Question:

I have a question you may or may not want to answer, as it deals with one of your competitors.

I was looking into the Pinhawks as a single length club option. Their price point is much cheaper, but what would I be getting for that price? Is the technology up to par?

As far as I can tell all the clubheads weight the same at approximately 272g, and that’s it. Some guy in Edmonton has the heads and I am actually going to go check them out this week.

I would love your honest opinion on them.

I will also mention that on their website they do actually mention your clubs as an alternative and recommend if you do not buy from them then purchase from Sterling Irons® as you guys are on the leading edge of one length.

Thank you again for the interaction.

Dallas

Tom Wishon’s Answer:

Dallas

Sure thing, I don’t mind commenting on the differences between the Pinhawks and the Sterling Irons®.

The reason the price is so different first of all is because the Pinhawks are one-piece investment cast stainless steel iron heads with a common polish and tumble finish. That’s the lowest cost type of iron head in the golf industry today.

The Sterling Irons® #4, 5, 6, 7 irons are a 2-piece investment cast carbon steel head with a high strength steel high COR face plate welded to the body, after which the heads are nickel chromium plated. The Sterling Irons® #8 to LW heads are a one-piece investment cast carbon steel head with NiCr plating to finish the heads. Those head construction types are the most expensive in the golf industry for an iron.

Performance-wise I can list the differences.

1) The Pinhawks used to be made to a single length of 37.5″ which is a 6-iron length. I do not know if they changed that recently or in the past couple of years since I designed and we intro’d the Sterling Irons®. A 6-iron length makes it a little more difficult to adapt to the 9, PW, SW in the set because the 6-iron length makes them about 2″ longer than conventional wedge lengths. It would be easier to hit the high number irons and wedges farther than you need because of this much longer length.

2) We did the Sterling Irons® based on an 8-iron length because most people hit an 8-iron more consistently than they do a 6 iron, and because an 8-iron length makes the wedges only an inch longer than what they are in a conventional set. So, that allows the wedges to be easier to adapt to and less likely to hit the shot farther than you wish to.

3) The only possible downside of an 8-iron length is that it means the very low loft irons are harder to hit high to fly and carry unless you have a higher clubhead speed. I did offset some of this by designing the Sterling #4, 5, 6, 7 irons with a high COR face to add more ball speed to help get the shot height and carry distance up. But if you do not have a clubhead speed with your current 7 iron of 85mph or higher, we would not recommend you try to use the #4 iron in the set. And if your 7-iron clubhead speed is under 75mph, do not include a 5 iron in your set.

With the Pinhawk #4 iron at a 6-iron length, you probably could hit that iron ok if your 7-iron speed is 80mph or higher. And with the Pinhawk 5-iron you probably would be able to hit it high enough to be happy with it at a 6-iron length if your current 7-iron speed is over 70mph.

But again, 6-iron length is more difficult to be consistent with than an 8-iron length, and 6-iron length makes the wedges harder to get used to for accuracy control and distance control.

4) Also, the Pinhawk heads are not made with a weight bore inside the head, so it is more difficult to achieve a wider range of swingweight for whatever shaft weight and grip size and length you might need.

All the Sterling Irons® heads have a weight bore to allow weight to be added during assembly so that it is possible to achieve a wider range of swingweights for different custom shaft weight and grip weight and length requirements.

5) In addition, bending the Sterling irons for custom loft and lie fitting needs is easier because the heads are carbon steel. Pinhawks are harder to bend for custom loft and lie because they are cast stainless steel.

That pretty much covers the differences in the two models, so I hope this helps.

TOM