"Three (3) Clubs Only" Master Thread

[deronsizemore]

I think it comes down to how much sand do you think you're going to get into? If not that much (especially since you're going to be more accurate with the 4 instead of a driver or a wood) I don't see why you'd really need a wedge. You'd want something for the intermediate distances so it's up to you whether you want to try to take shorter, less powerful swings with a 4 down to where your wedge length is; or a 4, 7/8 down to putting. Putting is so key, I don't really think not having a putter with you is going to help you more than it'd hurt you overall.

Well, I'm likely taking a wedge because it serves a lot of purposes. I could take my 52 and be able to hit shots from 105 and in and then also be able to use it out of bunkers if needed as well as chip around the greens and it's not difficult to use as a putter. If I take something like a 4, 7/8, putter, then I may have trouble if I'm not hitting a lot of greens in regulation. I'll need a wedge then...

If you are any good at all with putting with the wedge, I'd go 4,8,W

Well, I'm not great at putting with a wedge simply because I don't practice it. I would imagine I'd be even worse with my hybrid with the longer shaft. It's only 9 holes and the par 4's are all 400 or less. If I take a 19 hybrid (my only one) then it leaves me an tough distance as I can't get to the green with 7/8 from 170+. If I take a 4 iron, on the holes that are in the 380-400 range, I picture teeing off with a 4 iron and then having a 4 iron into the green. I could probably even get by with a 5 iron instead of a 4.

I don't know what your go to clubs are and how well you hit each club, but judging by your handicap, I would go with a 7-Iron, Putter, and maybe like a 3-Hybrid for Par 5's and longer Par 4's.

I really hit each club about the same. Don't really have one that I just love over the others. Taking a hybrid won't help me on the par 5's because I still wouldn't be able to reach them in two, so the extra 15 yards or so that I would get off the tee opposed to 4 iron wouldn't give me an advantage.

[melchior]

Then I don't really see why you wouldn't want to take a 5 (if you can get away with it); your 52 and a putter. I can't imagine trying to drain any type of putt over 5 feet with a wedge with any consistency nor lagging well to get within that range with a wedge in certain conditions.

The thing I'm having the most trouble understanding is why you'd want to go without your most used club in a 14 club bag, let alone a 3 club tournament.

[M2R]

We have a 3 club tournament every year in late March, this year I took 6i, PW, putter and ended up with an 86 (second place). Winner took 4 hybrid, 8i, putter and shot an 84 ... but he mainly chips and pitches around the greens with an 8i anyway. He also got up and down out of the sand twice with that 8i, amazing.

Several guys tried the no putter route using a hybrid to putt but it didn't work out for them which means nothing really. They just had too many 3-6 foot putts that wouldn't fall. I was going to go driver, 6i, PW but chickened out after a practice round where I had the same trouble with those "closer" putts.

In previously years I have tried 3i, 7i, putter and 4i, 8i, putter combos but like you finally decided I just couldn't get by without a wedge (and putter). FWIW three of the par 3s are in the 200+ yard range and two of the par fours are 425 and 440, but the rest are in the 340-390 yard range.

[halcon]

I believe you will need your putter more than any other club, specially since your long approach shots will not be as accurate as they normally are (so there more than likely, you will face many long putts). If your course layout allows pinch and run shots, I would take the 4i for long shots and low punches over 100 yds, and a wedge for 100 in and around the green. If there is a lot of trouble around the greens and you need to fly the ball, then instead of the wedge, I would select a 9i/PW; these clubs can extend your "accurate" approaches to 130~150 yds, and are still manageable inside 100.

[deronsizemore]

Then I don't really see why you wouldn't want to take a 5 (if you can get away with it); your 52 and a putter. I can't imagine trying to drain any type of putt over 5 feet with a wedge with any consistency nor lagging well to get within that range with a wedge in certain conditions.

Yeah, I'm now thinking about taking a 5 or maybe even a 6. I think it would give me more options and I could potentially use them in more situations. If I take a 4, I'm likely only using it to tee off with and that's it. Most of the par 4's I could take a 5 or a 6 iron and leave myself 160-170 out which then I would take a 7 or 8 iron for my second choice to cover that distance.

The reason I wouldn't take a putter is that I've only got three clubs. I've got to select 3 that I think will give me the best opportunity for the lowest score and are the most versatile so that they can be used in many situations. If I take a putter, I'm only using the putter on the greens, that's it. Basically leaves me with two clubs to use the rest of the round. If I take a 4/5, 7/8, wedge and then use my wedge to putt with, I'm essentially taking four clubs to the course instead of three. Sure, I'm not likely to make a lot of putts with a wedge but I may not make them with a putter either. Assuming I miss a lot of greens, I'm going to definitely need a wedge to chip with and my short game is pretty good so I expect to have a lot of short putts which hopefully I can make with a wedge.

We have a 3 club tournament every year in late March, this year I took 6i, PW, putter and ended up with an 86 (second place). Winner took 4 hybrid, 8i, putter and shot an 84 ... but he mainly chips and pitches around the greens with an 8i anyway. He also got up and down out of the sand twice with that 8i, amazing.

Thanks for the info. The par fours on this course are all in the 350 - 390 range since they play from the forward tees in this league. There are three par 3's two of which I need a 7 or 8 iron and one I need a wedge. If I take something like 4, wedge, putter, then I've basically killed myself on these par threes. It will take me two shots minimum to get on the green on two of the par 3's and could potentially be even more if I hit wedge, wedge and still miss the green. The par 5's I'm not worried about as I can take 4/5 iron off the tee then a 4/5 iron approach and have a chip up to the green at that point. The par 4's, if I take 4/5 iron off the tee, that should leave me with a 7/8 approach to the green. If I don't take a 7/8 iron, then I'm using a wedge from 150ish and I can't get a wedge that far and I think it would be tough to take a 4/5 from 150 and hit a punch have any expectations of it holding on the green. So I'll need a mid-iron for the approach shots and then I'll definitely need a wedge for around the green and bunkers. I just don't see using an 8 iron out of the bunker.

I believe you will need your putter more than any other club, specially since your long approach shots will not be as accurate as they normally are (so there more than likely, you will face many long putts). If your course layout allows pinch and run shots, I would take the 4i for long shots and low punches over 100 yds, and a wedge for 100 in and around the green. If there is a lot of trouble around the greens and you need to fly the ball, then instead of the wedge, I would select a 9i/PW; these clubs can extend your "accurate" approaches to 130~150 yds, and are still manageable inside 100.

The course doesn't really allow for punch and run shots. It's usually soft and even when it's not soft, a lot of the greens have bunkers on each side so I'd have to play a perfect punch to run it through the middle of them. Like I said above, I'm just not sure how easily I could play approach shots all day with a 4 iron. I play my 9 iron at 130 so if I take a 4 iron and 9, I'm using 9 iron on anything over 130 which could get tough.

[Paradox]

if you're just around the green but still in the rough...then just use your putter and put more of a normal swing on the ball to give it a little extra umph to get through the rough.

If you take the 8 iron you can make the most of it with your chips and still have a good club to score with once on the green.

[Open-Faced Club Sandwedge]

I'd take SW, 7i, driver, and I'd putt with the driver (very low loft, can choke way down on it). Par 3 = tee off with the 7 or the wedge, hit a second wedge if necessary, putt with driver. Par 4 = driver, wedge/7, putt. Par 5 = driver, 7, wedge/7, putt. Of course, for me there would be a lot of "recovery 7" shots, but then again with my game I'm not entering many tournaments.

-Andrew

[JWL1957]

The last 3 club I played in...... I won. Shot a 82 with a 7 iron, SW, and putter. Shot a 85 the next time out with a full bag of clubs...... go figure!

[DavidFehertysBike]

You could drop the putter and go with a hybrid club. You could probably putt and chip pretty well with it. Then you can have a mid iron and a wedge!

[becksfan2185]

Never played in one, but based on my own impressions and hearing your feedback...

1. Putter is a must.
2. Wedge is a must, based on your stated conditions around the greens, bunkers, etc. Maybe you can get away with using a PW or GW to help bridge the distance gap - but you're still taking wedge.
3. The only real debate... which mid-iron to play. Since you seem to have course knowledge/distances figured out, use it! What club will leave you with the fewest awkward, in-between distances? Think about the club that will get you to reach/get close to most of the par 4s - ex: 7i-7i or 5i-5i. If you decide you need a 5i, how many awkward spots will that put you (ex: short par 4 that leaves you with 140 after tee shot). Are there any long carries that you can't reach with a 7i?

I have to believe the tourney will be won around the greens, since folks won't be hitting many long drives or reaching GIRs consistantly with only three clubs. Use your course knowledge to pick the best mid-long iron that can put you in a position to scramble!

[tws1098]

If your distances are anything like mine I would take my 4i - 190yds, 8i - 150yds, and putter. I think you will cost yourself more strokes w/o a putter than w/o a wedge unless it is a course with elevated greens or a lot of protecting bunkers. Good luck.

[Bug Bunny]

I'd be a lil different and go driver (putt with this), 6I and my favorite wedge!

[Tugglife2]

I think you are really hurting yourself if you don't take the putter.

[deronsizemore]

Well, played yesterday and took 5, 7, PW. Putted with the PW. Ending up shooting +7. Putting isn't what hurt me. I 3 putted the first hole and missed a three footer on the second for birdie, but other than those, I putted virtually the same as I typically do with my putter (17 putts for 9 holes). What really hurt me was around the greens. I had two doubles and the first double I put my approach in a green side bunker. The bunkers here are pretty hard so could be tough with a PW. I caught the ball a little too clean and hit it over the green into another green side bunker. It was just tough to try to hit lofted shots with the PW and get them to stop close to the hole like I'm typically able to do with my 58. Of course, if I had taken my 58, I would have likely had some more trouble as I wouldn't have had enough club to get to the green on some approach shots that were 115+ (had a few of them) and punching a 7/8 would be difficult in that situation.

All in all, I'm not sure if I would have changed anything with my club selection. I think at most, taking putter would have saved me two shots. I really just didn't hit the ball all that great to begin with, and when you're limited to just three clubs, it makes it that much more interesting.

[vct33]

I think you made pretty good choices. I've played 3 club games many times and I've almost always picked 5w, 7i, PW. I haven't played since adding hybrids to my bag but I'd probably now replace the 5w with my 17 or 21 deg hybrid.

[Open-Faced Club Sandwedge]

Well, played yesterday and took 5, 7, PW. Putted with the PW. Ending up shooting +7. Putting isn't what hurt me.

How do you putt with such a lofted club? Is every putt a little chip? Or do you avoid the face of the club somehow? Just curious. I would have taken a driver for tee shots and putting, and I would think it would be way easier to putt with than a wedge. But you're a much better golfer than me...

-Andrew

[deronsizemore]

How do you putt with such a lofted club? Is every putt a little chip? Or do you avoid the face of the club somehow? Just curious. I would have taken a driver for tee shots and putting, and I would think it would be way easier to putt with than a wedge. But you're a much better golfer than me...

You just blade everything. Try it out sometime, I think you'll find that it's easier to blade a wedege than putt with something like a driver.

[Open-Faced Club Sandwedge]

I think you'll find that it's easier to blade a wedge than putt with something like a driver.

Fair enough. Seems counter-intuitive to me, but I'll take your word for it.

-Andrew