fatshot if you adjust your irons to set up 5* increments and "lose" one club, should the shaft LENGTHS also be adjusted accordingly to set up 1/2" increments to help achieve the right distance gaps? Lie angles as well?
A little history how my bag evolved : my full bag was pretty traditional : #1,#3 and #5 wood, 4-W irons, Gw, Sw and Lw. The first thing to go was the #3 wood, and the Driver that got replaced with a Thriver. Then the 3 wedge setup with 4° gaps got replaced with a 2 wedge setup with a 6° gap between them, and I realy prefer that gapping on my wedges. Later on the long irons got replaced one by one with high lofted faiways #7, #9, #11.
Reading here gave me the idea of constructing a 6° gap set for winter golf when carts and trolleys are not allowed on the course. On the local fleabay I stumbled on 3 Ping i3 irons : 7-8-W (the 9was missing) so I got them for 30€ shipping included. Those were for perfect for my project to turn them into 6/7, 8 and 9/W irons. Also bought a new Ram 2EZ which fits between and replaces both Super Concord #5 and #7 of my full bag.
Finished reshafting and bending the Ping's to black dot (from white dot) and to 6° gapping between clubs, and made them 3/4" lenght increments as well correcting the swing weight. This sets up my new 9 club bag. When I played them for the 1st time yesterday I didn't regret once not having the right club. The 6° or 15m gapping is working just fine for me, much better than playing a traditional half set. The minimalist winter bag may well become the permanent summer bag as well.
Acer XDS Insider thriver 14° (180m)
Ram 2EZ #7 21° (165m)
Super Concord #9 (or unmodified Ping I3 #5 iron) 27° (150m)
Ping I3 #7 bend from 34.5° to 33° (135m)
Ping I3 #8 bend from 38.5° to 39° (120m)
Ping I3 #W bend from 47° to 45° (105m)
Acer XB 52° bend to 51° (90m)
Acer XB 58° bend to 57° (75m)
Dynacraft On-Line putter