Golf's Greatest Test: Take The Three Club Challenge
by Ryan Ballengee on Jul 2, 2009 12:03 AM EDT
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PrintA number of years ago, my cousin and I used to go golfing pretty regularly. I beat him often enough - he didn't play much - that he told me that I should take him up on a challenge. The challenge was that he would get to play with all fourteen of his stix and I would get to pick any combination of three that I had. Then we would see who would win in stroke play.
In honor of the red, white, and blue, I figured I would solicit from you (1) the three clubs you would pick for the Three Club Challenge and (2) why you would pick those clubs. This has nothing to do with ESPN Golf Schools or their three club teaching tour. I just think this will be a fun little argument.
I'll get it started. I would pick a driver, 7 iron, and pitching wedge. I would want to take advantage of my length off of the tee and play a little bomb and gouge golf. The 7 iron is my go to club when I need to get out of a bind. The wedge could get me home from 110 yards and in, as well as double as my putter.
Check out this Flickr discussion on the subject for some other inspiration. The Sand Trap engaged in chatter on the five club challenge, but that's not good enough for me.
Presuming that course length would fit your skill level, what would you go with and why?
Here are the answers that I have gotten on Twitter so far
saturdaygolfer I have played in a couple of 3 clubs tournaments and had the best success playing Driver, 7, 52deg. 28 putts w/ driver
doubleeagle Putter, SW, 5i. Greens are where strokes are saved. Putter & SW covers me there. 5i gets me everything else.
NiceBallz A long hybrid (like a 17 deg. for tee shots & could putt/chip with it), probably a 7i for approaches/par 3's & wedge
TigersLeftKnee Putter, wedge and six iron.
AbbyTurner 4wood, 7i and PW for lenght, accuracy and touch. Plus it is pretty easy to put with a PW
wbahner Driver, 6iron, wedge. I figure I can putt with the driver :)
GQMike Driver, 7i, putter. Bunt driver 230 y, full 290/300 y. 7i is most versatile & solid stick in my bag. Can hood it 200 y.
Golfcult 3 clubs you say, my 6 Iron, A wedge and putter fo course.
Meaghery 3 wood 5 iron PW
lomografieur 3 wood, seven iron and putter....gotta have the putter, drive and fairwasy with 3 wood, and the 7 is so versatile
jjhokiefan (3I, 7I, Putter) Because we used to have to do it in college for practice and that works for me!! Still do it occasionally!
MyHopeSpace 5 iron (long and off the tee), wedge (up close and personal), putter (on the green)
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Hmm.
I’d have to go with the following:
3-wood – My driver and I have issues, so I frequently find myself teeing off with my 3-wood anyway. I’m very comfortable with it from the fairway on the par 5s.
6-iron – For whatever reason, this seems to be my most versatile club these days. It’s been especially handy if I need to choke up and punch the ball out of tree-related trouble.
Gap (52°) wedge – Reasonably useful for anything from about 100 yds in. Can double as a putter.
"Golf is a game whose aim is to hit a very small ball into a even smaller hole, with weapons singularly ill-designed for the purpose." - Winston Churchill
My Three
I would probably want to use my trusty Taylor-Made R7 3-hybrid, which I can deloft and send screaming draws from and hit as far as a driver if I can work the ball hard right to left. It also serves as a decent putter.
Seven iron, it is perhaps the one club that a player should become an expert in — and I mean from more than the 150-165 yard shot. It’s the one that’s great for bump and runs near the green.
Then, finally, a sand-wedge to get out of any trouble, especially bunkers or thick rough.
Been trying to talk our club into a 3-club tournament, but nothing so far.
My choices
I would take a 5-iron, sand wedge, and putter.
Strokes are lost around the greens and having a sand wedge and putter will ensure that I have that area almost completely covered. Yes, I can putt with other clubs, but not as well. Almost doesn’t count so I need as much familiarity and precision as I can get. The sand wedge covers me just about everywhere else within 100 yards.
The 5-iron covers me fairly well from 200 yards down to 100, as I actually practice knock-down 5-irons. I can even bump and run it from off the greens, if need be.
I'd use...
3W – Long enough with more accuracy than driver
6-iron: Could play anything from 185 or so in, double as a chipping club
Gap Wedge (52 degree) – my “go to” club from about 125 and in, and use for pitching and putting…
One time, last year, forgot my putter at the turn (brought it in the clubhouse and left it), and ended up using my GW for the back 9…I’d say it was about +3 or 4 strokes vs. having my putter…more or less acceptable considering…if I knew ahead of time that I was going to use the GW the entire round, could gear up for that mentally…
My picks:
I’ll elaborate on my tweet (late to the party): 16-degree #2 hybrid, 7-iron, and sand wedge. I can drive pretty well with the hybrid (nearly as long as my driver) and I often use it instead of my 3 wood (15 degrees) off the fairway when I’m not hitting the wood well. The 7 iron is just the all-purpose club for everything, even chipping for a bump-n-run. The sand wedge because unless the course has no bunkers I really need it for escapes. If sand were no issue I’d use my trusty 50-degree gap wedge instead. Putting would be the hybrid, probably, though I’ve putted fairly well with my 7-iron in the past.
Around here we have a 2-club challenge played on a par 3 course that has no bunkers (distances range from 153 to 86 yards). No putter permitted. My clubs are the 7-iron and my 50-degree gap wedge. Most guys I know use a sand wedge instead, but I’m much more comfortable with my gapper. As I noted above, putting with the 7-iron isn’t all that bad.
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