Beware when shopping for new irons: All specs are not the same

We hear it all the time. A golfer is looking at some new irons from a different manufacturer than they’re currently playing, and they’re pondering whether the specs (length, lofts, lie angles) are the same or different?

It's highly unlikely they would be the same. As many in the industry like to say, the only thing standard in golf equipment is that there is no standard. Take these three 7-irons from the Golf Digest Hot List Players-Distance category:

• TaylorMade P790: 30.5 degrees loft, 62.5 degrees lie angle, 37 inches in length
• Ping i530: 29 degrees loft, 62 degrees lie angle, 37 inches in length
• Cobra King Forged Tec: 29.5 degrees loft, 62.5 degrees lie angle, 37.25 inches in length

Those might not seem like big differences, but they matter. If you've ever gotten fit for clubs, you know that 1.5 degrees of loft is significant, and so is a quarter-inch in length or a half-degree lie angle. Plus, this is just talking about staying with irons in the same category. The differences are more pronounced if you’re changing categories or looking at a blended set of irons with two or more models. Here are three of the more popular Players irons:

• TaylorMade P7MC: 34 degrees loft, 62.5 degrees lie angle, 37 inches in length
• Ping Blueprint S: 33 degrees loft, 62 degrees lie angle, 37 inches in length
• Cobra King Tour: 32 degrees loft, 62 degrees lie angle, 37.25 inches in length

If you’re switching from Players irons to the Players-Distance category, the lie angle and length don’t change all that much, but your loft could be changing by as much as 5 degrees. That’s an important consideration. Although stronger-lofted irons use other means to help get the ball in the air, some players still have trouble launching them, particularly in the low irons. The reason might not be your shortcomings as a ball-striker but the fact your irons have too little loft.

RELATED: You likely need more loft on your fairway woods, our test shows.

We would also be remiss if we didn’t take a look at the Game Improvement category. The skill level for those who gravitate to these clubs tends to be a tick less, yet the lofts get stronger, and some companies produce clubs with a more upright lie angle to help produce a draw bias. Some iron specs to consider:

• TaylorMade Qi: 28 degrees loft, 63 degrees lie angle, 37.25 inches in length
• Ping G430: 29 degrees loft, 62 degrees lie angle, 37 inches in length
• Cobra Darkspeed: 27 degrees loft, 63.5 degrees lie angle, 37.25 inches in length

Again, the lofts differ greatly from the other categories, and some of the lie angles vary significantly. The takeaway here is that as we stated in the beginning: The only standard is there is no standard. Be aware of that as you shop for new irons. Ask questions about the specs of the irons you’re considering, and you’re likely to walk away with a set of clubs better suited for you.

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