The 14th Club

[DHoch]

Over the past two years, I've churned through a lot of gear as I've tried new things to find the right combination for my game. One struggle throughout this experience has been finding the last club to put in the bag. The area of my bag that I have least confidence is everything between my 5 iron and Driver. I've tried everything in those spots in terms of hybrids, more woods, and driving irons, and the only thing I end up liking is a 4 or 5 wood.  In particular, I have found that I hate carrying a 3 wood because I almost never use it, and whenever I try to hit them off the deck it seems to end in disaster in the same place my 5 wood. My 4 iron is 22 degrees, and it basically serves as my 'canary' club which demonstrates whether or not I am putting a good swing on the ball.  

 

Has anyone else experienced something like this? How did you solve it? If it helps in answer the question my gapping is 5i (25), 4i (22), 5w (18), Driver (10.5). I have room for that 14th club, and it seems the only logical place is at 15 degrees with a 3 wood.  

[Brausch24]

I felt the same way for a long time. I got a new set of clubs and pulled a 5w and replaced with a driving iron (2i) (use much more than a 5w). I'm a long player and my 3w is used very little, but, still worth having for select t shots or the occasional lay up.. I agree with the 3w + 5w off the deck, it took me a WHILE before i got to the point of hitting decent shots with my 3w off the deck.

[ShortGolfer]

How about a high lofted wood like a 7 wood?

[DHoch]

4 minutes ago, ShortGolfer said:

How about a high lofted wood like a 7 wood?

 

I thought of that but it feels redundant with the 4i. 

[ShortGolfer]

The longer shaft of a 7 wood should provide more distance from good lies while being easier to hit of the deck than a 3W or 5W.

[alkal11]

I go 3 wood, 2 hybrid, 20 degree driving iron. Since I switched to that set up I feel way more confident that I can hit different types of shots at the top end of the bag. 

[Abh159]

Do you find yourself frequently in need of an extra club? If not, why bother trying to force something in there you won't have any confidence in? Do you carry an umbrella with you everyday even though you know you won't use it?

 

I carried 13 clubs for a while because I simply didn't have a need for anything between my 3 iron and 3 wood. I have since joined a club where I do need to fill that gap and that is where my 14th club (19* hybrid) has come into play.

 

 

[GeauxGolfLSU]

I go driver (10.5°), 4 wood (16.5°), 7 wood (21°), 5 hybrid (24°) then 5 iron (26°). I don't worry too much about the lofts, because the shaft lengths of the fairway woods and hybrids make them go further than similarly lofted irons. It's taken a while, but I finally have gapping I'm comfortable with at the top of my bag.

[Billfitz]

I had issues with my 3 and 5 woods off the deck. I replaced them with 16 and 19 degree hybrids. End of problems.

[DHoch]

Thanks everyone for the feedback. A 7 wood is the only thing that I haven't tried. Would this look like reasonable a setup?

 

 

To clarify: success is each of these clubs going a different distance. 

Edited September 17, 2021 by DHoch
Clarifying question

[rkillian]

22 minutes ago, EatDrinkRunLSU said:

I go driver (10.5°), 4 wood (16.5°), 7 wood (21°), 5 hybrid (24°) then 5 iron (26°). I don't worry too much about the lofts, because the shaft lengths of the fairway woods and hybrids make them go further than similarly lofted irons. It's taken a while, but I finally have gapping I'm comfortable with at the top of my bag.

This is very similar to what I do. 10.5* Driver, 16.5* 4W, 20* Hybrid, 23* Hybrid, 26.5* 6i. I Currently have 13 clubs. I don't have gapping issue anywhere and less wedges seems to simply my game a little and help with decision making. 

[A-A-RonCCC]

4 hours ago, EatDrinkRunLSU said:

I go driver (10.5°), 4 wood (16.5°), 7 wood (21°), 5 hybrid (24°) then 5 iron (26°). I don't worry too much about the lofts, because the shaft lengths of the fairway woods and hybrids make them go further than similarly lofted irons. It's taken a while, but I finally have gapping I'm comfortable with at the top of my bag.

This is similar to my setup, except I am finding myself using a mini driver instead of the 4 wood now.  A 3 or 4 wood off the deck has cost me way more strokes than it has gained and a mini driver is so much easier off the tee, which is when I would likely use a 3 or 4 wood.  

 

No reason to carry a club on the course that you have very little confidence in.

[ChasenLogan]

Get what you feel you are most comfortable hitting.  Early on I struggled with woods so i used a 2iron.  I went from Driver (10.5*) to a 2iron (16*).  No sense i had a 3 Wood if i just kept topping/fatting the shot.  

[GeauxGolfLSU]

1 hour ago, A-A-RonCCC said:

This is similar to my setup, except I am finding myself using a mini driver instead of the 4 wood now.  A 3 or 4 wood off the deck has cost me way more strokes than it has gained and a mini driver is so much easier off the tee, which is when I would likely use a 3 or 4 wood.  

 

No reason to carry a club on the course that you have very little confidence in.

 

Ha! I was using the Original One Mini Driver until I put the Callaway Epic Speed 4 wood in my bag. Finally able to hit that one off the turf and it goes nearly as far off the tee as my Mini Driver did. 

[A-A-RonCCC]

1 hour ago, EatDrinkRunLSU said:

 

Ha! I was using the Original One Mini Driver until I put the Callaway Epic Speed 4 wood in my bag. Finally able to hit that one off the turf and it goes nearly as far off the tee as my Mini Driver did. 

 

I'm hoping to get to the same place with the 4 wood.  For now, the mini driver is a much easier 3 wood alternative for the tee box.  Fortunately, that distance off the deck is only needed maybe once every other round, which I would probably waste a stroke with a mishit anyways, haha!

[GeauxGolfLSU]

2 hours ago, A-A-RonCCC said:

 

I'm hoping to get to the same place with the 4 wood.  For now, the mini driver is a much easier 3 wood alternative for the tee box.  Fortunately, that distance off the deck is only needed maybe once every other round, which I would probably waste a stroke with a mishit anyways, haha!

 You’re right about that! It’s rare that I have the distance from the green needed for my 4 wood with a lie that allows me to use it and a green light to go for it. 

[ChipNRun]

11 hours ago, DHoch said:

If it helps in answer the question my gapping is 5i (25), 4i (22), 5w (18), Driver (10.5). I have room for that 14th club, and it seems the only logical place is at 15 degrees with a 3 wood.  

 

Consider going with a 4W + 7W (I'm in my 11th season with this mix). Most golfers find the 4W is more reliable - and sometimes flies just as far - as a 3W. The 7W may butt into the 4i for distance, but where the 4i flies low, the 7W flies high and can blast the ball out of medium rough with gusto, and land softer.

 

Several tour pros use a 7W instead of a driving iron.

 

And... if the 4i is a bit hard to handle, you might consider softstepping the shaft to smooth the feel, or maybe going to a graphite Recoil 95.

[bogeypro]

I just play 13 clubs...  

[jomatty]

4 wood and 7 wood might work well.  I would at least try it.  My 7 wood doesn’t go much further than my 22 hybrid but it’s a very different club.  I can hit it into greens and the high flight enables me to stop it fairly quickly.  I’d at least give it a try.

[EddieEdwards]

I go driver, 5w, 7w, 9w, 5 iron.  7w and 9w are 40" and 39" steel shafted.  I'm confident of the deck with all of them.  Even when while struck a 3w doesn't have the height to be hit into greens.

 

I'd try a 7w with a short heavy shaft.  Make 3w a tee only club, at least until your confident with a 7w then a 5w off the deck.

[DHoch]

12 hours ago, ChipNRun said:

 

Consider going with a 4W + 7W (I'm in my 11th season with this mix). Most golfers find the 4W is more reliable - and sometimes flies just as far - as a 3W. The 7W may butt into the 4i for distance, but where the 4i flies low, the 7W flies high and can blast the ball out of medium rough with gusto, and land softer.

 

Several tour pros use a 7W instead of a driving iron.

 

And... if the 4i is a bit hard to handle, you might consider softstepping the shaft to smooth the feel, or maybe going to a graphite Recoil 95.

This is what I decided to do, and for the reason you stated. The 4i can be the bullet club when I need a lower runner. It arrived Monday from 2nd Swing. After that, I have told my wife to not allow me any club purchases for 18 months. We’re going to lock this configuration for awhile lol.

[LegendJeff]

I like my current setup w new woods. I am very comfortable between 180-220y now. 

driver 10

3w 15 

7w 21 

4H 22 

5i 27

... 

52 

58

[jbrunk]

On 9/17/2021 at 7:49 AM, DHoch said:

Has anyone else experienced something like this? How did you solve it?

Yes. I track stroke gained statistics for each club over the course of the season.
 

Around July this year I was able to recognize a growing weakness at the 5W spot, especially vulnerable to penalty or recovery shot results off the tee.  I had one minimal round of stats in June with a 3Hy, where it was my only long club last 6i. Looking a the tee and turf stats, it was clear I’d gain an advantage with 3Hy over 5W off the tee, but would sacrifice strokes on approach shots.  The season-long comparison bears out the trade off.  Even just the usage numbers shows a strong uptick for 3Hy over 5W.

 

 

Anyway, that’s how I do it.  Not for everyone.

Edited September 20, 2021 by jbrunk

[Primo1868]

I have been in the same boat as you. I’m currently gaming (all yardage from Arccos):

driver (287 ave)

2H 17 turned down one degree (254 ave) 

3i (223 ave)

4i (214 ave) 

 

I have a tendency to hit 3 woods left and left in a hurry. Spent a small amount of time testing out 4 woods, 5 woods, etc.

 

I landed here because I hit hybrids more consistently off turf and tee than fairway woods, and, can hit the 3 iron well off the turf and tee.