I realize you'd still use the "long irons" to hit the ball longer. I was being a bit facetious with that comment. It's all mental, I'm sure.
Ping buys Single Length patent from Nike
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A single length set with everything the exact same length!? I can't see how that would possibly work. And the woods all weighing a total of 200g?? That would mean a head weight of 130g, even if using an ultralight 45g shaft and 25g lightweight grip. Good luck with that! Also, what is the 70 number for the length?? 70cm = 27.55" but that's obviously not right. Seems like a patent for something that won't ever actually see the light of day.
I've never reviewed a patent for a golf club or anything really but I don't think the numbers correlate with weights or lengths but are rather numbers for references made within the patent.
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Oh, okay, that makes more sense. LOL. Only reason I thought it was weight is because of the #400 for the irons, which is about what they would be with a lightweight shaft (265-270g head, 80-85g shaft, 50g grip).
I still don't see how a full set of Driver-wedge at the same length would even work though. As has been proven by existing SL sets, once you get below a certain loft (it varies by swing speed) you'll need a longer club to get the appropriate distance with it. No way is anyone going to get any sort of respectable distance with an iron-length driver.
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customgolfcenter it would certainly be interesting to try a 37" driver!
I'm sure I've read before about PGA Tour pros using a 40" driver. That'd be about the length of a typical 1-iron, wouldn't it?
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Jimmy Walker put a 42" driver into play this year, not sure if he's still using it or not.
Eh, maybe not. I've been out of the game for a while. I dunno. I do know, from my limited experience, I used to hit my steel shafted 43" driver further than my playing partners' longer graphite shafted drivers. I'm 1/2 tempted to put a grip on my steel shafted 10° Spectrum and give it a go.
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puttnfool why not....I'm currently playing my 919 HL at 43.75 with s2s black 85.....Not as long as with my other setups, but it's easier to control and center face strikes are improved. I added a lot of weight and it's essentially a big headed 2 or 3 wood....Sometimes referred to as a thriver
We'll see. I'm not hitting the current driver all that bad. I honestly only need it about 3-4 times per round on the courses I play here anyway.
The whole thing I don't get is the fact that the average golfer can't swing a 37 inch club of any kind more than 70 mph. A 70 mph anything won't carry more than 150 yards. Lowering the lofts kills carry distance even more. How can a golfer play a good round without the ability to hit any shot over 150. Add to that a shorter wood that won't travel 200 .
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The difference between a 5I and 7I is just an inch.
The difference between a 7I and a 9I is just an inch.
I don't grip every shot at the same precise location. I am sure I could easily grip 2 different shots with the same iron 1/2 inch higher/lower without even noticing that I am doing it.
So single length is literally simply an inch or less change.
If you are so sensitive that choking down an inch on a 5I causes some sort of swing break down do to a dynamic swing weight change, then by all means, go SL Immediately. Otherwise......???? Club up and/or choke down.
The well designed SL sets are designed to have the entirely same setup for each club.
The traditional iron sets require that each club has its own unique setup procedure, especially in terms of ball location.
You mention that a 1/2" difference in where you grip the club makes an unnoticeable difference in your results.
However, the real reason why the SL technology is gaining interest is the stup at the other end of the club. With SL you have the same setup for each club, same ball positioning, same posture, same point of aim for the intended shot. The 1/2" difference may not make a big difference for you at the grip end of the club, but setup with the ball 1/2" forward in your stance and the difference is more noticeable.
As for the entire set being same length, that will take some sort of magic, or the entire set is 43"
a 43" lob wedge would definitely be interesting.
I would think most golfers alter their ball position a little depending on the shot they have to make. Get under a few branches and take a routine swing and watch the ball rattle around like a pin ball machine. I'm teaching my son in law to play and one of the first things is getting it out of the woods, he's there more than the fairway.
Sure, but that's a situational adjustment and not a "well this is a different iron, so you have to position the ball differently." with SL you still move the ball around to alter your shot, but you're starting from the same point every time and then making the necessary adjustment for trajectory or the situation.
While I haven't yet built a SL set (it is on my to do list) one aspect of an SL set that intrigues me is how it could improve the approach game. I imagine it will be really easy to adjust distance for a pitch shot by just changing irons as the setup and swing will be exactly the same.