15 clubs in my bag

[Sean_D]

I currently have 15 clubs in my bag. Driver, 3W, 3H, 4H, 5H, 4-PW, Gap Wedge, Sand Wedge, 60* wedge, and a putter. To get down to the 14 club max, I obviously need to leave one club out. I have never hit my 60* wedge very well and have rarely used it. I also have a virtual duplication in the 4H and 4-iron, and 5H and 5-iron. I hit my 5-iron as well as any other club in the bag and I have been getting decent results with my 4 iron recently as well. 

I just purchased the three hybrids last week (Callaway X hots all three for $80) and I have yet to take them out on the course, so that will happen before I make a significant decision. What I will probably end up doing is stocking my bag for specific courses... more hybrids for longer and straighter courses, and more irons for courses with more "bendy" holes. 

The main thing I would like to read is how have you handled this situation? Do you commonly carry a 4H and a 4-iron, 5H and 5-iron? Have you left a club out of your bag because you just don't hit it well or don't have confidence in your ability to hit a particular club?

[boogielicious]

14 minutes ago, Sean_D said:

I currently have 15 clubs in my bag. Driver, 3W, 3H, 4H, 5H, 4-PW, Gap Wedge, Sand Wedge, 60* wedge, and a putter. To get down to the 14 club max, I obviously need to leave one club out. I have never hit my 60* wedge very well and have rarely used it. I also have a virtual duplication in the 4H and 4-iron, and 5H and 5-iron. I hit my 5-iron as well as any other club in the bag and I have been getting decent results with my 4 iron recently as well. 

I just purchased the three hybrids last week (Callaway X hots all three for $80) and I have yet to take them out on the course, so that will happen before I make a significant decision. What I will probably end up doing is stocking my bag for specific courses... more hybrids for longer and straighter courses, and more irons for courses with more "bendy" holes. 

The main thing I would like to read is how have you handled this situation? Do you commonly carry a 4H and a 4-iron, 5H and 5-iron? Have you left a club out of your bag because you just don't hit it well or don't have confidence in your ability to hit a particular club?

I would look at the distances  you hit between the 4H, 5H and 4 iron and see which you can drop. If you don't like your 60, consider a 58 wedge. It is easier to hit and great for partial shots, lob and pitch shots.

[Foot Wedge]

I agree that you may have some redundancies with the hybrids and long irons.  If two clubs go the same distance, stick with the one you hit best.  As for the 60, if you hardly use it and aren't confident with it, drop it.  Your other wedges should serve you fine around the green and you can dial in partial swings to fill that 50-80 yard range.

[Sean_D]

Getting my distances down is one of the things I am working on and I have a lot of variables. For my entire "Golf Life" I have played with a baseball swing. Last month I really started over. New clubs and I rebuilt my swing from the ground up. I am swinging more consistently and getting more consistent results. Before I really got the golf bug last month, it seemed every club I hit would go 100-yards. I am now starting to get a sense of how far I am hitting different clubs. The problem I am having there is I haven't been able to accurately measure my distances. I don't know if I can trust the yardage signs at the range, and I have been reading how range balls are not really an accurate measure of distance due to their construction. So I have to work that out as well.

I like the idea of choosing between the 4H, 5H, and 4-iron... That makes a lot of sense. I still need to do a lot of hitting and figure this stuff out. As it is, I am hitting foam balls for about an hour a day in my garage, I go to the range ~ once a week and play 2-3 time a month. In my last round I shot +10 on the back 9 with 2 pars... probably the best 9 I have ever shot in my life. Really loving this game and the learning process with it.

Edited March 5, 2018 by Sean_D

[onthehunt526]

49 minutes ago, Sean_D said:

I currently have 15 clubs in my bag. Driver, 3W, 3H, 4H, 5H, 4-PW, Gap Wedge, Sand Wedge, 60* wedge, and a putter. To get down to the 14 club max, I obviously need to leave one club out. I have never hit my 60* wedge very well and have rarely used it. I also have a virtual duplication in the 4H and 4-iron, and 5H and 5-iron. I hit my 5-iron as well as any other club in the bag and I have been getting decent results with my 4 iron recently as well. 

I just purchased the three hybrids last week (Callaway X hots all three for $80) and I have yet to take them out on the course, so that will happen before I make a significant decision. What I will probably end up doing is stocking my bag for specific courses... more hybrids for longer and straighter courses, and more irons for courses with more "bendy" holes. 

The main thing I would like to read is how have you handled this situation? Do you commonly carry a 4H and a 4-iron, 5H and 5-iron? Have you left a club out of your bag because you just don't hit it well or don't have confidence in your ability to hit a particular club?

Let me see, driver + 3-wood= 2 3, 4, 5 hybrid = 3 4-PW= 7 GW, SW, 60° = 3 Putter= 1. I think that's 16. Ok. Let's start with what you should keep. D, 3W, 3H for the long end 6-SW, putter that's 11. I don't have enough information to suggest you don't need a 60°. That's 12. So now you're at the 4I and 5I and their replacements. 

In my opinion, it depends on if you can consistently strike the iron that you are doubled up on. If it was me, it would probably be 4I and 5I. I would take you 6I and these 4 clubs to the range. Hit the 6i first. If your 5I is consistent with your gapping it stays. If not, you already have your answer.  If the 5I passes the test, do the same with the 4I. My gut tells me, the 4 and 5 iron are going to come out of the bag, though.

I personally, have a similar issue but mine I have figured out. My home course I don't have much use for either the 3I or my 60°, but I'm keeping my 60° in until further notice. So bye, bye 3-iron, for now. If a course has more than 4I but less than hybrid par-3s I need the 3-iron. (However that's hard to do, I can shave a lot off of this hybrid). Just a similar example, so you can relate.

Edited March 5, 2018 by onthehunt526
Typo

[Sean_D]

5 minutes ago, onthehunt526 said:

Let me see, driver + 3-wood= 2 3, 4, 5 hybrid = 3 4-PW= 7 GW, SW, 60° = 3 Putter= 1.

Good catch... I guess when I added up the number of clubs, I forgot about the putter. Now I have to drop two clubs. At least the journey is fun!

[Foot Wedge]

35 minutes ago, Sean_D said:

The problem I am having there is I haven't been able to accurately measure my distances.

You may want to invest in a rangefinder.  It sounds like you're relatively new to the game.  Or at least new to taking your game seriously.  I understand, I first started "playing" about 9 years ago, but really just hacking around with buddies 2-3 times a year.  About 2 years ago was when I really started enjoying the game.  Point is, a rangefinder is something that seems like it's really only useful for 'good' players that need precision, but it helps with learning how far you're really carrying the ball with each club.  It took me way too long to realize I'm bad enough without knowing which club to pick, and a rangefinder takes out one of the variables in the equation.  Knowing your numbers will help with your setup and course strategy.

[Sean_D]

1 minute ago, Foot Wedge said:

You may want to invest in a rangefinder.  It sounds like you're relatively new to the game.  Or at least new to taking your game seriously.  I understand, I first started "playing" about 9 years ago, but really just hacking around with buddies 2-3 times a year.  About 2 years ago was when I really started enjoying the game.  Point is, a rangefinder is something that seems like it's really only useful for 'good' players that need precision, but it helps with learning how far you're really carrying the ball with each club.  It took me way too long to realize I'm bad enough without knowing which club to pick, and a rangefinder takes out one of the variables in the equation.  Knowing your numbers will help with your setup and course strategy.

Yes... About 6-weeks of serious attention and study, although I have been hacking at golf balls (while consuming copious amounts of beer) most of my life. A rangefinder is certainly on the list, but I think the next investment is going to come in the form of lessons to be sure the things I am focusing on in rebuilding my swing are accurate are effective.

[Foot Wedge]

6 minutes ago, Sean_D said:

I think the next investment is going to come in the form of lessons to be sure the things I am focusing on in rebuilding my swing are accurate are effective.

Smart move, you're on the right track!

[David in FL]

Simple.  Drop the 60* wedge.  At your current skill level, you'll lose more strokes trying to use it than you'll save.

[WUTiger]

2 hours ago, Sean_D said:

The main thing I would like to read is how have you handled this situation? Do you commonly carry a 4H and a 4-iron, 5H and 5-iron?

What type of hybrid are you carrying? The traditional hybrids (yes, we're there already!) have a shaft length between that of a fairway wood and an iron. The newer iron replacement hybrids are designed to fit into specific model(s) of irons; the IRs have the same shaft length and loft as the numbered iron they are designed to replace. (Example: Mizuno JPX and Fli-Hi family clubs)

Also, it comes down to distance gaps. If you find out your numbered irons and one of the hybrids duplicate yardage, drop one of the duplicates. Also, some people accept distance overlap if one club launches low and the other high.

Finally... if your 3W is iffy, try out a 4W. A couple extra degrees of loft can really help on launch. 

7 minutes ago, David in FL said:

Simple.  Drop the 60* wedge.  At your current skill level, you'll lose more strokes trying to use it than you'll save.

This is the first one to consider. A couple of years ago, Golf Digest did a bag survey of PGA tour pros. Half these pros had a 58* as their higher lofted wedge. Not everyone likes the 60*.

And, I have run into occasional small-college varsity golfers who had a 56* as their highest lofted wedge.

[Sean_D]

19 minutes ago, WUTiger said:

What type of hybrid are you carrying?

My hybrids are the Callaway X hots from 2013 I believe.

 

20 minutes ago, WUTiger said:

Half these pros had a 58* as their higher lofted wedge. Not everyone likes the 60*.

 

I am still figuring out the different lofts of wedges. It get confusing really quickly as my experience with clubs was 9i, PW, SW and that's it. Seeing wedges identified by their loft and "bounce" I believe is study I have yet to do. My initial thought was to just drop the 60*, as I rarely use it. However, I am intent on learning to play "correctly" and to use the correct tools for the correct shots. So I want to learn what to expect from a high loft wedge, and how to hit one.

[Piz]

It isn't necessary to have consistent loft gaps in the top of the bag.  Yardage gaps maybe; but who needs to cover every 10-12 yard increment from 260 on down?  

[WUTiger]

22 hours ago, Sean_D said:

I am still figuring out the different lofts of wedges. It get confusing really quickly as my experience with clubs was 9i, PW, SW and that's it. Seeing wedges identified by their loft and "bounce" I believe is study I have yet to do. ...

I had the same problem when I swapped out irons for the first time in 14 years. It took a full season to figure out what wedges I needed beyond the iron set's PW. Maybe you will find my primer on wedges helpful.

22 hours ago, Sean_D said:

... My initial thought was to just drop the 60*, as I rarely use it. However, I am intent on learning to play "correctly" and to use the correct tools for the correct shots. So I want to learn what to expect from a high loft wedge, and how to hit one.

Play "correctly"...I would suggest this means finding out what works for you - within the rules. Many golfers 20-something and younger rely too much on the LW - the lob doesn't work best for every greenside shot. I see too many golfers hit a high lob going uphill, only to have the ball spin back off the green. A low, running chip shot works better in many cases.

Keep us posted on what happens. Good luck in 2018!

Edited March 6, 2018 by WUTiger

[Sean_D]

23 minutes ago, WUTiger said:

I had the same problem when I swapped out irons for the first time in 14 years. It took a full season to figure out what wedges I needed beyond the iron set's PW. Maybe you will find my primer on wedges helpful.

Play "correctly"...I would suggest this means finding out what works for you - within the rules. Many golfers 20-something and younger rely too much on the LW - the lob doesn't work best for every greenside shot. I see too many golfers hit a high lob going uphill, only to have the ball spin back off the green. A low, running chip shot works better in many cases.

Keep us posted on what happens. Good luck in 2018!

Thanks for the wedge matrix idea. I am learning I need to figure out my distances for each club. Something which will take some time. My swing is evolving almost daily as I learn to apply different techniques and see the results. I am anxiously awaiting daylight savings so I will have more time to hit live balls on a course as opposed to hitting foam analogues into a shipping blanket. Also, warmer weather will be nice so I don't have to wear sweatshirts all the time.

I guess figuring out what works, is more than half the battle. No substitute for experience, and practice.

Edited March 6, 2018 by Sean_D

[Foot Wedge]

35 minutes ago, Sean_D said:

I guess figuring out what works, is more than half the battle. No substitute for experience, and practice.

Right, that's the only way to put together that wedge matrix.  Plus once you know what a swing/club combo does, you swing with confidence.  No second guessing over the ball, no dreaded deceleration during the downswing.  That's flub-city.

[billchao]

7 hours ago, Foot Wedge said:

Right, that's the only way to put together that wedge matrix.

Not anymore 

 

[Foot Wedge]

9 hours ago, billchao said:

Not anymore 

 

Dammit I really don't need more temptation to buy that thing.