Y.E. Yang's bag

[Jack lives here]

2 fairways & 2 hybrids

Just looking at YE Yang's bag in the January edition of Golf Digest. YE carries a 3 wood, 5 wood, 3 hybrid and 4 hybrid. His longest iron is a 5 @ 26* (pretty standard these days).

YE is not just a touring pro but a major champion.

This sought of makes me wonder where ameteur sets are heading or at least ameteurs simply looking to post the best score possible. I guess what I'm really interested in is if some of the guys on the site play two fairways AND two hybrids.

[oldpalmbum]

honestly why would anyone care what other people use, you have to find what is best for your game not someone elses. i use three woods and a hybrid which works for me. sometimes i use a 2 hybrid and then i will switch to a five wood. my lofts in my irons are set for the distances i want. you have to experiment and find whch is best for you

[odshot68]

the tour players play courses much longer than most of us so its critical for the "shorter" hitters on tour to have better yardage gaps from 190-250 yards. With that said, last year I carried a 19 and 21 hybrid to 5 iron and driver and 3 wood. I had a 10-13 yard gap between the two. Wanted a bigger gap so I switched to 17, 21 hybrid hybrid and it fills the gap to 20 yards. This also plays the gap from 3 wood to 17 hybrid better. I do have a 5 wood but don't use it. I'm not long enough with 21 hybrid into 220 par 3s and I don't want to hit 5 wood ( can't control it nearly as well). I still don't see myself ever playing more than 2 hybrids. Personally, I find anything higher than 21 degrees of loft I can't hit them very well.

[q_curry05]

I am considered to be a pretty good golfer and I use a 3 wood, 5 wood, 3 hybrid, and i'm looking for a 4 hybrid mainly because I like the hybrids. I mean of course I can hit a 3 and 4 iron but I'd rather work smarter not harder so do whats best for you. The hybrids are easier to hit and that is why I use them.

[EZ72]

I game a 3 and 4 hybrid
and 3 and 5 wood, but thinking of getting rid of my 5 wood to make room for a 3 wedge set....
The 3 and 4 hybrid just go up easier. I know everyone wants to hit blades, but hybrids are just more forgiving and land soft. Most amateurs don't have the skill or SS to hit a solid 3 or 4 iron constantly, Pros are hitting hybrids, why aren't you???

[odshot68]

as a side note...why is it so much easier to hit a low lofted hybrid but anything over 22 degrees I can't hit..I hit them thin

[tyler_smith51]

I am a 1 handicap and last year made the change to replace the 3 iron. The only time I hit my 3 iron was off the tee in stinger fashion. My change was becasue I needed a high 215-235 shot. I have a 25* Hybrid that I can smoke 235 but generally goes 220. I hit it really high and soft which is what I am looking for. I would like to decrease the loft to about 21/22*. Hybrids are great, I can easily work the ball in either direction and out of the rough way better than any iron. My set is driver, 3 wood, 5 wood, hybrid then 4-W. My 4,5 and 6 Irons are Nike Splits with DGHL X100 Pured with the 7-PW being the same shaft set up, just TW blade.

I find myself using the hybrid more during the round than I ever did with my 3 iron, not just par 5's but long 3's and medium 4's. Also like a few posts, who cares what you play, as long as it works for your game and you are better for it, game what you need to to shoot the best score you can.

[markheardjr]

I hook the CRAP out of hybrids, they really need to work on making lie angles easier to adjust in hybrids and fairways. I need flat!!! The heel digs in and straight pulls. Bending an iron is much easier and I hit a 4 iron just fine. I use 3w, 5w, and 4i. I might look at putting a single hybrid in the bag that I can hit easy/choke down for 200 yards and normal for 210 to replace my 4I and then start with the 5i in the bag.

[vjswing]

Camilo, Ben Crane, Ryan Palmer, and Chris Riley are just some of the Tour guys carrying no iron longer than a 5 presently. Makes me wonder why a hack like me is still messing around with a 4-iron!

http://blogs.golf.com/equipment/winners_bag/

[crose]

I love this conversation. As long as he's competitive, he might as well be swinging a shovel. Wish I had a dollar for every guy playing blades that could scratch his butt with them, let alone hit them.

[mojo_13]

I might be in the minority on this site but I am a short hitter and carry a 5 wood as my next club after driver. I then carry a 7 wood followed by a 4, 5, and 6 hybrid. I was having a hard time hitting my 5 iron consistently so I decided to try an iron/wood type of hybrid and found it worked so well I replaced the 6 also. Although if it is a windy day I put the 6 back in the bag. I consistently shoot in the low-mid 80's but I found that that is what works best for me.

EDIT:Looks like I need to change my signature

[raidernut1234]

Here's a switch. I carry 3 wood, 18* Precept ECU hybrid (think 1st generation Fybrid), 4 iron, J36 5 hybrid KBS tour steel, then 5 iron on down.
the Great benefits? Playing well? 190 to hole 4 iron. playing sketchy- hit the hybrid.
catch a bad rough in the lie from 150 out to 190? 5 hybrid!!
Perfect example- Club Blind draw last weekend. buried lie in the rough 160 out (could barely see top of the ball), playing partner says "good luck hitting your wedge". I pull the 25* hybrid, choke up the shaft, open it about 7 degrees and slam it down behind the ball. ball flies 140, rolls up to 30 foot put. NEVER would be able to do that with an iron out of that lie.
now back to our regularly scheduled programming....

[golfdad907]

Depending on the course, weather, and wedge setup for the round, I vary between 3/5 (18*) woods and 2/3 hybrid setup. I can still hit a 4 iron pretty solid, 3 is more iffy.

As most mention, I think Hybrids are easier to control, so find ones that a about same distance as wood and look for your desired gaps.

It's not how, it's how many...so it's really not what you hit but where it lands.

[alldaygolferpar]

maybe some people hit blades cause they like them i mean i dont hit blades in my long irons anymore but i felt like i focused more and hit my old blades just as well as cavity backs it whatever people like

[phizzy30]

It shouldn't matter to anyone what you put in your bag, whether it's a 1 iron or 5 hybrid. Short hitters and long hitters alike find hybrids to be beneficial on many courses because they launch higher and land softer. For me personally, I carry a 3 wood, 17 and 19 degree hybrids. I wouldn't consider myself a very long hitter, but am long enough on all courses, yet I like to hit hybrids over a long iron. Look at Phil. He doesn't have to carry any hybrids because he's long and hits the ball high anyways, yet he chooses to because it's easier to hit, launches higher and lands softer. It's all about preference and what gives you the biggest advantage out there on the course.

[cthoend]

I am currently playing the Adams Pro Black hybrids in the 20* and 23*. I never thought I would take the 2-iron out of my bag, let alone the 3-iron, but the hybrid combination works for me. Some of the names mentioned above are not guys trying make the cut, they have won tournaments with more than one hybrid in their bag.

[kingbryk]

im ready to put my 2 iron back in the bag. Been hooking my hybrid way to much latly.

[studatnu]

lately I've been shuffling a 14.5* 3W, a 19* & 22* hybrids for 13* 3W 17.5* 5W and 22hybrid, I know its time to shuffle out when I start to duck hook the 19* hybrid. I'll bring it to the practice range and work on it, when I'm comfortable it goes back in

[Lagolf31]

Kinda off topic but a guy I grew up playing golf with is now caddying for Y.E. I caught him on TV out of the corner of my eye and thought "what the heck?" so I asked his dad the next day and sure enough....it's him. He played on the Canadian Tour for about a hundred years and recently (last couple of years) took up with SkyCaddie. Now he's looping, so if I can get any updates from him on Y.E's gear I will certainly share with my fellow WRX'ers.

[Nat]

Agree - i added a 24* hybrid this year. Had 180 uphill to a pin on a back ledge - my 4i would have been hit and hope, the hybrid landed soft and gave me a 20' birdie putt

[mesegrn]

I am planning on going this route. I can hit my 3 iron great off the tee and pretty good off the fairway, but nothing like a 3 hybrid. I hit my 4 iron the same way. I just need to find the right combo. Thinking about going with Nickent or Adams hybrids around 20 and 24 degrees. I thought about it like this: Did you hear anyone say after Y.E. hit his shot into the 72nd hole of the PGA Championship," Wow that was a great shot, but it would have been better if it were a 3 iron?" Heck No!!!!!

[homergolf]

Was using 3h (21*) and 4h (24*), 5-pw. This left a big gap between the 4h and 5 iron. Now I went to a 22* 4h (shorter shaft than the previous 21* 3h) and put the 4 iron back in the bag. The gap between the 4h and 4 iron is very manageable, and 4h to 5 wood is also acceptable. The process for us guys who have to pay for our clubs is arduous, but someday we will get it right.

[zed]

[quote name='vjswing' date='04 May 2010 - 09:07 AM' timestamp='1272982043' post='2420027']
Camilo, Ben Crane, Ryan Palmer, and Chris Riley are just some of the Tour guys carrying no iron longer than a 5 presently. Makes me wonder why a hack like me is still messing around with a 4-iron!

http://blogs.golf.com/equipment/winners_bag/
[/quote]

I'll go out on a limb with no research on this topic and wonder if the irons these guys are using are modern lofts, therefore making their 5 iron and old 4 iron?

[JunkBondTrader]

[quote name='kingbryk' date='25 May 2010 - 09:47 AM' timestamp='1274795236' post='2465892']
im ready to put my 2 iron back in the bag. Been hooking my hybrid way to much latly.
[/quote]

Been thinking about doing the same thing... I rarely need my hybrid/2 iron off the deck at my course, so the advantages of the hybrid are pretty much nullified. I hit the 2 iron straighter off the tee.

I think the worry about having a bunch of headcovers has been gone for a while now though.

[leftygolfer15]

He's been testing a 5 hybrid as well.

[gvogel]

[quote name='odshot68' date='03 May 2010 - 10:58 AM' timestamp='1272898688' post='2416900']
as a side note...why is it so much easier to hit a low lofted hybrid but anything over 22 degrees I can't hit..I hit them thin
[/quote]

Probably shaft flex. As the shaft gets shorter, it gets stiffer. If they are using the same shaft and tipping it more for lofts over 22 degrees, that shaft is getting shorter and is being tipped - so it is playing way stiffer. And, you may be swinging the shorter club a bit softer.

Take that higher lofted hybrid to clubmaker, have him put in your favorite hybrid shaft un-tipped or tipped for your 21* hybrid, and see if you don't hit that one a lot better!!

[gvogel]

[quote name='kingbryk' date='25 May 2010 - 09:47 AM' timestamp='1274795236' post='2465892']
im ready to put my 2 iron back in the bag. Been hooking my hybrid way to much latly.
[/quote]

Either change the shafts in your hybrids, or change hybrids. There are definitely hybrids that are easier to hit than a 2-iron. Unless you are Fred Couples and have a Tour Burner 2-iron (to go with your B'stone J38 irons.)

[gvogel]

My bag: 2 drivers, 3-wood, 5-wood (most times), 3-hybrid, 5-iron.

I can choke down on my favorite 3-hybrid and hit it in between 3-hybrid and 5-iron. My 5-iron is a TM Tour Burner with a thin face, so it is longer than the 5-iron that would go with my set (B'stone J38 Dual Pockets.)

Now, if I played a certain course that had a par-3 that demanded a 4-iron length shot, I would have a 4-hybrid or a forgiving GIC 4-iron that I could hit that distance. But, most of the courses that I play are either 3-hybrid or longer, or 5-iron or shorter on the par 3's.

[flop2river]

[quote name='zed' date='29 May 2010 - 12:53 AM' timestamp='1275112432' post='2474336']
[quote name='vjswing' date='04 May 2010 - 09:07 AM' timestamp='1272982043' post='2420027']
Camilo, Ben Crane, Ryan Palmer, and Chris Riley are just some of the Tour guys carrying no iron longer than a 5 presently. Makes me wonder why a hack like me is still messing around with a 4-iron!

http://blogs.golf.com/equipment/winners_bag/
[/quote]

I'll go out on a limb with no research on this topic and wonder if the irons these guys are using are modern lofts, therefore making their 5 iron and old 4 iron?
[/quote]



I agree totally...I feel like the lofts are getting stronger and therefore this gap is narrowed.

[phizzy30]

[quote name='flop2river' date='30 May 2010 - 05:02 AM' timestamp='1275224565' post='2475959']
[quote name='zed' date='29 May 2010 - 12:53 AM' timestamp='1275112432' post='2474336']
[quote name='vjswing' date='04 May 2010 - 09:07 AM' timestamp='1272982043' post='2420027']
Camilo, Ben Crane, Ryan Palmer, and Chris Riley are just some of the Tour guys carrying no iron longer than a 5 presently. Makes me wonder why a hack like me is still messing around with a 4-iron!

[url="http://blogs.golf.com/equipment/winners_bag/"]http://blogs.golf.co...nt/winners_bag/[/url]
[/quote]

I'll go out on a limb with no research on this topic and wonder if the irons these guys are using are modern lofts, therefore making their 5 iron and old 4 iron?
[/quote]



I agree totally...I feel like the lofts are getting stronger and therefore this gap is narrowed.
[/quote]

Lofts are definately getting stronger. I put an old set of hogan apex blades, right next to my scratch blades and I can see the difference visually.