how do you choose your 14?

[tiger187126]

it seems like a silly question, but how did you decide your clubs and what made you change if you switched?

i have what i feel is a pretty standard setup and my clubs are pretty well spaced, but i'd like to add another wedge which means i'll probably just drop the 58*.

but i wondered how other people decided what to carry and what to change after playing for a while.

[Shindig]

Driver, Putter, and Irons 3-P, or some variation thereof, I can't imagine being without. So there's 10 right there. The 3 is a hybrid. I used to carry an actual 3-iron, but I gave it up. My 4- and 5- are more forgiving models than the rest of my irons, but are still more or less irons. I used to carry 3W 5W, but then (when I was a much worse player, and far less strong physically) I realized I hit them about the same distance, even off a tee, and very close in distance to a 3H. So I replaced them with a 4W, which I somehow hit further than the 3 or 5 woods. Since the P is a fairly strong loft (47), I took to carrying a gap wedge (currently at 51) and a sand wedge (56). When I was carrying a 4W, I also carried an L wedge, but I rarely used it, so when I eventually found a 3W I liked (and could hit well), I dropped the 4W and LW in favor of 3- and 5- woods. So I ended up with a fairly traditional set: D 3W 5W 3H 4-P, G, 56, Putter. Unless doing so would hurt me for the par-3s I expect to see, I'm fine playing a round without the 5W or 4I if I want to experiment with something else (potential second driver, potential new wedge, etc) and still be within the 14 limit.

[luvbladez]

3W, 1-E Hogan Apex blades, 50 degree Titleist Vokey F-Grind, 56 degree Titleist Vokey F-grind, Nike Method putter which I hate. Someone stole my old blade putter while I was in a clubhouse getting a drink years ago.

[BallSeeker]

I never played the full amount of clubs, but am almost at that point. Driver 5W 3H 4H 5 6 7 8 9 P W 52 60 Putter

[luvbladez]

Get a 56

[Patch]

In my bag I have 4 metal woods, 5 irons, 4 wedges, and of course a putter. The 4th metal wood took the place of the 3 & 4 irons. The 4 wedges give me everything I need from 100 yards in to the pin. I have had this same club make up going on 8+ years. Plan on keeping it for another 8+ years.

I have quite a few lose clubs, plus a couple of (complete) old sets in the garage that I keep around for no apparent reason. Grand Kids maybe? Probably have 15 putters sitting idle. I have a set of Hogan Apex Forged Irons that I won in a raffle at a tournament some years ago. Never have used them, as they just look damn too nice to put in the dirt. I also have a couple of Edel wedges I will never use for the same reason as the Hogans. .

[luvbladez]

@Patch what year Apex? Inside of me is tearing up knowing you've never or will never hit them!

[WUTiger]

One thing people forget in overall club mix is clubhead speed. People with higher clubhead speed can hit 3Ws and 3 irons, because they generate the power to get the ball airborne with such clubs. Average golfers often have trouble with these clubs without special shafting.

For my current mix, see below In My Bag .

Long clubs. After 20 years of having some variation of 3W + 5W, I have gone with 4W + 7W; I'm now in season three. The couple extra degrees of loft make a big difference in getting the ball launched. And, the 7W actually outperforms hybrids in certain cases. As I have mentioned in other posts, Golf Digest reported recently on a study of fairway woods: The average golfer can hit a 4W more reliably - and sometimes farther - than a 3W.

Wedges . Another question is how many wedges? If you have a PW, and a same-model set of GW, SW and LW, you can develop a fairly reliable close-in yardage chart. This assumes you practice some to get to know your wedges.

I only carry three wedges, as I don't have a LW. But, I may change from 56* / to 54* + 58*.

The 4W + 7W has stretched the long end of my bag. I now carry a 4H also, and am debating whether to keep my 4i. In my new SLDR irons, the 4i delivers a strong, scary-accurate draw which is excellent for tee shots on short par 4s and long par 3s.

As for you , your bag mix seems OK. But, how are you hitting them? We don't know anything about your clubhead speed, accuracy, etc. If you think you will be playing more golf, you might get a fitting to see what you need. Also, a fitting might show tweaks you need for your current clubs (grip thickness, iron lie angle).

[inthehole]

mine is in a constant state of flux ... the only clubs that have any sense of job security are my driver, 3 wood and irons.   Hybrids, long irons, wedges and putter are always on the hot seat, and regularly benched if they don't perform.

[tiger187126]

As for you, your bag mix seems OK. But, how are you hitting them? We don't know anything about your clubhead speed, accuracy, etc. If you think you will be playing more golf, you might get a fitting to see what you need. Also, a fitting might show tweaks you need for your current clubs (grip thickness, iron lie angle).

I'm like most not very good golfers, i have a handful of clubs i hit pretty well, some are a crapshoot. i could drop my driver because my 3w rivals it, but i'm not as consistent off the tee with my 3w as my driver. i could drop the 3w and do a 3h/4h layup to a short wedge which is more accurate than a 3w followed by a shot from greenside rough/bunker. i do love blasting the 3w when i've duffed my tee-shot though.

the hybrids are one of the better decisions i've made. i have regular flex irons, because of my toned down iron swing so there is a weird "feel" gap between them, but the distances are 10 yard spaced. here's my breakdown, you can +/- 5-10 yards for D-4h:

Driver: 230

3 wood: 210-230

3h: 200

4h: 180

5: 170

6: 160

7: 150

8: 140

9: 130

P: 110

A: 100

54: 80

58: don't know, never hit it full, probably 70-something.

basically i got some used clubs so i could play out of town, and i love this wedge i got. it's a 54/16. i don't know if it's the bounce, heavier weight, or non-conforming grooves but this thing spins the ball like crazy and i've never been able to that. i hit an 80 yard shot off of concrete sand and it took one hop, i was amazed. i just have to use a different club if i want roll. i want to put it in my bag and forgot i already bagged a 54/09 so i'll just switch them out so i'll have a high bounce and low bounce between my wedges.

either way i forgot they were identical lofts and it made me think of how i was going to get it in my bag and then i thought about the different configurations i've seen with people i play with. i see those sand specific or chippers and wonder what they gave up to get them.

at this point i could drop my 58 because it's rarely used. when i was playing more frequently i had a bunch of shots with it, but now i've lost my confidence and will lay it open or decelerate on it because i don't trust it. i don't know what i would replace it with though. my gap is from my low irons into my wedges.

but anyway, sorry for the rambling. i am still interested in your guys reasons and the clubs you picked.

[Ruggo]

I never played the full amount of clubs, but am almost at that point. Driver 5W 3H 4H 5 6 7 8 9 P W 52 60 Putter

Do you feel that the gap between 5W and Driver is big im just curious because many peopke say that I need to chuck in a 3 wood because of the large gap?

[westcyderydin]

I wish that i could use 15 clubs.  But because the limit is 14, the 3 wood is normally left out.

D 270

3W 250

5W 230

3H 210

4I 190

5I 180

6I 170

7I 160

8I 150

9I 140

PW (48*) 130

48* 120

52* 110

56* 90

Putter

What annoys me about my set is that my 48* Mizuno MP-67 PW (6.0 project x flighted shaft) goes 20 yds further than my Adams Tom Watson 52* GW.  That means I need an extra wedge to go between the two which happens to be a 48* Cleveland 588.

The other thing that annoys me is that my new 56* this year goes 90 yds instead of 100 yds.  My 56* i used last year broke, and I don't like the new one as much from 50 yds and out....although I do like it better from 50 yds and in.

I wish I could keep the 3w in, but i use it maybe once every 5 or 10 rounds at the course I play the most so it is the first one taken out.  If i need it in the bag, then I take out the 48* Cleveland wedge.

[Jeremie Boop]

I don't even have 14 clubs in my bag right now. When I do finally get fitted I'll get whatever gives me the best coverage for distances regardless of what they happen to be.

[saevel25]

it seems like a silly question, but how did you decide your clubs and what made you change if you switched?

i have what i feel is a pretty standard setup and my clubs are pretty well spaced, but i'd like to add another wedge which means i'll probably just drop the 58*.

but i wondered how other people decided what to carry and what to change after playing for a while.

I let the clubs fight to the death, which ever doesn't end up broken on the ground gets to be in my bag. SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST!!!

[Jeremie Boop]

I let the clubs fight to the death, who ever doesn't end up broken on the ground gets to be in my bag. SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST!!!

ROFL

Real "fight clubs"

[nickel_aTm]

See signature...

Occasionally replace hybrid with a 3-iron.

[Grndslmhttr3]

I only have 14 clubs, so it's not a particularly difficult decision to make.

[LuciusWooding]

I picked a set of irons first, going with 3-PW. My lofts meant that I could use a 3 wedge setup plus a putter, and I wanted to go with the classic 1, 3 and 5 wood setup but ended up going with 15/19˚ hybrids backing up my driver because of what those clubs were capable of. Didn't need the lower trajectory shot or the extra few yards from the 3w vs the 1h as much as I'd thought.

I kicked out my strong 3 wood, 2 iron, 17 degree hybrid and gap wedge because I can get the shots I need. I may consider replacing or removing the 3 iron and adding loft to my driver, but the irons are the core of the set and make the mid range game consistent.