Iron Testing for Distance

There comes a time in every golfer's experience when the question of whether a different combination of components would yield more distance from the same swing. We all ask it, and seeking the answer is one of the great pleasures in golf.

Recently we worked with a golfer with a powerful swing who was ready to test everything reasonable in pursuit of perfection. Our radar launch monitor and fitting system with exchangeable heads and shafts are ideal for this purpose.

We set up an exhaustive session, and to minimize bias we varied 6-iron combinations in random order throughout the test, with 6 - 12 shots hit for each combination. 

We plotted the data in different ways. In testing irons for distance, carry distance and shot dispersion have the most meaning. It's target golf where where we measure the key variables. Here are the averaged results for each head/shaft combination focusing on carry distance. 

Does club fitting make a difference? We think the data answer the question and underscores the old cliche, "if you don't test it's just a guess". Which combination do you think is the best improvement over the player's current iron setup?