You can have up to 14 clubs in the bag in regulation golf, and it’s entirely up to you which clubs you use.
You’ll most likely want to take a driver and a putter with you on the course, certainly some wedges too, but your options can vary a bit towards the middle of the bag. Are you someone who prefers to play with irons? Or are you more at home playing with fairway woods and hybrids?
When hybrids became popular they were all the rage, but we’ve seen a recent trend in both the men’s and ladies professional games where players have lined their bags with smaller woods, including #7 and even #9 woods.
Are you similarly playing with a range of fairway woods or do you prefer your hybrids and long irons? However you choose to play, you first need to know your gapping distances in order to plan your bag accordingly.
Knowing your club gapping
Gapping is a relatively simple concept; know how far you strike each club so you know you have a club in your bag that can handle a certain distance when out on the course. If you know you hit your 3 wood 220 yards and your longest iron 170, you’ve got a 50-yard gap to fill with suitable clubs.
It’s then up to you to decide which category to line your bag with, do you go for longer irons, hybrids, or fairway woods?
Why use a utility iron?
When you’re teeing off, especially on a windy day, your drives can often get caught in the air and end up far from where you were aiming. It’s best to have a bit of variety in the bag to help you be more tactical in challenging conditions.
An excellent alternative to taking a driver off the tee, utility irons, or driving irons, are often favoured by skilled players that prefer having multiple options on the tee. They offer a lower launch to fairway woods, making them great for getting under wind. PING’s latest long irons are a great choice for teeing off on tight par 4 holes with narrow fairways.
An excellent iron to add to the bag if you prefer long irons to hybrids, PING’s iDi Driving Iron features a thin forged steel face that provides excellent flexion to increase ball speeds on impact for more distance. This club has an i-Beam structure that together with the rounded leading edge and added bounce reduces vibration when you strike through the ball. Aesthetically pleasing and sleek from all angles, the iDi Driving Iron will treat you well if you’re skilled enough to shape your approach shots.
Why use a hybrid?
You may be inclined to fill this gap between your clubs with a hybrid, and they’re an excellent choice if you do. Hybrids won’t give you as much power on your strikes when compared to fairway woods, but they’re very maneuverable to swing and will help you punch though the turf if your shot has landed in a poor area. These versatile clubs are very adaptable and can be used in some capacity at near enough every stage of the hole.
A smaller version of their fantastic G440 range of drivers and fairway woods, the G440 hybrid has a shallower face that helps the player get higher launch while providing plenty of forgiveness on off-center strikes. This club also features PING’s excellent CarbonFly Wrap crown that powers the center of gravity, giving you plenty of height in your shot while providing a pleasing sound at impact. This is overall a very forgiving club most players will benefit from having in the bag.
Why use a fairway wood?
The soles on fairway woods have been meticulously designed to power through short grass, allowing you to translate that momentum into distance on your strikes. You can take them both off the tee and off the deck, and are always a handy club to strike on a long par 5 hole.
As we’ve mentioned, we’ve not only seen a big trend in hybrids coming to the forefront of players bags over the past few decades, but lately a lot of tour players fancy their chances with more lofted fairway woods such as #7 and#9 woods.
These higher lofted clubs are not only a lot of fun to play with, but they’re perfect to play from a variety of lies. Whether you’re striking from the fairway, the rough, out of fairway bunkers, even off the tee and around the greens, they give you a good mix of loft and power. Some even describe them as a bit of a ‘cheat stick’.
The latest fairway woods from PING in their G440 range don’t just look fantastic. There’s a lot of tech that’s been packed into the clubhead to give you a trouble-free time on the golf course.
A fantastic club of choice if you’re seeking more forgiveness on your approach shots is the PING G440 Max fairway wood. PING has redistributed weight from the hosel, screw, and heel sections of the head to create a taller face without altering the CG, ensuring the club feels well-weighted while providing effortless launch. The G440 Max model is the club in the range most players will feel at home adding to their bag.
A more workable club that will benefit the skilled golfer, the G440 LST fairway wood has a smaller, nimbler clubhead. PING has slimmed down the backweight to ensure the face sits more flush to the ground, allowing players to benefit from a variety of lie angles. This wieldy fairway wood will help unlock greater shot-shaping potential for confident players with faster swing speeds.
If you suffer from having a slice in your swing, the PING G440 SFT fairway wood will be the model for you. SFT stands for ‘Straight Flight Technology’, and this model features an internal draw bias that together with the titanium face, help you hit the ball far and straight. Overall, this club will give you more confidence when standing over the ball, and help keep your shots on the fairway.
If you’d like to learn more about the clubs in your bag, the distances you strike them, and how the latest clubs on the market can benefit your game, you can always find us ready to help you in the pro shop.