Gah! Too many clubs! What to leave out?

[The_LHC]

'Ullo, somehow I have ended up with 16 clubs in my bag, and now I'm struggling to figure out what to leave out, currently I have:

Driver,
1H hybrid (got this in place of 3-wood as I don't have one)
1-iron (no really), Mizuno T-zoid, found in a market,
2-iron (used to be my go to club if the driver wasn't working),
3-iron from same set as 2-iron, old Titliest something or others,
4-P, Callaway X-20 Tours,
52deg Callaway X Jaws wedge,
56deg Callaway X Forged (sand)wedge,
60 deg Titliest Vokey wedge,
Putter.

Now, the observant amongst you will notice that's 16 clubs, so I need to drop two.

Now:
the driver is working well, that stays,
the 1-iron went in two rounds ago and has been working nicely,
the 1H used to be great but now I really struggle with it, snap hooking mostly BUT it would be more use out of light rough but I hardly ever have the kind of length of shot that requires it,
the 2-iron has always been my lucky charm off the tee, however I haven't been using it much since the driver started working and it seems a little daft to have 1 and 2 irons in the bag,
I HATE the 3-iron, always have, but dropping it would seem to leave a bit of a gap below the 4 iron, however I can't remember the last time I used the 3-iron and the new 4-iron probably goes just as far,
the 4-PW stays,
the 52W is new, only had it for one round, the idea was to use it for full shots from about 80 yards out, down to 100 I use the PW but below that I struggle to hit the PW 80-90 yards because it's not a full shot, so I bought the 52 hoping that would fill the gap, trouble is I can't hit a full shot with it. I can chip and pitch REALLY well with it though, I reckon it saved me at least 4 shots last time out, so I'm reluctant to drop it,
the 56W is the sand wedge, so it wouldn't make sense to drop that really,
the 60W I have a love/hate relationship with, it's very low bounce (4 degrees, the other two are 12+), so off tight lies or hard-baked ground it's about the only choice if I really need to flop one over a bunker for instance and whilst it's rained here (Bristol) a bit this week I'm still expecting the ground to be reasonably firm. What I don't like about it is that whilst it gets plenty of height it doesn't seem to put any backspin on the ball at all, nothing like the other two do (it's the spin-milled face but with the oil can finish, so the rustiness seems to counter-act the spin-milling, daft I think). Truth is, it's a one or two shot-per-round club but I know if I leave it out, I'm bound to have exactly the shot that requires it!
And the putter stays of course.

So I need to drop two, which ones? There's arguments both ways, I noticed Phil Mickelson had FIVE wedges at the Masters and dropped his 6-iron, I don't think I'll be doing that!

Oh and answers like "buy a 3-hybrid or 3-wood" and stuff like that aren't any use as I'm playing tomorrow lunchtime!

Cheers,

 

[Oddsocks]

3 iron has to go, its just an uncool club.

but like you im in the same position, 7/w or new hybrid... that is the question.

 

[Oddsocks]

right ive read it again, 3 iron and one of the wedges. and just rotate the 23 wedges using 2 of the 3 that best sui the course and current conditions.

that would be from your feedback, but id be interested to see the range of you 1i, 2i, 3i and 4i together on a flight scope, i bet distance is the same (ISH) due to age of model etc, just different flights.

 

[TheSliceMaster]

Personally I would get a 2 hybrid and 3 hybrid and drop your 1H, 1,2,3.

This gives you some easy to hit clubs with more versatility and should plug the gaps nicely.

 

[Robobum]

Short term would be to drop the 1 & 3 irons.

The 2 iron will then be your "go to" club if the big fella is misbehaving and it doesn't leave such a gap to the 4 iron.

 

[The_LHC]

Personally I would get a 2 hybrid and 3 hybrid and drop your 1H, 1,2,3.

This gives you some easy to hit clubs with more versatility and should plug the gaps nicely.

Yes but as I said, that's not something I can do before tomorrow lunchtime...

 

[The_LHC]

right ive read it again, 3 iron and one of the wedges. and just rotate the 23 wedges using 2 of the 3 that best sui the course and current conditions.

Yes, that thought had crossed my mind, trouble is I'm playing a course I've never been to tomorrow, so I've no idea what it's like.

that would be from your feedback, but id be interested to see the range of you 1i, 2i, 3i and 4i together on a flight scope, i bet distance is the same (ISH) due to age of model etc, just different flights.

I wouldn't be surprised if the 3 and 4 are the same, I got the X-22 Tours to try to bring a lower ball-flight, I'm a (very) high-ball hitter but the 3 is the older Titliest club and it's definitely the weakest of the three, in terms of how well I hit it at least.

Not sure about the 1 and 2, the 1 definitely runs further, the carry might be similar though.

 

[USER1999]

Too loaded at the top end. The 1H, 1i and 2i essentially do the same job. Perm any one from 3, and away you go.

Your wedges are fine.

To me, you will never get the same bite on a 60 with a partial swing as you would a lower lofted club, as it gives such a passing blow, rather than compressing the ball on the club face.

You should be able to hit your 52 with a full shot. Pretty much the easiest club in the bag to hit.

 

[The_LHC]

Too loaded at the top end. The 1H, 1i and 2i essentially do the same job. Perm any one from 3, and away you go.

Yes but do I got with the 1i or 2i, which I like hitting but won't be much use for, say, a 2nd shot on a par5 from light rough or do I keep the 1h that I've lost all confidence in but would be useful in that situation.

Your wedges are fine.

To me, you will never get the same bite on a 60 with a partial swing as you would a lower lofted club, as it gives such a passing blow, rather than compressing the ball on the club face.

Good point, perhaps I'm expecting too much.

You should be able to hit your 52 with a full shot. Pretty much the easiest club in the bag to hit.

Oh I know! I can hit the PW no problem, I love it, but I can't hit a full shot with either the 52 or the 56 (or the 60 but it's not often I ever feel I need to), I always hit them fat. It feels like I'm reaching for the ball because the shafts are that little bit shorter than the PW, so perhaps subconsciously I'm dipping down to reach the ball and fatting it. It's bleurdy irritating!

 

[Oddsocks]

oh boy are you in a pickle.

option is take the 1h, 1i, 2i and 3I:

3i is the same as your 4i so that has be be junked.

1I is a fairway club only, 1H you have no faith with, 2i you can hit from semi rough, so id just the 1H or 1I

Hang on why am i helping you, i got a handicap assement round tonight at 4.30 and i have 15 in my bag..... oh Sh1te

 

[The_LHC]

oh boy are you in a pickle.

option is take the 1h, 1i, 2i and 3I:

3i is the same as your 4i so that has be be junked.

Yup, I think I'd go along with that.

1I is a fairway club only, 1H you have no faith with, 2i you can hit from semi rough, so id just the 1H or 1I

Ummm, stuff it I'll leave the putter out and putt with the driver! Can't be much worse...

Hang on why am i helping you, i got a handicap assement round tonight at 4.30 and i have 15 in my bag..... oh Sh1te

Good luck!

 

[Oddsocks]

junk the 3i and 1h it makes sense.

 

[USER1999]

If you don't like the 3i or the 1H, then they have to go really, there is no point carrying a club you have no confidence in.

Have you considered getting your wedge shafts made 1/2" longer?

Are your irons standard length?

 

[The_LHC]

If you don't like the 3i or the 1H, then they have to go really, there is no point carrying a club you have no confidence in.

I suspect you're probably right.

Have you considered getting your wedge shafts made 1/2" longer?

Briefly!

Are your irons standard length?

Yes, I think the lie was changed ever so slightly, half a degree I think but I'd have to go look it up to confirm that.

 

[RGDave]

Driver,
1H hybrid (got this in place of 3-wood as I don't have one)
1-iron (no really), Mizuno T-zoid, found in a market,
2-iron (used to be my go to club if the driver wasn't working),
3-iron from same set as 2-iron, old Titliest something or others,
4-P, Callaway X-20 Tours,
52deg Callaway X Jaws wedge,
56deg Callaway X Forged (sand)wedge,
60 deg Titliest Vokey wedge,
Putter.

What a mix!

I actually wouldn't know where to start if that's what I found in my bag.

I have "examples" of all these clubs but don't use them. If it was me, I'd ditch the 1 iron and the 3 iron and hope there are no 3 iron par 3s.

You haven't said if you are a scratch wizard or weekend hacker? That might be relevant.

 

[The_LHC]

Driver,
1H hybrid (got this in place of 3-wood as I don't have one)
1-iron (no really), Mizuno T-zoid, found in a market,
2-iron (used to be my go to club if the driver wasn't working),
3-iron from same set as 2-iron, old Titliest something or others,
4-P, Callaway X-20 Tours,
52deg Callaway X Jaws wedge,
56deg Callaway X Forged (sand)wedge,
60 deg Titliest Vokey wedge,
Putter.

What a mix!

I actually wouldn't know where to start if that's what I found in my bag.

Well I didn't "find" them in there, I put them in there myself!

I have "examples" of all these clubs but don't use them. If it was me, I'd ditch the 1 iron

Like I said though, I've only just put that in (on the course, I've been hitting down the range for a while now) and without that I'm relying on the hybrid, which almost never works or the 2i which drops a little distance in comparison and as they're only in there as an alternative to a 3-wood I'd rather have the extra distance.

and the 3 iron and hope there are no 3 iron par 3s.

Well yes, that's what worries me but I've just checked and, unless the wind's blowing it doesn't look like there's anything in that sort of 190-200 yard range.

You haven't said if you are a scratch wizard or weekend hacker? That might be relevant.

I'd probably say neither, the last handicap I had was 14 but I've been playing since I was about 4 and grew up hitting long irons (my first club was a 4-iron) so I don't have any real trouble hitting them (unless my entire game has completely deserted me obviously). I should be playing off less than that if I was playing with any regularity but it seems like it's 6 months off, 6 months on these days (and the on is usually during the winter, annoyingly!).

I should learn how to hit hybrids I guess, but I just don't seem to get on with them, I don't know whether to hit them like an iron or like a wood and end up doing something in between, which never seems to work properly!

 

[viscount17]

I should learn how to hit hybrids I guess, but I just don't seem to get on with them, I don't know whether to hit them like an iron or like a wood and end up doing something in between, which never seems to work properly!

that seems to be a fairly common theme, great when they work well but inclined to sulk.
fwiw, my pro told me to hit the hybrid the same as a fairway, but it's such a small head in comparison.

 

[The_LHC]

Yeah, only problem with that is I haven't owned a fairway wood for about 6 years, which is how I ended up with a bunch of long irons!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Drop any two from the 1H 1 iron, 2iron and 3 iron and lose the 60 degree wedge. Personally I'd get a 3 wood as the go to club if the driver misbehaves and a 3H and drop all the others until you get to the 4-PW

 

[JT77]

Drop the 1h or 1 iron and the 3 iron. Dont drop the 2i if it is your go to club, that would not make sense. I would say that if you have 1i distance to the green on a long par 4 or in 2 on a five then its prob not worth the risk, hit a club that will leave your preferred yardage for your 3rd shot. If you are thinking the same about the 3i, grip down on the two.