How do you build the top of your bag?

Jman said:

I want a driver with a maximized launchy and carry. I've owned the fade I play here, but there are some drivers that make it more playable than others, I lean towards those (more heel weighting)

5W is for off the deck (90% of the time) and I want MAXIMIZED carry because I'm going to hit it from 240 in, into greens and frozen ropes won't do.

4H is literally a jack of all trades club for me, flatter flight but still enough to go at long par 3's or poorly played par 4's. Also a great layup club on long Par 5's.

These are the things I try my best to design the top half of my bag to do, it doesn't always work out that way depending on what I'm reviewing, but its the goal.

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Yeah, this is a perfect post

My 5w is a combo club though

I've been following this thread, because I felt the distances from my new clubs were crowding my old Mashie hybrids. So I removed them and added a Ping G30 5W that I feel very good about. That left room for a fourteenth club. So today, I went to the local ProTracer range to get some distance data on my clubs to see where the gap was. I answered that question, but it generated a few more. So I'm asking the experts here.

First, the data. I was striking the ball very consistently today, hitting it about as well as I can right now. It was 82 degrees with a slight wind at my back. Each number represents the average total distance (carry + roll) of 15 balls. All off the deck except the driver.

5 iron - Ping G - 178 y
4 hybrid - Ping G - 22 deg - 194 y
5 wood - Ping G30, 18 deg - 211 y
Driver - Callaway GBB, 10.5 deg, perimeter weight set to full draw - 224 y

All ball flights were high but not ballooning, and 75% of my shots were straight or a slight fade. Even though I'm hitting range balls, the distances are about what I normally see when I am "on."

So the gaps are 13-17 yards, and I think I should be OK with that. I have room for a fourteenth, but do I need one at this point?

I had kind of thought I needed a 3 wood, but when I tried a few recently with a salesman/fitter, I brought along my 5 wood and driver, and after he saw me hit the 3 woods about as far as my driver, he said, "Don't get a 3 wood until you learn to hit your driver. Or get a new driver." With a swing speed in the 100-105 mph range, the rule of thumb says I should be getting at least 240-250 out of my driver (swing speed * 2.4 to 2.7). So on the one hand, I am inclined to agree with him. I probably should look at tweaking my club settings and maybe making my driver swing more like my swing for the other clubs to see whether that helps. Or, I could take the better distance and accuracy of the 3 wood and have a longer distance club off the deck.

Thoughts?

For driver I go with the combo that gives highest ball speed. 3/4 fairway I am very picky about. I need a combo that I primarily use off the tee but can provide a level of comfort off the deck. I look for carry distance not too close to driver and consistency. 3 and 4 hybrids are iron replacements for me. Not a distance hybrid but something that gives me good gapping from my 5 iron with some help

I could be way off base here, but I feel like in order to get my long irons to perform well, I need lots of clubhead speed, which I do not have. I find anything longer than a 6I is just too inconsistent. I fill the gap from 6I to driver with a 5H, 4H, 3H and 5W

I hit the 5H and 3H fairly well, the 4H is a different story. Very inconsistent strike but with a consistent slice/fade. The 3H & 5H are both Wilson Staff regular flex while the 4H is a cobra with a stiff flex so that could be the difference.

The 5W is pretty much a shorter option off the tee. I do not hit it off the deck unless I have a REALLY fluffy lie and nothing to lose.

Driver
6W - 19.5 degrees (adjustable)
4H - 22 degrees
5H - 25.5 degrees

I should only need the hybrids and 6W on par 5s or if I really screw up my tee shot on a par 4. I shouldn't be hitting anything longer than a 7 iron approach unless I really screwed up or unless the course design like on the 12th hole at my home course where I have to hit a 4H into a tight green complex.

Trial and error. I have tried a bunch, 3w, 3wHL, 2h, 3h that is lower trajectory, 4h(favorite club) used to have 5h and 6h but switched to irons after about a year being back in golf. Currently using 3w, 3h, 4h for my 14 clubs

I am working on my full swing consistency so I decided to drop the fairway woods for hybrids so I can use the same setup 2h to 58* on my full swings. I usually alternate dropping my 2h or 3h depending on the course. Long Par 3s and Many Par 5s, I will usually bring the 2h. Shorter courses I will bring th 3h.

ntanygd760 said:

Trial and error. I have tried a bunch...

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Unfortunately that seems to be my method as well. On the bright side, I have several clubs I can alternate in if the conditions dictate. I'm not sure I could hit my 3W 240+ into a green accurately so I've been leaving it out. The opportunity to hit it also seldom presents as the distance gap between 3W and driver is about 16 yards. The rest of the bag gaps nicely until the wedges. I bought them to gap with my old set. Might be time to rework that end and call the top good.

I carry 2 drivers since I don't pack a 3w. I've got the Nike set at 9.5* and the Cobra at 10.5*. I hit both at the range before I go out and the winner gets used and the loser stays in the bag. I have my 5w for off the deck and utility drives. All are setup with stiff shafts and what I would think are high trajectories. I can't hit a 3w to save my life so I pulled it from the bag. So that's my story and I'm sticking to it.