How many clubs do you need to play your handicap?

[max power]

I can shoot close to my handicap with 5 or 6 clubs, but in no way does 14 clubs give me too many options.  Sometimes I leave the 3 wood out of the bag and go with 13 clubs, when I know the course/tees don't call for a 3 wood on any shot.  But every round is different-I've had 18 hole rounds recently where I probably only used 6-7 different clubs, and rounds where I've used all 14.

And my 3W, 5W, 2H, 3H, and 3 iron all travel different distances, and in different ways.

Originally Posted by Gerald

Let's face it ....... we don't need 14 clubs ...... it not only makes the bag very heavy ....... it also gives us tooooo many options.

Most golfers I meet, carry 3 or even 4 clubs for actually the same result, maybe not on paper or at the drawing board, but IRL most golfers hit a 3W, 5W, 2H, 3H and 3I about the same distance ...... so why don't we simply kick these out and use the one we play best of these ?

Same with the wedges ..... very few golfers really benefit from a 60* -  64* wedge, the golf shop does, but that is another story.

I don't say you that if you are allowed to carry 14 clubs you should not give your self the widest possible selection to tackle any shot, but there have been times that gripping down an inch orso or punching a shot low added some fun and finesse to the game, instead of having a tool for every distance.

My personal set consists of :

Driver

4W

4i

5i

6i

7i

8i

9i

47 P

52 G

58 S/L

Putter

I sometimes add the 3i .... I can hit it great at some days, but at most days it equals the 4i

Basicly I play my hc. with 12 clubs in total and could easy leave the 47 P and 52 G at home and would probably not miss them much ...... I create gaps but I can easely fill in the gaps, by being creative.

How many clubs would you need ?

[RichWW2]

I agree with what someone put above. You are allowed to have 14 clubs, so why not have 14 clubs? Currently in my bag I have a Driver, 3w, 3i-PW, GW, SW, LW, Putter. Realistically could get by using 11 clubs. I never EVER hit my 3 wood as I can hit my 3i far enough and very consistently. I also never use my lob wedge as I can never hit it right when I try to hit it, so it has been informally  retired. Through some weird statistical yardage anomaly, I very rarely ever hit my 6i. It just seems like I'm never at the right distance for it (~175-185 yards).

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by Gerald

IRL most golfers hit a 3W, 5W, 2H, 3H and 3I about the same distance ......

For argument's sake:

The reasons to carry all my clubs: My driver is 10-20 yards longer than my 3w. The 3w is ~ 20 yards longer than my 5w or 2h (I never carry a 2-iron, 2h, and 5w at the same time). The 5w is ~ 15 yards longer than my 3iron (never owned a 3h). From there I have fairly evenly spaced yardage gaps down the LW. You gotta carry a putter.

The reasons not to carry all 14 clubs: a shorter shot off the tee is likely in a better position, even though it might mean a longer approach. Dropping your longest club means you could maybe drop your shortest as well. Rather than leave huge gaps, I'd rather drop one off each end and go with 12.

[Ringworld]

If the rules allow you 14 clubs. If you rode you would be a fool not to have as many tools in your chest to help you with your game. As my father always said to me, "Having the right tool for the job just makes that job easier to finish." Likewise having the right club will help you accomplish your goal.

I carry 12 usually but that changes with the course.

Driver, 3W, Hybrid3i, 5i, 6i, 7i, 8i, 9i, PW, SW, LW, putter

Normally, I will swap out the 3W, Hybrid3i, 5i, 6i for other clubs.  It helps that I carry fewer clubs, my Sunday Bag won't take more without causing the clubs to get stuck.

[Gerald]

Originally Posted by mdl

I see your point Gerald, but you're exaggerating the first point.  Do you really know tons of golfers who can play at all who hit a 15˚ 3W the same distance as a 22-23˚ hybrid?  I hit a 15˚ 3W about 250 off the tee and my 19˚ hybrid 220-230 on average from the tee, and I'm solidly an 80s player, not a 70s player.

On the second point, I strongly disagree.  I was carrying PW and a 54˚ gap/sand.  I got a 60˚ and my play around the greens has improved significantly.

- - - - -

OK you just said it yourself 250ish and 230ish is pretty equal to me ....... and maybe your 5W is 240ish ?????

These are all about the same !!!! And you will for sure have had shots with the Hybrid that went further than a 3W ......

The average hacker is not getting 250ish out of a 3W, but if they get 200ish out of a 3W off the tee they are pretty pleased, making a better contact with a 20* FW or Hy ..... same 200ish.......

And you might be a 30 yr young gun, but the bunch of 50+ 18 - 30 handicappers that play in our weekly thursday afternoon match overhere (which very much equals the average hacker - ie. 90% of all golfers) hit maybe 175-200 yds ..... and it doesn't differ if they grab a 7W, 5W, 3W or Hybrid out of the bag ..... still most of them carry all ...... I would say these clubs only have their difference, if you can apply enough swingspeed and a good solid contact, at slower swingspeeds they almost make no difference.

I also see let's say the average women golfer, carrying a full set, hitting a full swing 7 iron 100 yds, a full swing 6 iron 100 yds, a full swing 5 iron 100 yds, a full swing 7W 100 yds, etc...... so when they ask me which club to use ........ whatever you like best !

As for the wedges, I see some guys carrying up to 4 vokeys .... like the set's PW ----- followed by a 52 - 56 - 60 - 64 or 50 - 54 - 58 - 62 and so on......

Just two is fine too ...... same as yours PW - 54 - 60 or mine PW - 52 - 58

[ezmorningrebel]

when i walked with a carry bag i routinely took half the clubs out of my bag and i scored just the same, sometimes better.  now that i have my clicgear i don't mind lugging 14 around.  i could probably play to my handicap on my home course with 5 or 6 clubs.

[ochmude]

I played nine with my buddy yesterday.  #1 is a downhill par 5 with the entry road for the course running the entire length of the right rough.  I made beautiful contact with my driver, squarely on the hozel and down that road (fortunately there were no cars).  I promptly retired the driver for the evening, pulled out my 3H, and sent it about 200 straight down the fairway.  Played the rest of the round like that, using my 3H of the tee, and improved my 9-hole score by 6 strokes from the last time I played that course.  Soooo, at my current skill level I obviously don't need my 1, 3, or 5 wood.  They stayed in the bag the whole time.

EDIT:  Looking back at the round yesterday, I am pretty confident I could easily get away with carrying just 9 clubs.

3H

5i

6i

7i

8i

9i

PW

SW

Putter

What I lose in potential distance, I gain in fairways in reg and not having to check myself for ticks because I spent the whole time walking around in the woods.

[Gerald]

At the club I played last year (also no an easy course) we had a member, started golf a few years ago, playing handicap 10ish using a 6" holiday bag, containing a 4W, half set of irons, an old sandwedge (about no groves on that thing) and a 30 years old putter like you get when playing recreational minigolf........ hard time to beat the guy in matchplay.....

[wmiller]

If you're good enough, there is no such thing as too many options, considering that no two golf shots are ever the same. Having said that...

If I'm playing from the whites (6600) with my friend, I can leave out my 3-7 iron as I never need them. If I'm playing from the blues (7100) I tend to need a wider variety of clubs.

[NEOHMark]

I'm down to 13 clubs after jettisoning my 3W.  Frankly, I use my 60* maybe once every other round, so it could probably 'go' too.

[The Recreational Golfer]

We have a 3 clubs + putter day in my men's club every year. Almost everybody shoots close to their normal score (+/- 2-3 strokes). I broke 40 for the first time on that course with just those four clubs. (2h, 7i, sand wedge, putter).

I'm not sure, but I think I could do pretty well with seven: 2h, 4h, 6i, 8i, PW, a 54-degree wedge, and putter. Maybe not my handicap, but it wouldn't be terrible.

[The Recreational Golfer]

A second after I pressed the Submit button I thought of this. Last year we had a red tees day on the forum, and it was lots of fun.

How about a 5/6/7 (pick it)-club day this year?

[WUTiger]

I play five courses regularly, and all of them are unique in layout, terrain, and greens. So, I like to have all 14 clubs along to cover all situations. If I played the same course all the time, I could probably get by with fewer clubs.

If it's a par 3 course I leave the driver, 3W and 3i in the car trunk, but bring the 19* Raylor as a balance lever when carrying the bag.

I must confess I answered 13 clubs on the survey . Through the years I have auditioned umpteen different clubs for the #14 spot, but none have ever made the case "I can save the day!"

[Gerald]

OK 22 votes till now ....... about 73% say 12 or less !!!! .......

[gjsuicide]

I wish there was an option for less than 10 clubs. I cant remember the last time I played with a full set.  Im willing to bet I have never hit 14 different clubs in a single round.  I usually go out with a 3hybrid, 7-pw and a putter.  If Im feeling fancy I will throw in a sand or gap wedge or even a 7hybrid.  At my playing level I really dont need to complicate things further by giving myself too many options.  In reality my woods go straight into the woods, and any iron lower than 7 will only go as far as a 7 if it even goes straight. I get questioned quite a bit and I will always come back with a question of my own "How many of your 14 clubs have you used today?"  No one has questioned me further after that.  Plus, it feels really good when I hit a shot and someone says, "Wow, which club was THAT?" then they proceed to slice their driver into the woods.

[LankyLefty]

I voted 10 because their are 4 clubs in my bag that see only sparse use. I don't often use my 3 Hybrid, my 6 Iron, my 10 Iron, or my 60* wedge.

However I wouldn't say I don't need these clubs because they all have specific uses I love them for.  The scenarios I use them in just don't come up often.

3 Hybrid I use for laying up on long par 5s from a bad lye and for Doglegs right holes off the tee if the dogleg starts less then 220-230 yards away. Usually if Im in the weeds on a shorter par 5 up short with my 5h or 6i and leave myself a longer 3rd shot. But when the hole is long or my drive was particularly short this thing is a life saver out of the rough.

6 Iron I use for long bunker shots or particularly bad lies from pretty far away. If I'm in a fairway bunker or thick thick grass and a ways out with the ball is in a position that makes a hybrid out of the question the 6i comes into play.

The 10 Iron for me has been an odd club to get used to having as I didn't have one until I got this set. I should use it from about 125-130 out but usually just Hit my 9 from 140 on in to about 110 with decent results. I do use the 10 for 120ish yard par 3 tee shots.

My 60* wedge I really only hit when I need to chip over something or up a steep incline and don't have a lot of green between me and the hole. For example if I have to chip over a sand trap and only have 5 or 6 feet of green to work with the 60* wedge comes into play.

[Cut68]

So today I played my buddy, and the game was no woods and 1 hybrid, beyond that, Irons only. It's not like the course we were playing was crap (6500 from the tee's we were playing) but I still shot an 85, which would be below my HCP for this course. Really has me re-evaluating my course management

[ohiolefty]

I'd say 8...

1. Putter

2. Driver

3. 3W

4. Hybrid

5. LW

6. PW

7. 8 iron

8. 6 iron

if the course was stupid long...I'd have to add a 4 iron...but who knows, really