Mix and Match Classic Bag

[Tumbleweed_1968]

Ok, so let's say you have four sets of clubs to choose from, along with various individual clubs. And you wanted to put together a bag that consisted of the best of what you own, clubs that help you score the best. How would you go about it?

 

I am assuming that you would end up with a little of this and a little of that. This driver, that 3 wood, those long irons, different short irons, etc.

 

Any thoughts?

[stixman]

This is a continuing problem for me and I wrestle with it for most outings.

First, there are no 'oughts'. A club doesn't deserve to be in the bag because it's pretty, it has a makers cachet or it matches others in the set.

It's there by right. There are clubs in my bag which I didn't expect to be there but they are reliable.

 

You are an accomplished golfer, you know what you expect from every club in the bag. Those that don't measure up get transfer listed or trashed. Some will have a question mark assigned to them...they stay on the bench and get a second chance. It's just like managing a football team...and you are the manager!

 

Nothing gets replaced unless it's with a proven better performer.

[Swingingk]

I'd pick my favorite irons then pick the woods and a wedge that fit the distance gapping I'd need. My iron distances are usually pretty much the same with anything I play so it's usually about finding fairway woods I can get along with.

 

Unless the irons are really old or really new my 7-iron goes about 150 yards. Really new stuff might be 1 club less and really old stuff about 1 club more.

[birly-shirly]

Hmm. I like the main run of irons to match. Mismatched wedges and woods are no problem, although (assuming wooden heads and steel shafts) for piece of mind I prefer to have woods with the same shaft. Not a problem normally as TT dynamic is so common in that era of clubs.

[Ol_Pardner]

I have heard of people choosing each club in their set based on feel, regardless of make. In fact, in the early 20th Century, before packaged sets became common, that was how some golfers assembled a set. Pulling clubs out of a barrel and placing $1 hard earned, on the counter for 1 NEW club at a time, as clubs began to be mass produced.

The closest I get to that is a matched set of iron's through PW, then everything else is up for grabs. I almost pulled Wilson Staff 8&9 irons when I was reaching for a set of Hogan Apex IIs missing those irons, but decided on another full set Apex IIs. I had hit the staffs well years ago, but I've been a Hogan player for over 35 years. That said, I will often mix different Hogan woods and wedges, even some other makes, but usually the same set of Hogan irons. However, old age and Arthritis have caught up with me, so I'll likely be switching to the earlier versions of the Bobby Jones Driver and 3wd, and 1&2 hybrids by Jesse Orlimar--yeah, I know graphite shafts, but I guess it's time.

[oldschoolrocker]

Have been having thoughts of a mixed bag of Hogans and Wilsons. Found a 3,4,5 Hogan Apex Plus, a buck apiece. Don't know though. Haven't hit them. Now if they were BH grinds, or redlines... I might do it. Do have an old redline equalizer I need to reshaft and that might knock the Bulletback PW out.

[Porker]

The biggest lesson I learned in golf is to never let a club go that works simply because you want something new and flashy. Let go of a no-name driver and unbelievably found it again 2 years later in the bargain bin in another town 400km away from where I traded it in originally.. same small chip in the aldilla shaft.

 

When I started playing again this year from a 10 year absence, it's all coming back to me and it still feels confident in hand as it was many years ago. A mixed bag of thoughtfully put together installs confidence... if only I can find a Ray Cook Titanic 1 iron again..

[BIG STU]

I have always been a fan of a mixed bag period. Look at my signature. I do that especially on my vintage stuff. Someone will mention a club and I will think hey I have one of those and have not hit it yet so it goes in the bag. IMHO just part of the fun. Even my front line TCB bag is mixed. My old man could not stand that. He was always of the thought if you like played Hogan irons you should have Hogan woods too. Putters he had no problem with. I have known some gamblers that were good players and one tour player who played mixed bag sets where no 2 irons in the bag matched much less the woods. In fact I messed around Sunday afternoon and got the makings of another mixed bag sort of by accident now that you have given me the idea.They had some demo 6 irons in a barrel for $5 each. I bought a Cally Apex pro with the same shaft as mine just because and a Ping S-57 with a good S-300. The Ping had a good Lamkin cord on it too. Could make a crazy combo with that as in a modern Nike driver that I bought just for the shaft with a steel shafted hybrid and mixed irons including the Ping and a couple of hickories

[Swingingk]

Ok I get it - irons as well. That makes more sense too. Lol

 

Feel is the only reason I could see mixing and matching non-hickory clubs. Every other thing seems to be a con. It would be a neat conversation piece though to have each club in the bag from a different set, but hand-picked to work with your swing and distance needs. It'd take a while to do though...

 

I've been known to put 2-5 Hogan Radials in the bag with 6-pw Wilson blades on off or windy days. That's he most mixing I'd ever do in the irons - more forgiving long irons in with a blades set.

[scruffynick]

This is a continuing problem for me and I wrestle with it for most outings.

First, there are no 'oughts'. A club doesn't deserve to be in the bag because it's pretty, it has a makers cachet or it matches others in the set.

It's there by right. There are clubs in my bag which I didn't expect to be there but they are reliable.

 

You are an accomplished golfer, you know what you expect from every club in the bag. Those that don't measure up get transfer listed or trashed. Some will have a question mark assigned to them...they stay on the bench and get a second chance. It's just like managing a football team...and you are the manager!

 

Nothing gets replaced unless it's with a proven better performer.

Sound like Jose!! Ha ha really never thought of it like that

[BIG STU]

Ok I get it - irons as well. That makes more sense too. Lol

 

Feel is the only reason I could see mixing and matching non-hickory clubs. Every other thing seems to be a con. It would be a neat conversation piece though to have each club in the bag from a different set, but hand-picked to work with your swing and distance needs. It'd take a while to do though...

 

I've been known to put 2-5 Hogan Radials in the bag with 6-pw Wilson blades on off or windy days. That's he most mixing I'd ever do in the irons - more forgiving long irons in with a blades set.

That same pro who had all the mixed irons did play the tour some. He was around our place before the Old Kemper open the week before. He was Bs ing with my old man one day and looked over at the par 3 rental rack and saw a 8 iron and got it examined it and asked the old man how much? The old man told him take it. Now this guy carried grips etc in his car. He took it outside and hit a couple of balls went to his car and put two pieces of lead tape on it and one of his grips. Into the bag for next week. I thought it was ironic on the rental rack for the hacks and beginners to hit one week to a PGA event at Quail Hollow the next. I have forgotten this guy's name but he was a good player. Told the Old Man that he did not want to win a tournament that he had life great as it was like he did. He played good enough to keep his card and did as he liked. He was single did not smoke or drink (odd who did NOT smoke in those days?) He told the old man if he wanted to go fishing he went and did not play for a couple of weeks. Funny thing in those days around that crowd he did not gamble either. I think he ended up marring a rich widow in Florida and got a head pro job at a posh resort course in Florida. I know he came around when The Kemper was in town. When I saw results in golf publications in the day he always made cuts when he played. Never saw him again after the Kemper left and went to Maryland

[bullrambler]

Ok, so let's say you have four sets of clubs to choose from, along with various individual clubs. And you wanted to put together a bag that consisted of the best of what you own, clubs that help you score the best. How would you go about it?

 

I am assuming that you would end up with a little of this and a little of that. This driver, that 3 wood, those long irons, different short irons, etc.

 

Any thoughts?

 

I am presently committed to the 1967 Wilson Staff Dyna Power Set of Irons from the 2-PW with Staff Pro stiff shafts. I have a Dyna SW that is a close match but it has a DG S shaft in it. As a rule i use the ABS formula with any set of irons that I will play. So I usually have to add a bit of length to the older OEM sets, add a bit of swing weight and a large grip. Whatever wedges I use receive the same attention to detail.

 

I use a conventional modern driver with a Steel Shaft at about 42.75 inch length. and the Four wood has a steel shaft and large grip. I use a Utility in Place of a 3 iron.

 

One can expect the older vintage irons to have more loft and this means i generally use a 7 iron from 150 yards. I like more loft on an iron set and the Swing-weight is about D-8 or so. The Old Wilson Staff Pro Shafts in Stiff flex are quite stout for a Stiff and I had them measured for frequency and they came out at an X flex so the added weight helped them kick better for my swing.

 

The putter can get changed out from time to time and will only stay in the bag as long as I'm receiving favorable results.

 

I use a tour ball and there are lots of good choices out there. Titleist, Taylor Made, Callaway, Srixon, Bridgestone or Niki,

[BIG STU]

Ok, so let's say you have four sets of clubs to choose from, along with various individual clubs. And you wanted to put together a bag that consisted of the best of what you own, clubs that help you score the best. How would you go about it?

 

I am assuming that you would end up with a little of this and a little of that. This driver, that 3 wood, those long irons, different short irons, etc.

 

Any thoughts?

 

I am presently committed to the 1967 Wilson Staff Dyna Power Set of Irons from the 2-PW with Staff Pro stiff shafts. I have a Dyna SW that is a close match but it has a DG S shaft in it. As a rule i use the ABS formula with any set of irons that I will play. So I usually have to add a bit of length to the older OEM sets, add a bit of swing weight and a large grip. Whatever wedges I use receive the same attention to detail.

 

I use a conventional modern driver with a Steel Shaft at about 42.75 inch length. and the Four wood has a steel shaft and large grip. I use a Utility in Place of a 3 iron.

 

One can expect the older vintage irons to have more loft and this means i generally use a 7 iron from 150 yards. I like more loft on an iron set and the Swing-weight is about D-8 or so. The Old Wilson Staff Pro Shafts in Stiff flex are quite stout for a Stiff and I had them measured for frequency and they came out at an X flex so the added weight helped them kick better for my swing.

 

The putter can get changed out from time to time and will only stay in the bag as long as I'm receiving favorable results.

 

I use a tour ball and there are lots of good choices out there. Titleist, Taylor Made, Callaway, Srixon, Bridgestone or Niki,

you and I are of the same philosophy on making older shafts kick add the weight

[Tumbleweed_1968]

Thanks for all of the responses.

 

It seems like the way to go it to build a bag around the irons first, then maybe the wedges, and then the woods last. Right now I could get by very nicely without a driver and just go with a 2 wood. I hit them both about the same distance. In fact, on one hole this weekend both shots (played 2) ended up about 6 feet from each other with the 2 wood being farther. So.....

[oldschoolrocker]

The only number that matters is how far X club goes, and that ain't stamped on the sole plate.

[bullrambler]

In the vintage wood - wood drivers I find a 2 wood to be more forgiving and the results are good enough to be considered a part of the bag. However at the present time I'm not using a wood - wood this year in the bag, But when a vintage set of irons and wedges are tweaked for an individual's preference and performance. They are tough to beat when compared against modern equipment.

[Tumbleweed_1968]

In the vintage wood - wood drivers I find a 2 wood to be more forgiving and the results are good enough to be considered a part of the bag. However at the present time I'm not using a wood - wood this year in the bag, But when a vintage set of irons and wedges are tweaked for an individual's preference and performance. They are tough to beat when compared against modern equipment.

One of these days I have to pay a couple of rounds with just irons and see how I do.

[bullrambler]

One of my ole golf buddies played a certain par 5 with his 7 wood. He would get on the green in regulation and if his putting was on he would make par. I haven't seen him in a few years because I relocated - but I would imagine that he's still doing it that way.

[oldschoolrocker]

Saturday I decided to "mix" things up during the 18 hole blitz I play in a couple of times a month. Had been playing persimmons and Buttonbacks, dynapower sw, and rotating various styles of vintage putters in and out. Been playing fairly consistently with this setup ,but, this thread got me thinking, so....went with a 975d as the only wood, Hogan Apex Plus 3, 80ish Mac Tourneys 4-8, (missing the 9,) 88 Redline Equalizer, Hogan 56 SW, and an Otey C putter.

First nine holes I remembered why I liked the 975. Last nine I remembered why I didn't. Could have been the oppressive heat and humidity that reared it's ugly head, but, more likely it was my recurring attempts to get more out of the club than I am capable of.

Feast, or famine with the irons, not the same level of confidence as with the Buttonbacks, but, with a little work would be able to be more consistent. Hit some very nice shots with both Hogans, enough that I will keep my eyes out for a full set of Hogans to throw in a bag.

The club, of the day, for me,had to be the Otey putter. Didn't make everything, but it setup and rolled the rock well enough that it will be getting some prime time attention.

All in all, at the end of the round I was within a point of my normal scores for the last month.