Testing: Single length vs. Variable length irons
Using detailed testing with the GC Quad from Foresight, I compared the Wishon and Cobra one-length irons with my Ping iblades Have a look and see for yourself!
The LPGA Tour is kicking off its 2026 season this week at Lake Nona Golf and Country Club in Orlando, and the pros are dealing with something most Florida golfers rarely face: freezing temperatures.
“It’s colder here than in the UK at the minute, which is a first,” said England’s Charley Hull during Wednesday’s media day at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions.
Even Lydia Ko, who lives at Lake Nona, seemed surprised by the cold snap. “We’re pretty much getting to below zero in celsius here, which maybe in other parts of the country they would be thankful, but when you’re in Florida it is a little bit of a surprise,” she said.
If the world’s best players are adjusting their games for cold weather, recreational golfers should, too. Here’s how to play smart when the mercury drops.
Understand What Cold Does to Your Game
Before you change anything, you need to know what you’re fighting against. Cold air is denser than warm air, which means your ball won’t fly as far. Period.
Hull noticed this immediately during practice rounds at Lake Nona. She mentioned hitting a gap wedge into the 18th hole during a previous win but needing a 4-iron during Tuesday’s practice round. That’s a difference of four or five clubs for the same shot.
Action item: Expect to lose 5-10 yards on every club in your bag when temperatures dip below 50 degrees. Plan accordingly and don’t be stubborn about club selection.
Layer Up Without Restricting Your Swing
Hull admitted she wore three pairs of pants during practice. While that might be extreme for most of us, staying warm is critical to playing well in cold conditions.
Your muscles need warmth to function properly. When you’re cold, your body tightens up and your swing gets shorter and faster. Neither of those things help you hit good golf shots.
Action item: Wear multiple thin layers instead of one bulky jacket. Look for golf-specific cold weather gear that stretches with your swing. Keep hand warmers in your pockets between shots. And don’t forget a good hat because you lose significant body heat through your head.
Take More Club Than You Think You Need
This is where ego gets in the way of good scores. When it’s cold, the ball doesn’t compress as well off the clubface. Combined with denser air, you’re looking at serious distance loss.
The pros at Lake Nona are dealing with a course that measures 6,642 yards but plays much longer this week. If they’re adjusting, you should too.
Action item: Take at least one extra club on every approach shot. In temperatures below 40 degrees, consider taking two extra clubs. It’s better to fly the ball to the back of the green than to come up short in a bunker.
Adjust Your Expectations on the Greens
Cold weather affects putting in ways most golfers don’t consider. The ball is harder and doesn’t roll as smoothly. Your hands are cold, making it harder to feel the putter. And if there’s any moisture on the greens, they’ll be slower than normal.
Ko mentioned that she still sometimes reads the greens wrong at Lake Nona despite being a member for years. Cold weather makes that challenge even tougher.
Action item: Hit putts more firmly than usual. The ball needs extra speed to hold its line on cold greens. Take a few extra practice strokes to get a feel for the speed before you putt.
Embrace the Mental Challenge
Hull said something interesting about cold weather golf: “I like the mental toughness of it.”
That’s the right attitude. Everyone on the course is dealing with the same conditions. The player who stays patient and doesn’t get frustrated by the extra difficulty will come out ahead.
Action item: Lower your expectations by a few strokes. If you normally shoot 85, accept that 90 might be a good score in 40-degree weather. Focus on solid contact and smart decisions rather than perfect shots.
Warm Up Longer and Smarter
This might be the most important tip of all. Cold muscles are tight muscles, and tight muscles get injured easily.
World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul revealed she’s been protecting a wrist injury that bothered her late last season. Cold weather makes those kinds of injuries more likely if you don’t prepare properly.
Action item: Spend at least 20 minutes warming up before your round. Start with stretching, then hit easy wedge shots before working up to your driver. Keep moving between shots on the course to maintain body heat and flexibility.
The pros at Lake Nona this week will adapt and compete at the highest level despite the cold. You can do the same at your local course by following these tips and keeping a positive attitude.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “Playing Through” now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more tips!
Brooks Koepka is back on the PGA Tour, and whether you love him or hate him, the guy knows how to win when it matters. After his LIV Golf stint, the five-time major champion returns this week at the Farmers Insurance Open.
What makes Koepka fascinating? He doesn’t fit the mold. His swing isn’t textbook. He doesn’t obsess over mechanics. Yet he’s won three PGA Championships and two U.S. Opens, regularly making it look easier than guys with prettier swings.
So, what can average golfers learn from someone who treats the game so differently? Quite a bit.
Stop Overthinking Every Shot
Koepka describes his approach as “reactionary” rather than mechanical. While most tour pros grind over swing thoughts, Brooks sees the target and hits it. No mental checklist.
This might be the most valuable lesson for weekend golfers who’ve watched too many YouTube swing videos.
How to actually do this:
On the range, hit five balls where you stare at the target for three seconds prior to addressing the ball. Don’t think about grip or stance. Just burn that target into your brain. You’ll be shocked at how pure you hit it when your brain focuses on where the ball is going instead of how you’re swinging.
Next time you play, give yourself a rule: Once you pull the club, you’ve got 15 seconds to hit. Koepka is one of the fastest players on tour because he doesn’t give his brain time to sabotage him.
If you feel tension in your hands at address, you’re trying to control too much. Koepka’s grip pressure is famously light. Loosen up until the club almost feels like it might slip, then add just enough pressure to hold on. That’s your swing thought: soft hands, see the target.
This approach works better under pressure. When you’re standing over that shot with water left and OB right, the last thing you need is a mental checklist. See it, feel it, hit it.
Play to Your Strengths (Even If They’re Not Pretty)
Koepka uses a strong grip that wouldn’t pass muster in some teaching circles. But he’s built his game around what works for him, elite driving distance and recovery skills. He doesn’t try to be someone he’s not.
Here’s how to build your game like Brooks:
Look at your last five rounds and figure out where you’re actually gaining strokes. Bombing it off the tee, but can’t hit greens? Lean into it. Play courses where distance matters more than precision. On tight holes, grip down on your 3-wood instead of trying to thread a driver through a keyhole you’ll miss seven times out of ten.
Koepka knows he can scramble, so he’s not afraid to miss greens. If you’re deadly from 50 to 75 yards, start leaving yourself those distances on the par 5’s instead of going for them in two every time.
Know when to take your medicine. Koepka in the trees at the PGA? He’s punching out to 100 yards, not trying to bend a 6-iron around three oaks. You’re in the rough with a flyer lie and water short? Hit your 8-iron to the middle and move on. That’s not playing scared, that’s playing smart.
Save Your Best for When It Counts
Here’s a wild stat: Koepka’s putting average in majors is often more than a full stroke better per round than in regular events. He elevates when pressure is highest.
How does an amateur tap into that gear? It’s not about trying harder, it’s about caring differently.
Here’s what actually works:
Decide which rounds matter to you. Club championship? Member-guest? That annual trip with college buddies? Circle those dates and treat them differently. Koepka doesn’t care much about regular tour events, but majors? That’s when he locks in.
Two weeks before your big round, change your practice. Stop beating balls mindlessly. Play nine holes in which every shot has consequences. Miss the fairway? Hit from the rough on the next hole too. Three-putt? Twenty push-ups. Koepka’s practice intensity ramps up before majors because he’s rehearsing pressure, not just swings.
Develop a between-shot routine that resets your brain. Koepka is famous for his blank expression after bad shots. Try this: After any shot, take three deep breaths while walking, then find something specific to notice, a tree, a cloud, someone’s shirt. That’s your reset button. By the time you reach your ball, the last shot is gone.
The Bottom Line
Brooks Koepka’s return reminds us there’s no single path to success in golf. His “substance over style” approach proves that results matter more than looking good.
You don’t need a perfect swing; you need a reliable one that holds up under pressure. You don’t need to hit every shot in the book; you need the shots you can count on. And you don’t need to play great every time; you need to play great when it matters.
Welcome back, Brooks. Thanks for the reminder that golf is ultimately about getting the ball in the hole, not winning style points.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “Playing Through” now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more tips!
Blades Brown made a big impression last week in the California desert, and not just because he’s only 18. He put up numbers that would catch any weekend golfer’s attention. Most of us won’t hit 317-yard drives or find 86% of our greens in regulation, but there’s a lot to learn from how Brown managed his game at The American Express.
Here are three practical lessons from his performance that you can use on your own course this weekend.
Step 1: Give Priority to Accuracy Over Distance Off The Tee
Brown’s driving stats are impressive. He averaged almost 318 yards off the tee, ranking 12th in the field. More importantly, he hit 76.79% of his fairways, tying for fourth place in the tournament.
Think about that ratio for a second. Brown could have swung harder, chased more distance and tried to overpower the course. Instead, he played smart golf and kept his ball in play.
Your Action Item: Next time you’re on the tee box, ask yourself a simple question before pulling the driver. Do you need maximum distance here, or do you need to be in the fairway? If there’s trouble lurking or the hole doesn’t demand every yard you can muster, take something off your swing. Grip down an inch. Make a three-quarter swing. Do whatever it takes to find the short grass. Brown’s approach illustrates that fairways lead to greens, and greens lead to birdies. He made 22 of them last week, along with an eagle.
The math is simple. When you’re hitting three out of every four fairways like Brown did, you’re giving yourself legitimate looks at the green with your approach shots. That’s when scoring happens.
Step 2: Commit To Hitting More Greens
This is where Brown really separated himself. He hit 62 of 72 greens in regulation, an 86.11% clip that tied for first in the entire field. Read that again. An 18-year-old kid tied for the lead in one of the most important ball-striking statistics in professional golf.
How did he do it? By keeping his ball in the fairway (see Step 1) and giving himself clean looks with mid-irons and wedges.
Your Action Item: Start tracking your greens in regulation. You don’t need a fancy app or a statistics degree. Just mark down whether you hit the green in the regulation number of strokes. Par 3s in one shot. Par 4s in two shots. Par 5s in three shots.
Once you know your baseline, set a goal to improve it by 10%. If you’re currently hitting five greens per round, aim for six. The beauty of this approach is that it forces you to think strategically about club selection and shot shape. Brown’s strokes gained approach number was positive (0.179), meaning he was better than the field average. You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be on the dance floor more often.
When you hit more greens, you eliminate the need for heroic short game shots. Brown only had to scramble 10 times all week, and he got up and down 70% of the time. That’s solid, but the real story is that he rarely put himself in scrambling situations to begin with.
Step 3: Minimize Mistakes And Stay Patient
Here’s the stat that jumps off the page: Brown made only three bogeys all week. Three. In four rounds of professional golf against the best players in the world.
He also made just one double bogey. That kind of clean card doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when you play within yourself, avoid the big miss and trust that pars are never bad scores.
Your Action Item: Before your next round, decide that you’re going to play boring golf. No hero shots over water. No driver on tight holes just because you can. No aggressive pins when there’s a safe side of the green.
Brown’s performance shows us that consistency beats flash every single time. He didn’t lead the field in any single strokes gained category, but he was solid across the board. That’s how you post numbers and cash checks.
Give these three steps a try. Your scorecard will thank you.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “The Starter” now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more tips!
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Ken
Sep 25, 2018 at 4:15 pm
LOL, I love that any positive review of SL clubs is combatted with a negative comment by those that just can’t believe there could be another way to play the game, having to hold on to “the way we all do it is the only right way”. Who cares, play whatever gets the ball in the hole in the least number of strokes and quit trying to disprove everything to make yourselves feel better.
I am now a 6 handicap, down from a 10-11, playing Sterling SL irons going on my third summer. My misses are much less severe and I can’t tell you how many GIR I have hit with my 6 iron at 185-190 yards. Best thing, is that I can take off a few weeks and when I come back out to play, my game doesn’t drop off. I hardly practice anything except my chipping / pitching and putting anymore as IMO the SL irons has simplified may set up and has improved my ball striking. I had my set made up with graphite shafts, MOI spec’d, 6-SW, 2 deg up. Same weight, length, lie, MOI, through out the set. YMMV…..
ogo
Sep 26, 2018 at 3:28 pm
So you have five irons (6-SW) at single shaft length. What about the remaining eight clubs? Are they all different shaft lengths… and nine different swings?
Ken
Sep 26, 2018 at 11:09 pm
See, there you go, having to get a dig in on 9 different swings vs possibly accepting the fact that some has success with SL irons. There are no absolutes in life, play how you want to play. I’m not selling anything here.
I play 11 clubs. Driver (44.25”), 4w 42”, 21 degree hybrid at 39”, putter and my (7) irons. I Found playing my longer clubs a little shorter than std has given me improved accuracy.
Most people that carry 14 can’t hit half of them consistently lol.
Results
Sep 22, 2018 at 11:37 pm
“Here are the results.” There are literally no results except “I love my 3-iron.” Cmon guys, numbers. This is like one of your 70 min podcasts with 5 seconds of actual material. So, are you going post results?
oppie
Sep 22, 2018 at 3:12 pm
I can play both types of clubs because I have control of my swing regardless of club length and lie. If you can’t control variable length clubs it’s unlikely you can control so-called single length irons. If you can’t compensate for length and lie, it’s likely you don’t have any golf swing eye-hand coordination.
Steve Cantwell
Sep 22, 2018 at 2:04 am
How about just simply learning to hit a decent shot that can be repeated. If a guy can’t break 100 with a traditional set up, He isn’t going to break 100 with this single length set. Someone else however will benefit with his money in their pocket.
Brent
Sep 22, 2018 at 8:30 am
Couldn’t disagree more. “simply learn to hit a decent shot that can be repeated” Millions of golfers have been trying that for decades. What’s the harm in trying a slightly different club.
oppie
Sep 22, 2018 at 3:17 pm
Simple test: — Play a round only with a 5/7/9-iron combination and adjust for distance by gripping down or reducing your backswing and clubhead speed. Use hybrids for sub-4-iron play. Wedges are essential the same.
Ty
Sep 21, 2018 at 9:50 pm
That was “nutted” haha I like this guy! Back swing is kind of ugly but he obviously Gets the job done . I am now anxious to try the shorter length on my longer irons . Great video .
Robb Houle
Sep 21, 2018 at 2:26 pm
I have been using “dual length” irons since 1999. 8-W are Wedge length and 4-7 are 7 iron length. Only have to be able to hit 2 clubs to be consistent.
I play in the Midwest where due to weather it is hard to get out and play 3-4 month out of the year. I play at a 7 handicap but thanks to my irons I can go 4 months without playing and come back and never be worse than a 9.
ogo
Sep 22, 2018 at 5:38 pm
What was your handicap level before you switched to the dual length irons? Most ‘golfers’ can’t hit one club consistently. To blame it on the multi-length irons is just a feeble excuse… blame the clubs not the duffer.
Robb Houle
Sep 24, 2018 at 3:55 pm
My handicap before was probably in the 14-15 range. Read an article about Bryson that had a good explanation. It referenced Occam’s razor theory. Which is the problem-solving principle that says the simplest solution tends to be the right one.
If golf was just now being invented would the easiest solution be 14 different clubs each one at a different length?
shane
Sep 24, 2018 at 11:17 pm
They are NOT 14 different golf clubs; they are a progressive set of clubs that are matched to distances and trajectories. If single length were the standard somebody would invent progressive length clubs.
Robb Houle
Sep 25, 2018 at 8:21 am
A set of 14 progressive clubs are ABSOLUTELY 14 different clubs. They are different length, loft and lie. Which is the definition of “different”
I am not arguing that single length should be the standard. I was giving an example where a version of non-traditional progressive length worked for me.
What it comes down to is that you need 14 clubs in your bag that can fill yardage gaps and go the direction you think they are going to go.
Bob the Gopher
Sep 21, 2018 at 1:41 pm
I just snagged a set of the Wishon Sterling irons. Best golf purchase I’ve made in a long time. Standing over the 5-7i feels like cheating. Never been more consistent from 200 yards out. The biggest adjustment you have to be prepared for is the mental aspect. If you can consistently put a smooth swing on these, they are absolutely phenomenal. I recommend to anyone who struggles with the irons.
oppie
Sep 21, 2018 at 7:00 pm
Anyone who struggles with irons will not solve their swing problems with single length irons… believe it…!!!
A. Commoner
Sep 21, 2018 at 8:26 pm
Ridiculous fabrication.
Ken singer
Sep 21, 2018 at 11:29 am
Great video. I tried the single length Wilson irons. ( wishon makes great products ) Yet, I found that I was hitting my 5 hybrid and4 hybrid better then the 5 and 4 single length irons. I think this goes back to club speed ( not sure) and even though the 5 and 4 iron are shorter, they still have the loft of typicial 4 and 5. I would have liked to seen more of a comparison. Of single length vs those of us who use hybrids. Thanks Ken singer
christian
Sep 21, 2018 at 7:23 pm
Your issue is iron vs hybrid and not with single length. Most average non-pro golfers hit their hybrids better than their long irons.
Ken singer
Sep 22, 2018 at 9:18 am
I agree ( Christian) about hybrid vs iron. Yet more and more pros are using hybrids. Second many recreational golfers with low handicaps are using hybrids. In the single length set wishon made, he includes hybrids at the 4 and 5 length clubs. If you talk to Tom wishon he says that his single length clubs were made more for the recreational golfer ( yet Bryce d has turned this upside down ) What I’m saying in my experience with the single length clubs ( which I tried out about a year ago) is that loft is more important then length of a club in hitting consistent shots , and once you get up to long irons hybrids are easier to hit.
Spitfisher
Sep 21, 2018 at 11:17 am
I could see the possibility of 3 different lengths over the set of 7-8 irons being marketed. Including gap. I just don’t believe the single length is for better players period, people that are looking for something to improve their game , have at it
Personally develop a swing or lessons and you won’t need single length. Ignore lofts and club heads. If you hit a 6 hybrid as far as a well struct 4 or 5 iron go for it. Most people should not even carry a 4 iron and some not a 5 iron.
Deschambau should not be used as testimony to this theory. He has a unique swing perhaps only to himself and one only has to see that his clubs are 12-14 degrees upright with baseball bat size grips.
Equs Golf
Sep 21, 2018 at 11:58 am
http://www.equsgolf.com
The new EQUS series of irons highlight traits of both traditional length and single length golf clubs. Using matched combinations in three progressive lengths, this concept is designed to improve consistency, ball striking ability and therefore, performance for golfers of all levels.
This concept allows golfers to easily transition to the single length concept without changing their current swing or giving up standard grips, lies or the traditional lengths found in long, mid and short irons.
stevet
Sep 22, 2018 at 3:02 pm
Mr. Lytle(?): Viewed your website and read your US Patent Application (20180185718). Congratulation on bringing your product to market.
Could you further clarify your advertisment or claims for static “swingweight” (1st MOI) and dynamic “MOI” matching (2nd MOI) for your clubs? Thanks.
EQUS Golf
Sep 24, 2018 at 11:52 pm
EQUS golf irons are MOI (Moment of Inertia) matched for each combination in each set. The result is a progressive swing weight, constant within each individual combination, and progressive in subsequent combinations.
MOI is the force necessary to initiate the motion of a stationary object about an axis. In EQUS irons the axis is both the center of gravity of the club head and the pendulum created by the entire club. EQUS clubs utilize both of these matched forces to improve consistency within any given combination.
ogo
Sep 26, 2018 at 3:25 pm
You have 3 sets of irons with different lengths and 3 different swings. Why not a true single length for all the irons and only one swing?
Bruce
Sep 21, 2018 at 3:47 pm
Sounds like you made your decision before watching the video.
Mike
Sep 21, 2018 at 12:54 am
Interesting video. I have considered the single length clubs at one time but was afraid of the longer irons having distance issues. Granted with today’s lofts, I would probably only use a 5 iron on down but still worried about the 5 and 6 iron distances.
Do the companies make them at whatever length you want or is the standard a 7 or 8 iron? I thought Cobra was based on a 7 iron but could be wrong!
steve
Sep 20, 2018 at 6:17 pm
Shawn… I notice in your swing… you turn your head back twice at Address… and your backswing comes to a virtual stop/pause at the Top. Your hips rotate quite a lot and your X-factor to your shoulder turn is small, but you unwind smooth and powerful. Your legs are active… 😉
Leo Vincent
Sep 22, 2018 at 12:22 am
Doubt the guy in the video can break 80
steve
Sep 22, 2018 at 3:05 pm
All that counts is proper desired impact results… style is secondary.
ogo
Sep 20, 2018 at 6:11 pm
WOW!!!! Single length irons from PING??!!!
And the empty cavity back Sterlings sound more pingy than elastomer filled iBlades??!!!
Bruce
Sep 21, 2018 at 3:56 pm
Pings were his variable length and used as a standard.
Single length from Stirling and Cobra
Tom
Sep 20, 2018 at 5:16 pm
Uhhh….Tommy Armour golf had this one length iron concept back in the mid 1980’s…they called it EQL….nothing new here.
John Siegenthaler
Sep 21, 2018 at 11:12 am
Exactly!!
A. Commoner
Sep 21, 2018 at 8:32 pm
They were a flop and for a good reason.
gunmetal
Sep 20, 2018 at 4:10 pm
Cool vid. Hopefully the rest of the companies take note of the benefits that most golfers in the world would see.
steve
Sep 20, 2018 at 6:20 pm
Any competent golf like Shawn can compensate and adjust their swing with any make of club. The results may be different but the performance is standard.