The 14th Club

[djake]

Over the last 4 years I have been updating my clubs and played with 12 clubs during this updating process.  Well this year I want to round out the bag and I am looking for input for that final 14th club.

I bought a 48 degree wedge as the 13th club and filled the gap between my PW and 52 degree wedge.  I am also returning my son's 4 Hybrid and will be buying a Tour Edge CBX 119 22 degree loft hybrid.

Currently this is what is in the bag.  Driver, 5 Wood, 4 Hybrid, 5 Iron, 6 Iron, 7 Iron, 8 Iron, 9 Iron, PW, wedges 48, 52 & 56 plus The Putter.

I have spent and will continue to spend a lot of time at the range in order to maintain and further develop the love affair I have with my Driver and when I don't hit the Driver off the tee I do like my 5 Wood. So I am not sold on getting a 3 Wood.  Plus I have never been able to hit a 3 Wood off the deck so it feels like a waste of money.

All ideas/opinions are appreciated.

If it helps my 150 club is an 8 iron and my swing speed with the Driver is 106.

Thank you

[klineka]

Have you thought about getting a 60 degree? As an 8.1 handicap you likely have enough skill to use one with a little practice. 

Could be useful in bunkers or when you're short-sided and have to get the ball in the air and stopping quickly.

[djake]

3 minutes ago, klineka said:

Have you thought about getting a 60 degree? As an 8.1 handicap you likely have enough skill to use one with a little practice. 

Could be useful in bunkers or when you're short-sided and have to get the ball in the air and stopping quickly.

Actually, no I have never thought of getting one.  I learned to hit a 56 out of the sand when I was young and that has always been my go to.  

This is intriguing 

Ok, can you really have to many wedges? 

[klineka]

2 minutes ago, djake said:

Ok, can you really have to many wedges? 

IMO, it's all about finding the set composition that works best for you. If you are comfortable with your current yardage gaps at the top end of your bag between driver and 5 wood, then having 5 wedges including your PW might be the best option.

It's better to have a 60 degree in your bag and only need it occasionally compared to having a 3 wood that you don't hit well and have 0 confidence in or use for.

[David in FL]

Assuming you don’t have any yardage gaps that need to be resolved, I would also consider a 60° wedge at your skill level…

[gbogey]

You have a set up similar to mine with the difference being that my wedges line up 50, 54, 58.  I can't hit a 3W off the deck and I have a 5W that I hit much better (although I give up a little as a driver alternative).  My 14th club compared to you is a 3H and it fits nicely between my 4H and 5W so that would be another option depending on your gaps.

[chicub15]

I also vote for the 60 degree wedge. I can't imagine playing without mine. Considering how many of your shots happen from 125 yards and in I don't feel as though you can have too many wedges. 

[cooke119]

Hmmm, I'm apparently in the minority here but I would recommend a 3W and learn to hit it off the deck, (and tee). I carry both a 5W and a 3W and hit both really well. I don't use a 60* wedge, if need be I just open my 56* a little for those flop shots over a sand trap, etc. I don't drive the ball like I use to given age and back surgeries so I learned to hit my 3W to make up the difference with my second shot. Do you own a 3W? 

Not all woods are the same, I personally like Cobra woods. I find them easier to hit then say TM. Cleveland also makes a fine wood, I have an older Cleveland Classic which I also like almost as much as my Cobra.

I agree a 3W can be a hard club to master but once you have there is that nice click and the ball really travels.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

[klineka]

7 minutes ago, cooke119 said:

Hmmm, I'm apparently in the minority here but I would recommend a 3W and learn to hit it off the deck, (and tee). I carry both a 5W and a 3W and hit both really well. I don't use a 60* wedge, if need be I just open my 56* a little for those flop shots over a sand trap, etc. I don't drive the ball like I use to given age and back surgeries so I learned to hit my 3W to make up the difference with my second shot. Do you own a 3W? 

Not all woods are the same, I personally like Cobra woods. I find them easier to hit then say TM. Cleveland also makes a fine wood, I have an older Cleveland Classic which I also like almost as much as my Cobra.

I agree a 3W can be a hard club to master but once you have there is that nice click and the ball really travels.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

I think it just depends on the distance gapping at the top of the bag. If @djake hits his driver 250 and his 5wood 230, there isn't really a need for a 3wood. But if he hits driver 275 and 5wood 215 then yeah a pretty strong case could be made for a 3wood and just taking the time to get better with it.

[cooke119]

2 minutes ago, klineka said:

I think it just depends on the distance gapping at the top of the bag. If @djake hits his driver 250 and his 5wood 230, there isn't really a need for a 3wood. But if he hits driver 275 and 5wood 215 then yeah a pretty strong case could be made for a 3wood and just taking the time to get better with it.

Good point. Don't know what his gaps are.

[djake]

22 hours ago, David in FL said:

Assuming you don’t have any yardage gaps that need to be resolved, I would also consider a 60° wedge at your skill level…

After purchasing my 48 degree wedge I have filled the gaps from my 5 iron thru my 56 degree wedge.  the 4 hybrid fills between the 5 iron and 5 wood.

I like the idea of the 60 wedge but I am also considering a 2 Hybrid to fit between the 5 Wood and Driver - 

2 hours ago, cooke119 said:

Good point. Don't know what his gaps are.

 

2 hours ago, klineka said:

I think it just depends on the distance gapping at the top of the bag. If @djake hits his driver 250 and his 5wood 230, there isn't really a need for a 3wood. But if he hits driver 275 and 5wood 215 then yeah a pretty strong case could be made for a 3wood and just taking the time to get better with it.

I currently hit my Driver 250 plus.  My 5 Wood is 220 to 230 club with 230 pushing it out.  4 Hybrid is 200 to 210 and 5 iron is 185 to 190

[djake]

2 hours ago, cooke119 said:

Hmmm, I'm apparently in the minority here but I would recommend a 3W and learn to hit it off the deck, (and tee). I carry both a 5W and a 3W and hit both really well. I don't use a 60* wedge, if need be I just open my 56* a little for those flop shots over a sand trap, etc. I don't drive the ball like I use to given age and back surgeries so I learned to hit my 3W to make up the difference with my second shot. Do you own a 3W? 

Not all woods are the same, I personally like Cobra woods. I find them easier to hit then say TM. Cleveland also makes a fine wood, I have an older Cleveland Classic which I also like almost as much as my Cobra.

I agree a 3W can be a hard club to master but once you have there is that nice click and the ball really travels.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

My son stole my 3 Wood it was a Ping G25.  Current 5 Wood is a Wishon 929 and that is a stunning club.  I like the Cobra F7+ Driver in my bag a lot!  

Even when I was using a 3 Wood instead of a Driver (Persimmon days) I still never hit that 3 Wood very well off of the deck, I have always gone to the 5 Wood to hit off the deck.  

[djake]

21 hours ago, gbogey said:

You have a set up similar to mine with the difference being that my wedges line up 50, 54, 58.  I can't hit a 3W off the deck and I have a 5W that I hit much better (although I give up a little as a driver alternative).  My 14th club compared to you is a 3H and it fits nicely between my 4H and 5W so that would be another option depending on your gaps.

I have been considering another hybrid as well as a 60 degree wedge.  I have never hit a 60 degree wedge so I am rummaging around some of my dad's older clubs to see if he has one for me to hit to try and get a feel for it

[pganapathy]

Do you have any gaps at the top of your club range.  A hybrid works there if necessary.  Do you need additional loft.  A 60* wedge works there.

However, I am going to ask a more important question.  Do you actually need a 14th club, or are you just getting it because there is a vacant space in your bag.  If you are able to play all the shots you need with the 13 clubs you have and don't have any distance gaps, why are you looking for another club?????

[gbogey]

4 minutes ago, pganapathy said:

Do you have any gaps at the top of your club range.  A hybrid works there if necessary.  Do you need additional loft.  A 60* wedge works there.

However, I am going to ask a more important question.  Do you actually need a 14th club, or are you just getting it because there is a vacant space in your bag.  If you are able to play all the shots you need with the 13 clubs you have and don't have any distance gaps, why are you looking for another club?????

Actually was thinking the same thing - if there are no gaps between 5W and 56, then the choices would seem to be:

1. 60 degree wedge
2. 3W - either to learn to hit or as a driver alternative
3. Play with 13 clubs
4. Something weird, like carry two putters or two drivers or even two 56 degrees with low and high bounce

Sorry, it was fun to be creative for a second

[klineka]

14 hours ago, gbogey said:

Actually was thinking the same thing - if there are no gaps between 5W and 56, then the choices would seem to be:

1. 60 degree wedge
2. 3W - either to learn to hit or as a driver alternative
3. Play with 13 clubs
4. Something weird, like carry two putters or two drivers or even two 56 degrees with low and high bounce

Sorry, it was fun to be creative for a second

The "Something weird" could also be to carry a left-handed iron. Could come in useful if your only option is to chip out left-handed or something.

[djake]

15 hours ago, pganapathy said:

Do you have any gaps at the top of your club range.  A hybrid works there if necessary.  Do you need additional loft.  A 60* wedge works there.

However, I am going to ask a more important question.  Do you actually need a 14th club, or are you just getting it because there is a vacant space in your bag.  If you are able to play all the shots you need with the 13 clubs you have and don't have any distance gaps, why are you looking for another club?????

You sound like my wife 😁 "Do you really need a 14th club".  

My Ping cart bag actually holds 15 clubs and I will fill it and even double up sometimes when I want to practice and have some more clubs to try.  My Dad was a club hound, he never threw out a club.  Or I will grab a couple older clubs to hit a couple shots for fun.  

I filled a gap in my bag with the 48 degree wedge.  My 52 is a solid 110 yards and my PW is a sold 135.  that 120-125 was killing me.  I have lost the art of the "chock down" full swing PW and over swinging on the 52 caused uncontrollable back spin when hitting greens.  

Back to your question, which is a great question "Do I actually need a 14th club?"  Only to help save strokes or lower my score.  If I feel a 14th club will help do that then yes.  The 13th club I just purchased will help me to lower my score as it filled a glaring gap.  I would note on my score card every time I needed that 120 yard club in a round.  It surprised me how often I had that shot.

I am strongly leaning towards a 60 degree wedge for this club.  I am envisioning more ways to use it then a 2 hybrid now.

@klineka  I enjoy the creative part, it is fun.  I will carry two Drivers from time to time. My dad built a short shaft 10 degree driver, one of those square headed ones about the length of a 3 Wood.  I will carry that when I know I am playing a course with more dog legs.  Sometimes I like to carry it just to see the difference between my current Driver and hitting it.  It is really loud.

as far as bounce - Mizzuno makes their 60 degree wedge with a 6 bounce or a 10 bounce.  I know very little about bounce to be honest.  Which bounce would you suggest?

[klineka]

17 minutes ago, djake said:

as far as bounce - Mizzuno makes their 60 degree wedge with a 6 bounce or a 10 bounce.  I know very little about bounce to be honest.  Which bounce would you suggest?

I'd choose the 10, but it should be based on what course conditions you typically play (soft, firm, etc) and if you are steeper or more shallow. 

Here is a thread that talks about bounce for wedges. The bounce advice in there for a 58 would also apply to a 60.