Need recommendation for a 14th club.

[erock9174]

Currently I bag with carry distances:

Driver 13* - I seem to get anywhere from 205 to 220 carry (up to 240 rollout if I really catch it well)

5w 19*-190 (about 200 roll)

4i 22*- 175

5i-165

6i-155

7i-145

8i-135

9i-125

PW 45*-115

AW 50*-100

SW 54*- 85

LW 60*- 60 and in

Putter

Looking for recommendations for a 14th club as I feel if you are allowed 14, you should have 14 in the bag.  I recently bought a Ping 17* hybrid but for the life of me I can't hit it.  I actually hit my 4i more consistent and farther. Also I recently got rid of a 19* TM '07 Rescue because of lack of consistency with it.  The K15 5w I game is much more consistent and the same distance.

I've thought about buying a K15 3w 16* but I can't really think of any time I would need it on the course.  I am hitting my driver well so I don't really need a safety club off the tee.  And to advance the ball on a par 5 2nd shot I feel the 5w is more than adequate.

TM makes a 19* 3i to match my iron set, but I don't really have much of a gap between my 4i and 5w.   I hit my 4i pretty well, but a 3i scares me a bit, especially after struggling with the 17* hybrid.

I hate to shake up the makeup of my bag too much because with this club combo I am shooting the lowest scores since I started playing many years ago.  I just feel like I should have one more club in there.

[mad max]

I used to be in the same boat as you constantly trying to find that 14th club, but after wasting a considerable amount of money I still haven't found a club that helps me score lower on the golf course.  I have found clubs that produce different results than my current clubs but the results are so inconsistent that they wind up costing me strokes.  You seem to have your yardage gaps well dialed in so I wouldn't change your current set.  We both have similar HC and I find if I need to hit a shot over 200 yards I probably shouldn't hit the shot and I don't think that you would gain much distance with a 3W over your 5W judging by your driver distance.

Is their a particular distance, lie, or shot you have difficulty with?  I know for me I don't like shots inside 80 yards from a tight but muddy lie so I might consider adding a 60* with higher bounce than my current 60.  I know if I make a decent swing it really shouldn't matter but I have much more confidence and better results with my higher bounce 56* so I might try it and probably waste $100 on a club that ends costing me strokes.

If you have a lot confidence in your 5W you could try and add a similar 7W that might go a similar distance as your 4i but with a different ball flight and it might be useful for downhill lies or shots to elevated greens.  That being said I think that having 12 or 13 clubs that you have confidence in is better than having 14 with 1 or 2 clubs that you only use when playing poorly or just because you paid for them and you want to use them.

[WUTiger]

You might test out some lower-lofted drivers to see if you could pick up distance without losing control. Finding the right shaft is half the game for considering lower-lofted drivers.

If that worked, you could get a 15* or 16* 3W to stretch things at the long end.

If the driver tests show you should keep the 13*, you might add the 7W for the reasons Mad Max suggested.

[XMScott]

I carry 12 clubs and am not looking for the 13th

[Grndslmhttr3]

I carry 13 clubs:

Driver, 3-wood, 3i hybrid, 3-pw, 56* wedge, putter

I've been thinking about a 52* wedge but that'll have to wait as I do not have the funds for it right now.

[B-Con]

Are you hitting the 5-wood off the deck? If not and the 4i is your longest off the deck club, I'd look for something to get you more distance. Maybe look for a 3-wood you can hit off the deck or keep hybrid searching. I might even look for a 3-wood anyways, so that you still have a longer club for long holes where you don't want to pull the driver, such as sudden doglegs or narrow fairways. Stepping from your driver to your 5-wood looks like it's about 40 yards of loss, which will make you think twice before reaching for the shorter club, but with a 3-wood you might be more open to the idea. There definitely are some par-4s and 5s where pulling the driver on the teebox isn't always a smart idea, and having a slightly more accurate club that sacrifices minimal distance is a nice backup.

[darkhunter139]

I only carry 13 as well but I am adding a Ping g10 3 wood in a few days, found a good deal on craigslist.  Unlike you though I need a safety club off the tee.

[tomvk77]

If i look at this, the only thing that i can think of is why do you have such a high lofted driver?

It might just be good to lower your loft on the driver to fit in a 3wd.

A lower loft on the driver should not be a problem when you can hit a 4 iron of the deck.

I should say go to a loft of 10.5 and than fit in a 15 loft 3wd

good luck

[MiniBlueDragon]

I carry a driver, 3w, 4h, 4i-pw, gw, sw, lw, putter.

Oh and if I play on my local extremely crap 9 hole course it's littered with stones and debris just outside the greens and fairways so I tend to swap out my 5i for my "don't care if it gets busted" 7i to play out of those lies without penalty.

[ezmorningrebel]

i'm in the same boat after dropping a wedge out of the bag.  thinking about adding a 5 wood with a cut down shaft that could be my "make sure you hit the fairway off the tee box" club.

[Stonecold]

I have almost the exact same make up/club distance as you.

I got a Titliest 910H 19* and love it.

It works for me on lies that I would not try my fairway wood out of but still want a little more distance than my 4i gives me.

It's also adjustable and the change in lie/loft does make a differnce.

[erock9174]

Originally Posted by mad max

I don't think that you would gain much distance with a 3W over your 5W judging by your driver distance.

Is their a particular distance, lie, or shot you have difficulty with?

When I purchased my 5w I was consistenly getting about 200 yards on the monitor which is what I see on the course.

That same day I hit the K15 3w and to be honest I wasn't as consistent with it and only a handful of times did it actually go further than the 5w.  I went the safe route and bought the 5w as it seemed much easier to hit consistenty.

Regarding your 2nd question, right now everything seems to be clicking with my game.  Granted no pro or anything but I am shooting the lowest rounds ever (finally broke into the 80's for the first time ever).  I guess the one shot that troubles me, is longer shots out of deep rough.  I often used a hybrid in these situations but now that I don't game one I use the 4i if long rough or 5w if the rough is pretty low.   I was hoping the 17* G15 hybrid would fill this void but just cant seem to hit it flush ever.

[erock9174]

Sort of fed up with driver shopping/testing (read on), but I see the point in your post.

I began the year with a brand new r9 10.5, Alidla Re-ax R flex.  For the life of me, I couldn't load the shaft and it felt very boardy to me.  Everything was low and faded on me unless I put it on the extreme left head setting.  I then learned through talking to Aldila, that this shaft requires a min of 90mph swing speed.  I am only around 82 on average.  Perhaps a couple more mph if I really get after it.

Then I went to a Nickent 12.5* with UST V2 Proforce High Launch A flex shaft.  When I controlled my tempo and made solid contact it felt like a dream.

Downside was the A flex is extremely flexy and it led to inconsistent drives.  One time right, one time left, great drive, total mishit.

Finally about a month ago I went to the Callaway FT-IQ 13* R flex Fubuki 60.  So far loving this driver.  Granted not a bomber, but staight or even a slight fade, but I've hit more fairways with this club in 2 rounds than I have all year with the other drivers combined.   I feel with it in my hands, 80's are achievable (my goal) as long as my irons and short game don't let me down.

I guess what I am trying to say is.  The higher lofted FT-IQ and shaft combo just feels right.  If anything since it's an I-MIX club I could buy a used 9* or 10.5* head from Callaway Preowned and see if it makes a difference distance wise.  I always thought though, the rule of thumb to maximize driver distance was to try and match the loft to your swing speed.  And from everything I read, being I am under 85mph seemed to suggest something over 12*.  Granted there are no constants in this game.

Originally Posted by WUTiger

You might test out some lower-lofted drivers to see if you could pick up distance without losing control. Finding the right shaft is half the game for considering lower-lofted drivers.

If that worked, you could get a 15* or 16* 3W to stretch things at the long end.

If the driver tests show you should keep the 13*, you might add the 7W for the reasons Mad Max suggested.

[erock9174]

Yes, actually I prefer using the 5w off the deck vs the rough as the head on that club is pretty thin.

If in higher rough I swap in the 4i over the 5w.

If I ever use the 5w off the tee, I pretty much have to set the ball on the tee, flush with the ground.  If I tee it up at all I can't hit the club

Originally Posted by B-Con

Are you hitting the 5-wood off the deck?

[erock9174]

Interesting, I've never thought to try anything Titleist as I always thought their clubs were designed more as a  "players" club than game improvement.  Next time at GG I will have to try hitting their hybrids.

The strange thing is when I hit the Ping 17* I was hitting it very well on the monitor (it was a standard lie, full length) version.

I got fitted at 2 deg flat and 1/2" shorter and ordered it from Ping.  It comes in and I can't hit the thing.  I've tried everything on the range from steepening my swing, Sweeping my swing, Holding the clubhead closed at address, moving closer to the ball, moving away from it, you name it.  Same result.  Mishit.  Not once have I flushed it after hitting probably 75+ balls at the range with it.

Originally Posted by Stonecold

I have almost the exact same make up/club distance as you.

I got a Titliest 910H 19* and love it.

It works for me on lies that I would not try my fairway wood out of but still want a little more distance than my 4i gives me.

It's also adjustable and the change in lie/loft does make a differnce.

[nickel_aTm]

erock -- Were you fitted to the current shaft in your driver or is that what came with it?  Our distances are essentially identical throughout the bag except for the driver -- which I average about 240 and can get it out there 265-270 once or twice a round when the stars align.  I was down in that 215-220 range until I switched shafts.

I didn't want to spend $125 for the fitting and another $200 on some "latest technology" high performance shaft, so I did a poor man's fitting.  Went to Golf Galaxy and paid the 20 bucks for a ball fitting to get some data.  Based on the launch angle and spins rates both being higher than you'd like, I needed a shaft with a higher kick point and bought a Pro Launch Red for 45-50 bucks.  And boom, better distance.

I guarantee that if you post the launch monitor results on this forum (swing speed, ball speed, launch angle, spin rate, etc.) you'll get a ton of good feedback on shaft options to consider.  Just food for thought...

[rsamsing]

How are you getting to a par 5 in 2 if your driver seems to be about 220 average and then your next club is about 200 with roll?  Just curious.  I would say a 3wood that you can hit off the fairway if you can hit it straight and consistently enough that'll get you more distance for the longer par 5s.

[erock9174]

No, I haven't been fitted.  The closest was when I bought the r9, Golf Galaxy told me I needed a regular flex which was bad information.  They purely went off of swing speed and normal numbers (i.e, typically +80mph swings require "R" flex).  The reax reg flex shaft requires a 90mph swing minimum (per Aldila) which I avg around 82 while hitting on the simulator.  I could never properly load the club.

The reason I went with the Fubuki reg flex on the FT-IQ was I read reviews online where it said it played slightly softer compared to other shafts in the same flex.

The "R" flex on that shaft feels really good to me.

Not saying thought that a proper fitting wouldn't do me good.

My concern is, are the numbers that Golf Galaxy gives me going to be accurate.

Their simulator always seems inconsistent yardage wise.

When you get a ball fitting, what all numbers do they provide?

I think Bridgestone is showing up at GG in early August for free ball fittings.  Perhaps I could try that approach and see what kinda numbers they give me.

I wouldn't be opposed to paying $20-30 for accurate numbers either.

Originally Posted by nickel_aTm

erock -- Were you fitted to the current shaft in your driver or is that what came with it?  Our distances are essentially identical throughout the bag except for the driver -- which I average about 240 and can get it out there 265-270 once or twice a round when the stars align.  I was down in that 215-220 range until I switched shafts.

I didn't want to spend $125 for the fitting and another $200 on some "latest technology" high performance shaft, so I did a poor man's fitting.  Went to Golf Galaxy and paid the 20 bucks for a ball fitting to get some data.  Based on the launch angle and spins rates both being higher than you'd like, I needed a shaft with a higher kick point and bought a Pro Launch Red for 45-50 bucks.  And boom, better distance.

I guarantee that if you post the launch monitor results on this forum (swing speed, ball speed, launch angle, spin rate, etc.) you'll get a ton of good feedback on shaft options to consider.  Just food for thought...