An Eight Club Golf Bag

[Sean2]

Hi-Di-Ho and Happy Holidays!

 

Next season I am thinking of going with an eight club bag. I like to walk, but 14 clubs is a bit much at my advanced age. lol

 

I have been using a push cart, but I find it to be a bit of a pain (lugging it around, setting it up, cleaning the wheels and tires after each round, breaking it down, etc).

 

My last two rounds of this season I played 8 clubs and scored well for me (34 for nine holes and 72 for 18: par 35 and par 70 respectively).

 

With eight clubs it was certainly light enough for me to carry, and I also noticed I could walk over the green instead of around it :-)

 

I used driver, 7-wood, 5-hybrid, 7, 9, AW, LW, and putter. Thinking of swapping out the driver for my 3-wood.

 

Does anyone else do this?

 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!! :hi: :drinks:

[BNGL]

Fun fact taking your pushcart across the green isn't a detriment to the health of the greens.

[wkuo3]

I used to carry fewer golf clubs than the maximum allowed 14, just to practice. Someday I will carry only irons in the bag for a shorter golf course or I may carry just the odd number irons one day and the even number irons the other day.

If I'm serious about the score, then I would have study the length of the golf course and the shots required to make a low score, I would select the golf clubs accordingly for the shots required.

One could easily get around a golf course with less than 10 golf clubs which is shorter than 6,000 yards. It'll progressively gets tougher with fewer golf clubs when the yardage lengthen.

[Medic]

Have done this many times when walking. Trouble is I always seem to miss/need one of the irons I left behind. So the next time out I put it in the bag - and don't need it but need the one I replaced with it.

 

But seriously, yes I have done this and it's good for the game actually. Learning to hit the same iron only 140 that you usually hit 170 can be a valuable game asset to have. Especially if you ever play "Battle Golf". : )

 

Just a sidenote, Sean. I played yesterday with the wife and she is NAILING her new driver. I kept track of the clubs I used throughout the round and I literally used each and every club in the bag at least once. I had been wondering if there were some clubs in the bag wasting space - apparently not.

 

Oh, and on 18 (my nemesis hole I have mentioned here before) I went ahead and hit driver. I carried the hazard and ended up on the left side of the FW only about 140 out! All new territory for me. Of course then, like a knucklehead, I nuked my second shot over the green completely misfiguring the slope and wind and ended up with a bogey. But it wasn't because I have driven the ball OB so that's a plus!

 

Merry Christmas buddy - stay warm up there.

[Sean2]

^^^It sounds like you and your wife are really hitting your stride Jim! :-)

 

ps: Winter sucks. lol

[mich_ping]

I have a Sunday bag with 10 clubs in it. Bertha Mini, TW VR Nike blades 3-9, 54* vokey with a lot of bounce and a putter. I keep it in the car at all times just in case the odd chance to play comes up. I actually shoot pretty similar scores to my full set with forgiving cavity back irons. It's fun to get out and walk 9 with that set up.

[Sean2]

I have a Sunday bag with 10 clubs in it. Bertha Mini, TW VR Nike blades 3-9, 54* vokey with a lot of bounce and a putter. I keep it in the car at all times just in case the odd chance to play comes up. I actually shoot pretty similar scores to my full set with forgiving cavity back irons. It's fun to get out and walk 9 with that set up.

 

That is one of the things I looked into...how people's scores changed with fewer clubs in the bag. And, in most cases those scores are quite similar to what folks would score with a full bag.

[ago33]

I highly recommend playing half sets in practice to work on in between distances

[The Pearl]

Sean,

 

There has been many discussions in the Bandon Dunes threads over the last few years regarding the use of a streamlined kit. Most who have tried it find it easily doable. I personally have made my last two trips to Bandon with 8 clubs and a Ping Moonlite bag. By far the easiest set up to get around Bandon. I have only had a few instances where I wished I had a different club.

 

Of course it depends on your game. I am a short hitter so I don't have a lot of need for the 6/7/8 irons and can easily work around their absence.

 

There is a wonderful sense of freedom playing the scaled down set-up.

[wildcatden]

For cleaning the wheels on a push-cart....goto Costco and get some flat boxes (2 of them). Put them in the back of your SUV/Trunk. Put the folded up push-cart's wheels in the boxes. No more cleaning the wheels after a round.

[jbrunk]

I’ve carried 5 this winter: 5W, 6i, PW, SW, P. If I had room to add 3 more it would be 1W, 4Hy, 8i.

[Sean2]

Sean,

 

There has been many discussions in the Bandon Dunes threads over the last few years regarding the use of a streamlined kit. Most who have tried it find it easily doable. I personally have made my last two trips to Bandon with 8 clubs and a Ping Moonlite bag. By far the easiest set up to get around Bandon. I have only had a few instances where I wished I had a different club.

 

Of course it depends on your game. I am a short hitter so I don't have a lot of need for the 6/7/8 irons and can easily work around their absence.

 

There is a wonderful sense of freedom playing the scaled down set-up.

 

I felt that way the two times I tried it.

 

I have a Sun Mountain 2.5+ bag, which make things even lighter...and it has full length dividers. I would like to make it to Bandon Dunes some day. It's interesting to see that folks go there with fewer than 14 clubs.

 

For cleaning the wheels on a push-cart....goto Costco and get some flat boxes (2 of them). Put them in the back of your SUV/Trunk. Put the folded up push-cart's wheels in the boxes. No more cleaning the wheels after a round.

 

That's a good idea. :-)

[sdandrea]

PING Moonlite Sunday bag with the 8 clubs in my signature, yes. Don't seem to miss the other 6. Have fun!

[wildcatden]

For cleaning the wheels on a push-cart....goto Costco and get some flat boxes (2 of them). Put them in the back of your SUV/Trunk. Put the folded up push-cart's wheels in the boxes. No more cleaning the wheels after a round.

 

That's a good idea. :-)

 

Yeah, this setup in the back of our SUV works great for the junior's clubs and push-cart (a Bag Boy unit with four wheels.) Definitely useful in the Fall Tour's when our tee times were early and the wet, fresh-cut grass would get caked all over the wheels.

[Medic]

Anyone here watch the Rick Shiels video where he played an entire round with nothing but a 7 iron? Including putting and all. He shot a low score for crying out loud! Proof positive that a good swing, distance control and a little creativity can go a long way towards a decent score.

[Sean2]

PING Moonlite Sunday bag with the 8 clubs in my signature, yes. Don't seem to miss the other 6. Have fun!

 

Thanks! :-)

 

For cleaning the wheels on a push-cart....goto Costco and get some flat boxes (2 of them). Put them in the back of your SUV/Trunk. Put the folded up push-cart's wheels in the boxes. No more cleaning the wheels after a round.

 

That's a good idea. :-)

 

Yeah, this setup in the back of our SUV works great for the junior's clubs and push-cart (a Bag Boy unit with four wheels.) Definitely useful in the Fall Tour's when our tee times were early and the wet, fresh-cut grass would get caked all over the wheels.

 

I play most of my golf early in the morning, so the ground is always wet.

[Sean2]

Anyone here watch the Rick Shiels video where he played an entire round with nothing but a 7 iron? Including putting and all. He shot a low score for crying out loud! Proof positive that a good swing, distance control and a little creativity can go a long way towards a decent score.

 

I didn't see that one Jim, but I thought I read a couple of years ago about Bubba Watson playing a round with just a 5 iron and shot in the 60s.

[Medic]

Anyone here watch the Rick Shiels video where he played an entire round with nothing but a 7 iron? Including putting and all. He shot a low score for crying out loud! Proof positive that a good swing, distance control and a little creativity can go a long way towards a decent score.

 

I didn't see that one Jim, but I thought I read a couple of years ago about Bubba Watson playing a round with just a 5 iron and shot in the 60s.

 

Definitely worth a watch. Spoiler alert - one of the best up and downs from a bunker ever on YT. How he got it out is beyond me much less with a 7 iron. The look on his face was priceless - you could tell he was surprised it came out as it did.

 

Just a really fun watch. But then again I thoroughly enjoy all of Rick's videos so I am a bit jaded in opinion I reckon. (Surprised Crossfield is going all Titleist also BTW)

[Big Ben]

Sean I think it's very doable, maybe even fun! Defintely less complicated when making due with the clubs in your bag and not worrying about 3/4 wedges, etc etc.

[Sean2]

Sean I think it's very doable, maybe even fun! Defintely less complicated when making due with the clubs in your bag and not worrying about 3/4 wedges, etc etc.

 

Well, I will definitely give it a whirl, Ben. And I really like the less complicated part. :-)

[kiwihacker]

I'm with you Sean. 14 clubs is too heavy. Play this setup all the time:

 

Driver,

20° hybrid

5 iron

7 iron

9 iron

50° wedge

58° wedge

Putter

 

I have found learning to play 1/2 and 3/4 shots with the 9 iron vs having a wedge for every distance is very beneficial to help develop feel.

[scomac2002]

Hi-Di-Ho and Happy Holidays!

 

Next season I am thinking of going with an eight club bag. I like to walk, but 14 clubs is a bit much at my advanced age. lol

 

I have been using a push cart, but I find it to be a bit of a pain (lugging it around, setting it up, cleaning the wheels and tires after each round, breaking it down, etc).

 

My last two rounds of this season I played 8 clubs and scored well for me (34 for nine holes and 72 for 18: par 35 and par 70 respectively).

 

With eight clubs it was certainly light enough for me to carry, and I also noticed I could walk over the green instead of around it :-)

 

I used driver, 7-wood, 5-hybrid, 7, 9, AW, LW, and putter. Thinking of swapping out the driver for my 3-wood.

 

Does anyone else do this?

 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!! :hi: :drinks:

 

I used the exact set-up that you have described for the bulk of my men's league rounds this past season. Those were the clubs that I needed for the nine hole course that we play at. If anything my scoring was a bit better I think than what I was doing typically before. You can chalk that up to developing a bit better feel for hitting shots that are not always full out.

 

There had been a lot of talk about minimalist set-ups on here over the past couple of years or more, but the merits didn't really become apparent to me until I began to fool around with vintage clubs, playing a half set that consisted of 2W, 4W, 3, 5, 7, 9 irons, SW and putter because that was basically what I had to work with. You learn to play the course a bit differently to avoid odd yardages and then the scores would come around to be the same as using a full set.

 

As you have said, the best aspect of this is the light weight carry bag with the half set. I use a Callaway Hyper Lite 3.0. In many ways, carrying a Sunday type bag is easier than pushing around a cart bag with a full set on a trolley, especially if you're walking a hilly course. It has become my preferred way to play once I'm familiar with a course.

[Wriggles]

I've been a minimalist for at least 15-20 years.

 

3W, 5,8,PW and putter, maybe adding a driver, for six clubs. All in a Sunday bag. Depending on the time of year or course, substitute the SW for the PW, or 7 or 9 for the 8, etc.

 

A nice rule of thumb, mix up the irons, odd one day, even the next.

[Golf64]

My new set up for next yr. will be 3w, 5-pw, 56*, putter. :golfer:

[Tommy56]

Easily done Sean. I’ve been minimalist for 5 months and have had some of my best rounds since then. Love the simplicity and light weight to carry.

[Sean2]

I'm with you Sean. 14 clubs is too heavy. Play this setup all the time:

 

Driver,

20° hybrid

5 iron

7 iron

9 iron

50° wedge

58° wedge

Putter

 

I have found learning to play 1/2 and 3/4 shots with the 9 iron vs having a wedge for every distance is very beneficial to help develop feel.

 

I work on my short game a lot, so I practice those kinds of shots with my wedges. I just need to work on it with my longer clubs.

[Sean2]

Hi-Di-Ho and Happy Holidays!

 

Next season I am thinking of going with an eight club bag. I like to walk, but 14 clubs is a bit much at my advanced age. lol

 

I have been using a push cart, but I find it to be a bit of a pain (lugging it around, setting it up, cleaning the wheels and tires after each round, breaking it down, etc).

 

My last two rounds of this season I played 8 clubs and scored well for me (34 for nine holes and 72 for 18: par 35 and par 70 respectively).

 

With eight clubs it was certainly light enough for me to carry, and I also noticed I could walk over the green instead of around it :-)

 

I used driver, 7-wood, 5-hybrid, 7, 9, AW, LW, and putter. Thinking of swapping out the driver for my 3-wood.

 

Does anyone else do this?

 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!! :hi: :drinks:

 

I used the exact set-up that you have described for the bulk of my men's league rounds this past season. Those were the clubs that I needed for the nine hole course that we play at. If anything my scoring was a bit better I think than what I was doing typically before. You can chalk that up to developing a bit better feel for hitting shots that are not always full out.

 

There had been a lot of talk about minimalist set-ups on here over the past couple of years or more, but the merits didn't really become apparent to me until I began to fool around with vintage clubs, playing a half set that consisted of 2W, 4W, 3, 5, 7, 9 irons, SW and putter because that was basically what I had to work with. You learn to play the course a bit differently to avoid odd yardages and then the scores would come around to be the same as using a full set.

 

As you have said, the best aspect of this is the light weight carry bag with the half set. I use a Callaway Hyper Lite 3.0. In many ways, carrying a Sunday type bag is easier than pushing around a cart bag with a full set on a trolley, especially if you're walking a hilly course. It has become my preferred way to play once I'm familiar with a course.

 

Our course is nine holes as well, and I play the bulk of my golf on it. I have the Sun Mountain 2.5, and it's very light.

 

I have been reading that many of the folks that have a minimalist bag discover that they score as well, or better, than with a full bag. I know it seems counter-intuitive, but everything about golf is. lol

[Sean2]

I've been a minimalist for at least 15-20 years.

 

3W, 5,8,PW and putter, maybe adding a driver, for six clubs. All in a Sunday bag. Depending on the time of year or course, substitute the SW for the PW, or 7 or 9 for the 8, etc.

 

A nice rule of thumb, mix up the irons, odd one day, even the next.

 

I was thinking of doing this, just as you described, odds and events.

 

My new set up for next yr. will be 3w, 5-pw, 56*, putter. :golfer:

 

Sounds good!

[Sean2]

Easily done Sean. I’ve been minimalist for 5 months and have had some of my best rounds since then. Love the simplicity and light weight to carry.

 

That's good to hear Tommy! In addition to the lighter weight, it's the simplicity I find attractive as well.

[sdandrea]

I'm going to enter some hickory events this year. Bag will probably have a play club that doubles as a tee and fairway club, a mid iron, a mashie, mashie niblick, niblick and putter. 6 clubs!