Intermediate Set Selection
Intermediate Golfer's Profile:
As an intermediate level golfer, you have the ability to make more consistent contact with the golf ball. Your are increasingly more accurate and are achieving the expected distances with your irons and you are now hitting more greens in regulation (about 3-6 greens per round). Your swing speed is on the rise, as well as your ability to strike the ball squarely, so you're beginning to get some more length with all of your clubs.
You still need some help around the greens, but you've learned how to hit down on the ball and you are ready to play some additional wedges. You're also looking for some more shot choices from inside 100 yards or so. You now realize that you can trim a lot of strokes off your score by improving your short game.
The driver is still a problem, mostly due to a lack of consistency with it. Distance off the tee could be a little better, but the accuracy still seems to be more of an issue. A great round is often ruined by a couple of drives that landed you in some major trouble.
The long irons are still a big problem in most situations, but the 5 and 6 irons have become more trustworthy. The longer approach shots (180-220 yard range) still give you fits as you lack the consistency and distance to hit them with any regularity, especially when it makes the long par 4s difficult to reach in two.
You are still fighting your slice, but now it's more often than not a fade. When you are really playing well the ball can even move right to left (did someone say draw?). You're beginning to feel a little more confident in where the ball is going to go.
The Ideal Set
The intermediate golfer's ideal set of golf clubs should begin with the Game Improvement Irons. They will still give you the forgiveness you need as well as granting you little more feel and control. Replacing the hybrid 4 with a 4 iron is an option to consider if you have been really hitting your irons well.
Its time to reduce the loft on those fairway woods and hybrids to help maximize your distance. You may even be ready to bag the 5 hybrid and replace it with a 3 hybrid. Hey, you need to get the ball out there now don't you?
Keep the oversized driver with about 10-12 degrees of loft, this will help to maximize your distance and accuracy off the tee. Selecting the right shaft for your increasing swing speed is probably the most important thing you can do for your driver. Make sure you get a shaft that matches your swing speed and ball flight requirements. Maybe even a driver that is set up for a draw can help you get the drive moving in a little bit more of a right to left direction.
Time to change out your wedges. Think about adding a gap wedge or a lob wedge to help on those short approach shots. Take a look at our Wedge Guide to see how to best break up the lofts of your wedges.
If your putter is working for you, then there is no reason to change it. But if you feel its time to to give something new a try, one of the new MOI maxed mallets is a safe bet.
Set configuration - Driver, 3 wood, 5 wood, hybrids (3, 4), Game Improvement Irons 5-9, pitching wedge, sand wedge, lob wedge, and putter.