Edit: What golf club should I buy?.. and some great golf advice from HOOT...

[Rerun]

Just got a 13 pc set of Adams a3OS clubs for Christmas.



The set consists of:

#1 Driver 10º
#3 Fairway Wood 15º
#5 Fairway Wood 19º
#3 Hybrid 19º
#4 Hybrid 22º
#5 Hybrid 25º
#6 Hybrid-Iron 28º
#7 Hybrid-Iron 32º
#8 Hybrid-Iron 36º
#9 Iron (cavity back) 40º
Pitching Wedge (cavity back) 44º
Sand Wedge (cavity back) 54º
Putter 4º

The rules of golf state you are allowed to carry 14 clubs. Should I get the Adams a3OS Gap Wedge (49º) to complete my set or go for the Adams a3OS Lob Wedge (59º) or something else? .... or say what the heck and get both the Gap Wedge and Lob Wedge and carry 15 clubs in my bag?
Bear in mind that the a3OS series is no longer being made by Adams (it first came out in the fall of 2007) and there is a limited supply of a3OS wedges out there for sale right now.

[Komskies]

I guess it depends on your style of game. I bought a lob wedge a few years ago and I am lucky if I use it two times during a round. It's a very situational club. An issue for me is approach shots where a full sand wedge won't quite get me there, so maybe the gap wedge isn't a bad idea.

IMO you would probably get more use out of the gap wedge than the lob wedge, but I think the best answer is to "cheat" and carry 15 clubs.

[The Goon]

You could drop one of the 19-degree clubs in your bag (maybe keep the hybrid), then go to two wedges.

[I-Hate-Hulse]

Nice choice by Santa - I started carrying a #3 and #4 A3OS Hybrid this year. Great replacement for a Taylor Made rescue I could never hit straight. Great playability and feel from the A3OS. My first Adams clubs.

That said, it would seem you're trying to "match" your set. You'd be limiting yourself that way. Adams may make great hybrids, but I wouldn't give them that credit on wedges. You can easily get yourself a nice Cleveland, Vokey, or any number of other wedges on sale.

Given your wedges, 60 degree for sure. I don't think there's much point on a gap wedge at 52 for you - you're already at 54. Personally I like my wedges at 52, 56, 60 for a nice spread in lofts.

[I-Hate-Hulse]

Originally Posted by The Goon

You could drop one of the 19-degree clubs in your bag (maybe keep the hybrid), then go to two wedges.

This is a good idea. The 5W will be longer and theoretically be farther hitting, but you need to see what actually works. I'm not sure what your game is like but with a set like this there will be undoubtedly be some overlap in distances resulting in clubs you can drop, likely at the long end of things.

Most people will benefit from extra wedges than extra long clubs.

[Rerun]

Originally Posted by Komskies

I guess it depends on your style of game. I bought a lob wedge a few years ago and I am lucky if I use it two times during a round. It's a very situational club. An issue for me is approach shots where a full sand wedge won't quite get me there, so maybe the gap wedge isn't a bad idea.

IMO you would probably get more use out of the gap wedge than the lob wedge, but I think the best answer is to "cheat" and carry 15 clubs.

In my other set of clubs (got stolen last summer), I had a 60 degree lob wedge and I loved it. I used it a lot around the greens.... ie when chipping over bunkers where you don't have a lot of room between the edge of the green and the cup, out of the long greenside rough, etc.

However, I did at times, also have a problem where my approach shot distance to the green was somewhere between my sand wedge and pitching wedge and then I would have to wing it on feel to get the correct distance out of the pw. I also notice that there is quite a difference in the loft (10 degrees) between the pw and the sw in my new set. I suspect that would probably translate out to 35 to 40 yds.... so there is something to be said for getting the gap wedge which would be in the middle of the other two clubs.... therefore less guessing when it comes down to how hard to swing on those in between approach shots.

[Rerun]

Originally Posted by The Goon

You could drop one of the 19-degree clubs in your bag (maybe keep the hybrid), then go to two wedges.

Thats a pretty good idea. The #5 wood and the #3 hybrid are the same loft although the 5 wood has a 1.5" longer shaft.... but it probably isn't that much longer distance wise. I also suspect the #3 hybrid might be a little bit more accurate.

[Rerun]

Originally Posted by I-Hate-Hulse

Nice choice by Santa - I started carrying a #3 and #4 A3OS Hybrid this year. Great replacement for a Taylor Made rescue I could never hit straight. Great playability and feel from the A3OS. My first Adams clubs.

That said, it would seem you're trying to "match" your set. You'd be limiting yourself that way. Adams may make great hybrids, but I wouldn't give them that credit on wedges. You can easily get yourself a nice Cleveland, Vokey, or any number of other wedges on sale.

Given your wedges, 60 degree for sure. I don't think there's much point on a gap wedge at 52 for you - you're already at 54. Personally I like my wedges at 52, 56, 60 for a nice spread in lofts.

The a3OS Gap Wedge is 49 degrees.

If I had all the Adams a3OS wedges in my bag, the lofts would be the following:

Pitching Wedge - 44 degrees
Gap Wedge - 49 degrees
Sand Wedge - 54 degrees
Lob Wedge - 59 degrees


One thing about having a matched set is that they all "feel" the same. I think thats especially important when playing with wedges. My old set had a matching pitching wedge and sand wedge but the lob wedge was a different brand (actually I preferred the way the lob wedge felt over the PW and SW).

It nice when all 4 wedge clubs feel the same (that is if you like the "feel" )

[Rerun]

Here's and interesting question.... how many people here play with more than 14 clubs in their bag when just out for a Sunday round of golf with your buddies?

[corporatejay]

Originally Posted by Rerun

Here's and interesting question.... how many people here play with more than 14 clubs in their bag when just out for a Sunday round of golf with your buddies?

I just counted, and it seems as though I carry 11, but I've never counted, nor have I counted any of my friends'.

[Komskies]

When I'm carting it, I like bringing every club with me. When I'm hoofing it (which is like.. 90% of the time) I'll trim it down to about 12: Driver, 3W, 19º rescue, 4-9 Irons, PW, SW, putter. I leave the 3 iron out for casual golf because I'm not very accurate with it.

[The Goon]

I carry exactly 14 with me. It used to be 13 for years, but I added a third wedge in the last couple of years.

[ken0042]

I can't say that I have ever actually counted my friends' clubs. Unless you are playing for money (and more money than buying a round) then IMHO golf should be about going out and having fun. So if that means having 15 clubs instead of 14 to allow you to try a few different shots- so be it.

[dercoch]

I remember reading somewhere that more than 50% of yout shots during a round are from within 100 yards. I think it was Dave Pelz talking about it. In any case, following that logic it would make sense to have more wedges than long clubs.

Personally, I have both a gap wedge and a lob wedge in my bag, and don't carry a 5 wood. That works for me, but everyone is different. I did find that the gap wedge was a big help when I bought it. It lets you make a nice full swing from that awkward distance instead of air mailing the green with an attempted touch shot with your pitching wedge. The lob wedge is nice, but you can do pretty much everything that it does with a sand wedge if you open the face up. Of course, it's easier to hit a flop with the lob wedge, but not as much as you might think.

Also, I agree with not limiting yourself to Adams wedges. I thought that all wedges were probably about the same, but then I bought a vokey at a demo sale, and I can't say enough good things about it.

[Rerun]

What dercoch says makes a lot of sense.

I tend to use my 5 wood a lot on par 5's but thats because I have a tough time hitting the 3 wood off the fairway (just can't seem to get the ball up in the air high enough) but maybe that will change with the new 3 wood (higher moi maybe and easier to hit?). If thats the case, maybe I will leave the 5 wood at home and just use the #3 hybrid (by using the hybrid I figure the most I might lose in yardage would be 10 yds?)

Better to have more options when you are withing 100 yds of the green than to have 2 all most identical clubs in your bag where there isn't that much difference in the distance.

[Rerun]

Originally Posted by Komskies

When I'm carting it, I like bringing every club with me. When I'm hoofing it (which is like.. 90% of the time) I'll trim it down to about 12: Driver, 3W, 19º rescue, 4-9 Irons, PW, SW, putter. I leave the 3 iron out for casual golf because I'm not very accurate with it.

This brings up another interesting question...

How many people here regularly...

1. Walk the course and carry their own clubs
2. Walk the course and use a pull/push cart
3. Rent a power cart.

For me, the only time I do #1 is if I'm playing nine holes. I find that carrying my own bag is just too tiring (but then again I usually have way too many clubs and other stuff in it making it quite heavy) ... and I'm old too...

I just got a Clicgear push cart
about 3 weeks before my clubs were stolen last summer. I used it a couple of times and love it. I plan on using it a whole lot more this summer.

As for renting a power cart.... I usually do that if the course is fairly hilly. I hate playing golf on a course where there is a lot of climbing so that by the time I get to the 18th hole I'm just dragging my ass.

[Komskies]

I have two golf bags. One is a really lightweight, bare-bones bag with a nice comfortable backpack style strap for my walking games. The other is a Tour style beast of a bag with 23497498 pockets.

[nfotiu]

A guy playing in front of me this weekend had an 80 degree wedge, spatula is what he called it.

I can't imagine what use that would be, but sounds fun!

Alway carry, unless I am forced to cart. I despise carts. Most holes I've walked in a day is 51.

Don't think I've ever counted an opponents clubs, but I keep my set legit. If I was playing someone for money and noticed he had like 4 hybrids and 5 wedges with a full compliment of woods and irons, I'd probably call him out on it.

[HOOT]

Originally Posted by Rerun

Here's and interesting question.... how many people here play with more than 14 clubs in their bag when just out for a Sunday round of golf with your buddies?

I usually carry 17 but don't tell anyone. I'm too lazy to empty my bag or misplace a club so I keep them together but I have two lob wedges, 2 sandwedges and I never use my 3-iron so if I had to be at 14 I could with no effect on my game.

If I was you I would invest in a Gap/Fairway wedge before a lob wedge. If you need to hit a sky shot, once maybe twice a round, just open up your sandwedge a bit along with your stance and you get the same effect.

It would also depend on the type of game you have. What do you normally shoot? How long do you hit your driver, 5 iron, PW?

[HOOT]

Originally Posted by Rerun

This brings up another interesting question...

How many people here regularly...

1. Walk the course and carry their own clubs
2. Walk the course and use a pull/push cart
3. Rent a power cart.

Rent Powercart when I got out with my Dad or Grandpa or getting really smashed. But usually I walk with my bag on a cart, I use to carry but it is just more strain on your back than you need.