Golfblogger

Let’s say you’re playing a tightish par 4 and you need to hit the fairway… or you’re playing, let’s say your league championship and your opponent just knocked his tee ball out of bounds…

What club do you hit to make sure you at least keep it in play and hit it far enough to reach the green with a reaonable 2nd shot?

For instance, if you were Phil Mickelson at the ‘06 US Open, what club would you hit to make sure you didn’t hit a tent 60 yards off the fairway?

For me it’s got to be 2-iron.  I don’t know why, but my 3-wood isn’t as reliable as it ought to be.

From the tee, I’ve used a 3 wood and also 3-5 iron depending on distance and course layout.  Fairway woods aren’t my strength so my second shot is going to be an iron regardless.  I’m confident enough in my 3-5 wood off the tee to keep it straight even if it’s not great distance.

Ok, for the poll I am answering 3-wood.  Given the situation described, with my opponent going OB, depending on how far, I might just take the longest iron I have and just take a few shots to get to the green.

But lately, my new 3 wood has been hot—maybe because it is called the Callaway X-Hot.  I loved my previous 3 wood, a Great Big Bertha, but I would sometimes be good with it, and sometimes not.  With the X-Hot, I am getting pretty consistent off the tee.  On the fairway, I am still working on it, but I am getting pretty consistent.  Club fitters will tell you (and they tell me) that at 85-90 mpg swing speed, I should be hitting regular flex, but when I went down to regular with my old driver and my 3w and 5w, I think I ruined all three—This X-Hot is stiff (not xtra-stiff, and Callaway factory stiff still has some flex)- when I can set up right, I can go straight as an arrow.  When my drive gets a little iffy, I can flip to the 3-wood, and will lose a few yards, but gain a lot of consistency.

Definitely my 2 hybrid. The shorter length compared to a wood inspires more confidence in me when nerves are starting to fire under the gun.