More important than the number stamped on the bottom of the club is this:

Does the next club you buy fill a yardage gap in your bag?

The problem with simply buying a 3H or 3i is that it may actually be the same loft as an existing club.

My personal theory (as you can see by my signature) is to carry more clubs in your scoring range than at the far end. I carry a driver, then my next longest club is a 3H (19º). My 5W was 21º - close to my 4H at 22º. So you can see, carrying a club marked 5 wood wasn't beneficial to me - I already had a club that had the same loft.

Now, that said, if you're still interested in some longer clubs, find out what the loft of your 4H is. Then buy something that is 3 or 4 degrees stronger (ie if it's 22º, buy something that's 18 or 19 degrees).

But what about club length, you ask? Doesn't that effect distance? Well, short answer is yes with a but. Long answer is no with an explanation.

The primary function of loft is to launch the ball different distances. Length augments that a bit. I had an older hybrid (a Nike CPR clone) at 22º that I took to the range one day with my Innovex hybrid at 22º, and brought along the laser rangefinder.

The CPR was 2" longer than my Innovex club. The yardage distance between the two was 5 yards - or 2.5 yards/inch. Since most clubs are built on a 1/2" slope, the gain could have been more like 1.25 yards. The only drawback to a longer club is it's tougher again to find the sweetspot.

So the long answer is that length affects distance, but not as much as loft. So make sure that your new club fits the gap - and doesn't duplicate a club in your bag already!

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True Length Technology Fitter - www.truelengthtechnology.com
It's live! - www.ShipShapeClubs.com
PCS Class 'A' Clubfitter

A new highlight: Golfing the home course on Christmas Day.

I say it too often: If it's golf club shaped, you can play with it.

For the record, I'm a club doctor, not a swing doctor.