Are Oversized Irons Legal? According to the USGA, rule 4b(ii), an oversized iron is considered illegal (non-conforming) if the distance from the heel to the toe is less than the distance from the face to the back. In other words, the oversized iron must be longer than it is wide. Any oversized iron that is wider than it is long is illegal to use in any professional or high-level amateur tournaments and games.
For example, if your iron (from the heel to the toe) is 3.50 inches long and (from the face to the back) is 3.75 inches long, it would be considered illegal. Below is a photo of what a non-conforming oversized iron looks like (image provided by the USGA’s Equipment Rulebook)
From the picture above, the length from front to back is longer than the length from the toe to the heel. Although this is an obscure example, this is what the USGA would consider illegal.
How To Figure Out If Your Oversized Irons Are Illegal
Without knowing what the dimensions of your club are, then it would be very hard to know whether or not your club is illegal. Luckily, there is a surefire way to calculate the dimensions of your club, which will allow you to know if it is illegal or not.
3 Steps To Measuring Dimensions Of Your Oversized Iron:
- Grab a rule or a tape measure
- Place the measurement tool at the heel and measure the distance to the toe
- Place the measurement tool at the face and measure the distance to the back
If you realize that the length from the face to the back is longer than the heel to the toe, the club is illegal. It is pretty simple to calculate and if you have a large set of oversized irons, it shouldn’t take long to measure.
How Do Oversized Irons Benefit Your Game?
Whether your set of oversized irons are illegal or not they generally benefit your game in the same way.
If I was @TigerWoods I would switch to some huge forgiving oversized irons for the comeback
— Sean Marley (@smarley55) June 26, 2014
The benefit of using an oversized iron is that it is incredibly forgiving in comparison to a regular iron. Traditional irons are notoriously hard to hit, especially for beginners. The enlarged head on an oversized iron makes it a lot easier to hit and make consistent contact with.
They are most useful for beginners who want a club that can give them loft, but is easy to hit.
Oversized irons are the go if your a hack
— Toddy (@P1PP1E) October 14, 2020
Can Casual Players Use Illegal Oversized Irons?
Whenever I write a post about a certain club being illegal, I typically make a note stating that, in most situations, casual players can still use them. When a club is deemed illegal by the USGA, it means that high-level players can’t use them. The USGA’s rules don’t really apply to casual players.
What I mean is that casual players aren’t held to the same standard as the pros. So, technically, they don’t have to follow the same rules. Unless you are a serious casual golfer, or golf with someone who follows the rules quite closely, I think it’s fine to use oversized irons during your rounds.
I think that using clubs like these make the game especially fun for casual players. Having the chance to use a club that normally isn’t allowed makes the game exhilarating. It spices up your golf bag and can make a boring game into an exciting one.
