Who is playing with less than 14 clubs?

[14max]

I've got 12 in both my modern and classic bags. If I walk, I'll go ahead and knock it down to 8 at the most. I took out the lob wedge and eliminated a long iron since those were the clubs I rarely used with any positive effect.

[jbrunk]

Winter in Central Illinois means more sim golf, which gets boring fast with a regular set. My usual minimal bag is 4W, 6i, 9i, SW & putter. Last week I was gifted an 712 AP2 3i, and it gaps nicely in this set.

The most interesting sim round so far was an 8 club, irons only challenge, for me i200 4i-UW. Mostly used 5i off the tee, UW around the green of course, and figured out how to putt armlock style with a 4 iron. Probably the three least often utilized clubs in regular round.

[RP40]

"Could" I play with 13 clubs, or 10, or 7 ??? ... Sure, but it doesn't seem to serve a purpose.

My first set of clubs was an beginner set that included every other club, and what it taught me as I got better with them was that I wanted those extra seven clubs. And I've had all 14 ever since.

Now, I get it, you can't hit a long iron or a 3-wood, or whatever - so why not find an extra wedge or a hybrid or a high-lofted fairway wood to take their place.

I might not play every club in my bag every round, but that doesn't mean I don't need them. And it would piss me off if I was in the middle of a great round, and found myself facing a shot that I couldn't make because I chose instead to leave that one club at home for the sake of some inexplicable reason.

[PowderedToastMan]

In my mind, showing up with less than 14 clubs is like showing up unprepared, not ready to absolutely give it your all. You’re already putting yourself at a disadvantage relative to the field, and I don’t get enjoyment handicapping myself against the course.

There’s a reason every pro carries 14 clubs, and it’s because it’s insane to leave out the possibility of possessing a certain shot. I played scratch golf when I was 16 with 12 clubs, but that was because I couldn’t afford a 13th and 14th club. The second I had money, my bag has had 14 clubs ever since, with backups ready to jump in to fill different needs for the specific day.

At this point, I can only see dropping clubs as I get quite a bit older and I’m hitting driver 200 yards or less. I’m guessing nobody who has commented in this thread is in that boat.

[Joe40]

12 here

3 in each section of my bag, otherwise the lack of symmetry offends my eye :)

D-4W-4H

5-6-7

8-9-P

50-56-Putter

 

[Paddy_2_Iron]

Who is playing with less than 14 clubs? 

I do I play with 12 clubs

What is the club that you don’t use that most people do?

I only have one long advancing club, 3 hybrid.

What’s your thinking behind your decision??

I'm not very good at hitting long clubs off the fairway so instead of having multiple options I make it easy and only hit one. Kind of like what people do with wedges if they stink they only hit the 56, well at least that's what I have seen and read.....

[Carl Spackler3]

Depending on wedges I often find myself with 13. I definitely don’t think it’s hurting me lol

[Jut]

Good Lort. This thread has had me thinking way too much. And now because of this thread, I've added two sticks to the bag. I've gone from the 12 club Club to the 14 club Club just like that. Added that strong 3 wood and an extra wedge to fool around with (see sig). Typical WRX'er move. Sigh.

[Sean2]

I played the forward tees today with just a 7-iron. It was fun, and the walking was very easy, lol.

[iNeedMoreGolf]

You definitely dont need 14 but i understand it. Ive played 13 and now 14. Driver 3wood 3hyb 4 to p 48 52 58 putter. The addition is a 52 wedge. 48 is doable but comes out a little to hot sometimes in short play. 52 fills that area very nicely. Jumped from 56 to 58 wedge. Hope that works out im scared.

[Ghostwedge]

i did the math years ago on my home course, longest par 5 is 563, par 4 is 416, par 3 is 175. Overall is 6465.

Front 9 is fairly flat with lots of bunkers and mounds, back 9 winds thru wooded area with tight landing spots and more greenside mounds and bunkers. I walk it year around and carry 10 clubs, here’s the fun part, driver, 8 irons and a putter. 5-sw is it. I can hit them all 9 ways if needed ( and occasionally when i don’t ).

par 5 is driver, 5i, 8-9i. par 4 is driver, 6-7i and par 3 is 5i to sw. My bag is under 4 lbs, a few balls n tee’s, ball marker, spare pencil, umbrella if it might rain, thats it. Uncomplicate it, figure out how to bank a 7 iron against a strong breeze in to a tight pin rather than fret over which 3-4 clubs to hit.

I’ll carry 14 if i’m riding cart in a charity tornament, the fairway woods and hybrids look good in the bag, the only one that gets pulled is the occasional lob wedge.

 

 

 

A

 

[Richsgbox]

In my Sunday bag that I use to get a good quick round in. I don't bag a fairway and only a 52 & 58. I find it more practical for shorter courses. At times other than my driver, a 4i can be the longest club. It's nice especially if you're walking.

[taylorlong1]

I walk my local course, usually for a quick nine, and ever since the strap on my full size bag broke a couple years ago I've been carrying a pencil bag with 7 clubs: Driver, 3hybrid, 6, 8, P, 56, putter. I'm a purist at heart, and so I enjoy the simplicity of it. I feel like my mind is clearer with fewer choices to make. Maybe that helps me play better? Not for everyone, but it works for me. If I did it for a living, I'd play 14, obviously. But I just do it for pleasure.

[Colonel_Steelhead]

When I picked the game up in the mid 90's I used 13 and didn't realize I could add another one. 1-3-5 woods 3-SW irons and a putter. Added an "L" wedge in the early 2000's just because that's what the pro's did to be quite honest. To this day if I wasn't so lazy, I could drop the LW and not miss a beat.

[blues72]

Playing 12 clubs. Dropped a 3 wood and 3 iron. Just don’t have the swing speed necessary to take advantage of that club. Can work my 56* wedge enough that I don’t carry any additional wedges. Works for me and I’m not tempted to pull a club I don’t carry! Lol...

[M44km44k]

12 clubs here too. Driver, 5w, 2 hybrids 5-pw 56 putter. Dropped the 3 wood as I hit the 5 wood same distance with more height and control. Dropped the 60 because I blow it everytime I try to use it, and I can't keep it out of my hands.

I agree with the logic and probably need to find a few more clubs or at least another wedge in the bag.

To be honest though, I think that the 400 clubs in my garage would get lonely if I took anymore to the course with me.

[Nixhex524]

I carry 13, have been for a long time... I just find that what I have works for my game and I don't really have the need for another club... I guess most people would carry one more wedge than I do but I like keeping it a little more simple... I'll just learn to hit more shots with my GW. May even go to a more minimalist bag at some point this year.

[hunterjlent]

I carry 12 at all times. I don’t use a 3 iron, and I use a 52* and 58*.

[meliason_14]

My wife (30 handicap) plays 9

[animalgolfs]

I carry 9

 

[Pworld]

13 here. Down to 2 Wedges. And don’t play a 3 iron.

I might add in another hybrid between my 7wood and 4h hybrid. But not sure I need it.

trying to make things more simple like when I was a kid.

[Lincoln_Arcadia]

I carry 14 clubs, but play only 10 of them?

Driver, 3W off the tee, hybrid,7,8,9,PW for second shots and rarely use the 56 except for bunkers and use the 50 for all my chipping then, finally, putter.

6i, 5i are rarely taken out of my bag, but I see many others use?

I can’t hit my 4i and 60 except on perfect ground.

So, 10 clubs played.

[Hawkeye77]

13

When I got my new 3w several years ago because for a long time I was too cheap to replace the one I broke on the range using it as an alignment stick I was too cheap to get a matching 5w and just dropped the 5w altogether. Go from 3w to 4h and that gap very rarely causes a problem. I guess if I ever regularly play a course where 5w shots come into play I'll get one, but I've gotten used to the choke down 3w even though sometimes it is not ideal. The few strokes here or there over the season just aren't that big of a deal, and I use a 2.5 lb. lightweight stand bag, so the other clubs appreciate a little room to breathe.

[prubey00]

Currently have 13 clubs

Driver, 3 wd, 4 hybrid, 5-PW, G, S, L wedge and Putter

 

Looking for something to fill the gap between 3 wood and 4 hybrid, maybe a 3 hybrid or a utility iron.

I live in Michigan so I have a few months to ponder and research before I am able to play again.