Fred Couples has 6 (!) woods and hybrids in his bag. Should you?

In honor of Fred Couples’ 65th birthday, the PGA Champions Tour has posted photos and videos of the famous swinger, both past and present. But one video in particular caught my eye, a clip of Couples sliding into his bag.

The video stood out for several reasons. The first is that Couples carries six woods/hybrids: driver, 3-wood, 5-wood, plus three hybrids that replace his 4, 5, and 6 irons. I don’t know many amateurs with that many woods in their bags, and leave it alone pros. Couples has said his chronic back problems have made it difficult for him to hit long irons, but he also clearly appreciates the higher, smoother flight and stopping power of hybrids.

To better understand why Couples would prefer hybrids over long irons, I turned to David Armitage, a GOLF 100 best teachers to watch.

“I think what he (Doubles) is doing is trying to optimize and keep his game moving in the right direction so he can score the lowest possible scores,” Armitage says.

Armitage said Tour players judge how well their equipment performs in a few key areas, two of which are distance and trajectory. In the case of Doubles, Armitage said, he will likely look at the courses he plays in competition, considering the carry distances he will need and the ball flight that best suits his game to put together a bag that will help him. effective life.

Couples unpacks this strategy in another video posted from the tournament of champions of him calling into his woods, in which he explains how these sticks help him stop shots “on a dime.”

So what can we amateurs learn from Couples? For starters, we shouldn’t shy away from using more forgiving clubs like a 7-wood or 6-hybrid. Ego can play a role when choosing equipment, but if you can put that nagging voice aside, Armitage says fewer irons in your arsenal can benefit your game in more ways than one.

As many woods and hybrids can help your game

Fairway woods and hybrids not only help players get to the ball quickly, but they can also help you get a better technical swing in your swing, says Armitage.

This is because average players have a tendency to try to help the ball in the air by leaning back. Having a more forgiving club in your hand will help you release the ball without hanging on the swing, improving your hitting position and your chances of making solid, on-center contact.

Another reason why the video above caught my eye was because even with the laid-back tempo of Couples, he still bombs it. To give you some perspective, his driver putt is 285, just 14 yards shy of the PGA Tour average. One reason he’s been able to hit it so far is because he finds the center of the face every time.

“Contact in the center of the face is one of the most important fundamentals in golf for two reasons,” says Armitage.

“When you have off-center strikes, like the toe and heel, it’s going to change the face a little bit at impact,” says Armitage.

After all, the ability to hit hard center shots is the biggest difference between a professional and an amateur.

But what if the right club selection could bring you a little closer to the skill level of a pro? Hybrid and wood can help.

Fairway woods and hybrids are so forgiving because they have bigger tops, which means more stability and a bigger “sweet spot,” says Armitage. That means more shots that start and stay on line, better trajectory and even improved performance out of the rough.

As the golf season winds down, now is a good time to experiment with swapping out your long irons for a hybrid or fairway wood. Try it. Hey, if it’s good enough for Freddie…

Ping G430 Max Custom Fairway Wood

$349.99

By sizing your approach to a long par 4, going for a par-5 in two, you want 100% confidence that your fairway wood will give you solid contact, speed and higher ball flight. to take you home. On the G430 fairways, we’ve developed the Carbonfly Wrap to provide more distance by positioning the CG closer to the line of force to maximize ball speed, resulting in higher and longer carries. PING G430 MAX Fairway Wood fits the widest range of players with four options (3W/15°, 5W/18°, 7W/21°, 9W/24°). CARBONFLY WONDER The lightweight composite crown wraps around the heel and toe sections, creating 10 grams of weight savings that are redistributed to achieve lower CG and increased ball speed. The composition also plays a role in the pleasant sound. FACEWRAP TECHNOLOGY FaceWrap Technology, a high-strength, variable-thickness maraging steel face wraps around the stainless steel sole and crown of the head, generating more flex for faster ball speed and higher release for greater distance. SPINSISTENCY Spinsistency’s variable spin radius improves performance across the face (especially on fine shots) by reducing spin to increase ball speed off the face of the maraging steel. TUNGSTEN BACK WEIGHT A tungsten back weight extends the perimeter weight to provide maximum forgiveness. TRAJECTORY TUNING 2.0 Trajectory Tuning 2.0 offers eight hose positions, adjusted for loft (+/- 0.5°) and reach (up to 3° flatter than std).

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