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View Full Version : The hardest club to hit



yoyo
5th January 2015, 03:28 PM
A few of the educational vids i've watched online make various suggestion/statement as to what club is "the hardest to hit".

Interestingly, it seemed that the general consensus from the scratch marker/pro perspective was that it is the Driver.

Can't say i'd entirely disagree with that, but perhaps for me i would say a 3 iron is prob my hardest to hit. When i was a kid it was bunker shots.

So whaddya reckon ? On the whole, the Driver is the club that's hardest to hit at full tilt ?

jimandr
5th January 2015, 03:55 PM
Anyone who thinks the driver is hardest to hit is doing it wrong.

Perhaps the clue is the words "full tilt". The driver is perhaps the only club golfers genuinely try to hit full tilt. Even then, the driver has the biggest hitting zone, so decent golfers should actually find it the easiest to hit, not the hardest.

Generally the less the loft, the harder it is to hit, particularly for the less skilled golfer. Coldtopper can hit long irons, but I cannot, and it is no coincidence that many players are leaving the long irons out of their bags.

My smartalec vote is for the 1 iron as the hardest to hit, but I've never even hit one. But I did used to own a 2 iron at one time. It was great when I middled it, but the bad ones were really bad, so I vote for the 2 iron.

yoyo
5th January 2015, 03:59 PM
the hitting zone may be bigger, however it is positioned at the and of a much longer lever. this in turn increases the potential margin for error in any movement involving that lever.

I'd hazard a guess and say proportionately the hitting zone is actually no bigger.

3oneday
5th January 2015, 04:10 PM
Just reshafted my 1 iron this afternoon actually :)

I find my putter is the hardest.

jimandr
5th January 2015, 05:07 PM
Actually, I'm going to change my vote and go for the lob wedge.

For a club with such a short shaft, I find it hard to make really solid contact on full shots. My contact seems to depend on the lie quite a lot. Accordingly, distance control is nowhere near as good as with my sand wedge.

After further thought, I understand the Driver issue, although I don't agree that it is hardest to hit. My suspicion is that the good player has an expectation of hitting a target with shorter clubs, but with the driver, they are often trying for distance first and accuracy second. Then, when the target has been missed, the interpretation is that the club is hard to hit.

Technically, I should be agreeing with 3od. My last airswing was with a putter.

yoyo
5th January 2015, 05:33 PM
Actually, I'm going to change my vote and go for the lob wedge.

For a club with such a short shaft, I find it hard to make really solid contact on full shots. My contact seems to depend on the lie quite a lot. Accordingly, distance control is nowhere near as good as with my sand wedge.


Are the difficulties you encounter here (which i share!) because the bounce on your lob wedge is heavily suited to a particular lie and not another?

Ferrins
5th January 2015, 05:43 PM
I find the clubs with the most versatility the hardest so my vote are the wedges.

Grunt
5th January 2015, 06:02 PM
All of them are just evil. Only decent hit in the past few weeks was an inside out 4 iron swung left handed.

yoyo
5th January 2015, 06:20 PM
I find the clubs with the most versatility the hardest so my vote are the wedges.

So many ways to die ! ;-P

Tank33
5th January 2015, 06:23 PM
Doesn't it change on a daily basis?

One day I wouldn't hit anything in the fairway off the tee, then next day, I would have trouble finding green from the middle of the fairway.
Tomorrow, my putter will misbehave. Then I will have days fluffing chip shots like TW.

This game will become boring if anything is easier, I reckon.

markTHEblake
5th January 2015, 06:35 PM
Anyone who thinks the driver is hardest to hit is doing it wrong.Anyone who says that is probably old school, because that was the truth with wooden clubs, the heads were so small. Today any muppet can hit a driver. For me now it's a 3wood, or lob wedge.

yoyo
5th January 2015, 06:38 PM
If any muppet can hit a driver, why are so many people going all Burke & Wills in the scrub after their tee shots ? Shouldnt the fairway just be one big divot between 220-280m then ?

Shreko
5th January 2015, 06:43 PM
Wedges by far for me as there is the whole how much swing should I put on it for 50/60/70 etc mts, I find full swings very easy and love hitting driver

MAZA68
5th January 2015, 07:43 PM
3 Iron, thats why I carry a hybrid.

3oneday
5th January 2015, 07:44 PM
If any muppet can hit a driver, why are so many people going all Burke & Wills in the scrub after their tee shots ? Shouldnt the fairway just be one big divot between 220-280m then ?that's ability, not equipment ;)

The driver is the easiest because it is now the most forgiving. You can still bust a driver 240 into the scrub and think you hit it well. :)

talbo
5th January 2015, 08:01 PM
For mine 7-8 iron chip and run is easily the hardest..... Must make time to practice this more in 2015!

Hatchman
5th January 2015, 08:14 PM
60° Lob Wedge for me, that's why I don't carry it in the bag any more.
I've played some magical shots with it but have had far more fails with it.
Very low % club for me.

Courty
5th January 2015, 08:16 PM
I'll answer this in 2 parts...

1. Hardest club to hit (for me): 3 wood off the deck. Small face + long shaft = smallest margin for error

2. Hardest shot to hit (for me): 30-100m bunker shot. Less than a full swing, perfect strike required.

live4golf
5th January 2015, 08:19 PM
High loft wedge for me...hate, hate, vomit

mrbluu
5th January 2015, 08:28 PM
I find my putter is the hardest.

Even harder for your playing partners to watch [emoji13]

For me it's mid to long irons and 60* lob wedges, for some reason I'm ok with 58* lobby's but the 60* just kills me.

Coldtopper
5th January 2015, 09:00 PM
A

Coldtopper can hit long irons, but I cannot, and it is no coincidence that many players are leaving the long irons out of their bags. . can not. But do have troubles hitting high soft landing draws with a 3 iron! Or big cuts with a 7 iron? Lol atm I could hit anything well considering i have just discovered cask wine!

markTHEblake
5th January 2015, 09:46 PM
If any muppet can hit a driver, why are so many people going all Burke & Wills in the scrub after their tee shots ? Shouldnt the fairway just be one big divot between 220-280m then ? It was your question "hardest to hit". You never said anything about hitting it straight.

goughy
6th January 2015, 07:26 AM
Hardest club to hit - which ever one I currently have in my hand!

Jarro
6th January 2015, 07:29 AM
3 wood off the deck.

Lob wedge from a tight lie.

BeGo
6th January 2015, 12:29 PM
For me, driver is actually the easiest. The most difficult one, 3 wood without tee, even more difficult than my 1 hy iron for me. 😅

davepuppies
6th January 2015, 04:29 PM
3 wood off the deck for me

Micdeez
13th January 2015, 01:23 PM
I'm still a beginner, but I have found the driver to be the most inconsistent to me.

Having said that, I have only played in my new set twice, but I recently had a fitting done and found all of my sticks were 1 inch too long and a needed a slight fattening of the grips..

Icestorm959
13th January 2015, 04:44 PM
Full hit with the lob wedge is a bitch.

Driver is next hardest.

Thanks to the new driving iron technology my 3 iron is easier to hit than my 5 iron

Grunt
13th January 2015, 05:00 PM
Truthfully the hardest shot for me nowadays is any short iron that is not a full hit. The metered swing is a real bitch when you play off and on.

wizard_of_oz
14th January 2015, 05:00 PM
Interesting how many people say lob wedge...
Flop shot on a tight lie is the hardest shot to hit. Closely followed by 3 wood off the deck.

Micdeez
14th January 2015, 07:24 PM
I'm scared to buy a 3 wood now! I haven't even got one but was contemplating..

990B Luva
14th January 2015, 08:32 PM
3 wood off the deck can be interesting to say the least. I've only had to hit that shot once in the last few years though. For me, my hardest shot is hitting a hybrid, to the point I've gone back to a 2 iron rather than carry my 18* hybrid.

Dangals
14th January 2015, 08:40 PM
Either the flop shot off a bare lie or the short chip to a raised green when the grass grain is into you... Fkn hate those and it seems all our greens have them

JADO75
14th January 2015, 08:43 PM
I hate throttling down too much, always end up high & right if I don't commit properly. I'd rather take less club & nuke it.

Micdeez
14th January 2015, 08:48 PM
3 wood off the deck can be interesting to say the least. I've only had to hit that shot once in the last few years though. For me, my hardest shot is hitting a hybrid, to the point I've gone back to a 2 iron rather than carry my 18* hybrid.

What makes the 3W different compared to a 1W? In your experience?

Progolfgear
15th January 2015, 04:55 PM
Putter

990B Luva
15th January 2015, 07:20 PM
What makes the 3W different compared to a 1W? In your experience? Probably because the mindset with a wood in hand is to go after it. This doesn't work with a fairway wood, and leads to massive issues with ball striking.

Micdeez
16th January 2015, 12:09 PM
Fair enough mate.

Well I ordered a 3W (15*) as I don't have one and I should learn how to use all the sticks
It was the Adams Super S

Courty
16th January 2015, 12:37 PM
I saw a video yesterday where Gary Player said the hardest shot in golf is long bunker shots.

golfbound
16th January 2015, 12:50 PM
Would have to be my 60* wedge its strange i can hit my SM4 well but my SM5 just digs into the ground and im not sure why.

mrbluu
16th January 2015, 01:17 PM
I saw a video yesterday where Gary Player said the hardest shot in golf is long bunker shots.

That's a new thread!!!


Would have to be my 60* wedge its strange i can hit my SM4 well but my SM5 just digs into the ground and im not sure why.

The different bounce or grinds or both??

aym
16th January 2015, 01:46 PM
fairway wood all day... in my case new Adams tight lie which is suppose to be one of the easiest FW EVER.. still cant hit it 70% of the time..

Courty
16th January 2015, 01:51 PM
That's a new thread Yeah, I've got a nasty habit of posting stuff without checking which thread I'm in first. :roll:

Dcanto
16th January 2015, 03:05 PM
.....the hardest shot in golf is long bunker shots. Amen.

yoyo
16th January 2015, 06:09 PM
yeah long bunkers are trouble

Dotty
16th January 2015, 06:38 PM
yeah long bunkers are trouble
Except if you carry a 5 hybrid.

talbo
16th January 2015, 08:17 PM
I saw a video yesterday where Gary Player said the hardest shot in golf is long bunker shots.

Indeed! I'm ok with mid-long irons from fairway bunkers with shallow face but short irons with 40m+ to carry can be trouble depending on how steep bunker face is!

thecollective
17th January 2015, 11:04 AM
what about a short flop shot off a tight lie - no choice situation to carry a bunker

I find that shot harder than a long bunker shot

TC

oldracer
17th January 2015, 12:11 PM
3W off the deck :shock:

Icestorm959
23rd January 2015, 05:03 PM
fairway wood all day... in my case new Adams tight lie which is suppose to be one of the easiest FW EVER.. still cant hit it 70% of the time.. I find the Adams much easier to hit than my Egg Spoon which is supposed to be super easy to hit!

dazza99
23rd January 2015, 07:15 PM
I'd agree with the 60deg or lobwedge off a tight lie. But then I wouldn't be attempting one. Or if absolutely no other option, you just have to take the consequences. I'm not sure even the pro's would be playing that shot unless forced to.

In general I try to take the easy option no matter what shot I'm faced with. Game is hard enough without trying those shots I find difficult ;)

Eag's
23rd January 2015, 07:23 PM
Any shot from the sand for me :smt087

talbo
23rd January 2015, 07:58 PM
Any shot from the sand for me :smt087

I'd take green side sand over chip and run every single time if given a choice.

Eag's
23rd January 2015, 08:06 PM
I'd take green side sand over chip and run every single time if given a choice.

I will swap you every time ;)

talbo
23rd January 2015, 08:29 PM
Deal :lol:

BeGo
27th January 2015, 01:55 PM
I find the Adams much easier to hit than my Egg Spoon which is supposed to be super easy to hit!
Agree. :)

Btw, Egg Spoon? Wow. Cant find any iron bigger. :)

Counter Intuitive, but I find narrow club (a club with head just a little bit) is easier to align, hit, and more accurate than those big head iron like Spoon and Paragon R600, especially from on the wet ground. :)

mint
6th February 2015, 08:17 PM
All 14 that were in my bag today

Kaniss
4th March 2015, 12:12 PM
Hybrids for me. That's why I sold mine off.

Icestorm959
4th March 2015, 05:37 PM
Hybrids for me. That's why I sold mine off.

Yeah I surprisingly have no consistency with a hybrid. Much prefer driving irons.

cratcliffe
4th March 2015, 08:56 PM
8 foot down hill left to right put, always seem to open the face.... Mates put me down for 3 put every time :smt087

mrbluu
4th March 2015, 11:23 PM
All 14 that were in my bag today

Post acknowledged ;-)

Ferrins
5th March 2015, 09:16 AM
I hate hybrids!

LeftyHoges
5th March 2015, 09:24 AM
According to a recent survey Augusta National was the hardest club to hit, followed by Cypress Point, with Chicago Golf Club in third.

PeteyD
5th March 2015, 09:58 AM
There are probably some others that are almost as difficult. Pretty sure the bloke that was trying to play the top 100 only had 1 left ... might have to look for an update there.

and he has played the lot now. - http://top100golf.blogspot.com.au/

Icestorm959
6th March 2015, 01:49 PM
He's lucky Ellerston is not on there...

oldkid
15th March 2015, 10:33 AM
I agree totally Tank33, changes for me every round I play. Proves to me that's its a mental issue , not ability :}

Doesn't it change on a daily basis?

One day I wouldn't hit anything in the fairway off the tee, then next day, I would have trouble finding green from the middle of the fairway.
Tomorrow, my putter will misbehave. Then I will have days fluffing chip shots like TW.

This game will become boring if anything is easier, I reckon.

2378906
22nd March 2015, 03:08 PM
I never know where I'm going to hit my XHot hybrid. High. Low. Right. Long(er than I thought).
It's a lottery. I think the tech that goes into making them forgiving - makes them harder to control. They have no workability, either. Just my two cents...

Going to get an Adams DHY to try. More like a driving iron (I hope).


Yeah I surprisingly have no consistency with a hybrid. Much prefer driving irons.

goughy
22nd March 2015, 04:29 PM
Whichever I currently have in my hand!

Billy
23rd March 2015, 05:45 AM
3 iron for me. 2 & 1 as well if I carried them, I will always grab the 5 wood over my 3 iron.

oldracer
23rd March 2015, 07:35 PM
driver, really giving me the sh!ts

G.K
23rd March 2015, 07:40 PM
Whatever club I choose to hit out of a bunker which is more often than not my 58* wedge.

oldracer
23rd March 2015, 07:53 PM
Whatever club I choose to hit out of a bunker which is more often than not my 58* wedge.you had that nailed

LeftyHoges
23rd March 2015, 11:33 PM
After the weekends event with the hickories I'll never complain about a club being "hard to hit" ever again.

Smilesy
30th March 2015, 09:01 AM
I find a 3w off the deck the hardest to hit well. It is hard to be really consistent with your distances, and I'm normally going for a green which means a slight miss if generally going to result in a bad result.
From watching higher handicap golfers the 60* wedge seems to give them a lot of grieve, they either go straight under it, or blade it. The difference in distance between those two shots is about 50m, so bad things tend to happen.

mrbluu
30th March 2015, 09:05 AM
After the weekends event with the hickories I'll never complain about a club being "hard to hit" ever again.
Even your 3 wood???

benno_r
30th March 2015, 09:10 AM
driver, really giving me the sh!ts

Have you forgotten everything I taught you at LaTrobe??

LeftyHoges
30th March 2015, 11:53 AM
Even your 3 wood???

Yep, even my 3 wood is a piece of piss compared to some of those hickories. Although in retrospect, the hickory 3 wood was easier to hit than my Titty 910. About 30m shorter though.

oldracer
30th March 2015, 03:01 PM
Have you forgotten everything I taught you at LaTrobe??no mate, not at all, just can't f......n execute, even when I open right up I can't get enuff ooomph on the fade to clear the trees, getin' old :wink: seriously if I lifted my right elbow out any further and cut across the ball any more it would be a 60* lob wedge instead of driver, sheesh

aym
30th March 2015, 06:40 PM
without starting a new thread can someone provide some pointers in here on how to avoid slicing a 3 wood? I move the ball slightly towards the middle of my stance so I can make sure I hit down a little bit and promote a better contact, I know the slice is probably cause the face cant close or square up in time, any pointers?

3Puttpete
30th March 2015, 06:59 PM
without starting a new thread can someone provide some pointers in here on how to avoid slicing a 3 wood? I move the ball slightly towards the middle of my stance so I can make sure I hit down a little bit and promote a better contact, I know the slice is probably cause the face cant close or square up in time, any pointers?

Bin it and buy a 5 wood?

Icestorm959
30th March 2015, 07:28 PM
without starting a new thread can someone provide some pointers in here on how to avoid slicing a 3 wood? I move the ball slightly towards the middle of my stance so I can make sure I hit down a little bit and promote a better contact, I know the slice is probably cause the face cant close or square up in time, any pointers?

Place it more forward in your stance. or consciously square up your hands in time with your swing.

LeftyHoges
30th March 2015, 08:25 PM
without starting a new thread can someone provide some pointers in here on how to avoid slicing a 3 wood? I move the ball slightly towards the middle of my stance so I can make sure I hit down a little bit and promote a better contact, I know the slice is probably cause the face cant close or square up in time, any pointers?

Your ball position is wrong from the get go. It should be played an inch or two inside your front foot, nowhere near the centre of your stance. This gives more time to square the face. Weight slightly forward.

Wardy101
30th March 2015, 09:29 PM
My 3 hybrid and I are no longer friends. Just can't seem to hit it anymore. Time for a new one

aym
30th March 2015, 11:07 PM
Bin it and buy a 5 wood?

Might not help, I think it's something to do with the fact I cant find the bottom of the swing properly with fairway wood.


Place it more forward in your stance. or consciously square up your hands in time with your swing.

tend to hit it thin when I do that.. can't win ..


Your ball position is wrong from the get go. It should be played an inch or two inside your front foot, nowhere near the centre of your stance. This gives more time to square the face. Weight slightly forward.

Yeah not at the center, I'd probably say similar position to my 4-5 iron at the moment... is there a weight shift with FW? or do you keep it 50/50?

LeftyHoges
31st March 2015, 09:24 AM
Yeah not at the center, I'd probably say similar position to my 4-5 iron at the moment... is there a weight shift with FW? or do you keep it 50/50?

Never really thought about it but I'd say with my woods in general I'd be 60/40 favouring front foot. But that may also be to try and stop my sway that I can get from time to time.

dM.
2nd April 2015, 11:31 AM
3 Wood off the deck on a tight slight downhill lie.

I just wait to and watch it squirt out right most of the time.

stephensafar
20th April 2015, 04:31 PM
I think the wedges are the most difficult because we use them from so many different distances and difficult situations. On the flip side, the driver is the easiest to hit because we always have a perfect lie. But it differs from person to person it may be same for one and opposite for others.