Picking the right clubs for a tournament

[martytilma]

I'm going to be playing in a amateur tournament in a month. At the moment I don't carry a 3 wood because my home course is not long enough to justify it. I carry 4 wedges instead. I will need a 3 wood for the tournament. Problem is I can't decide what club to drop. My preferred choices are the 3I or my 53* wedge. Anyone have any suggestions or experiences with this matter??

[golfro]

drop the 56* wedge.

[shades9323]

Why do you need the 3 wood? Tight course?

[sean_miller]

I'm going to be playing in a amateur tournament in a month. At the moment I don't carry a 3 wood because my home course is not long enough to justify it. I carry 4 wedges instead. I will need a 3 wood for the tournament. Problem is I can't decide what club to drop. My preferred choices are the 3I or my 53* wedge. Anyone have any suggestions or experiences with this matter??

I think the common choices are 4i and either 53* or 60*.

I had a similar dilemma when I wanted to add a 5 wood or a 19* hybrid - a stoke of luck when a golf shop tech bent my MP-11s to MP 14 specs (45 degree 9 iron and 50 degree PW) which lead to dropping the GW. I eventually had a GW bent to 51 degrees and dropped the PW, because I don't like the added bounce on the 50* PW. Anyway, I'd go with the 4-iron.

[martytilma]

Why do you need the 3 wood? Tight course?

Not really, maybe a couple of holes. The par 5's are long though!

[martytilma]

drop the 56* wedge.

Can't do that. That's my favorite club!! Well other than my putter. Ha!

[shades9323]

Not really, maybe a couple of holes. The par 5's are long though!

If the par 5's are that long, I would think you would be better off laying up with a nice wedge into the green. Probably keep you out of trouble too. I would keep playing what you have been playing. What course are you playing?

[martytilma]

I think the common choices are 4i and either 53* or 60*.

Any reason the 4-iron instead of the 3-iron?

[martytilma]

If the par 5's are that long, I would think you would be better off laying up with a nice wedge into the green. Probably keep you out of trouble too. I would keep playing what you have been playing. What course are you playing?

L.E. Kaufman in Wyoming, MI. Its the Kent County Am. Now that I look at it there is really only 1 long par 5. You might me on to something there.

[sean_miller]

Personally or why is it the most common iron dropped?

3-iron off the tee is lower, longer, and just as straight. I can choke down on a 3-iron and take off some distance or hit a cut the same - actually as I type this I'm wondering why I carry one either. I like the 4-iron too - whatever floats your boat really - as a 6.0 capper, you probably have an idea which iron from 3-6 that you could work around.

[martytilma]

Personally or why is it the most common iron dropped?

Your right, I really could work around either one. I don't hit either one all that often.

[Shorty]

Why are you asking us?
You are the player. You know which clubs you hit well and which ones you rarely use.

[Deryck Griffith]

Just drop the 3i...

[martytilma]

Why are you asking us?

Sorry, just looking for some advice. I'll try not you bother you anymore!!

[sean_miller]

Sorry, just looking for some advice. I'll try not you bother you anymore!!

Don't sweat it man - you're just bouncing ideas off some like minded citizens. Besides, I suspect just waking up in the morning bothers Shorty.

[The Road Dog]

You have a 16* hybrid in the bag what loft 3 wood would you consider?

[Shorty]

Don't sweat it man - you're just bouncing ideas off some like minded citizens. Besides, I suspect just waking up in the morning bothers Shorty.

Ha

OK - Here's my more detailed take on this. Most players will have 15 or 16 or 17 clubs lying around and they will swap them in and out, depending on the course they're playing. Tiger does it. Mickelson does it. So should we. It's normal. Whether it's a "tournament" or not, has nothing to do with it at all. Why even mention it? Every time you play, you should be looking to score as well as you can. Sensible course management might mean leaving the driver at home, or ditching the 3 wood for a hybrid, or using a 3 iron rather than a hybrid because you can punch out from trees better with it and it's a tree lined course. Look at the characteristics of the course you are playing and think about what your strengths and weaknesses are. On some courses I might use a driver 3 times. On other places I might leave the 3 hybrid at home but put in a 2 iron. It depends. As a 6 marker. you are better than 95% of golfers. I would think that you'd know your own game better than people who've never seen you play.

[WUTiger]

Any reason the 4-iron instead of the 3-iron?

I couldn't find specs on your irons, but in many recent sets you only have 3* loft difference from | 3i to 4i | and 4i to 5i.

3* instead of 4* can cut the distance yardstick between clubs. An old classmate of mine who plays scratch golf dropped his 4i for this reason (we travel in different golf circles . He says 3i is only about 16 yds. longer than 5i, and he can choke down a tad on the 3i to if he needs to shave a few yards off.