
Kris McCormack
June 8, 2025
Cameron Champ & Mel Reid at the Grant Thorton Invitational.
Carmen Mantato/Getty Images
Let’s start with the obvious: Yes, the PGA Tour players are very good. They hit 7 shot drives over 190 yards at 120 mph, and can secure the green with 230 pole 4 iron, just like they throw a dart. So naturally, many amateur golfers (especially guys) try to model their gear after someone like Rory, Scotty, or JT.
But it’s a tough fact: for most of us, trying to copy the PGA Tour setup is like putting the car slick in the Camry and wondering why it didn’t win the NASCAR race. You don’t play the same game and you will definitely not play the same course.
If you want to lower your score, hit more greens and really like the game, your scene might be more like the pack of LPGA Pro.
Let’s talk about code
LPGA players tend to be between 230-260 yards from the serving area. Does it sound familiar? This is where Warriors (especially the average male golfer) live on most weekends. PGA Tour Pros? They pierced it in 300+ there and hit the wedge 4s and you’re still pulling the hybrid.
If you are building a smart, consistent golf course, you want a bag designed to cover the actual playing code, rather than the 7,400 yard champion layout in your mind. I know I gave up on my dream of being a master a few years ago.
The loft is your friend
PGA Tour players often use 8 to 10 degrees drivers, 3 wood at 13.5 to 15 degrees, and irons that are curved strong enough to double like crowbars. That’s because they produce a lot of speed and want to keep spinning. you? You may be trying to play the ball into the air and park it on the green. This is exactly what LPGA players are optimizing for.
Why Fairway Woods Changes the Rules – If Right
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Kris McCormack
View typical LPGA settings:
– Driver: 10.5–12 degrees
– 3 wood: 15–17 degrees (if carrying one)
– 5 or 7 wood in bag (sometimes both)
– Mixed starting from 4 or even 5
– Wedge-shaped iron rod from 6 or 7 down
This setup prioritizes launches, forgiveness, and gaps that actually make sense for human swing speed. Does it sound familiar? it should.
Hybrids are not signs of weakness
Here is an interesting statistic: Many LPGA players carry it with you Various Hybrid. They easily and confidently hit them 5-5, up to 3-strokes and a tight fairway. Do you know who works hard to do this with 3 iron or 4 iron? you. I. Almost everyone.
Are the hybrids replaced by fairway forests? Depends on where you look
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Kris McCormack
The average male golfer waves the driver around 90-95 mph. This puts their four irons in a rough range, which is more of a guessing game than a reliable club. The hybrid covers these distances more consistently and shoots the ball high enough to really accommodate the green one.
Still think a hybrid is right for your grandpa? NewsFlash: You may not be paid to create a low painting of a tree from 220 trees. But you can hit a hybrid that is soft from yards and give you a look at the birds. or standard, no judgment.
Forgiveness defeated Flair
Most PGA Tour Irons are forged blades or small cavity with thin tops and zero offsets. Beautiful? certainly. Is it useful for you? Not even a little bit.
LPGA players, on the other hand, are more likely to use the forgiveness cavity reserve, especially in longer irons. Some people even use the game – make or player distance model, blending forgiveness and feeling together. You don’t have to apologize for choosing a club that can help you hit more greens and lower scores.
Would you rather have a nice 6-iron in the bag or give you a green one often double?

Callaway Elyte X Custom Fairway Wood
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Set meaningful composition
Let’s build a typical LPGA style kit for most amateur male golfers:
– Driver: 10.5–11.5 degrees (more Loft = more launch and carry around)
– 3 wood: 15–16.5 degrees
– 5 wood or 7 wood: 18–21 degrees
– 4 hybrids, 5 hybrids (even 6 hybrids)
– 6 or 7-PW of iron, cavity or player distance
– 3 wedges: 50°, 54°, 58° (or match your gap)
– Putters for your stroke, not your favorite travel agency brand deal
This is a 13 or 14 club setup that covers all the right gaps, maximizes forgiveness, and gives you the best chance of the best score. No tri-iron. No delusions. No self. Just the work of smart tools.
Playing like a girl is not a bad thing
Here is the kicker: LPGA players are incredible golfers. They hit their own numbers. They pass the ball accurately. They score consistently. If you match the game with theirs; the same yardage, the same smart club choice, you might play better, score lower, and have more fun.
So next time you browse a new club or think about the 3-EROIR of the “tourism-inspired” muscle you see in your WITB post, stop and ask yourself: am I trying to impress people, or are I going to be better?
;)
Kris McCormack
golf.com contributor
McCormack, based on a career spanning over 20 years in the golf industry, served as Vice President of Tourism and Education at True Spec Golf for the last six years of his career. During this time, he planned training programs for real spec fit personnel and promoted more continuing education courses. and manage their tourism sector and establish relationships with many OEM partners. Before joining the real spec team, McCormack worked with several industry-leading manufacturers to become a major level professional. In addition to being a coach and working with the Golf Channel Academy, he serves as a lead lecturer and a professional with inappropriate branding. He also works with the R&D team to assist in the product design, testing and development of various equipment distributions. He is a golf enthusiast and lives in the gear space!
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