Morikawa Bag Setup … 2/3 Iron More Fad than Substance?

[Teekman]

Anyone find it interesting that one of the few guys not playing a driving iron ended up winning The Open … hell he didn’t have a 2 or 3 iron. Personally play a driving iron but started to question if there’s really advantage besides hitting stingers.

[Cwebb]

Probably had nothing to do with his result in this tourney,....but your question is a good one.  Put a lofted fairway wood or hybrid in place of it and see how you feel.  You'll likely find an easier to hit and more consistent club on approach shots.

 

In addition, try to learn the low fairway wood/hybrid shot.  Not as difficult as some make it out to be, if you have a good fitting club

[sunshiNee]

Teekman were you watching the open?  Wind was absent from the Open.  Scoring conditions were prime, and people were just hitting normal tee and approach shots.  So in this case Collin's normal bag setup was fine.  If wind was a factor would of the results been the same? who knows but I'm sure the winning score would not have been -15.

 

 

[golfandfishing]

I’m not surprised, the course and conditions didn’t really call for low chasing long irons anywhere. Some players put a driving iron in play to stay short of bunkers or where to keep from rolling through the fairway. But Morikawa hits that 3 wood so well he didn’t need anything else off the tee when driver wasn’t the right play. The 2 and 3 irons were absent in favor of other clubs that better fit the conditions. 

[bladehunter]

The course didn’t call for a iron that went low. Plus Colin doesn’t hit it far enough to give up that much Distance playing a driving iron in soft conditions.  Then add on the fact that today’s hybrids can be lower trajectory than a driving iron in the right hands and with the right shaft , and you have to widen the search to

 

“ low trajectory , 17-19 degree clubs for the tee “.    I have a sim 3 hybrid that I hit bullets with all this past weekend , and  just so happened to have a guy in my pairing the first two days playing a hi-fli mizuno 2 iron.  We were side by side more times  than I could count. And he hit his higher than my hybrid by a good bit.  Point being it’s not as simple as “ 2 iron “ anymore.  

Edited July 20, 2021 by bladehunter

[MattyO1984]

Definitely not a fad, extremely useful weapon if the conditions are right. Not sure that this past week played that well for them but I know that when I played around here if it is dry and windy, I want to get the ball on the ground and let it roll.

[mat562]

If you play well you can win with whatever you like in the bag, but in windy conditions I've always relied heavily upon long irons when I've played links courses. A 4- or 5-wood's a great tool for many courses, and increasingly relevant in the modern professional game, but I don't think there'll ever come a time when a long iron - whatever number it's got on the sole - isn't an asset around a blustery, fast-running links.

[Bye]

I think he hit the 5 wood in to one of the par 3’ s on Sunday. Probably glad he had it.

 

It wasn’t windy, and with all the humps and bumps in the fairways, maybe he figured that he would be better off without it. 

[gioguy21]

def not a fad -- i think he had it in the bag in case for some reason the weather went bad or the wind picked up. 

there are quite a few times when i may not hit a given club in my bag for a week or so -- doesn't mean it shouldn't be in there

[johnseg]

The pros change the bag fairly often. As good as the TW 2-iron stinger was it wasn't always in the bag. TW would throw the 5-wood in from time to time. They assess each course and adjust accordingly.

[dlygrisse]

I think it's better to stick with what you have confidence in than mix up your bag just for one tournament.  CM is a great ball striker, and he knows how to flight shots lower or take spin off as needed.  Some guys like Phil tend to switch up their bag every week, some people just stick with what they are comfortable with.  This is really a YMMV topic.  

[phizzy30]

Love my driving iron.  Easier to hit than the traditional 3 iron and launches a bit higher.  Cuts through the wind and stops rather quickly whether I hit a draw or fade.  There is no ballooning like a hybrid either and less prone to the big hook. 

[DFS PFD]

Hey guys, I noticed someone won on tour without 4 wedges in the bag, do you think wedges are fad? I personally think we're going to see more 7 and 9 woods, maybe even 2 irons since they are definitely not a fad. Thanks for your input on my anecdote of the day! 

[Go Cougs]

One interesting note, on the main WRX page it has an article about him switching his 7-9 irons to the cavity back (as opposed to his normal blades).  And leaving his long iron blades in the bag.  A reverse combo set if you will.

 

Said he got better turf interaction with the CB's.

 

On another note, I thought Titleist had trademarked the phrase "turf interaction", so lawsuits may be pending...

[pdxhak]

32 minutes ago, Go Cougs said:

One interesting note, on the main WRX page it has an article about him switching his 7-9 irons to the cavity back (as opposed to his normal blades).  And leaving his long iron blades in the bag.  A reverse combo set if you will.

 

Said he got better turf interaction with the CB's.

 

On another note, I thought Titleist had trademarked the phrase "turf interaction", so lawsuits may be pending...

 

TXG had a good video about the switch and it had more do with the sole of the clubs. The CB iron has a thinner sole due to a pre-worn leading edge and heal relief.

[geesecougar2]

Played with a guy last weekend who was the longest hitter I've seen in a while. Mid 20's SS, probably low 30's when he was younger. He carried one FW (was probably a 5) and a 3 iron (in blades). He hit one of the best shots I've ever seen, a 230 yard 3 iron fade directly into a stiff breeze with the ball a good two inches above his feet, sky high and pin high to get home in two on a long par 5. 

 

I don't think he could carry a 2 iron or hybrid, he'd hit it too far for it to be useful. I have a feeling that's the case with a lot of the really long players. 

[cdnglf]

I'd never take a 5 wood to Scotland, Ireland, or Bandon.

I've played more links golf than Morikawa has, so I'm somewhat of an expert on this.