TOOOO many clubs!!!

In my bag, I have woods 1, 3, & 5, "Fairway wood" 3 & 4, Irons 5-PW + Putter.

So far, I see NO difference in distance between many of these. I know that I'm "supposed" to get 10 yards as a move up in irons (6 hits 10 yards further that a 7, etc). I've read here that as a beginner, I can start with only every other. Okay, fine. I've played 5 rounds (4 9-hole executive + 1 18-hole) and spent a fair amount of time at the range and with the net. I'm not really sure what the fairway woods are for (I assume a substitute for 3 and 4 irons, and only played on the fairway?) but here's what I "think" I should focus on for a while:

3-wood off all tees with a range of 200 yds or more
5-iron for any shot with 160 plus left, in the rough or not.
7-iron for 80-160 yards to go
PW inside 80 yards, or any bunker
Putter uhm........for the green

I'm pretty overwhelmed by all the mechanics of the swing etc. I don't mind learning, but once on the course, I don't want all that stuff in my head and in the way.

Here's the question: You only improve by playing, but trying to do too much at a time will only set me back. Do the 5 clubs listed above seem reasonable to play with for a while? I can practice with the driver etc. at the range, but on the course, I should focus.
Michael

Hello Michael,

You've stumbled upon a secret training tool - one that macho men tend to overlook, or ignore.

With less clubs, three things happen:

1) It's easier to select a club, as your yardage gaps get bigger.

2) You learn about gripping up and gripping down - creating shots with clubs. Now that your yardage gaps are bigger, you learn how to manipulate htem.

3) Your bag is lighter. This is always nice.

Late last year, after the course was 'closed', I'd take my 1 year old out in the stroller, with a 5i, 7i and 9i, and play our 'top three' holes. (They're not 'top three' because they're the best, they're 'top three' because they're the 3 holes on top of the hill.).

They're a par 5, par 4 and par 3, respectively. With just a 5,7,9 combo, I've made 3 consecutive pars on all those holes. (I've also gone bogey, bogey, bogey - but it's tough to putt with a 9 iron.)

This teaches you things. Like I said above, it teaches you how to hit different shots. How to ease off, how to grip down, how to hit half-swing shots. The other thing it teaches you is how to lay up to a full swing shot into a green. It took me three 'rounds' getting the odd par on the top three before I realised that if I hit to a full swing club, getting on was much easier. So on the par 5 I'd lay up to my 9i distance. On the par 4 I'd take the club that would get me to my 7 iron distance. On the par 3, I'd tee up so I could take my 7 iron to the green.

The other thing is that if you swing more slowly, you don't generate enough speed to maximize the gapping between your clubs. This is why most ladies sets are part sets - 3,5,7,9,SW, or 4,6,8,PW,SW (IMO, the odd set should have a GW, not a SW - but that's another story).

As for your 'fairway woods', I think you're actually referring to your hybrid clubs. They kinda look like fairway woods, but they're heavier and fall into a length progression from your irons.

Your 1,3,5 are your woods.

So yes, head out with every other club missing from your bag. You'll learn a lot.

__________________
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.

Right on! Thanks. Do the 5 I've listed make sense to start?
I see what you're saying. If I have a 5 and 7 iron, and I get to the point that 5 is too long, and 7 is too short, then I can add the 6 to the bag.
Is a 3-wood a reasonable club to start with off the tee? I hit fairly straight with my driver, but it's not as consistant as the 3. So to keep the score down, maybe I use the driver on the par 5's, just for fun, and leave the rest for the 3?
Lot's of questions here, but thanks for the information (cheaper than lessons.....)
Michael

Yes.

Yep - that's one way. Obviously you can't do it while you're playing. So when you're in a round where your swing has got you to a point where the 5 is long and the 7 is short, you learn to hit the grip-down 5.

There's quite a diatribe available on why your 3 wood works better (do a forum search for 'thriver'), but yes, the 3 wood is a better club to tee off with. Your 5 wood might be even better.

Just remember, there's lots of advice and information on the internet. Not all of it is compatible with your golf game.

__________________
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.

I think you should get a sand wedge, a 56, or a 58. So instead of using ur PW for everything under 80, you can use the sand wedge for anything under 60 or 70, and it also helps in the bunker. Wedges helped my game a lot, and i dont see how it can harm your game.

This is just my opinion, its your choice, go with what you think fits you

I would be a bit wary of using the 5 iron out of the rough, depending on the course/weather/lie that can be too much club to try and get out of rough.
I often cant get more than a 7/8 through the rough, sometimes its 9/pw.

A well hit 8 goes further (not to mention straighter) than a chunked 5.

Oh, I don't know... I'm pretty good at chunking it straight.

When you chunk 'em, there's no sidespin on the ball.

Ahh I must be more advanced than you are, I can chunk it with a draw or a fade...

Also being a beginner, I found this thread really useful!

Thanks to all!

Steve

really helpful

When I started playing golf about 6 years ago I got some advice from a seasoned golfer that I paid attention and followed to the tee, no pun intended. I was told to leave my golf bag at home and take one club to the driving range at a time, starting with the SW, PW next, then 9 iron. You get the picture. The key to this was not to change clubs until I was comfortable with the club I had and knew the distance I was getting off each club. Some clubs I was hitting consistently after the first couple buckets of balls while others took a few days. After I went through every club in the bag (except for the driver) I took the whole bag of clubs to the range (except for the driver) for a couple of weeks and each day I worked up through all the clubs hitting 20 balls with each club. After that I started on my driver, however, I always started each practice session with SW through 3 wood hitting at least 10 balls with each before I grabbed my driver. This certainly helped my swing and made me very comfortable with all the clubs in my bag.

__________________
Golf is a game of inches. 36 inches = 1 yard
I think you put that one about 2160 inches too far right. LOL

Classic Tour Highly High Bore (Cleveland HiBore clone) 10.5 degree, Gramman TP440 stiff 3.5 torque shaft
KZG Maraging Power 9.5 degree steel shaft #1 "fairway wood"
Knight Virage woods, irons and wedges
Knight putter
Cheapest double titanium balls I can find. lol