You may be wondering how necessary a 4 iron is to keep in your bag. Chances are you don’t use it that much and when you do, you don’t hit it that well. If you are hesitant to get rid of it, you are not alone. Many casual or amateur players see their favorite pros use clubs like the 4 iron and think that they need to have one in their bag too. But the reality is that a 4 iron is very difficult to use and may not be the best choice.
To help you make your decision I’ve compiled a few reasons why you don’t need a 4 iron in your golf bag.
Do you need a 4 iron? No, not every golfer needs a 4 iron in their bag. Most casual, or high handicap golfers should not carry a 4 iron in their bag. With its low MOI and small sweet spot, a 4 iron is a very difficult club to hit. There are plenty of alternatives that can help achieve the same type of shot as a 4 iron, that are much more forgiving and easier to hit.
In other words, most golfers do not need a 4 iron in their bag because it is more trouble than it is worth. For many golfers, a 4 iron It is too difficult to hit and will add more strokes to your score than it will save. So it is best to opt for an alternative club. Below is a more detailed explanation about why you do not need a 4 iron, as well as some alternative club recommendations.
Do You Need A 4 Iron: Low MOI
One of the main reasons why the 4 iron is so hard to hit, and a main reason it should not be in your bag, is because it has a very low MOI. MOI, also known as moment of inertia, means that the club is prone to twisting when contact is made on the club.
With a low MOI, a 4 iron can be extremely difficult to keep straight when hitting. This twisting can lead to sliced and pushed shots. It is much harder to hit consistent straight shots with a club that has low MOI. For most casual or high handicap golfers that don’t have much experience with low MOI clubs, it isn’t worth keeping in your bag.
Do You Need A 4 Iron: Center of Gravity
The center of gravity of an iron is the point of the club that holds the central balance. It is located in different areas for different clubs. Generally, most irons have the center of gravity towards the back and bottom of the club. Given the fact that the 4 iron isn’t meant to get under the ball as much, it is located a bit higher and more forward than loftier irons.
The location of the center of gravity of a 4 iron makes it much more difficult to hit correctly. If it is not hit in the general area of the center of gravity, your shot won’t be straight and you aren’t likely to get your ball on the fairway.
Do You Need A 4 Iron: Sweet Spot
Just like all other long irons, the 4 iron has a much smaller sweet spot than other clubs. If you take a look at its face, it is much smaller and more closed off than something like a 3 wood or a driver. This smaller face means that you have less surface area to make contact with.
The sweet spot on irons are much smaller due to the shape of their face. A smaller sweet spot means that if you do not hit the direct center of the club, the ball is likely not going to go where you want it to. It means that the club is overall much more unforgiving.
4 Iron Alternatives
So if you have decided to take the 4 iron out of your bag, you are likely going to need a replacement. Lucky for you, there are a bunch of more forgiving clubs that will give you a similar shot to the 4 iron. Not only will they give you a similar type of shot, but they are also much easier to hit, which means that you’ll be able to take a few strokes off of your score.
4 Iron Alternative: 5 Wood
One club that is more forgiving that offers the same amount of loft as the 4 iron is the 5 wood. The 5 wood also offers around 20 to 22 degrees of loft, which will allow you to get a similar amount of height on the ball. However, it is designed to be much more forgiving, with a higher MOI and bigger sweet spot.
4 Iron Alternative: 3 Hybrid
Another club that can be used to replace a 4 iron is the 3 hybrid. The 3 hybrid typically has about 21 degrees of loft and is considered to be one of the most forgiving clubs available, even more forgiving than the 5 wood. This club will allow you to more consistently hit the shots you would ideally hit with a 4 iron.
Final Thoughts: Do You Need A 4 Iron?
Unless you are confident in your ability to hit consistent shots with a 4 iron, then you don’t really need to have it. Like I mentioned above, there are many reasons why using a 4 iron is very difficult. You will more than likely add more strokes to your score using a 4 iron than if you were to opt into choosing a different club, like a 4 wood or 3 hybrid.
The only downside to not having a 4 iron and using an alternative is that it may be a bit more difficult to play fades or draws. Other than that, there are only benefits to not using a 4 iron. At the end of the day, it is important to make the decision based on how you feel about the 4 iron. Every player is different, and if you feel as though the 4 iron is crucial to your game, then you can keep it, otherwise it is fine to ditch it.