How many clubs do most golfers really need?

To break 100, 90, 80 ...

I've previously posted a link to a Mike Malaska video where he shows how to break 100 with 3 clubs (I'll post it again below). I'm currently a 15.9 index. Using his concepts I took out 4 clubs one day last summer (4w, 7i, PW, putter) and shot 41 on the tougher side of my home course from the 6,300 yard tees (69.9/126). I took out 5 clubs today and shot a 90 (44/46). I never felt like I should have been using a different club. At least 8 strokes were due to duffs, missed putts, very poorly struck shots, etc.

I'm starting to be of the opinion that most golfers should stick to 5, maybe 6 clubs until they're breaking 85 on a regular basis (assuming they're playing the correct tees for their swing speed). I think they need to get really good with: driver, a long club (5w/7w/hybrid), a mid iron around 36 degrees (7 or 8 iron), a 48 degree wedge, and their putter. Maybe add a sand wedge if needed. Once those are consistent and they're shooting good scores, they can start adding clubs to close the gaps on what they're missing.

Thoughts?

USKG-2014-TechnicalSpecs.pdf

My scores don’t change if I’m playing with 7 or 14. I think the elimination of many decisions just simplifies the game. Then it’s more about hitting shots than hitting to specific distances.

I debate this with myself all the time. I figure if I went out with 6 clubs being driver, 4 iron, 7 iron, PW, SW and putter (or some other variant) my score would not be any different, and if it was I can’t imagine it would deviate too far. I think too many options makes us think way too much sometimes. Example, current bag is 45 PW, 50 GW, 54 SW and 58 LW. Sometimes I honestly think this is just too much and it inhibits me from learning how to hit let’s say a 100 yard shot with my PW or even my 7 iron. On the range I practice hitting my PW 100 yards all the time but I can honestly say I do not think I have ever tried to do that in a round. I see 100 yards to pin on my range finder, grab my LW and I am dancing. Now is that a bad thing, no not really, but sometimes I feel like missing some creativity really slows down learning, club awareness, body awareness, etc

I belong to a club and usually get out by myself to walk 18 once per week (other rounds I play with people). I am really considering trying the above mentioned 6 club bag a few times and see what happens. Plus I certainly would not complain about 8 less clubs to walk around with. I remember a while back watching a video with Miguel Angel Jimenez and he said 14 clubs is really useless for most golfers and he thinks every golfer would be better with 10 clubs to learn how to make shots. I like him a lot, love his swing and his what seems to be care free, easy going mentality and I bet that attitude goes a long way with trying to manufacture some shots during the round. We all get so caught up in track man numbers, perfect gapping, hit the windows and carry distances, and anything else that comes up here so often that in all fairness it is probably so much worse for the learning curve.

If you cant break 100; Driver, 7iron, sw, putter

If you cant break 90: Driver, 4h/7 wood, 7 iron, pw, sw, putter

If you cant break 80: Driver, 5w, 4h, 7-Pw, sw, putter

If you cant break 75: Driver 5w, 4h, 5-gw, sw, putter

If you cant break 70: Driver 3w, 5w 4h, 5-gw, sw, lw, putter

I got the opportunity to continue this experiment today. I decided to take my 22 degree hybrid instead of my 7 wood.

I shot a 92, 2 strokes worse than yesterday, but other than 1 bad drive that hit a tree and bounced about 100 yards straight back, again pretty much all of my extra strokes had to do with pitching, chipping, and putting. After the game I went out for another 9 and started getting really comfortable with my full swing and hit some of my best hybrid shots ever. I also had the opportunity to experiment with pitching and chipping with both my 8 iron (33 degrees) and my AW (49 degrees) to see which worked better from different situations. I started seeing improvements in my putting stroke as well.

I'm pretty optimistic about this and think it's very realistic to expect to get my game down into the low 80's using this philosophy. Basically 1 stroke every other hole and I'm there. At the very least it seems to have the potential to reduce the huge blowups.

Driver, wedge, putter?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVfIhrHTs5MIf you want to learn how to hit shots, take only a few clubs out. If you're not comfortable with a club, just banish to the trunk and only let it see daylight when you go to work on it on the range.

I think if you have greens that would be like playing lawn darts on, I dont see whats so complicated in picking a club to carry the distance to hit the middle of the green.

If you're scared of all but one or two clubs I guess you can always do this and work on the range until your comfortable with the rest of the bag.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVfIhrHTs5M

I carry 10 or 11 but typically only use 6 or so in a round. I shot 80 today (my scores are usually between 78 and 82 on my home course). Thinking back through the round as I type this, I used my driver, 5w (once), the 5h (twice), the 8, 9, W, GW, SW and putter. I used 9 clubs, and I could have easily eliminated the 5w. It really comes down to shot making ability and course management.

I have around 100 and was club shopping today. Bag gets a little heavy but I feel like I am prepared for every situation

More clubs more shots

I like this response. What's the logic behind the changes as the skill level progresses? Did you come up with this, or is it something you've seen previously?

We have a 2 clubs and a putter round annually in our league.

With a 7 wood, 9 iron and putter I shot 2 over, 8 straight pars and a double bogey on 9.

I'm pretty sure that was the last time I linked together 8 straight pars.

Most of the guys shoot within 2-3 strokes of their normal numbers.

14 clubs is way overrated. (although that's my usual count).

"I'm pretty sure that was the last time I linked together 8 straight pars."

lol!

It's always "more about hitting shots than hitting to specific distances," but playing a minimalist bag just makes it obvious.

Also a believer of less is more. After going the semi minimalist route I then re envisioned my main bag in to different categories. the clubs are in my sig (I'm not going to have to check it to see if its up to date though.

But I don't feel like I'm missing out on much when I take my half bag.

My main bag is set to close half shots with a specialist club for lobs, sand and chips. then I have my hit off the ground clubs for specific distances - pw to 5 iron. then I have 3 tee options for short, medium and long.

Has really simplified my decision making - and its rare that I take the full bag out.

Will agree that less is more. For the majority of golfers, it's not that a shot is 10 yards to long or short, but 20 yards to the left or right of target! Perhaps if a typical bag was 7 clubs the game would be more accessible -- certainly more affordable.

Do whatever works. Limiting the number of clubs would not be any kind of successful "grow the game" (whatever that means) initiative, lol. Clubs are available at all sorts of price points and you can buy as many or as few as you like.

I carry 13. If I use one of my Jones bags for fun I may (or may not) take a couple out, but 13 is just right for me 99% of the time. I can't reasonably expect to make an iron go another 10-15 yards at will and no reason to try and take 10-15 off when another iron will do the job (not that there aren't instances where I might hit "more" club in a different way because of conditions).

Always a good thing to mix it up and challenge yourself in all sorts of ways.

"Should" beginners take only a few clubs? Depends on the person, but they'll get more out of learning to hit the middle of the club face with whatever iron or wedge they have in hand no matter how many they have. If they need help with their swing or learning their swing not much in it for the "digging it out of the dirt" with a couple of clubs for beginners, IMO - they need help.

I'm firmly on most of both sides of this. ;-)

All the golfers in my house carry only 10 clubs. They say, "Don't lug around anything you can't hit well most of the time."

Darn, that leaves me with a bag full of nothin' . . .

14

I have played with 7 clubs a number of times...sure makes the bag lighter too. :-)

Judging from the Equipment Forum not less than 14 new ones every year.

Steve

Twice a year, for the early release and the late release

With that being said, I don't think club selection is what is keeping 100 golfers from breaking 85.

I learned to play with a "starter set" Wilson laminated 1 and 3 wood. 3,5,7,9 and putter. I soon bought a Northwestern punch faced SW as it was obvious that would come in handy. I used these clubs to play a lot of golf in college. Learned to shoot in the 80's using them. Never really used the driver as I couldn't hit a decent shot with it, but that 3 wood was magic.

I will say that once I got my first full set of irons, my game did improve some. But not by leaps and bounds.

I only played with 12 clubs (1, 3, 5 woods; 4-PW SW putter) for past 20 years mostly because growing up it was 'play with what you have or were given' lol so never thought to fill it out or swap for new sticks...handicap always 10 or lower. Spent past 3 months updating and testing and replacing entire set but seriously ended up so far down the rabbit hole of hybrids and wedges and loft and shaft choices etc oof - we'll find out next spring if worth it.

I agree. As someone who walks and carries, I’m constantly adjusting my bag to optimize scoring potential against carry weight. I rarely carry more than 7 or 8 clubs for recreational rounds. Increasing your shot making ability doesn’t add any weight.

I could use bout 40 clubs w/ 3 drivers for fade, straight, and draw drives

I went down to 7 this year and didnt notice any difference in scores. IMO, 8 is really all you need, even with modern iron lofts.

All these “how to break ...”. Videos are kind of ridiculous. You have a scratch or + player attempting to “be a ... handicap” when they hardly ever were one in the first place.

sure they simulate a few of the mistakes but not all encapsulating the true struggle.

How do you break 100? Work your ... off

how do you break 90? Work your ... off

how do you break 80? Work your... off

how do you break par? you get the picture

I've been playing with less than 14 clubs for many years. Currently use 7-8 clubs (try to adjust to cover the par 3 holes) and play to a 12 handicap. Another point that makes playing with less clubs easier is age. As I get older (currently 67) my swing speed has slowed so the distance gaps between clubs is beginning to shrink. I need roughly 6 * difference to really translate into 10-12 yard differences as opposed to 4* in years past. To me the answer play what you enjoy!!