Driver v Hybrid v Wedge

Tiger

Tiger

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The bag is slowly growing and I now have just 2 spaces left. It's my birthday coming up and now I'm a golf nut I'm expecting to have a little bit of cash to spend. I'm planning on probably putting that towards my 13th club but not sure what to go for.

I am starting to get to grips with my 3 wood. I still hit a fade with it as I work on my technique but it goes more than far enough for me especially with dry bouncy fairways.

The longest par 3 at ours is 216 yards and it does give me problems when conditions dictate I need to use my 3 iron as there is trouble all round it. For that and long second shots, our 5th is 585 yards which is a long way if you duff your tee shot, I'm thinking of sticking a hybrid in the bag.

But we also have a lot of raised greens at our place and I seem to always find myself short sided with a bunker in the way. For that and short pitches I'm contemplating a lob wedge.

I'm going to wait and see how my game progresses over the next 4-6 weeks and have a chat with my pro. But out of curiosity if you were me and based on the info above what would you buy?
 
I think a 60 degree wedge is a great thing to have in the bag, especially as you say when you're short sided. If you're confident with the 56, you can always open up the face for more loft, but I never get decent control when I do that.

A hybrid is a great club as well, I use mine for chip shots as well as long stuff. I'm about to drop my 52 degree wedge and replace it with a 17 degree as I'm not good enough with my 3 wood off the fairway and leave myself short on some par 5's
 
None of the above. You have a fairly well balanced set as it is.
Driver, no point running before you can walk.
Hybrid, which one, theres a lot of combinations, and in my mind is like admitting you cant hit the longer irons (I actually love mine)
Wedges, you already have a 48, 52 and 56. No need for anything else. They are well gapped and anything with a higher loft , see driver comments only they are more akin to running a marathon with hurdles compared to walking!
High handicappers and new golfers need to learn as soon as possible that if they "need" a 60 degree wedge, they need to wise up and use the 56 and bail out safely. Expectations that it is going to turn them into a precision golfer overnight are badly mistaken. I am not a bad recovery golfer and have a 58 degree wedge, I wouldnt use it even half of the times a higher handicapper would warrant pulling it out of the bag.

Lessons, lessons and more lessons (or a nice new bag, I am partial to nice looking golf bags :D)
 
Another vote for the hybrid.

As Brendy says, you'll save more shots erring on bailing out safe when you're short-sided rather than trying to knock it close with a lob wedge.

Alternatively, use your course management to avoid as much as you can being short-sided in the first place. :)
 
Brendy puts up a good argument against the Driver and Wedge and would have to say it's the Hybrid for me.

You will probably find most 3H with a graphite shaft will be longer than your 3i and would fill a gap between 3W and 3i.

If its a 3i replacement you want start looking at a 4H in graphite or a 3H in steel. As Brendy says there are lots of combinations out there. Take your tme and try a few and find what suits
 
Tiger, in my opinion your going to get more course time from a hybrid from what you described than anything else. Spend the money on a decent hybrid, but if you feel a lob is needed for greenside stuff, Sports Direct do a dunlop one for about a £10'er, good little club but it does scuff quite easy,

I used one of these for 6 months last year and it got me out of the crap loads, its worth grabbing one if nothing more than to dial your technique ready for a vokey or other specific loft wedge of better quality.
 
Hi Tiger,long time since my last post here! Why dont you drop the 3 iron,replace with a hybrid,add a lob as well,and still room for a driver later? My 3 hybrid and 60 lob are my 2 most reliable clubs at the moment,couldnt live without em! Glad you are progressing!
 
Hey Brendy, good shout on a nice new bag, problem is I bought a Powakaddy Deluxe cart bag last month. Perhaps I'll just put the cash back in my pocket and call it an early present.

Already committed to buying another block of lessons, that was number one priority. Thinking of paying for a playing lesson in April next year, by which time I'm hoping I'll be a lot more consistent in my ball striking so I can get the most out of it.

To be honest I was erring towards a hybrid of the 3 anyway, still don't feel ready for a driver yet. But I think you have all successfully talked me out of getting a new club and I'll stick to mastering what I've already got. I do really want to improve my long iron striking so not having a 'comfort club' in the bag will give me a greater incentive to do so.

So the bag (I've already bought) and lessons it is...
 
Hi Tiger,long time since my last post here! Why dont you drop the 3 iron,replace with a hybrid,add a lob as well,and still room for a driver later? My 3 hybrid and 60 lob are my 2 most reliable clubs at the moment,couldnt live without em! Glad you are progressing!
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Hey Deke, How's things going with you? Any nearer 18 yet? It's been tough going for me, but I think I'm starting to get to grips with my game and hope that will lead to some better results on the course. I agree with StuartD that I'd probably hit 3H longer than my 3I and would rather not bail out on my 3I just yet. I think the hybrid has won the day but I'll probably wait a little bit till I invest in one.
 
a vote for a hybrid here. they are just so useful in so many situations. my favourite hybrid is my fybrid 19.5º. It sits somewhere between my 3 wood and 3 iron in terms of distance, the ball flies straight of the face and it's an easy to hit club. Great for long approach shots on par 4s and 5s and very very handy on long par 3s.

whatever you buy, why not get last yeaers, or the years before, models and then you could get both hybrid and wedge!
 
I'm sort of with Brendy, especially about the Driver and Lob wedge - IMO lob wedges are for players who will NEVER thin one off hard ground in front of the bunker. If that's you, then grab one. But to me lob wedges are scary things.

The only real gap I see is between your 3w and your 3I.

So there might well be space for a 5w or a 2h, but that's the only thing I'd contemplate.
 
I think the type of course sometimes dictates some club selections.

I’m a member at a Links and a Parkland course and change a couple of clubs over depending on conditions.

For instance, when I play the Links I use a 2 Iron or 17 deg hybrid and a 3 iron. For parkland I take out both and replace with 20 deg hybrid and 60 deg wedge.

I find you can be far more creative with the short game on links, putting off the green bump and runs etc. But with parklands lusher fringes and rough the 60 is great. Plus less wind usually on the parkland ( not hitting into a gail and you drive only going 200 yards) so less need for a club that carries 220-245.
 
I am not so sure that a 60 deg lob is really so hard to use for beginners.My nike sv 60 deg was one of the first clubs i bought over a year ago and i can can use if for full shots(rarely),pitches,chips,and even the odd flop.It tends to be my go to club for greenside bunkers also.Have made some good swing changes recently( especially my grip!) and will finally be joining a club this month(i know i have said this before!)thanks for asking Tiger,glad to see you finally got a wood!
 
glad to see you finally got a wood!
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Great to hear you're finally joining a club can't beat it I'd say and I've not really become a fully fledged member yet as I've not taken part in any of teh gala type events.

As for the 3 Wood it was a long time coming, just got to learn to use the blinking thing now. When it goes it really goes, just a shame that on too many ocassions that's off t the right!
 
Hi mate.

Your not losing too much diustance using a 3 wood, comparred to the Driver. Get to grips with that and you'll be fine in terms of getting it out there safely.

Your 56* is plenty enough loft, I use mine all around the greens - low chip and runs, can skid them into greens from inside 80 yards and can flop it if i really need to - even without opening it up. its a lot of loft, ball forward, keep the club head low for as long as...its fine... you'll lift it up softly no worries.

I'd recommend you go with the hybrid, from scruffy lies or light rough they are superb. i'd not dream of hitting a long iron from a crap lie but those things are great.
 
I'd swap out your wedges for a 54° & 58° or 54° & 60° and then add a driver & hybrid
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I was going to go for 54° & 58° in the first place but my PW is 45° and I thought that was too much of a gap. Not to worry you lives and learns. I think the Hybrid is winning hands down at the moment. Anyone got any recommendations?

I've heard good things about the Cobra Baffler, Wilson Fybrid, Mizuno CLK and the Ping G15. Any others?
 
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