Wet conditions - changes to clubs carried..?

[Ragamuffin Gunner]

Recent weather means that most of us are getting used to playing in wet conditions. I’ve pretty much given up on my 3 and 4 irons. They just don’t seem to work as well off a sodden fairway, so I’ve put my 4 hybrid back in the bag in the hope that this will have a higher success rate.

I’ve been thinking about my wedges too. The 60deg feels like quite a risk so isn’t seeing much action. I could swap this for something else - maybe a driving iron to use off the tee on certain holes or when the wind is blowing.

I’ve been toying with going back to my old set of GI irons that have wider v-shape soles. They are more forgiving; maybe a better choice for wet wet wet days?

What changes do you make to your bag of clubs when it’s wet, and why?

 

[Orikoru]

I never hit a full 56° in winter. I find when the ground is soft I can't get away with an imperfect (slightly fat) contact as the club digs into the ground. Whereas in summer you can get away with those on occasion because the ground is hard and the bounce just takes it into the ball anyway. So in winter lets say I'm hitting a half-swing 9 iron pitch instead for example as I feel there's more forgiveness there, plus you can fly it almost all the way there and not worry about it rolling straight through the back of the green - since the greens are softer.

There are a couple of holes at mine too where they just seem to slope right into ditches if you're anywhere on that side - but much moreso in summer. So in winter I'll hit a driver know it'll hit the ground soft and not roll far enough to reach the ditch. In winter I may have to hit a shorter club and aim a bit further left to allow for the extra roll without it reaching said ditch.

As for long irons that you mention, I have already gotten rid of those a while ago for all weathers.

 

[CliveW]

Ah, there is a lot to be said for using fairway mats in these conditions!

 

[Andy]

Hehaw, learn to hit off the deck if it's wet.

 

[Jacko_G]

Hehaw, learn to hit off the deck if it's wet.

Harsh but 100% spot on.

 

[Parsaregood]

Play links golf and not worry about sodden fairways ? couldn't think of anything worse than playing a boggy parkland course at this time of year

 

[Jigger]

I wouldn’t put it like the above but I know in my previous experience it’s exposed me not hitting the ball first.

 

[jim8flog]

No real change for me except that sometimes I switch the SW from a high bounce to a low bounce for the sodden bunkers.

I am another who ditched the long irons for hybrids many years ago.

 

[upsidedown]

Ah, there is a lot to be said for using fairway mats in these conditions!

We've made 3 areas on 3 holes compulsory mats or drop in the rough this Winter. Also we bought 300 to sell to members to use on all 18 holes and have sold 174 so far . Our course has never looked better for divots and feedback is the whole winter golf experience is so much better now .

 

[Crow]

I play some of my poorer iron sets and putters and generally a polymer or metal headed wood as the wet ground might cause damage to my better sets through water penetration on the wooden woods and rust on the shafts of the irons.

 

[Jacko_G]

We've made 3 areas on 3 holes compulsory mats or drop in the rough this Winter. Also we bought 300 to sell to members to use on all 18 holes and have sold 174 so far . Our course has never looked better for divots and feedback is the whole winter golf experience is so much better now .

You should be giving the mats away for free to members!!! After all it's for the benefit of the course.

 

[patricks148]

You should be giving the mats away for free to members!!! After all it's for the benefit of the course.

i'd agree, we have a bin by the first tee, take a mat, use it on the course, drop it back in a bin by the 18th green.

 

[upsidedown]

i'd agree, we have a bin by the first tee, take a mat, use it on the course, drop it back in a bin by the 18th green.

That was my preferred option but was out voted ?, so next best was sell them at cost and as cheap as we could . I'd suspect there are only around 240 - 280 members who play through the winter so been a very good uptake .

 

[garyinderry]

No real change for me except that sometimes I switch the SW from a high bounce to a low bounce for the sodden bunkers.
.

Doesn't this bring hitting chunky chips into play?

 

[Jacko_G]

Doesn't this bring hitting chunky chips into play?

Should do as bounce is your friend - especially in soggy conditions I'd have thought!

 

[garyinderry]

Should do as bounce is your friend - especially in soggy conditions I'd have thought!

One low bounce wedge isn't a bad idea for this in itself.

I find low bounce wedges extremely dangerous in soft conditions.

 

[patricks148]

That was my preferred option but was out voted ?, so next best was sell them at cost and as cheap as we could . I'd suspect there are only around 240 - 280 members who play through the winter so been a very good uptake .

looks like still a few not though, would be better for everyone using one and if it was free no excuse, not to be using one

 

[garyinderry]

My driving iron doesn't get a look in over winter. Very little point in it and I hit it fairly low and have it run out in summer conditions.


My 5 wood gets more of a work out over winter. Usually for 2nd shots into long par4s and par 5s.

 

[jim8flog]

Doesn't this bring hitting chunky chips into play?

I only ever use my SW for bunker play

I use my 52 for the majority of chips and pitches

 

[FuzzyDuck]

When I switch to a carry bag I drop my 5 and 6 iron, hardly use them normally as I prefer to use hybrids and woods for longer distances. I'm also not hitting full wedge shots with my 50 and 58 degree clubs, the 58 is only being used in bunkers.