Hype about equipment

BrianD3

Just looking at the what's in your bag thread it appears that most here are carrying 3 or 4 wedges in their bag. I would have to ask why, are these really that beneficial to the game or is it just trendy these days to carry that many wedges. Obviously, there is huge hype surrounding golf equipment, more so than in any other sport. It's so easy to fall into the trap of thinking that "if I don't use type X balls and clubs that Tiger Woods uses my game will be crap"

It might be that i'm old fashioned but I have never noticed the lack of a lob wedge or gap wedge in my bag I can do pretty much what I want with a standard PW, SW and 9 iron etc. and I'm not even a good player- off 12. I would be lower if I practiced more and was more dedicated not if I increased the number of wedges I carry.

Also I am opposed in principle to the use of certain clubs eg 9 woods, jiggers, driving irons. IMO golfers would be better off getting some lessons and practicing their shotmaking instead of splashing out money for the latest fad.

Another thing - there is a growing trend of golfers carrying more than 14 clubs when not in official competitions. What's the point - you might as well ignore every other rule of golf while you're at it.

Not trying to cause a flame war, just interested to hear if I'm the only one who thinks this.

css

I used to be like you and only have a PW and SW, but I've always hit the ball a good long way off the tee, and frequently found myself in the situation of being about 100 yards out. Which is theoretically beyond the limit of my SW, without forcing anyhow. My PW was 47 degrees, and hit the ball about 145 yards.. So I was in the situation of either forcing the bejaysus out of a SW or half hitting a PW, both of which I could do. I bought a 53 degree Gap wedge a few years ago, and it worked a treat. The ball sat down when it landed, and I didn't have to force it, and it was a lot easier to half hit as it wasn't 2 clubs too big in the first place! So the result is now I never use the SW off the fairway, I use the GW instead.

copacetic

I think it comes down to how often you use the clubs, I don't carry my 3 iron anymore as I seldom used it, maybe once a round, simlarly I only ever need to hit my 4/5 irons about once a round. You do end up with a lot of wedge shots though and the more wedges you have the more options. simple as that.

also carrying gap/lob wedges is hardly a fad and would be recommended by any teacher. didn't Seve say that lob wedges should be made illegal because they made the game too easy?

css

I agree with daveym, I dropped a 1 iron recently for a 4 wood rescue club, I just didn't use it much anymore.

To be honest the only time I've carried more than 14 clubs is when trying out a club or something, not much point in getting used to having the extra club if they aren't gonna be there when you really want them is there!!

rick_fantastic

id be in the same boat...

i find that my 56degree wedge is prob the most useful club in my bag.

the only wood i have in my bag is a 9degree big bertha.

never been a big fan of hitting woods from the fairways

TheDoc

Golf is a game about individuality. Its what you use. If you are carrying 4wedges around to be trendy and be like veryone else your a dope=D

I personally carry four wedges. 60*,56*52*46* I use them all the time. I personally find im always in and around shots when i can use wedges to great advantage. You can really attack a pin more aggresibly with a vokey wedge or any other wedge then a standard wedge. And although its easier to control a half swing, i prefer hitting a full swing wher ei get height and stops dead, which i can get from any one of my wedges.

Dman_15

I personally have 11 irons in my bag 2 iron through to sw + lw. The LW is only ever used around the green <20 yds. I hit the sw 110 and pw 130. I like hitting half shots and punch shots from <100yds to greens.
I also hate with a passion anything above a 4 wood. I don't mind other people using them but i much prefer a good old fashioned 2 iron.
I am biased as the majority of my golf is played on links where lob shots are pointless in most situations. Sometimes i hit the 2 iron off the tee all day for control. In fact if the wind never blew I wouldnt use a driver at all.

swingking

Read Dave Pelz 'Short Game Bible'

He has come up with a system where you will know 12 distances with 4 seperate clubs. This ensures good short game.

I carry 3 wedges and am tempted to add another wedge. The closer you hit the ball to the flag, the more likely you are to get a 1 putt and turning 3 shots into 2 is the key to lower scores

okden

as swingking said read the bible, here's some bits from it :-

a modern pw has the same loft as an old 9 iron (makes you think your new clubs are longer than your last set) ....so modern sets have no real pw, so you should get a gap wedge.

most sets have 3 to 9 iron (7 clubs) to covers a 70-90 yard gap, and only pw and sw (2 clubs) to cover remaining 100-150 yards. so you should get a lobber or 2.

how good you are inside 100 yards dictates your handicap most not your long game, ....so your a 12, say you play a round but inside 100 yards tiger hits your shots, youd shoot 2 over, .....but if you finished off tigers shots inside 100 yards youd shoot 10 over. ....so the idea is you fill up the 100yard gap with wedges and practice that.

statisticly puts outside 20 feet are hardly ever made by even the best putters in the world, so you can practice your 3 iron for ever and your still not getting up and down with it (statisticaly) but if you can wedge it to a few feet from 40 yards then you can spray your 3 iron 40 yards wide and still get your 3. (or you could hit an 11 wood, lobber, and a put )

its no fad, tom kite used pelzs system, best wedge player of his time (maybe ever) phil mickleson uses it now (so still relevent today).

imho equipment is very poorly understood, it has a huge huge influence on ball flight, the right equipment can help good players score better and not so good players enjoy the game. but your right most just buy what looks good or is hyped or worse what tiger uses :eek:

GreeBo

I have 1, 3-PW, SW and LW
And also a Driver and about to add a 5wood.
Havent had fairway woods in the bag since the start of summer, but out of the long wet rough Im missing the 5.
dont really need the 3 so saving my back with 1 less club.

I use the LW aroudn the green for flops and also out of most bunkers inside 10yrds.

SW for longer greenside bunker shots and approachs inside 100m.
and also 50/50 chip and run.
PW for 100M+ and whatever else I fee like at the time.

Most teaching pros would advise an extra wedge, esp a LW in my experience.
I havent found the need for a GW but that might be due to the loft on my SW.

Rescue clubs dont seem right to me, maybe that would change if I hit one though.
I used to think the big drivers were stupid

css

I guess at the end of the day with everyone being different and having different ways of playing the game, it's a matter of choice really.

To knock new technologies as damning the game and stuff is pointless, they are there, people are using them. It's a matter of choosing what works for you and going with it!

I've only recently got a rescue club, and to be honest it's the reason I've dropped my 1 iron, I love it!! But each to their own as they say..

okden

the funny thing is there is nothing new about any of the clubs, shape wise anyway, they're all hundreds of years old, rescue clubs, jiggers, insert putters, ....all ancient designs. the game has a lot more history and tradition than the mass produced cookie cutter sets that came out after the war when there was an abundance of iron factories around. clubmaking used to be a craft, pros used to have a very personal set built for them or aquired over a lifetime of searching. majors were won as late as the 1930s by guys with over 30 clubs in their bag. were starting to get mass produced choices now thankfully, but the tradition has always been a very personal mixed bag of clubs.

milltown

I have come nowhere near mastering the "normal" range of clubs. I am, I admit, a poor golfer. This year is the first time I've been happy with using a sand wedge off grass as I was convinced, by the look of the loft, that the ball would come up and hit me in the face! I am getting the hang of it now but I reckon it's worth no more than 20 - 30 yards to me. I am alright(ish) at less than full swings so see no need for more than two wedges in my bag.

On the other hand, I did buy a jigger because for a while I had a tendency to blade my around the green chips and send them flying off the far side. Thankfully, that is a rare occurrence nowadays and the jigger may well be retired.

Someone posted in the bargain forum a few weeks ago that the Sports HQ.com were giving a free rescue wood with any order (now offering a free putter, until tomorrow) so I got one and am finding it very handy.

My dad won't go near a driver, instead using one of those Butch Harmon driving irons because he can hit it ~200 yards pretty straight, which he can't do with a driver.

Different strokes (sic) for different folks I guess.