When amateur golfers build out their bags, one of the first things they check is the loft on each club. “Make sure your lofts don’t overlap,” right? In most setups, lofts are separated by at least 3 to 4 degrees to ensure consistent yardage gaps.
PGA Tour veteran Chris Kirk takes a different approach. He’s carrying a 5-wood and a hybrid with virtually the same loft.
Kirk, who has six PGA Tour victories (most recently the 2024 Sentry) and has made more than $34 million in official earnings, is known for his clean ball striking. Here’s a look into his golf bag and what you may be able to learn from it.
Chris Kirk WITB (2025 Season)
- Driver: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond – 8.5°, Fujikura Ventus Blue 6 TX
- 3-Wood: TaylorMade Qi35 – 15°, Fujikura Ventus Blue 8 TX
- 5-Wood: TaylorMade Qi35 – 18°, Fujikura Ventus Blue 8 TX
- Hybrid: Callaway Apex – 18° (set to 19°), Fujikura Ventus Blue 8 TX
- Irons: Callaway Apex MB – 5–9, True Temper Project X LZ 125 6.5
- Wedges: Callaway Opus – 46-10S (bent to 47°), 50-10S, 56°, True Temper Dynamic Gold S200
- Wedge: Callaway Opus Raw – 60°, True Temper Dynamic Gold S200
- Putter: Odyssey Ai-ONE #7S
Why two clubs with the same loft can work
At first glance, Kirk’s 5-wood and hybrid look like they are redundant. While the hybrid is set to 19 degrees, that one-degree loft difference is minimal. However, loft alone doesn’t dictate performance. Things like shaft length, head design, center of gravity and face technology all play a role.
- 5-wood – Longer shaft, larger head and deeper CG help launch and provide more carry distance. Perfect for tee shots on tight par-4s or reaching a par-5 in two.
- Hybrid – Shorter shaft, smaller profile and more compact head give more control from the rough or tricky lies. Ideal for long par-3s, escape shots and windy conditions.
Takeaways for amateur golfers
If you are struggling with what clubs to keep in your setup, here are a few important things to remember.
Test under real conditions – Launch monitor data is helpful but it won’t show how a club performs from deep rough or from a tight fairway. Play a few rounds with both clubs in the bag and compare how they handle different lies and situations.
Control ball flight and landing – The ability to choose between a higher flight and softer landing and a more penetrating flight with increased rollout is a nice benefit. Choose golf clubs that complement each other as opposed to offering the same benefits.
Turf interaction matters – A hybrid’s compact head can cut through thick grass better than a fairway wood. If you’re less accurate off the tee, it may make sense to keep the hybrid in the bag to bail you out.
Think beyond loft gaps – Same loft doesn’t mean same performance. Shaft length, head size and center of gravity can all change how far the ball goes, how high it launches and how it reacts when it lands.
Final thoughts
Chris Kirk’s setup is a reminder that a great golf bag is a toolbox. Sometimes, having two “similar” tools makes you more prepared for the situations you’ll face on the course.
John
10 months ago
I carry a 5 iron and a really old 9 wood that are both 28 degrees of loft. Due to the shaft length and lower CG, the 9 iron launches much higher, carries a lot farther, but rolls out less. For my full swing shots, my 5 iron is good for ~210 where I have room for some roll out, and my 9 wood is good for about 220, so not a huge gap, but enough. Also, I can choke up on my 9 wood when I need to go ~200 without much roll. I still seem to have some gapping issues between my 6 and 5 irons though as I get decent backspin from my 6 iron and it doesn’t really roll out. As I’m re-reading this post, I’m starting to think I might need a new set of irons…