Birdman03
Well-known member
I've noted this same problem, with higher lofted FW clubs and similar lofted hybrids all going the same distance. I'm all in favor of only carrying clubs with reliable distance gaps that are easy to hit properly.@SC LEFTY your discussion about changes you are making to your bag and why, resonates with me as I have spent the last few weeks going through a similar exercise.
During 2023, chasing distance (I did Super Speed training) ultimately did more harm to my game than good. Furthermore, analyzing my bag using Shot Scope data, I learned that the gapping between my 7W, 9W, 11W and 27H was not significant enough to make it worthwhile playing all of them. Finally, while I hit my 3HL well off the tee (although with a right-side bias), I did not hit it very consistently from the fairway so distance-wise, it ended up being in the same area as those noted above.
So, for 2024 I am doing the following:
That's 11 clubs, which should be plenty. I finished the season with a 20.8 index and am hoping to get that down to 16-18 in 2024.
- Cutting back to 11 clubs. I don't need any more than that and they'll be lighter to push or carry.
- Driver - At the end of 2023 I played my G400 Max at 44.5" (using a Kuro Kage HBP shaft which I had made for the purpose) and my accuracy improved (dispersion went from around 68-yards to around 54 yards and I hit more fairways), while distance did not suffer by more than a couple of yards.
- Fairway wood - Going to one FW, a Ping G425 SFT 5W. This club is on order, so I haven't hit it yet, but I'm hoping that it is a 160–170-yard club both off the tee and fairway. I plan to use it for some short par-4s or really tight driving holes.
- Hybrids - Two of these. Towards the end of the season, I picked up a G430 6H which worked really well for me on three of our five par-3s (I parred all three in my last two rounds) and off the fairway. For my other hybrid, I'm putting a Ping Anser 27* which I've owned for years, and have a lot of confidence in, back in the bag.
- Irons - Ping G710 7-W. I've played these for 3-seasons and don't plan to change for 2024 unless the G730s really knock my socks off.
- Wedges - An Edison 54* and a Ping ChipR
- Putter - either a SeeMore FGP or the Ping 2023 Anser which I played for most of 2023
What is the loft gap between your W and your 54 deg SW? If it's too much you could add a 49 or 50 deg GW.
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