One Length Irons Pros And Cons – Who Should Use Them?

Bryson DeChambeau is a player synonymous with smashing bombs and using data to give him a deeper insight into his game. But the ‘Mad Scientist’ as he is known is also credited with reviving the single-length iron movement.

According to Alan Shipnuck at Golf.com, the same length, weight, and flex iron shaft help you achieve a consistent swing plane for optimal launch.

That leads me to this post, where we are looking at one length irons pros and cons. We will identify who should use them and whether they could benefit you.

One Length Irons Overview And Their History

The conversation surrounding single-length irons has gained in popularity thanks to DeChambeau’s antics.

However, the concept is not new, and Bryson is not the first pro to use the design. According to the folks at Sterling Irons, Jack Nicklaus and Bobby Jones used single-length irons.

The first company to offer one-length irons to the average golfer was the Iso-Vibe Golf Company in 1986.

However, three years later, Tommy Armour released the EQL set. According to Shipnuck, it was a dismal failure.

The hype surrounding single-length irons stems from their ability to give you consistency in your setup and swing. Instead of adjusting your swing path for different lengths of each club, you maintain the same approach for every iron shot.

A consistent swing plane helps you improve your contact with the ball, enhancing your ball striking skills. That enables you to generate more clubhead and ball speed to launch a high, long shot.

 

Why Have Single Length Irons Become So Popular Lately?

I have already mentioned that Bryson DeChambeau can be credited with the rejuvenation of the one-length iron movement, but why does the debate persist?

It remains a hot topic because of the consistency it brings to your address, swing plane, and ball striking. Overall, the use of single-length irons optimizes your launch, carry, and distance.

 

Bryson DeChambeau And Single Length Irons?

DeChambeau decided to experiment with single-length irons after reading The Golfing Machine by Homer Kelly. Kelly was of the view that we should use one plane angle for every swing.

He realized that he had thirteen swing planes to account for the varying shaft lengths, weight, and flex. Contrary to Kelly’s advice. Shipnuck also mentions that DeChambeau worked with Texas club manufacturer David Edel to find the perfect single-length irons.

Bryson went on to win the U.S Amateur and NCAA title, and when he turned pro in 2016, he was still carrying Edel clubs. Shortly after joining the tour, the California native signed up with Cobra, where he helped them develop modern on-length irons.

Between 2017 and 2018, Cobra sold 40,000 sets of single-length irons globally, exposing a market potential for these irons.

 

How Long Are Single Length Irons?

Golf Monthly’s Sam Tremlett writes that single-length irons should measure the same as a 7-iron, traditionally 37 to 38 inches.

Cobra has followed this approach with their Radspeed one-length irons, where the length is 37.50 inches.

Are One-Length Irons Any Good?

One-length irons bring consistency to your game and relieve you of one less worry.

Using the same setup, swing plane, and angle of attack with every iron shot helps optimize our clubhead speed and ball-striking ability.

When we consistently strike the ball cleanly, we generate maximum ball speed, helping us increase our distance.

Should High Handicappers Use Single Length Irons?

I like the idea of high handicappers using single-length irons because it allows you to focus more on striking the ball and swinging easy.

Traditional length clubs require varying setups, postures, and angles of attack, which is overwhelming for a beginner to comprehend.

If you do learn on single length irons, it may be difficult

Who Should Use Single Length Irons?

Added to what I said above, Golf.com’s Rob Sauerhauft believes that single-length irons are best suited to beginners and high handicappers, which helps to accelerate the learning process.

Pros Of Single Length Irons

Easy To Hit

The single shaft length helps you improve your clubhead speed and angle of attack to achieve a consistently powerful launch. That helps you to get your ball airborne with ease.

The lighter and shorter longer irons tend to be easier for beginners and slower swinging golfers to generate increased clubhead speed. As a result, they are easier to launch.

Consistent Setup

Single-length irons eradicate the hassle of setting up differently for each shot.

Traditional length clubs require you to position the ball towards the front center for long irons. And towards the middle for short irons and wedges.

As a beginner, you often get your positioning wrong, causing you to duff or tooth our shot. With single-length irons, you use the same setup and swing path for every iron to improve your ball striking ability.

Consistent Swing Plane

In his 1969 book The Golfing Machine, Kelley suggested that to optimize your ball striking. You should have one swing plane. The varying shaft lengths of clubs require a different setup, from your 4-iron through to your sand wedge.

One-length irons eradicate this challenge by allowing you to have the same swing plane on all iron shots. This setup will improve your ball striking, distance, and shot dispersion.

Consistent Angle of Attack

The benefit of a one swing plane approach is that it lays the foundation for a consistent angle of attack.

We, average golfers, struggle to strike every shot cleanly because we need to change our angle of attack for each club.

We may use a moderate angle of attack with a driver in hand but come in steep with a wedge or short iron. As a result, we sometimes hit the ground before our ball. Whereas on other occasions, we catch it in the teeth.

Achieving a consistent angle of attack will improve your ball striking abilities and help you gain more distance and spin over time.

Cleaner Ball Striking

When you have a consistent swing plane and angle of attack, it sets you up perfectly to strike the ball cleanly.

The better your ball striking is, the more consistent your accuracy and distance will become. Optimizing these factors is the best way to lower your scores and handicap.

Tight shot dispersion

Not only do one-length irons impact your swing plane and angle of attack, but it also improves your shot dispersion.

By swinging irons with the same weight and length, you strike the ball in the sweet spot more consistently.

It results in more accurate shots, as you are repeating the same swing and hitting it out of the sweet spot more than with traditional length clubs.

Golf.com supports this theory as they found that players achieved superior shot dispersion on the greens.

Faster Ball Speed

The cleaner that you strike your golf ball, the more speed you will generate. In turn, this delivers optimal distance.

The varying setups required for different clubs often mean players do not maximize their ball speed throughout the set.

The consistency provided by one-length irons helps you achieve more ball speed to increase your distance.

Increased Distance

The more ball speed you can generate, the higher and more powerful your launch will be, which will lead to increased carry and total distance.

Most players will find that their distance increases overall, but the shorter shaft lengths of the long irons may reduce the clubhead speed of some players.

Disadvantages Of Single Length Irons

Shot Stopping Ability

In their test on single-length irons, Golf.com found that the longer irons delivered a low ball flight.

As a result, the shots did not stop quickly and often did not hold the green.

Awkward Feel

Players who are looking to switch from traditional length irons will find the setup strange.

The four to six irons are shorter in the length than a standard setup. And the eight iron to sand wedge are longer than the normal setup.

Slower Ball Speed With Longer Irons

If you are used to playing with traditional length four, five, or six irons, you may struggle to generate the same level of clubhead and ball speed.

The reason is that the shorter shaft length doesn’t give you the extra weight to increase speed on your downswing and transfer the energy to your ball.

Best Single-Length Irons On The Market In 2021?

Cobra King Radspeed One Length Irons

Selling Points:

• Distance Irons With Game Improvement Features
• 3d Printed Medalion
• Latest And Greatest From Cobra

 

Key Features:

Cobra’s Radspeed one-length irons are packed with technology to deliver what they claim is the fastest, most forgiving, and longest irons that they have created.

The clubs contain extreme heel and toe weighting to provide a stable clubhead at impact for forgiveness on off-center hits. Furthermore, the weighting centers the CG for increased ball speed and low spin, which helps you achieve maximum distance.

The oversized clubheads feature a 3D-printed medallion designed to optimize the feel of the set. And a Forged PWRSHELL face increases the flex to deliver rapid ball speed for a higher launch.

Cobra widened the sole of the long irons to provide an enhanced sweet spot in the four to six iron. Conversely, the wedges and short irons feature a traditional-sized sole.

Overall, the King Radspeed One Length Irons are best suited to high handicappers and beginners looking for consistent distance, forgiveness, and accuracy.

Pros

• Enhanced forgiveness
• The irons prompt increased ball speed
• Flexible clubface
• Soft feel
• Stable clubhead at impact
• Delivers optimal distance

Cons

• The oversized clubheads are hard to shape shots with
• The chunky clubheads are not appealing to superior players
• Strong lofted long irons may be challenging for slow swinging players to get your ball airborne

Overall Score: 93/100

Check Out More Reviews Here:

 

Cobra King Forged TEC One Length Irons

Selling Points:

• Players Irons
• Distance And Control
• Tour Quality

Key Features:

The Cobra designed their King Forged Tec irons to resemble a classic players iron for the superior golfers among us. While the Radspeed irons focused on forgiveness, these clubs deliver maximum workability.

The Forged Tec irons are Cobra’s first attempt at employing PWRSHELL face technology in a players iron. The technology enhances the sweet spot of the club for faster ball speed and a higher launch.

Foam microspheres are inserted into the hollow cavity back to optimize the feel and acoustics of the club. As a result, the irons feel buttery soft and reduce unwanted vibrations on heel and toe mishits.

Long and mid irons in the set contain tungsten weighting in the toe, which centers the CG. However, the tungsten is omitted from short irons and wedges to enable more workability and control with these clubs.

The Cobra King Forged TEC irons contain moderately strong lofted long irons, which may be difficult for slow swingers to launch. But overall, these are irons for the best players in our game, who are superior ball strikers.

Pros

• Built to shape your shots
• Crisp acoustics
• Buttery soft feel
• Promotes a high launch
• Prompts accelerated ball speed

Cons

• Not suitable for mid to high handicappers
• The moderately strengthened lofts of the long irons are more difficult to launch for slow swingers
• Moderately expensive

Overall Score: 95/100

Check Out More Reviews Here:

 

 

Wishon EQ1-NX Single Length Irons

Selling Points:

• Well Priced
• Game Improvement
• Progressive Center Of Gravity

Key Features:

You can only acquire Wishon golf clubs through custom clubmakers and fitters from around the world.

You cannot pick them up from any store. However, if you are getting fitted for a set of one-length irons, the Wishon EQ1-NX’s may be an option.

The EQ1-NX’s are a high COR design, with the CG progressively located through the set. The CG in the set’s longest club, the 5-iron is positioned low and back. However, the CG in the gap and sand wedge are set high and forward.

Pros

• Progressive CG optimizes launch and distance through the bag
• Promotes workability
• Forgiving
• Multiple single length options depending on your height
• Increased MOI

Cons

• No 4-iron
• Slightly strengthened 5, 6, and 7 iron which may be difficult for some players to launch

Overall Score: 92/100

Check Out More Reviews Here:

 

Conclusion On One Length Irons Pros and Cons

Now that you have a better understanding of one-length irons, what are your thoughts? Do you think a set would add value to your game?

Based on our review of the pros and cons of one-length irons, it is clear that they offer consistency and help us become better ball strikers.

Although Bryson DeChambeau shows that one-length irons are advantageous for professionals, our review highlights the benefits for high handicappers and beginners.

The consistency that single-length irons add to your game makes these more beneficial to the average golfer than a pro.

Therefore if you are a beginner or a high handicapper looking for the best way to become a better ball striker, you should consider single-length irons.

For a closer look at our best choice single-length irons, take a look at the Cobra King Radspeed irons here.