TaylorMade Burner Rescue - Question

Hello all,

Right now I have nothing distance-wise between my driver and 3-iron. I went through the GD Gold List and decided on the new TaylorMade Burner Rescue.

What's your opinion of these clubs?

The writeup says they are forgiving and have a slight draw bias, which will help me.

My question is: do I get the 2 or 3 hybrid? My first thought is why not get the 2 -- it will be longer right?

Just looking for some thoughts before I pull the trigger. Thanks!

I've been in a similar situation of distance gaps between my driver and 3H. I don't suggest the 2H, I tried the exercise last year and it didn't work for me. The longer shaft and less lofted club made it even more difficult to hit (unless you are a very consistant ball striker). I've opted to get a Ping G10 3 and 5 wood. Generally speaking the fairways woods get the ball airborne easier. My 2 cents, hope it helps.

When deciding, be sure to check the loft. I bought two TM Rescues (a 4 and 5). I could not figure out why the 4 had about the same launch angle and carry as the 5. I had them checked and the loft on the 4 was 3 degrees higher than what was stamped on the club.

SubPar

Please understand, I'm not trying to be cruel; just realistic with my answer. You're a 36 handicap, which to me means you're currently shooting 50, 52, 54 per nine. A 2-iron is gonna be lofted between 16 and 18 degrees. I've never seen you swing and don't know you, but at 36 hndcp, you're not gonna get that puppy in the air or hit it very far.

Go to a fitting place and get fitted for a slightly over-sized 5 wood with a decent loft on it, which will be about 18 degrees. With a better center of gravity, short and light enough shaft and I'll bet you'd hit this 5-wood better than you'll ever hit a 2-iron.

Remember the old saying? "In a thunderstorm, always hold up a 2-iron, because even God can't hit a 2-iron."

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I do agree with you, but don't let his handicap be the deciding factor. OP, how well do you hit your 3 iron? is it a consistent club for you? Do you hit the ball, get it up in the air, and traveling an acceptable distance within a 10% margin of error towards your target? Before you try to tackle a longer club which will be even more difficult to hit, consider laying up when you are outside of the 3 iron range. I play to a 24~25 handicap, and by accepting that if I am more then 190 out, I am not going to hit the green, I have dropped strokes off of my game. Instead of reaching for it, and possibly ending up in trouble around the green, I can lay up with a comfortable club, and then have a nice wedge shot into the green. On most par 5's, I hit my driving club, mid iron, wedge and am usually either right off or right next to the green in 3. I don't play to be a hero, because at my level, a par is a good score. I play to break 90 because I believe you have to learn to walk before you can run. That being said, if I were you, I would consider a 4 wood or 5 wood before I considered a 2 hybrid. A 2 hybrid will be a very difficult club in anything but the tee box, and flat smooth fairway.

I agree.

As a 34ish handicap, I bought a 2-hybrid of the same make/model as my 3H. I figured that I would hit it at least as well as my 3H and it would go further. I never could hit it. I ended up trading it for a wedge and bought a 5-wood. The 5-wood is still my favorite and most consistent club. Need to get on a tight fairway, 5-wood. Short par 4s? 5-wood. Love it.

You guys gotta realize when you register for the site, the default handicap is set at 36. So when it shows 36, it may not reflect his actual handicap.

I'd say go for the 19* 3 hybrid, it's really easy to get up in the air and very versatile. A nice easy swing goes 200 yards for me.

No offense taken, that is why I was asking! You are right...per nine I am between 50 and 55. I guess there's a reason why the 2 hybrid isn't that popular!

I hit my 3-iron pretty well 70% of the time I'd day.

It's actual handicap. :D

Thanks everyone for your thoughts. I'll go hit the 3 and see how it feels. I'm looking for something forgiving and versatile. Sounds like the 2 will NOT be the way to go.

Oops my bad then. For most of the time newcomers don't change their handicap and it just shows 36.

Hitting a 3-iron pretty well 70% of the time is awesome. I probably can't hit it well 70% of the time.

Its a 1 iron not a 2

I would hit a 2 hybrid as well. I have the Nike sq2 2 and 4 hybrids and I can hit them both very well. The 2h is easier to hit then my 3 wood and I can hit it in more situations than the wood.

keep in mind that you might have a different idea of what well is compared to the OP.

I find myself thinking the same thing often times. I will be hitting a 5 iron into a green 170 yards away, and I will end up short and left, but the ball had a nice flight, i didn't top / skull / hit it fat / etc. I don't consider that a good shot though because I am not on the green / fringe etc. A tour pro would consider a bad shot something on the wrong side of the green. A weekend duffer might consider a bad shot, the wrong side of the next fairway. its a matter of opinion. To the OP, if you hit the 3 iron well and are happy with the results 70% of the time, i would venture to guess that you might be able to get away with a 2h, but I still maintain you will see better results with better course management. Getting the ball as close as possible is often times not the best strategy. For example, I am much better with a full swing gap wedge then I am with a 30 yard chip. So in the instances that I have those two choices assuming a well struck shot, I will usually lay up and to 100 yards and go at the flag next time. On most long par 4's (400+) without a steller drive, I can't go for the reach the green in two . I am better to hit a hybrid (215ish) off the tee, followed by a short iron (120~140) and a wedge (90 to 115) and if I play my cards right I can two putt to bogey the hole. Its also a low stress easy bogey. Instead of taking a driver off the tee, ending up looking for my ball behind a tree, having to invent a shot to get back into the green, and then probably having a mid iron in. I guess what I am saying is, sometimes having a big club in your bag can cost you more strokes then it will save you. I had a 3 wood that I took out because I could never hit it, all I did was top it, or slice it. most often times I would waste a stroke on the fairway or I would end up with an OB / hazard result. If I don't have a great chance to make it in one, I would rather take the safe out and make it close in two.