Maltby fans: Top of Bag - Help and/or strategy

[DarthFader17]

Hi Maltby Fans...
I have read through some of the top of bag help on this forum, but decided I wanted to start a specific thread because I have a combo question of A) the appropriate strategy and B) how to fit that strategy WITH Maltby stuff...they are pretty much taking over my entire bag...(started with "cheap" wedges and now have taken over my full set of wedges, irons, and about to take over the top of bag, and when I get pissed at my putter, will likely take over that as well! Right now, only driver is safe and that is simply because I can't get enough of the Cobra F8/F9 sound)....

without further adu, could I get the maltby fan's opinion on:
the need to fix my bag from essentially 190 + to my driver which I hit ~240-250 (but trending up, so not unreasonable to assume a potential standard 250-260 driver distance in the coming months)
I hit my 5 iron ~185 and when I am able to hit my 4 iron well it carries ~195-198. The trouble is, I can't hit it very reliably. I'm looking to replace my current 3w, 3 hybrid and 4 iron. If I can get away with two clubs here, it is ideal so I can carry an extra wedge. I'm looking to cover basically 195 - 230/240. At the top end of the bag I don't mind larger gaps, at those distances I'm generally "just trying to get it around the green"...so one that goes 230 and the other that goes 205 is fine with me...essentially, I tend to think of gap-ing more in a % or ratio...so 25 yards at 225 yards is 10% different which is similar to 12 yards at 120 yards distance...might be flawed, but I feel that longer shots allow for larger margins of error (generally). I like a higher ball flight on longer shots to help it land more softly, as I don't really care to "chase it up there" unless I have too...BUT for me, sound and feel trump all, because when I feel like I am going to love the sound, I swing so much better....

My initial thought is a KE4 4 wood at 16* and then doing a KE4 3 hybrid at 19* (or 20) (my 5 iron is at 24*). My other thought is to run a KE4 2hybrid 17* and a KE4 22* 4 hybrid bent to 21* ? I want something I can hit from the tee for long par 3's (190+) and short par 4s (220-230 tee distance) and be able to hit it off the deck for par 5's and long par 4's.
Open to any other suggestions....even potentially willing to dump the 5 iron as I can cover the low end of the 5 iron distance with a 6 iron when I get after it...so maybe covering 4 clubs with 3 will offer better gap-ing...like 190-215-235 or something along those lines...also happy to run 3 for 3...I don't REALLY need the extra wedge (technically I'm already running 4 wedges as I bent the G of the ts2 down to 48 so I have 44P, 48G, 52 G, 56 SW, but I would like something to handle 55-75yds which is a 1/2-3/4 SW at the moment, so would love to add a 60* back into the bag

anyway, any thoughts you can provide would be most helpful! I also tend to hit the ball on what I affectionately call a "middle-high" trajectory. A little higher than some but definitely not a super high hitter.
@Popeye64 @DFinch Roping you guys in as you have proven to be incredibly reliable Maltby champions!

Thanks for the time and effort!

[ChipNRun]

First, try out the KE4 4W... more reliable than a 3W... can you get 225-230 out of it? Some players find negligible distance loss for switching to 4W, due to better launch and better control with a slightly shorter shaft.

If you squeeze out a 3H and a 4i, you will need a magic club to cover that 4W to 5i gap. Possibly a 4H set to 20* linked to a 5i bend a degree strong might do it. You would need some launch monitor work to even the gaps within reason. (Within reason: {4W ~ 230 / magic club ~ 215 / 5i+ ~190} isn't perfect, but it's something you could handle)

That magic club will need to be one ideally that you can flight up or down, and hopefully allows you to shave a few yards when needed.

Big question: can you flight down a magic 4H when you need to, being you are a mid-high ball hitter?

If you can find the magic club, the 60* goes back in the bag with even loft gaps in the five wedges. (Note: if you go Pelz-ish, and plot 7:30 and 9:00 and 10:30 swings for all five wedges, this can be quite a bit of work to do.)

[MountainGoat]

I like their irons, but I have never bought any kind of driver or fairway metal head from them that was any good.

 

 

[golfer1954]

If you are a sound and feel guy you could not go wrong with the KE4 tour fairway woods and the KE4 tour TC hybrids. I am gaming the 16 degree fairway and both the 4 and 5 hybrid.

The feel and sound on each of these is incredible. Very soft and that pleasing dull thud when struck solidly. The 5 hybrid is my magic club because it is very easy to work either way and flight up or down as needed.

[mustang]

Darth Fader- I have been a Maltby/component guy for over 20 years. Originally GS- then migrated to Maltby. I have played MMB, MTE, M-05, KE-4 original, KE-4+Tour, KE-4 tours(black heads) and am now playing the TS-2 (5-8) and TS-1(p-PW) The TSW wedges are ready to come on board soon- shafted and ready to replace MD-4 wedges. I played the CT-250 and Ct-250FC drivers for several years. I will be giving the new driver a go sometime-- but my Cobra F-8+ is dang good.

I tried the KE-4 TC 16 degree fwy w/Kuro Kage shaft. Felt good- solid ball flight although a bit higher than my others. It just could not unseat my RBZ II Tour 16 degree club. It is solid and may be the ticket for some.

I have the KE-4 22 degree hybrid in the bag at times. I am trying to see if my 20 degree Adams Red or 19 degree Ping G-400 utility fits the gap better. My son plays it also and my daughter played the 25 degree. MONEY club.

For you... I would be very tempted to get a 17 degree KE-4 TC utility hand picked toward 16 degrees and a 19 picked toward 20. My TS-2 #5 iron is VERY comparable in distance to my KE-4 tour 22 degree Utiilty. A 20 degree to me would be VERY nice..

The utility you could build at 42" or eve 41.5 as I am a huge proponent of shorter fwy woods unless you are a giant. First thing I do with my HS golfers is cut down fwy woods and re-grip. 43" fwy wood is NOT good IMO.

Very interested to hear what you do. Enjoy

 

 

[DarthFader17]

Thank you for the input...I got a 19* 3 hybrid for cheap ($35) and have only hit it 3 times on the course, but I instantly kicked my nike vr 3 hybrid that I've been gaming for 6 yrs. The sound and feel were great, and it was super easy to swing. Flight was good. Seems to have a tendency to leak a little right, (which is nice considering most hybrids are hook machines)...the ONLY downside, is that in a massive rush to hit a couple shots at the range before my tee time (the range just opened two days ago and I was running late) I ended up smacking the hybrid into the 8 iron I had set down (too close) to my ball and wouldn't you know it, I chipped the darn thing on the bottom. Doesn't seem to effect performance, but kind of a bummer...at least I only spent 35$! (I hate being a nimrod)... I will remember these suggestions though as I may end up with a 3 and a 4 hybrid and I'll remember for my wife who is just starting as well!

[DarthFader17]

Thanks Mustang, I've seen some other comments and always appreciated your insights...I LOVE these suggestions...I think you may be right on the money. I already ordered a Cobra 3/4 fwy that I have currently set at 15.5* and as mentioned above, the 19* hybrid. after a relatively short testing period, I am really encouraged. I'm not sure I have it totally dialed in yet, as I haven't hit enough shots to tell if the gap is truly covered in a consistent playable way, and haven't been able to spend any time on the range to lock them in, but I feel like I'm really close. If I was gonna tweak the setup as it is, I would do exactly what you've suggested. The hybrid is the one that is really interesting, will the 19* work? do I keep the fwy at 15.5? Time will tell, but at this point I am 100% confident that I have options that will work (even if not perfect) and I haven't had that for YEARS.

 

As a bonus, I've all of a sudden found a setup that allows me to be much more consistent with the 4-iron, so I may end up keeping that which would put me at 19* 3 hybrid and a 22* 4i. depending how that goes, I may end up with a 4 hybrid in that ball park.

 

In either case, I feel like your spot on for where I'm at and I really appreciate the input...

 

Also, I have the cobra F8 standard and the F8 fwy's and they are probably staying there for the foreseeable future....however, it's nice to know that the fairways from maltby won't dissappoint when I decide to upgrade (again)!

 

what a great game, and so glad I found Maltby.,..