Top of bag gapping

[RickyBobby_PR]

Something I’ve seen periodically across golf forums and other groups js comments/questions about gapping issues between driver and fairway wood for some people.

The comment usually is I have a gap issue between driver and 3w, or how do people gap fit from driver to fw.

In my bag setup I’ve never worried about the distance between my last fw and driver other than to make sure they don’t go the same distance. My fairway woods are set up to give me a distance gap from my hybrid or longest iron or to get max distance of going for a gap longer than what I would need long Pat 3s for the courses I play. The gap is based on off the deck shots and not off a tee.

For those who have posed the question before or are looking for that type of gapping question/issue. What are you basing the gap on? Is it off the tee or are you looking at how far your driver goes off the tee and how far you hit your longest wood off the deck?

 

[Kansas King]

This is going to significantly vary from person to person simply based on skill and needs. I don't think it matters if you hit your 3 fw the same distance as your driver. However, if this is the case, something is probably wrong with fit or you simply aren't good with a driver. I think the real question when it comes to the top of the bag is "what shots do I need to hit?".

• Are you on a old shorter and tight country club where you're playing target golf and need precision that a driver can't guarantee or are you playing a wide open course?
• Does your course have par 5s that you can reach in two? Do you need a little extra distance to reach?
• Does your course have long par 5s where you need all the distance you can get to put yourself in a good position for the approach shot?
• Do you play in windy or in other conditions that would necessitate being able to hit some ultra low shots? (assuming we can't reliably hit 3 iron stingers)
• Does your course have any par 4s where a certain distance off the tee leaves you a more optimal distance in than the driver?
• Do you have a strong preference for fairways woods or hybrids?

These are just some of the questions that come to mind when selecting a club or two for the top of the bag. I don't think the actual distance gap is necessarily relevant but it's more of question of what shot are you trying to fill. I think for most golfers it's beneficial to have a long wood that they can crank on for max distance off the deck but that isn't always the need. Some golfer may not have the skill to reliably flight down their ball flights and may want 3 or 4 wood they can use to run shots out under the wind. Others may need the longest club they can get that will stop on the green. Some people simply despise fairway woods and would rather play a longer 2 or 3 hybrid/driving iron. Some people are inconsistent with their drivers and use a wood or hybrid as a fall back option if things aren't going well. 

The answer is that it really depends. The reality is that hitting shots over 200 yards for the average golfer are going to be inconsistent. 

[RickyBobby_PR]

1 hour ago, Kansas King said:

This is going to significantly vary from person to person simply based on skill and needs. I don't think it matters if you hit your 3 fw the same distance as your driver. However, if this is the case, something is probably wrong with fit or you simply aren't good with a driver. I think the real question when it comes to the top of the bag is "what shots do I need to hit?".

• Are you on a old shorter and tight country club where you're playing target golf and need precision that a driver can't guarantee or are you playing a wide open course?
• Does your course have par 5s that you can reach in two? Do you need a little extra distance to reach?
• Does your course have long par 5s where you need all the distance you can get to put yourself in a good position for the approach shot?
• Do you play in windy or in other conditions that would necessitate being able to hit some ultra low shots? (assuming we can't reliably hit 3 iron stingers)
• Does your course have any par 4s where a certain distance off the tee leaves you a more optimal distance in than the driver?
• Do you have a strong preference for fairways woods or hybrids?

These are just some of the questions that come to mind when selecting a club or two for the top of the bag. I don't think the actual distance gap is necessarily relevant but it's more of question of what shot are you trying to fill. I think for most golfers it's beneficial to have a long wood that they can crank on for max distance off the deck but that isn't always the need. Some golfer may not have the skill to reliably flight down their ball flights and may want 3 or 4 wood they can use to run shots out under the wind. Others may need the longest club they can get that will stop on the green. Some people simply despise fairway woods and would rather play a longer 2 or 3 hybrid/driving iron. Some people are inconsistent with their drivers and use a wood or hybrid as a fall back option if things aren't going well. 

The answer is that it really depends. The reality is that hitting shots over 200 yards for the average golfer are going to be inconsistent. 

Obviously these are going to be things some people consider and there are things that are going to be player dependent but thats not what the question is.

Its simple people will post their distances either based on launch monitor, on course measurements or something like and arccos. They will then say they have a gap if there’s some discrepancy they find to be too big.

So the question is for the people who have posted these type of posts/threads how are they measuring their distances for the gap? Are they comparing their driver off the tee while comparing fw off the deck?

[Kansas King]

20 hours ago, RickyBobby_PR said:

Obviously these are going to be things some people consider and there are things that are going to be player dependent but thats not what the question is.

Its simple people will post their distances either based on launch monitor, on course measurements or something like and arccos. They will then say they have a gap if there’s some discrepancy they find to be too big.

So the question is for the people who have posted these type of posts/threads how are they measuring their distances for the gap? Are they comparing their driver off the tee while comparing fw off the deck?

I see what you're were asking now. I would honestly look at both numbers for off the deck and the tee as they are both important and they will likely both be different. I typically can hit my 3 wood about 240 off the tee and 225 off the deck but it's lie dependent. Ball flight is a little different for both shots as I find it is easier to get a higher launch and less spin off the tee for obvious reasons. If you're trying to fit a fwy to hit a par 3, then I would recommend looking at the numbers for off the tee. You may also want to play with your tee heights a little as well to see if that makes any difference but I doubt there would be much unless you currently tee it high. 

[MmmmmmBuddy]

I could care less about the gap between driver and fairway. It is a number that does not matter. The only thing that matters is figuring out what shots are on the course that you are playing that require a longer club and making sure that you have those yardages covered.

I tend to play most of my rounds at my facility, but I also play tournament rounds all over the state. The top end of my bag will change depending on where and what tees we are playing. 

I will always take Driver. The next club down will depend on the circumstances of the round.  Choices are 15° 3wd, 16° and 19° hybrid, and 18° utility iron. Longest iron in the bag is always 4i.  I will mix and match as needed.  

For the next 8 rounds, the top end is set.  Driver, 19° hyb and 18° utility.  Playing tees under 6400. If I cannot get to a par 5 with a 19° hyb, I'm laying up. Driver almost everywhere off of the tee. 18° on super short par 4's and the one long par 3.  

 

I firmly believe that having choices to fit the course is incredibly important.  

[RickyBobby_PR]

3 hours ago, Kansas King said:

I see what you're were asking now. I would honestly look at both numbers for off the deck and the tee as they are both important and they will likely both be different. I typically can hit my 3 wood about 240 off the tee and 225 off the deck but it's lie dependent. Ball flight is a little different for both shots as I find it is easier to get a higher launch and less spin off the tee for obvious reasons. If you're trying to fit a fwy to hit a par 3, then I would recommend looking at the numbers for off the tee. You may also want to play with your tee heights a little as well to see if that makes any difference but I doubt there would be much unless you currently tee it high. 

This thread isn’t about me or my gapping at the top of the bag or anywhere else in my bag. I have my bag setup that allows me to effectively play any course and have options off the tee and off the deck. 
 

This thread is about my curiosity of peoples thoughts who have posted a jut having gapping issues at the of the bad between driver and whatever their fw of choice is.

1 hour ago, MmmmmmBuddy said:

could care less about the gap between driver and fairway. It is a number that does not matter.

Then this thread isn’t meant for you. As mentioned above it’s for those who have actually posted the comments about that gapping issue.

[pakman92]

For me, I want the 3 wood to fly about 20-25 yard less and roll out to be about 25-30 yards shorter than the driver.  I was able to achieve that by turning up the loft of the 3 wood to 17.

After that, I wanted to make sure gaps on the top of my bag was even.  I found that off the deck, my 3 wood flies about 5 yards shorter but rolls out to be about the same as off the tee due to lower trajectory.   I turned my 3 hybrid up by 1 to 21 to ensure about a 15 gap in total distance.  From 3 hybrid downward I have 10-14 gap all the way down to LW.

In short, I went for the desired flight and distance off the tee first as I would use my 3 wood off the T more often than off the deck

[wely324]

For me I’m not concerned with my gap to my driver but more so in the other direction with my 7 wood/driving iron so I base the gap hitting from the deck. 
 

I play a 16.5 4w that flies plenty far off the tee, but more importantly the ball flight and control need to be there to attack par 5’s off the deck. Carry needs to be 250 as my 7w carry is 235. 
 

 

[ChuckZ]

As I have been told by my fitters, height is friend.  My set up with my driver, fairway and hybrids are set to bet max height and roll out.  At 75 I no longer get the distances I use to get but am very happy with what my titleist equipment provides me.  My driver is set at 10.75 and I can hit it around 240 plus  all depending on the course and roll out.  Have hit it 280.  My next club is my 16.5* fairway, which is about twenty + less, the on down to my 18* hybrid, then my 21* hybrid.  Guess around twenty between the high to the low.  The main thing I know is what I can hit and count on.  It is about having the right sit up, shaft and head, and I love the Fujikura speeder shafts.   All my clubs are set up around my hitting a 7 iron 150 yards.  Still plugging along.  

[Mdrnsamurai]

With the introduction of the "Distance Iron" I don't see how it's a thing to have to top load your bag any longer. Also with the ability of (+ or - 2*) adjustments on almost every Driver, Fairway, or Hybrid it seems impossible not to be able to lock in your exact gaps when it comes to that area of the bag imo. 

I have no more than a 4* gap between Driver (Adjustable from 7.5* to 10.5*), 3W (Adjustable from 13* to 16*), and my 5W (Adjustable from 17* to 20*) and with my 4I at 21*, and 5I at 23* it gives me a lot of versatility at the top of my bag to drop my 4I and add additional wedge or just keep it depending on the playing conditions, weather, etc.

I think one of the biggest problems with the average golfer was said by another poster "Kansas King"... Shots over 200 yds can be seen as more difficult without consistency.