Give me your advice or opinion on my hybrid/iron setup...

[Zack]

Hey guys, this is what I am thinking about going with for this season. I have a 3 and 4 hybrid, and might possibly get a 5 hybrid. I am thinking of doing the 3-5h and then starting my irons at 6-P. This is my second season playing. The long irons have always given me problems. I am just curious if there are any others with a similar setup? Thanks.

Zack

[Pensfan79]

I thought about adding a 5h after my first season, but didn't. During my second year of being into golf (playing 3 or 4 time a month) I started to hit my 5 iron much better. If you plan on playing more this year I would suggest maybe passing on it, and it'll save you a few bucks.

[Gebus]

Its all about distance gaps. Go to the range and hit ten balls with each club and the gaps between them should be pretty close to even. I absolutely love my hybrid but cant even imagine having more than one in my bag, I hit around 210 (carry) with my hybrid but manage only 180 with my 4 iron (I am not a super power player), that yardage gap is horrible but I manage by take a little of my swing. I understand not being great at hitting your long irons but you still need to work on your ball striking. Hybrids are very forgiving and can get you out of trouble but they don't practice your shot making.

By your signature you don't have any fairway woods, may I suggest selling your 4 hybrid taking the three iron out of your bag and putting in a nice 3 or 4 wood nothing spectacular find and old taylormade Vsteel. BTW your bag is illegal at the moment, don't forget its 14 clubs including the putter.

[jrm1493]

Its all about distance gaps. Go to the range and hit ten balls with each club and the gaps between them should be pretty close to even. I absolutely love my hybrid but cant even imagine having more than one in my bag, I hit around 210 (carry) with my hybrid but manage only 180 with my 4 iron (I am not a super power player), that yardage gap is horrible but I manage by take a little of my swing. I understand not being great at hitting your long irons but you still need to work on your ball striking. Hybrids are very forgiving and can get you out of trouble but they don't practice your shot making.

Yep, watch your gaps. I carry a 3 hybrid and 3 iron. They hybrid is 19° and the iron is 21° but the longer lighter shaft of the hybrid makes it play quite a bit longer. I like having both in the bag, I can hit low shots into the wind with the 3 iron and high approaches into par 5s and long par 4's with the hybrid (into the wind they go about the same distance due to the trajectories). The ball flights are so different that they end up not being redundant at all. I know some folks will say that as a 14 hdcp I shouldn't be hitting a 3 iron but I love the club.

As was said above, you'll have to lose a wedge if you keep your 3i in the bag. I'm not a big believer in having more than 3 wedges, you can learn to hit all the shots you should ever attempt with a 56 - If you are really stuck where you need a 60 the odds of you pulling off the shot are low and you should just play safe and try to make a longer putt (of course opinions will differ).

[mtsalmela80]

I hate my long irons. Im just not good with the longer clubs off the ground. In fact I even just sold both my 3 and 5 wood (square Nike's that are way too long) and are putting in a 5 and 7 wood (more traditional with shorter shafts). At this point, its only my second season, and I just done see any point in having clubs I can barely hit.

I may just lighten my load and take out my 4 and 5 irons all together. Lighter bag, less clutter, and Im fairly sure I can get anywhere with my 5 wood that I could with the longer irons.

I see all kinds of sets out today that include hybrids right in.

[Cussin hacker]

Thats how I have my bag setup. I leave out my 4I, 5I & 6I and have 2,4,5 & 6 Hybrids. Hybrids for me are much easier to hit than my long irons.

[i-Guy]

I know some folks will say that as a 14 hdcp I shouldn't be hitting a 3 iron but I love the club.

I wouldn't say that as it depends on what works best for you...regardless of your handicap. You may be a 14 for reasons that have nothing to do with how you hit your long irons???

I love hitting my long irons and I am even thinking about going to a 2 iron to fill my gap between 3 iron and 3 wood as I have owned a few hybrids over the last two years and really never hit any of them with any consistency.

[WUTiger]

I thought about adding a 5h after my first season, but didn't. During my second year of being into golf (playing 3 or 4 time a month) I started to hit my 5 iron much better. If you plan on playing more this year I would suggest maybe passing on it, and it'll save you a few bucks.

Zack,

Good advice above. If you're at 25 HDCP by year 2, you're making progress on your game. So, see if the 5i comes around this year. Also, consider what Gebus said and look at a 3W or 4W to get more distance. Many find a 4W is easier to hit than a 3W.

[Zack]

Wow, lots of good info. I think I am going to pull the 3 and 4 iron out of the bag when I play. I will bring them with me to the range to practice. I am going to leave the 5 iron in the bag as I think I will be able to come around to it. I am trying to play smarter and to my capabilities. I can smoke a 4h shot over a 3 or 4 iron any day. That will save me strokes on the course. I might think about picking up a 4 wood as well. I had a 3 and 5 wood last season but could never hit them, that's why I got rid of them.

Thanks all for the replies :)

[drglew]

Zack,

I did exactly as you've done for the most part. Ditched my long irons a few years ago, now only have 6i and higher, and have a 3, 4, & 5 hybrid. 5-hybrid has a much nicer ball flight than the old worm-burning line drive of my 5-iron, and a whole lot more forgiving. Also consolidated 3 & 5 woods (which i hit the exact same distance basically), now only carrying a 17* 4-wood. That lets me carry an extra wedge so i can take full swing shots without big distance gaps--i've found that much more useful on most courses I play (ie I don't have a specific really long ~225-yard par 3 hole to worry about distance gaps in fairway woods!).

[julius06]

I agree with much of what's been written. It also has everything to do with what you feel comfortable swinging. I went through a period where I carried long irons and even used them from the tee to the complete opposite where i held 3 woods and 3 hybrids and started my irons at the 6. Ultimately, I think I was using the forgiveness of the hybrid as a crutch for my poor ball striking and inconsistent swings. (My 2i tee ball days were years ago when playing several times a week...ah the glory days) I still have that problem (poor swings), but not like I once did. I now have a more traditional setup 1,3,4 woods, and a lonely 21* hybrid before starting my irons at either a 4i or 5i. That largely depends on how I am feeling about my 60* at the time. I will tell you that adding the 4w was the best thing I ever put in my bag. Its a solid option off the tee and easy to hit off the turf. Good luck!