Did Edel Golf Just Reinvent Single Length Irons? 2017 PGA Show Spotlight

We all know that Edel Golf designed the single length irons Bryson DeChambeau used to win the U.S. Amatuer title in 2015.  And now Edel has actually improved the way single length irons perform in a way that's notably different from anything the industry has ever seen. 

 

I spent a good amount of time speaking with Edel's Andrew Graw about the common problems with single length irons, as well as what Edel did to address those issues, and it was extremely educating and equally fascinating. 

The theoretical benefit of playing single length irons is of course that one length irons are easier to hit than variable length irons. They're based on just one club, usually the 7-iron, and this allows your swing to stay the same throughout the entire set.  The result should be improved ball striking, improved distance, and improved accuracy with the ability to reproduce these results consistently. 

 

But single length irons have been attempted before, and unfortunately wreaked havoc on distance gapping and flight trajectory.  Common problems that killed this movement in the past included long irons that didn't get enough distance or launch high enough, and short irons that felt too heavy or ballooned too much.  Middle irons have never been the problem since the entire set is based on those irons. 

You can correct these issues in part with a band aid sort of fix by tweaking iron lofts, shifting CGs, and changing overall weights, but then the clubs don't retain the same feel throughout the set, basically wiping out a crucial component of single length irons. 

Well Edel discovered in partnership with Paderson shafts, that head design "and" shaft technology working in unison is the best way to remedy these issues.  And together they've designed single length irons that arguably might be the finest ever designed. 

 

 

 

Paderson shaft technology essentially allows Edel to control headweight, alter head design, and incorporate face and bounce technology in such a way that there is no change in feel, weight, or flex among the long, middle, and short irons.  But there is change among the three profiles in flex point, trajectory, and distance. 

In other words, long irons will now fly longer and higher, and short irons will fly lower with more boring ball flight, all while keeping trajectory, distance gapping, weighting, and feel consistent throughout the set. 

 

 

 

Andrew also told me another benefit to this head design and shaft technology marriage is that Edel can build any set of single length irons to ensure they work with whatever type of swing you have, more upright, flatter, it doesn't matter.  I didn't have time to get fit the day I spoke with Andrew, but went back the next day for a fitting, and should have a review on these irons for you sometime in spring. 

 

 

 

 

Other characteristics of Edel's single length irons include: hollow body designs that allow Edel to create thinner, stronger, and more forgiving faces in the long irons; progressive face thickness throughout the set to maintain proper ball speeds and consistent distance gapping which maximizes what each individual iron is supposed to do; centered CG positions to promote improved shot dispersion and head stability; and ideal sole width, bounce, and grind surfaces for optimal turf interaction and low low point consistency. 

 

 

 

Listen, single length irons aren't going to be for everyone.  For someone who's played 20 years with variable length irons this might be a tough switch, and certainly will take some time adjusting to no matter how long you've played. 

 

 

But for those of us who are always looking for ways to play better and lower our scores, Edel might have cracked the code and unlocked the full benefits of what single length irons are meant to be.  No longer just a fad doomed for failure, but a real game changer in iron sets to help us hit them straighter, farther, more consistently, and above all else repeatedly.  Shot.  After shot.  After shot. 

You can find more information about Edel's single length irons here: Edel Single Length Irons.  And as always, if you have any questions shoot me an email or dm on twitter or instagram.