GolfTEC Blog

In part 2 of his guest post, Zach Lambeck — GolfTEC Coach, Houston, TX — gets down to the details on blended sets.

Part 2:

The Blended Set

In the last post (Part 1), I introduced the idea of blended iron sets.

More specifically, we looked at some of the common problems golfers face and how switching to a blended iron set can help solve those problems.

In this post, I’ll explain exactly what a blended iron set is and how you can build one. So let’s get to it.

Many of my students struggle with their mid-irons but don’t want to give up their existing short irons. Even though they can only hit half the irons in their bag, they love the feel of those short sticks and can’t imagine playing a more forgiving pitching wedge. If this sounds familiar, here is a step-by-step guide to building your blended set:

• Take the mid-irons (typically 4-7) out of your bag
• Set them in the back corner of your closet
• Go to your favorite club manufacturer’s website and pick out a few of their forgiving irons
• Visit your local GolfTEC or Golfsmith to try out each model
• Purchase the replacement mid-irons that you like best and throw ‘em in your bag

An example scenario:

You play Mizuno MP-52 irons, but you want a more consistent mid-iron game. You try out the MX-300’s and MX-1000’s—finding that the MX-300’s are the perfect fit for your mid-iron game. So, you switch out your MP-52 mid-irons for the MX-300’s and stroll out on to the course with your confidence-boosting blended set of irons.

One thing to consider: Because a blended iron set consists of two different club heads, it is critical to get the entire set fit by a PGA Professional or certified club-fitting specialist. It may be a blended set, but it is still a set, and like any set, it needs to work together. Whether you purchase your set at GolfTEC, Golfsmith or another retailer, make sure you take the time to get the entire set fit—specifically loft, lie and length.

Also, I’ve heard many golfers ask about purchasing individual irons and the extra cost involved. It’s a good question, but it’s not something you need to worry about. Irons are priced per club and can be purchased in any mixture at no extra charge, so don’t be afraid of extra fees!

I’ve seen the blended set work for many of my students. If you want to see improvement in your mid-iron play, talk to your GolfTEC Coach and make the switch!

Thanks to Zack for providing his insight on blended iron sets. So what do you think about blended sets? Questions about them? Leave it below.

A two-part guest post from Zach Lambeck — GolfTEC Coach, Houston, TX — discussing blended iron sets. Check back shortly for part 2.

Part 1:

The problem

At first it doesn’t seem like there is a problem. In fact, it seems like a perfect day on the links. You have your game figured out today. You’re throwing darts with the short irons. That 3-hybrid you just added to the bag this week is the greatest purchase you ever made. So what is the problem? There is an all-carry 4-iron coming up. A little off the toe, maybe a little thin, and all of the sudden you’re in the drink, dropping with a penalty stroke. Another great round turned mediocre. Then it happens once more with that 6-iron you never hit well—chalk another round lost to the Golf Gods.

How it all starts

The majority of my students do not hit mid-irons well, and for many of them, it is the weakest part of their game. Short irons offer a good chance at center-faced hits thanks to their shorter length, providing more control over the swing. When it comes to the longer clubs in the bag, equipment has evolved: Drivers, fairway woods and hybrids provide the maximum amount of forgiveness possible — giving golfers a great opportunity to hit a good shot, even if the ball isn’t hit perfectly in the center of the club.

When we look at the 4-7 irons, however, there is potential for significant improvement. Two questions about your current iron set:

1. Do you love your short irons but struggle with mid-irons, as even a minor miss-hit sends the ball off the target line?
2. Does your 6-iron ever go the same distance as your 8-iron?

If you answered yes to either of those questions — or you just don’t feel quite as confident with your mid-irons as you do with your short irons — you should consider playing a blended set of irons.

So why should you care about blended sets?

Because of the larger sweet spot and increased forgiveness, that’s why.

Imagine if you hit a few extra approach shots per round on or next to the green. Imagine if you had confidence that your 5-iron would clear the water (most of the time). Imagine if you had equal confidence with your 4-iron and 9-iron!

That wraps up part 1 of our look at blended iron sets. Check back in a few days to read part 2 — where we’ll take a closer look at blended sets and how you should go about building one.