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Top of the bag - gaps

tsped83

tsped83

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I’ve been a bit of tinkering with the bag over winter, specifically at the top end and am after thoughts and opinions on what to chuck in there.

I’m not one for a driver (it gives me no confidence) and use a 3 wood off the tee exclusively. I’m currently dabbling with a Mavrik Max 13.5’ strong 3 wood which is also useful off the deck, subject to decent lie. After that, the next club in the bag which is going nowhere is a trusty Ping 22 degree hybrid. So, a significant gap there which I arguably have two spots for. I’m not fussed to carry 14 clubs if I don’t have to so don’t want to add stuff just for the sake of filling the bag. I’m curious about the new Callaway Apex Utility Wood but the price might be a bit prohibitive at the moment. I’m usually a second hand eBay man.

So, if the 13.5’ 3 wood is my driver and “longest-carve-it-in-to-the-cabbage-from-a-nice-lie” club, where do I go next? 4 Wood, 5 Wood, strong hybrid?
Yes I know the answer should be go get fitted yada-yada but I’m looking purely at the second hand market and I’m not bothered if the new tools are a few years old.

I’m a 12hcp, very average distance and generally hit quite a high ball. Thoughts and opinions please, cheers all.
 
tsped83 said:
I’ve been a bit of tinkering with the bag over winter, specifically at the top end and am after thoughts and opinions on what to chuck in there.

I’m not one for a driver (it gives me no confidence) and use a 3 wood off the tee exclusively. I’m currently dabbling with a Mavrik Max 13.5’ strong 3 wood which is also useful off the deck, subject to decent lie. After that, the next club in the bag which is going nowhere is a trusty Ping 22 degree hybrid. So, a significant gap there which I arguably have two spots for. I’m not fussed to carry 14 clubs if I don’t have to so don’t want to add stuff just for the sake of filling the bag. I’m curious about the new Callaway Apex Utility Wood but the price might be a bit prohibitive at the moment. I’m usually a second hand eBay man.

So, if the 13.5’ 3 wood is my driver and “longest-carve-it-in-to-the-cabbage-from-a-nice-lie” club, where do I go next? 4 Wood, 5 Wood, strong hybrid?
Yes I know the answer should be go get fitted yada-yada but I’m looking purely at the second hand market and I’m not bothered if the new tools are a few years old.

I’m a 12hcp, very average distance and generally hit quite a high ball. Thoughts and opinions please, cheers all.
Click to expand...

Its all relative but you identify a gap between your 3W and 22 deg Hybrid - a 5 wood slots in there nicely - but id try one out at the range first to ensure its not going a very similar distance to your hybrid. Just to be sure you are actually plugging a gap and not just buying a club for the sake of it.

My old man would also suggest a 7 wood but again, to me, its all about gapping correctly!
 
Off 12, your obviously an ok ball striker. Consider something like a ping cross over 3 iron as an alternative to a 5 wood. Easy to hit straight, and strong ball flight.
 
If you like the Ping 22 hybrid, have you considered a matching 19 degree? I carry both (Ping as well as it happens) and find there is enough of a gap between them to be really useful.
 
I bought a pair of Adams 15* (ajustable) Woods and changed one to a 13.5 and the other to a 16.5 (so 2 and 4 woods). The 4 wood is a great club off the deck (unlike the 2 that I need a perfect lie for) and gets a lot of use. Like you, my next club is a 22* Hybrid, though I might have adjusted that down slightly.
 
Obvious answer for me is 5 wood. Something nice and easy to hit off the deck, around 17.5 degrees. For example the Cobra woods with the rails are great. I have the F9, since then the Speedzone and Rad Speeds have come out with much the same design.
 
Surely people can only make a sensible suggestion if distances are mentioned? If the 3 wood only goes 10-15 yards further than the hybrid, then there is no gap to fill. However, if the gap is 30-40 yards then might take a couple of clubs to fill the gap. Trying to suggest clubs with no idea of the gaps is just pointless in my opinion.
 
Neilds said:
Surely people can only make a sensible suggestion if distances are mentioned? If the 3 wood only goes 10-15 yards further than the hybrid, then there is no gap to fill. However, if the gap is 30-40 yards then might take a couple of clubs to fill the gap. Trying to suggest clubs with no idea of the gaps is just pointless in my opinion.
Click to expand...
If there wasn't a gap he wouldn't have made the topic would he? ??‍♂️
 
Looks to me like you need either a 5 wood or similar lofted hybrid.
Ping 5 woods are 17.5° and they do 17° hybrids....I'd use whichever you're most comfortable with..
 
I would be going with a 19 degree or thereabouts rescue/hybrid.
Particularly one that can be adjusted without changing face angle too much (Titliest, Callayway).

I happen to have 20 degree and 5 wood (both TaylorMade) but do not see a great deal of distance difference between the 2 probably because the shorter shaft makes it easier to control and I hit my hybrids like a iron.
 
Worth considering the course(s) you play. What’s the typical distance on the 2nd shot, if it’s under you hybrid distance than why bother with more long clubs?
 
Another 2 questions to ask yourself are: 1) how often I am playing from fairway vs rough? 5w or strong hybrid have been mentioned, but the hybrid is usually considered better out of rough; 2) how do I hit my 3w off the tee and the deck compared to my hybrid? Some people struggle with hybrids and others with woods.
I'm not offering any solution or recommendation, just provoking thought.
 
Id be opting for a stock 3w and adjusting the loft up to sit near a 5w, with then a lower lofted hybrid to bridge the gap. The other alternative could be a 5w and crank the loft down.

It would depend on how your course plays and what you feel is best suited. Maybe some tinkering on a range with tracer bay would help Identify the gaps needed?
 
Thanks all for the constructive comments, food for thought. For those interested in carry distances, 22 hybrid is 175-180 and 3 wood around 210.
 
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