Joe Looks to Improve His Iron Game Trajectory and Control
By Ryan Gager
GOLFTEC Athlete Joe Hooks recently visited GOLFTEC headquarters for an iron fitting as he was seeking to improve trajectory and control in his iron game. In this edition of Club Explorers, we’ll swing into Joe’s club fitting experience at GOLFTEC and highlight the key changes made to his equipment to enhance his performance on the course.
Analyzing Joe’s Current Irons
With Joe’s current irons he was pleased with the flight of the ball and overall distance. However, he wanted to have better command over his shots, particularly the ability to execute a controlled low cut. Joe’s strength in his game is his iron play, so being able to hit any type of shot on command would give him an even bigger boost on the course to help him compete in tournament play.
When looking at Joe’s launch and descent angle numbers, there were definitely areas for improvement. Joe’s launch angle was slightly higher than desired, reaching nearly 19 degrees, and the descent angle was also more than necessary, coming in too steep to the green. Ideally, they wanted to get Joe down to around 15-16 degrees of launch, which would then impact descent angle and give Joe additional control and trajectory in his shots.
If you missed it, Joe also came to GOLFTEC for a driver fitting. Be sure to check out the results here!
Testing New Irons
The first irons Joe tested were the TaylorMade P7MC, a is more compact iron with less offset than his current irons. They used the same shaft as he was currently playing. Right away, Joe liked the look of the P7MC better than his current irons and felt like it would do more of what he wanted.
Next, Joe tried the Mizuno JPX 923 Tour head, which is also a smaller player’s profile head. The shaft used was the same as before, and the goal was to maintain similar spin numbers while potentially changing the launch angle. After hitting shots with the Mizuno JPX 923, Joe noticed that the launch numbers were similar to his original ones, but that the descent angle had improved.
The JPX 923 led Joe to try Mizuno’s other line of irons, the Pro 221. Right away Joe liked the look and results when hitting the Mizuno Pro 221. He also liked the concept of creating a combo set, with the Mizuno Pro 221 for his short and mid irons and the Mizuno Pro 223 for his 4-iron. This would allow Joe to have a slightly higher launch in his long iron while maintaining consistent gaps between the set.
Joe Hooks left GOLFTEC with a renewed sense of confidence and excitement with his new Mizuno Pro 221 irons, with a combo of the Pro 223 in the 4-iron. The comprehensive club fitting experience allowed him to see immediate improvements, particularly in minimizing his misses and achieving a more desirable trajectory.
To find your perfect set of irons, or to get fit for a driver, woods, hybrids, wedges or a putter, GOLFTEC is the best place to try and buy the latest from the best brands in golf. Start by locating a local GOLFTEC near you and talk with a certified GOLFTEC Coach about how they can fit you for the right clubs to help you play your best.
Check out other club fitting videos from GOLFTEC below, including Joe Hooks getting fit for a driver, and former NFL Wide Receiver Brice Butler getting fit for clubs.
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