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So you decided to play a game of golf and bought yourself a golf club. You make your way to the field and get ready to swing. It ends badly. Try as you might, something feels off.
A golf iron is an essential component of your golf club, and a mismatched golf iron can do a lot of harm to your swing.
As such, it is important to go about looking through golf irons before hitting the field. This article will help you learn how to choose golf irons properly.
Types of Golf Irons
The characteristic part of a golf club is the clubhead, which is usually made out of iron. This lead to them being called golf irons.
Before you can go on to make a proper pick in regards to which golf iron will improve your game, you will need to look over the types of golf iron available to you.
Muscle Back
These types of golf iron are also alternatively known as blades. They are your standard golf irons featuring a plain design with a flat face on the rear. There is no hollowed out part of the iron.
These are mostly seen in professional levels of play as they are quite difficult to use for beginners.
The flat rear leaves very little room for mistake as poorly placed hits to the ball will result in misplaced shots and a decrease in speed.
On the other hand, muscle backs specialize in lower trajectory shots and do not cause the ball to fly high into the air.
Muscle backs are usually made out of forged iron, but cast iron muscle backs are also available. They are not the first choice for many golfers as they have a steep learning curve.
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Cavity Back
Contrary to the design of muscle backs, cavity backs feature a hollowed-out rear. This is an important design difference and essentially what makes cavity back irons so popular.
What a hollowed-out rear does is cause the weight of the iron to be focused on the perimeter of the golf club.
This essentially increases the area of impact of your golf club during a swing and decreases the swing error.
You don’t have to align the golf iron exactly to the ball to make the best of your swing anymore. As a result, these golf irons have led to being called “game improvement” golf clubs.
They have a higher room for error and are generally easier to use without being punished heavily for mistakes.
And they are generally the more popular type of iron simply because they are much easier to use and are popular for many people, especially beginners. Cavity backs are generally made out of cast iron.
Things to Consider while Buying Golf Irons
Choosing the right golf iron is not an easy task. There are many factors you will need to take into consideration when buying one. The factors to keep in mind are:
Playing Ability
Your playing ability and experience are very important in deciding which golf iron you should use.
Different golf irons are made for different skill levels, with some made for a new player to get accustomed to playing the game. How you play is also very important in deciding which golf iron to choose.
Some irons are better suited to more high impact shots while some are dedicated to lofting shots.
If you’re a beginner and want to try out golf, you should always go with a cavity back iron as they are much easier to use and more friendly.
They will allow you to learn the game without being punished for mistakes and thus will help grow your interest in the game.
As a professional, one can go for either muscle back or cavity back. If you are confident in your ability to correctly connect the sweet spot of your club to the ball, then either one is a good choice.
Weight of the Iron
A heavier iron will generally exert more force upon impact with the golf ball. This translates to higher speed and, in turn, greater distance. This is under the assumption that you will be able to swing the heavier iron at the same speed.
Most golf courses last for a long time and having a heavier iron might tire you out from all the swings.
While a heavier iron seems more attractive for being able to make long-distance shots, you should take into account whether you can keep swinging it with the same amount of force.
If you can’t, it is probably better to get a lighter iron.
Shaft Flex
The type of shaft you’ll use largely depends on what you want. If your priority is to produce high-speed swings, then you will want a lighter shaft.
A heavier shaft provides lower swing speed in exchange for more ball control. Choose the one you’ll need. Flex refers to how the shaft of the golf club twists during the swing.
A stiffer flex will prevent any twists or turns during a swing, while more loose flexes will result in movement of the shaft. The type of flex you should choose primarily depends on how fast you can swing and hit the ball.
And the faster you can hit the ball, the stiffer your flex should be. Using a flexible shaft at higher speeds will cause the ball to go out of control, and you will sacrifice a great deal of accuracy.
Comfort and Ease of Use
Probably the most important factor is how comfortable the golf iron is for you. You must take to trying out your golf iron before purchasing it. If it feels right in your hands, feel free to use that iron.
Conclusion
Hopefully, this article has given you insight and helped you learn how to choose golf irons the right way. Let us know in the comment section if you found the article helpful.