Getting the correct club setup

[ainley87simon]

I have been wondering throughout the winter what kind of setup my bag needs in terms of what clubs should I be carrying.

Currently in my bag I have driver, 5 wood, 17* hybrid, 4-pw and a 56* wedge and a putter, so 12 clubs in total meaning that I have room another 2 spots available in my bag. My problem is I cannot decide what would be the best changes to make - do I go 3 wood and 50* or 52* wedge (to bridge the gap between my PW(45*) and 56*) or do I ditch the thought of a 3 wood and get 2 further wedges (a gap and a lob wedge).

It's a difficult choice, as at my home club I don't need a 3 wood to get to any of the greens into (when I am striking the ball well and consistently), but as a high handicap I think it might be nice to fall back to 3w off the tee where I use my driver if it is misbehaving, but that said I am only about 40 yards longer with my driver than I am with 5w so do I need to close that gap?

What kind of bag setup is best, what things should I be considering when look at this?

 

[G1BB0]

gap wedge for me and thats it. no need for a lob wedge, your off a similar h/c to me and mine has gone as caused more issues than it solved.

 

[Rooter]

your bag is almost the same as mine, my extra 2 clubs though are a gap and a lob wedge.

 

[RobertB]

you could go 48 & 52 wedges to fill space or get a 50 degree but you need to do some practice on 1/2 and 3/4 swings with wedges to 'see' what sort of distances you comfortably pitch repeatedly too so that you have options

e.g. 50 yd shot ... is that a 1/2 PW that flights a bit lowered to skip and run on or a 3/4 50 that will fly higher and stop in bounce or two or a full on 56 to carry a bunker your short sided on and stop dead...

 

[duncan mackie]

there's no such things as the correct club setup for one player, let alone one that would be correct for everyone!

 

[Westy3469]

I have 4 wedges in my bag too, pw, 50, 54 and 60 degree and it seems to give me lot's of flexibility 100 yards in

 

[pbrown7582]

I'd have a gap wedge in there, I would also be looking into yardage useage of 5 wood 19? and 17 hybrid possible giving same range?

 

[groundskeeperwilly]

I'd have a gap wedge in there, I would also be looking into yardage useage of 5 wood 19? and 17 hybrid possible giving same range?

Thats what I was thinking too - the 5W and 17* Hybrid seem quite close at least in loft terms.

 

[tsped83]

You don't NEED/HAVE to carry 14 clubs. Around my course (and everywhere else for that matter) I carry 12. I'm rarely left wanting for a different club in a particular situation. Less clubs means less indecision and confusion for us rabbits!

 

[Foxholer]

Yep. Very personal choice.

I'd definitely go Gap Wedge.

I'd consider a 3W, but better to simply throttle back slightly on the Driver when 'it misbehaves' - or always!

Something else you might consider is going to a 58* instead of the 56 - presumably SW. It's possible to use a 58 as SW AND LW though, as G1bbo posted, a LW can be more trouble than it's worth. Having a large array of wedges might give you more options, but can bring confusion as well!

Good Luck!

 

[ainley87simon]

Thats what I was thinking too - the 5W and 17* Hybrid seem quite close at least in loft terms.

Strangely if I hit both cleanly I my 5w outstrips 17* by an a fair few yards, maybe I should drop my 5 wood and replace with 3 wood (widen the gap between my current wood and hybrid) and then add a gap wedge. I rarely use my wood off the fairway it is used for our tighter fairways or where a longer drive can get you in lots of trouble.

Choices, choices, choices!

 

[pbrown7582]

Strangely if I hit both cleanly I my 5w outstrips 17* by an a fair few yards, maybe I should drop my 5 wood and replace with 3 wood (widen the gap between my current wood and hybrid) and then add a gap wedge. I rarely use my wood off the fairway it is used for our tighter fairways or where a longer drive can get you in lots of trouble.

Choices, choices, choices!

if you go well with the 5 wood keep it and maybe loft up the 17 hybrid to 21.

 

[ainley87simon]

if you go well with the 5 wood keep it and maybe loft up the 17 hybrid to 21.

I think maybe a loft up to 19* might be more suitable if I go that route, as my 4 iron is 22*

 

[G1BB0]

I have 3h 19 degree, 4h 22 degree and 4i 23 degree, as I only have 2 wedges I find the top end better to load up as I hit each approx 10 - 15 yds difference (unless I absolutely pure one lol)

 

[Deleted member 1147]

I think maybe a loft up to 19* might be more suitable if I go that route, as my 4 iron is 22*

If you have a wood, a hybrid & an iron all with the same loft they will go three different distances (in the order wood, hybrid, iron),
because of head shape & shaft length.

 

[bignev]

Im a similar handicap and couldnt live without my 3 Wood so Id put one in and definetly a Gap wedge but unless
you have a course that requires you to play a lot of flop shots stay away from the Lob wedge until you improve
but then again who would take advice from a 20 handicaper

 

[bignev]

Just to say if you look at my set up it says Lob wedge but thats gone and my 5 irons back.
Im having problems changing my settings again.

 

[Foxholer]

Strangely if I hit both cleanly I my 5w outstrips 17* by an a fair few yards, maybe I should drop my 5 wood and replace with 3 wood (widen the gap between my current wood and hybrid) and then add a gap wedge. I rarely use my wood off the fairway it is used for our tighter fairways or where a longer drive can get you in lots of trouble.

Choices, choices, choices!

If you are considering dropping the 5W, which I thought might be a bit of a favourite, I'd suggest a 4W (3HL?) rather than a 'normal' 3W. Very often same or better distance off the deck as a 3W because of the more forgiving higher loft. An 'easy' swing can give the 5W distance if required and you don't lose a club. You do, however, have the 17* hybrid already. That's normally a 4W replacement, but if the 5W is outstripping that, then I'd question whether you are hitting the hybrid well enough. It's no big deal really, unless you mis-hit it frequently, as it's doing pretty much what any 'easier to hit well' replacement (19/20) would be expected.

I believe it's really only when you find too often that you 'haven't got a club for this distance' - or can't hit the club for the distance! - that you really need to consider adding/changing clubs. Unless your course has thick grass in front of greens and pins tight to the front, your PW should provide almost everything you need for pitching/chipping currently, though a GW would provide more options.

 

[didsbury_duffer]

You have a very similar set up to me, and my extra two are 3 iron and 52 gap. Like some guys have said, I would stay away from the 60 lob as it can get you into all sorts of trouble. Like you, I am also looking at buying a 3W, as the 5W and 17 utility are too similar. Trouble is, 3W's and me tend to not get on.

 

[G1BB0]

I have the rbz stage 2 3 wood but its the HL version at 17 degree, if the drivers off then I use that and until recently was easy off the deck.

just an idea