Pulling a club you haven't played...

OITW · Mar 16, 2017

You're on the 18th hole, you're one up in your match.

There is OB left and water hazard right (in you landing zone yardage).

Based on distance the tee shot calls for _______ you haven't used this club the entire round. Do you pull this club or use another club that you've hit well during the round?

I had this situation in a round and I hadn't played 3W all day and pulled it and the tee shot did not work out. Might have been better off with my hybrid or maybe even driver instead.

So what would you do?

CBaker · Mar 16, 2017

I think this is more mental than anything, and one I've fallen victim to. I try not to think about it too much and just pull the club necessary. As long as I make a good swing, I know I can hit everything in my bag well. So as long as I don't psych myself out I'm ok.

Annhl8rX · Mar 16, 2017

I'm not sure I'd even realize that I hadn't used a particular club unless that had been a conscious choice throughout the round. If that were the case I'd stick with what had been working. Otherwise I'd just grab what was needed without a second thought.

Shakey · Mar 16, 2017

I'd pull an iron that I hadn't played, but pulling 3w for the first time would be hard for me to do. I'd probably pull my 2h instead.

Misike · Mar 16, 2017

I'd pull the club I hadn't played all round. Whatever gives me (theoretically) the best shot. Just let er go and have fun.

russtopher · Mar 16, 2017

Depends on the yardage and what the lie is. I'd probably err on the side of caution and go with a club I've been hitting well so far - the longer the club, the less likely I'd be to pull it in that situation.

greg19 · Mar 16, 2017

If it's a club that i'm normally comfortable hitting (but circumstances haven't called for the club) then I pull it from the bag. If it's a club that hasn't been played all day for a reason then it stays there and I look for an alternative.

tgtt · Mar 16, 2017

It wouldn't even enter into my mind that I hadn't hit the club all day. I play any club I think the shot calls for.

zbeekner4 · Mar 16, 2017

I probably wouldn't touch the club I haven't hit unless the other options haven't been good shots all day.

mpeterson · Mar 16, 2017

It depends what the club is, and what the history with that club is. Fairways are probably the weakest club in my bag. So, in your case talking about the 3W, I'm probably going to lay up a bit further back and hit 3h just because that club is basically old faithful.

Now, if we're talking about an iron I hadn't hit all day, I wouldn't have trouble taking that out.

Scrap Iron · Mar 16, 2017

Hit it. Have to confidence and the ability to hit each club. I wouldn't even notice if I hit my 3 hybrid 4 times and my 2 none. If you have doubt pick something else.

emart2173 · Mar 16, 2017

I pull the club necessary for the shot whether I hit it earlier or not

Matthew · Mar 16, 2017

I'm pulling the required club and putting as confident a swing as I'm capable of.

obedt · Mar 16, 2017

greg19 said:
If it's a club that i'm normally comfortable hitting (but circumstances haven't called for the club) then I pull it from the bag. If it's a club that hasn't been played all day for a reason then it stays there and I look for an alternative.

Sounds like good advice - smart man

Daddio · Mar 16, 2017

I've over thought this before and the results were pretty much guaranteed to be bad when I did. The thing is, once I go down that rabbit hole and let myself over think it, I'll hit a bad shot whether I hit the club I haven't touched all day or one I hit well ten times. I'll be standing over the ball second guessing what I'm about to do either way rather than being confident I have the right club and that I've played shots like that well in the past.

Wake · Mar 16, 2017

If it was an iron, I'd go ahead and pull it, but if I hadn't hit 3w all day from the tee, I assume that was because I was hitting Driver and 3 hybrid well so as not to need it, I would probably go to one of those.

Jaymo37 · Mar 16, 2017

Since it's a competitive round, and the match is close, I'm pulling a club that gives me a warm fuzzy. I don't necessarily have had to have hit that club during the round, it could be the first swing with it that day, but it has to be a shot i'm 100% confident in.

PizzaBear · Mar 16, 2017

It wouldn't even cross my mind I haven't hit it, I'd just pick what I thought I needed for the shot

Big SoIL · Mar 16, 2017

It depends on how comfortable I am with the club needed. If I'm confident with it, but haven't played it that day, I'm pulling it every time. If it's a club that I have any reservations about, I'm going shorter and dealing with a longer approach. Unless it's a par 3, then it's grip it and rip it.

campilobaxter · Mar 16, 2017

cbaker2882 said:
I think this is more mental than anything, and one I've fallen victim to. I try not to think about it too much and just pull the club necessary. As long as I make a good swing, I know I can hit everything in my bag well. So as long as I don't psych myself out I'm ok.

I tend to agree with this in principle. For some reason, it doesn't always work for me in practice.

For example, the other day I was at the range just practicing. I started with my AW and took 10-15 shots with each club, working shorter to longer. Each time I took out a new (longer) club, I would hit the first few shots thin. Every. Single. Time. After a few shots, I would find the right range and started hitting them more flush. That got me thinking about taking out a club I haven't used during a round during a crucial point.

RNG · Mar 16, 2017

I'd have pulled the club I thought the shot called for especially if the match was tight. It is what makes golf competition so much fun. It won't always work out but that's still the challenge internally!!!

JayB · Mar 16, 2017

Regardless of which club, I play the safe shot that leaves me in the fairway with an approach shot, albeit a bit longer than scoring attack range. Force the other guy to go big hunting a birdie and risk the penalty that comes with a miss OB or in the hazard.

The Milk Man · Mar 16, 2017

I would hit the correct club for the yardage with no fear. Regardless of how many times I have hit it that round. You just have to trust the club and that you will make a good swing. I actually face this scenario at my home course. Depending on tee locations I can hit clubs on 17 and 18 tees that I haven't hit previously.