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Bigger advance in past 10 years: irons or drivers?

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arydolphin

arydolphin

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Was discussing this with a friend the other day and thought I'd see what others have to say. I think irons have come further than drivers in the past 10 years, with the advances in multi-material construction and being able to get driver-like faces on irons. My friend argued drivers because companies are now able to give us high launch, low spin and forgiveness in the same package. What do you say?
 
This is a great question.

I don’t know the answer, I’d say drivers because distance gains from drivers have been greater than irons.

however I think graphite shafts in the improved tech in irons make a compelling case
 
I think drivers. I have no evidence but that’s what I think.
 
Initially I think drivers because the heads have grown and technology has allowed golfers to retain crazy ball speeds on mishits. Sliding weights, dual cog hostels, etc...

I come back to leaning irons. No longer is it a cast or forged choice. You have multi material iron heads with cg placements to help launch and forgiveness and still package that in a small package that better players like. From traditional forged heads with cup face tech or hollow body distance irons I think there is still more to uncover with irons.

great question and I look forward to the thoughts from others.
 
I am gonna say irons.

If you look at the amount of tech that they are now cramming into reasonable sized package when it comea to player distance (i.e hmb, p790, i500, forged tech, etc), i dont believe drivers have hand an equal impact.

Distance or improvement irons 10 years ago were shovels, now you can buy some that actually look good. On the flip side, my G25 driver is not so so much different than my g400. G400 better? Yes. As big of a shift as irons have made? I dont think so.
 
I would say Driver.
Modern drivers are so much easier to hit and they usually go straight. Also they all look and feel good.
Irons other hand beautiful irons are still tough to hit and like other said distance and accuracy still falls behind drivers.



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Irons. Ten years ago, you had some pretty darn good drivers out on the market.

Ten years ago, you didn't have cup face like technology in irons.
 
Great, great question. I’ll say it is drivers but over the last five, irons.
 
I think drivers because it is easier to equate the advances to actual gain.
Making an iron more forgiving, more consistent across the face, more consistent flight.... perhaps less "sexy" than 15 more yards from the driver.
 
I am leaning drivers on this one. Driving distance is way up on the tour. A muscle back blade is still a muscle back blade for the most part.
 
Driver Gold Hot List from that year;
Adams Speedline Fast 10
Callaway Diablo Edge & Tour
Callaway FT-IZ
Cleveland Launcher DST
Cobra S2
Cobra ZL
Nike VR STR8-Fit Tour
Ping G15
TaylorMade R9
TaylorMade R9 460

Iron Gold Hot List from that year;
Adams Idea A7
Callaway Diablo Forged
Ping G15
TaylorMade Burner
TaykorMade R9
Titleist AP1
Adams Idea A7OS
Adams Idea A7OS Max
Callaway Diablo Edge
Cobra S2 MAX
Mizuno MX-1000
Wilson D-FY
Mizuno MP-58
Taylormade R9TP
Titleist AP-2
 
I think irons. There have been some great improvements in materials used, the amount of forgiveness from players to GI irons.
 
I think it’s irons and not close. The tech in irons has travelled so much farther in the last decade.
The difference in my irons compared to ten years ago is much bigger than the difference between my 910 and TS3 drivers.
 
If Burner 2.0 irons were out by then, I'd have a hard time arguing for irons, but I don't see anything even remotely forgiving on that list that I'd throw in the bag today.

That said, I'd put an R9, a Fast 10, or a Str8 fit tour in the bag and not stress about it.
 
Canadan said:
Driver Gold Hot List from that year;
Adams Speedline Fast 10
Callaway Diablo Edge & Tour
Callaway FT-IZ
Cleveland Launcher DST
Cobra S2
Cobra ZL
Nike VR STR8-Fit Tour
Ping G15
TaylorMade R9
TaylorMade R9 460

Iron Gold Hot List from that year;
Adams Idea A7
Callaway Diablo Forged
Ping G15
TaylorMade Burner
TaykorMade R9
Titleist AP1
Adams Idea A7OS
Adams Idea A7OS Max
Callaway Diablo Edge
Cobra S2 MAX
Mizuno MX-1000
Wilson D-FY
Mizuno MP-58
Taylormade R9TP
Titleist AP-2
Click to expand...
I did love the S2 driver back then...
 
Doing a quick google search on pga driving distance, it looks like a 7 yard gain over 10 years. That to me tells me its gotta be irons. 7 yards could be the driver itself, but there is also the influence of the ball and the shaft in that 7 yards.

Just confirms my choice above of irons.
 
Jwadds said:
Doing a quick google search on pga driving distance, it looks like a 7 yard gain over 10 years. That to me tells me its gotta be irons. 7 yards could be the driver itself, but there is also the influence of the ball and the shaft in that 7 yards.

Just confirms my choice above of irons.
Click to expand...
Not to mention most iron tech isn't really implemented on tour.
 
Initially I immediately thought driver but after seeing that list I'll switch to irons. Materials, hollow body design, Cup Face, etc. have created some pretty impressive forgiveness and distance that didn't exist to that level.
 
This is quite the interesting thread. When I came back into the sport I was wowed by the ease of launch from modern irons. Internet golfer has driven my eye to driver tech. So initially I thought more advancement there, but I think after reading some of the above I’m back to marveling at the technology in modern irons.
 
This is a tough one. My first thought was driver but after reading the compelling arguments in various posts I will go with irons also.
 
I would say ,drivers . But that might be only my observations
 
Definitely irons!
 
A diplomatic answer, is that both have progressed equally in their own way. Both have benefited from the same engineering teams, resources, and I assume level of investment. I think drivers lead the technology charge in terms of material demands and shape possibilities, simply due to the thin construction and high stress level involved. Irons have benefited from a lot of technology developed for woods, and tremendously so from that learning curve in the last 10 years. However, woods continue to push the envelope, less so with irons evening the gap.
 
I think if the question was asked 5 years ago, most people would say driver. But there has been a ton of really impressive tech showing up in irons over the past few years, and I think it's even more impressive given the engineering constraints (club head size, etc.). I keep thinking "there's not much more they can do" and then somebody comes up with another great innovation.
 
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