Need reliable second shot club

[BuckeyeMark]

I'm a new golfer. Been at it about a year. I'm also 48 so this has been a steep learning curve. Usually card around 115 or so. In other words, I'm a hacker. But there are parts of my game that are decent (or better than others). I drive fairly well - 200 yards straight (most of the time). My putting isn't too bad. I can chip okay.

 

What is bad is my second shot. I get on a par 5 or a long 4 where I'm 175-200+ yards out and that shot usually ends up as a total disaster. I've tried a fairway wood (#3) borrowed from a friend. Usually it didn't go well. So now I've got a hybrid that I'm trying to hit. And sometimes I hit it great - it goes and goes nice and straight. And then the next three shots are scuffs off the toe of the club. It's very frustrating.

 

I gotta figure out something I can hit reliably. Maybe I need advice on how to hit the hybrid. Frankly I'm open to anything right now. I hit this hybrid great some times but most of the time it's a shank. And yes, I've gone to the range and tried to learn to hit it. Usually I hit the first ten balls great and then its starts going away. I hit behind the ball a lot but that's not the only issue - lots of scuffs, topping it, off the toe, off the heel. Nothing consistent and nothing I can rely on. Saturday I hit that club great once, and then it was five holes before I saw that again. Meanwhile it was four holes of big scores because I was whaling the ball 25 yards and then into the woods and then 45 yards into the rough. Terrible.

 

So I'm interested in advice on a reliable second shot. I need something I can hit 150-200 yards regularly and reliably. Your thoughts (be gentle!)?

[RoverRick]

I'm a new golfer. Been at it about a year. I'm also 48 so this has been a steep learning curve. Usually card around 115 or so. In other words, I'm a hacker. But there are parts of my game that are decent (or better than others). I drive fairly well - 200 yards straight (most of the time). My putting isn't too bad. I can chip okay.

 

 

So I'm interested in advice on a reliable second shot. I need something I can hit 150-200 yards regularly and reliably. Your thoughts (be gentle!)?

 

If you can hit the driver ok, than that's great. But I suggest that you hit a 7 iron and chip or a pitching wedge twice. In other words, play to get on in 3 and 2 putt. You will break 100 doing that. I watch higher handicappers every week ruin good drives by pulling out the 3 wood or long clubs and going for it when they would be much better off taking smaller bites out of it.

 

Yesterday, I had a very crappy lie and told myself that I should hit a 7 or 8 iron and get it in the fairway on a par 5. That would have left me a short iron into the green, but thought I could be a hero. That gave me the opportunity to hit the next shot, 40 yards farther but now on the opposite side of the fairway in the woods. I was looking at a small opening and thinking I could hit driver off the deck and maybe get on the green and make birdie. Then I remembered how I got there, so I punched out into the fairway, hit on the green in 4, missed my par putt but made a bogey. Could have ruined a pretty good round and made an 7 or 8 had I not decided to play smarter.

 

Where you hit a hybrid or a fairway wood better is totally dependent on you. But there is no reason why you should carry a 3 wood. A 5 wood or 7 wood or 21 or 23* hybrid would be better. You should have a higher lofted wood or hybrid is what I am saying. The lower lofted clubs are harder for me to hit and I have been playing for years and rarely go a day with out swinging a club.

[L.I. Rich]

Hello BuckeyeMark,

 

A couple of thoughts for you:

 

1. Do you have time to take some lessons? A PGA instructor will get you swinging more consistently and effectively within 4-6 sessions. Making center contact on the club is key not only to accuracy, but to distance as well; you should see improvement there too. Taking lessons as you are adopting the game will hopefully help you not learn bad swing habits.

 

2. In the meantime, if you're having trouble hitting fairway woods, hybrids, and long irons, consider breaking the 150-200 into two smaller chunks with your mid and short irons. On a par 4, you'll target a bogey score, and par on a par 5.

 

I happen to be inconsistent my driver, and I can no longer hit my hybrids for whatever reason; big hooks. But I hit a long iron pretty darn good off the tee IMO, so I use that almost exclusively off the tee if I'm playing a round for the score and not practice. If I have 240 left to the green, I can try to be heroic with a two iron, but I usually measure what I want my last shot into the green to be, let's say 100 yards, then I'll hit a PW or 9i to get to that 100 yard target distance.

 

Best of luck!

[BK in TEXAS]

In other words, play to get on in 3 and 2 putt. You will break 100 doing that. I watch higher handicappers every week ruin good drives by pulling out the 3 wood or long clubs and going for it when they would be much better off taking smaller bites out of it.

Ya.....what Rick said. The longest club I hit off the fairway is a 24Ëš Hybrid. It usually leaves me left with a short approach shot on par 5's. But.....I'm on the fairway in front of the green. The ONLY reason I carry a 3 wood is for shorter tee shots....I never hit it off the deck. Anyway.....I like to hit Driver-Hybrid-Wedge, but Driver-7i-7i would be effective too.

 

You could also move up a set of tees until you gain confidence.

[BuckeyeMark]

This is very very helpful. I am so appreciative. Really like hitting a 7 iron twice - why didn't I think of that?!

 

A few other notes:

 

* I have to carry a 3 wood. I have a really neat driver cover my niece and nephew gave me and it fits on it perfectly. And it rarely comes off because I hit that club poorly but I gotta have something to put that head cover on in my bag!

 

* My two hybrids are:

 

Hot Ring Golden Bear SQ 3H - it's an oldie but it's kinda neat club (and I paid a buck for it at a garage sale - beat that!). Every now and then I actually hit it good.

 

Callaway Razr 3 - this is the club I can hit sooooo well - every now and then - but that mostly frustrates me. I hate it.

 

* I have taken lessons but when you're just starting out the poor teacher is working on so many things it's hard to fix everything at once. I've been playing now about six months without lessons and am finally getting a little feel for things. Maybe it's time to go back for more lessons.

 

 

Big question: I can hit my 6i very well. Would you hit that instead of the 7i or is there a specific reason to hit the 7? I have a 4i and 5i but am not as comfortable with them. My 6 and 7 love me. And I love them. Made my first birdie Saturday hitting that 7 on a par 3. Stuck it 24" from the cup and made the putt. Wonderful!

 

Thanks again for the help!

[RoverRick]

This is very very helpful. I am so appreciative. Really like hitting a 7 iron twice - why didn't I think of that?!

 

A few other notes:

 

* I have to carry a 3 wood. I have a really neat driver cover my niece and nephew gave me and it fits on it perfectly. And it rarely comes off because I hit that club poorly but I gotta have something to put that head cover on in my bag!

 

Big question: I can hit my 6i very well. Would you hit that instead of the 7i or is there a specific reason to hit the 7? I have a 4i and 5i but am not as comfortable with them. My 6 and 7 love me. And I love them. Made my first birdie Saturday hitting that 7 on a par 3. Stuck it 24" from the cup and made the putt. Wonderful!

 

Thanks again for the help!

 

That is the best reason most higher handicapper should carry a fairway wood. Because they have a cool head cover. However, that would also fit on a 5 or 7 wood and they would be much easier to hit.

 

As far as 6i vs 7i, it makes no difference, whatever club you hit consistently well is what you should use. And the best lesson you can learn is this. The way to lower your handicap is not to make more birdies. The way to lower your handicap is to make less bogies and worse. If you can eliminate double bogies and worse, than you will soon be shooting in the 80's in no time.

[RoverRick]

By the way, I have a picture of both my bags down below. There is a 3 wood in each, however, they are for off the tee. I rarely hit them off the deck. I do have a 4 wood (17*) that I will hit off the deck but if I am so far that I need to hit a fairway metal than I am statistically better off laying up to an ideal yardage.

[BuckeyeMark]

That is the best reason most higher handicapper should carry a fairway wood. Because they have a cool head cover. However, that would also fit on a 5 or 7 wood and they would be much easier to hit.

 

As far as 6i vs 7i, it makes no difference, whatever club you hit consistently well is what you should use. And the best lesson you can learn is this. The way to lower your handicap is not to make more birdies. The way to lower your handicap is to make less bogies and worse. If you can eliminate double bogies and worse, than you will soon be shooting in the 80's in no time.

 

This is the most helpful golf advice I've ever rec'd - and believe me, I've received a LOT of golf advice! Thanks!

[RoverRick]

I played in a couples scramble with my wife this weekend. On a par 5, I had a great drive, but I told her with the wind and the slope I thought she should go ahead and hit her 190 yard club. She said that 190 yards was two clubs for her, unless I had some tape and could put them together. I do not know why I was attracted to her.

[BuckeyeMark]

I played in a couples scramble with my wife this weekend. On a par 5, I had a great drive, but I told her with the wind and the slope I thought she should go ahead and hit her 190 yard club. She said that 190 yards was two clubs for her, unless I had some tape and could put them together. I do not know why I was attracted to her.

 

it's very dangerous being married to a woman smarter than you are!

[RoverRick]

it's very dangerous being married to a woman smarter than you are!

 

Dangerous maybe, but they are easy to find. Did that come out right?

[The Artful Duffer]

BuckeyeMark,

If you're considering lessons again, and the previous experience left you a little soured on the idea, there's no harm in looking for a different instructor and calling around to check about different teaching styles and methods. A lot of them will take a few minutes to discuss what your goals are and how they can get you there. I'm guessing your in Ohio. If you're around Columbus I highly recommend the teachers over at 4 seasons golf center on east broad. ("The Dome".) they've done alright by me and the rest of the staff has been amazing to deal with as well. And pretty reasonably priced lesson packages done hurt either. Just figured I'd throw that out for consideration.

[BuckeyeMark]

BuckeyeMark,

If you're considering lessons again, and the previous experience left you a little soured on the idea, there's no harm in looking for a different instructor and calling around to check about different teaching styles and methods. A lot of them will take a few minutes to discuss what your goals are and how they can get you there. I'm guessing your in Ohio. If you're around Columbus I highly recommend the teachers over at 4 seasons golf center on east broad. ("The Dome".) they've done alright by me and the rest of the staff has been amazing to deal with as well. And pretty reasonably priced lesson packages done hurt either. Just figured I'd throw that out for consideration.

 

Thanks - I'm not soured on lessons (in fact, I'm signed up for a 5 lesson clinic next month). I just recognize that when you are going from (literally) zero to golfing the poor pro/teacher has a LOT of teaching to do. I am now at a place where I need some more instruction on hybrids, etc. Such wouldn't have done me much good before but now I've grown to where I can use it.

 

I say that - but yesterday's round was a disaster. Two 11's on the back nine - just awful. I did have one hole where the "keep hitting the six iron" played beautifully and I made a par. The rest of the day was a dumpster fire. I hit trees, hit it in the woods and found the sand traps (I HATE SAND). Had two really long putts that were headed in and then ... lipped out. Ugly day.

 

But it'll get better.

 

Thanks for your help. And oh yes - this is from Dallas, not Columbus. I started in Columbus but Texas is my home for a long time now. That meant yesterday's round started in 100 degree temps! If only my game was hot as the thermometer!

[BIG STU]

Just putting my 2 cents in here. All were good suggestions especially Rich. You need to find an instructor that can help you not only with your swing but with your equipment selection and fitting also course management as well.

[Stephen_Peszel]

Get fitted for new clubs, I bet your $1 club is causing problems, I bet the Callaway 3 Wood shaft is too stiff. Can't afford a full set then get fitted for a small selection or even just your 5 or 7 iron, a decent club fitter will watch you swing, offer suggestions for change that is as good as a set of lessons. Works out cheaper too.

[Kor.A.Door]

My first thought is like that of most of the others and that is to use 2 shorter clubs to get there, if your looking to just move your score from 115 to 100 then, that's the way to go,but then what, after you do that, how do you shoot lower from there, you still have to learn to hit a long club, which is my second thought, go for it. Keep trying and learning to hit the Long clubs, hitting 2 shorter clubs will work for a while, but the long clubs will still be needed at some point.

 

A lot of people here will always say to get fitted, but that is not always what people need or want, I say (and I will probably get

Told off on here), if you are shooting 115 it doesn't matter what clubs you use, you don't have to spend crazy money to learn to play golf, save the fitting cost and money for when you feel you need it, you will know. I would suggest that if you can afford to, take a lesson or 2 and see if a teacher can help you, if you can't afford a couple of lessons, you certainly cannot afford new clubs and a fitting. Have fun on your journey to learn the game, it takes time to get better, keep practicing and playing and try to do better each time you go out.

[RoverRick]

There is no doubt that you will eventually need to learn to hit the longer clubs. However, as I said earlier, a 21-24* hybrid will get you in the 180+ range. You really have no business going for the green from farther than that any way. Depending on the hole layout, I have no business going for some of them. If you are playing par 3's that are this long than you are playing from the wrong tees at your level, on par 4's if you have made a good tee shot and you still are out beyond that then the same thing. But 5's you should be beyond 180 but there is no reason you have to go for it.

 

To prove my point, there is a par 5 at my course is only 485 yards long. It is a dogleg right and the tee shot starts out of a narrow chute with trees on both side, but 5 feet right of the tee box is OB and this continues all the way through the green. After the first 200 yards, past the water on the left, there is another fairway and you can go 75 yards left, but only 10 feet right. To keep from hitting over trees on the second shot, if you are going for it, you have to have a minimum of 275 off the tee. The front of the green is open but narrow, with 3 large bunkers and 4 large mounds surrounding it and the green itself is hard and fast. Of course one of the bunkers are situated so that if you go through the green you are in the back bunker. There is a lot of trouble on this hole. Yet it is so inviting because it is short.

 

Usually, if I have just a decent drive I will be 220 yards from the green. I have a 3 wood, I usually do not hit it off the deck, a 4 wood, and two hybrids I can hit that long or longer. Not that I will have all of them in the bag on that day. But I can reach it. I have been laying up on this hole for several months and often not even using a driver off of the tee because it is not worth the risk. The way I play this that results in the most birdie putts and pars is a 3 iron off the tee. Then 5-7 iron then wedge. A fade with the driver tends to leave you too close to the trees to go for it, and a draw tends to cross over into the other fairway where it runs away from the hole.

 

However, because the tee box is getting rebuilt, we have a temporary box for the last three weeks. It is on the opposite side of the cart path and changes the angle of the drive entirely. So for the past few weeks I have been going for it. I have to say that I hit a high bomb yesterday that traveled 322 yards and cut the corner and left me 122 yards that I made from the fairway giving me my second Double Eagle ever. Also, last Saturday, I had a 160 yards left after my drive and made an eagle then. One day last week, I got on the green and missed the eagle putt but made birdie. So out of the last 20 times of playing it, I have had a double eagle, and eagle, and a couple of birdies, but all from inside 200 yards. Outside of 200 yards I have 1 birdie, and 3 pars and the rest bogies and doubles. I will say that my score in relation to par is much higher than it was before.

 

So here is the point, because there is so much trouble by that green and along the fairway you are looking at double bogey easy, it is better to lay up and attack the flag with a wedge. Since that is the case, there is no real reason to hit a driver. However, now we are back to hitting something that has decent range but safe off of the tee. A 23* hybrid is just the club to do that.

[revkev]

For starters welcome to the forum!!!!! I've been out for about a month and must have missed your entry.

 

On to the topic.

 

You've had lots of great advice. No one has said it directly so I will - if you hit your driver well and don't need it off the tee - lose the 3 wood - now - throw it in the trash, put it in the garage whatever just get rid of it for the time being. I'll wait.........

 

 

Okay next thing to do is to figure out what the longest club is that you can hit succesfully (as in relatively straight and in the air) 80 percent of the time. It might be a 5 wood, it might be a 19 degree hybrid or a 22 or something like that - whatever it is you will then have a great starting place. Let's say for now that it's the 5 wood and you hit it 180. If that's the case then you know you can't go for any green that is over 180 so you have to know if its better for you to break a 200 yard shot into to 2 100's or 120, 80 or whatever best fits your game and go from there.

 

Same thing will hold true for all the other distances - I'll give you an example - I'm a low handicapper, last Saturday I hit a nice drive and had 250 to the green on a par 5 - Unfortunately 70 yards of that 250 was over a pond that started at 110 and finished at 40 - that meant I had to carry it 210 to get over the hazzard and frankly I can't carry my 3 wood 210 50 percent of the time much less 80 percent so I factored in the number 1 rule of laying up - make sure you do it and played to 125 (a perfect 9 iron) that meant 9 iron, 9 iron, 15 feet left up hill for birdie - I missed but the point being I had a tap in par.

 

Last thing - at your level bogeys are great - never, every be ashamed to make a bogey and always plan your strategy to avoid double or worse.

 

Good luck!

[BIG STU]

There is no doubt that you will eventually need to learn to hit the longer clubs. However, as I said earlier, a 21-24* hybrid will get you in the 180+ range. You really have no business going for the green from farther than that any way. Depending on the hole layout, I have no business going for some of them. If you are playing par 3's that are this long than you are playing from the wrong tees at your level, on par 4's if you have made a good tee shot and you still are out beyond that then the same thing. But 5's you should be beyond 180 but there is no reason you have to go for it.

 

To prove my point, there is a par 5 at my course is only 485 yards long. It is a dogleg right and the tee shot starts out of a narrow chute with trees on both side, but 5 feet right of the tee box is OB and this continues all the way through the green. After the first 200 yards, past the water on the left, there is another fairway and you can go 75 yards left, but only 10 feet right. To keep from hitting over trees on the second shot, if you are going for it, you have to have a minimum of 275 off the tee. The front of the green is open but narrow, with 3 large bunkers and 4 large mounds surrounding it and the green itself is hard and fast. Of course one of the bunkers are situated so that if you go through the green you are in the back bunker. There is a lot of trouble on this hole. Yet it is so inviting because it is short.

 

Usually, if I have just a decent drive I will be 220 yards from the green. I have a 3 wood, I usually do not hit it off the deck, a 4 wood, and two hybrids I can hit that long or longer. Not that I will have all of them in the bag on that day. But I can reach it. I have been laying up on this hole for several months and often not even using a driver off of the tee because it is not worth the risk. The way I play this that results in the most birdie putts and pars is a 3 iron off the tee. Then 5-7 iron then wedge. A fade with the driver tends to leave you too close to the trees to go for it, and a draw tends to cross over into the other fairway where it runs away from the hole.

 

However, because the tee box is getting rebuilt, we have a temporary box for the last three weeks. It is on the opposite side of the cart path and changes the angle of the drive entirely. So for the past few weeks I have been going for it. I have to say that I hit a high bomb yesterday that traveled 322 yards and cut the corner and left me 122 yards that I made from the fairway giving me my second Double Eagle ever. Also, last Saturday, I had a 160 yards left after my drive and made an eagle then. One day last week, I got on the green and missed the eagle putt but made birdie. So out of the last 20 times of playing it, I have had a double eagle, and eagle, and a couple of birdies, but all from inside 200 yards. Outside of 200 yards I have 1 birdie, and 3 pars and the rest bogies and doubles. I will say that my score in relation to par is much higher than it was before.

 

So here is the point, because there is so much trouble by that green and along the fairway you are looking at double bogey easy, it is better to lay up and attack the flag with a wedge. Since that is the case, there is no real reason to hit a driver. However, now we are back to hitting something that has decent range but safe off of the tee. A 23* hybrid is just the club to do that.

322 yds double eagle good job Ill take 4 up a side thanks!

[kygolfer1980]

How do you swing your hybrid? I used to try to swing my hybrid like a fairway wood and sweep it and was more inconsistent. My instructor told me to hit it like an iron and hit down on and it allowed me to strike it solid on a regular basis. Just an idea...

[Mr_Theoo]

How do you swing your hybrid? I used to try to swing my hybrid like a fairway wood and sweep it and was more inconsistent. My instructor told me to hit it like an iron and hit down on and it allowed me to strike it solid on a regular basis. Just an idea...

 

I still haven't figured out how to hit my hybrid consistently. It seems like for me when I hit down on it I end up driving it into the ground or topping it really bad. If I try to sweep it like my 3 wood I just end up getting it off the toe

[revkev]

It's an iron - you have to swing them like irons Mr. Theo - it takes some practice but it's worth the effort.

[kygolfer1980]

I still haven't figured out how to hit my hybrid consistently. It seems like for me when I hit down on it I end up driving it into the ground or topping it really bad. If I try to sweep it like my 3 wood I just end up getting it off the toe

It's hard to look at it as an iron rather than wood. I'm not a very consistent ball striker but I definitely hit it better now that I hit down on it.