Third wedge for high handicapper

[TourSpoon]

Originally Posted by ed from nh

i carry 4 wedges only because it allows me to hit full shots from 110 into 60yds 45-50-54-58

Your 4 wedge set-up is yesteryear's 3 wedge set-up.  I currently play 3 at 48-54-60 with 44 being my 9 iron.

[Kobey]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sean_miller

So go with a 56. You asked what we'd do if starting over as a beginner. That's the advice I provided. If you find more use for a chipper than a LW, then use the chipper.

I appreciated the advice.  The more info you give the more I learn.  You just missed a bit of my question. The full question was:

Quote:

The iron sets I am looking at typically have a 44-45* PW and a 49-50* AW/GW.  I will only have room for one more wedge so what would be the best loft to fill it in?

Looking back, if you were a beginner, which one wedge would you add as a third one?

I know I'm not doing things the way they should be done to best improve my game.  That's why I tried to word my post so that it wouldn't be another general question on what clubs I should have.  I don't have a handicap or compete for money so I can afford to be a little goofy with my club choices.

[sean_miller]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kobey

Quote:

Originally Posted by sean_miller

So go with a 56. You asked what we'd do if starting over as a beginner. That's the advice I provided. If you find more use for a chipper than a LW, then use the chipper.

I appreciated the advice.  The more info you give the more I learn.  You just missed a bit of my question. The full question was:

Quote:

The iron sets I am looking at typically have a 44-45* PW and a 49-50* AW/GW.  I will only have room for one more wedge so what would be the best loft to fill it in?

Looking back, if you were a beginner, which one wedge would you add as a third one?

I know I'm not doing things the way they should be done to best improve my game.  That's why I tried to word my post so that it wouldn't be another general question on what clubs I should have.  I don't have a handicap or compete for money so I can afford to be a little goofy with my club choices.

I did read your post - every word - then I answered your question in first person, as per your instructions, and even included the caveat that I would not purchase a set like that. If I was a beginner all over again, I'd want weaker lofts, not stronger.

Next time don't ask people to put themselves in your shoes while somehow bringing their personal experience along for the ride. Just say something like, "I have room for one wedge - any thoughts?"

[Kobey]

Originally Posted by sean_miller

I did read your post - every word - then I answered your question in first person, as per your instructions, and even included the caveat that I would not purchase a set like that. If I was a beginner all over again, I'd want weaker lofts, not stronger.

Next time don't ask people to put themselves in your shoes while somehow bringing their personal experience along for the ride. Just say something like, "I have room for one wedge - any thoughts?"

I have no idea what I did to set you off, unless it was something I said in another thread.  Just about everyone else seemed to understand what I was asking and I got some very good advice.  Your advice was good too, it just didn't happen to be what I was looking for at the time.  Next time I will try to anticipate how you want me to word my questions.

[Harmonious]

What I WOULD do is listen to the advice I was given.  What I SHOULD do is get rid of the chipper and learn how to use other clubs.

[Kobey]

Originally Posted by Harmonious

What I WOULD do is listen to the advice I was given.  What I SHOULD do is get rid of the chipper and learn how to use other clubs.

What advice was that again?  To get rid of clubs that I clearly stated I didn't want to?  To make sure that everybody understands exactly what my question is?  The fact is, I thanked people for their input and never said anything to those that gave me more than I wanted.  The only reason I responded to Sean is that I agreed with him about the reason I gave for keeping the chipper not being a very sound one, so I clarified.

And why SHOULD I get rid of my chipper?  Because most people don't like them?  So I can be like everybody else?  So I can become the best 48 year old golfer the world has ever seen?  I know it isn't the best option for a space in my bag, but I don't care, I like it and it has sentimental value.  I tried to be very specific in my question to avoid just this sort of discussion.

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by Kobey

Quote:

Originally Posted by Harmonious

What I WOULD do is listen to the advice I was given.  What I SHOULD do is get rid of the chipper and learn how to use other clubs.

What advice was that again?  To get rid of clubs that I clearly stated I didn't want to?  To make sure that everybody understands exactly what my question is?  The fact is, I thanked people for their input and never said anything to those that gave me more than I wanted.  The only reason I responded to Sean is that I agreed with him about the reason I gave for keeping the chipper not being a very sound one, so I clarified.

And why SHOULD I get rid of my chipper?  Because most people don't like them?  So I can be like everybody else?  So I can become the best 48 year old golfer the world has ever seen?  I know it isn't the best option for a space in my bag, but I don't care, I like it and it has sentimental value.  I tried to be very specific in my question to avoid just this sort of discussion.

I was trying to answer the main question posed in your original post in this one thread. Obviously you weren't looking for the type of response I provided. We were not supposed to respond as if we were starting over again as a beginner - check.

[WWBDD]

Personally, I would swap out the chipper for a bottle of single malt ... but maybe that's just me.

[inthehole]

When I started I bagged a really cool chipper too - loved that club & was an absolute pleasure for green side chipping.   I also loved carrying a driving iron for narrow fairways and for hitting low punch shots from under trees.     Golf is a game of compromise unfortunately (the whole 14 club max thing).      I'd love to carry both of them, but just can't afford the room.    I'd like to amend my previous recommendation - you might prefer a 54 in lieu of a 56 (if there's any way you have access to a launch monitor - you could see how you hit both & purchase the one that's the best compromise).

[Harmonious]

Originally Posted by inthehole

When I started I bagged a really cool chipper too

You BAGGED it, but did you also GAME it? (That was for Sean )

[Kobey]

I apologize for being so defensive.  I was a little tired and grumpy last night.  I guess I shouldn't have put the as a beginner part in.  I only did that because I wanted to get recommendations on what a good club for a beginner would be, not what would be good for an experienced golfer.  I tried to word my question so that I could narrow down the answers and not waste anyone's time.

There is a big difference between the way I play and the way a serious golfer plays.  Sometimes I think that a lot of people only play golf to get better at playing golf.  I do it because I enjoy getting out and playing and meeting people.  I like getting better, but only to a point.  If it starts becoming work, it takes some of the fun out of it.  I already have a job, I don't want golf to become another one.  So even though a lot of advice I get is sound and would make me a better golfer, please don't take offence if I decide to only pick the easy things and leave the rest to the people that want to get all they can out of their game.

If I ever have to make myself practice or go to a course instead of just wanting to, it will be time for me to find another hobby, because that means I will have lost track of why I started in the first place.  I never want to be part of the frustrated, club throwing, temper tantrum throwing crowd.

[rustyredcab]

My instructor told me that many pros use a 20 club rule. They have 20 clubs and pick the 14 they will carry based on the course. Since I'm not sponsored and need to pay for my clubs, I think I'm going to end up nearer to 17 clubs. If the greens are really fast, I might go with a more lofted sand wedge and make sure my 60* makes the 14 club cut. If the course is short, I may think about which clubs I'm going to use on the tees and which clubs I might want to try and reach some par 5's. That may knock a wedge out of my bag for a 5-wood. If the course is really long, I might leave my 3-wood out and another wedge in because I mostly use my 3-wood off the tee when a driver is too much club and a really long course might be drivers all day with a lot more third shots near the green.

So, think about getting both the 54 and 58. Or maybe a 56 and 60. Select the clubs you use based on the course.

If you like the chipper, keep it in the bag. Consider an odd alternative of leaving out your second longest iron. I played all last year without a 6-iron. I found that I could use my 7 or 5 to fill the gap just fine. As a beginner, your distance control is developing and the variance is likely more than your gap. For example, if you hit your 5I 150 and your 6I 140, the truth is you likely hit your 5I 140-155 and your 7I 125-140. If you find yourself with that perfect 140 6I distance, simply choose if being long is better than being short and select accordingly. My point is that you could drop a longer iron and make room for an additional wedge and keep the chipper.

[Harmonious]

Originally Posted by Kobey

I apologize for being so defensive.  I was a little tired and grumpy last night.  I guess I shouldn't have put the as a beginner part in.  I only did that because I wanted to get recommendations on what a good club for a beginner would be, not what would be good for an experienced golfer.  I tried to word my question so that I could narrow down the answers and not waste anyone's time.

There is a big difference between the way I play and the way a serious golfer plays.  Sometimes I think that a lot of people only play golf to get better at playing golf.  I do it because I enjoy getting out and playing and meeting people.  I like getting better, but only to a point.  If it starts becoming work, it takes some of the fun out of it.  I already have a job, I don't want golf to become another one.  So even though a lot of advice I get is sound and would make me a better golfer, please don't take offence if I decide to only pick the easy things and leave the rest to the people that want to get all they can out of their game.

If I ever have to make myself practice or go to a course instead of just wanting to, it will be time for me to find another hobby, because that means I will have lost track of why I started in the first place.  I never want to be part of the frustrated, club throwing, temper tantrum throwing crowd.

So what you are saying is you don't really care about your golf game.  I would suggest, then, that you not solicit advice from people on this forum who, from what I can tell, care very much about golf. Seems that would eliminate everyone's frustration.

[rustyredcab]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Harmonious

So what you are saying is you don't really care about your golf game.  I would suggest, then, that you not solicit advice from people on this forum who, from what I can tell, care very much about golf. Seems that would eliminate everyone's frustration.

Ouch. I admit to my OCD issues around golf. I'm also socially aware enough to know that lots of golfers are not as obsessed as I tend to be and that does not make them bad people or make their enjoyment of the game invalid. Give the guy a break. Just because he's not as nuts as some of us should not invalidate his contribution to our community. In time, maybe he'll be bitten by the same OCD Golf bug that bit me -- and I'm guessing you.

Quote:

So even though a lot of advice I get is sound and would make me a better golfer, please don't take offence if I decide to only pick the easy things and leave the rest to the people that want to get all they can out of their game.

[Kobey]

Originally Posted by Harmonious

So what you are saying is you don't really care about your golf game.  I would suggest, then, that you not solicit advice from people on this forum who, from what I can tell, care very much about golf. Seems that would eliminate everyone's frustration.

It's not that you care about golf, it's that you want everyone else to feel the same as you do.  You can't stand it if someone wants to play just for fun.

People with attitudes like yours are what suck the fun out of it for the rest of us.  And I take back my apology.  I only wrote it to try and soothe some hurt feelings because some people seem to lack basic reading comprehension.  Maybe I will take your advice this time and see if I can find a place without such an elitist attitude.

[WWBDD]

Originally Posted by Kobey

It's not that you care about golf, it's that you want everyone else to feel the same as you do.  You can't stand it if someone wants to play just for fun.

People with attitudes like yours are what suck the fun out of it for the rest of us.  And I take back my apology.  I only wrote it to try and soothe some hurt feelings because some people seem to lack basic reading comprehension.  Maybe I will take your advice this time and see if I can find a place without such an elitist attitude.

How dare you not respect the sanctimoniosity of the sandtrap forum ...

... harumph ...

...you're probably that guy on the golf course cracking jokes about who's inside of whom and ordering beers from the beercart girl and such.

[Harmonious]

Originally Posted by Kobey

It's not that you care about golf, it's that you want everyone else to feel the same as you do.  You can't stand it if someone wants to play just for fun.

People with attitudes like yours are what suck the fun out of it for the rest of us.  And I take back my apology.  I only wrote it to try and soothe some hurt feelings because some people seem to lack basic reading comprehension.  Maybe I will take your advice this time and see if I can find a place without such an elitist attitude.

That seems a bit harsh.  Truth be told, I don't give a rip whether you get better or not.  You asked what originally seemed like a legitimate question seeking advice.  You'll see that I was one of the first in this thread to give what I thought you wanted - advice on what wedge to add. Didn't seem too elitist at the time.

You have turned this into an argument about people's attitudes about golf. What gives?  This is a golfer's forum, you should probably expect that there are folks here who see golf improvement as a good thing.  You don't - that's fine.  Play for fun - that's fine, too.

[newtogolf]

I've been reading the posts here out of curiousity but didn't post since my wedge game isn't great and I didn't have a good answer to offer.  Your OP and where you ended up in the quoted post are quite different positions.  I also thought you were seeking advice to improve as well when I read your OP, and there wasn't any indication that you have no real desire to improve or that playing the game for social purposes is enough for you.

Most people on this site and others I've visited seem to want to improve their game and that's why they join and participate.  I'd say Harmonious and others gave you honest advice and were trying to help.  They like myself just really didn't understand the true intent of your OP.

Originally Posted by Kobey

It's not that you care about golf, it's that you want everyone else to feel the same as you do.  You can't stand it if someone wants to play just for fun.

People with attitudes like yours are what suck the fun out of it for the rest of us.  And I take back my apology.  I only wrote it to try and soothe some hurt feelings because some people seem to lack basic reading comprehension.  Maybe I will take your advice this time and see if I can find a place without such an elitist attitude.