At Miura, golf irons are created only when there is a new benefit to players. With the recent release of the Miura CB-302, Miura San wondered why every golfer could not have a penetrating ball flight. Before the CB-302, penetrating ball flight was reserved for the lowest handicap players with the fastest speeds; this has changed. With the release of the CB-302 and other irons in the Miura lineup, ball flight is something that golfers have much more control over. This brings up an interesting concept: What ball flight in your irons is ideal?
What We Learn From Professionals
Studying the ball flight of the best players in the game can teach us a lot about ideal ball flight and what we would strive for. One of the most interesting things you will find, which was likely noted by Miura San in the CB-302 design process, is the fact that peak height stays relatively close to the same for all iron shots.
The reason this happens is because of the spin and loft characteristics of each club.
A higher spinning short iron with more loft reaches its maximum height quickly and falls at a higher angle of descent. The lower spinning long iron takes more time to reach its peak height and then falls to the ground at a lower angle.
However, with the consistency in peak height, ball flight is very well controlled.
Data To Be Aware Of
If you have concerns about your ball flight, here are some basics to understand (using a 6 iron as an example) and what to look for with launch monitor data. A custom fitting for Miura clubs can also help to fine-tune the ball flight throughout your bag.
Launch Angle
The launch angle of a 6 iron falls between 14-18 degrees depending on the angle of attack and the clubs that you are using. Most golfers in search of a more penetrating ball flight will look to keep the launch angle down a bit; the key here is to ensure the spin is a proper match for your game.
Peak Height
Peak height for a professional on a 6 iron is about 30 yards or around 90 feet. Amateur players have a peak height ranging from 85 to 100 feet. Golfers with a peak height over 100 feet may have a shaft and clubhead combination mismatch.
Too much peak height impacts the angle of descent and the overall distance that you can get with your iron shots.
Spin
Spin rates vary considerably based on the swing speed of the golfer. Expect to see spin rates in the 5300-5800 range for a faster-swinging golfer. Spin on its own is not as important as spin rates when analyzing peak height, launch, and angle of descent.
Only then do we see how everything works together?
Angle of Descent
The angle of descent is also impacted by peak height. Expect to see around 45 degrees on a well-struck iron shot, from an average to above average swing speed golfer.