Anyone ever played with 3 clubs or less?

[Lihu]

3H, 6i and PW.

Kind torn between 5i or 6i. 5i putts better. . .

[Patch]

I have played in some three club tournaments. Even won a few of them. I used a 5w, 6i, and wedge. My 5w is also my putter. Now, last time I played in one, I used a 3w, 7w, and PW which worked out quite well for me, and I will probably use this combo again. I putted with the 7w. IMO a putter in a three club contest limits the golfer to just two clubs. It's not that hard to putt with a metal wood, and you get to carry extra shots in your bag.

I played in a one club charity tournament, and used my 7w. It's a pretty good all around club for me.

I once started having problems with my PW, and played the last 10 holes using only it to get the kinks out. It worked.

Sometimes I will play a series of holes just using a couple of clubs just for the heck of it.

[Lihu]

I have played in some three club tournaments. Even won a few of them. I used a 5w, 6i, and wedge. My 5w is also my putter. Now, last time I played in one, I used a 3w, 7w, and PW which worked out quite well for me, and I will probably use this combo again. I putted with the 7w. IMO a putter in a three club contest limits the golfer to just two clubs. It's not that hard to putt with a metal wood, and you get to carry extra shots in your bag.

I played in a one club charity tournament, and used my 7w. It's a pretty good all around club for me.

I once started having problems with my PW, and played the last 10 holes using only it to get the kinks out. It worked.

Sometimes I will play a series of holes just using a couple of clubs just for the heck of it.

This is exactly what I was thinking. I use a 3H instead of a 5W, though. Almost the same club for me, anyway. The 3H can play long out of rough as well as being decently long off the tee.

[isukgolf]

We used to do it on a short 9 hole course ... Driver, 8i, Pw ... it was actually fun times.

[natureboy]

I realize this is an old thread, but if you've never tried this I highly recommend it.  Personally, I had a lot of fun just deciding which 3 clubs to pick.  There is a lot of strategy involved and I have tried several combinations.  The first time my buddies and I tried 3 clubs was one afternoon after work.  I probably spent half of that day trying to decide if I should pick a putter as one of my clubs!

It absolutely makes you play more creatively, but it also can make you be more analytical at the same time, and gives you a completely different perspective, especially if you try this on a course you play often.  I remember one occasion my longest club was a 6 iron (I think that day I chose 6ir, SW & putter).  It was very strange teeing off with a 6ir on par 4s and par 5s that I usually hit driver on, and then playing the second shot from an area of the fairway that can make the hole look/play very different.

I find myself rejuvenated after these rounds (I've done this 3 times, 9 holes each time) and it fires me up to play.  Anyone else feel inspired afterwards?

I saw a clinic video where Bubba talked about playing practice rounds with one club to 'get to know' a club and work on shot & strategy creativity.

He said he broke par with driver only at which I am amazed.

[mayhem]

I would love to try this.  I ALWAYS want to hit driver off the tee, sometimes when I shouldn't.  Just something satisfying about the sound the driver makes.  I've thought about leaving it in the truck several times but never have.  

I don't know if I would do this on an executive course or my normal 9 hole par 36.

But I think before the snow falls I will.  Likely I will take 5i, 7i, sw

[RickK]

One of the clubs I play out of used to have a one man 3 club (putter could be one of your 3 but still only 3) tournament.  It did not get great participation so it was changed this year to a 2 man 3 club scramble and you could not share clubs.  I played in it and will not play it again.  I just do not enjoy it.  FWIW, I carried 4 hybrid, 7 iron and Driver.  My partner carried 3 wood, 8 iron, PW.  

[Pretzel]

I once went to the golf course but had forgotten my bag of clubs. Since I didn't feel like driving back home to get them (and was playing for free anyways), I played the round with nothing but the 3-iron I had in the back of my car that I occasionally swap out my hybrid for. I played better than expected, I think I shot something in the high 70's or low 80's that day because I managed to avoid greenside bunkers.

[TN94z]

Our group played with just a 7i for 9 holes one time. It was pretty fun. We really had to figure out how to hit a variety of shots though

[JBailey]

Back in the day when I was young and obsessive about becoming a scratch golfer, I would play 18 early in the morning with one club to get a better feel with that club.  Later in the day, I would play another 18 with friends using all the clubs.  In between the two rounds I would hit the practice range.  In my mid 20's I would do this 7 days a week and played an 18 with every club in the bag except a putter.

If I recall correctly, the best round I had was an 82 with a 4 iron.

By the way, I never did get to scratch.  I was a solid 5 when a back operation put me out of golf for quite some years.

Later,

John

[SavvySwede]

10 minutes ago, JBailey said:

Back in the day when I was young and obsessive about becoming a scratch golfer, I would play 18 early in the morning with one club to get a better feel with that club.  Later in the day, I would play another 18 with friends using all the clubs.  In between the two rounds I would hit the practice range.  In my mid 20's I would do this 7 days a week and played an 18 with every club in the bag except a putter.

If I recall correctly, the best round I had was an 82 with a 4 iron.

By the way, I never did get to scratch.  I was a solid 5 when a back operation put me out of golf for quite some years.

Later,

John

That's a pretty interesting practice strategy. Looking back would you have done anything different? Also, how did you manage to play 36 holes a day 7 days a week? Sounds like the life.

[JBailey]

17 minutes ago, SavvySwede said:

That's a pretty interesting practice strategy. Looking back would you have done anything different? Also, how did you manage to play 36 holes a day 7 days a week? Sounds like the life.

Like I said, I was obsessive.  Back then I was a teacher and had 3 months off in the summer.  In Michigan, that's pretty much all the golf we could get in.

Doing something different -- ya', play less golf and have fewer divorces.

Later,

John

[gregsandiego]

On 9/30/2015, 1:21:15, natureboy said:

 

I saw a clinic video where Bubba talked about playing practice rounds with one club to 'get to know' a club and work on shot & strategy creativity.

 

He said he broke par with driver only at which I am amazed.

Really? Cool. I started a thread a while back "Playing with the driver only" and pretty much got panned by most of the comments. Focusing on the one club was exactly my thought. 

[Return2Golf]

Yes, I've played with two Cobra woods and slashed my way around a golf course pretty well.  There comes a time though when it would be nice to contemplate the existence of a full set in a golf bag.  It's fun though!

[9wood]

On 11/17/2008, 3:05:10, firstcut said:

Have been thinking it might be fun to have a 3 clubs or less game with the "crew". At least for a quick 9 after work. Has anyone ever done this?

I'm thinking I'd go with my 6, GW and putter... Heck, I'd probably score better than I do with a full bag.

I never have and never would, but there have been foursomes ahead of me who did, and thought it would be cute. Problem was they slowed everyone else down who had a full set of clubs. Since that experience I personally would like to see the course make it mandatory that if you're going to play then have a full bag of clubs so other golfers aren't slowed down 

[pganapathy]

Had a friend who while on a trip to the States, played with a guy who was 60+ and he played like 5 clubs (3W, 5i, 7i, 9i, Putter was the selection I think) and he played off like a scratch handicap.  He was able to loft and de-loft the clubs to get the lengths he needed and was apparently very straight and played almost perfect fairway and GIR golf.

I would like to try this out once I get around to practicing regularly and grooving my swing.  Right now am too inconsistent and need all the clubs in my bag to ensure I can hit a longer club than normal to ensure I am getting the distance and shots I need.

[1badbadger]

One aspect that I didn't think about at first is that I'm in the golf business and haven't paid for green fees in many years, so for me to experiment with something like this is no big deal.  But once upon a time before I got in the industry I had to pay just like everyone else and probably wouldn't have tried this because it would have seemed like "a waste" of a round, if that makes sense.  Spending my hard earned money to play with 3 clubs?  

But now that I've done it a handful of times I can tell you it's totally worth it.  You'll get a whole different perspective and it will spark your creativity.  It's not necessary to play on the finest course in town to enjoy this experience, but I do recommend playing with some friends rather than as a single, and everyone in your group tries it.  Even if you never do it again, I think you'll be glad you tried it at least once and felt like you learned a little something! 

[chilepepper]

Well.......I should have stuck with just 7i, wedge and putter today.