Combo Iron Sets Can Unlock More Customized Performance

By Drew Mahowald -- 2nd Swing Staff Writer

Golf is a game of precision. 

Despite what you might see on TV every weekend as PGA Tour pros bulk up in an effort to increase their driving distance to 350 yards, precision reigns supreme.

Just look at the last two PGA Tour events since the tour resumed after a hiatus due to COVID-19. Daniel Berger won the Charles Schwab Challenge while ranking 31st in strokes gained off the tee and 23rd in driving distance. How? Well, he finished fifth in strokes gained on approach shots and eighth in strokes gained putting.

One week later, Webb Simpson won the RBC Heritage thanks to a stellar display of iron shots (No. 8 in strokes gained on approach shots) and putting (No. 2 in strokes gained putting). Simpson’s tee shots, however, were fairly pedestrian, as he finished the week 34th in strokes gained off the tee and 33rd in driving distance.

Admittedly, I hit driver more often than I should. However, I’ve noticed a pretty telling trend in my rounds. Hitting greens in regulation seems to have the most significant impact on my score. This year, my greens in regulation rate has increased thanks to my new combo iron set.

Combo sets are quite popular among tour professionals. It’s not uncommon to find two or even three different models of irons in a player’s bag. They do this because they want to gain every ounce of performance they can out of their irons.

But that doesn’t need to apply to just professionals. Plenty of amateur players, such as myself, can benefit from a combo set.

I’m a single-digit handicap and former college golfer. Most of the time, I make contact at or near the center of the clubface with my irons. However, I’m guilty of the occasional thin or thick miss, especially with my longer irons.

When discussing this with 2nd Swing master fitter Thomas Campbell, who fit me for my irons, he recommended the combo set. And I’m glad he did.

Specifically, he said the best place to consider switching to a more forgiving iron model is at the spot in the bag I begin attacking the center of the green, rather than the pin. After some consideration I realized that, for better or worse, I generally begin aiming for the center of the green with my 6-iron.

The i210 irons from PING make up my 7-iron through pitching wedge. A shallow-cavity players iron, the i210 model provides workability and control with enough forgiveness to allow me to zero in on the flagstick.

My 3-iron through 6-iron is made up of PING i500 irons. The i500 model is a players-distance model with added weight in the heel and toe areas of the clubhead to deliver more forgiveness where I need it.

One thing to note is that maintaining consistent loft gaps is important when forming a combo set. In the shorter i210 irons, my set begins with five degrees between each club and gradually decreases to three degrees between each club with my longer i500 irons. 

This combo set unique to my swing tendencies allows me to have confidence in every iron shot I hit. If I pull an i210 iron, I know I have the control necessary to go right at the pin. If I pull an i500 iron, I know my club is forgiving enough that I can take a solid swing at the green, even when it’s 200 yards away. 

Additionally, I’ve gravitated toward hitting more irons off the tee thanks to the i500 irons at the top of my set. The 3-iron and the 4-iron can play like driving irons and have provided an option off the tee that I didn’t have before. 

This unique iron set has made my game more precise. I’m hitting more greens in regulation. I’m hitting more fairways. And my scores are dropping.

If you’re like I was and feel less confident with your 5-iron than with your 9-iron, perhaps a combo set is exactly what you need.

If you’re interested in a combo set, 2nd Swing is a great place to start. Visit http://fitting.2ndswing.com/ to schedule an award-winning custom fitting or call (612) 216-4152 to speak with a certified master fitter over the phone.