Using 8 Clubs This Year

[Esox]

My minimalist rounds when I was 30 yrs younger  were always

3 wood, 3,5,7,9, SW and putter. Could always draw or fade the clubs for gapping.

[wakefield724]

I normally play with 12 but the other day I played with 6 and did not feel too disadvantaged. My score increased by only 3 strokes. I personally think 14 clubs is too much for the average let me stress that word again AVERAGE golfer who normally plays maybe 3 times per month and does not practice during the week. Going with 8 clubs I feel would not be a bad idea. 

[Morgan Mullins]

Just curious, is there a significance to carrying 8 clubs, as opposed to 9 or 10 or 7?

i’ve been told by my teacher that as a college player his coach would send the team out to practice with a putter and one club of their choice.  He said it helped them learn that club very well. You knew all of its capabilities. If you extend that logic to your own bag set, the fewer clubs you carry, the better you get to know the clubs you do carry and what they each do in various situations.

[Manx995]

Just played Freshwater Golf Club on the Isle of Wight today whilst on holiday. Never played this course before and also forgot my Garmin watch (grrr). Point is only had 8 clubs and putter, D 3h 4 6 7 8 9 SW P. To be honest it was plenty of equipment 14 is too many. Played to handicap. 

[jmanbooyaa]

51 minutes ago, Manx995 said:Never played this course before and also forgot my Garmin watch (grrr). 

The worst! Love the 8 clubs. 

53 minutes ago, Manx995 said:

 Never played this course before and also forgot my Garmin watch (grrr). 

 

The worst!

 

 

[pganapathy]

I had 11 clubs in the bag for a long time and recently bought a twelfth club.  But realistically I would only use about 7 to 8 clubs on a regular basis. Driver, 2h (just purchased and not played yet), 4h, maybe 7 to PW, SW or LW when I needed a flop or bunker shot and the putter of course

[Manx995]

On 7/26/2021 at 8:57 PM, jmanbooyaa said:

The worst! Love the 8 clubs. 

 

The worst!

 

 

I am of the view that 14 clubs is too many for the average to high handicapper. Fewer choices in clubs helps with shot creation and also you learn to hit those which you carry better. 

All this thought you can hit a club a certain yardage is not reality. There is usually three clubs between the front and back of a green for the average golfer, so as long as it's in play relax and enjoy the game and not stress out that you've not hit that six iron exactly 150 yards. 

Driver, fairway wood or hybrid, any a few iron you like to hit 468 or 579 wedge and putter and you don't need 100 balls in your bag either.

Relax and have some fun with your mates and you will score lower.

[Morgan Mullins]

I totally agree. The fewer clubs you carry, means that you hit the ones you do carry better. I don’t understand why you can’t just choke down 3/4 of an inch on a 38 degree iron to produce a 100 yard shot?

Gotta ask, what are 468 and 579 wedges? PW and SW?

[Manx995]

4 6 8 are the irons 5 7 9 are the other irons. Then the various wedges. I played on Wednesday with just 8 clubs and was one under par, so tomorrow I get to see if I can prove my theory. 

Thanks for reading my thread. 

 

[Colins69]

57 minutes ago, Manx995 said:

4 6 8 are the irons 5 7 9 are the other irons. Then the various wedges. I played on Wednesday with just 8 clubs and was one under par, so tomorrow I get to see if I can prove my theory. 

Thanks for reading my thread. 

 

I've been thinking of buying a small carry bag because I like to walk, using 7-8 clubs is good thinking and I'm going to try it. Thanks for the topic, interested in the views...

[Manx995]

Let me know how you get on over your next few rounds with your scores. I reckon forget trying to bomb the exact yardage and just enjoy the moment. 

 

Regards Paul

[Vinsk]

2 hours ago, Manx995 said:

4 6 8 are the irons 5 7 9 are the other irons. Then the various wedges. I played on Wednesday with just 8 clubs and was one under par, so tomorrow I get to see if I can prove my theory. 

Thanks for reading my thread. 

 

Sorry if I’m behind, but you’re hypothesis is that 14 clubs is too many/not necessary for a high handicapper? But you’re not a high hcp right? I mean, high hcp’ers don’t just go shoot under par. IMO, being able to hit a 4i anywhere from 170yds-200yds, for example, is just as difficult as hitting the three/four clubs that span that yardage with the same swing, as a high handicapper usually does. Does that make sense? 

[Colins69]

1 hour ago, Manx995 said:

Let me know how you get on over your next few rounds with your scores. I reckon forget trying to bomb the exact yardage and just enjoy the moment. 

 

Regards Paul

Hi Paul, I've just bought a stand bag that holds 7-9 clubs, so I'm thinking odd then even number clubs on different days. I don't care what I shoot just want to walk 18 holes at least once a week, I have a electric scooter for the following day if needed lol...

 

Cheers Colin

[mdl]

17 minutes ago, Vinsk said:

Sorry if I’m behind, but you’re hypothesis is that 14 clubs is too many/not necessary for a high handicapper? But you’re not a high hcp right? I mean, high hcp’ers don’t just go shoot under par. IMO, being able to hit a 4i anywhere from 170yds-200yds, for example, is just as difficult as hitting the three/four clubs that span that yardage with the same swing, as a high handicapper usually does. Does that make sense? 

I'd say hitting a 4i consistently both 200 yards and 185 yards is harder than hitting a 4i 200 yards and 5i 185 consistently!

[Vinsk]

43 minutes ago, mdl said:

I'd say hitting a 4i consistently both 200 yards and 185 yards is harder than hitting a 4i 200 yards and 5i 185 consistently!

Well, what I’m referring to are the gaps in yardage. I’m suggesting it’s just as difficult to hit a longer iron than needed to the right distance as it is to hit the appropriate iron and hope you make a good strike. 🤷‍♂️

[Colins69]

Now I’ve got one length irons so I’m going to try 6 8 pw sw lw same length shafts plus driver 3 hybrid and putter, if room in the bag maybe the 4 iron. But I’d prefer to keep it at 8 clubs max, 4-5 balls with a small tee par 3s and long tee par 4-5. I only need one of each as I’ve got fishing line joining them together but will put 2-3 spare just in case, I’ve not lost a tee for so long I’ve got hundreds as I pickup new’ish tees and give them away.

[Morgan Mullins]

Yardage gaps are very much the issue. And for each one of us, they are different. And you need to know what yours are. My original example of choking down on a 9i, 38 degree loft, to produce a 110-100 yard shot was a real world issue. I noticed that I rarely, if ever, pulled out my PW; I just didn’t hit into that gap where a 110-100 yard shot was required. So if wasn’t using a club, then why am I carrying it around? And if on the odd occasion I would need 100 yards, then choke down on the 9 and swing away.

[Esox]

I tend to do better yardage adjustments working the ball all 4 ways and playing the wind (work into a cross wind to cut carry and roll, ride it for more carry and roll out), gripping up and down the length of the grip changes distance but 5 yards for me at most with the scoring clubs.