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Are you really worried about gapping at the top of the bag?

I don't worry all that much, but like you, I want the options. After my 5i, I have a 215 club, a 230 club, and a 240-250 club. Options off the tee, and with long second shots. I'm not sacrificing at the bottom of the bag to get it, so it just gaps out nicely for me.
 
I was worried at the beginning of the year about going 3 hybird or 7 wood for some longer par 3's we have out course. I kept thinking I didn't have the right gap, but after playing a few rounds - I'm with you. Top of the bag isn't as important as the lower portion. I have options and have the clubs I need. I was really worried for nothing.
 
jdtox said:
Having just gone through the ordering process for the Morgan Cup and seeing some posts about gapping their 4i to the rest of the set is that something you really concern yourself with? My thoughts at the top is obviously driver, then I need a club or 2 that allows me reach a long par 5 in two OR provide a secondary tee option. Same goes for the 4i and 4h. With those clubs I'm not really trying to fill a gap I'm trying to give myself options not making sure I need exact gapping.

What about you? Do you try to create perfect gaps between each club or are you like me and try to have options at the top of the bag?
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Like you I am trying to have options. I gap the top end of my bag off my driver carry distance. The 4i/4hybrid spot is a bit of a guessing game for me as I am not as consistent as I would like to be, so I just go for an option that will be the most forgiving and provide a number I need from that spot when struck well.
 
Not really, I'd rather have a gapping issues at the top or bottom (really) than in the middle. I go driver/5W/3i-lob wedge. I carried a 3W for a while but where I used it, it didn't offer much over the 5.
 
I worry about it only as it pertains to making the whole bag work with 14 clubs. I want cover the major long game points but leave as many options else where as possible.
 
My longer clubs have too many inconsistencies for me to worry about gapping. I know my averages, but shot distance can vary +/- 15 yards based on contact. I have had days where I couldn't hit driver but my 3w was a monster and almost reached my average driver distance. Golf is funny that way.
 
jdtox said:
No and thats the thing though there would be some par 5's I play fairly frequently that if I don't have a 3w I'm never getting home in 2. That was the deciding factor for me on losing the 3w and adding a club like 3h.
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You're probably a better golfer than me, but when I'm a 3w out on a par 5 and go for it, rarely is the result a yardage issue. I guess, making sure I have a club for the hero second shot on a par 5 seems like a wasted spot on the bag. I use my 3w almost exclusively as a tee box alternative.
 
blugold said:
You're probably a better golfer than me, but when I'm a 3w out on a par 5 and go for it, rarely is the result a yardage issue. I guess, making sure I have a club for the hero second shot on a par 5 seems like a wasted spot on the bag. I use my 3w almost exclusively as a tee box alternative.
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I use my 3w as tee alternative on some holes but mainly only if the driver brings trouble into play...though on a course I play league on there is a couple 270yd par 4's that driver is typically too much for. If I don't have that 3w no way I'm getting home in 1 and knowing that when playing for skins well.... thats what ultimately made my decision haha
 
I'm really only concerned with gapping up to about 200 yards which is about a 6-7i depending on if it's from the fairway or tee box. I'm not consistent enough after that to really have a true number. I know I can hit a 4-5i but they are usually so low that they don't carry any farther so it really depends on the roll. If I do need a little more carry then I'm probably going to my 3h or 5w depending on the distance. In most all of these cases from 5i and longer it would be the 2nd shot of a par 5 so I'm really just trying to get on on or close to the green.
 
Options, not gaps.

I am waiting on a 42.5 inch Mizuno 3 wood to figure out what it can do - I did hit a TEE 16.5 all the time at 42.5 inches without a problem with a lower kick shaft. And had a TEE 5 wd that was great. I have a Mizuno 5 wd and we'll see what happens in the field as to whether the 3 & 5 pair well adjusted to lofts. Will probably pair them up on longer tees of 6500+, and solely use the 5wd for lesser yardage 18's.

The only way to find out if they really work and in what role is to play them.
 
I'm feeling much better after reading these posts..
Driver, and a 2h, 3h and 4h or a 7 wood depending upon the course layout.
My 3 wood is dead to me..my 5 wood can either help me or kill me so I've retired that as well..
 
jdtox said:
I use my 3w as tee alternative on some holes but mainly only if the driver brings trouble into play...though on a course I play league on there is a couple 270yd par 4's that driver is typically too much for. If I don't have that 3w no way I'm getting home in 1 and knowing that when playing for skins well.... thats what ultimately made my decision haha
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Right, a 270 par 4 is a nice little treat though!
 
Yes.

I play a lot of par 3's over 200y and flirt with hazards for position off the tee and fairway. I'm generally less concerned about my 3W and more concerned about versatility and exact yardages in the 2h, 3y, 3i, 3u, and 4i range. They don't get used quite as much, but that part is a little like wedge grinds and lofts - need a good mix of shots.
 
I just looked at my Arccos usages from last year and pretty interesting.. The 2w is my driver BTW its listed as that because I was testing shafts last year and ultimately ended up using that one. Clearly I don't need a 2h even though I loved that club.

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jdtox said:
Having just gone through the ordering process for the Morgan Cup and seeing some posts about gapping their 4i to the rest of the set is that something you really concern yourself with? My thoughts at the top is obviously driver, then I need a club or 2 that allows me reach a long par 5 in two OR provide a secondary tee option. Same goes for the 4i and 4h. With those clubs I'm not really trying to fill a gap I'm trying to give myself options not making sure I need exact gapping.

What about you? Do you try to create perfect gaps between each club or are you like me and try to have options at the top of the bag?
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Love this topic.

I spend more time at the top of the bag because of the various courses and distances I play regularly combined with how versatile I try to be with my wedges. It makes the bottom of the bag easy for me, but the top I want tee options based on length and conditions so I’ve actually got 2-3 setups I alternate.
 
No, I don't even carry a 3w, I'm not good enough to get on greens from great lengths and I carry plenty to layup.
 
jdtox said:
Having just gone through the ordering process for the Morgan Cup and seeing some posts about gapping their 4i to the rest of the set is that something you really concern yourself with? My thoughts at the top is obviously driver, then I need a club or 2 that allows me reach a long par 5 in two OR provide a secondary tee option. Same goes for the 4i and 4h. With those clubs I'm not really trying to fill a gap I'm trying to give myself options not making sure I need exact gapping.

What about you? Do you try to create perfect gaps between each club or are you like me and try to have options at the top of the bag?
Click to expand...
Perfect gaps require perfect strikes, which for amateurs are fewer and farther between as clubs get longer.

Right now, I have a gap of roughly 50-60 yards between driver and my first iron. I cover that gap with 2 clubs. It’s unrealistic for me at my current skill level to expect to hit accurate and consistent shots at those distances. I fill that gap with 3w and 2u and choose whichever club base on lie, where I want it to end up on a good strike, and what will likely hurt me least on suboptimal strikes.
 
just need to know the gaps for carrying trouble. I play courses with a lot of bunkers and washes. Need to be able to stay short or know that it will carry.
 
Damn you @jdtox !! Now you've got me on the Cobra site looking at 5 woods and 3,5 hybrids! Way to get in my head! 🥺
 
Somewhat. Top two spots in my bag are mostly about distance for me. Driver obviously, then a fairway. Fairway has historically been a second tee option and second shots on long par 5s every once in a blue moon. I went 4W this year to try and tame the off the deck portion of that, but I'm still really shooting for whatever distance I can get there.

From my 3H down, I am worried about gapping. My 4H has gapped as an iron essentially (which is lucky), which is why I swapped out a 5W for a 3H. I lose some potential distance, but gain consistency in my distance dispersion if that makes sense. I will go for par 5s conditions depending with the 3H. Much more gun shy with a 3W.

jdtox said:
I really and I mean really came close to bagging only a 5w this year but in the end I decided it limited my options on certain courses and/or holes
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I did this in the past, carrying 13 clubs with driver/5W/4H and honestly my scores didn't suffer much for it. After going 3H in the 5W's previous spot I decided to go back. My wedge setup leaves me an open spot there, so I use it, but would probably shoot similar scores without it.
 
I want all of my irons to gap pretty well, including the 4 iron. Above that, I guess I'd say that the gaps are much larger, but I'm not all that concerned about it because it's not like I need a 220 club and a 230 club and a 240 club, etc. Between my 2 hybrid and 3 wood, all those longer distances are covered and which I hit depends on conditions, etc.
 
I don't worry about precise gapping at the top of the bag. My club covers are driver, 5w, 4h and 5h. I don't carry a 3w because I don't usually hit them well and a well struck 5w goes further than a mishit 3w. I had a 3W in my last set and rarely used it, so I omitted it from my current set.

blugold said:
Man, to answer your question more directly, I think with modern equipment and our (amateurs) game, all you need is a driver, one FW, a maybe hybrid or high lifted wood, and then irons. I mean, are you ever between a 3w or a 5w into a par 5 and had the exact yardage be the limiting factor of getting home?
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If I'm a 5w away from the green, I'm laying up almost every time. There's usually trouble around greens, and my accuracy (or rather, lack thereof) at that distance means I'm probably going to hurt my score more by going for it than by laying up for an easy third shot in.
 
I'm very much of the mind that I need options.

I'm going 3 wood as a tee club, but also to really go at par 5s in two if it's open with a bit of margin for error.
5 wood which provides elevation off the ground if I need to get over a hazard or make a real mess of a tee shot.
7 wood because....well, because it will be fun!

I'm aiming for my 5h to be around my 190-200 club, and then irons to gap down below that. That should see me home on the majority of par 3s and second shots into par 4s.
 
I 100% try to create the perfect gaps. I’m super picky about that
 
Snowman said:
I don't worry about precise gapping at the top of the bag. My club covers are driver, 5w, 4h and 5h. I don't carry a 3w because I don't usually hit them well and a well struck 5w goes further than a mishit 3w. I had a 3W in my last set and rarely used it, so I omitted it from my current set.


If I'm a 5w away from the green, I'm laying up almost every time. There's usually trouble around greens, and my accuracy (or rather, lack thereof) at that distance means I'm probably going to hurt my score more by going for it than by laying up for an easy third shot in.
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My home course has a mixtures of Par 5's.

On the longest of the four holes, the last 100 yards to the green is a pond. So on the one hand, I'd absolutely have to lay up if I were 200 yards out and needing a 5w to hit the green. On the other hand, my typical tee shot leaves me about 290 out so it isn't like I'd be going for it anyway. (n)

One of them is wide open but again I can only drive it far enough to maybe leave 220-something on my best day. Still, I go ahead and bang the 5w up there 20-30 yards short of the green and leave a chip and putt. Why not. I can certainly chip it closer from 30 yards out than I could hit a full wedge from 90 yards.

The other two have bunkers but no water in front of the green. One of them plays a little downhill off the tee so maybe once a month or so I'll be close enough to go for it with a 5w for my second shot. Unless I seriously duff the shot the worst thing that happens is the ball rolls into a bunker. I remember the first time I ever reached the front bunker on that hole with my second shot. Had a bunker shot tracking right at the hole for eagle but it came up a foot short. Left a tap-in birdie and I felt almost like a pro!
 
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