Best club for the distance gap?

[PathToThePGA]

Prior to Christmas I had a Driver, 25* fairway wood, 3i-PW, 52*, 56*. Since Christmas I have got a Callaway X-Hot 19* hybrid and a 60* wedge. Currently in my bag I have Driver, 25* fairway wood, 19* hybrid, 4i-PW, 52*, 56*, 60*. I have an older Mizuno 3 wood that I could use instead of the 25* fairway wood( which I think is a 9 wood). What club should I use between my driver and 19* hybrid?

Thanks for all responses.

[LuciusWooding]

It depends. Your swing mechanics and trajectory can affect what sort of clubs work best. Unless you absolutely need carry distance as much as possible or you plan to hit the club off the tee, I find fairway woods to be tough to hit versus a good hybrid because of shaft length. For many, a club in the 15-19 degree range that's short enough to hit solid can be a better choice than a driver and go just as far. The 13-15 degree loft range is pretty tough to hit off the deck however, regardless of the club type. A higher lofted fairway wood or lower lofted hybrid are the obvious choices unless you really want a maximum distance club from the ground. I chose the strong 3 wood because I consider it a nonessential club; it's rare I have a distance I can't hit with my hybrid at the most, but it's useful off the tee and I can attempt the longest of approaches with it if I wish.

Personally I have no trouble hitting the ball high with long irons but I'm not wild about fairways off the ground. I prefer a 2 hybrid at 17 degrees and a 13 degree fairway, since I hit a low lofted driver, but I might go with a 15 degree hybrid with a shorter shaft than the 3w. Titanium is a good idea as well if you want to squeeze a few more MPH out of the shot, though it's expensive. I find that stainless steel gives me better gapping from my 17 degree to my irons though.

[PathToThePGA]

So what would be your final decision on a club between my driver and 19* hybrid?

[MS256]

The only club that seems out of place is the 25 degree fairway wood. If I hit hybrids better I would get a 15 degree hybrid. If I hit fairway woods better I would get an 18 or 15 degree fairway wood.

In my case I hit fairway woods better than any other clubs so I have both 18 and 15 degree fairway woods and a 22 degree hybrid that I sometimes use in place of my 3 iron. That set up is not typical because most people either have an extra wedge or can hit hybrids better than fairway woods.

The only thing I would consider changing in my bag would be to get rid of the 18 degree and add a 13 degree fairway wood for long par 5s. I used to have one but gave it away when I got my new set. That was a mistake and cut down my eagle chances.

[WUTiger]

A couple of questions: What is the loft of your driver, and what are the shaft characteristics (flex, kickpoint)? Also, what is your driver clubhead speed?

It's time to get a fitting on a fairway wood. Compare 3Ws and 4Ws for starters. Generally, players with higher clubhead speed can work a 3W. According to a Golf Digest article, the average golfer can hit a 4W better than a 3W. A couple of extra degrees of loft can really help.

Look for a reliable FW. Don't be concerned if the club doesn't exactly split the gap between the driver and 19*H. You have precise gaps in your wedges, where it really counts for scoring.

[PathToThePGA]

Driver loft is 9.5, flex is a 65g Regular, no clue on the club head speed

[Dave40]

I would drop the 25 degree fairway wood and replace it with a 3 wood. The search for a fairway wood that you have confidence in can be a long and frustrating process, so don't get too discouraged too soon.

[cooke119]

Go with a 5 wood.