Last spot in the bag: specialty wedge or fairway wood

[LeftyMatt24]

I’m trying to fill the last spot in my bag. I hit driver 290 on average and my 2 iron can roll out about 240/250 depending on conditions. Should I get a fairway wood in case I need to carry trouble off the tee I and can’t use my 2 iron or a specialty wedge like the hi toe for sand shots or tough lies by the green. I am much worse from the sand than the tee and because I am long I might only use a fairway wood 1-2 times a round. I typically use my 2 iron to tee off unless it’s pretty open to use my driver. Was wondering what you guys think.

[crapula]

Definitely not a specialty wedge. You already have 4 wedges! Your 54 and 58 should be enough from the sand and tight lies.

Why not a 3 hybrid?

[uglande]

Agree with crapula. I would add a 4 wood or strong hybrid (since you will play it from the fairway and rarely from the tee), and I'm guessing your 2 iron isn't your ideal fairway club. You could go 60 degrees with your lob wedge if you want more loft for green-side trouble.

[JoeFrigo]

I have the exact situation as you. avg 290ish off tee and dont typically ever need a fairway into a par 5.... I went with a 17* super hybrid. Ball speeds are comparable to a fairway with a more penetrating launch. ive gotten mine up to 156.

 

I prefer my 2 iron on shorter holes, but the super hybrid is a better tee option than a fairway for me and will give you that extra carry over the 2 iron

[LeftyMatt24]

Thank you both. That is good input because my 2 iron is definitely not ideal from the fairway. I was thinking a 4 wood or strong hybrid for purposes of reaching longer par 5s.

[Celebros]

Similar situation to the OP. I dropped my old, stronger-lofted, and rarely-used 3-wood and went with a 16.5* fairway wood instead. Getting much more use out of it and my gapping is much better between it and my 3-iron (20*) now.

[tocino]

I like options around the green so i carry a super lob wedge over an additional long club. I used to flop back and forth between carrying that or a 3h/5w but found i was using the wedge more often when it was in the bag

[ChipNRun]

Consider a 4W or a 5W. You can hit both out of light rough, and can get it to settle down if you hit a cut shot.

As others have said, your 54° and 58° wedges should do the job for you, unless you have really strange turf conditions.

BTW, what sole grind do you have on your 58° ? This can help you around the green.

Also, you might get a tune-up lesson just on wedges. I take one about every five years, and always learn something new.

[Z1ggy16]

What's after the 2i? Assuming you have Dr, 2i 4-LW, P. The natural choice is like a 6w or 20-21* hybrid. Basically a 215-220 yard full shot club, assuming the 4i goes around 200-205. Would not get special wedge unless maybe if you played really firm bunkers with high lips, then maybe like a lower bounce 62* but that's extremely situational.

[Sean2]

I had room and put in a 62º wedge. Great when I am short-sided and/or need to hit a flop shot.

[BlkNGld]

I used to have one of those. I called it my 150 club. Especially when it was a 20 yd shot :-)

[BrendanH]

I would be looking for a max-carry off-the-deck club that I could still hold a green with. That could be a 4W, 3H, whatever works for you and gives you a good land angle and stopping power. Ideally it would have a longer carry than your 2i so it could do double duty off the tee on occasion.

[DaveGoodrich]

I am a much slower swinger than the OP, but also have little need for a fairway wood. I'm carrying a 16* TEE hybrid as my 2nd club. Recently, I have been carrying both a 58-08 M grind, and an old 60-04 vokey (red saw with a low-bounce M grind). I play courses with firm, deep bunkers and lots of tight lies, so the 60-04 is worth carrying. Buts it's pretty unforgiving when the ball is sitting up, or when the sand or ground is soft.

For ME, turning 3 shots into 2 around the green, by having the optimal bounce for the conditions, will save more shots than I could by turning 4 shots into 3 from long-range by having another fairway wood or hybrid in the bag.

I like that red-saw 60-04 so much that I just found a c-c version on eBay so I can keep using it after 2024 (the low bounce SM-4 through SM-7's are L grinds, which play very differently to me - dangerously low leading edge when square, high leading edge when layed open).

 

[REJ]

What's the loft on your PW?

[LeftyMatt24]

46

[REJ]

Sounds like your wedge game is covered. No reason to go above 58* or 60*. You're definitely looking for a lower lofted club. But really, what do I know.

[CJ17]

I'd go with a strong hybrid personally. Something that can get you out of trouble and flies out of thicker stuff since the 2 iron is just a tee club.

[Myherobobhope]

I am a similar distance off the tee and am looking to get a secondary tee club I can hit 260 and straight... but I hate driving irons. my clubs go driver, strong three wood, low loft hybrid (ignore my signature, it’s wrong).

[Old Tom Morris]

20 or 21 degree hybrid or fairway wood. Need something to come down soft on long par three holes.

[HappyGilmore22]

Looking at your setup I'd still buy a 3 wood that you can hit off the tee.

[EddieEdwards]

Both. Change them out depending on the course.