Equipment
Do you own your set of clubs or do they own you?
By Greg Moore
GolfWRX Staff
Do you own your set of clubs or do they own you?
If you’re a mid-to-high handicap player and you truly owned your set, then you would have taken the time to get them custom fit.
During a custom fitting session, golfers are fit for shaft material (steel or graphite, maybe both in a mixed set), shaft flex, length, lie angle, overall weight, swing weight, grip size and style. Recent technology in hybrids and long irons means that set make up is something golfers should be aware of when selecting a new set of clubs — it is where a lot of players make the decision to let their set “own” them. But some players are more worried about the price they can get when they sell or trade their new set of clubs before they even buy them.
If most mid-to-high handicap players built their set make up around their weaknesses and not their egos, they would likely have a set made up of two or three different models of irons, and as many as four wedges (48 degree, 52 degree, 56 degree and 60 degree, probably with steel shafts). Their 8 iron and 9 iron might be a muscle back or cavity back with little to no offset and steel shafts. Their 6 iron and 7 iron (and maybe 5 iron) would then have a bit more offset and be a cavity back game-improvement model.
Next, they might have a couple of hybrids — at least 4 hybrid with a graphite shaft.
Their driver would have the correct amount of loft to allow them to maximize launch angle, as well as the correct shaft flex and length to help reduce the spin to optimize carry and roll-out. The fairway woods that they are fit for will allow them to once again launch the ball up into the air — their 3 wood might be a 15 degree or 16 degree, possibly even higher. The set make up might also include a 5 wood and 7 wood.
Just because the USGA Rules of Golf limits you to 14 clubs in the bag at one time doesn’t mean you can’t own more than 14 clubs. Changing out clubs, based on the course and conditions you are playing, means you might have a 5 wood in the bag one day and a hybrid the next. Or you could have four wedges in the bag one day and four woods (for a different course). Maybe you would include a strong lofted 3 wood (around 13 degrees) and no driver for that short, really tight golf course that eats up all your golf balls that you hit off line trying to steer your 9 degree driver, when distance isn’t the major factor in scoring.
Is this my opinion? No, professional golfers do it on tour all the time.
Don’t be afraid to experiment with set make up, but most importantly, spend the time and money to get a set that fits you.
Click here for more discussion in the forums.
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- Steve Stricker WITB accurate as of the Zurich Classic. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Titleist TSR3 (9 degrees, C4 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Motore Speeder VC 7.2 X
3-wood: Titleist 915F (13.5 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro White 80 TX
Hybrid: Titleist 816 H1 (17 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Motore Speeder VC 9.2 X
Irons: Titleist T200 (3, 4), Titleist T100 (5-9)
Shafts: Project X 6.5
Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM8 (46-10F @55), Titleist Vokey SM10 (54-10S @53), Titleist Vokey SM4 (60 @59)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold X100 w/Sensicore
Putter: Odyssey White Hot No. 2
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Grip Rite
Check out more in-hand photos of Steve Stricker’s clubs here.
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- Alex Fitzpatrick what’s in the bag accurate as of the Zurich Classic.
Driver: Ping G430 LST (10.5 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Black 7 X
Hybrid: Ping G430 (19 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black HB 10 TX
Irons: Ping iCrossover (2), Titleist T100 (4-PW)
Shafts: Fujikura Ventus Black HB 9 TX (2), Nippon N.S. Pro Modus 3 Tour 120 X (4-9)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (50-12F, 56-12D, 60-08M)
Shafts: Nippon N.S. Pro Modus 3 Tour 120 X
Putter: Bettinardi SS16 Dass
Grips: Golf Pride MCC
Check out more in-hand photos of Alex Fitzpatrick’s clubs here.
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In our forums, our members have been discussing Mini-Drivers and accompanying shafts. WRXer ‘JamesFisher1990’ is about to purchase a BRNR Mini and is torn on what shaft weight to use, and our members have been sharing their thoughts and set ups in our forum.
Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.
- PARETO: “New BRNR at 13.5. Took it over to TXG (Club Champ but TXG will always rule) in Calgary for a fit. Took the head down to 12, stuck in a Graphite Design AD at 3 wood length and 60g. Presto- numbers that rivaled my G430Max but with waaaaay tighter dispersion. Win.”
- driveandputtmachine: “Still playing a MIni 300. The head was only 208, so I ordered a heavier weight and play it at 3 wood length. I am playing a Ventus Red 70. I play 70 grams in my fairways. I use it mainly to hit draws off the tee. When I combine me, a driver, and trying to hit a draw it does not work out well most of the time. So the MIni is for that. As an aside, I have not hit the newest BRNR, but the previous model wasn’t great off the deck. The 300 Mini is very good off the deck.”
- JAM01: “Ok, just put the BRNR in the bag along side a QI10 max and a QI10 3 wood. A load of top end redundancy. But, I have several holes at my two home courses where the flight and accuracy of the mini driver helps immensely. Mine is stock Proforce 65 at 13.5, I could see a heavier shaft, but to normal flex, as a nice alternative.”
Entire Thread: “What’s the perfect Mini-Driver/Shaft combo? – GolfWRXers discuss”
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Big O Rick
Sep 17, 2012 at 6:59 pm
I went through a Hot Stix fitting in Orlando and bought what they spec’d only to learn later I paid about $500 too much. To top it off they put me in a regular shaft and a somewhat forgiving club. I did hit that club farther but very generic results. I then went to my local Edwin Watts and bought their recommendation with much better results. Bottom line fitting is good but you don’t always get what you pay for. I would never go back to Hot Stix again.
2putttom
Sep 14, 2012 at 1:55 pm
It took me over a hundred rounds to get what I wanted outta my fitted set. The over all benefit is a more enjoyable round of golf.
pablo
Sep 13, 2012 at 3:54 pm
great article. when i got new clubs i deleted my old 10.5 degree driver, 3 metal and 3-SW set, and instead got a 11.5* degree driver, 15* 4 metal, 3h, 4h, 5-pw cavity backed forged irons, and bought used 48,52,56,60* old ping ist solid copper wedges to fill it out. never played better!
Chico
Sep 13, 2012 at 1:05 pm
Good article. This is very true. Somedays I will play four wedges and others three and two hybrids. Just depends on the course and conditions I will be playing in. Once you get fitted don’t be afgraid to do some research and use the information that the pro gave you to go out and piece together a few new clubs. After all this is the best place to do it!