Considering a WITB change. Would appreciate some advice.

[kylebennett006]

Two main questions - 

1. My rough long-club distances are as follows:

Driver - 280-300

3W - 240-270 (when hit clean; most frequent miss is a thin shot/top)

5W - 225-240

4I - 205-210

I am considering adding a 3I to my bag. I know the gap above is small, but if we table the numbers and simply consider on-the-course feeling, there are quite a few shots at my home league course complex--which is very much a target golf setting--where 4I doesn't feel like it's enough but 5W can feel too much/too risky. And this goes for both tee shots and approaches. I'm a better iron player than woods so having that extra tool in my bag is intriguing. My fitter/instructor however opposed the idea when I asked him because he said the gap wasn't substantial enough to warrant the cost. What do you think?

2. Further, I do not like my current 3W and given how rarely I use it from the fairway/rough, I'm considering removing it altogether. I use it primarily as a club down off the tee but as you can see above, the range is so wide (because I don't hit it well enough consistently), I don't often keep with it so I then club down to the 5W and play a longer shot in. What are some alternatives that you like to a traditional 3W that cover the distance between 5W and driver?

Would love some advice on both of the questions above.

[edingc]

Are these carry or total distances? Are you comfortable hitting hybrids?

At first glance, you could opt for a 4 wood lofted fairway to replace the 3 wood/5 wood combo, or maybe try lofting up the existing three wood, or shorten the shaft to 4/5 wood length (being mindful of swing weight). You didn't say you have troubles hitting the 5 wood, so perhaps something with a shorter shaft but still lower loft would work as a good replacement for both of those clubs and slot your gapping somewhere between the current two.

If you can hit hybrids I might look into a 4 hybrid which will likely go further than the 4 iron even if they are similar in loft. I like the versatility of the hybrid out of the rough and even around the green versus a low lofted iron that likely won't be as useful except off the tee and from perfect lies.

I understand a common advice is to have perfect gapping throughout the bag, but if you play the same courses a lot of the time I am a big fan of tailoring the top of the bag to those courses rather than gaps. If you feel like the 5 wood is too much but the 4 iron is not enough, a hybrid might be a nice addition in there.

[vandyland]

I could never hit a 3W well. I was off and on with my 5W. Then I dropped both altogether when I found a mega hot 3H. For reference, my carry distance with a driver is 250-260 and I found a callaway rogue st max 3hy (18*) carries about 230 which is unbelievable. So now I go from Driver to 3 Hybrid and it has, so far, worked out well. 

But, to your larger point, I too have a gap that I need to sort out with an iron. My 5 iron (next club in the bag) only carries about 180-185 so now I have a 40-50 yd gap in my bag. I was debating between a hybrid or a game improvement 4 iron. I have actually gotten along ok with this gap because I rarely get stuck at 200 yds out, for whatever reason. Also, my expectations aren't that high on a 200+ yd shot so if I have 205 in and there is trouble long, I generally am okay coming up short with the 5 iron.

I don't know your game but I would agree with @edingc and note that there are many hybrids which have different profiles. Some look more like an iron, some are really bulbous almost like a fairway wood and  some in between. 

[G56788]

TXG did a pretty good video comparing the differences between a fairway wood, hybrid, and utility iron. It may be helpful. Here’s the link: 

 

[RickyBobby_PR]

A driving iron is probably where you want to look or something like a 3i that in the player distance or gi categories 

[Micah T]

@kylebennett006What lofts are your 4 iron and 5 wood? Are these numbers total distance or carry? That’s quite the gap between the two clubs whose lofts typically overlap: I’d be curious about your launch conditions. 

[kylebennett006]

On 11/30/2022 at 3:23 PM, vandyland said:

I could never hit a 3W well. I was off and on with my 5W. Then I dropped both altogether when I found a mega hot 3H. For reference, my carry distance with a driver is 250-260 and I found a callaway rogue st max 3hy (18*) carries about 230 which is unbelievable. So now I go from Driver to 3 Hybrid and it has, so far, worked out well. 

But, to your larger point, I too have a gap that I need to sort out with an iron. My 5 iron (next club in the bag) only carries about 180-185 so now I have a 40-50 yd gap in my bag. I was debating between a hybrid or a game improvement 4 iron. I have actually gotten along ok with this gap because I rarely get stuck at 200 yds out, for whatever reason. Also, my expectations aren't that high on a 200+ yd shot so if I have 205 in and there is trouble long, I generally am okay coming up short with the 5 iron.

I don't know your game but I would agree with @edingc and note that there are many hybrids which have different profiles. Some look more like an iron, some are really bulbous almost like a fairway wood and  some in between. 

Generally, my game could be best described as "good, consistent ball striker, but dispersion is too wide due to some mechanical flaws related to club face angle." But when I lose on the 3W, it's typically due to reasons unrelated to when I lose on other clubs. For example, my typical miss on a 4I is because face is either too open or too closed. Rarely fat or thin it. But with the 3W, the entire downswing feels odd and it could be any number of reasons I miss it.

At my home course--which for league, is a complex of 5 rotating 9 hole courses--it rarely comes into play when I have to hit it off turf. So having it in the bag as a club down driver, it's useful. But if anything goes awry off the tee with a driver or long iron and I'm in a position to make up some ground with a 3W, I don't feel good about it. So I'm left wondering if there's a better club I can replace it with that offers similar or close to distances, but perhaps more forgiveness and flexibility.

[kylebennett006]

On 11/30/2022 at 8:29 PM, Golfer56744 said:

TXG did a pretty good video comparing the differences between a fairway wood, hybrid, and utility iron. It may be helpful. Here’s the link: 

 

Thank you for this! Saved to my golf playlist and will watch.

[kylebennett006]

On 11/30/2022 at 8:37 PM, RickyBobby_PR said:

A driving iron is probably where you want to look or something like a 3i that in the player distance or gi categories 

Do you have any insight on how driving irons generally play off turf? Are they built with any specs in the soles or offsets that makes hitting them off turf more difficult than hitting off a tee?

[GolfSpy_APH]

2 hours ago, kylebennett006 said:

Do you have any insight on how driving irons generally play off turf? Are they built with any specs in the soles or offsets that makes hitting them off turf more difficult than hitting off a tee?

There are so many different ones to choose from. Some are bigger and have kinda a mini hybrid look/feel, others are just a bigger iron. I have the ping g410 crossovers and they do have a thicker sole, but I have been able to play them fine both on and off the tee. 

Srixon and Sub70 are similar from what I recall. The crobra is a bit smaller sole and adjustable lofts (pings new crossover is adjustable as well) Titleist is a good in between. Then you have various TM products which are all over from smaller hybrids to true driver irons. Even some older clubs like the Adams Dhy were and are still good products. I have a 4 Dhy and it doesn't get in play often, but has buldge and roll on the face and is usually pretty easy to hit. It's a vast Market and I'm sure there is something there to fit your needs!

 

 

[RickyBobby_PR]

9 hours ago, kylebennett006 said:

Do you have any insight on how driving irons generally play off turf? Are they built with any specs in the soles or offsets that makes hitting them off turf more difficult than hitting off a tee?

Typically they are going to be smaller than a regular iron. The CG is going to be lower to help launch and will get less spin than hybrids. They tend to have thinner faces and several are filled with materials. 
 

I don’t think there’s any difference in fee be off the deck. 

[RollingGreens]

You can always try a demo program from some of the smaller DTC brands to test out the driving irons or I’ve seen good deals from callaway pre owned and 2nd swing lately. 

[BombAndGouge]

On 11/30/2022 at 12:56 PM, kylebennett006 said:

Two main questions - 

1. My rough long-club distances are as follows:

Driver - 280-300

3W - 240-270 (when hit clean; most frequent miss is a thin shot/top)

5W - 225-240

4I - 205-210

I am considering adding a 3I to my bag. I know the gap above is small, but if we table the numbers and simply consider on-the-course feeling, there are quite a few shots at my home league course complex--which is very much a target golf setting--where 4I doesn't feel like it's enough but 5W can feel too much/too risky. And this goes for both tee shots and approaches. I'm a better iron player than woods so having that extra tool in my bag is intriguing. My fitter/instructor however opposed the idea when I asked him because he said the gap wasn't substantial enough to warrant the cost. What do you think?

2. Further, I do not like my current 3W and given how rarely I use it from the fairway/rough, I'm considering removing it altogether. I use it primarily as a club down off the tee but as you can see above, the range is so wide (because I don't hit it well enough consistently), I don't often keep with it so I then club down to the 5W and play a longer shot in. What are some alternatives that you like to a traditional 3W that cover the distance between 5W and driver?

Would love some advice on both of the questions above.

I was in a similar spot and decided to remove my Sim2 3 wood. I've been hovering around 0-2 handicap but could not play it consistent enough to warrant it. That coupled with the fact that my driver was very consistent so I never clubbed down on driver holes and I almost never needed to play 250+ into par 5s on my most common courses. So I really didn't need a $400 club that didn't improve my handicap.

I picked up a 2 hybrid that I try to play to about 240. I have gotten a hold of a few to 260+, but it's been much more consistent and usable in different conditions/lies. It fits the gapping of my bag better. I am much better off with 3 wedges than 3 non-driver woods/hybrids. It's not required to carry a 3 wood.