Golf club setup

[bancona]

I need help figuring out my setup for my longer clubs. I am a 9 handicap and currently have driver, 5 wood (19*), 4 hybrid (22*), and 4 iron (24*). This setup is just too close together. I am forsure keeping my 4 irons because it belongs with the rest of my Titleist AP2 set and I love the 4 iron. So what I'm asking is what should my degree setup be. I'm think 4 iron, 3 hybrid, then 3 wood? What's your guys setup? And if you recommend a setup maybe give a club to try for the setup. Thanks for the help!

[MS256]

4 iron, 3 hybrid and 3 wood sounds good. I have a 4 iron, 3 hybrid (that I rotate with a 3 iron depending on what mood I'm in), 5 wood and 3 wood. But I'm weird.

[bancona]

4 iron, 3 hybrid and 3 wood sounds good. I have a 4 iron, 3 hybrid (that I rotate with a 3 iron depending on what mood I'm in), 5 wood and 3 wood. But I'm weird.

That's smart. What 3 wood and 3 hybrid do you play with. What degree also?

[Dave2512]

I use 4w 7w 4i. Even though the loft of the 7w and 4i are close the length is not. Because I don't need as tight of gaps at the long end I am good with 20 yds between. I make small adjustments by gripping down if needed. The 4i sees the least use. The other two are mostly rescue, tee use on short holes and par 5 second shot.

[MS256]

The 3 hybrid is 22 degrees (more loft than average) but I hit it the distance of my 3 iron so they interchange just right. The 5 wood is 18 degrees and the 3 wood is 15 degrees. I hit those clubs better and more consitently than any clubs in the bag. When things are falling apart those fairway woods usually get me going again.

[bancona]

Ok thanks! Anyone else? Clubs to try? A different degree setup?

[Spitfisher]

driver 11.5

5w strong (17deg)

3h and 5h (21d and 25d)

5-gap ( 50 deg)

54 and 58 wedges

[RFKFREAK]

I'm nowhere near the caliber player you are but I carry:

Driver 10,5

3 Wood 15.5

5 Wood 19

4 Hybrid 21

For some reason, the I use the hybrid least because I'm not that comfortable with it.

[LuciusWooding]

I carry:

Driver, 7.5˚

3w, 13.5˚

2h, 17˚

3i, 21˚

They gap around 20 yards apart, and give me some versatility with the shots I can hit on in between yardages. I would add 3 degrees of loft to each club if you're not a very good ballstriker or have a very high swing speed, because most people who try can't hit my clubs in the air properly except the hybrid. The 3 wood is primarily for a maximum distance option off the ground, or a little less distance than the driver off the tee, but it needs to be played consistently left to right and is very tough to draw. I have full control over the 3i and hybrid off the ground or the tee so I can cover most shots of their distance range well, and my driver is set up for a straight or cut shot. I think anything over my hybrid distance is pretty rare so it's pointless to carry a club for it, unless I'm playing a long course or trying to get lots of eagles on all the really long par 5s. I don't have much else to carry in the 3w's place atm so I might as well have it. Plus I can hit it so far when I'm swinging well that I love having all that horsepower in reserve.

I'd recommend keeping the 4 iron, a driver, and the other 2 are really personal preference. Personally I never need a driver to put it in play unless I'm playing the back tees, and I still primarily hit my hybrid on a typical instance. Should I decide I don't care about the 3w off the deck, I could consider a shorter driver with more loft or a 3w more suited to tee shots, or an even lower lofted hybrid if I decide the shot off the deck needs to be more consistent. I'd go with a 19 degree hybrid you like, or a 5 wood if you really like them, and see if you want to add a longer hybrid or fairway. Don't get caught up in lofts necessarily unless you really like to stick to your stock shot. There are lots of other good properties a club can have, plus the static loft doesn't matter if you don't deliver it properly.

Get something in the 16-20˚ range whether it be a wood or hybrid or driving iron to fulfill the gapping (Adams' slotted hybrids are very nice indeed so give them a try), then add a specialty club of your choice. You won't increase your distance coverage much by having the 3 wood unless you are a good player, IMO. And even then it's of minimal use if your driver is consistent. Better to have something to impact your game than a club you hit once per 72 holes and are inconsistent with.

You can also get fitted for your long game at some places, which is a very good idea because nothing works like it does on paper. It would be smarter to spend the money on a fitting than a club you won't use.

[bancona]

I carry: Driver, 7.5˚ 3w, 13.5˚ 2h, 17˚ 3i, 21˚ They gap around 20 yards apart, and give me some versatility with the shots I can hit on in between yardages. I would add 3 degrees of loft to each club if you're not a very good ballstriker or have a very high swing speed, because most people who try can't hit my clubs in the air properly except the hybrid. The 3 wood is primarily for a maximum distance option off the ground, or a little less distance than the driver off the tee, but it needs to be played consistently left to right and is very tough to draw. I have full control over the 3i and hybrid off the ground or the tee so I can cover most shots of their distance range well, and my driver is set up for a straight or cut shot. I think anything over my hybrid distance is pretty rare so it's pointless to carry a club for it, unless I'm playing a long course or trying to get lots of eagles on all the really long par 5s. I don't have much else to carry in the 3w's place atm so I might as well have it. Plus I can hit it so far when I'm swinging well that I love having all that horsepower in reserve. I'd recommend keeping the 4 iron, a driver, and the other 2 are really personal preference. Personally I never need a driver to put it in play unless I'm playing the back tees, and I still primarily hit my hybrid on a typical instance. Should I decide I don't care about the 3w off the deck, I could consider a shorter driver with more loft or a 3w more suited to tee shots, or an even lower lofted hybrid if I decide the shot off the deck needs to be more consistent. I'd go with a 19 degree hybrid you like, or a 5 wood if you really like them, and see if you want to add a longer hybrid or fairway. Don't get caught up in lofts necessarily unless you really like to stick to your stock shot. There are lots of other good properties a club can have, plus the static loft doesn't matter if you don't deliver it properly. Get something in the 16-20˚ range whether it be a wood or hybrid or driving iron to fulfill the gapping (Adams' slotted hybrids are very nice indeed so give them a try), then add a specialty club of your choice. You won't increase your distance coverage much by having the 3 wood unless you are a good player, IMO. And even then it's of minimal use if your driver is consistent. Better to have something to impact your game than a club you hit once per 72 holes and are inconsistent with.  You can also get fitted for your long game at some places, which is a very good idea because nothing works like it does on paper. It would be smarter to spend the money on a fitting than a club you won't use.

Wow that helps a ton thank you!

[David in FL]

Ok thanks! Anyone else? Clubs to try? A different degree setup?

How far do you hit (carry) each of those clubs?   Without that info, any recommendation is just conjecture.....

[Spitfisher]

How far do you hit (carry) each of those clubs?   Without that info, any recommendation is just conjecture.....

I was about to say the same thing, one red flag with what was listed: a 10 handicap with a 7.5 degree driver, pretty uncommon by today's design and golf balls. Very few pros play with that low of loft. The ones that do have 115+ driver club head speed and hit 295+ consistently. Jus sayin I wouldn't put a club in my bag ( your 4 iron) just because its part of a set. I tell folks all the time, ignore what's written on the club, look for results instead. Maybe a high loft hybrid instead?

[Maddog10]

I use D, 3W, 5W, 4i... While I like the setup, there is a gap between about 215 (5W) and 195 (4i) that sometimes puts me in a bind. I can usually adjust my stance with the 5W though to reduce my yardage and compensate for those shots that are just over 200 yards... I really would like to add a club into this section of my bag, but I would rather have it in my wedge setup so for now I'll continue to adjust.

[bancona]

How far do you hit (carry) each of those clubs?   Without that info, any recommendation is just conjecture.....

I carry my 4 iron about 185-190. I carry my 4 hybrid 195-200. And my 5 wood 210-215. I really like my 4 iron and the reason I want to switch up the other clubs is 1) I think I want a 3 wood so I can hit it 10-15 yards further so if on a short par 4 I can comfortably hit it as well as reaching more par 5s. And then I'm thinking I should get about a 3 hybrid (19*) to have a good gapping.

[bancona]

I was about to say the same thing, one red flag with what was listed: a 10 handicap with a 7.5 degree driver, pretty uncommon by today's design and golf balls. Very few pros play with that low of loft. The ones that do have 115+ driver club head speed and hit 295+ consistently. Jus sayin I wouldn't put a club in my bag ( your 4 iron) just because its part of a set. I tell folks all the time, ignore what's written on the club, look for results instead. Maybe a high loft hybrid instead?

No my driver is 10.5 i never said it was 7.5, sorry for confusion. And I'm not just keeping the 4 iron for sure because it goes with my set. I really like it and hit it well.

[David in FL]

I carry my 4 iron about 185-190. I carry my 4 hybrid 195-200. And my 5 wood 210-215. I really like my 4 iron and the reason I want to switch up the other clubs is 1) I think I want a 3 wood so I can hit it 10-15 yards further so if on a short par 4 I can comfortably hit it as well as reaching more par 5s. And then I'm thinking I should get about a 3 hybrid (19*) to have a good gapping.

Your distances are pretty similar to mine.  Personally, I dropped the 4-iron and carry 2 hybrids......18.5* and 21*.  I carry them about 190 and 205 respectively.  I also play a 15* 3-wood.

If I absolutely had to keep the 4-iron, I'd swap out the 4-hybrid and 5-wood for a 3-hybrid and 3-wood.