Extra Wedge or Extra Yards?

[Tiger]

Spoke to my pro about my set up and current plan of action is to add a 3 wood then depending how that goes a 5 Wood and them a Lob Wedge. However, when the Driver eventually arrives something has to give and it will probably be the 3 Iron.

Reading this months GM reinforced my desire for a LW but what would you rather have an extra wedge 60 degrees or extra yards 3 iron / hybrid? And you can't cop out and say it depends on conditions. All year round what would you rather have in the bag?

 

[drawboy]

I'm a 3 woods, 10 irons and a putter man, As I have come back to golf after a long layoff that was the set up I played before and continue to use, I cannot bring myself to use/try a hybrid club so it's a 3 iron all the way for me. I'm currently looking to get a Ping eye2 1 iron. I used one to really good effect years ago.

 

[Imurg]

I'd have the extra wedge as I don't struggle for yards. I've got Driver, 3 and 5 woods and a 23 degree/4iron hybrid, then 5-pw irons, 50,54 and 58 degree wedges.I can hit the hybrid up to 200 yards, maybe a little more, and I can always choke down to get less distance.

Posted this before but its worth it again. A Pro mate of mine once said " How many birdies do you make from 100 yards in? And how many from 200?. Have more clubs in the scoring zone to help get a chance of more birdies"

 

[HRC99]

I wouldn't bother with a Lob Wedge at your level unless you are particularly consistent with your ball striking.

They can be a recipe for disaster as they are easy to mess up.

So long as you've got a good range of wedges with at least a 56 degree wedge in there, you should be fine for quite a while.

If you've got extra room, I'd add another hybrid in there.

 

[Tiger]

I'd have the extra wedge as I don't struggle for yards. I've got Driver, 3 and 5 woods and a 23 degree/4iron hybrid, then 5-pw irons, 50,54 and 58 degree wedges.I can hit the hybrid up to 200 yards, maybe a little more, and I can always choke down to get less distance.

Posted this before but its worth it again. A Pro mate of mine once said " How many birdies do you make from 100 yards in? And how many from 200?. Have more clubs in the scoring zone to help get a chance of more birdies"

Not sure about all this birdie chat but I think I'd make a lot more pars and bogeys if I had more clubs in the scoring range. Definitely in your camp imurg.

 

[kid2]

Iv got a similar dilemma...
Im dropping the driver from my bag indefinately as im hitting my 3 wood very consistently and long but im not sure whether to replace the driver with a 19.5* Fybrid or get another wedge....Decisions decisions

 

[CannyFifer]

5 woods a waste of a club for me but the lob wedge is great for flying high over a greenside bunker as long as it's not a tight lie(for me anyway). I also use the lob out of greenside bunkers where I have to get up quick, i'm a high handicapper but if I could use my irons like the wedges I would come down.we all have different games but it's the short work that gets the prizes.

 

[richy]

Im sort of in the same boat as you Tiger. Think I'll go the wedge route, in fact an almost replica of Imurgs set up. Cheers

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I could do with both more yards and an extra wedge. I am tempted to go back to a PW, 52, 56 and 60 combo and drop the 3 wood but I'm not sure whether the LW is a blessing or a hinderence. I'm playing Thursday afternoon so I'm tepmpted to give it a go

 

[Swinger]

I have a Driver, 3wood then 3 iron down at the top end of the bag.
At the bottom I have a PW, 51, 56, 59.

If I had that choice I'd probably still get another wedge as I love having a lot of different bounces and lofts at my disposal. If I put anything in the top end it would be one of my 2 or 1 irons but think the extra club would have more effect being a wegde.

 

[DubbleH]

Why have a 3 or 4 iron in the bag? I ask the question as I can hit a 5 iron 180ish yards.. and then go for the 3 or 7 wood for anything over that from the fairway, so i'd go for the wedge ...

 

[JT77]

I would take the wedge.
I dont need the extra options from 200+ yards.

I currently have 47 pw, a 52/56/60! so I guess I did go for the wedge!!

 

[Canfordhacker]

I'm currently looking to get a Ping eye2 1 iron. I used one to really good effect years ago.

I still have mine in the garage. I have had the 2 iron regripped and used it a few times recently, but the 1 iron is probably a nostalgia piece for me nowadays - won a long drive at Meon valley with it in the late 90's!

I've just taken the (ugly) G15 rescue out and replaced it with a lovely G15 3 wood as with more run I'm ruunning off fairways more often with Driver now the weather has improved.So driver, 3 and 5 wood, plus 54 and 60 degree wedges.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

For me personally, I'm with Imurg. I carry 4 wedges but I don't think it s necessarily the right choice for a high handicapper. 4 wedges is only any use if you can hit them pretty consistently, if you can't you're not doing yourself any favours, especially with a LW.

My view is if you're inside 100 yards and you're thinking about hitting the green then you don't need another wedge. If on the other hand you're thinking about hitting it close then another wedge might be useful. I would say however if you're gonna carry 4 wedges, you wanna be putting in some serious practice hitting consistent distances, if you can't do that there's no point.

 

[crux]

I take an extra wedge, my course is only 6k yards, even on the longest holes your seldom playing a long iron unless the tee shot has been messed up or your going for a par 5.

Driver, 3 wood, 21 degree hybrid (goes almost as far as a 5 wood), 4-pw, 50, 54 and 60 degrees.

Only change I would like to make is to a 58 wedge instead of a 60. My 60 is almost redundant apart from the odd flop shot or one where I need to get it up and down quick like over a bunker. I think a lot of people get hung up on the number 60 instead of taking a more versatile wedge loft that will fit better for what they actually play.

 

[chris661]

I only have three wedges and my course is knocking on 7000 yards but in saying that I use my 52 wedge for almost everything only using the 56 if I am quite close to the face of a steep bunker.

 

[Losttheplot]

Extra wedge for me. I carry a driver, 3 wood and 19 degree hybrid so distance isn't really an issue.
With the extra wedge you become more useful in the scoring zones... In theory anyway.

 

[RGDave]

what would you rather have an extra wedge 60 degrees or extra yards 3 iron / hybrid?

I can't see me ever playing without a 3 iron or 3 hybrid.
So, if I put an extra wedge in, I'll have to ditch something....5 wood looks most likely t.b.h.

 

[Tiger]

Been out at lunchtime with my mates 60 degree and I'm sold, got to have one. Luckily I have no club number issues 'yet' as I just have 11 in the bag at present.

 

[sev112]

INteresting - it was Dave Pelz that encouraged everyone to carry 3 or 4 wedges; but if you read his book, the 4 wedges he encourages are 50, 55/56, 60/61, and 64 !!!
And he still hits his 64 further than my 56 !

I bought a 64 a few weeks back for £3 in a sale ! Havent used it yet but i love my wedges

Actually my 60 is out of teh bag lately since i swapped my irons a couple of months back (only cos i cant locate a 60 deg Hogan wedge anywhere )

Which means i've got Hogan 3 and 4 irons in the bag at the moment and am using them; i've got a 18deg Iron as a driving iron on tight holes, and the driver for wider holes. But i've alos got a 3/24deg hybrid in there. Another used bargain, but it is a fantastic "get out of trouble" club - i can hit it really low for example underneath bushes/trees etc; or i can bump it along the ground with a tiny backswing .

Am i missing the Lob Wedge ? Well i hit my 3 iron once or twice a round, and the 4 iron twice a round. i would hit the lob wedge about 4 to 6 times a round. i could get rid of the 3iron and make do with the 4 iron for the added capability that the 60 gives.

BUT

My 3 iron is nice and new and shiny, and my 60 is old and full of dinks

And that is why it's the 3 iron in the bag at the moment !