As we move closer to 2014 equipment manufacturers are beginning to introduce us to their next generation of clubs. When it comes to the next iron sets one thing you can be sure of is that they will be less lofted than previous models. Lowering the lofts on irons seems to be standard practice at the moment. Jaacob Bowden a senior writer on Golfwrx says it’s to help with marketing and in “selling consumers new clubs”. Stronger irons mean that golfers can now hit their short irons further than ever, a great ego-trip no doubt. But what are the consequences in the middle to longer irons?

The middle irons (8,7 & 6) are where we start to see the effects of the lower lofts for certain golfers. For those who are able to carry their driver over 250 yards you are still in the clear. You will see approximately 10-yard gaps between these middle irons. However for all of those who cannot hit their driver 250 through the air the 10-yard gapping that we hope to see begins to diminish. 230 yards through the air with a driver will see your gapping drop to 9 yards between the middle irons, 206 yards through the air with the driver and the gaps drop to just 7 yards.

These small drops in the gapping in the middle irons are less than ideal but not a huge cause for concern. However when we get into the long irons the carry distances between clubs drops significantly.

If you hit your driver 230 yards through the air, the gap between your long irons (3,4 & 5) will be around 7 yards. At 206 yards through the air with the driver and the gap is down to just 5 yards.

So what does this all mean?

If you can’t carry your driver over 200 yards then your next set should be 6 iron and down, since long irons are no longer going to help you. A 230 yard carry with the driver and your next set should include a 5 iron as it will be beneficial. A 250 yard carry means that a 4 iron is worth carrying as there will still be a sufficient gap between it and the 5 iron.

3 irons are now so strong that they are next to useless for all but the longest of hitters.

But don’t think that buying clubs only up to a 6 iron will necessarily save you money. Whilst pitching wedge lofts have got stronger, sand wedges have stayed the same (to allow you to get out of bunkers), so now you have a wide gap, often as much as 10 degrees. So, along with your pitching wedge and sand wedge you will also need a gap wedge in your new set.

So, although we are dropping longer irons we are picking up additional wedges. It means that we are carrying clubs with similar lofts to those we would have carried many moons ago, ranging from approximately 26 degrees to 56 degrees. The only difference now is that your 7 iron goes further and it feels great, but that’s because 10 years ago that 7 iron would have said 5 on the bottom!

If you want to measure your carry distances or discuss how a Miura gap wedge could help your game then get in CONTACT.