Single Length Irons: Are they good for me?

Single length irons are something that golfers might be considering.

With Bryson DeChambeau really making a name for himself, not only with his incredible distance, but his use of single length irons, more and more golfers are starting to ask the question if single length irons might be worth giving a shot.

On the surface, it appears to make sense. You can hit all of your irons with a similar swing and use the loft and the length to help create a distance chart that works for your game. Below, we will dive into the pros and cons of the single length irons.

Are golf clubs different lengths?

What Are Single Length Irons?

In a traditional set of irons, there is a .5” to 1” difference in shaft length from club to club. With single length irons the irons are all the same length. Typically, the single length irons are built at the length of a traditional 7 iron, which is 37”. The thought process is to allow the golfer to have the same setup and a similar swing from iron to iron due to the consistency in shaft length.

The most notable current professional golfer using single length irons is Bryson DeChambeau. He is known for his length, his single plane swing and his science based approach to the game.

Club	Traditional Length	Single Length Irons
Driver	46″	46″
3 Wood	43″	43″
5 Wood	42.5″	42.5″
3 Hybrid	40.5″	40.5″
3 Iron	39″	37″
4 Iron	38.5″	37″
5 Iron	38″	37″
6 Iron	37.5″	37″
7 Iron	37″	37″
8 Iron	36.5″	37″
9 Iron	36″	37″
PW	35.5″	37″
SW	35.25″	37″
LW	35.25″	37″
Putter	32-38″	32-38″

When you are buying new irons is a good time to consider single length irons.

Are Single Length Irons Good For Me?

If you are someone that has low point control issues with the various length irons in your bag, making a shift might be right for you. The ability to make a similar swing with each iron in the bag is appealing and worth the switch for some golfers.

Golfers who are considering a change should head to a local golf store and test it out. You might find the ability to hit a 3 iron with the same swing as your 7 iron adds some consistency to the ball strike and the ability to control the curve of the ball.

When a golfer is considering a change to single length iron, they should use three measuring sticks to determine whether the switch to single length irons is good for them. We believe in the 3 fundamentals below as the key to success with the full swing in golf.

What golf clubs to use and when!

3 Key Fundamentals

The first fundamental is the golfer’s ability to control the bottom of the golf swing. The best golfers will hit the ground in the intended spot, close to 100% of the time.
The second fundamental is the golfer’s ability to control the curve of the golf ball. The best golfers are able to start the ball to the right or left of the target line and have the ball curve towards the target without the ball over-curving past the target.

The third fundamental is the golfer’s ability to have enough power to play the golf course. This means they are able to hit the ball far enough to play the course in regulation.

The bottom line is can you 1) hit the ball solid (low point control) 2) start the ball on the intended line with the proper curve and 3) have enough distance to play the game.

Golfers should assess these three fundamentals when comparing their typical performance with traditional irons vs single length irons.

Traditional Irons vs Single Length Irons (Pros and Cons)

Let’s dive into the common perceptions of the pros and cons of the traditional irons vs single length irons.

Single Length Irons

Pros	Con
Longs Irons are easier to hit	Shorter Irons are more difficult to hit
Easier to control low point in swing	Chipping can become difficult
Same swing from iron to iron	Difficult to find quality equipment
Setup is same from iron to iron	Distance control can be difficult

Traditional Irons

Pros	Cons
Short irons are easy to control distances	Long Irons can be difficult to hit
Extra speed is provided with long irons	Setup varies from iron to iron
More creativity to hit various shots	Different swing from iron to iron
Better for shots inside of 100 yards	Setup is different with each iron

There are going to be two camps of golfers when it comes to traditional vs single length irons.

Golfers who say, “why would I ever change, I have played traditional irons for a long time with success. I need to be able to control my distances with my short irons”

Golfers who say “it makes sense from a science and logical perspective. I can control my low point by having the same setup and swing with each iron in the bag. I can adjust to the short game issues that might initial be present”

I am highly intrigued by single length irons and will be testing them out this year. The ability to hit a 3 iron with a 7 iron length shaft is appealing and can bring a level of consistency that all golfers seek in their game.

Need help with speed: How to increase my driver swing speed!

A Skytrak can help your game in many ways. Learn about creating a distance chart and how a Skytrak can reduce your score greatly! Take your game to the next level!

TIP: Create A Distance Chart

Whether you are going to use traditional irons or single length irons I highly recommend creating a distance chart for your game.

I would highly recommend each golfer create a distance chart like the sample below:

Club	Carry Distance (100%)	90%	80%
2 Utility Iron	210
4 iron	190
5 iron	181
6 iron	171
7 iron	163
8 iron	153
9 iron	143
P Club	130	123	115
Pitching Wedge	118	110	102
SW Club	105	97	91
LW Club	90	82	74

This might be the most important information you can use to help you play quality golf. I have heard so many stories and have seen it first hand where golfers completely over estimate how far they hit each iron.

They hit one 7 iron 165 yards one time and think this is their carry distance. So they step up to a 165 yard shot, hit the 7 iron and end up in a bunker. They blade it out of the bunker and are looking at a double bogey as their reality. Instead, if they had the right club and hit the 6 iron, their chance of hitting the middle of the green would increase greatly!

How can I improve my distance control in golf?

How can you create your own chart?

Option 1: I would highly recommend a launch monitor!

These portable devices can be used at the driving range, golf course or set up in your home net or golf simulator. These devices are game changers not only on being able to map your bag and know your distances, but they also provide quality feedback after on every shot and provide the following information:

Carry Distance

Spin Rate
Launch Angle
Spin Axis

Total Distance
Ball Speed

This information will help you map your bag, decide on which clubs are best for your game, develop a stock shot and much more. I love using my SkyTrak 365 days a year in my golf simulator setup.

The process for mapping your bag can looking something like this:

Hit 5 shots with each club in your bag.
Log the carry distance and total distance for each shot.

Eliminate any outlier numbers (poor hits or low spin rates).
Take the average and create a map of your bag.

If you visit any PGA Tour event you will see plenty of golfers utilizing their launch monitors. While most can’t afford a Trackman, there are some very affordable options in the 500-2000 dollar range. I own a SkyTrak and think the world of it.

Here are the top 3 options to check out:

Mevo Launch Monitor

Option 2: Use a Driving Range or Open Field

If you can’t afford a launch monitor at this time, here is another option.

Find an open driving range or open field

Take 10 balls of the type of golf ball you play
Pick a target and either walk it off or use a rangefinder.
Hit 10 shots with each club in your bag and take an average.

Your rangefinder can help you get a specific distance.

Go ahead and create a chart of each club and their carry distance like the one above.

Should I use a golf rangefinder?

When hitting an approach shot into a green like this, knowing your distances is vital. I would recommend a shot chart and a rangefinder to take your game to the next level!

When To Switch To Single Length?

The recommendation is when you are buying a new set of irons. Due to the expensive nature of making the change, go ahead and get the full life out of your current irons and consider the change when you are buying a new set of irons. The overall price will be similar, but it will be important to test out the options and see a club fitter that specializes in single length irons.

Or if you want to jump right in there are manufacturers that sell single length.

Who sells single length irons?

Cobra is best known for their single length irons.

My Secret To Golf Improvement

Let’s face it, in order to get really good at golf, we must practice frequently. About three years ago, I made the leap and invested in a golf simulator build for my garage. I went with a SkyTrak Launch Monitor and the TGC software and can now play over 100,000 courses including Augusta, Pebble Beach, Bethpage Black, Whistling Straits. St. Andrews and many other of the top 100 courses in the world.

This golf simulator setup, which is more affordable that you might imagine, has been a game changer. I can now play golf everyday of the year regardless of rain, snow, cold weather or time of day. I can practice or play rounds of golf. I can stand in the 11th fairway at Augusta and with the auto-rewind feature I am able to practice my approach shots from various differences.

It is worth checking out through Rain or Shine Golf as they offer some incredible packages along with financing offers that are difficult to beat.

Some direct links to Rain or Shine Golf for pricing and financing:

Rain or Shine Golf Packages

Take Action – What You Can Do Today to Get Better

What does this mean for you? I believe in the following recipe to get better:

1 – Improve your motion in the golf swing by identifying a golf instructor. Here are some options:

Here is a list of golf instructors that we have reviewed:

2 – Train to swing faster and improve your swing speed. Here are some options:

Looking to gain more Speed and Distance in your swing. Two Options:

3 – Understand course strategy and work to break through your next barrier. Here is a series on breaking through:

We have provided guides on how to break 100, 90, 80 and 70. Check out more below, if interested.

4 – Practice Frequently

Did you know that I build a golf simulator in my garage and have played over 500 rounds of golf on my SkyTrak system? It has been a game changer and one worth checking out. Here are some of my other posts on golf simulators frequently asked questions: