I recently found out the difference between these two related parameters. i.e
OFFSET is the distance in INCHES from the forward border of the shaft to leading edge.
FACE PROGRESSION is the distance in CENTIMETERS from the leading edge to the middle of the shaft.
Thus the equation is: FACE PROGRESSION = OFFSET + SHAFT DIAMETER/2 X 2.54
Looking at this definition I dont see a whole lot of difference in the offset between my Lagified clubs VS any of the modern blades (in this case I visually compared 5 irons from Lagified Mac VIPS with Nike VRs and Hogan Apex Edge). Any thoughts??
modern blades, depending on the company usually dont have that much offset, the difference between them and ABS clubs are very minimal if any at all. When you will see the big difference is between blades and GI of SGI clubs.
In your offset definition you mention the shaft first, then the edge, and this goes the other way around in the definition of face progression. Was this an indication of sign?
Moe Norman taught me to strike shallow, and work toward bacon strip divots that basically would wear out the third groove on your irons after hitting 100,000 golf balls.
What I found is that once I mastered that… I could see I was making contact quite a bit higher up the face on the short irons.
This because of the loft of the club. The third groove moves down in elevation as the club becomes more lofted. So I might be into the 4rth or 5th groove at the 9 iron and wedge.
If you are serious about setting up your gear correctly, then you should work a progressive bend or face progression into your short irons so you can keep the shaft inline with the contact spot on the club. Offset in the short irons is a total disaster if you have a good hitting action. Certainly if you are working on ABS stuff here.
When I bend a set, I really do my best to get the irons into something very similar to what is described above. If I had my own forging plant I would make a correct set of irons for serious players… but there are so many great sets out there that can be worked into this kind of gear set up easily enough… and this is why if you really want a great iron set… you should consider what we are offering compared to simply buying a set off ebay and bringing them to the local club guy who probably has little idea what he is doing relative to what I have proposed above.
Hopefully this makes sense.
I think it is interesting that this is how they made most clubs back in the hickory era, and most all the sets I have seen from the 30’s and 40’s have a lot of face progression into the short irons. They had that part right. Once they got the weights figured out… we got some really great sets made in the Golden era… that are still wonderfully playable today.
@Lag
That diagram makes sense but none of the clubs appear to me to have so much face progression unless I am looking at the wrong line along the shaft. The shaft has a significant width. Are we talking about the aft side of the shaft?
We’ll take another look at your set the next time you are down.
I have probably been working a little more forward progression into short irons in the last year or so. I have figured out a couple little tricks to getting them bent that way in the vice. Always learning.
Great pic Lag! 3rd groove+center of shaft+same dimple on the golf ball @ impact. I see now why I need to walk my clubfaces forward some more on my short irons. Thanks
