"Three (3) Clubs Only" Master Thread

[MEfree]

Problem solved- turns out that it is 3 clubs + a putter according to the guy running the league who I ran into just before teeing off today.  He said that previously it was 4 clubs with some guys bringing no putter.  I had asked this question several times in the shop and the only definitive answer I had gotten was 3 clubs total.  So, the 6, 8 and pw went back to the car and were replaced by the 7 and 52 to go along with the 5w and putter.

4 clubs makes it MUCH easier than 3, but there were still a few times I wished I was teeing off with 3w instead of the 5w or could hit 6 or 8 instead of the 7.  I also flew the green and ended up in the hazard with a good choke down 5w on the 218 par 3 3rd- frustrating because I thought me distance to the back pin was good and thought I would be looking at a 15' for birdie but ended up with one of two doubles.  The other double came at 16 when I was pressing too much with the 5w to carry the hazard- we were down wind so I didn't need to press, but it was hard to convince myself of that.  The 52 proved very versatile for me and played well out of the wet sand which I found 4 times- the most all year for me.

[MartinVR 182]

Hi guys, Our club have a '3 club competition' on Sunday and I thought it would be interesting to see what other people would go with. Obviously it would might depend on the course. I'm thinking of using 5 iron and 9 iron - but still undecided. Any thoughts? *the putter must be one of the clubs!* Martin

[disaster]

Hey,

once a year, my local club has a fun tournament, the three club tournament. So basically, you are only allowed to take 3 clubs of your choice for the round, instead of the usual 14. It usually is a lot of fun, of course you are forced to get somewhat creative.

What would be your approach? Which clubs would be in the bag? Unfortunately, I'm not sure whether I can attend this year (its next Saturday), but I am thinking about taking 3w, 6i and 50° with me. 50° will be used for putting as well (blading the wedge)

 

[Dave2512]

3 iron, 7 iron and 50

[Pete F]

4W, 7i and putter

[DaveP043]

We do a 3-club tourney every spring at my home club.  I usually use this criteria to choose clubs:

I want to be able to reach most of the par 4s with two shots.  I can do this with my 19-degree hybrid.

I like to have a semi-normal shot to at least a couple of the par-3 holes, while still using the same club for my second on some of the moderate-length par 4s.  This works out to a 7-iron.  I have to take a little off it on the 3s, but need the little extra distance for the 4s.

I need something with loft around the greens.  I can choose either my 52 or 56 wedge, depending on how I'm feeling about wind and rough.

I practice with both the hybrid and the wedge for putting.  Neither works reliably well, but that's a compromise you have to make in this format.  I find the hybrid is a better choice for longer putts, easier to make consistent contact and distance without popping it up, short putts the wedge is better to get more consistent direction.

[Fourputt]

5W, 7I, and GW.  I know from past experience that I can comfortably putt with the 5W.

[JxQx]

In high school when I played on the golf team we occasionally played a 3 or 4 club round. Our home course I found myself hitting driver and wedge or less into pretty much all the par 4s so I would typically play something like Driver, 6 iron and pw. It allowed me to play the par 3's normal, the par 4's somewhat normal and the par 5's i had to play as par 5's. My biggest struggle was the putting with a wedge.

[boogielicious]

3H, 7 iron and 54 deg wedge. I can use the 54 for all my short game shots and can putt with it pretty well. 3H gives me long game options too.

[saevel25]

Hybrid, 7 iron, 56 degree

 

[Avalanche]

3W, 5i and 52 gap.  Not sure which I'd use to putt with.  Probly the edge of the gap wedge. 

Edited April 27, 2016 by Avalanche

[Fairway_CY]

Hmmm... I honestly don't know which would be my best options.

I'm thinking my 4 iron, 7 iron and 56 degree wedge. I'd probably putt with the 4 iron. I know that, on most courses, 4 iron from the tee would leave me between 100 and 200 yards to most holes. 7 iron is a safer bet for most par 3 holes I play... and I can still take enough off to play to some of the 140 and under holes.

I think it'd be fun to play a tournament like that!

CY

[Bump-n-MI]

Depends on the course.  If your club averages 400yd par 4's and 160yd par 3's I'd take a 3w, 7i, and PW.

You, being a low single digit, should be able to handle anything 400yds or less.

 

3w can double as your putter.

[dave s]

For me, sadly, it doesn't matter.  If I had to choose only 3 clubs it would be 5w, 7-i and putter.  Can't put with anything but and I've seen people try to putt with wedges in this type of format.  If you don't practice it a LOT, it's tough to hole even a 2-3' putt with a wedge.

dave

[bkuehn1952]

On 4/27/2016 at 6:49 AM, disaster said:

...What would be your approach? Which clubs would be in the bag? ... I am thinking about taking 3w, 6i and 50° with me. 50° will be used for putting as well (blading the wedge)

I like your selection.  As someone else said, the par 3 yardages would dictate whether it should be 5, 6, or 7 iron.  Wedge of some sort is needed around the greens.  And a club you can hit for decent distance off the tee and for longer approaches.

[disaster]

On 28.4.2016 at 6:32 PM, dave s said:

Can't put with anything but and I've seen people try to putt with wedges in this type of format.  If you don't practice it a LOT, it's tough to hole even a 2-3' putt with a wedge.

dave

 

That was kinda how it went today ;) I did play the tournament, I went with 3w, 6i, 50° as planned and I shot +9. I missed alone 5 shots on the green which I would have surely saved with a putter (not even talking about the 5-10 feet putts which you also would hole a significant amount).

Still, it was a lot of fun. My shot of the day was a 3w from 190yds. 6i was not an option, as there was a bunker in front of the green (and I wanted to avoid bunkers as much as possible, due to not having the appropriate club with me)

I usually carry my 3w approx. 230yds, so I had to take off quite a bit. Hit a huge swinging slice with a shortened swing to take enough distance off and hit it to about 10 feet.

Edited April 30, 2016 by disaster

[9wood]

Personally I dislike the whole concept of a three club tournament. They didn't design courses for only three clubs. But hey, each to their own.

[iacas]

7 minutes ago, 9wood said:

Personally I dislike the whole concept of a three club tournament. They didn't design courses for only three clubs. But hey, each to their own.

So don't play in them.