Blogger’s Note: This is the second of four posts detailing the art of putting your golf bag together, driver down to the putter.
In last week’s first post we looked at loft considerations when selecting a driver and we also advised you to get a trained eye to help you find the longest “playable” iron that you should carry.
This week we look at bridging the gap between your driver and lowest iron.
Question 3
How Do I Approach “Gapping” My Long Game
If you have an average driver loft, say 10 degrees, and your longest iron is a 4 iron, typically about 24 degrees, we are looking at what clubs will most effectively cover the 14 degree difference.
The answer will come in two forms, fairway woods and hybrids.
As I mentioned in my statement on discovering your longest playable iron, the emergence of hybrids have truly made the game easier and that’s where I’d begin this process.
Test out a hybrid of similar loft to your “long” iron and see how well it performs for you. If you find something that performs well, try a similar model/shafted hybrid with less loft and see if you can get the proper forgiveness and trajectory.
Question 4
What is the amount of variance of loft I want from club to club?
Throughout the set the general rule of thumb is to have no less than four degrees and no more than six degrees of separation from club to club.
While this serves as a great guideline, the above example could lend itself to be the exception to this rule.
Hybrids should travel higher and with more carry than similarly lofted irons based on the enhanced hitting area and increased overall mass.
Using the loft example cited in question 3, if you have a 24 degree 4-iron you can look at hybrids of 21,22,23, and possibly even 24 degrees, to potentially find enough of a distance variance for it to fit in your bag.
Once you have decided on your hybrid preference(s) and are ready to look at fairway metals, remember that you should notice more distance hitting a fairway metal than a comparably lofted hybrid given the fairway’s extra mass.
Question 5
Fairway Wood or Hybrid Club?
Using our earlier example with a 10 degree driver and an iron set beginning with a 24 degree 4-iron, let’s say you have chosen a 19 and 24 degree hybrid.
You are thinking about a 3-wood, which is 15 degrees, but you’ve hit a 15 degree hybrid and like the ball flight and feel of that as well and don’t know which one to choose.
For me, there are two things to consider here:
-I suggest trying each one side by side to see which fits you better, keeping in mind what situations you might use these clubs. Ask yourself if are you more likely to use a fairway wood off the tee on a short par 4 or a hybrid club on a par 3?
-If you still find yourself torn between the two with only one spot available in your bag, remember that hybrid clubs combine the best of both irons and fairway metals, meaning that they are easier to hit from the rough as well as providing a better trajectory into the green. You may get a bit more distance with the fairway metal, however if you don’t have as much control it will be a poor choice in the long run.
Question 6
So How Many Total ”Long Game” Clubs Should I Carry Then?
The short answer is you don’t know!
Not for sure.
Not yet at least.
Now that you have figured the loft on your driver, your longest playable iron and discovered long game clubs that fit your game and your preference, it’s time to look toward the other end of your bag, the wedges, and decide what is more of a necessity and better fit for you.
Will it be an “extra” wedge or an “extra” hybrid?
Take what you now know about your long game preferences and set that knowledge aside as you work out what wedge lofts and bounces are best for you.
Next week: Questions 7-10 tackle your short game sticks.
Greg
