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Frequently asked questions: (Click on any question below)
Why are conventional golf clubs different lengths?
What is the true affect of club length on distance?
Can your golf clubs be used with Natural Golf or other single-axis swing methods?
Can't I just cut my current set of irons to equal length?
Should there be a difference between men's, women's, or senior's golf clubs?
Can I just order one or two irons to give your system a try?
Question for David Lake: Why should I switch to 1 Iron Golf clubs?
Why are conventional golf clubs different lengths? Simply put, this is the way it has been done since the advent of steel golf shafts in the 1920’s. There is absolutely no basis in golf club design theory for doing so. ...click here for a full explanationBack to Top
What is the true affect of club length on distance? We are led to believe that longer golf clubs produce greater swing speeds on a linear scale and thus more distance. This is the explanation given for the 1/2 inch increase in club length between the individual irons and woods within a conventional set of golf clubs. In actuality, the only static factor that results in distance changes between clubs is the difference in the loft angle of the club-head. Our testing has shown conclusively that there is absolutely no measurable difference in swing speed due to the standard 1/2 inch incremental shaft length increases between clubs. The only affect of the standard length increases between clubs is to make each successively longer club harder to hit.The armchair physicist will point to the radial arm length in a golf swing as being the prime determinant of swing speed stating that the longer the radial arm the greater the swing speed and resultant distance. A common misconception is that club length alone is used to define this radial arm length. Regardless of how many hinging points and resultant secondary arcs/planes are involved the true center of a golf swing is a point somewhere between your shoulders (this center point moves laterally between the shoulders during the swing). Hence, you must include your arm length into the radial arm length equation for any meaningful analysis. Therefore, assuming a 37 inch iron length and an arm length of 24 inches, the actual radial arm length in your golf swing is 61 inches. This means that a 1/2 inch change in club length results in a radial arm length change of only 1/122nd or 0.008197. A 1 inch change in club length results in a radial arm length change of only 1/61 or 0.01639. As you can see, these fractional increases in radial arm length will not produce any measurable change in swing speed or distance whatsoever.
Testing at the 1 Iron Golf Research and Testing Labs has shown that the highest level of power generated by a golfer is with the iron that they are most comfortable with (their favorite iron). Even though this favorite iron may be 2 inches shorter than their #3 or #4 iron the golfer is able to generate more power because the shorter club length properly fits them and allows for their optimal swing posture and swing plane that maximizes both skeletal and muscular functions. This favorite iron is the only one in the bag that comes close to fitting properly and is the one that their body naturally gravitates to in order to produce its highest level of power and control.It should be emphasized that the ideal swing posture and swing plane noted above also produces the highest level of control in a golf swing. This results in a much higher percentage of solid center-face hits which translates into additional distance. Hitting the ball just 1/4 inch from center-face can result in a 10 to 15 yard decrease in distance plus an off-line shot.Back to Top
Can your golf clubs be used with Natural Golf or other single-axis swing methods? 1 Iron Golf clubs are not method specific and are used and recommended by conventional PGA instructors as well as single-axis and other swing method instructors. In regards to the single-axis swing versus the conventional swing, at address a conventional golfer creates an angle between his wrists and the club shaft which is not present using a single-axis type of address position. However, during the downswing the wrist angle of the conventional golfer straightens out and at impact is identical to that of the single-axis golfer. In fact, the position of the body, wrists, arms, etc. are all identical at impact regardless of the swing method used. Consequently, since 1 Iron Golf clubs are built to your ideal club length in relation to the optimum club-head lie angle they will produce enhanced ball striking no matter what swing method is used.Back to Top
Can't I just cut my current set of irons to equal length? A set of conventional golf clubs cannot be adjusted for use in the 1 Iron Golf System, nor can conventional club-heads be modified to meet the specifications required. When golf clubs are shafted, the shafts are tip-trimmed in progressive 1/2 inch length increments from the #3 iron through the wedges. For instance, the #3 iron may have a 1 inch tip-trim and the #9 iron a 4 inch tip-trim. Consequently, all of the shafts have different flexes. You would have to have all of your clubs re-shafted using the same tip-trim for all clubs. In addition, you would need to have the lie angles of all the club-heads adjusted to correspond to the single club length. Also, conventional club-heads are progressively weighted in 7 gram increments from the #3 iron through the wedges so that each golf club (even though shafted the same) would have a completely different moment of inertia and swing-weight, not to mention that the offset and bounce angle of each iron would be different.Back to Top
Should there be a difference between men's, women's, or senior's golf clubs? Human beings all have the same mechanical structure regardless of size, strength, age, or gender. The hinging points or axis are the same for everyone as well as skeletal, tendon, joint, and muscle function. This is why exercise machines at a health club can be used by anyone and produce the same results. The only adjustment necessary in these machines is for the length of the arms, legs, etc. of the individual. By the same token all golf clubs should be built to the same specifications with the only adjustment being made to the length of the golf club in relation to the optimum lie angle.It is true that the stronger golfer will achieve greater distance than the weaker golfer and is the reason why golf courses offer varying tee box locations. This is just a function of individual strength that produces a greater swing force with a higher swing speed, but it does not alter the sound mechanical principles of a well designed golf club. For instance, the low loft angles of a #3 and #4 iron require a high degree of swing force coupled with a swing speed of 75+ mph to be effectively played. For those golfers with lesser swing force and swing speeds the answer is to substitute #5 and #7 woods for these irons. The specifications of the golf clubs, however, should never be altered based on the strength of the golfer. A mechanically perfect golf club design is mechanically perfect for everyone regardless of strength, size, age, or gender. 1 Iron Golf clubs are being played and enjoyed by men and women in every age and strength category world-wide.Back to Top
Can I just order one or two irons to give your system a try? The benefits of the 1 Iron Golf System cannot be realized by testing only one or two irons. The power and consistency inherent in using only one swing plane, one swing posture, and one ball position can only be realized through the use of a complete set of irons. A single 1 Iron Golf club is just another club, whereas a set of 1 Iron Golf clubs creates a system that produces stunning results.
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Question for David Lake: Why should I switch to 1 Iron Golf clubs? I spent over fifteen years of research, testing, and experimenting in developing the 1 Iron Golf System with the sole intent of producing a set of clubs that would lower your scores and actually make golf fun. The simplicity of using just one swing, one ball position, and one set-up at address for every shot virtually eliminates miss-hits from your game. Just this fact alone will lower your average scoring by 5 to 10 strokes per round. Add to this the increases in distance and accuracy you will gain because as your single swing becomes more and more ingrained your confidence level and power soars. The end result is that you will find yourself playing golf at a level you never thought possible.
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