Okay, guys, so I got super into this whole Bryson DeChambeau irons thing. I mean, the guy’s a total game-changer, right? So, naturally, I wanted to see what the hype was about.
First off, I started digging into what makes his irons so different. It turns out, it’s not just one thing. It’s a whole bunch of stuff. Like, did you know all his irons are the same length? 37.5 inches, which is, like, the length of a standard 7-iron. I found that it came from this book by Homer Kelley, so you know it has to be legit. I tried swinging a club like this and, man, it felt weird at first, but I can see how it could lead to a more consistent swing.
Then there’s the shaft. This dude uses LA Golf Bryson Series shafts. Super stiff, which I guess helps him control that insane power he’s got. It made my arms tired just thinking about it, but I still wanted to give it a go. I’m telling you, swinging with a shaft that stiff is a whole different ball game. You really gotta be strong to make it work, but I can see how it would keep things tight.
But here’s where it gets really wild. Just before the 2024 Masters, he got these custom 3D-printed irons approved by the USGA. They’re made by this company Avoda, and they’ve got this “bulge-and-roll” tech on the faces, the same kind of thing you see on drivers. Apparently, it helps with off-center hits. Plus they were the only ones in existence! I tried getting my hands on a set, but no luck. They’re like $10,000 a pop. But using a 3D printer? That’s just mind-blowing.
My Experiments
- Experimenting with Same-Length Irons: I tried choking up on my longer irons to mimic the 37.5-inch length. My initial swings felt super awkward. It took a while, but eventually, I started to see some improvement in my consistency.
- Simulating Stiff Shafts: I couldn’t get my hands on the exact LA Golf shafts DeChambeau uses. But I did try out some extra-stiff shafts at a local golf shop. The difference was noticeable. It felt like I had more control, but it also required a lot more effort to swing.
- Imagining Bulge-and-Roll: This one was purely theoretical, since I couldn’t get the actual Avoda irons. But I spent some time studying how bulge-and-roll works on drivers and tried to imagine how it might translate to irons. It definitely got me thinking about the possibilities.
- Trying to Copy His Swing: I spent hours watching videos of DeChambeau’s swing, trying to pick up on the nuances. The way he rotates his body and supinates his wrist… it’s like a science project in itself. I tried mimicking it, but let’s just say I have a long way to go.
So, after all this, did I suddenly start hitting the ball like Bryson? Nope. But did I learn a ton about golf club design and the science of the swing? Absolutely. It’s amazing how much detail and innovation goes into this stuff. DeChambeau is a mad genius, I’m telling you, he’s pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in golf, and I’m here for it.
I’m gonna keep experimenting and see where this rabbit hole takes me. Maybe one day I’ll even get to try those 3D-printed irons for real. Until then, I’ll be here, geeking out over golf tech and trying to add a few extra yards to my drives.
