I Have 15 Clubs. Which One Do I Take Out?

[Bonvivant]

10 minutes ago, onthehunt526 said:

I think I may have found a way to solve this issue. I’m going to do a gap test.

What a brilliant idea. It's funny that this really hasn't been mentioned so far. Let us know the results!

[onthehunt526]

On 4/18/2020 at 2:10 PM, Bonvivant said:

What a brilliant idea. It's funny that this really hasn't been mentioned so far. Let us know the results!

As many of you may know, New York recently clarified its stance on golf courses being “non-essential”. Though I still haven’t played or gotten to do this gap test yet. In theory now I can. I’ll keep you posted.

[James146]

Lose the 2 iron...

[onthehunt526]

Okay, the results are in. I actually did the gap testing 3 different times. I used a Flightscope Mevo to compile the results. When all was said and done. The club I needed to drop became obvious after the 3rd test.

58° wedge.              98.1

54° wedge.             112.8

AW (51°)                 125.6

PW (46°)                 139.5

9-iron (41°)             152.7

8-iron (36°)             166.8

7-iron (32°)             179.5

6-iron (28°)             191.3

5-iron (25°)             202.9

4-iron (22°)             214.4

3-iron (20°)             223.9

2-iron (18°)             237.6

3-wood (15°)          254.8

Driver (9.5°)            282.8

 

Now from those results, I only included stock shots in the averages. I did hit a few draw 3-irons and they add 5 yards or so usually. The verdict is basically this. I either strengthen the 3-iron by 1 degree and that will give me a couple more yards on stock shots. (Taking out the 2-iron) or I get me a 20° version of my 2-iron and take out the 2 and 3 iron. Or I take out the 2-iron and deal with it. On my home course. However, I found that I do not need a 3-wood at all. There are a couple holes that require you to lay back, but with the 2-iron pegged up, I hit it plenty far enough I would rarely need the 3-wood.

Any feedback to the results would be appreciated. To review home course drop the 3-wood. Elsewhere the 2-iron stays in the trunk, with either a utility 3-iron replacing the 2 and 3 or just simply the 585 3-iron staying in. Any comments would be appreciated. If there is an option I haven't thought of let me know.

[Vinsk]

So basically shots 240-260yds would be your trouble range if you dropped the 3W. Meaning specific situations where you needed to say clear a far water’s edge that was 240yd but with little green to work with afterwards. Like a par 5 with water in front of the green. You’d have to either pure your 2i or lay up. Unless you can pull off those controlled swing driver off the deck? Wtf? Who does that? Lol. 

[onthehunt526]

25 minutes ago, Vinsk said:

So basically shots 240-260yds would be your trouble range if you dropped the 3W. Meaning specific situations where you needed to say clear a far water’s edge that was 240yd but with little green to work with afterwards. Like a par 5 with water in front of the green. You’d have to either pure your 2i or lay up. Unless you can pull off those controlled swing driver off the deck? Wtf? Who does that? Lol. 

My home course doesn’t have any forced carries where I would ever have to hit a 260 yard 3-wood. Other places I play I probably would need it. That’s why I said home course 3-wood out elsewhere 2-iron out. 

[Vinsk]

Impressive distances.

[onthehunt526]

What do you guys think about strengthening the 3i a degree or a 3i utility that splits the distance between the two and three iron?

[WUTiger]

Thinking back a couple of years...

What if you went with a Tour Edge CBX or CBX.119 hybrid in 19* or 20*? Would this be an alternative to the 2i/3i standoff?

Depending on the course you could go Charlie Beljan (no 3W), or go 3W + CBX hybrid.

Or, just go out and play golf... I remember how hard it was to get you to Sweet 16! 

And, the best to Alina and you. 

[onthehunt526]

3 hours ago, WUTiger said:

Thinking back a couple of years...

What if you went with a Tour Edge CBX or CBX.119 hybrid in 19* or 20*? Would this be an alternative to the 2i/3i standoff?

Depending on the course you could go Charlie Beljan (no 3W), or go 3W + CBX hybrid.

Or, just go out and play golf... I remember how hard it was to get you to Sweet 16! 

And, the best to Alina and you. 

I actually recently looked over the numbers again and found something very interesting. Now correct me if I’m wrong John, but I don’t need a 225 yard club (3-iron, 235-240 total, my peak height is insane, we’re talking 40 yards with a 3-iron), and a 240 yard carry club, almost never.
 

I looked at the end of last year’s last five rounds and found my answer at least for now. Before I made my swing more compact, (my hands don’t get above my right shoulder on my backswing, but I make a much fuller turn, still haven’t 100% gotten the timing down with the driver yet). I had a lot of longer clubs into par-4s and par-5s. On 18, which is 450 yards. My average second shot was a 4-iron. (Before the changes). The par-5s last year were a challenge to reach in two and a lot of times I’d lay-up. Even the normally straight downwind 9th hole (which doubles as the 18th), not once was I on in two. (The closest I came was a 4-wood in the approach about 10 yards short. 
 

The long and short of it is. I can reach the first with two 3-irons on calm days. (I hit 3-wood, 4-iron in the apron yesterday and I didn’t hit the 4-iron that well). How many 2-irons am I really going to need to hit? At my home course, the need for a back-up club on a few holes off the tee is prevalent. The longest par-4 on the front is 350 yards. (Well really 365 yards if Mike would measure the 3rd hole correctly).

I decided that if I could split the difference between the 2 and 3 irons I’d have the best of both worlds. Enter the Srixon ZU85 3-iron. It sits right in between my ZU85 2-iron and Z585 3-iron (a little closer to the Z585 3-iron) but it’s the number I need right around 230 stock, can hit it 240 if need be. It was just what the doctor ordered.

@WUTiger I did explore putting my CBX back in the bag. (The only hybrid I have ever played that isn’t a hook machine or has a hook bias). But once I got the U85 3UI in my hands, it fit my game like a glove. 
 

I digress, but my putter finally fits me again. I went to a longer putter. (37”) and a couple of degrees upright. Why? I was tired of having a sore back after putting for even 10 minutes. (My fitter recommended a longer putter)