Most important club in the bag?

Alpha Dog 1

What in your opinion is the most important club in the bag apart from the putter?

Putter obviously being the most important as it's the club that puts the ball in the hole.

For me it has to be the sand wedge. Good approach play can dramatically reduce the number of shots in a round. Improving my wedge play is where my biggest improvement has been in recent years.

I've never been brilliant with the driver off the tee. Using a 5 iron off the tee would not add much shots for me.

So do you agree or feel another club is the most important?

kingcobra

For me it has to be the driver, my good days and bad days are generally defined by how well I drive it off the tee. It can put you in prime position to do well on a hole or conversely, it can put you in a lot of trouble and ruin a round in a flash; a good start is half the battle as they say.

mr.jingle

Definitely my lob wedge, had it 15 years and over them many rounds i'd say i've saved hundreds if not thousands of strokes with it! Wouldn't change it for any other wedge in the world

blue note

Driver for me. If you're driving badly, it's virtually impossible to have a good round. They're also the most frustrating rounds. Nothing worse than trying to salvage a score every second hole after your first shot!

Howjoe1

my lake ball retriever:o

EvanCornwallis

60 degree is my most important, even when including the putter. It makes the putters job very easy.

blindside88

My 58 degree wedge, don't keep a sw in the bag. As already said can save a serious amount of shots

Hacker111

without doubt its the driver..... if you drive well you are in play and can attack.... drive poorly and your chipping out sideways, dropping or simply giving up 80 yrds!

GreeBo

I'm surprised by the number of people saying driver...how many times are you hitting it a round...maybe 12-14?

you have another 40 odd shots excluding the putter that week impact your score.
bad driving might cause a bad round, but good driving doesn't make a good round.
hitting a 3 wood instead wouldn't increase your score at all imo, probably lower them.

for me it's whatever I'm chipping with, anything from 60 to 6 iron.

sydneybound

Driver for me. Use it 14 times a round on my home course.

For the regular joe driving the ball well increases confidence levels which then have a beneficial affect on other parts of your game like putting and chipping. Well I certainly find the game much easier after a good drive up the middle than a horrible fade type shot which ends up in the heavy rough.

Nothing worse than standing on the tee knowing your driving has been poor, happened to me at the weekend!

Webbs

GreeBo wrote: »

I'm surprised by the number of people saying driver...how many times are you hitting it a round...maybe 12-14?

you have another 40 odd shots excluding the putter that week impact your score.
bad driving might cause a bad round, but good driving doesn't make a good round.
hitting a 3 wood instead wouldn't increase your score at all imo, probably lower them.

for me it's whatever I'm chipping with, anything from 60 to 6 iron.

Could you not argue the same that you should be chipping 12 -14 times a round?
If you drive well then chances are you will lower number of times you use something to chip with, well it does in my case

Its a real chicken or egg one

Ben1977

Has to be the putter, look at the stats. If it wasn't the putter, Tiger wood not be number 1, Westwood would be.

It's the club used on every hole, when its not working it will cost you anywhere from 5 to 10 shots. If it is on fire then take a look at Tigers 61, only 22 putts. A lot of up and downs and birdies.

Wedges are only as good as the putt that follows them. Imagine chipping to within 3 to 4 feet and missing every putt? You would probably blame the chip for not getting closer. But in fact the putter let you down.

blue note

GreeBo wrote: »

I'm surprised by the number of people saying driver...how many times are you hitting it a round...maybe 12-14?

Typically 12 times for me. About 90 shots in a decent round. 36 putts, 12 drivers and 42 between the other 12 clubs. It's a single club he asks for and since I chip with anything from a 7 iron to sw, it's hard to pick any of them. Even if I could pick "chipping" the difference between a good and a bad day at it will be about 3 or shots over a round. A big drive down the middle on a par 5 can be birdie chance and probable par. A lost ball off the tee can leave you on the tee with it all to do for a 7.

Bad driving can kill a round. Almost as much as the putter to be honest. The problem is that driving well can't make a round.

GreeBo

Webbs wrote: »

Could you not argue the same that you should be chipping 12 -14 times a round?
If you drive well then chances are you will lower number of times you use something to chip with, well it does in my case

Its a real chicken or egg one

if I'm not chipping it means I'm playing trashy well and so all my game is good.
more often than not that doesn't happen and so I'm chipping to get up and down and save par.


after a driver you still have to hit the ball 3 more times, so I don't think good driving makes a good round. how often do you not make part from the middle of the fairway?

GreeBo

Ben1977 wrote: »

Has to be the putter, look at the stats. If it wasn't the putter, Tiger wood not be number 1, Westwood would be.

It's the club used on every hole, when its not working it will cost you anywhere from 5 to 10 shots. If it is on fire then take a look at Tigers 61, only 22 putts. A lot of up and downs and birdies.

Wedges are only as good as the putt that follows them. Imagine chipping to within 3 to 4 feet and missing every putt? You would probably blame the chip for not getting closer. But in fact the putter let you down.

puter was excluded from the question...

Topper Harley

I suppose another way to think of it is which club would you miss the most.

I've had a good think about it. Initially I thought my driver as I'll hit that on just about every par 4 and 5. I'm not a big hitter but I hit lots of fairways so I consider it very important. But the driver can have its off days and then I can turn to my 13° 3-wood, not lose much distance and be fairly confident I'll be on the fairway. That would rule both of them out as being the most important.

Seeing as I'm not a big hitter and I can't hit that 13° 3-wood off the ground no matter how good the lie, I tend to get a good bit of use out of my 5-wood and it's even more reliable than my driver and I can hit a draw of fade at will with it. So all things considered, I really think I couldn't do without the 5-wood so that's the most important to me.

As for wedges and chipping, I'm very hit and miss. Can be on fire one day and a disaster the next but I think part of the problem is using different clubs all the time so lately I've taken to using my 60° to chip from anywhere around the green, even when I'd normally do more of a bump and run. I'm hoping over time I'll develop a good feel for it. Early signs show some improvement, so who knows, that could be the most important before long.

levitronix

Not most important but I love my hybrid

Ben1977

GreeBo wrote: »

puter was excluded from the question...

Ya, missed that point

Senna

I would say my 5 iron. Long enough to progress the ball and reliable enough to always go where you want it to go. Any round were I automatically hit a 5 iron second shot on all par 5's and use it when i'm left with 200+ to the green on par 4's will produce a good steady score (33-37 points).
I used to always hit 3 woods and rescues on par 5's and really its of no benefit, I'm never going to reach the green and I run the risk of hitting them badly and maybe leaving me in worse trouble, or when I do hit them well I could leave myself with a 70-80 yard shot, when I really prefer a full club or full wedge into a green.

mike12

Driver, After the Putter it is the most used club in the Bag. It can't make a score on its own but it can wreck one. Driver short iron will always lead to better scores than hitting 3/4 irons into greens. For me good driving=good scoring.
Mike

GreeBo

mike12 wrote: »

Driver, After the Putter it is the most used club in the Bag. It can't make a score on its own but it can wreck one. Driver short iron will always lead to better scores than hitting 3/4 irons into greens. For me good driving=good scoring.
Mike

What about the days where you are driving badly and missing fairways?
Chipping out from behind trees or reloading happens far more with a driver than it does with a 4 iron off the tee.

I think people forget to take this into account, its not about how good the good shots are, its about how good the bad ones are. (Unless you are a pro and just trying to win a tournament, rather than play consistently well and lower your handicap of course)

HuntingDrog

my brain!

Miley Byrne

Would it be possible that what is most important to one golfer may not be most important to another golfer?

Driver for me. When I drive well I normally score pretty well. I chip mostly with a 60 deg and while that club is important, I also chip with a 56 or 52 depending on the type of shot needed. But the OP asked for one club So I'll stick with the trusty driver

PARlance

Driver for me too.
Important in so many ways, not always positive.

- When it's bad, it's real bad and puts me in serious trouble.
- I'm starting to improve with it and the good ones are really good
- However, I over use it when I'm hitting it well, the relative novelty of hitting it well can throw any course management game plan out the window.

I could of course ditch it and opt for my 3 wood off the tee.
I've thought about doing this several times as I don't lose much distance and it's a more reliable club.
However, I don't want to play golf without a driver, and its not going to improve in the shed.
So if it takes this year to get it to where it needs to be then fine by me, it has come on leaps but still not where I need to be.

I hope by next year that it isn't the most important club in the bag.

DuckSlice

For me it would be my 50 degree wedge, I use it from 80 yards in. Use it for most chips unless I have to throw it high then I use the 60. Since I have started practicing and using my wedges more and to better effect my game has improved immensely.

TheDoc

Probably my 8iron and wedge. It is normally the second shot into most par 4's, and if I strike them well, I've got chances for birdies and to put together a good round.

I'd rate my driver high aswell, strike it well and in position I'm usually left with wedges into all the par 4's.

Obviously the putter, although I'm pretty confident with it this year, and not really having bad days.

Tin_Cup

Has to be the 7iron. Never miss with the 7 !

mike12

GreeBo wrote: »

What about the days where you are driving badly and missing fairways?
Chipping out from behind trees or reloading happens far more with a driver than it does with a 4 iron off the tee.

I think people forget to take this into account, its not about how good the good shots are, its about how good the bad ones are. (Unless you are a pro and just trying to win a tournament, rather than play consistently well and lower your handicap of course)

Chipping is the worst part of my game so if i don't drive well/hit something shorter off the tee i miss lots of greens so i don't score well. I hit the driver well most of the time so to Me its the most important club in the bag.
Mike

Ilik Urgee

PW

Can use it on most shots from 110 yards and feel comfortable with it. Closely followed by my 3 rescue.

gman127

Tin_Cup wrote: »

Has to be the 7iron. Never miss with the 7 !

Ha! Love that from Tin Cup!

GreeBo

ajcurry123 wrote: »

I could of course ditch it and opt for my 3 wood off the tee.
I've thought about doing this several times as I don't lose much distance and it's a more reliable club.
However, I don't want to play golf without a driver, and its not going to improve in the shed.
So if it takes this year to get it to where it needs to be then fine by me, it has come on leaps but still not where I need to be.

No one uses the driver on every hole, its not a matter of getting good enough with it, there are some holes that are designed to cause a big score if you hit anything other than a perfect driver.
No one always hits a perfect driver so you shouldnt try to imo.

There are lots of holes (typically) where a bad driver wont be the end of the world so feel free to swing away there. The ones where a bad driver is a big problem, dont hit it.

PARlance

GreeBo wrote: »

No one uses the driver on every hole, its not a matter of getting good enough with it, there are some holes that are designed to cause a big score if you hit anything other than a perfect driver.
No one always hits a perfect driver so you shouldnt try to imo.

I had a feeling you'd respond

For me, getting good enough with the driver is what has mattered this year.
I'm guessing our opinion of good enough is different though.
I am not looking for the perfect drive.

Good enough for me is
1. Not sh!tting myself with it in hand
2. Being able to hit it with some level of consistency to the general area I am aiming

Coming from last year, where a 100 yard slice and a fear of using it was the norm, points 1 & 2 are good enough for me and I feel I'm getting there with it.

Have I over used it? Yes
Have I had range time? No
Have I lost out on scores? Probably (only way is up I hope )
Would I change the way I've went about things? No

As I said in my post, I'm looking forward to the stage where it isn't the most important club in the bag, but for the time being, it certainly is.

Slight aside:

I think you mentioned previously that a driver is/should be used maybe 12 or so times a round. Even if we went more conservative and brought that down to 10 times a round, it would still make it one of the most used clubs in the bag.

(Lets say an average round for average golfer being 90 strokes, 33 putts, leaving 57 non putting strokes between the remaining 13 clubs... 57/13 = 4 shots average per club...)
If you're conservative and only using the driver 10 times a round then it is still above average and I'd guess it 3rd behind 1. Putter 2. A favoured wedge)

GreeBo

ajcurry123 wrote: »

I think you mentioned previously that a driver is/should be used maybe 12 or so times a round. Even if we went more conservative and brought that down to 10 times a round, it would still make it one of the most used clubs in the bag.

(Lets say an average round for average golfer being 90 strokes, 33 putts, leaving 57 non putting strokes between the remaining 13 clubs... 57/13 = 4 shots average per club...)
If you're conservative and only using the driver 10 times a round then it is still above average and I'd guess it 3rd behind 1. Putter 2. A favoured wedge)

I said "is" because I'm assuming a regular course layout, 6 of each par = 12 times you could use driver.

In my experience its rare that you would need to or should use the driver each of those 12 times.
for example, I no longer use my driver on either of our par 5s.
one I can reach in 2 comfortably of a good drive, the other a great drive still leaves 200+m uphill to the front of the green with OB all along the right.
In both cases a slightly off centre drive will make bunkers or be blocked.
So there is just no benefit.
5 other par 4s dont need a driver distance but do need to be in the fairway.
dont get me wrong a great drive makes them easy holes, PW or less to the green, but a bad one means you are struggling for bogey...


Also, I dont think Ive ever played a round where I have hit each club in the bag, so I wouldnt be dividing by 13...

PARlance

GreeBo wrote: »

I said "is" because I'm assuming a regular course layout, 6 of each par = 12 times you could use driver.

In my experience its rare that you would need to or should use the driver each of those 12 times.
for example, I no longer use my driver on either of our par 5s.
one I can reach in 2 comfortably of a good drive, the other a great drive still leaves 200+m uphill to the front of the green with OB all along the right.
In both cases a slightly off centre drive will make bunkers or be blocked.
So there is just no benefit.
5 other par 4s dont need a driver distance but do need to be in the fairway.
dont get me wrong a great drive makes them easy holes, PW or less to the green, but a bad one means you are struggling for bogey...


Also, I dont think Ive ever played a round where I have hit each club in the bag, so I wouldnt be dividing by 13...

I always thought that 10 Par 4's, 4 Par 3's, 4 Par 5's was standard.
That's certainly been the standard layout of courses I've played.
Anyway, it doesn't make a big difference.

My example, a simple and crude one based on rough estimates, was to show that even if it is used with careful abandon, it should still rank up there as one of the most used clubs.
You said you were surprised with the amount of posters that ranked driver as the most important outside of the putter.
We're not all Mr Course Management like you
I'd be fairly confident you are at the lower end when it comes to the driver, and in fairness your home course probably demands that more so than most, so you mightn't be a CM Robot by nature, rather through years of experience on a course that allows little else

I would guess that the average swings of a driver for most on here, during a round at there home club, would be over 10 times per round.
(I'm fairly sure I've swung it more than 18 times in a few rounds this year... and I don't need it on the par 3's ... I'm getting there as I said )
If it's getting over 10 smacks, then I'm pretty sure this would get the driver to 2nd or 3rd in the most used club list by most players (behind the Putter at 1st obv)
So, you were surprised with the driver being selected by people on here, I don't see the surprise myself, as I said, I think it's up there behind the putter in 2nd or 3rd.

GreeBo

ajcurry123 wrote: »

I would guess that the average swings of a driver for most on here, during a round at there home club, would be over 10 times per round.

I guess what I'd ask is *should* it be used this often...

levitronix

Driver for me is going ****e right now, but on my home course if driver is going good its worth two shots, turns two par 5's into par 4's.
So it is a very important club.

levitronix

In most cases id rather hit wedge out of the semi than 8 iron from the middle of the fairway

Wombatman

Driver is the most important to hit well. So much pain out there when you are hitting it poorly. When I drive well I score well.

Dolph Starbeam

Driver. Definitely driver.

GreeBo

so for ask the driver guys...how much would your score change by if you used a 3 wood instead every time?

contrast that to how your score would change if you didn't have whatever you use from a greenside bunker...

GreeBo

levitronix wrote: »

Driver for me is going ****e right now, but on my home course if driver is going good its worth two shots, turns two par 5's into par 4's.
So it is a very important club.

how many par 4s does it turn into par 5 and 6s at the moment though?

you don't need to hit a driver most of the time, just get it out there safely as far as possible. if you have to hit a 5I instead of an 8...mneah...imo

Dolph Starbeam

GreeBo wrote: »

so for ask the driver guys...how much would your score change by if you used a 3 wood instead every time?

I'd probably be 3 shots worse off with a 3 wood. Driver is necessary on most holes I use it, the difference between a Driver and 3 Wood could be the difference between having an 8 Iron approach or a 5 Iron approach, and thats huge.

GreeBo wrote: »

contrast that to how your score would change if you didn't have whatever you use from a greenside bunker...

It probably wouldn't change, from a greenside bunker I could use any of 52, 56 or 60 degree wedges. And from the edge of the green I could use those 3 all the way up to a 6 iron.

kingcobra

GreeBo wrote: »

so for ask the driver guys...how much would your score change by if you used a 3 wood instead every time?

contrast that to how your score would change if you didn't have whatever you use from a greenside bunker...

I reckon I'd lose about 4 or 5 shots, on most courses, if I went down to a 3-wood. Whereas if I was in a greenside bunker and took away my 60*, my club of choice, I can simply move up to the 54*. And I'd have rounds where I don't go into a greenside bunker more often than not. Then taking chipping and pitches into account swinging with an open-faced 54* isn't too hard; I may lose a shot or two per round, whereas in comparison with a 3-wood off the tee, I personally am not much more accurate with than a driver and I'll be hitting longer irons into greens, rendering me less accurate nonetheless.

Benny Cake

YayaBanana wrote: »

I'd probably be 3 shots worse off with a 3 wood. Driver is necessary on most holes I use it, the difference between a Driver and 3 Wood could be the difference between having an 8 Iron approach or a 5 Iron approach, and thats huge.



It probably wouldn't change, from a greenside bunker I could use any of 52, 56 or 60 degree wedges. And from the edge of the green I could use those 3 all the way up to a 6 iron.

3 Club difference between your driver and 3 wood is enormous, 30 meters at a guess? What loft is your 3 wood?

Dolph Starbeam

Benny Cake wrote: »

3 Club difference between your driver and 3 wood is enormous, 30 meters at a guess? What loft is your 3 wood?

3 wood is 13.5 deg, could be 3 clubs at times, not all the time.

blue note

GreeBo wrote: »

so for ask the driver guys...how much would your score change by if you used a 3 wood instead every time?

contrast that to how your score would change if you didn't have whatever you use from a greenside bunker...

I'd probably need 2 more clubs into most par 4s and 5s. That would surely cost me a shot or 2 over a round. I'd also provably be slightly straighter off the tee. I might make back the shots that way. I can still hit some wild 3 woods! I think basically on a good day it would cost me a couple of shots and on a bad I'd benefit by a couple of shots. If I could tell in advance how I'm going to play it would be great.

If I had to give up my sandwedge I'd just use my gap wedge. At worst I reckon it would cost me a shot per round.

TheDoc

GreeBo wrote: »

so for ask the driver guys...how much would your score change by if you used a 3 wood instead every time?

contrast that to how your score would change if you didn't have whatever you use from a greenside bunker...

Could be negligible, could be massive.

I hit my avg drive in normal conditions about 300yrds. My 3 wood goes roughly about 250 if I get a clean hit in calm conditions. This ends up being the difference between me hitting a wedge, and maybe going up to a 9iron or 8iron.

So for comfort and percentage chance of getting close, I'm more confident that I'll stitch a pin with a wedge, then I will with an 8 iron or 9iron. And I think that goes the same for everyone. They are called scoring irons for a reason, they are what you should be comfortable with, and accurate with.

So I take the risk of the driver of most tees, wanting the benefit of a comfort shot into a green. Of course there are some holes I leave the big gun in the bag, there is a par 4 and one par 5 that I opt for a 4 iron for position.

But I value my driver highly, if I'm hitting solid consistent drives, I'll give myself a good chance to score well.

And also, I don't really buy into that mantra of if you cant hit something, leave it away. I have heard every type of this OTT course management, right down to a guy who regardless of his tee shot makes sure his approach shot is 120 yards because he can stitch a pin from there. It's great to see, but when you see him have a little chip instead of striking a long iron, you quickly realise why he cant break the wall of 14 handicapp.

The Driver is the highest valued club by pros for a reason, yeah it's risky, but when your hitting it well your giving yourself opportunity. I'd assume for most golfers dropping to a 3 wood or a low iron for their tee shot will leave them a large second shot in. We are amateurs here, and to be fair most of us arnt going to be making birdie opportunities when your hitting woods and 5irons into greens : /