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Building my bag for the season


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I'm not sure anyone even wanders in here much, but I am going to lay this out (again) for myself, and hopefully update as pieces fall into place...

I am an 8 handicap with a 110+ mph swing speed... I'm currently gaming old clubs and slowly replacing them as money and opportunity come knocking. I play one course, and usually play it from the 2nd longest tees. (Hunting Creek CC in Louisville, KY - Par 72 6680 Yards 73.1 Rating 136 Slope)

 

On the par 5s, 1 requires either a 300 yard carry (don't have it in my bag yet) or a 250 yard shot to the bottom of a hill, and the other three require well positioned 280+ drives to hit in 2 where a miss doesn't kill my chances at birdie.

 

On the par 4s, 6 don't require me to hit driver but reward me with under 100 yards in on a good drive, 3 require driver to have a mid iron or less in to the green and 1 it makes 0 sense to hit driver on (I've done it, a 60 yard shot off an uphill lie isn't awesome).

 

So my goals for my bag are:

Driver - 280+... Need to find a driver I have more confidence in, and get my launch and spin down. That's a combination problem of swing and club.

Fairway Wood: I haven't figured out what I'm doing here. My plan is to go to a fitting and see how my dispersion changes at various lengths and lofts. 240+ straight will be the goal, but I'll want something I can still attack greens with from the fairway on the par 5s. Thinking it through, the right club could be tee shot, second shot on the three par 5s I can reach if I can get it to the correct line.

Driving Iron / Hybrid: Just got my first test run in on this for $50. 18 degree Adams with a ProForce V2 X-Stiff Hybrid shaft... If I can hit this bad mother and it stays down the way I want it to... it's going to be perfect on some of the shorter par 4s

Rescue / Punch Long Iron: I'm not sure if this is going to be a 4 iron, a hybrid or something else... Just something I can keep low and work the ball with. Mostly used to position myself for shot #3 on par 5s if I can't reach it.

5-PW: I got fit for these and just need the $ to finish the set... Mizuno Hot Metal Pros. I freaking love my PW in it... stupid money.

GW, SW, LW: I've already pulled the trigger on the 50 degree in vokey... Will buy Vokeys in 54 for sand / soft shots and 58 for tight lies and flops... My goal is to make these clubs best friends with my driver and give myself a good shot of birdie anytime I hit the ball past the 100 yard marker. That's obviously going to take some practice.

 

My goal this season is to get more fairways hit with driver, play smarter golf (which also means hitting driver less when it won't reward me) and get deadly from under 100 yards.

 

I want to use an aggressive swing to put myself into a good position to make birdie... I think if I can get that done, I'll significantly improve my scoring.

As of  10/11/2021

9 Callaway Mavrk Sub Zero with Ventus Black 7X

13 Degree Srixon 3 wood Project X Black 6.5

19 Degree Sub70 939 Pro with Proforce V2

4 Utility Sub70 699u 22 degree Proforce V2

5-GW Srixon Zx5 with Project X 6.5

Sub70 286 54

Sub70 JB Low Bounce 58

SeeMore milled Tri-Mallet fit and built at SeeMore 

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  • 3 months later...
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I've struggled with finding a correct fairway fit, but my best luck was had lately. I play the club significantly shorter 41.5", and try to build it like a -2i, yes negative, but in the sense of static weight and S.W. progression for that concept. I'm now a firm believer in the MOI-matching SW progression where the SW get slightly lighter as the club gets longer. As it stands right now, my wedges are D3 and my 3i is C7.5. I find the total weight progression as length changes and end up with a target SW and total weight for 41.5"(-2i). I'm just guessing here, but my calculation gave me a SW of C5.5, and a total weight about 35g lighter than my 3i. I had to use a heavier shaft, a minimal headweight, and about 15g of counterweight in the butt end to achieve this setup. It feels and performs like a long iron now, and I hit it very well!

 

I think the steel to graphite transition, plus added length make a 3w 43"+, makes a 3w feel like a foreign object at times, and my method of bringing it back to the realm of a long iron might help a lot of people who struggle with hitting them. Longer and lighter might work off the tee, but facing a tight lie or thick one, it's much easier to "feel" an iron in hand.

 

Sorry for the long rant, but this is the one club I and many others struggle to get right in the bag, and I think I found a good formula for getting a reliable one.

TM 2016 M2 12*(-2 setting) - OG Grafalloy Blue X, 43.5"

TEE XCG7 16.5* 4w, OG Grafalloy Blue S, 41.75"

Wilson D9 18* 4i, KBS Max-R, 39.5”

Cobra King OS 4-G, TT XP95 R300, -.5
Mack Daddy CB 56.14(2* weak)  60.12(3*  weak)

Edel Brick

 

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> @"A.Princey" said:

> I've struggled with finding a correct fairway fit, but my best luck was had lately. I play the club significantly shorter 41.5", and try to build it like a -2i, yes negative, but in the sense of static weight and S.W. progression for that concept. I'm now a firm believer in the MOI-matching SW progression where the SW get slightly lighter as the club gets longer. As it stands right now, my wedges are D3 and my 3i is C7.5. I find the total weight progression as length changes and end up with a target SW and total weight for 41.5"(-2i). I'm just guessing here, but my calculation gave me a SW of C5.5, and a total weight about 35g lighter than my 3i. I had to use a heavier shaft, a minimal headweight, and about 15g of counterweight in the butt end to achieve this setup. It feels and performs like a long iron now, and I hit it very well!

>

> I think the steel to graphite transition, plus added length make a 3w 43"+, makes a 3w feel like a foreign object at times, and my method of bringing it back to the realm of a long iron might help a lot of people who struggle with hitting them. Longer and lighter might work off the tee, but facing a tight lie or thick one, it's much easier to "feel" an iron in hand.

>

> Sorry for the long rant, but this is the one club I and many others struggle to get right in the bag, and I think I found a good formula for getting a reliable one.

 

It’s funny how many different choices there are when it comes to club builds... I’m still broke and gaming old clubs...

 

I’ve actually always been decent with woods in my hands, but I like the 3 wood as an iron concept... there was a good thread about low lofted hybrids, which seems a similar concept.

 

Once I have the money, I might go with a gapr as my secondary tee club.

 

 

As of  10/11/2021

9 Callaway Mavrk Sub Zero with Ventus Black 7X

13 Degree Srixon 3 wood Project X Black 6.5

19 Degree Sub70 939 Pro with Proforce V2

4 Utility Sub70 699u 22 degree Proforce V2

5-GW Srixon Zx5 with Project X 6.5

Sub70 286 54

Sub70 JB Low Bounce 58

SeeMore milled Tri-Mallet fit and built at SeeMore 

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I would work on hitting the ball square first, then once you are hitting it solid consistently, then worry about spending the money on better equipment that fits your more consistent swing. The majority of us in this forum can hit their driving iron/fairway wood 300+ off the tee so we might not be the ones to ask. It's always easier to score from the fairways so just hit a club that will consistently get you in the short stuff. It might be a 5 iron that day. Balls in the hazards/tall stuff = double bogey +.

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> @CROCN said:

> I would work on hitting the ball square first, then once you are hitting it solid consistently, then worry about spending the money on better equipment that fits your more consistent swing. The majority of us in this forum can hit their driving iron/fairway wood 300+ off the tee so we might not be the ones to ask. It's always easier to score from the fairways so just hit a club that will consistently get you in the short stuff. It might be a 5 iron that day. Balls in the hazards/tall stuff = double bogey +.

 

I’ve honestly been bombing my driver straight and far recently... some misses, but they typically stay in play unless I’m being dumb.

 

I think I’d benefit from building out a full bag from top to bottom. No idea how much it would help, but should probably at least match lengths with my irons and wedges!

As of  10/11/2021

9 Callaway Mavrk Sub Zero with Ventus Black 7X

13 Degree Srixon 3 wood Project X Black 6.5

19 Degree Sub70 939 Pro with Proforce V2

4 Utility Sub70 699u 22 degree Proforce V2

5-GW Srixon Zx5 with Project X 6.5

Sub70 286 54

Sub70 JB Low Bounce 58

SeeMore milled Tri-Mallet fit and built at SeeMore 

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@Myherobobhope

 

Sounds good!

 

So short version might be that you're going to need at least 2 play clubs you love.

 

Driver and mini driver.

 

But to actually score the birdies you're also going to need to have much better misses with your wedges and putter.

 

I don't know what your preference is for feel or forgiveness, I'd imagine you;re going to have to get measured for your most efficient driver and then dial the other club back from there and since your seeking such specific distances you may have a need for 2 stronger lofted 3woods. Maybe even adding length. Of course with the driver I'd always recommend shorter for accuracy ala Wishon but your going to have to find out for yourself what fits those gaps.

 

IDK how to go about optimizing wedge shaft or short-iron shaft fitting but you're probably going to need to look at that pretty seriously too. If the shaft is at all erratic for your swing that could make your task that much tougher.

 

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

> @JAMH03 said:

> @Myherobobhope

>

> Sounds good!

>

> So short version might be that you're going to need at least 2 play clubs you love.

>

> Driver and mini driver.

>

> But to actually score the birdies you're also going to need to have much better misses with your wedges and putter.

>

> I don't know what your preference is for feel or forgiveness, I'd imagine you;re going to have to get measured for your most efficient driver and then dial the other club back from there and since your seeking such specific distances you may have a need for 2 stronger lofted 3woods. Maybe even adding length. Of course with the driver I'd always recommend shorter for accuracy ala Wishon but your going to have to find out for yourself what fits those gaps.

>

> IDK how to go about optimizing wedge shaft or short-iron shaft fitting but you're probably going to need to look at that pretty seriously too. If the shaft is at all erratic for your swing that could make your task that much tougher.

>

>

>

 

Hopefully getting a job offer next week so I can actually pull the trigger on clubs next spring... like the crazy person I am, I’m going to spend the winter researching and try to approach my bag as a 14 point set... I’m getting my old two ball regripped and lengthened but might replace all fourteen clubs next year.

 

Here’s my method of attack as of today:

 

Putter first. I want to significantly improve my putting next season. Whether that requires a change of equipment is unclear at this point. It’s going to be the first thing I address.

 

Since I’m starting from green to tee, next step will be wedges... I’m going to find three and make sure I hit all three common distances in my home course. Probably looking for 85, 100, 115 for 3/4 swings. I need to

figure out bounce and grind options for around the green as well... and decide on an “attack plan” around the green... might have to reread the short game bible.

 

Irons: probably the least important thing in my bag... I’m playing irons old enough to legally drink and they have the wrong shafts in them... I’d like a new set, and will hopefully

Have the funds to get it done.

 

Long game: this is where I’m not sure... I’ll build my

Bag for my home course, so what I want is a driver to hit 300+, a three wood that doesn’t go much Past 280, a driving iron / hybrid that goes 250 and then probably a 220 club.

 

Looking back over this... I think I need to clean up my setup from 80-135 yards. I hit my pw 150 on a full swing, so I need to figure out if I can master a 135 shot to make my wedge gaps work.

 

I think I might get goofy with my irons and try for 15 yards in separation.

 

If anyone knows a good club building resource, I’d love to see it!

As of  10/11/2021

9 Callaway Mavrk Sub Zero with Ventus Black 7X

13 Degree Srixon 3 wood Project X Black 6.5

19 Degree Sub70 939 Pro with Proforce V2

4 Utility Sub70 699u 22 degree Proforce V2

5-GW Srixon Zx5 with Project X 6.5

Sub70 286 54

Sub70 JB Low Bounce 58

SeeMore milled Tri-Mallet fit and built at SeeMore 

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  • 4 months later...

Thanks! I’m down to a 5.5 but didn’t change anything over the season... heading into this year, I am keeping my driver, have an old Adams 13 degree three wood and plenty of Adams shafts... keeping the 18 degree hybrid as it’s a great straight 240 club... rest of the bag is up in the air. Just spent $200 on a cmb iron experiment. We shall see if it pans out. Wedges might end up being callaway as they are doing an event in April. I’d like to sort out what I’m doing between hybrid and six iron, but that’s not a shot I need all that frequently.

Putting is my new priority, with getting the ball closer from under 100 yards #2 on that list... it’s a combination of practice and equipment, with practice being the #1 problem.

shot a 37 at cougar point on the front nine at kiawah with 19 putts, so I know where my major malfunction is! Hoping focus and practice get me down to a lower cap and better rounds.

As of  10/11/2021

9 Callaway Mavrk Sub Zero with Ventus Black 7X

13 Degree Srixon 3 wood Project X Black 6.5

19 Degree Sub70 939 Pro with Proforce V2

4 Utility Sub70 699u 22 degree Proforce V2

5-GW Srixon Zx5 with Project X 6.5

Sub70 286 54

Sub70 JB Low Bounce 58

SeeMore milled Tri-Mallet fit and built at SeeMore 

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