Equipment
Wunder: How to fix the biggest hole in my bag
There is a section of my golf bag that has caused me more problems in the last three years than at any point in my life. It used to be a section that I had dialed in. VERY dialed in. It’s the section between 3-wood and 5-iron. From a distance gapping perspective, that section represents (in carry) 235 to 195. 195 is my current 5-iron number, and it has been that number for a long time. I hate it, so I’m gonna fix it.
It used to be so easy. For the first 10 years of my playing career, it was 2, 3, and 4-iron. Simple right?
In 2005-2006, I swapped the 2-iron for a 5-wood, added a wedge (from 54/60 to 52/56/60), and lost the 3-iron to make room. It was in that initial swapping that the problem began.
Now, 15 years later, that problem has turned into a complete abyss of doubt, confusion, and damn near Jekyll and Hyde performance.
To give you an idea of what I have done to find a recipe that works, these are the combos I’ve gone through—just in the past two years.
- Dr/3/5/7
- Dr/4/7
- Dr/3/5/4H
- Dr/3/5/3H
- Dr/3/5/3H/4H
As you can see, it’s all over the map.
In that time, the wedge set up has done its own flip-flop through a number of configurations
- 52/56/60
- 50/55/60/64
- 52/58/64
- 53/60
- 52/58
- 51/56/61
You can see how one part of the bag that doesn’t work can affect so much. I’m a good wedge player and play my best when I’m in a simple 52/56/60 setup. I’ve never questioned that—I do now.
Point is, I just want a bag that represents a fixed point of consistency so I can actually play golf and not manage golf.
Make sense?
And yes, I’ve been fit—multiple times, by the best of the best, but that still has yet to solve that problem.
What are the core problems here?
The issues I have are versatility, spin, and harmony. For example, I had a 7-wood I LOVED but it went too far, I had a 4-iron that flew perfectly, but I had one shot with it (no versatility). I had multiple 5-woods but some flew great and some went too far.
Point is, it’s a mess. I would stand on long par 3’s or second shots into par 5’s, and unless it was a perfect number for each club, I found myself chipping a 5-wood or trying to reef on a 4-iron. Yes, I understand that happens, but the margin for error was nil. We live in an age where the margin for error should be a no brainer. Clubs do it all these days. So like my good friend Ian Fraser has said
“If you don’t have time to change your swing, let the clubs do it for you”
My plan of action
So here is the plan. I’m going to start with the clubs I KNOW I hit well. “Hitting it well,” in this case, means consistent yardage, face contact, and playability.
For me that looks like:
- Driver: 275-280 carry
- 3-wood: 245-250 carry
- 5-iron: 195 carry
- 6-iron: 180 carry
- 7-iron: 165 carry
- 8-iron: 150 carry
- 9-iron: 135 carry
- PW: 125 carry
- 52: 110 carry
- 56: 100 carry
- 60: 85 carry
So after the putter that leaves me 2 clubs that need to do so much.
- Need to fill a 50-yard gap
- Need to be an off-the-tee option
- I need to have confidence in them
- Need to have a ridiculous amount of versatility
So I’m going hunting, and I won’t stop until that part is sorted. My hunch is, once I solidify that part, my bag will actually be a set of tools and not 11 tools, a putter, and two monkey wrenches.
I’ll update this as I go, but I’m giving myself a time limit to get it right. August 15, 2020, and that’s it.
Here we go.
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The tournament bearing the name of one of golf’s all-time greats is now known as the CJ Cup Byron Nelson. Back in 2017, it was still the AT&T Byron Nelson and Billy Horschel was still a full-bag PXG staffer. The Florida Gator leveraged those wares to a playoff victory over Jason Day securing his fourth PGA Tour win in the process.
Check out the clubs Horschel had in play seven years ago in Texas.
Driver: PXG 0811X (9 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Atmos Tour Spec Black 6 X
3-wood: PXG 0341X (15 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Black 75 6.5
5-wood: PXG 0341 (18 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Black 75 6.5
Irons: PXG 0311T (3, 5-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: PXG 0311T Milled (52-10, 56-10, 60-07)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: PXG Bat Attack
Grip: SuperStroke Flatso 1.0
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
Check out more in-hand photos of Billy Horschel’s gear from 2017 here.
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More than most golfers would care to admit, confusion often reigns when it comes to selecting a wedge — let alone configuring an entire wedge setup. Make? Model? Loft? Grind? Finish? Two wedges? Three wedges? Four? The questions abound!
While it’s easy to get off the fairway and deep into the rough quickly, the framework question for choosing wedges is the same as the entirety of the golf bag: How should I set up my golf bag to shoot the lowest score possible?
Manufacturers, in addition to, well, manufacturing golf clubs, also understand that golfers need to make informed decisions to get the most out of their equipment. It’s with this in mind, and to help golfers answer the aforementioned foundational question about their wedge setup, that Cleveland Golf has launched its wedge selector too.
To learn more, we talked with Cleveland’s Senior Product Manager, Casey Shultz.
GolfWRX: What was Cleveland seeing in the marketplace that led to the development of the wedge selector? How do golfers benefit?
Casey Shultz: Currently, there is a lot of talk about what grind players should play and what is right for their game in that aspect of selecting a wedge. But there is more to improving wedge play than finding the proper grind. We would even argue it’s one of the smaller dials for improvement. Players can find more success with wedges designed from head shape to shaft, sole width, gapping, and then the grind. Putting a system in place that makes the process of selecting the right wedge easier is something we feel can have a massive impact, especially for recreational players.
GolfWRX: Now, in breaking down Cleveland’s wedge selector tool, the point of departure is figuring out whether you’re an RTX or CBX player. Can you briefly spell out who each of these wedges is for?
CS: For lower handicappers, the RTX series is our tour-validated line of blade wedges. These are for players looking to play a lot of open-faced shots around the green, prioritize workability, and like to flight their wedges. CBX wedges are designed to make the short game easier, while still offering some level of versatility for the mid-high handicapper looking for a wedge that will reduce chunks and add forgiveness on all strikes. CBX’s are also a great option due to them blending well in weight and shaping with more cavity back iron sets.
GolfWRX: Proceeding through the RTX wedge selector, one of the first forks in the road is wedge finish. Can you break down the finish options and the considerations for a golfer in making their selection?
CS: With the RTX series we offer Tour Satin, Black Satin, and Tour Rack finishes. Tour Satin is our most popular finish and offers the most grind options. With HydraZip face blasts on the newest RTX Wedges, glare is significantly reduced at address compared to other silver finish offerings. Black Satin offers custom skin options as personalization and is one of the more durable black finishes on the market but will have some visible wear over time especially on the sole. Finally, Tour Rack is our tour authentic raw finish that will rust over time. The Tour Rack finish also comes with the option of applying any of our Tour Crafted leading edge and sole grind offerings to the Wedge for players really looking to fine-tune their performance.
GolfWRX: Can you walk us through the rest of the RTX wedge fitting process?
CS: Once players have selected their preferred finish, we gather information on their iron set and loft preferences to determine proper gapping. A properly gapped set of wedges, both with each other and transitioning from a player’s last iron, is key to ensuring their set covers a wide range of approach yardages well. We then ask specific questions about the performance the player is looking to achieve in their sand and lob wedges to determine proper grinds for each of those wedges. Lastly, we confirm a preference for traditional or Full-Face grooves at each loft. Full-Face grooves offer a new level of versatility, especially with open-face shots, but it’s up to the player if they want to transition to this groove design. Our algorithm will then take these results and determine a set of wedges best suited to the player’s game.
GolfWRX: Let’s circle back to grinds. Is there a grind configuration across their wedges you’re seeing the majority of players choose or is it pretty evenly divided?
CS: The MID grind is certainly the most popular grind across all lofts, with the blend of versatility and forgiveness in a wide range of conditions suiting many players. In sand wedge lofts, the second most popular grind is our FULL, which has a little more bounce than the MID and is especially effective out of the sand or rough. In lob wedge lofts, the popular alternative to the MID is the LOW grind, offering max versatility around the greens. We’re also seeing more amateur and tour players opt for our Full-Face models, especially in the lob wedge lofts where they are planning to open the face and get creative around the greens.
GolfWRX: Can you take us through the CBX wedge selector?
CS: In the CBX selector, we start by determining if a player is looking to play a lob wedge or not. For many recreational golfers, a lob wedge may not be necessary for the consistent short-game performance they are looking to achieve. Next, the CBX selector focuses on ensuring players end up with a set that transitions well into their irons, while also staying within the constraints of a player’s bag setup. With new players distance, game improvement, and super game improvement iron lofts becoming stronger than those of the past, creating a properly gapped set of wedges is trickier than ever for these players. The selector tool takes the guesswork out of the equation, while also considering a player’s set makeup and interest in replacing a wedge. Finally, players are given the option of when or if they would like to transition into a Full-Face design for added spin on strikes all over the face.
GolfWRX: Is there anything else you think GolfWRXers need to know about Cleveland’s wedge selector tool?
CS: Our wedge selector tool is designed to be used in concert with our set builder webpages. At completion of the selector, a player’s recommended wedge set will automatically be applied to the appropriate set builder. From there, they can easily adjust components or build specs to every Wedge all in one place. Players can also add Tour Crafted sole and leading edge grinds to refine their performance on our Tour Rack wedges, or personalize custom characters, skins, and paintfill in the same place. It’s a one-stop shop to build the perfect wedge set for any player’s game.
This article was presented in partnership with Cleveland Golf. Check out the wedge selector here.
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Equipment
Golf fans left surprised by LIV’s choice of course for its 2024 individual championship event
On Tuesday, LIV announced their individual championship will be held at Bolingbrook Golf Club just outside of Chicago. The event will take place September 13-15.
The late announcement is seemingly due to LIV looking for the right course in the Chicago area that has the infrastructure that can accommodate a professional event.
The choice of Bolingbrook Golf Club has received some feedback on social media.
Maybe Rich Harvest Farms wasn't available? RHF is 50miles from Chicago but at least it's surrounded by farm land so plenty of space to set up
— Crawf_Indiana (@captaincrawf) April 30, 2024
Awful course choice, it's a dog track!
— Rob (@piratedwight) April 30, 2024
????#LOOK: Bolingbrook GC in Illinois, site of LIV Golf’s just announced Individual Championship has tee times available around the $50 mark.
Are you teeing it up here? pic.twitter.com/b8Lgv9ZzhK
— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) April 30, 2024
LIV fans were quick to point out that Bethpage Black, which is hosting the 2025 Ryder Cup, can also be played for a reasonable price, making the point the greens fees don’t always equate to the quality of the golf course.
During LIV’s first two seasons, LIV utilized Rich Harvest Farms in Chicago. It’s unclear why that course is off the rotation in favor of Bolingbrook.
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Jon Fresnerdur
Nov 6, 2021 at 5:01 pm
Is this to illustrate how far you hit it
Paul McLoughlin
Jan 23, 2021 at 7:39 pm
Its a complicated end of the bag, whereas much more simple at the wedge end. At the yardage zone you are grappling with, you must, as i found, consider distance obv, carry, ease of use or consistency, tee and/or fairway needs, wind. For me, no point being a slave to carry, because for eg, at those distances, if you have to carry water are you not better laying up?. You need to able to hit consistent shots, and in my case deal with wind. no point in filling this gap with an unusable club or an inconsistent one.
Doctor Hook
Jan 7, 2021 at 10:08 pm
I fill a similar gap in my bag with a Cobra utility iron (super consistent shot shape and distance, good from tee and fairway) and my secret weapon- a Cobra one-length 18deg hybrid (epitome of versatility- I could play a round with it alone and still card a respectable score). It’s not perfect, but nothing is / can be in golf.
Wkndhkr
Dec 18, 2020 at 10:03 pm
I’ve been golfing for iver a full year now so I’m no expert but I thought this was just the game. I had no idea that the clubs had to beautifully line up with no gaps for any distance from the shortest to longest. I’m slightly facetious when I say it but if it were that simple wouldn’t we all be on tour. If tour players have this problem, why can’t we? If tour players don’t have this problem and we do, maybe it’s because we aren’t as good as them. I’m just a noob but why not just deal with the gap. You said your wedges are pretty good. Just come up short and use the wedge.
James Clark
Dec 12, 2020 at 10:06 pm
I am feeling pretty blessed right now. I live in Sacramento, Ca. We have a wonderful golf facility that allows customers to take any club to the driving range for a test drive. You would just have to keep trying different manufacturers until you found the club that gave you the distance you wanted.
Matt
Sep 28, 2020 at 9:57 pm
Are there any updates planned to this piece? I find myself struggling in the same area of the bag and would love to hear the progress made, if any.
Seth
Nov 25, 2020 at 2:10 pm
I am intrigued to know how this worked out too…
Paul
Dec 10, 2020 at 10:33 am
I have a similar set up. The two clubs for me that fill that gap are:
5 wood: 230-240 carry
7 wood:: 200-210 carry
Good luck
Bernard Fitton
Jul 28, 2020 at 4:26 pm
Try the new Callaway super hybrid 3 or the old Adams super hybrid 3 and add a long 4 iron like the Mavrik or TM P790. Maybe an adjustable hybrid 3 like the epic flash hybrid, can change the face angle to open if you tend to hit hybrids left and can adjust the loft to manage distance gaps.
Pelling
Jul 27, 2020 at 9:58 am
Amazingly, if you just went to 7 clubs, you’d probably score the same.
Driver
3 hybrid
5 iron
7 iron
9 iron
56 wedge
Putter
Jaybee
Jul 26, 2020 at 9:42 am
Bro, this is the perfect opportunity for the Taylormade GAPR MID! Not quite a hybrid, not quite a driving iron. Great flight. Workable. Use off the tee. SPEEDFOAM. Great deals online. Adjustable. Conversation starter.
Heck, the name alone speaks for itself! GAPr
Dennis Beach
Jul 26, 2020 at 8:19 am
Like Brendan H said, fill it in with 2 hybrids that you can have workable distances you can use. There are plenty of mfg’s out there, and you don’t have to play “big brands” to get what you want. Try some of the lesser known brands,as there are some that mfr nothing but hybrids. We’re so hung up on playing what the pro’s play, that we miss the big picture for our own game. I have a few club’s in my bag that are not big brands, but I would not trade those clubs for a set of big names for the world.
Dennis
Jul 26, 2020 at 1:10 am
Could you please add the loft of your woods and irons.
Chungus
Dec 18, 2020 at 1:17 am
True… I agree
DelacruzC5D
Jul 25, 2020 at 11:33 pm
I wish I had your issue…but I can understand the dilemma…
IF, I had your 50 yard gap, and wanted a tee club (which I am assuming is the next club in progression after the 3w), then I would consider a higher spinning 7w or 2/3H that protects against bombs. The guys at TXG just did their final video of “The Fairway Wood Bracket”, and while the SIM blew most everything out of the water, the Mizuno ST200 and Tour Edge Exotic had a higher spin rate, which seemed to regulate the distance. However, I’m not so sure you would want to hit that into the wind…but then I guess I would hit a 3 wood in that situation (which I assume is a low spin bomber).
As far as the next club, my guess/recommendation would be a 4H…but with a steel shaft. I had struggled with hybrids for a long time, and it wasn’t until I read about Web Simpson’s steel shafted 4H that made me try it. It went from my worst club in my bad to my favorite one. It’s now a club that I can hit low and high. In the grand scheme of things, it’s a fairly easy and inexpensive thing to do, so if it’s a flop, it’s not a bank breaker. If the steel is too heavy, then try something like a NS GOST hybrid shaft.
Those be me two bits
Ben
Jul 25, 2020 at 2:14 pm
I think the easier spot is the 4 iron option, I’d go driving iron for that. I personally use Titleist tmb and find it versatile and quite Useful in many situations. There are many of those types of clubs out there.
Andrew K
Jul 25, 2020 at 2:08 pm
I agree with the 3H and 4H combo noted above. I have the same set up and it works really well for me.
Ben
Jul 25, 2020 at 2:07 pm
I ha e similar numbers as you though I found something that works as a 4 iron which is the Titleist tmb (I have 718-4 iron). This fills the 205-210 spot well and has good flexibility with cuts and draws. Several of those types of clubs out there. More options than a 4 iron and for me better than a hybrid for trajectory control. The longer club which would either be 5 wood/7 wood or 2 hybrid maybe, I went Titleist u510 2 iron and it’s working well, it’s probably 225 carry, maybe 230 if I step on it. I tend to hook hybrids so I went that way. It’s an option.
Rick
Jul 25, 2020 at 8:43 am
I had a similar distance range issue – I hated my old 3i, and needed something that flew 215 to 230 (I have similar distance to the poster)…
I HATE hybrids. So I went on eBay and purchased a semi mint condition Honma Extra 90 4 wood (persimmon).
It. Is. Clutch.
Perfect flight. Workable. Not a ton of roll out.
Try the old stuff. The materials take away the extra distance the new clubs usually add, slotting you into the gap you need.
Henri
Jul 25, 2020 at 6:55 am
Srixon U85 4 iron and a 7 wood/hybrid?
Seth
Jul 25, 2020 at 12:53 am
Seems like a 3H and 4H/4i should do the trick. Maybe even throw a graphite shaft in the 4i if you wanted.
Similar to my setup.
Driver: 265 carry
3W: 240 carry
3H: 220 carry
4i: 205 carry
5i: 195 carry
6i: 185 carry
7i: 175 carry
8i: 160 carry
9i: 150 carry
PW: 140 carry
50: 120 carry
54: 105 carry
62: 85 carry/95 carry pressed
P: 6in short and pulled left
Steve
Jul 24, 2020 at 10:38 pm
This describes my bag confusion perfectly, except for the 5 iron 195 part. I’m constantly swapping out that part of the bag. This last week I went back to D, 5w, 3-P, 52/56/60. If I’d left the drive in the bag and just stuck with the 5w on my last round I probably would have saved 5-6 strokes. Also, why do so many people on this site have such rotten attitudes? Why are they here?
Loved the article.
Brendan H
Jul 24, 2020 at 8:39 pm
Seems like a pretty simple solution. Two hybrids. 215 carry with the first and 225 carry with the second. 230 with the second would also be fine as long as your landing angle is acceptable. I let my longest hybrid bunch just slightly with my shorter one since I get more rollout from the longer one. Total yardage gaps are appropriately spaced…
Make sure you take the Mavrik Pro hybrids for a serious test. They are superb, even with the stock shafts.
rog
Jul 25, 2020 at 10:44 am
This is exactly what I did. Experiment is working out so far. Got fitted for a 22 and 19 degree SIM hybrids that hit the numbers I needed.
Chungus
Dec 18, 2020 at 1:20 am
Can you explain your hybrid comment more. I don’t get what you mean by bunch?
Gianni sucks
Jul 24, 2020 at 7:17 pm
As Director of Original content, this content sucks. Why do I care about your bag and yardages?
John Wunder
Jul 24, 2020 at 8:00 pm
I would suggest you stop reading any articles with my name on it. I seem to write stuff you hate. Just a thought.
Jordan Evans
Jul 26, 2020 at 9:04 pm
Why should you care? Because the issue he is facing is the same issue that I’ve been trying to figure out and there are probably many others in the same situation.
The conversational style in which he addresses the issue draws people in and creates a discussion. It also helps others that maybe are struggling with the gapping issue to know that they are not alone or weird or stupid for not having figured this out themselves. Both of which help to create a community.
Communities have cultures too. One thing I respond well to is feeling welcomed and respected.
Your comment seems selfish and rude to me. Perhaps you don’t feel you’re getting what you need from this community. I’d encourage you to search for others that may give you more of what you need. I’m sure there are some that would be a better fit and I wish you well in finding them. Until then please don’t disrespect the moderators or members of this community anymore.
Acemandrake
Jul 24, 2020 at 7:04 pm
Driving iron (or GI iron) AND a Hybrid