My LPGA inspired bag

abenjami · August 15, 2021

Yup, I have gone this route as well. Started about 3 years ago when I got a launch monitor at home, really started looking at my numbers, and realized I'm right on the LPGA averages up and down the board.

I carry a regular 15 degree 3-wood and then it's 18 degree hybrid and 22 degree hybrid. No more 4 iron, 5 is the lowest in my bag.

The 22 degree hybrid instantly became my favorite club. It's so easy to hit and even useful out of fairway bunkers. I also went lighter in my iron shafts, currently gaming TT XP95 stiff. Backed my wedges down from 50/56/60 to 50/54/58 as well.

I tried the Steelfiber 95's and didn't like them. But I demo'd the 80's and loved them. Next iron set will probably be those.

I've also recently picked up a 16 degree hybrid and on some courses I will swap out my 3-wood for it and carry 3 hybrids.

Edited August 15, 2021 by abenjami

ShortGolfer · August 16, 2021

I've looked around for a used ladies flex 5 iron but all the ones I've seen are old. Nothing on CPO or ebay of recent vintage. 7I is the lowest in my bag.

A rare 11 wood showed up on CPO so I grabbed it, 25 degrees of loft compared to the 21 degrees of loft on my 7 wood.

After I bought it I discovered that Ping also sells high lofted woods. Ping changed the lofts of the le and le2 versus earlier clubs.

Their 9W now has 30 degrees of loft!

I find it easier to swing smoothly with higher lofted cubs. Probably just a mental issue. With my lowest lofted clubs I find myself swinging too hard.

Edited August 16, 2021 by ShortGolfer

chipa · August 16, 2021

I just tried out my 7 wood yesterday and hit it fantastic at the range and finally had a good drive on one of my nemesis holes, about 230 off an elevated tee. I will be using the 7 wood on 4-5 tight driving holes and one par three when the wind is up.

markheardjr · August 17, 2021

On 8/14/2021 at 3:29 PM, LukeDonaldsTiger said:

And this, Ladies and Gentlemen, is the prime example of male golfer‘s logic. It worked well, but you will not use it.

Eh, its not a club I would want to use, or rely on, in all situations. Its good from the tee, but I didn't like the turf interaction from the fairway. the ball went WAY too high and would be dead in any amount of wind. I'm not looking for a hybrid replacement to my 8i. I plan to take the GOST shaft out of the 6H and try it in my 5I.

Unless I played at the same club every round, and they had all 4 par 3's set up around 150y, it just doesn't make sense to devote a spot in the bag to a 6 hybrid I only hit well off the tee.

BIG STU · August 17, 2021

On 8/10/2021 at 9:34 PM, barony19 said:

Being a bit bored, I started looking around and realized my numbers look a lot closer to an LPGA Tour player thang a PGA, so I took a look at their set makeups and decided to put something together that was similar based on what I already had laying around and what I could get my hands on. (Not so easy right now it turns out).

Played a few times and have to say what a joy it is to hit soft, high shots into tight pins from decent distances. One par 3 today stuck out. 185ish to the flag. Pin tucked tight to the right side on a shallow collar of green behind a bunker. With a 5 iron, I’d either have to bail left to where the green was deeper or shoot at the pin and accept the ball either rolling through the back or coming up short in the trap. Instead, it was an easy swing with the 5 hybrid and a high, soft fade to 10 feet. (Missed the putt though, ha ha).

Anyone else doing similar? I have to admit It was hard to park the ego, but the results don’t lie.

In case anyone’s interested, my set makeup is below. The gaps matter more than the motley collection of brands to me, and with this set there are consistent 10-12 yard gaps from 5 wood down to the wedges.

Sim driver

Epic SZ 3 wood

Rogue SZ 5 wood

Cobra King SZ 7 wood

Sim2 4 rescue

Apex Pro 5 hybrid (new style)

PXG 0211 6 iron (old style, 1 degree weak)

Srixon Z forged 7-PW (1 degree strong)

Vokey SM8 52

Cleveland RTX 4 58

Evnroll armlock putter

I like it--- Seems to me you know your game and equipment--- IMHO the "motley" collection of brands tells me a lot. Yep if you showed up with that collection wanting to play for money yep we would have to do some serious game negoation on the first tee for sure.

BIG STU · August 17, 2021

On 8/12/2021 at 8:27 AM, miamistomp said:

Some even prefer the 9 wood 🙈

I was carrying my 9 wood for a while when I was healing. I got to balooning it when I got to swinging better-- Got to hitting the 4 and 5 irons good again. But the 9 wood will not go anywhere because if I play this winter I may need it again. In other words if my back stiffens up again and I can not swing as fast the the 4 iron will come out and the 9 wood will go back in. The 5 iron will never go anywhere because on our course I hit a lot of bump and runs with it

BIG STU · August 17, 2021

On 8/12/2021 at 1:19 PM, Chef23 said:

I don’t think I am that far off. I have:

D, 3W, 5W, 9W (loft reduced 1.5*), 5-GW, 53*, 58*

I don’t get along with hybrids. I tend to hook them and am not comfortable with them. The 9W (22*) I carry 185* and it sits soft. I couldn’t find a hybrid that gave me that and didn’t miss left. I hit 5i about 172 so it is a bit more gap than I like but it isn’t too big a gap at the high end of my bag.

I am using Steelfibers right now but have also played Nippon 950GH which I think Michelle Wie and Annika both have in their bags.

Now that is another side to 7 & 9 woods--- I see your 9 W is 22* where mine is 24* of course yours is adjustable and mine are not. My 7W is 21*. I have also seen manufactuers especially component clubs or clones the 7 wood can be marked as 24*. Of course me and V-Steels I can go any combo because I also have the 4 & 5 woods. But as I have said before play what works for you

BIG STU · August 17, 2021

On 8/12/2021 at 1:28 PM, Chef23 said:

I have the i95s in stiff flex. They definitely play stiffer and flight lower than the Nippon 950s I have. In a straight fitting the Nippons would be the choice. On the golf course over many rounds I am more accurate although shorter with the i95s (also different clubhead) and I just shoot better scores with the irons with the Steelfibers.

I would be interested to try them in a regular flex. For comparison my swing speed with a 6i is 81-82 mph.

I have played the SteelFiber 95s R flex in a set of TM TP CBs---- I found them for me to be real stiff on the lower end and that was hurting my back plus they had a boardy feel to me. But then I have no idea how the shafts were tipped because I did not build them I traded for them. So in this case my opinion may be clouded by the way they were built. From what you posted you and I have the same swing speed.

MattC555 · August 17, 2021

On 8/13/2021 at 12:00 PM, Argonne69 said:

Golf Magazine may have reprinted the numbers in 2019, but they've been circulating longer than that.

2016: https://www.scottsackett.com/trackman-lpga-tour-averages/

Similar numbers from 2013: https://thesandtrap.com/forums/topic/68887-why-arent-there-any-women-playing-on-the-mens-tour/

2012: http://getyourgolffix.blogspot.com/2012/07/pga-lpga-tour-averages.html?m=1

Yep,

Average this year to date per the data in this link is 257 yards.

https://www.lpga.com/statistics/driving/average-driving-distance

Using this chart, they're probably hitting PW's around 120 yards.

sonnygolf · August 17, 2021

My ego won't let me play that bag. I must atleast have a 4iron.

I respect you OP. You are a better person than I am. I hope to mirror you bag one day. After all, golf is about the least amount of strokes to the hole.

Argonne69 · August 17, 2021

49 minutes ago, MattC555 said:

Yep,

Average this year to date per the data in this link is 257 yards.

https://www.lpga.com/statistics/driving/average-driving-distance

Using this chart, they're probably hitting PW's around 120 yards.

Sigh. How many times are people going to keep posting this out of date chart? Those (LPGA) numbers were out in 2012, and it keeps circulating as the "current" numbers. They're baloney. An average LPGA pro does not carry a 7 iron 141 yds, and doesn't carry a pitching wedge 107.

Edited August 17, 2021 by Argonne69

MattC555 · August 17, 2021

18 minutes ago, Argonne69 said:

Sigh. How many times are people going to keep posting this out of date chart? Those (LPGA) numbers were out in 2012, and it keeps circulating as the "current" numbers. They're baloney. An average LPGA pro does not carry a 7 iron 141 yds, and doesn't carry a pitching wedge 107.

I'm agreeing with you. The chart is useful to figure out how far they are hitting their other clubs. If the average LPGA drive is 257 yards, then you can more or less use the 100mph swing speed column. I'd wager they hit their 7 iron around 155 yards, and their pitching wedge somewhere around 120 yards. Many are probably using jacked loft irons tho, so they might be hitting further still.

Argonne69 · August 17, 2021

22 minutes ago, MattC555 said:

I'm agreeing with you. The chart is useful to figure out how far they are hitting their other clubs. If the average LPGA drive is 257 yards, then you can more or less use the 100mph swing speed column. I'd wager they hit their 7 iron around 155 yards, and their pitching wedge somewhere around 120 yards. Many are probably using jacked loft irons tho, so they might be hitting further still.

Gotcha. 'Just wish the chart was updated to shift the 'LPGA Tour' label one column to the right. I've been to numerous LPGA events, and watched them up close. I was at two this year. The 7 iron is typically 160 to 165 total, with a carry of 155. A PW is 130 to 135 total.

Chef23 · August 18, 2021

On 8/17/2021 at 10:53 AM, BIG STU said:

Now that is another side to 7 & 9 woods--- I see your 9 W is 22* where mine is 24* of course yours is adjustable and mine are not. My 7W is 21*. I have also seen manufactuers especially component clubs or clones the 7 wood can be marked as 24*. Of course me and V-Steels I can go any combo because I also have the 4 & 5 woods. But as I have said before play what works for you

Fairway wood lofts are all over the place. I hit a few 7 woods in the 21* range and with the longer shaft they went a bit too far. 22* with a bit shorter shaft seemed to be the perfect sweetspot for me. Maybe a 21* with a short shaft would work.

Today on a 185 yard par 3 I hit a great 9W that flew high and sat quicker than my 5i would have. It was the perfect club.

Chef23 · August 18, 2021

On 8/17/2021 at 11:00 AM, BIG STU said:

I have played the SteelFiber 95s R flex in a set of TM TP CBs---- I found them for me to be real stiff on the lower end and that was hurting my back plus they had a boardy feel to me. But then I have no idea how the shafts were tipped because I did not build them I traded for them. So in this case my opinion may be clouded by the way they were built. From what you posted you and I have the same swing speed.

I may be in a bit of a weird spot with my swing. I lost a bunch of swing speed in a lengthy illness and frankly I don’t mind the boards feel of the SF. I do hit them lower than I would like but hit them super straight which is a trade off. On my course missing short is much better than missing a great left or right.

I would like to try the SF 95 in regular flex to see if it would bring the trajectory up. I would also like to try to find a shaft that flies a bit higher without a soft tip.

BIG STU · August 18, 2021

2 hours ago, Chef23 said:

I may be in a bit of a weird spot with my swing. I lost a bunch of swing speed in a lengthy illness and frankly I don’t mind the boards feel of the SF. I do hit them lower than I would like but hit them super straight which is a trade off. On my course missing short is much better than missing a great left or right.

I would like to try the SF 95 in regular flex to see if it would bring the trajectory up. I would also like to try to find a shaft that flies a bit higher without a soft tip.

It just depends on how the regular is tipped. I have not frequenced mine out on a machine but on my deflection board they check out stiff at the tip. Which who ever they were built for it may have been correct for them. Those shafts are expensive and I would suggest that if you go that route to have a compentent club maker fit and build them for you unless you can do it for yourself. Like I said I did a trade deal on those clubs and like the heads for a CB head but they are too stiff for me. I had to force the issue so to speak and that causes my old broken back to hurt. Will give you a hint if you want a higher trajectory soft tip the shafts and they will kick at the bottom end for you. The Macgregors in my signature set have steel old school Hogan Apex #2 shafts which are a senior flex shaft that I have soft tipped 1X. The #2 shafts are a "Senior " shaft to begin with. I also "blue printed " those irons for me took 2 sets of Hogan Radials to get the shafts matched up for me

BIG STU · August 18, 2021

2 hours ago, Chef23 said:

Fairway wood lofts are all over the place. I hit a few 7 woods in the 21* range and with the longer shaft they went a bit too far. 22* with a bit shorter shaft seemed to be the perfect sweetspot for me. Maybe a 21* with a short shaft would work.

Today on a 185 yard par 3 I hit a great 9W that flew high and sat quicker than my 5i would have. It was the perfect club.

If I went after my 9 wood that hard I can hit it that far but I would pull hook the crap out of it. I can open the face on the 7 wood and hit a high cut that will stop and I do not have to swing as hard

ShortGolfer · August 18, 2021

When you play may also be a factor. In the early morning the wind is often calm where I live. Which means it makes sense to get the ball up in the air, making it more likely that it won't roll off the green.

This is why you see high lofted fairway woods in LPGA players bags. So they can land on the green from far away and not roll off the green. This does require a better lie as well a being able to use a club with a longer shaft length. But, we already spend time with a driver that has the longest shaft in the bag, so shaft length isn't an issue for most.

Edited August 18, 2021 by ShortGolfer

Soccerrick10 · August 19, 2021

As 67 approaches, I’ve had to come to grips that I can’t hit the ball like my 32 year old son. The past two years, I’ve worked hard to drive my handicap back down to at least a better than average number.

So, last year I revamped my bag to a combo LPGA / Senior bag configuration. That includes graphite shafts for all clubs. I also revamped the top end of the bag to maximize distances while trying to maintain accuracy. My bag is now:

Driver - 10.5*

3 wood - 15*

5 wood - 18*

7 wood - 21*

5 hybrid - 25*

6 hybrid - 28*

7 iron - 32*

8 iron - 36*

9 iron - 40*

Pw - 45*

Gw - 50*

Sw - 54*

Lw - 58*

Ive dropped my handicap by 7.6 strokes in the last 18 months.

I can’t hit it like I did at 50 years old. But I’m scoring like I did at 50.

The one pleasure from this is when weather is warm and the swing is good, I play a “forgiving” blade (PXG 0211 ST) since I’m only playing 7-Gw. It gives me a butter soft feel and the satisfaction of a well struck ball when my game is on.

So far, I’m not getting younger but I’m enjoying the game more.

randyfitz · August 19, 2021

On 8/11/2021 at 10:58 PM, sleepyeg said:

Love the 5 Hybrid option! Mark Crossfield has couple of videos out there about the hybrid vs long iron discussion.

i think he's using that hybrid 6 iron cleveland puts out on top of his regular and power hybrids he keeps in the bag. even has coach using hybrids now too.