Gap from 16 degree fairway to 22 degree 4 iron

[Smoothus]

Long time reader, first time post. I'm in need of assistance as want to purchase this week. I'm a short to medium length hitter but straight most of the time. Problem I have is that I don't know what my 14th club should be to fill the gap (as title of post suggests). Ping G400 driver and fairway. Mizuno EZ forged irons. Thanks for any suggestions.

[boogielicious]

3 hours ago, Smoothus said:

Long time reader, first time post. I'm in need of assistance as want to purchase this week. I'm a short to medium length hitter but straight most of the time. Problem I have is that I don't know what my 14th club should be to fill the gap (as title of post suggests). Ping G400 driver and fairway. Mizuno EZ forged irons. Thanks for any suggestions.

It should be by distance. How far do you hit each on average? I personally have a 21 degree 3H then a 16 degree 4 wood. My distances are 190 and 200 roughly. The hybrid goes higher and is better for approach shots.

[billchao]

3 hours ago, Smoothus said:

Long time reader, first time post. I'm in need of assistance as want to purchase this week. I'm a short to medium length hitter but straight most of the time. Problem I have is that I don't know what my 14th club should be to fill the gap (as title of post suggests). Ping G400 driver and fairway. Mizuno EZ forged irons. Thanks for any suggestions.

Welcome! Glad you decided to join in the conversation.

Without knowing the specifics of your game, it sounds like you're missing something around 18-19°, which is a 3i. Depending on how good your ballstriking is, you may want to look at a hybrid, driving iron, or just a standard iron from your current set (or possibly one from a more forgiving similar set - Mizuno does combos pretty well).

That's the "on paper" set make-up, though. If you get fit, you might find you need something different than standard. For example, the gap between my 16° 4w and 21° 4h is actually filled with a 17.5° 2h. It just worked out that way based on how I hit those clubs.

[onthehunt526]

5 hours ago, Smoothus said:

Long time reader, first time post. I'm in need of assistance as want to purchase this week. I'm a short to medium length hitter but straight most of the time. Problem I have is that I don't know what my 14th club should be to fill the gap (as title of post suggests). Ping G400 driver and fairway. Mizuno EZ forged irons. Thanks for any suggestions.

Short to medium length players, sometimes are better suited better with a lofted second fairway wood between their longest iron and first fairway wood.

Hybrids are great in the regard that they'll get you out of trouble (rough, sand, etc). They're also more consistent than long irons. 

You don't see a ton of 7-woods out there now, however, a 7-wood but be that magic gap filler. If you were a strictly medium length player, I would suggest a 18-20° hybrid. But the fairway wood will give you that extra smidge of clubhead speed.

[1badbadger]

Like @boogielicious mentioned, the gaps in your lofts aren't as important as the gaps in your yardages.  A 12-15 yard gap between your irons is ideal, and when you get into the longer clubs like hybrids and fairway woods it's ok to stretch it to 20 yards or so.

One thing to keep in mind when considering clubs for the top end of the bag is how often do you hit shots from that distance?  For example...on paper, a 19* club will fill the gap you have.  A 19* fairway wood will hit the ball a little longer than a 19* hybrid usually, but for this example let's say this would be your 190-200 yard club.  The next couple of times you play, keep track of how many times per round you are called on to hit a shot this distance.  I'm guessing it won't come up very often.  But in the event it does, what are your expectations on a 200 yard shot?  An article by Marc Solomon https://golfmadesimple.com/blog/200-yard-golf-shots/ points out that the 90th ranked Tour player averages 41' from the hole, and Mike Weir hits the green 3/10 from that distance.  A player who shoots 90 averages 70' from that distance.  My point is, anywhere on or around the green is pretty good from that distance.

Now, how many times do you hit a chip shot or pitch shot each round?  Probably at least a handful of times.  Instead of filling that gap for 200 yards, consider choking down on the 16* fairway wood or hitting a running hook with the 4 iron if that shot comes up, and adding another wedge for your 14th club.  It will likely get more action than a 19* club will.  But, if you'd rather fill the gap between your fairway wood and 4 iron, determine the yardage gap first...this will help make it easier to figure out which club will fit best.

[WUTiger]

Welcome to TST!

First, a point of clarification... For fairway wood, do you have the G400 (14.5* + 1*) or the G400.SFT (std loft = 16*)?

If you like FWs, you might consider a 7W for the bridge club.

Overall, find a club that splits the distance between a 16* and the 4i.

If you get a hybrid, you might start testing pro or tour heads. These often have less offset than standard hybrid heads, and may cut down on left misses. (Ping G and G400s appear to have low offset.)

[onthehunt526]

5 hours ago, 1badbadger said:

Like @boogielicious mentioned, the gaps in your lofts aren't as important as the gaps in your yardages.  A 12-15 yard gap between your irons is ideal, and when you get into the longer clubs like hybrids and fairway woods it's ok to stretch it to 20 yards or so.

One thing to keep in mind when considering clubs for the top end of the bag is how often do you hit shots from that distance?  For example...on paper, a 19* club will fill the gap you have.  A 19* fairway wood will hit the ball a little longer than a 19* hybrid usually, but for this example let's say this would be your 190-200 yard club.  The next couple of times you play, keep track of how many times per round you are called on to hit a shot this distance.  I'm guessing it won't come up very often.  But in the event it does, what are your expectations on a 200 yard shot?  An article by Marc Solomon https://golfmadesimple.com/blog/200-yard-golf-shots/ points out that the 90th ranked Tour player averages 41' from the hole, and Mike Weir hits the green 3/10 from that distance.  A player who shoots 90 averages 70' from that distance.  My point is, anywhere on or around the green is pretty good from that distance.

Now, how many times do you hit a chip shot or pitch shot each round?  Probably at least a handful of times.  Instead of filling that gap for 200 yards, consider choking down on the 16* fairway wood or hitting a running hook with the 4 iron if that shot comes up, and adding another wedge for your 14th club.  It will likely get more action than a 19* club will.  But, if you'd rather fill the gap between your fairway wood and 4 iron, determine the yardage gap first...this will help make it easier to figure out which club will fit best.

16° fairway wood? What the do we call this a 3W or 4W? Anyway... If I was a short to medium player I would carry a second fairway wood instead of a 19° hybrid. 

I do carry a 20° hybrid myself, but my hybrid is purposely the length of an iron... (well at least for me). But I also swing at 106 mph, but I typically am around 100-104 more often (But I also play a 44" Driver). 

But If you drive it 210-220 or so, play a second fairway wood... If you want a hybrid, replace the 4-iron with one... Just my 2 cents.

[Smoothus]

Thanks for the suggestions. To answer a question one of you asked me: the PING fairway wood is a 16 degree (it is labeled as a 3 wood but I consider it a 4 wood).

At my home course, I find that the one long par 3, the three tight par 4's and two of the par 5's are finding me a bit short of the target too often. I like the idea of a Mizuno driving iron to match my set but will go and demo a couple of 5 woods this week to compare.

[1badbadger]

8 hours ago, onthehunt526 said:

16° fairway wood? What the do we call this a 3W or 4W? Anyway... If I was a short to medium player I would carry a second fairway wood instead of a 19° hybrid. 

I do carry a 20° hybrid myself, but my hybrid is purposely the length of an iron... (well at least for me). But I also swing at 106 mph, but I typically am around 100-104 more often (But I also play a 44" Driver). 

But If you drive it 210-220 or so, play a second fairway wood... If you want a hybrid, replace the 4-iron with one... Just my 2 cents.

I consider it a 4 wood, or some might call it a 4+.  

[boogielicious]

1 hour ago, 1badbadger said:

I consider it a 4 wood, or some might call it a 4+.  

Yes. My Titleist 915F 16 degree says "3" on it, but it's really a 4 wood. 

[billchao]

1 hour ago, boogielicious said:

Yes. My Titleist 915F 16 degree says "3" on it, but it's really a 4 wood. 

16° is generally considered a strong 4w.

[Mr. Desmond]

Look at 19 Hy or 7 wood, or both. Use the 7 wd in the calm, the 19Hy when windy.

Edited March 6, 2018 by Mr. Desmond

[Piz]

I'd consider a hybrid with the same (or close) loft as your 5 wood...only shorter.  Shop around for something used and cheap.  A Mizuno Hi-Fly, or Cleveland Hi-bore would suit the bill...but there are a blue million (thousand million) others.

[The Recreational Golfer]

Have a pro shop strengthen your 4-iron by one degree then put another wedge in your bag.

[Hoganman1]

I have the same gap. My 3W is a 15* Callaway GBB set at +1 and my 4 iron is a 22* Mizuno JPX 850 forged. I filled the yardage gap with a 20* Callaway GBB Heavenwood set at standard loft. It works pretty well.