One club golf

So me and a couple of friends have gotten really into playing 1-club golf every October, at the end of the season. We go all out with some kind of gimmick, for example one of my friends actually had a custom made golf pouch made for him, another has used a quiver (for bow and arrow) to hold his club. I tend to go the opposite direction and bring my biggest staff bag and push cart, and then put a single club in it with a novelty headcover

But the rounds have also become better and better each year. I shot a 42 on the back 9 this year using only a 5 iron in my last round (87 on the round) ....This is playing from the 1-up tees so it's still about 6500yds and playing in 8-9C weather. We've gotten pretty good at it

Anyone do this ? What club do you pick and do you enjoy it?

6 iron due to bunkers. I would suggest 4 iron for scratch golfer.

In mid summer I'd take a 6. This time of year 5 was what I went with. Bunkers are tough, best bet is to roll them out if there's a flattish lip. I did have to hit a true bunker shot on one hole and made double

FWIW I am a scratch. I still find breaking 90 very hard playing with 1 club from 6500

I took lessons for a couple of years when I was 13-14 years old (40+ years ago) from an old timer, he was about in his mid 70s at the time. Most of my lessons were on the course playing 9 holes with him. He would take a 4 iron and play along with me for the whole round with it, he usually shot one or two over for 9.....

I would go with 6 or 7 iron. Leaning more toward the 7

Callaway Epic 5 Hybrid (26*), good distance, easy to hit and can still putt with it... would be fun might give it a try... thank you for the idea

I have not done that in a long time--- Used to play one club matches gambling with an old Sears signature Calamity Jane style putter. In fact still have it with a GP Classic cord grip on it. I have also played 1 club matches with a 5 iron which was always my get out of jail club anyhow

> @MtlJeff said:

> In mid summer I'd take a 6. This time of year 5 was what I went with. Bunkers are tough, best bet is to roll them out if there's a flattish lip. I did have to hit a true bunker shot on one hole and made double

>

> FWIW I am a scratch. I still find breaking 90 very hard playing with 1 club from 6500

It would be workable for you more if you only played with 1 club for a year. It would make you a better player long term. I think of it like Seve, apart from he was 3 iron. Bravest man in existence, perhaps he is doing this with 1 iron blade..Still interesting, you must be very accurate off the tee with woods and not hitting it that far.. which is a compliment, means you are a very good player. Of course the more you are putting with an iron the better you are getting also.

> @BunkerSnot said:

> Callaway Epic 5 Hybrid (26*), good distance, easy to hit and can still putt with it... would be fun might give it a try... thank you for the idea

BunkerSnot

> @NonCompetitive1 said:

> > @MtlJeff said:

> > In mid summer I'd take a 6. This time of year 5 was what I went with. Bunkers are tough, best bet is to roll them out if there's a flattish lip. I did have to hit a true bunker shot on one hole and made double

> >

> > FWIW I am a scratch. I still find breaking 90 very hard playing with 1 club from 6500

>

> It would be workable for you more if you only played with 1 club for a year. It would make you a better player long term. I think of it like Seve, apart from he was 3 iron. Bravest man in existence, perhaps he is doing this with 1 iron blade..Still interesting, you must be very accurate off the tee with woods and not hitting it that far.. which is a compliment, means you are a very good player. Of course the more you are putting with an iron the better you are getting also.

>

> > @BunkerSnot said:

> > Callaway Epic 5 Hybrid (26*), good distance, easy to hit and can still putt with it... would be fun might give it a try... thank you for the idea

>

> BunkerSnot

Getting up and down is just really hard for me. If I'm 10 feet off the green with rough to go through, I cant chip it over because there's not enough loft to get it to stop on the green with a 5 iron. If I took a 7/8 iron I wouldn't reach any par 4's

So most of my doubles are because I leave myself 35 feet for par and 3 putt. With more practice I'd get better at this obviously

On a 6500yd course I find it easy to get it around the green in 2. On my back 9 I was +1 through 5 holes. So I have potential for a good number. Problem is i hit into a bunker on #6 and #9 and made double both times. Becomes a 42 quickly

Our club holds a three club challenge once a year. Apparently several people have discovered that they score better during it. But one club..hmmm. Either my 7i as a good 'middle distance allrounder' but if the ground was firm I might try my 3h. I'd need to practice chipping short distances with it (like from just off the fringe) but I already use it to chip out of trees anything up to 130 yards on firm ground. Plenty of people saying that hybrids are good for chipping. The only distances I'd probably struggle with would be 130 to 180 yards. But if I'm using it off the tee those might not come up very often and could be addressed by laying up with a chip.

The only real problem would probably be bunkers. I can't see a 3h being much use there. But..you never know - hybrids are often called rescue clubs so maybe it would work. You wouldn't want to catch the ball cleanly though from a green-side bunker :)

> @MtlJeff said:

> > @NonCompetitive1 said:

> > > @MtlJeff said:

> > > In mid summer I'd take a 6. This time of year 5 was what I went with. Bunkers are tough, best bet is to roll them out if there's a flattish lip. I did have to hit a true bunker shot on one hole and made double

> > >

> > > FWIW I am a scratch. I still find breaking 90 very hard playing with 1 club from 6500

> >

> > It would be workable for you more if you only played with 1 club for a year. It would make you a better player long term. I think of it like Seve, apart from he was 3 iron. Bravest man in existence, perhaps he is doing this with 1 iron blade..Still interesting, you must be very accurate off the tee with woods and not hitting it that far.. which is a compliment, means you are a very good player. Of course the more you are putting with an iron the better you are getting also.

> >

> > > @BunkerSnot said:

> > > Callaway Epic 5 Hybrid (26*), good distance, easy to hit and can still putt with it... would be fun might give it a try... thank you for the idea

> >

> > BunkerSnot

>

> Getting up and down is just really hard for me. If I'm 10 feet off the green with rough to go through, I cant chip it over because there's not enough loft to get it to stop on the green with a 5 iron. If I took a 7/8 iron I wouldn't reach any par 4's

>

> So most of my doubles are because I leave myself 35 feet for par and 3 putt. With more practice I'd get better at this obviously

>

> On a 6500yd course I find it easy to get it around the green in 2. On my back 9 I was +1 through 5 holes. So I have potential for a good number. Problem is i hit into a bunker on #6 and #9 and made double both times. Becomes a 42 quickly

What if you tried to only miss the green in front? If you got the ball in front of the green every time 20 yards out how many times do you fancy getting up and down with the chosen club to get to this point successfully?

> @NonCompetitive1 said:

> > @MtlJeff said:

> > > @NonCompetitive1 said:

> > > > @MtlJeff said:

> > > > In mid summer I'd take a 6. This time of year 5 was what I went with. Bunkers are tough, best bet is to roll them out if there's a flattish lip. I did have to hit a true bunker shot on one hole and made double

> > > >

> > > > FWIW I am a scratch. I still find breaking 90 very hard playing with 1 club from 6500

> > >

> > > It would be workable for you more if you only played with 1 club for a year. It would make you a better player long term. I think of it like Seve, apart from he was 3 iron. Bravest man in existence, perhaps he is doing this with 1 iron blade..Still interesting, you must be very accurate off the tee with woods and not hitting it that far.. which is a compliment, means you are a very good player. Of course the more you are putting with an iron the better you are getting also.

> > >

> > > > @BunkerSnot said:

> > > > Callaway Epic 5 Hybrid (26*), good distance, easy to hit and can still putt with it... would be fun might give it a try... thank you for the idea

> > >

> > > BunkerSnot

> >

> > Getting up and down is just really hard for me. If I'm 10 feet off the green with rough to go through, I cant chip it over because there's not enough loft to get it to stop on the green with a 5 iron. If I took a 7/8 iron I wouldn't reach any par 4's

> >

> > So most of my doubles are because I leave myself 35 feet for par and 3 putt. With more practice I'd get better at this obviously

> >

> > On a 6500yd course I find it easy to get it around the green in 2. On my back 9 I was +1 through 5 holes. So I have potential for a good number. Problem is i hit into a bunker on #6 and #9 and made double both times. Becomes a 42 quickly

>

> What if you tried to only miss the green in front? If you got the ball in front of the green every time 20 yards out how many times do you fancy getting up and down with the chosen club to get to this point successfully?

That's the goal for sure, to manage misses in the right spot. But I'm still gonna miss my targets here and there with a 5 iron and misses are penalized so much more without a wedge. An extra yard here or there can end up costing you 2 shots if the angle is just a little off and you have to carry a bunker etc.

One of my doubles was a few inches from being a par. Ball rolled into a bunker from 160yds out I was trying to place it in front of the green

One of my buddies and I do this all the time and have a blast. We call it the 7-iron challenge, so we both use a 7-iron, and usually do it just for just one hole

Often in the summer, after a ranger shift is over, me and some other rangers will play one club golf for 3-6 holes. To my surprise, I found the 8 iron to be a pretty good compromise, as 160/165 divides nicely on the course we play for most of the 4's and 5's. Plus, the trajectory of the 8 works on half of the par 3's (the other two it's a problem, but they are both over 210 yards).

Doing this a half dozen times a season really improved my game.

The key is figuring out your short game strategy, because you are going to miss more greens than normal. So managing your misses to good spots and learning to use whatever club you pick on and around the green is imperative.

I've played some decent rounds with 3 clubs, putting with a bladed SW, 3 wood, for longer shots and a 7 iron. But it gets tricky with one club around the green on certain courses.

> @dlygrisse said:

> The key is figuring out your short game strategy, because you are going to miss more greens than normal.

More than 18? Ouch.

:*

> @andrue said:

> Our club holds a three club challenge once a year. Apparently several people have discovered that they score better during it. But one club..hmmm. Either my 7i as a good 'middle distance allrounder' but if the ground was firm I might try my 3h. I'd need to practice chipping short distances with it (like from just off the fringe) but I already use it to chip out of trees anything up to 130 yards on firm ground. Plenty of people saying that hybrids are good for chipping. The only distances I'd probably struggle with would be 130 to 180 yards. But if I'm using it off the tee those might not come up very often and could be addressed by laying up with a chip.

>

> The only real problem would probably be bunkers. I can't see a 3h being much use there. But..you never know - hybrids are often called rescue clubs so maybe it would work. You wouldn't want to catch the ball cleanly though from a green-side bunker :)

Some folks can chip really well with a Hybrid. Bernhard Langer comes to mind here. Also there is a older member at my home club that does pretty well there too. I have tried it and practiced it some but a hybrid seems too hot faced for me compared to a bump and run with an 8 iron or 5 iron. I do pretty well with my 22* hybrid out of a fairway bunker. In fact the older member at my club turned me on to that trick. Hey you never know if someone is good with a hybrid I can see it happen in a one club match

7i. You can hood it for more distance, open it for less distance or more height, chip, putt and you have a better chance of getting out of a bunker with it.

I learnt to play on a 9 hole par 3 course and would often play one club. After joining my current club I went back to the 9 holer to play some one club golf on the odd occasion. Once when I went back the only other people on the course were two guys behind who were laughing at me at one point because I owned golf shoes but only one golf club. I didn't bother explaining.

> @"BIG STU" said:

> I do pretty well with my 22* hybrid out of a fairway bunker. In fact the older member at my club turned me on to that trick. Hey you never know if someone is good with a hybrid I can see it happen in a one club match

Is there anything special you do with it in a bunker? Or just the usual open face, sand before ball and don't hold back?

I'm going all Roy McAvoy and using a 7 iron

> @andrue said:

> > @"BIG STU" said:

> > I do pretty well with my 22* hybrid out of a fairway bunker. In fact the older member at my club turned me on to that trick. Hey you never know if someone is good with a hybrid I can see it happen in a one club match

>

> Is there anything special you do with it in a bunker? Or just the usual open face, sand before ball and don't hold back?

Nope in a fairway bunker that I can clear the lip I hold it neutral and pick it clean like you do with a iron. Now If I have a lip to clear and no room to clear it I take the approate club to clear the lip and get it into the fairway. Also on these courses here there is no consistency in the sand even on the same course. Even if there is no lip issue but the sand is fluffy depending on the shot I may have to use an 8 iron to blast it out into play. No the hybrid is not a cure all for fairway bunker shots. Gotta go by what the lie and sand dictates. Sometimes you have to think and take your medicine and try to salvage the hole

I’ve long thought that I’d score better if I took my woods out of my bag. Tee off with an iron and never be tempted to go for par 5s in 2 with a 3w. I then took that thought experiment to a 1-club scenario. Funny...I figured 5 iron would be perfect.

I haven’t played a round like this yet, but I have one of those cylinders that has notches for carrying 6 clubs and a couple of tees (forgotten the name of it). I’ve put some clubs in it and used it for range practice plus walking a hole or two after work.

I may try 18 like that someday. Again, I’m not convinced I wouldn’t score better.

We like to play the 8th and 9th hole as a one club challenge with a small wager on the line.

I cannot reach the 9th in regulation with an iron, so I tend to use a 7 or 8 iron and just try to make 3 stress free shots to get on the green in regulation and then try to save par (which rarely happens, but bogeys are the norm).

> @andrue said:

> > @"BIG STU" said:

> > I do pretty well with my 22* hybrid out of a fairway bunker. In fact the older member at my club turned me on to that trick. Hey you never know if someone is good with a hybrid I can see it happen in a one club match

>

> Is there anything special you do with it in a bunker? Or just the usual open face, sand before ball and don't hold back?

I either try to putt it over an area with no lip. Or play it super open faced and hit way behind the ball ....or close the face and play it almost like a shovel.

The easiest way is option 1, but if there's a lip you're just hitting and hoping mostly

> @Mattn1106 said:

> One of my buddies and I do this all the time and have a blast. We call it the 7-iron challenge, so we both use a 7-iron, and usually do it just for just one hole

I played 9 with a 7 last week and putted lights out with it.

Never tried it but I think 7i would be my Club of choice.

Back when I was in high school my brother and I would sometimes go out with just a 7 iron and run the course. We both did soccer/track/cross country etc

9 holes would take 30 min from what I remember. Didn't count strokes though

We'd usually do this right before the sun went down and no one was out there, or if it was kinda lightly raining with on one on the course.

I do play just irons occasionally and find I shoot pretty well

Question about putting with 7-iron (or similar): Do you hit the ball with the face or with the leading edge?

> @Fade said:

> Question about putting with 7-iron (or similar): Do you hit the ball with the face or with the leading edge?

With 5 I deloft the face and hit it with the face of the club

I do this a lot. Cheap muni near home that lets people walk for free in the evenings. I grab 1 club, 3 balls, and a couple tees and just go for it.

Usually bring the club I'm working on. Lately that's been a 4i. Not nearly scratch like OP, so it's a good practice round and a nice walk for someone who usually rides on the weekends.