The post Jake Knapp hit every iron model from same brand. Here’s what he learned appeared first on Golf.

The post Jake Knapp hit every iron model from same brand. Here’s what he learned appeared first on Golf.

My colleague, Johnny Wunder, recently joined Jake Knapp at Scottsdale National to hit every iron in the PXG lineup, and they came away with some really cool findings about ball speed. This is a wonderful metric for every golfer to look at when they’re picking out new irons, and I want to talk about how to use ball speed when choosing what irons you want to put in your bag.

What’s the “target” ball speed?

The PGA Tour average for a 7-iron is right around 123 mph of ball speed. The “average” golfer is closer to 115 mph if they’re swinging between 75-80 mph. Tour players, like Knapp, obviously swing faster but also are aided by single-piece irons, whereas most amatuers use an iron that provides a little bit more help.

The truth is, there really is no “standard” speed that fitters try to achieve for every golfer. Instead, we try to match up speed, peak, height and spin to dial a player in. Remember, though, speed creates spin and height. Regardless of loft, which is where most golfers get tripped up, having something with a lower CG that produces a higher ball speed will inherently spin the ball a touch more and launch the ball higher.

An important metric to think about here is smash factor or efficiency. You typically want your irons to live in the 1.35 realm. Even up to 1.40 is completely usable. Many golfers may think that trying to get a set of irons close to the legal limit of 1.51 would be the most useful, but you’ll start to run into playability issues.

PXG 0311T GEN8 Custom Irons

$249.00 from Fairway Jockey

View Product

What we want to try to find is a set of irons that still have a usable level of control built into them. That’s where having a “baseline” speed to target in a fitting can actually help.

The best example I can provide is a good ball-striker who’s losing speed. I know plenty of senior-aged golfers that still strike the ball out of the middle, but their 7-iron has lost 15 to 20 yards over the years, and they want to bring back their “old distances.” This is where the difference between a PXG CB and a PXG Gen8 T can be useful — but going to something like a P or an XP could be too much.

Good ball-strikers still want control with their clubs. They want to be able to shape shots, change windows and feel like a shot-maker. The faster ball speeds we produce, with less spin and more height, the more control gets lost. So for a player who can still hit the ball out of the middle but may be on the lower end of swing speed, something like the T would be a perfect compromise. Even a combo set of CB in the bottom and T in the top could make these players feel very comfortable.

Speed throughout the set

Speaking of combo sets, with PXG’s Gen8 lineup being very combo set-friendly, we need to discuss the concept of ball speed gapping in a set of irons, and why a combo set could be necessary.

Typically we’re looking for about 5 mph of ball speed in between irons. If you notice in the video with Johnny and Knapp, he hit each 7-iron iron with about a 5 mph gap in speed, while hitting the ball higher with each progressive model getting more forgiving. He started with about 135 mph in his ST irons, as a super-high-speed player, and up to 154+ in the better-player XP irons toward the end.

This speaks to loft and CG packages, but it’s also a great way to look at your entire set. If you find a really comfortable 7-iron at 115 mph of ball speed for example, you’d want your 5-iron to live around 125 mph. If you go to hit the same iron model in the 5-iron and you find yourself being a couple miles an hour short, that’s when it’s logical to move up into the next model.

You can build your own PXG combo set at Fairway Jockey!

PXG 0311P GEN8 Custom Irons

$249.00 from Fairway Jockey

View Product

My favorite combo sets are actually for higher-handicap players at lower speeds. Something like the Gen8 P and the Gen8 XP would be a great option for players who can still strike the ball well, and who don’t want to jump into hybrids or fairway woods too soon.

By playing a set of P in the bottom of the set and maybe switching over to the XP at the 6- or 5-iron could be a great way to ensure consistent speed gaps through the set. This will usually result in about 10-12-yard carry gaps between irons, but the beauty of focusing on speed is that the speed wont change with loft. So if you need to bend the irons 1º weak or strong for the sake of height and carry, you’ll still be getting everything out of those irons that you’re looking for.

If you’re looking to get fit for a new set of PXG irons and see what ball speed you’re comfortable living at, head over to our friends at True Spec or find a PXG fitting center near you.

The post Jake Knapp hit every iron model from same brand. Here’s what he learned appeared first on Golf.

The post This pro bomber uses a rare equipment combination for the LPGA appeared first on Golf.

The post This pro bomber uses a rare equipment combination for the LPGA appeared first on Golf.

If you search the golf forums online for all of 10 seconds, you’ll see some shaft arguments centered around the idea of playing something like a Fujikura Ventus Black or a Project X Titan.

These super-stout, low-launch, low-spin shafts are all the rage in the forums “because that’s what the pros play”. Usually, those names include guys like Rory McIlroy, Gary Woodland, Aldrich Potgieter and other high-speed players on the PGA Tour.

But we’ve got a new name to add to that list: Auston Kim of the LPGA Tour.

It’s pretty rare to see a shaft like Fujikura Ventus Black out on the LPGA Tour. In general, the LPGA doesn’t have as much aggression as the PGA Tour does, and even the players who are a bit more aggressive will typically opt for something that still provides them with a bit more help launching the ball. Something like a Fujikura Ventus Red profile or the popular Mitsubishi Diamana WB with its softer handle and mid-soft tip would be better driver shaft profiles for these types of swings.

But Kim isn’t anywhere near the “standard” female profile. She’s currently ranked fourth on the LPGA in driving distance, and she has a swing that more closely mimics something like Cam Young; very wide, very long, and adds a small pause at the top of the swing before unleashing in transition.

Auston goes for a Fujikura Ventus Black Velocore+ 5-S that’s tipped an inch. I asked PXG LPGA Tour Manager Scotty Kim how many times he tips a driver shaft an inch out on the LPGA.

He simply replied, “Not often.”

He also mentioned, “Auston could probably actually play something a little bit stiffer than this if she wanted, but tipping the stiff flex gives her a good blend of giving her the feel she wants with the performance she needs.” Auston simply added, “I’m good” with a laugh.

Auston combines her Ventus Velo+ Black with a PXG Lightning Tour, the lowest spinning head in the new Lightning lineup. The combination of a shaft keeping up with her aggression and the speed and spin profile of the Lightning Tour provides her with a very stable package that helps her hit the signature cut shot that she wants to see off the tee.

And she’s got all the speed she needs to earn that No. 4 rank in driving distance on the LPGA Tour. Auston sits in the low 160s for ball speed, similar to me, if that’s any indication of her greatness, and she plays with a little bit more spin, too. I’m a big advocate for playing with a little bit more spin, and with such a consistent cut shot, she’s utilizing the stability and speed of the Lightning Tour in every way she can.

A good reminder that just because something says what it might be on paper doesn’t mean that in practice it’s what that gear is going to do. As an industry, we frequently get caught up trying to bucket equipment into speed and spin buckets. In Auston’s case, it was about consistency and deviation from shot to shot. Something that Johnny Wunder and I both noticed during our own testing of the PXG Lightning Tour back in October.

PXG Lightning Tour Custom Driver

$649.00 from Fairway Jockey

View Product

Other ‘stiff profile’ shafts on the LPGA

Another surprising option on the LPGA Tour getting a ton of use is the Diamana WB. Compared to the Ventus Black, it’s a bit of a softer profile, but it’s still created as the low-launch, low-spin part for the slightly stronger player. Something that’s been in the hands of guys on the PGA Tour like Xander Schauffele, Viktor Hovland, and Justin Rose.

You might guess a profile like the Diamana BB would be a more popular part for the women’s game, but with athletes of all genders getting stronger and faster, the need for profiles to keep up with the more athletic fields is more apparent.

For those of you reading at home, this leads into a discussion about how important it is to find the right profile golf shaft for your game, and then match the weight and flex of that profile to your swing’s needs.

Making sure you’re in a profile that activates at the right time in your swing is critical. Weight and flex are then there to make sure that you’re squeezing every bit of performance out of it that you can.

In Auston Kim’s case, they decided to stick with a lighter-weight, stiff flex shaft that they tipped one inch. This tipping stabilized the tip a tad while also making the handle a bit softer, which is very helpful for a wider, more aggressive swing that stays very connected. Again, think Auston, Rory, Cam Young, or Xander.

They don’t yank down on the golf shaft in transition; they keep it wide and long with their wrists relatively stable, and they create separation until impact.

The post This pro bomber uses a rare equipment combination for the LPGA appeared first on Golf.

The post How this LPGA powerhouse chooses what goes in the bag appeared first on Golf.

The post How this LPGA powerhouse chooses what goes in the bag appeared first on Golf.

PXG staffer Auston Kim, who averages 290 yards per drive, is one of the LPGA’s longest hitters. And her power dictates a special fit. Recently, I had a chance to get some range time with Kim and PXG LPGA tour manager Scotty Kim and got a look into their process when it comes to getting clubs in her bag.

Here’s what I learned.

The bottom of the bag

Auston Kim started the bag with a 58-degree lob wedge, choosing to play PXG’s 3x Forged Sugar Daddy III wedges and opting for a lower bounce C-Grind offering in the lobber. She said she’s never used a 60-degree wedge because she prefers to chip with the 58 degree. At one point, she played just 52- and 56-degree wedges until a round with Hollis Stacey at a junior tournament.

“She looked at my wedges,” Kim said, “and said, ‘What are you doing?’ So she told me to go 50, 54, 58 and I’ve just stuck with it.” Wise advice.

PXG Sugar Daddy III Custom Wedge

Artfully engineered for versatility, customization, and insane accuracy across all playing conditions. PXG 0311 Sugar Daddy III Wedges are 3X forged, 100% CNC milled, and feature three innovative sole designs to allow players to find their perfect fit while experiencing the quality and precision only PXG can deliver. Available right and left-handed in both Chrome and Xtreme Dark finish. BENEFITS Versatility Outstanding Control Customization Innovative Adjustability Unmatched Precision

$349.99 from Fairway Jockey

View Product

Also available direct from PXG

She continued the wedge set with a 54- and 50-degree S-Grind, also in the Sugar Daddy III wedges. I thought it was interesting that she chose the lower-bounce C-grind in the lobber, but Scotty Kim gave some insight.

“You know I think for her, with the shots that Auston hits around the green, the C-Grind provides some versatility for her,” he said. “Being able to open it up and still have the right bounce to get through the turf and not get stuck.”

Irons

Auston Kim had the PXG 0317ST irons, which are easily some of the nicest irons that PXG has ever made. It’s an iron that has stood the test of time over the years, and hasn’t been replaced yet by PXG, but we hear there may be something new coming soon. The 0317ST heads are what I would consider a “player’s blade.” It’s a narrow-sole option that’s meant to launch a little bit lower and spin a bit more while providing optimal control for the player.

Since Kim is a player who hits a cut shot and works the ball with plenty of spin, something like the ST provides her the feel, feedback and launch that she wants to feel in control of the ball. “I’m a stock cutter — I have to see the ball work left to right.” she said. She also talked about a recent iron switch that happened purely because Accra no longer makes her old Accra Tour 90 shafts. She’s now in the Accra TZi 95 iron shafts — it’s a fantastic graphite offering for stronger players looking for more of a ProjectX type of feel.

Long game

Kim really shines once you put some metal woods in her hands, and it starts with the hybrid, the hero of our story here. PXG has always made a really good hybrid. Even through a couple years of some iffy metal woods, the hybrids were always a good standout in the lineup. Kim, however, isn’t exactly the normal hybrid candidate. Hybrids are extremely popular on the LPGA, but a lot of that comes out of a need for speed and launch, not something that Kim concerns herself with. For her, it’s more about confidence.

“Personally, I think that I struggle with hitting the ball high sometimes,” she said. “I know I can get it up there, but the 4-iron just doesn’t look good to me. I’ve tried it a bunch before and I just — I believe that a hybrid has more versatility. I just like the look of this better.”

We had Kim hit a couple fun shots with her PXG Lightning 4-hybrid, and she hit the nail on the head when she talked about how versatile the club is. Hitting it through all windows is stress-free for Kim, and it gives her the confidence behind the ball that she needs to perform on course. With ball speeds reaching 143 mph, she gets plenty of distance out of the club as well. With her stock shot getting to about 80 feet in the air, I challenged her to hit the ball up to 100 feet and then hit it as low as possible. She hit one to 100.9 feet in the air and hit a low stinger to 21.4 feet. Versatility? Check.

She then followed up the Lightning 4-hybrid with a Lightning Tour 5W and Lighting Tour 3W before jumping to her Lighting Tour driver.

PXG Lightning Custom Hybrid

$329.00 from Fairway Jockey

View Product

The big stick

Auston Kim and Scotty Kim worked together last fall when the new Lightning product came out and ended up fitting her into a Lightning Tour 9-degree Driver in the PXG FLAT setting with a Fujikura Ventus Velocore+ Black 5-S. Auston Kim works with plenty of spin, so using their Lightning Tour model helps to control her misses a bit better and makes sure that she’s not over-spinning her stock shot. The Ventus Velocore+ Black shaft helps keep up with her aggressive transition and helps stabilize the head through impact. It’s a setup she has a lot of trust in and has plenty of speed. Ranked fourth in driving distance on the LPGA doesn’t come easy, but clearly Scotty Kim has helped her build up a workhorse here.

“I already liked Black Ops a lot, and when I first tried the Lightning Tour that was — I mean I saw an immediate jump in ball speed and carry so it was a no-brainer,” Auston Kim said.

Looking to get fit for your own PXG clubs? Find a PXG fitting location near you.

The post How this LPGA powerhouse chooses what goes in the bag appeared first on Golf.