18 replies to this topic

[H-Blade]

For a 20 handicap who lives in Northern Ohio what would be the better bag set up:

3 wood, 5 wood, 4 hybrid

-or-

3 wood, 3 hybrid, 4 hybrid

Thanks,
dm289

[TMelectric]

I like the 3wood, 5wood, 4hybrid better. That is what I use because I can hit the 5 wood easier in thicker grass. I play a 3 and 4 iron and can hit them well so the 3 hybrid is not needed in my bag.

[Fourmyle of Ceres]

It really does come down to whether you're more comfortable hitting a 19-degree fairway or 19-degree hybrid.

I'm a 19-ish handicapper with very limited clubhead speed. For me a 19-degree fairway will get up in the air a lot moreso than 19-degree hybrid. And I just generally have always liked fairway woods while having very mixed results with hybrids.

One thing to consider. Unless you have much more clubhead speed than I do, a 15-degree (3W) and 19-degree (5W) fairway wood that are only an inch or inch and a half different in length will be pretty similar in the distance. The 5W will fly most of the way there and 3W will maybe fly shorter and roll out more but you'll end up in a similar spot.

Same deal for a typical 19-degree and 22-degree hybrid that are only a half-inch different in length. More trajectory difference than distance difference in my experience.

Not to do a "ham sandwich" on you but consider a higher-lofted fairway wood. If your 3-wood is 15 degrees (or even 16 degrees) consider doing all the way up to a 21 or 22 degree 7W. That will hit shots much, much farther than your 4-hybrid and also hit the ball much, much higher (and a good bit shorter) than the 3-wood. Great combination.

My bag has a 12-degree 910d2 driver, 15-degree 910f 3W (for hitting low runners), 21-degree 910f 7W (that's my high-hitting 175 club) and then a 4-iron with 24 degrees of loft. I keep all three of the 910 woods cranked +1.5 on the loft so they're really 13.5, 16.7, 22.5 which suits my low clubhead speed.

[jmvargas]

i would recommend 3W, 5W, and 7W...( i even have a 9W to replace my 5-iron)

...i find the higher lofted woods easier to master than the equivalent lofted hybrids....

they also go higher and a bit longer than their counterpart hybrid....

.....but that's just me..

[atlanta golfer]

I think you should find a hybrid and/or fairway wood brand and model you like, and then decide.

Speaking for myself, as a mid single digit handicapper, I use 3 and 4 hybrids, and then have one fairway wood in the bag which I seldom use.  Other than Driver, I just don't see the need to hit anything more than 200 yards, that often, or else the risk/reward scenario causes me to use the shorter club.

Check out the TEE Trilogy line in both hybrids and fw woods for economical easy to use options.

[mdb0103]

Northern Ohio... go with 3w 5w 4h. I don't know about you, but where I'm at the courses get pretty dried out in the summer. I go with clubs that launch a little higher, spin a little more and land softer to hold greens. That's just me though.

[H-Blade]

Thanks for the feedback, I just ordered a Ping G15 4 hybrid (23°) to replace my old Callaway Heavenwood and will keep my 3W, 5W for now.

[parpar41]

good call; as a general rule a 5w is much more user-friendly than a 3H

[atlanta golfer]

parpar41, on 05 November 2012 - 12:58 PM, said:

good call; as a general rule a 5w is much more user-friendly than a 3H

They aren't supposed to be.  The hybrid has a shorter shaft and can be used in poor lies such as rough or hardpan.  The head is heavier and even with a mishit the hybrid is going to produce a shot that is 80% of the intended distance.

There isn't a right or wrong answer for the OP but I definitely will dispute any "general rule" that a 5w is easier to use than a 3H

Edited by atlanta golfer, 05 November 2012 - 04:53 PM.

[mdb0103]

atlanta golfer, on 05 November 2012 - 04:51 PM, said:

parpar41, on 05 November 2012 - 12:58 PM, said:

good call; as a general rule a 5w is much more user-friendly than a 3H

They aren't supposed to be.  The hybrid has a shorter shaft and can be used in poor lies such as rough or hardpan.  The head is heavier and even with a mishit the hybrid is going to produce a shot that is 80% of the intended distance.

There isn't a right or wrong answer for the OP but I definitely will dispute any "general rule" that a 5w is easier to use than a 3H

I'm not saying you're wrong, because the logic is completely right, but im with parpar on this one. For some reason, I hook hybrids a lot more than I do 5 woods.

[Fourmyle of Ceres]

It's why I've tried so many hybrids over the years. But they always either fly much shorter than a fairway wood if I sweep them or pop way up in the air if I hit down. Neither swing goes any farther than a low-lofted iron.

The best results are with the Razr X Tour. Basically a short shafted low ballflight mini-fairway wood. But in the end I just stick with 7w and 4i.

[kirksingleton]

right now I am using  10.5 d, 15* 3 wood, 17* hybrid, 23* hybrid 27* or 5 iron 6-w, g,s,L (no 3 iron).
I am switching over (ordered) to titleist 913 10.5 driver (opened to 12) 16* 4wood, 17* 6 wood, 23* hybrid. I am undecited if I will use the 27* hybrid but probably yes.
I am a 11H

[rocker40]

3 wood 15*, 3 hybrid 18*, 5 hybrid 23*, 5 iron

The hybrids are more accurate for me...

[rudtf]

3 wood, 5 wood, and 3 hybrid.  i like having a low and high option for my long clubs and 3 hybrid (21 loft) spaces the gap evenly to my 4 iron.

[will227457]

3 wood, 5 wood, 4iron

or 3 wood, 19* 3 hybrid, 3 iron

buy both and you can go back and forth

[Greenie]

mdb0103, on 05 November 2012 - 05:30 PM, said:

atlanta golfer, on 05 November 2012 - 04:51 PM, said:

parpar41, on 05 November 2012 - 12:58 PM, said:

good call; as a general rule a 5w is much more user-friendly than a 3H

They aren't supposed to be.  The hybrid has a shorter shaft and can be used in poor lies such as rough or hardpan.  The head is heavier and even with a mishit the hybrid is going to produce a shot that is 80% of the intended distance.

There isn't a right or wrong answer for the OP but I definitely will dispute any "general rule" that a 5w is easier to use than a 3H

I'm not saying you're wrong, because the logic is completely right, but im with parpar on this one. For some reason, I hook hybrids a lot more than I do 5 woods.

I think it comes down to each player. I prefer a fairway wood to a hybrid anyday. I have a 3w,4w,5w,and 7w that I rotate in play. I like the 4w-7w setup the best. I have tried alot of various models and lofts of hybrids and have never found one that went as high or as straight as any of my woods. I don't know why so many people hook hybrids. I wish I could figure it out myself because my miss with them is a hook too.
Now my friend could never hit a wood. He used to carry 1irons,2irons instead of woods. When he first tried one of my hybrids it was gold for him. He carries hybrids now and totally kills them every time.
I keep hearing hybrids are the way to go. I keep trying them. My woods stay in the bag.

[mtgjr]

^+1. I struggle with hybrids as well, and I, too, favor a driver/4W/7W setup, followed by 4-9/PW/GW/SW/LW.  This is the perfect setup for me and I'm a mid-capper.

[getting_to_scratch]

Never Liked Hybrids either, but that Adams XTD hybrids are so easy to hit.  

Just got a 3H & 4H and I may get rid of the 3W altogether.  Give it a go.

[duffer987]

Vote for the 3W, 3H, 4H here.
I like smaller, traditionalesque heads, so I've got a 14* i20 3W (which just replaced my G20 3W) and a 17* i20 Hybrid.
My 4H is a 20* G15, not remotely traditional and a proper daft looking hybrid

That set up should cover me nicely from 195yds (4I is my 185-190yd club) up to my driver.