Can you imagine a time when the only iron model you could choose was a blade?
That was the reality for most golfers, and coupled with persimmon woods, it's easy to understand why golf might have been a much harder sport to play 50 years ago.
Things changed with the introduction of the cavity back iron, and Ping's iconic Eye 2 irons led golfers to switch to more forgiving irons.
From there, the floodgates opened, and iron development advanced to such a degree that we now have options such as multi-material hollow irons.
However, it's not just golf iron design, technology, and use of materials that have evolved. The makeup of our iron sets has also evolved to the point where we can pick and choose each iron type we want in our golf bags.
This process of cherry-picking creates a combo or blended iron set that provides us with different playing characteristics to suit our playing ability.
Do you want to hit your longer irons higher? No problem, add a deep cavity back four and five iron to your bag. If you are an artist with your short irons and favour feel and workability, forged blade short irons will do the trick.
However, is it that simple, and are combo iron sets good?
With combo iron sets, you can still make expensive mistakes. Mixing different irons works best when you understand precisely what you need and can create a seamless transition from one iron model to another.
So, let's take you on an in-depth guide to combo iron sets. Our guide will help you understand the following:
- Why Combo Sets Make Sense
- Building The Ultimate Combo Set For Your Game
- How A Combo Set Can Be A Friend For Life
Why Combo Iron Sets Make Sense
The best way to understand how a combo set can be advantageous for any level of golfer is to look at the top end of the golf bag.
Three and four irons have become increasingly difficult because modern golf balls like the Titleist Pro V1 or TaylorMade TP5 range produce less spin than their previous wound ball counterparts.
The reduced spin is great for negotiating windy conditions. Still, when you have a three or four-iron in your hand, the challenge then becomes generating enough height on your shots to hold the putting surface.
Tour pros were the first to investigate, looking at alternatives and seeking an iron design that would give them a higher trajectory and more stopping power on the ever-quickening greens of tournament golf.
If you want to find examples of how this works best, look no further than the current world number one and two players. Scottie Scheffler uses Srixon ZU85 three and four irons before switching to TaylorMade P7TWS from five iron to pitching wedge.
The Srixon ZU85 irons are forged hollow body construction hybrid irons with the centre of gravity placed low in the head to help launch the ball higher.
Newly-crowned Masters champion Rory McIlroy carries a TaylorMade P760 four iron before switching to his \"Rors Proto\" TaylorMade blades.
The P760 iron is a player's cavity back, which will help McIlroy get a higher trajectory and more forgiveness.
Many other pros adopt a similar setup to Scheffler and McIlroy. If the best players in the world are ditching hard-to-hit long irons, why would any amateur player think they could do a better job?
You can take the concept further if you are a higher handicap or older player. You might look for more friendly mid- to short irons (six, seven, and eight irons) to help you get a little more distance and height before switching to a nine-iron and pitching wedge that provides more feel and precision.
Current world number four Collin Morikawa uses players' cavity TaylorMade P7CB irons from four to six iron before switching to TaylorMade P730 blades from seven iron to pitching wedge. Morikawa is considered by most to be the best iron player in the game at the moment, and if he is using a combo set, there must be something to it!
What all these players have in common is that their combo sets are designed to deliver the correct spin rates, launch angles, and trajectories they need to hit their relevant numbers.
Delivering consistent and predictable results through each type of golf iron chosen for your combo iron set is critical.
There's no point in having something like a Callaway Elyte X four iron with 19 degrees of loft, then switching to a Callaway Apex MB irons where the five iron has 26 degrees of loft.
The seven-degree gap in lofts means a distance gap between the two irons of up to 25 yards, which is too much.
Secondly, the low-lofted Elyte X four iron might not get the ball launching and spinning correctly, producing a lower-flighted shot, while the more traditionally-lofted five iron could send the ball too high and loaded with spin.
What we are describing here is a common error from golfers who follow the philosophy of big and chunky in the longer irons to get the ball airborne, while opting for more traditional in the shorter irons for precision and feel.
Golfers also need to consider the aesthetics of their combo set. Big and chunky irons look very different at address compared to precision and feel irons. Big and chunky long to mid irons might also employ different materials in their construction compared to shorter irons, creating an inconsistent feel throughout your combo iron set.
Building The Ultimate Combo Set For Your Game
By now, you should have an idea that to maximise the benefit of a combo iron set, randomly choosing what you think you need will not work.
Building the perfect combo set lends itself perfectly to the custom-fitting process.
A golf iron fitting session begins by establishing a benchmark with your existing irons. The fitter will then ask you to hit a number of shots with a selection of your existing irons, such as a pitching wedge, seven-iron, and five-iron.
Data will be recorded via a launch monitor, with key numbers being launch and spin rates, trajectory, carry distance, and dispersion rates.
The data set from your shots might show that you aren't launching your longer irons high enough with the correct spin numbers to produce a solid trajectory. The distance gapping between your irons could be inconsistent, which can result in compromised shot selection out on the course.
During this time, the fitter will also ask for your feedback on what you experience out on the course with your existing irons: what is a typical good and bad shot pattern, how well do you strike your irons, and how many times do you get caught between irons when you have an awkward distance?
The starting point for building the perfect combo iron set is consistency in the numbers. Creating the right spin and launch numbers for each iron helps to generate consistent distance gapping. An additional benefit is that there will be no notable difference in trajectory blending from one iron type to the next.
The fitting process will determine the correct loft for each golf iron. If you are a player who doesn't generate a lot of clubhead speed, stronger lofts might help maximise carry distances.
Creating the perfect combo set isn't just a case of adding more distance to your shots. Accuracy is paramount for hitting more greens in regulation, regardless of the distance you have.
Improving accuracy comes down to having the correct shafts fitted and also having your irons cut to the perfect length for your height.
Determining the correct lie angle for your irons also helps to improve accuracy and ball-striking. Since we all come in different shapes and sizes, establishing the proper lie angle and shaft length can work wonders for your game and vastly improve your confidence when out on the course.
Final touches, such as choosing a grip, complete the customisation process. The custom-fitting process will establish whether extra layers of tape or thicker grips could help with clubface control and feel in more delicate shots.
How A Combo Set Can Be A Friend For Life
Manufacturers are now contributing to the realisation that consistent looks across their iron ranges are important for more effective blending opportunities.
Srixon's ZXi irons range is a perfect example. The ZXi 4 iron has a hollow construction that will help golfers hit the longer irons higher. The ZXi5 has a wider sole, which could help launch the mid-irons more effectively. The ZXi7 provides less offset, a traditional blade length, and a thin top line to help produce those pin-seeking short iron shots.
The ZXi range shares similar technology, such as the Tour V.T. Sole, to aid turf interaction for purer strikes. The ZXi 4 and ZXi 5 irons feature Mainframe technology that helps boost ball speeds and improve MOI, ideal for gaining control of your long and mid irons.
The looks across the range are consistent, which helps to deliver confidence at address. Each iron also features i-Forged construction to provide a consistent feel from the longest to the shortest.
Srixon isn't the only manufacturer that offers ideal blending opportunities. Mizuno's Pro 200 or JPX series, Callaway's Apex, or Titleist's T-Series irons all lend themselves to constructing the perfect combo set.
Creating a blended set can work for nearly every golfer, as we have seen, even the best players in the world mix and match irons according to their needs.
The biggest issue for any golfer thinking about switching to a blended set of irons is not being custom-fitted for them.
Buying online or taking advantage of a deal in a retail shop can save time and money. Still, when you don't understand your numbers or have limited opportunities to hit the set, you are going out onto the golf course with little effective proof that your new purchase will help you improve your scoring.
Combo sets are useful additions to the golfing arsenal. Combining easier-to-hit longer irons with precision-focused short irons sounds like a recipe for success.
We've highlighted how even players like Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy opt for longer, easier-to-hit irons in their bags. Collin Morikawa is considered the best iron player in the game. He relies on a combo iron set to deliver results.
At Nine By Nine Golf, we have helped players at every level of the game be fitted for their ideal combo set.
The key to success is in the custom-fitting process, where launch monitor technology helps establish the critical launch and spin numbers to achieve consistency across the board and make a seamless transition from one iron type to another.
Nine By Nine Golf is an independent clubfitter, which means we can choose the clubs we think will work best for the variety of golfers that visit us for a custom golf club fitting.
When it comes to creating the perfect iron combo set, we carry manufacturers like Srixon, Callaway, Mizuno, Titleist, PXG, and TaylorMade, which have created iron lines ideal for combo sets.
Understanding the numbers is one part of the puzzle of creating a combo set, but feel and look are vitally important. Our experienced fitters can learn what you like in feel and look, and factor that into the final makeup of the set.
Book a custom fitting session with Nine By Nine Golf and see how building your perfect combo set can improve your iron game.