Driver to 2 iron... Nothing in-between

[mvhoffman]

I've used my 17* 4 wood once so far this whole year and only maybe twice last year. I had a 20* hybrid in the bag that I usually hooked once or twice a month that I took out of my bag. I hit my 4 iron as far as I hit the hybrid and it is one of my favorite clubs. I hit my new Rapture 18* 2/driving iron as far if not farther than my 4 wood and so much more consistent.

Hybrid has been taken out of the bag, why should I keep the 4 wood in there? I normally tee off with a 4 iron which has now been switched to the 2 iron which I hit off of a tee and off of the ground with ease. 4 iron has completely removed and taken place of the hybrid.

Am I stupid for doing this?

 

[setter02]

Just play what ever works for you at the time, it's your game. You can always change things up later. I'm a decent player but a headcase with a driver in my hands, so I hit a ton of 3 woods, DI's or 4i's off the tee. So I play to my strengths and am long enough that it doesn't affect me much at all given the length of the courses around me.

[Mahamilto]

This was my setup for a long time; driver then a G400 crossover that was 3* flat! For the same reasons as you tbh too: hit 2i well, couldn’t find a hybrid that didn’t have a left tendency, and couldn’t find a 3w I was consistent with off the deck.

‘Since then, I’ve found those clubs, and my scores are better than my old setup. My M5 3w is a godsend. I feel the twist face works, with weight in fade it doesn’t go left unless I really try to turn it over big time, and I hit it great off the deck. I also found the apex hybrid, which doesn’t play anything like the hybrids I had before. Stock ball flight is a high baby fade, and only a snap hook swing will make it hook (as it should). The apex hybrid is amazing. In 20 rounds with it and a few range sessions, I can honestly say balls I thought we’re going to overdraw went either straight or had the softest draw, and I haven’t seen a single "oh what is that?!?" Hooky hybrid shot. It’s amazing.

‘So what I’m saying is this; your setup can work and I’ve done it, but if you can find equipment that fits your game in that slot yo will be much happier.

[mvhoffman]

it seems like I have tried every style hybrid out there and just can't seem to find one that "fits." Ive also had numerous woods in the past and have not found one that fits my eye. I love my ST180 Mizuno driver. I may try a 180 fairway wood.

[North Butte]

My set currently goes straight from a 12-degree driver to a 21-degree 3-iron, nothing in between.

Similar to your 17-degree 4-wood I have a 18-degree 5-wood but I'll hit it 2-3 times some rounds. If I hit it 3 times, at least one of them in a disaster shot that leaves me chipping out of trouble. So the heck with it. I'm giving up 15-20 yards and some elevation by hitting 3-iron instead but it goes straight, straight, straight.

Trying to shoot a score is hard enough without a club in my bag that hits shots into the next ZIP code once a round.

[golfandtennisfan]

I don't think you are stupid for thinking about this and/or doing it but I agree with mvhoffman. You are giving up too many opportunities with that much space in your bag. I would try to get that 4w to work or try a 3 high launch to fill that gap better. Based on the clubs you list in the signature, you probably have a 40-60 yard degree gap from driver to 2 iron. The only way that will work and not hurt you is if you can still reach every long par 5 with nothing else AND be comfortable with long shafted partial shots. If the tees you are play aren't super long, it could work, but I would recommend against it. If you have a good short game, that extra long club will help your scoring imho. Good luck.

[extrastiff]

If properly built, I assume most players with decent swing speed could go iron only. But it’s a matter of ball flight.

My driving iron goes 290 but lots of roll. My fairway wood goes 290 but it is only 10-20 yards of roll-out usually.

Can you hit your 4 wood long high and soft confidently enough that you are excited to hit it as a long bomb weapon? Does not sound like it. Go hybrid and iron only with confidence, but be sure that if you have more than a 30 yard gap between driver and 2 iron that you are likely leaving something on the table Unless you have high swing speed. Ball speeds are typically higher off fairways/hybrids.

[Radeon962]

My brother-in-law used to play no driver and only 2 iron and had no issue with 2-iron off the tee and then 2-iron off the deck into 500 yard par 5’s. I couldn’t hit a 2-iron to save my life with my sweeper swing so I play fairway woods.

Brother-in-law hits down so his preference is irons over woods. So he plays an 8* driver with an old ProForce and 13* 3 wood with a VTLT as his negative AOA creates excessive backspin.

[mvhoffman]

To be honest, I have no confidence in hitting my wood at all. When i step up with it, when it goes straight I completely play it off, but am always surprised. I know that the irons and DI are going to go straight. Even a little miss, I know that it is still better than 90% of the shots that I hit with both the wood and hybrid. I think that they are going to be leaving the bag

 

[evoviiiyou]

Same here with the fairway issues on easy consistency. Driver to 2hybrid (see sig) with nothing in-between and has really helped my scoring with out question. OP-100% play what works and what a benefit to know whats working.

[ChipNRun]

Paging... Charlie Beljan... in 2013 he had a driver and the rest was irons and wedges (and a putter). https://forums.golfwrx.com/discussion/820121/charlie-beljan-witb

In 2016, Beljan became more conventional and replaced one utility iron with a 19* H. http://www.golfwrx.com/351222/charlie-beljan-witb-2016/

Beljan got onto the 2012 PGA tour via Q-School. A final-event win in the Children's Miracle Network Hospital Classic put him #63 on the season's money list, getting him a two-year exemption. A wrist injury hobbled him, however, and his related medical exemption expired in 2018.

He did win the 2019 Arizona Open. Prior to 2012 he had seven Gateway Tour wins.