My Club Selection

I know club selection varies between us all. I know some bigger hitters that leave me debating a 4 or 5 iron, then they hit an 8 iron further than I can hit either. I don’t let this bother me anymore, just like I will let others I get matched with have fun struggling from the blues. I have enough trouble with the whites.

I finally went back to my driver for tee shot, after a few years of a 4 or 5 iron. I’ve commented on my slice before, and I used irons more for the safety of people coming up the other fairway. I can usually keep the ball on the hole I’m playing now. The 15th at Swan is a notable exception due to ob on the left.

So after my drive my go to club until give or take 150 yards out is my 5 iron. I am adding my hybrid more if I’m on the fairway, but it is hit or miss. I can usually consistently hit my 5 iron well. I may struggle with poor lies, but I can generally hit it solid 4/5 times. I even use my trusty 5 out of bunkers if I don’t need the loft to get over the lip.

If I am around 150ish out, I go with the 7 iron. It usually works, but it is a distance that rarely comes up for me. Not counting par 3’s, there are rounds it doesn’t even come out of the bag. It is a 50/ 50 shot for me, just for the lack of needing it. Sometimes I will push it left, but I can’t figure out why. It doesn’t happen at the range.

So now it gets interesting. My 9 iron, pitching wedge and gap wedge are all clubs I can hit well. 130 out, I’m going with the 9 iron. Sometimes I reach, sometimes I’m short.100 – 0 is harder. I get into the debate of a light pitching wedge, or go for it with the gap wedge.

I used to opt for the light choice, and in my experience, it doesn’t work out for me often. I’ll usually end up short, or all over the place. I’d love to blame it on the wind, but let’s be honest, I’m doing something wrong.

So during a winter round, I was debating between a light 7 or a full out 9. I have a mental block with even irons, but they look nice in my bag. The guy we were matched up with recommended just going for it. So I decided ‘Why not, it’ll be fun’. I came up just short, but it was better than 90% of my ‘lets go light’ attempts I usually botch.

Now, when I am in the situation where I need to decide what to do, I pick the club I need to go all out with. I may end up short, but I tend to be more accurate. Sure, the trap guarding the green will catch me, but it is better than going light, ending up short of the trap, having the same decision and going in the trap anyway…. So my final conclusion is swing away and hope for the best.

By Sebastian Wyczawski