Top of the bag gapping - what do people play

[Aviador Naval]

20 hours ago, ephmen said:

Anyone else have multiple options at top of bag? I prefer a 7 wood if not windy, 3H if mild-mod wind, driving iron if very windy as an example...

 

18 hours ago, Aviador Naval said:

I am similar.  I have a 7w I can hit well.  I normally play the par rated tees (ie, ~6500 yds) but on the occasions when I play further back and may face a long approach or two into par 4s, I add the 7w.  The club I pull depends on the length of par 3s, whether I can pull the 3w as the primary 'less than driver required' tee club, etc.

 

18 hours ago, lordemsworth said:

Do you find one club is more consistent than another?  I tend to sweep the hybrid and fairway.  I feel pretty confident hitting the 3h.  I did by buy a 17 degree, but never got a chance to take it to the course before the season ended.

 

Could try the 7 wood route...just working on being more consistent from the longer distance,

Generally speaking I hit the hybrid more consistently - but, the hybrid is in the starting line-up because I find it more versatile.  I can hit the 7w well from good lies in the fairway to include a little slope in any direction.  However, I’m not as consistent with it from poor lies, rough, moderate slope, etc.  I cut the shaft on my 7w down 1/2” which helped with my consistency.  Same for the 5w actually.  Playing the 18 deg at 41.5” and the 7w at 41” - driver 44.5”, 3w - 42.5”, hybrids 1/4” longer than equivalent iron length with heavy graphite.

 

The 19 deg hybrid is not meant to be used as a typical approach club.  It is for wind, green side when ‘putting’ through squirrelly fringe, trouble, stingers off tee, etc.

[altess27]

My top of bag: 

Driver

5 wood

3 iron

 

I dumped my 3 wood years ago because I thought it was pointless to have a club I couldn't hit off the deck if needed. The 3 iron is much more versatile for me.

Edited February 11, 2021 by altess27

[polarbear87]

Driver

3 wood

18* hybrid

21* driving iron

 

[rkillian]

11 hours ago, TTRacer said:

 

Yep, the tricky part is getting a gap on both sides.  Since I have a 19 and a strong 5 iron maybe I just don't need a 14th club.

It’s worth trying just 13 first.

11 hours ago, NRJyzr said:

 

Makes me wonder if specs tolerance put them closer together.  Like, 20* and 21*.

 

Possible, but pure speculation.  <shrug>

 

I did have that thought. But it could also have been that I never hit the 19* as well or as consistently. But I like blaming the equipment instead haha

[NRJyzr]

1 minute ago, rkillian said:

But I like blaming the equipment instead

 

It is *always* the club's fault 🙂

 

[RoyalMustang]

I am in flux, but currently:

 

Driver (290-310)

4-wood (260-280)

3-hybrid (245-260)

4-iron (215-220)

 

I can choke down on that 3 hybrid if needed, but I ordered a shorter 4 hybrid from a seller here to hopefully make that 225 distance easier and perhaps drop the 4 iron.  the 4 only gives me 10 yards on my 5 iron and it does leave a pretty big gap: a 4 hybrid may be easier to choke down on and cover more range, as I can't get the 4-iron up to 225 and the 3-hybrid always seems to travel further than that. 4-wood is mostly a tee club for me but doesn't really make sense given that I hit the 3-hybrid close to that distance. 

[sheezymaneezy]

Driver

3 wood

2 driving iron

4 driving iron

[sonnygolf]

The more wedges you have the worse your wedge game will be. You will not really know how to work clubs - three quarter shots etc 3 wedges max. That's what the pro's do - unless you are Phil at the Masters. 

[dubbelbogey]

1 hour ago, sonnygolf said:

The more wedges you have the worse your wedge game will be. You will not really know how to work clubs - three quarter shots etc 3 wedges max. That's what the pro's do - unless you are Phil at the Masters. 

That's pretty much not true. Many pros have 4 wedges in their bag (if you count the PW as a wedge.) Anyone can go look this up. Just one example of many, Koepka had PW/52/56/60 last weekend. Justin Thomas has a similar setup. 4 wedges is very common.

Edited February 12, 2021 by dubbelbogey

[tanker44]

The decision on the top of the bag must be made with consideration to the bottom of the bag.  Which is weaker?  For me, I am confident in my wedge game and am covered 125 to 40.  

 

My problem is 200-230.  I am currently a 3 handicap and still play the back tees at my home courses (36 holes) that easily play 7000+.  Throw in some wind, some missed tee balls, a few long par threes and I am looking at 200-230 multiple times in a round.  So, last year I played UDI 2 iron and 4-PW.  This year I am playing 2hy, 3hy and 4-PW which covers 200-230 with more consistency.   

Edited February 12, 2021 by tanker44

[Drewhill44]

My Top end:

Driver 9.5*

3 wood 14.5

5 wood 17.5

4 iron 22*

 

I feel I can dial in my distances 140 and under better with 4 wedges versus 3.  

[tannyhoban]

Driver 9.5

3W - set 13.5 draw actual 14.5

5 wood - says 18 closer to 18.5-19

 

Whats next depends.

Right now leaning towards 4I at 21.

 

Could be a hybrid if I go another way.

 

 

[TLUBulldogGolf]

Driver

3 Wood

19* Hybrid (adjusted to 18*)

3 Iron

 

I have a driving iron but the hybrid just seems more reliable for me. 

[North Butte]

Driver, 11 degrees, 200-220 yards depending on roll

Fairway wood, 18 degrees, 190 yards

Hybrid, 22 degrees, 180 yards

Irons starting at 24 degrees, 170 yards

 

Being a short hitter makes "gapping" so easy!

[lordemsworth]

18 minutes ago, North Butte said:

Driver, 11 degrees, 200-220 yards depending on roll

Fairway wood, 18 degrees, 190 yards

Hybrid, 22 degrees, 180 yards

Irons starting at 24 degrees, 170 yards

 

Being a short hitter makes "gapping" so easy!

Question for you - at what distance do you lose confidence in being able to consistently hit a green?  180?  170? 190?

 

For me - 200 - which is a 3h club

 

 

[North Butte]

5 minutes ago, lordemsworth said:

Question for you - at what distance do you lose confidence in being able to consistently hit a green?  180?  170? 190?

 

For me - 200 - which is a 3h club

 

 

Can we ignore awful swings? I mean, I'm a 19hcp so I can miss a green from 80 yards with a sand wedge! I'm not literally consistent from any distance.

 

But realistically,  if I had to pick a number I'd say 160 yards. Any shot longer than about that which ends up on the green is a near miracle. By the time I get 170-200 I am pretty much planning for missing the green in a good place to play a simple chip or pitch shot. And over 200 is literally impossible without help from wind or slope.

 

 

[lordemsworth]

Yeah - doesn’t matter the handicap - there is always an ugly swing. I’m a 6 and still prone to the fade that turns into the slice that goes two fairways to the right!

🙂

 

[North Butte]

37 minutes ago, lordemsworth said:

Yeah - doesn’t matter the handicap - there is always an ugly swing. I’m a 6 and still prone to the fade that turns into the slice that goes two fairways to the right!

🙂

 

My favorite is the Par 3 tee shot where I've got a 7-iron teed up...and I hit it fat. How can I hit it fat when the ball isn't even sitting on the ground? 

[GLF4EVR]

5 minutes ago, North Butte said:

My favorite is the Par 3 tee shot where I've got a 7-iron teed up...and I hit it fat. How can I hit it fat when the ball isn't even sitting on the ground? 

I have this one when the thinking is "just take an easy relaxed swing".  Then the entire body relaxes too much and it's a big dipper swing.

[North Butte]

2 minutes ago, GLF4EVR said:

I have this one when the thinking is "just take an easy relaxed swing".  Then the entire body relaxes too much and it's a big dipper swing.

Exactement!

[CDLgolf]

I use Driver, 4 wood 3, 4, and 5 hybrid. This setup works for me and cant think of any other clubs to add to the top end

[kiwii]

Recently i've been playing pretty light on the top end. 

Driver, Sometimes 3 wood, 21* hybrid and then 5 iron. There are some cases where I throw in a 4 iron. Playing courses >7200 yard courses this seems to be sufficient. Not saying it is ideal but it allows for less hesitation and a lighter/ simplier bag set up. 

[Pomps]

Interesting question that I've evaluated a lot in recent years. I started thinking about tee clubs as I need different tools for different flights. After hitting it right to left (draw with a hook miss) with the driver, through equipment adjustments and swing changes I've begun to hit a fade with the driver...to the point that I can't turn it over reliably so I never try....it's a fade club. Needing a turn it over club but still something relatively not that far behind driver, strong 3w made its way into the bag. This then led to 17* hybrid and  21* hybrid, and both with old school motore speeder vc tour spec, a pretty straight ball flight. I have some toe lead tape on the 17 to help fade. The 21* is more neutral which means I can turn it over. Lastly, when I really only need something 215ish and straight, 22.5* 4 iron.

 

TSi3 9* at 8.25*: 285 Carry (lofted down, flat setting, toe weight fade)

917F3 13.5*: 265 Carry (neutral face angle, lie and weight setting)

816 H1 17*: 245 Carry 

818 H1 21*: 225 Carry

z785 4 Iron (22.5*): 210 Carry

[lazyjc4]

I've found that for my game, and the courses/events I play in, more options at the bottom of the bag is more important than at the top.  I go driver, 4-wood, 4 driving iron.  If I ever have 230+ for an approach, I've either duffed a drive, or am playing the wrong tees.  If I have more than 230 into a par 5, I'm either laying up, or getting as close to the green as possible, feeling good about my ability to get up and down with either of my PM wedges.

Finding two alternate teeing clubs has been a challenge for me, but I like both the 4-wood and the driving iron as layup clubs on shorter par 4's.   Also helps that the 410 Plus keeps me in bounds most of the time, too!

[BballMike14]

I know this probably says more about my lack of ability to hit a draw or fade on demand...but I stacked the top of my bag to give me more options based on club setup and hole layout.

 

-Driver for holes where longest is best

-TS3 3 wood that is neutral to fade (I can't draw this so I play when I'm dead it I miss left)

-LTD 4/5 wood that is neutral to draw (I can't fade this so I play when I'm dead if I miss right)

-Sub70 2 driving iron (bent strong) for tight both sides - this hits rockets that hit the ground hot).

 

I'm not so worried about distance gaps here as I like knowing I can just take my swings without trying to do something I'm not really capable of.

 

I jump from the 2i to 5i, but I found I was only really using my 4i off the tee as a driving iron anyway, not often I need it on second shots (or par 3s) where I play. This allows me to keep my 4 wedges 🙂

[Roejye]

I play a driver at 9.5° into a 15° 3 wood then a 17° super hybrid into a 23° 4 hybrid. The next club is a little murky for me. I recently purchased a 26° 5 hybrid but I could leave it out and just go into my 6-AW set of Cleveland 588 mts. I also have a more traditional 4 iron. There's a lot of flexibility in the top end of the bag, with some overlap. A big reason for that was I was pretty inconsistent with the 6 iron, but I've been practicing with it and my ballstriking is better. 

 

The bright side of this is I can swap out some clubs at the top end and hopefully that will satisfy my club ho instead of going out to buy another club.

[jbrunk]

Crossfield’s just pitching ZX4 if you drop off (need to recover dynamic loft) at the iron-hybrid transition.  I drop off at 5-6 irons with most of my iron sets.  My upper bag configuration the last few years has been:
17.5-19° 5W or 3Hy 200-205y

22° 4Hy 185y

25-26° 5i 170-175y

After a winter refresh, I’ll start the year with this:

16.5° 4W 210y

20° 3Hy 195y

23° 4U 180y

27° 6i 168y

 

Wedges are set at 51-56-60 regardless.

[ian-500]

On 2/10/2021 at 1:57 PM, Drivingrangehero said:

Driver 7.5*
Hybrid 16*
2 iron 17* (optional/swapped)

3Hybrid 20* (optional/Swapped)

4Hybrid 23* 

5-PW (set irons) PW 46*

GW 51*

SW 55*
LW 60*

putter 

I have been thinking of keeping the 2 iron in the bag with the 3hybrid and going 46* 51* 57* 🤔 my 60* is just for flops really, I tend to chip with the 51* or 55*. I like lower bounce wedges, so my highest bounce in 7*, so I don’t need a dedicated sand and dedicated green side club. 

 

My set up is similar, but I think I'm going to remove my 4h 22* and stretch out my gaps to;

Driver 7.5*

1 Hybrid 15*

3 Hybrid 20*

5 Hybrid 26*

6i - pw 45*

GW 52*

SW 58*

 

I will now experiment with honing in my wedge yardages by adding a couple more wedges in the mix and go PW45/49/53/57/61.

 

[morgan1819]

10* Driver.  300-350 

 

16* Fairway. 260-300

 

20* Hybrid.  230-260

 

Z Forged 4 iron.  210-230

[blam89]

I’m having some trouble deciding how to fill the gap between my driver and 3hyrid
 

my driver carries 260-270

3 hybrid (20*) goes 205-210

4i (22*) goes 190-195

I carry 3 specialty wedges (50/54/58) and like how the bottom of the bag is set up. 
 

I have a TEE 15* 3wood that I don’t hit very consistently off the deck. Off a tee it carries 235-240 and rolls out to 255ish. Off the deck I might carry 230-235 and roll out to 245ish
 

I just picked up a g425 5 wood that I turned down to 16.5* and can carry this club 220-225 off the deck. I find I’m much more confident hitting this club off the deck vs the 3wood, probably due to a different shaft and also a shallower face. 
 

However I now wonder if I should get the g425 3wood to extend my off the deck range, and if I need to hit 220-225 then choke down on it?
 

Or is it better keep the higher launching 4 wood, have a solid 10yard gap from my next longest club (which is my 3hybrid that carries 205-210) and have better green holding capability vs a 3w?

 

How do others approach this conundrum?

 

Edited June 22, 2021 by blam89