You were fairly consistently 240-250 with a 3 hybrid in the fairway or first cut?

Right now I'm seriously considering carrying a single 3h, 4i-PW and then five other wedges and my putter.

My driver swing is just a total mess. I don't have the time to practice to make it work.

I have Mizuno JPX-825 Pro forged irons I bought on this forum a few years back that I love. I need to upgrade my wedges because right now it's a mixed bag of the SW from my old Tommy Armor 845 set, a Cleveland 56 degree I bought near brand new at a pawn shop 10 years ago (this club gets 99.9% of the inside 120 usage) and a TM 60 degree with a replaceable face I bought at an old Golf USA tent sale.

The PW that's part of the iron set I hit in that 140-145 range. So in trying to update my bag, am I nuts for possibly carrying just a 3h? What should I do for my wedges? That Cleveland has been a very reliable club for me over the years so I'd like to start there in the wedge shopping adventure.

For reference...I'm a high 80's/low 90's player. Thanks in advance for the input.

Unless you are playing the back tees, 240 off the tee will get you around most courses.

You are just going to be hitting 7i-9i approaches.

The strokes lost vs. hitting SW-PW will likely be offset by fewer penalty shots.

Unless it is match play or skins, I would be much better off leaving the driver in the garage.

Yeah I'm never playing the back tees, unless it's just red/white/blue and the yardage from the blues isn't something ridiculous.

My driver went to the garage after my first round this year. Been carrying 13 clubs. Should house the 3 wood too

Keep the cleveland as long as it still has life left in the face. Look for a gap wedge between the PW and the 56.

I cant fathom not carrying a driver, but you do you. I would figure that out before I buy any clubs.

Maybe it's an easy fix but I just got so fed up and then with the 3h being so much better I said "F it."

That said, if I'm out driving my golfing buddies with that club, maybe it is worth fixing that driver swing. Also wondering if I need a different shaft or shorter shaft on it.

Not carrying a driver is no fun. I'd keep it in the bag and just figure it out

ehrmantraut said:

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Not carrying a driver is no fun. I'd keep it in the bag and just figure it out

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Agreed. Take a lesson, figure it out. Not hitting anything bigger than a hybrid is no way to limit yourself. You definitely do not need 6 wedges in the bag.

I've played mostly a 3wd off the tee my whole life. In HS that is all I played. I could smash a driver but was just as likely to rope one left OB.

I'd watch a couple YouTube videos or take 1-2 lessons AND get fit by a good clubmaker for a shaft that tightens your dispersion.

I really think it might be a shaft issue. A buddy of mine gave it to me a few years back when he won an M1 (mine is an Adams Speedline with adjustable loft, stock stiff shaft). I think I need an x-stiff but really need to get fitted

Pahdz said:

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I need to upgrade my wedges because right now it's a mixed bag of the SW from my old Tommy Armor 845 set, a Cleveland 56 degree I bought near brand new at a pawn shop 10 years ago (this club gets 99.9% of the inside 120 usage) and a TM 60 degree with a replaceable face I bought at an old Golf USA tent sale.

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This might work out well, as I have a bunch of wedges that I can part with for a reasonable price. They've all served me very well in the past, but I tinker with wedges a lot since I hit SW, GW, or LW into par-4's 85%+ of the time.

-Titleist SM6 52*, 12* bounce, F-grind, standard Vokey (Golf Pride) grip and shaft (Vokey wedge flex); excellent condition (8.5 or 9 out of 10).
-Titleist Spin Milled 54*, 8* bounce, Project X 6.0 wedge shaft, white Golf Pride Tour Wrap grip; great condition 8 or 8.5 out of 10).
-Cleveland CG 14 50*, 8* bounce, Golf Pride New Decade multi-compound grip (blue/black color), standard Cleveland wedge shaft; excellent condition (8.5 or 9 out of 10).

Let me know if you're interested.

If you're hitting 3H 250 without wind and/or 30-40 yards of roll out, you almost certainly need a stiffer shaft than a stock stiff shaft.

If you're hitting a low bullet that runs out to 250, then that's a different story.

Pahdz said:

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I really think it might be a shaft issue. A buddy of mine gave it to me a few years back when he won an M1 (mine is an Adams Speedline with adjustable loft, stock stiff shaft). I think I need an x-stiff but really need to get fitted

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It usually is a shaft issue. What is your typical ball flight (high or low, shape) and miss?

I am in the process of replacing my driver from an M2 (original version) to a Ping G400 Max. If I do, I might be willing to part ways with my M2 or with just the shaft; it's on a Black Tie Mx4 60gram x-stiff.

Cut the driver down to 44 inches and swing hard.

I'd rather be 40-60 yards farther on or near the fairway than dead middle hitting longer irons into greens

It's the former not the latter. Shaft on that hybrid is a stock stiff. This is an 11 year old Adams Boxer hybrid

Been thinking that a shorter shaft would also help. Current length has never felt right at address.

Went from 45.5 down to 44
Longer and straighter than I have ever been.
Had to add weight to the head to get the swing weight correct but it really wasn't that hard considering it was a taylormade and I just bought and extra sliding weight for the amount or close to that I needed.

I recommend taking a lesson and getting fit for a
new driver.

Pahdz said:

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Right now I'm seriously considering carrying a single 3h, 4i-PW and then five other wedges and my putter.

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I have a real tough time wrapping my head around someone carrying 5 wedges...

Yeah I have 4 wedges...not sure what I would add...maybe a 64 degree?

PW 138-142
AW 122-127
SW 104-108
LW 90-93

This is more along the lines of what I'm looking for I think

If you are that long and consistent with a 3 hybrid, then you are simply giving away strokes and will never get close to reaching your potential if you do not hit the driver. All of the analytics in golf generally conclude that the closer you are to the green the better you will score. If you can hit 3 hybrid 240 and consistently in fairway, then there is no reason you should not be able to hit driver 300ish (distance gained versus dispersion for modern clubs always favor hitting driver unless hitting area narrows and there are penalty areas where driver would reach) so get fitted and do a little practice with it.

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My driver swing

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Why do you have a "driver swing"....what do you think makes it different and/or why do you feel that it needs to be different. It's a 3w with different loft. Don't over think it.

Try this....put your 3w and D right next to each other. Grip your driver at the same length and go hit some.

So many options now with drivers between shaft, loft, ability to adjust the face open/closed, ability to distribute weight to impact ball flight, ability to find heads that will cause different spin (low vs. higher). Absolutely go invest your time in finding the right one for you. Anyone that can hit hybrid like you are can hit a driver well. You just need to find the right fit, and when you do, you're changing your approach shots by 3-5 clubs vs. where you are at now. That will be absolutely game and score changing.

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If you are that long and consistent with a 3 hybrid, then you are simply giving away strokes and will never get close to reaching your potential if you do not hit the driver.

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I've had serious struggles with my driver the last few years and have considered just teeing off with my two iron, but it's just not as much fun and you will never play or score your best golf without it. With your power you should be hitting 300 yard drives on the good swings. That will eat up most par 4's and 5s. Relying on your hybrid should be a stop gap measure only until you figure out the driver.

I struggle with the 3w too, it's my 3 hybrid that's my safety club.

It's the sweeping swing everyone always says you should have for your driver that I just can't master.

Also really appreciate the input guys, thanks for all the responses.

Before you check out, allow me to give a no vote to getting rid of your driver.

I am going to assume you hit the ball about as far as I do, maybe a little further.

I can hit my three wood about as far as you hit your 3-h. On a good day I am 30-40 yards past that with my driver. So on a 400 yard par 4 that is the difference between an 8-9 iron and a SW approach. On a 425 yard par four, thats the difference between a 6 iron approach and an 8-9 iron approach. On a 550 yard par 5 that is the difference between 70 yards for eagle and putting for eagle.

Not to mention driver is fun.

There are certainly lots of times that it makes sense not to hit a driver. Depending on wind direction I hit 8-10 a round on my home course when it is an option on probably 12 holes. But I look for reasons to hit mine really hard.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/golf.com/gear/drivers/driver-specs-pga-tour-driving-distance-rory-dustin-johnson-champ/amp/

TLDR
Cut it down and swing hard.

Considering my game is built around my driver, I would never consider it. The only thing I have considered is removing my 3i for a hybrid or 5 wood.

If I lost all confidence in my driver, I'd find someone to help me find it.

CapCity12thMan said:

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My driver swing

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Why do you have a "driver swing"....what do you think makes it different and/or why do you feel that it needs to be different. It's a 3w with different loft. Don't over think it.

Try this....put your 3w and D right next to each other. Grip your driver at the same length and go hit some.

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The driver swing is definitely different than any other swing...it should be to get the best out of your equipment. You can hit it straight swinging the same as your woods, but I have a hard timing seeing you swing 2-4 degrees up from a thin lie and catch it flush. Check out the track man summary of how attack angle can impact driver distance.

OP, I would slow the whole swing down (75%) until you have control and have better feel with the driver. Progressively increase until you get back to 100% swings. Definitely wouldn't let it sit in the garage with your distance you could have off the tee. I play the tips everywhere I go, but if I moved up one box, I could reach some of the par 4s in one.