The 14 club rule

[JP golf]

I was just thinking about the number of clubs the other day.

But I was going the other way.

I was thinking of playing a few rounds with only every second iron in my bag.

So I would have:

Driver

4 wood

23 degree hybrid

6 iron

8 iron

PW

56 degree wedge

60 degree wedge

putter

I based my choice of irons off what I would need on the par 3's at my course.

At a minimum it would make it a lot lighter to lug around on a hot summer day.

Did the originators of golf have 14 clubs in their bag?

Why 14?

I can't remember but I think I heard it was Bobby Jones and another golfer discussing how many clubs they should be allowed to carry.  Bobby Jones had 16 when he won the British open and the other guy had 12 so.... They met in the middle at 14 being the right number...   The reason is so that you still have to show skill to make yardage adjustments.  If there was no max we would have a club for every yardage and type of shot.

As far as going with less clubs, I honestly think that's a great way to learn to feel your clubs better.  You will be forced to hit different types of shots.  I played a little par three course when I was younger and we would end up playing the whole course with 1 club (we had junior memberships- $100 a year) - since we played the course so much we had to change it up.  Good thing is, we would learn to hit flop shots, 3/4 swings, punch shots, high cuts... It made you get creative and can really help your game in the long run.  -and it is really a lot more fun than you would think.

[Fourputt]

As far as going with less clubs, I honestly think that's a great way to learn to feel your clubs better.  You will be forced to hit different types of shots.  I played a little par three course when I was younger and we would end up playing the whole course with 1 club (we had junior memberships- $100 a year) - since we played the course so much we had to change it up.  Good thing is, we would learn to hit flop shots, 3/4 swings, punch shots, high cuts... It made you get creative and can really help your game in the long run.  -and it is really a lot more fun than you would think.

I've done this many times over the years.  I'd do it for casual rounds in midsummer when it was just too hot to carry a full bag.  It makes the walk easier, and it will improve your understanding of how the swing, club, and ball interact.  There will be times for every golfer where he needs to play a 6I from 100 yards (for example), and that isn't going to be as scary if he's done it for fun and practice.  Practicing it on the range isn't the same as playing it on the course, and when you can execute it to avoid having to buy our buddies a beer, you will appreciate it even more.

[JP golf]

I've done this many times over the years.  I'd do it for casual rounds in midsummer when it was just too hot to carry a full bag.  It makes the walk easier, and it will improve your understanding of how the swing, club, and ball interact.  There will be times for every golfer where he needs to play a 6I from 100 yards (for example), and that isn't going to be as scary if he's done it for fun and practice.  Practicing it on the range isn't the same as playing it on the course, and when you can execute it to avoid having to buy our buddies a beer, you will appreciate it even more.

We would also, play where you had one opportunity to drop a ball on a hole anywhere you wanted and your opponent had to play it.  You couldn't drop in a hazard and you had to have a 10 foot clearance around the ball (you couldn't put the ball right up against a tree)...  It made it a lot of fun learning to hit punch out shots.. etc.  especially if you were only carrying an 8 iron that day and you had to knock it down to keep it below the limbs....   I honestly think that carrying less clubs really helped me a ton....    Golf should be fun, it's good to change it up once in a while...  but it hurts me now because I will be trying crazy shots during my rounds simply because it's more fun to try lol- and it doesn't always work out lol...

[Fourputt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fourputt

I've done this many times over the years.  I'd do it for casual rounds in midsummer when it was just too hot to carry a full bag.  It makes the walk easier, and it will improve your understanding of how the swing, club, and ball interact.  There will be times for every golfer where he needs to play a 6I from 100 yards (for example), and that isn't going to be as scary if he's done it for fun and practice.  Practicing it on the range isn't the same as playing it on the course, and when you can execute it to avoid having to buy our buddies a beer, you will appreciate it even more.

We would also, play where you had one opportunity to drop a ball on a hole anywhere you wanted and your opponent had to play it.  You couldn't drop in a hazard and you had to have a 10 foot clearance around the ball (you couldn't put the ball right up against a tree)...  It made it a lot of fun learning to hit punch out shots.. etc.  especially if you were only carrying an 8 iron that day and you had to knock it down to keep it below the limbs....   I honestly think that carrying less clubs really helped me a ton....    Golf should be fun, it's good to change it up once in a while...  but it hurts me now because I will be trying crazy shots during my rounds simply because it's more fun to try lol- and it doesn't always work out lol...

Sounds like you and I would have a lot of fun playing together.  We seem to have a similar outlook.

[ay33660]

At my handicap and skill level my issue of being "between clubs" is different than with a low handicapper.

I have a fairly good idea of the max distance I can go with any club but the actual distance can be between 10 yards (when I muff a shot) to the max yards.

This is especially true for club more than a PW.

My 8 iron will generally go from 130 yards or up to an absolute max of 150 yards. But I use it as my 140 yard club.

My 7 iron can go 130 yards or up to an absolute max of 160 yards. But I use it as my 150 yard club.

So where as the better player's gap is maybe less than 10 yards, my gap is generally 30 yards or more depending on the club.

As someone else pointed out ...... at least carrying only 9 clubs will lighten the bag so I wont be as tired.

I wonder if a half set is the best way for a beginner to learn the game.

[Fourputt]

At my handicap and skill level my issue of being "between clubs" is different than with a low handicapper.

I have a fairly good idea of the max distance I can go with any club but the actual distance can be between 10 yards (when I muff a shot) to the max yards.

This is especially true for club more than a PW.

My 8 iron will generally go from 130 yards or up to an absolute max of 150 yards. But I use it as my 140 yard club.

My 7 iron can go 130 yards or up to an absolute max of 160 yards. But I use it as my 150 yard club.

So where as the better player's gap is maybe less than 10 yards, my gap is generally 30 yards or more depending on the club.

As someone else pointed out ...... at least carrying only 9 clubs will lighten the bag so I wont be as tired.

I wonder if a half set is the best way for a beginner to learn the game.

When I learned the game, a typical beginners set was 7 clubs.  It usually consisted of Driver, 3W, 3,5,7,and 9 irons, and putter.  My first clubs came complete with bag for $35, and they were all any beginner needed.  Fewer clubs meant easier decisions and faster play.  No agonizing over the difference between a strong 7I or a weak 6I when the odds were against hitting either club very well.  If it's too far for a 7, just take the 5 iron and attempt to advance the ball in the general direction of the green. Then keep walking.

[ay33660]

When I learned the game, a typical beginners set was 7 clubs.  It usually consisted of Driver, 3W, 3,5,7,and 9 irons, and putter.  My first clubs came complete with bag for $35, and they were all any beginner needed.  Fewer clubs meant easier decisions and faster play.  No agonizing over the difference between a strong 7I or a weak 6I when the odds were against hitting either club very well.  If it's too far for a 7, just take the 5 iron and attempt to advance the ball in the general direction of the green.   Then keep walking.

I know I am getting off topic here.

By the end of the summer I will know if maybe 9 clubs is the ideal number for a high handicapper like me.

I'm sure the club manufactures wont like this approach.

Even more off topic ........ I wish the manufactures would just put the lofts on the club instead of numbers.

Too much variance between manufactures .......... is there really a standard 6 iron lofts nowadays?

By using lofts you wont feel like you are missing a club.

Sorry back to our regularly scheduled programming.

Play with as many clubs as you want. Just know that your score cannot be posted as an official round for handicap purposes.

But really other than those who participate and seriously content in club tournaments or amateur tournaments, I couldn't care less if my playing partner has 100 clubs.

The important thing is to get out there and HAVE FUN.

I think sometimes we get way too focused on the rules and not on having fun.

Look at when I play pickup basketball with friends. There are no refs around and I am sure I double dribble or travel at least 20 or more time in a game and I am sure knocking someone down with my big fat belly is breaking a rule or three.