Why Use Ladies Golf Irons?
Women
golfers have special needs. Due to their smaller size and slower swing speed
when compared to male golfers, females find that they have to seek equipment
designed especially for them. Clubs built for women are lighter in weight and
offer a lower center of gravity, making these easier for smaller people to hit.
In many cases, older children and teenage golfers will choose a set of ladies
clubs because their bodies are smaller and their swings are slower than adult
male golfers. Women and children golfers who carefully pick their clubs, both
woods and irons, will be able to take strokes off of their game. While the wrong
set of ladies golf irons can be detrimental to ones game, the right set will
help to improve it. There are many options available when choosing a set of
ladies golf irons, and making the right choices will ensure that the player
has her very best set of clubs.
One of the first choices to make with ladies golf irons is the shaft material. Two major types of shafts dominate the market: steel and graphite. In many cases ladies iron sets can be customized with the player's choice of shaft material. Many experienced players favor the rigidity of the steel shafted irons, but these have a downside, especially for women golfers. Irons with steel shafts are heavier and slightly harder to swing than graphite irons. The ability to achieve a fast swing speed with a steel shafted iron is limited, and for that reason, many women of all levels prefer to play ith graphite irons. Although slightly more expensive, graphite shafts are much easier to swing with more force allowing the ball to be hit farther. Ladies golf irons with steel shafts include the TaylorMade SuperSteel ladies irons. Graphite shafted irons include the Ping i3 ladies irons and the Nike SQ Sumo Ladies Irons.
There are also two different methods used in creating the club head: forged and cast. Irons which have been forged are carved out of a solid piece of metal. These are often stronger and weigh more. Most often, forged irons have solid, blade club heads. Blade ladies irons have the weight distributed throughout the thin club head. This creates a smaller center of gravity where the "sweet spot" of the club head is located. This is why most low handicap golfers will choose forged blade irons since they are able to hit the ball in the sweet spot. For these adept golfers, they are rewarded for their skill with better control over the ball. Forged ladies irons examples include Mizuno MX 25 Ladies Irons. Blade, or muscle backed, ladies irons include the TaylorMade R7 Ladies Irons and the TaylorMade RAC OS ladies irons.
Forged irons can also be cavity backed, which have a hollow in the back of the club head. This puts most of the weight in the perimeter of the club head. The result is a larger "sweet spot" which is more forgiving for less experienced golfers who might not always hit the ball perfectly off their iron. Most of the time cavity backed ladies golf irons have been cast since their intricate design makes forging difficult. Casting an iron is done by pouring molten metal into a mold. Cast ladies irons are often lower in price than the labor intensive forged irons. With their reduced prices and ease of hitting, cast cavity backed irons are best for beginners and those with high handicaps. Examples of cavity backed ladies irons are the Nancy Lopez Ladies Irons and the Nickent 3DX Ladies Irons. A type of cast iron is the Ping i3 ladies iron.
Should a female golfer opt for a graphite shaft or steel shaft? Graphite would be a better choice for its increased ease of swing. Can a woman play with a blade style club head? Most likely, if the player is very experienced and has a low handicap then a blade style club head will offer more control in the short game. For added strength, a woman can choose forged irons, but for those looking to save money, cast irons might be better. Cavity backed ladies golf irons are the easiest to hit and allow even beginners to have success hitting the ball well off of their irons. High and mid level golfers are best served by choosing graphite shaft cast cavity backed ladies golf irons, and the best option for experienced golfers are steel shaft forged blade ladies golf irons.