Has anyone ever done this?

[Bullitt5339]

Has anyone ever taken everything out of their bag except their irons and wedges (and putter of course) and played a round? I'm really trying to work on accuracy with my irons and wedges, and wonder if anyone has ever played a round with just them in the bag.

I know that it would make for a long round, especially with the Par 5's, but it would make me actually work on all my irons out on the course, where it counts.

[Scott_K]

I've done it in the past and should probably do it a couple of times this season (but I won't :)) I think it's a good way to strenghten your iron / wedge game. You can also try it with just 4 or 5 clubs. It will force you to learn those clubs and how to hit different shots. If you have scoring barrier, it is very possible to make a breakthrough this way.

[burnabao]

I turned up for a round once and a dense fog had descended from who-knows-where (this was the middle of summer!). We couldn't see much past 100 yards so we all played with irons-only, just to keep the ball in play and have a hope of finding it as we moved deeper into the fog. None of us scored worse than bogey for the front nine. After that, the fog lifted and we all pulled out the big sticks - scores went downhill from there. Just goes to show...

[Bullitt5339]

Yeah, right now I'm stuck at 92-95. I'll get a lesson or two, and work on my irons (which are actually starting to improve nicely) and my irons will be good, but then I can't hit anything else that requires a different swing. I rob Peter to pay Paul with my golf game. I play enough to improve (2-3 rounds per week, plus 2-3 times at the range), but can't seem to put everything together out on the course. I've decided to absolutely get dangerous with my irons before I worry about my hybrids or fairway woods again.

I will do very well with my irons for my handicap as long as I concentrate on slowing down my backswing, and concentrate on bringing the club more inside. I want to get that swing ingrained in my muscle memory before I work on my fairway woods and hybrids.

[DavidFehertysBike]

Ill play nine holes with a 5 iron, 8iron, SW, and putter every now and then. I dont do it to work on anything, but just to keep the game from getting stale. I have a golf buddy who plays at around 20 handicap that likes to play me in money games (i dont know why.. i always cream him) but i started last summer to drop my driver and 3 wood from the bag to further handicap myself. Those games can be fun because he loosens up and plays better because he thinks he has a shot to win.

[Fatphil]

Has anyone ever taken everything out of their bag except their irons and wedges (and putter of course) and played a round?

no way...paid $400 bucks for that thing...gotta let the big dog eat

[chilly]

Great idea. I'm very inconsistent with irons, a round like this would give me the chance to groove more irons on the course. My course is ~6150 from the whites, so I really don't think it would effect my score much at all, may even help my score assuming I don't get in trouble off the tee.

[sean_miller]

Has anyone ever taken everything out of their bag except their irons and wedges (and putter of course) and played a round?

I've played a few rounds using one club and many rounds only hitting irons.

There are courses where a mid to long iron* off the tee is the smart play of most of the holes. Whether you're leaving the driver at home or just choosing not to use it is up to you, but I've always liked to have it in the bag in case I forget to put it back in the bag. *edit - I don't think of hybrids as irons, so which clubs get left out is up to the user

[WUTiger]

I get the same effect by playing two of the par 3 courses in the area. These are true par 3s however - not pitch and putt. At both the courses, the holes range from about 90 yds. to 180 yds.

I usually drop a ball on the tee box rather than placing it on a tee. This way, it's like hitting an approach shot from the fairway. Since it's shorter I can walk, and with no cart cost and lesser greens fees they're both a good deal.

[sean_miller]

I get the same effect by playing two of the par 3 courses in the area. These are true par 3s however - not pitch and putt. At both the courses, the holes range from about 90 yds. to 180 yds.

I agree - a par 3 course is the best irons practice. Pitch and putt courses for wedges too - especially on slow days - helps you feel those 40-80 yard shots with several clubs and trajectories.

I always tee it up though, just to save the little tee boxes.

[Bullitt5339]

The true Par 3 course here shut down last year. I used to love playing it and it was a really nice course with a lot of hazards. It was only $6 to walk 9 holes, and was great.

[danieldrieberg]

I've got a local nine holer where the amount of play during the evenings is low. I've done irons only. Every other club. 3 to 4 selected clubs. And for my favorite I work through my bag on each shot. First shot is driver, next is with my 3 wood, and so on through my wedges. Teeing off with a gap wedge or approaching a green from 50 yards with a driver requires so creative shot making. And it's FUN.

In the long run its good for your game.

[DarkPrince]

I was getting my iron set re-gripped last year and played a round with just a hybrid, 52/56 wedges and a putter, that was fun :P I played from the reds for fun and shot a 38 or 39, something I can't do from the whites/blacks with a full set :(

[Bullitt5339]

Well, I went out this morning and walked 18.

On the front 9, I used only my driver and irons. No fairway woods or hybrids. The longest iron I had in the bag was a 5 iron. Shot 8 over.

I replayed the front 9, using all my clubs as I normally would, and was 14 over.

Big difference between the rounds, and most of it was due to the lack of trouble I was in. The only hole I was worried about with just a 5 iron was #7, which is a 200 yard par 3. I still ended up with bogey, and the 2nd round, when I used my 5 wood off the tee, I ended up with bogey anyway. An eye opening experience to say the least.

[Gebus]

I played nine holes with just a 7 iron (no putter, I putted left handed with the back of the 7 iron) for a bet with my friends and I shot a 52, would have been better but I got stuck in a deep bunker...

[leezer99]

Like Gebus I've gone out and played with a single iron but in my case it was an 8 iron. I have also played numerous rounds with only 7 or 8 clubs in the bag leaving out all woods just for the heck of it. Honestly, take a look at your next round and see how many clubs you DON'T use. Next time you play try taking them out of the bag completely and see what happens. I find that I actually play better with fewer clubs.