fbpx

Why Today’s 7-Irons Are Actually Stronger Than 4-Irons from the 90s

📌 The Big Loft Lie

If you’ve ever felt like you hit your irons further than golfers did 20-30 years ago, there’s a reason. It’s not because modern golfers are stronger, and it’s not because of some hidden secret in today’s technology.

It’s loft jacking—and it’s one of the biggest changes in golf equipment that most amateur golfers don’t fully understand.

The truth is, a modern 7-iron has the same loft as a 4-iron from the 90s. So, are you actually hitting it further—or are you just being tricked by marketing?

Let’s break down what’s really going on.

⛳ What Is Loft Jacking? (And Why It’s Happening)

Loft jacking refers to manufacturers lowering the lofts of irons to make them go further.

Here’s a direct comparison:

Club Loft in 1990s Loft in 2024

4-Iron 26-28° 18-21°

7-Iron 34-36° 27-30°

Pitching Wedge 47-50° 42-45°

That’s right—a new 7-iron has nearly the same loft as an old 4-iron.

So when your buddy brags about hitting his 7-iron 180 yards, remind him… he’s basically just hitting an old 4-iron.

🔹 Why Do Manufacturers Jack Up Lofts?

It all comes down to marketing and the psychology of golfers.

Here’s how club brands use loft jacking to sell you new irons:

🔹 More distance = easier sales.

• Golfers want instant results, and a jacked-up 7-iron makes them feel stronger.

• If a golfer suddenly gains 15 yards on their irons, they think the clubs are better, not that the lofts have changed.

🔹 Stronger lofts keep ball flight down.

• Modern irons have lower centers of gravity (CG) to help launch the ball high.

• If manufacturers didn’t lower the lofts, the ball would fly too high and lose distance.

🔹 It creates a need for more wedges.

• Since pitching wedges now have stronger lofts (42-45° instead of 48-50°), golfers need an extra gap wedge to fill the distance gap.

• More wedges = more sales.

💭 What’s the Problem With Loft Jacking?

Loft jacking isn’t necessarily a bad thing—but it does create problems, especially for amateur golfers who don’t realize what’s happening.

1️⃣ Distance Gaps Become a Problem

• If your 7-iron is as strong as an old 4-iron, you might have a huge gap between clubs.

• A modern pitching wedge now acts like an old 9-iron—so what do you do when you need a soft wedge shot?

• You end up buying more clubs just to cover all the distances.

2️⃣ Long Irons Become Harder to Hit

• With stronger lofts, a modern 4-iron has the loft of an old 2-iron—which is much harder to hit.

• This is why more golfers are switching to hybrids—because hitting modern long irons is way tougher than in the past.

3️⃣ Spin & Stopping Power Can Suffer

• Stronger lofts mean less backspin, which can make it harder to stop the ball on greens.

• A jacked-up 7-iron might go further, but if it doesn’t stop on the green, is it really helping?

🤔 Should You Care About Loft Jacking? (Or Just Embrace It?)

Some golfers think loft jacking is just evolution, while others believe it’s misleading marketing.

Here’s what to keep in mind when buying irons:

Check the actual lofts, not just the numbers. Don’t assume a 7-iron is the same across all brands—look at the degrees.

Test your distance gaps. If your PW is 42°, you might need extra wedges (gap wedge, lob wedge) to maintain proper spacing.

Consider if you really need more distance. A 7-iron going further is great—but not if you can’t hold greens or control your distances.

📢 What’s Your Take on Loft Jacking?

Loft jacking has changed how we think about iron distances—but is it a smart evolution or just a marketing trick?

What do you think—is loft jacking a problem, or is it just part of modern golf?

👉 Follow us on Facebook for more golf debates, insights, and gear discussions!

The Golf Bandit
The Golf Bandit

Hi, I'm Jan. I'm passionate about golf and have been playing for years. I love testing out new clubs and equipment, and I share my reviews right here on my blog. With access to the latest gear, I provide honest insights on how they perform on the course. I also enjoy sharing tips and tricks to help you improve your game. Thanks for visiting—hope you find something useful!

Articles: 249

Newsletter Updates

Enter your email address below and subscribe to our newsletter