What to pull out of the bag?

[medic170979]

I want to add a 51* wedge for shorter courses

I have been carrying this setup since my "good player" days in high school:

Driver, 3wd
2-PW
54* SW and 60* LW
Putter

As I've gotten older (READ worse) I have replaced the 2, and now the 3 irons with hyrbids, but I have maintained the same basic set makeup.

I find myself playing 2 different style courses depending on who I play with. If I play with my father, father-in-law, or some of the guys I work with, I tend to play shorter courses (approx 6000yds or less). If I play in a local pro-am, local am event, or with a group of guys from work who are single digit handicaps, we play what I would call "longer" length courses (>6500yds).

Anyway, down to my question...

I will keep my usual setup for the longer courses, but I'd like to add a gap wedge on the shorter courses; so what do I pull out?

Here are my yardages with a "full" swing...

3wd - 245 tee, 235-240 fairway
2h - 230 tee, 220-225 fairway
3h - 215 tee, 210 fairway

PW- 135-140
SW- 115-120
LW- 90-100

I find myself with quite a few 125-130 yard shots on the shorter courses, and I feel I'd benefit from the extra wedge, but I'm not sure whether to pull the 2h or the 3wd. I find that I use the 3wd less, and have more control with the 2h, but it just seems odd to me carrying a driver as my only wood but 2 hybrids.

What do you guys think????

Thanks in advance! :hi:

[funkyfedora]

I say take out the 3wood. With the added wedge you can lay back with a 2h and use a wedge. JMHO

[MadGolfer76]

4 or 5-iron. It has to do with the shots you need on the course you are going to be playing. Unless you routinely need a particular club for a shot required by the course (for example: 215 yard, par 3 tee shot=3H, or whatever)...lose it and throw in a wedge.

[idrive]

I wouldn't change anything.

I'd choke down the PW an inch, inch+, narrow down the stance slightly and hit the shot 125-130yds.

[JRS]

drop both wedges and get a 52 and a low bounce 56.

there's no lob i can't play opening up the 56.

you'll have to buy two clubs instead of one but you don't lose any of your long clubs.

[Jimbo999]

I'm going to say drop both wedges and get a 52* and 58*, works well for me and can fill any short game gaps.

[good night]

drop the 4 or 5 iron. nobody needs them.

[HackerD]

Reason not to drop the 3W: situations where you need your longest club, e.g., hitting par-5 in two.

[BigPete]

+1 for 52 58 wedges

[SmoothTempo]

I would drop the 2h or 3h. Pelz has telling stats about this in his short game book. Basically, you need to not only hit the green consistently, but you need to hit it close enough to make the next putt. Not even the pros do that w/any consistency from >200 yds out.

Wedges will influence your score much more than 2 different hybrids, which aren't scoring clubs anyway.

[sdiver68]

[quote name='BigPete' post='1938039' date='Sep 7 2009, 05:05 PM']+1 for 52 58 wedges[/quote]

+2

[shallowdivots]

[quote name='sdiver68' post='1938327' date='Sep 7 2009, 08:12 PM'][quote name='BigPete' post='1938039' date='Sep 7 2009, 05:05 PM']+1 for 52 58 wedges[/quote]

+2
[/quote]

I also agree with the 52 & 58, best of both worlds.

[mac94]

I have almost the same yardages as you and had to make the same decision. I dropped the 2h and went with GW, SW and LW. On balance, it's the right decision for me. I have a lot more shots from 150 and in than I do from 220. Yeah, every now and then I would like to have it because I have to step on the 3h or back off the 3 (inevitably a pull - ) but I would miss one of the wedges more.

[dhsia]

get rid of the 2h

[gee2626]

Drop the 2H. You're probably long enough off the tee, that you won't need this club.

[sandwedge59]

i have the same problem as you choosing between another wedge or a 3 wood , i have choosen to carry a 3 wood and for the extra wedge i just choke down on my gap wedge , i hit the gap wedge about 110 and a sandwedge 100 so if i choke down to the end of the grip on the gap wedge i hit it about 100 yards , so i rather would have a 3 wood the add another wedge when with a little adjustment i can get the best of both worlds

[highergr0und]

Do you play the same courses typically? I would see which clubs you never hit and take one out. On a short course, those hybrids could be useful for tee shots. If I had to guess, I'd imagine the 4 iron doesn't see the light of day out there. Just remember it's easier to control distance with shorter clubs, and a 3/4 PW would probably fill that gap pretty well.

[mbuilder]

I am going to go a slightly different route here, I would sugest droping the 3h, with only a 10-15 yard gap between the 2h and 3h I think it would be pretty easy to just choke up about 1inch on the 2h to get a similar yardage to the 3h, may take a range session or two to get figured out but in the long run I think it would be more verstile than dropping the 2h. This is essentially what I did a couple years back to add a 4th wedge. I still do swap my 3iron in the bag depending on day and course, but i've found most of the time 2h to 4iron is the best set up for me.

[Dogg_CPGA]

Leave Driver
Drop 3W, 2H

Replace with 4W (17 loft) leave the 3H
Add your wedge

you will give up about 8 yards from the fairway and gain a lot around the greens and besides if you have 235+ to the green your likely not going to care if you miss the green 10 yards short instead of 10 yards left or right.

[Mizzy Two Plane]

I would drop the 2h and just learn to play a big cut with my three wood when I was between it and the 3h. I have found that controlling distance with shot shape rather than swing speed is easier for me, and it doesn't take long to learn on the range. A great thing about the cut three wood is it stops pretty quickly on the greens.

[medic170979]

[quote name='Mizzy Two Plane' post='1940171' date='Sep 8 2009, 09:20 PM']I would drop the 2h and just learn to play a big cut with my three wood when I was between it and the 3h. I have found that controlling distance with shot shape rather than swing speed is easier for me, and it doesn't take long to learn on the range. A great thing about the cut three wood is it stops pretty quickly on the greens.[/quote]

I cut everything already. My natural swing is a 10yard cut with the woods and a 4-5 yard cut with the irons. I can force a draw if I need to, but I've played the cut for 13 years and I like it.

[medic170979]

[quote name='highergr0und' post='1939326' date='Sep 8 2009, 01:45 PM']Do you play the same courses typically? I would see which clubs you never hit and take one out. On a short course, those hybrids could be useful for tee shots. If I had to guess, I'd imagine the 4 iron doesn't see the light of day out there. Just remember it's easier to control distance with shorter clubs, and a 3/4 PW would probably fill that gap pretty well.[/quote]

Problem is I play all over, and some courses are very short (5500yds or so), which is where I'm playing in my dad's company scramble this weekend. I like your thinking about the 4 iron; I can choke a 3h to fill the gap if needed (I can't imagine it will be needed!) plus it still leaves my 2h in the bag for the controlled tee shot (something my group relies on me for quite often). I thank everyone for their responses, as you all have offered great points. I'll let everyone know if I miss my 4 iron or not.

*** To the 52,58* guys: I have thought about this alot, and while it seems like the best of both worlds, I'm not in a position (mental and money-wise) to give up my Scratch Tour Dept. 54 and 60 for 2 new wedges ( I'd order Scratch again), especially when I really only notice the yardage gap issue on short courses. Although I must say I will consider this when its time for new wedges. Thanks again!!!!!

[jirizarry]

Say bye-bye to the 2h!!

J.R.