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Dumping My 3 Wood for a 4th Wedge: Crazy or Genius?

Mors Ab Alto

New Member
Aug 28, 2006
228
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Well, I've come to a cross roads in my golfing life. I have gone from playing blades and carrying a 2 iron to playing game improvement irons and carrying 3 hybrids. I feel like I am on a downward spiral into golf mediocrity, even though I have the same handicap I've had for 3 years (8). I am trying to find a quick and easy way to shave a few strokes off each round, and think I have the solution. I am canning my 3 wood and picking up a GW.

I figure at the most I hit my 3 wood 2 or 3 times per round, and most of those shots are not going to reach the green anyway. I could easily hit a 16* or 19* hybrid, which are easier to hit anyway, and lay up to a decent distance and still get on in regulation. However, I seem to face 2 to 3 shots per round where I am in between my 45* PW and 54* SW. These are shots that have a good chance of getting close, so it just seems logical to put a club in my bag that will allow me to take a full swing from these distances.

Am I nuts or does this make sense to you?

Coincidentally, I am sure I'm nuts, but just not for this reason.
 

Fourputt

Littleton, Colorado
Sep 5, 2006
973
0
:confused: What will you use on those long second shots on par 5's?

Well, since I can hit my 19° hybrid up to 250 yards, I would imagine that he can do at least as well with a 16°. If I have more than that, I'm going to lay up for a comfortable 3rd shot anyway. As he said, you aren't likely to actually hit the green with a 3W anyway. Even if you have the length to do so, missing left or right is is the more common outcome for most of us. I hit some sweet shots today with both my 19° and my 22° hybrids and never once pulled the 3W out of the bag. Any more, I only use the 3W off the tee on days when I can't get the driver to work.:)
 

ezra76

Well-Known Member
Feb 5, 2006
12,412
16
Give it a try. I am up in the air about what to play between my driver and 5iron. I hit the 5iron a little over 200 and very accurate. Lately I've been just carrying a 3 and 5W then jump straight to the 5iron. I have a big 20-25 yd. gap but it's one I'm rarely in. I may go 4W-21* hybrid and pick up a 4i or a 3i and 4i. I carry a 50,54 and 58* wedge. The 58 comes in very handy on courses with fast greens. As far as the Par 5's, I layup unless I am inside 210 most of the time. My usual play is driver, 5-8iron and then a 54* wedge. Unless there is like no trouble and I can run it on I rarely go for it with a fairway wood. Wedges are staying, they save a ton of strokes and each has their special job. The GW is my chipping club so I can't drop that, my 54 is my favorite inside 110 club (holed an eagle from 70yds. a few weeks ago) and the 58 is awesome to hit those short sided pitches and chips, especially into a downhill green. It's definitely saved a few pars already, just have to remember it's a "specialty wedge", not for every sitution.
 

Pa Jayhawk

Well-Known Member
Nov 15, 2005
7,196
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I carry 4 wedges, as my short game is my game, and the more I can add to it the better I score. I alternate between going without a 3w or a 5i. Right now the 3w is out of my bag and a 16* hybrid is the next club down from my driver. Alot depends on how I am hitting. Being colder now I have found that I need my 5i for some of the par 3's I play regularly that were a 6i months ago, and my driver is more reliable than my 3w, and now that it is colder it is a suitable choice for what I would use as a 3w a month ago. During the summer I primarily went without a 5i, but on certain courses I would swap it out.

I don't care what anyone says about the downside to 4 wedges, with my game my score would be worse with 3. Personally I find I can hit a choked down 4i hybrid as well as a 5i most of the time. Actually my 52* GW is the most used club in my bag next to my putter, although I had it before I had the 60*. My 60* is pretty valuable now that I have a pretty good idea when not to use it. Just holed a 50 yard pitch on Friday with my LW, that club is deadly for me inside of 75 yards, as there are not alot of oppurtunity for bump and runs on my home course, and the greens are relatively small as well.
 

Rockford35

Shark skin shoes
Staff member
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Aug 30, 2004
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You should spend more time at the range with two wedges and more time putting instead of thinking of things like this.

Keep your 3 wood. You'll need it for those days when the driver goes south.

Drop one wedge and carry two. Then pick up a 5 or 7 wood instead.

You can do more with a 53* and a 58* wedge than you can deciding over 3 different wedges that are seperated by 4 yards.

R35
 

emc

What would the Joker do?
Feb 4, 2006
895
1
I have 4 wedges because I put myself in the 40-120 yard area at least 6 times a round. Once you have a shot for every 7 or 8 yard gap then you're ok. i.e. full swing, 3/4 swing, 1/2 swing.

I have a 19* hybrid which goes like a 2 iron and then my 4 iron. It's a 20 yard gap but I don't notice it because I can take distance off my hybrid very easily. It's all what matters to you
 

Rockford35

Shark skin shoes
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Aug 30, 2004
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But, if you can hit a 53* wedge 110 yards, what's to say you can't hit it 73 yards? Or 64 yards?

I will stand firm that for guys with 10+ handicaps, their short game is their downfall. Watch any of the good short game pros, and most of them carry two wedges. They'd rather dial those two in than carry 4 they can't hit worth a damn.

R35
 

demon

Hybrids are for girls
Oct 29, 2006
1,221
1
Go with whatever works for you, after all you know your own game the best.
 

Lemonhead

Well-Known Member
Nov 1, 2006
86
0
Drop it if you don't like it. I have always had trouble hitting my 3w well so 2 weeks ago, I started spending time at the range trying to work it out.

The result: Still can't hit my 3w and now I've screwed up my swing. I wish I had just let sleeping dogs lie.

Played my worst round in months today. The only club I hit right was my driver. Everything else sucked.

So, if you want to drop the 3w, drop it. Better to play your own game than someone else's.

Lemonhead
 

Davebud

Crackhead Zebra
Oct 31, 2005
1,723
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45* is a really strong wedge, my PW is 49*, I almost think you have to have a club between 45* and 54* that is a huge gap.
 

dave.

Well-Known Member
Mar 20, 2005
5,926
2
Whatever works for you

4 wedges would be ridiculous for me,I use 49/53/58 and I can't for the live of me see where or how I would need another one,and the 3 wood gets used at least twice every round,so it needs to be in the bag

whatever works for you is what is important
 

Pa Jayhawk

Well-Known Member
Nov 15, 2005
7,196
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I will stand firm that for guys with 10+ handicaps, their short game is their downfall. Watch any of the good short game pros, and most of them carry two wedges. They'd rather dial those two in than carry 4 they can't hit worth a damn.
If I could hit the ball, or practice as much as the touring pros I could get away with carrying less wedges, then again, I wouldn't be a 10+ handicap either.

Help me out here though, most of the short game instructors and short game pro's I can think of recommend or carry at least 3. Tiger, Mickelson, Faxon, Singh, (even though his short game sucks in IMO) heck, even John Daly.... Not that I know what is in every persons bag, but Watson is about the only I can think of that I would consider a "short game pro", that still plays that I can think of that carries 2, and I believe he has always been on the fence on carrying a 52*.
 

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