I've just sold my TM rescue mid 19 deg as I think I need a 22 deg......or do I ?

I have in my bag:

Mizuno MP-001 10.5 Driver, Ping G5 3 wood, 4 Iron - SW Mizuno MX-15, 58 deg Wedge, Oddy 2 ball Putter

Does this bag need an additional club somewhere ? cant hit my 3 wood off the deck at all, so its pretty useless at the moment as I'm booming my driver.

Eh ?

Sorry Stokie - I read it as you'd just bough a TM 19 degree! IMO you should have kept that one as the 22 degree hybrid will just be a replacement for your 4 iron. Why did you sell the 19 degree in the first place?

You mighht want to try a 5 or even a 7 wood?  

I've just added a 24* hybrid although I previously managed without. Gives me a few more options on long par 3's or approach shots where I need it to drop & stop.

I do also carry a 19* though

On trying some kit last week, i ended up with a 4-PW and a 22* Burner No4 Hybrid (i.e. should be a replacement 4 wood), reason for this even though they are supposed to be the same 'club' the hybrid definately goes further either off the tee or from the ground (rough figures are 180yds for 4i and 200yds for 4h). I'm also looking at getting a 19* Burner 3 Hybrid to bridge the gap between 3wood and 4 hybrid.

There is a golden rule used by many fitters in the US,  38/24

No club longer than 38" no loft lower than 24, this is a good guide unless you are in single figures.  I would look at dropping the 4 iron, your 5 is probably a 26.  Then get 1 hybrid for now, a 21, and a gap wedge.  Anything over a 5 iron you are going to be playing safe anyway, so one club is fine.  many guys being fitted in the US are using 12 degree drivers, then a 4 wood at 16/17  then 2 hybrids,  19 and 24, then 6 iron down, plus a gap, 52 ish and 58ish.  With the right shafts this is a great bag for a beginner. Compare that to 'old school'   9 degree driver, 13 deg 3 wood, one hybrid at most and 4-PW. 

Few players need a 3 wood anymore, certainly even 15 degrees is really only for lower handicappers, most players would be better with 17 degree 4 wood.

Lot of sense in what you're saying Wormburner... Amazing how many time you get the 3 or 4 iron out, duff it 50 yards down the middle and then take out the 7 iron!

I think its a bit of an ego thing - we make this already difficult enough game even more hard just by believing me can use 9and need to use!) all of the tools available to us.

Also, like 23rd Man said, a gap wedge is a great addition - my 50 degree wedge is the second most used club in my bag these days.

this - 'unless your lower handicap' - is pretty much nonsense.

where i think us higher handicappers have most difficulties is course management and on and around the green. Too many wedges and choice of shots puts ideas and doubts with equal measures - giving duff chips etc. Higher handicappers also tend not to practice putting enough.(Hold my hands up and say guilty)

put a long iron or fairway wood in my hands and i'll be happy

' think its a bit of an ego thing....'

Sorry Monkeytaff but that statement is nonsense and I have to agree with Damon. 

What's egotistic about have 3 and 4 irons in the bag?  I carry both and use them but don't play a hybrids (girls club ).  We could argue ego all day but that honour fr me goes to the 9* driver players who rave and try to hit 300 yards every time they hit the ball.  As Damon said, course management and I'll add control.

And just to be totally annoyingly argumentative  I think a Gap Wedge doesn't do a lot of players any favours.  Good golf is about 'shots in the bag' not 'clubs in the bag'.  Practice various shots from various ranges with various clubs.

Don't disagree with you really Stickman (apart from the GW which is my saviour!).

Like you I can't get on with hybrids (sounds like you just won't !) and carry a 4 iron. The ego thing is a personal thing and quite often I'll take out the 4 iron and have a 50/50 change of getting to pitch range of the green for my third, whereas when I use my head and go 6 iron, 9 iron I will generally get par or bogey (which playing off 18 is my target!). I've stopped using my fairway woods off the deck unless things are going really badly and I've got nothing to play for but practice.

I just find playing sensibly for 18 holes really, really difficult!

Stickman,

Your statement about gap wedges is a bit of a nonsense. Are you saying 15 years ago when the PW was about 52* it was a redundant club? Most amateurs simply don't have the skill to get everything they need from todays 46-8* PW. A gap wedge is simply an old style PW and is about as useful a club as it's possible to have. The 60* is the one most don't need. 

Like you I can't get on with hybrids (sounds like you just won't !)... Bit of both really.

Never really got on with them to be honest and IMO there a bit of a revenue avenue for manufactures.  I'm sort of in the mind that they are an alternative for fundamental swing issues etc.  I probably see more people either miss hit them or don't really know when to hit them.... it's like some players can't conistantly judge how far the thing will go.

Do here what you're saying about fairways off the deck .  I can carry good distance to manage the course which is one of the reasons I've moved to the 2 wood (13*) /  4 wood (16.5*) combination.

Here's a thought, when I started playing regularly my first 2 years were on a tight 9 hole (par 3) course and thus irons were the name of the game.  Perhaps a good grounding for low iron play?  I'm guess if players start regular golf straight into a 18 holes (par 4) course they don't really learn how to use low irons properly???

Myth 1 - 'The Dreaded Vanishing Loft Disease'

All created in the sale and promotion of longer hitting clubs.  Thus, it created space for the GW and again a avenue of revenue and more potential drama for the golfer.  Learn the versatility of the PW....

You're right Stickman. I started playing again about 18 months ago on 18 hole munis - most of the par 4's are 280-350 yards so a decent drive and 9 iron or wedge. As soon as you get to a par 5 on a course like this as a beginner you probably sh*t yourself, get out a fairway or low iron and just hope for the best and 7 shots later you're putting to keep in single figures. Same issue with par 3's on these course - usually no longer than 160 so no need to hit anything lower than a 6 iron.

I played at Tricky Ricky 2 weekends ago and hit my 5 iron once and my 4 iron once.. Great point!

I think what you put in to the bag should be based upon where you play regularly as first principle.

Eg where I play there are a dogleg holes and if a driver is hit straight the ball will carry the dogleg in to the rough whereas a 4 wood will not carry the corner. Hence I carry a 3 wood.

I also carry a 7 wood because once you go past the fringes the rough at our course gets quite deep and I find the 7 wood a good balance between distance and getting the ball out successfuly.

As to the original question I found the Taylormade 4 iron and Taylormade 4 rescue to hit roughly the same distance therfore I carry a 4 iron and a 3 rescue (19 degree). Although in summer the 4 iron gets dropped in favour of a tight lies/ negative bounce wedge.