forward.

Daniel Berger’s custom Jailbird site lines

Berger, who’s currently using Odyssey’s Ai-One Mini Jailbird mallet putter, has a unique 3-dot, 2-line alignment on the crown of his navy-white-navy-white mallet putter. Looking down at the putter, it’s easy to see why this alignment system would help; it just seems impossible to set up to the ball off-center, or misaligned to the target.

Also, for anyone worried, you can rest easy. Yes, he’s still playing the 2013 TaylorMade TP MC irons, which we highlighted in our recent “Modern Classics: Old vs. New” video testing series.

FitzMagic teams back up

Brothers Matthew and Alex Fitzpatrick are teaming up once again at the Zurich this year, and Bettinardi Golf hooked them up with some festive “FitzMagic” headcovers to match this week.

See what else is in Alex Fitzpatrick’s WITB here

And, with that, we say goodbye to the Zurich Classic in New Orleans. Don’t forget to check out all of our photos from this week, including 30 unique photo galleries full of equipment photos.

We’ll see you next week in Texas for the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson!

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