Explain Forgiveness to Me? I don’t need higher launch

[HateTheHighDraw]

Question: I have decent swing speed (108 driver - 90 7 iron) and have no problem launching the ball. Why are “forgiving” irons, at least from a marketing standpoint, primarily focused on helping to launch the ball higher? I really just need heel/toe forgiveness, without moon ball launch and the low spin.
 

is it marketing or is there simply a missing segment in the market for clubs that are forgiving but don’t send the ball to the moon?  It doesn’t seem that players distance irons necessarily address this?  
 

or is it a matter of matching a stiffer/lower launching shaft to a higher launching/forgiving head? 

 

For me personally, I prefer more spin and lower launch, but I could benefit from a more forgiving iron.   

Edited April 6, 2024 by HateTheHighDraw

[gvogel]

What are you playing now?

 

T150 might be more forgiving.  Find some old AP1's and have them reshafted.  AP1 712 have the same lofts as T100 today.

[HateTheHighDraw]

Playing Edel SMS Pro currently (have been for about a year).  

[Denny100]

why not try a strong (ish) lofted players distance iron? i think this will give you the benefits of consistent spin without the higher launch?

[robbie91]

To provide heel / toe forgiveness manufacturers must engineer a club that offers better stability. This involves a number of things, often including increasing perimeter weighting and moving the MOI lower into the club. These adjustments usually result in a club head design that launches the ball higher. Depending on how much forgiveness you need, there are a few ways to get around this and you can certainly shop for an iron that has a bit less forgiveness than a true game improvement design while still providing some help. The other option, as you mentioned, is to choose a shaft set up and/or adjust lofts to decrease launch a bit. Clubs like P770 and ZX5 might be a good starting point. They will still launch the ball high but they won't shoot the ball to the moon either. 

[realmfg]

Find yourself a nice used set of Ping i210s.  Perfect balance of a players club with tons of forgiveness.

[robbie91]

1 hour ago, realmfg said:

Find yourself a nice used set of Ping i210s.  Perfect balance of a players club with tons of forgiveness.

 

I agree. I210's do launch and spin quite high though. 

[Urb]

New Level 902 OS or the older 902 PD.  Big blade length, fully forged, not a launch monster.

 

The yet to be released 480 DB would probably work as well.  

[gdb99]

Marketing.

I swing around 78 mph with a 7 iron. The new "Players distance" iron do not work for me, because they do not have enough loft. I can not hit these irons high enough and get a decent landing angle to hold a green.

 

I'm a little surprised that, at your swing speed, you are hitting them too high. I think these strong lofted irons are for the guy that has a high swing speed, has too much spin, and hits the ball too high.

I guess a good fitting would help us both.

 

[Urb]

Jpx923 Pro or Forged probably other options for decently big but not moon ball shooter.

Edited April 7, 2024 by Urb

[Ri_Redneck]

OEM's definition of "Forgiveness" is ANYTHING that helps fix a shortcoming in any golfers swing. Typical characteristics are Low CoG, High Clubhead MOI, Lighter overall weight, Increased camber/bounce, stronger lofts.

 

If you have that high of a swing speed and all you need is Higher MOI to help with dispersion, it's entirely possible that all/some of those other things may work AGAINST you! You have to educate yourself to recognize which clubheads work for you and which ones don't. The recommendations above are a great start, but recommendations don't replace knowledge.

 

BT

[ThinkingPlus]

Go to this link: https://www.golfworks.com/head-mpf-ratings/

 

Open various OEM pdfs where Golfworks has compiled measured data which characterizes iron clubheads (6 iron specifically). Find heads with high MOI and high Actual VCOG. Arrange to hit these clubs at your favorite launch monitor hitting bay. Choose wisely.

[Chrischo555]

Yeah, more or less just a missing segment like you said. P770s are solid because only the long irons have foam so the short irons don't launch on you. i230 like others have suggested are very very nice and are probably exactly what you're looking for. PXG has some good stuff in that "players who are good but not quite good enough for players irons" category. T150 combo set with T200 bent weak could be solid too.