Are 14 clubs really necessary?

[TheJollyGolfer]

When Im 150 to about 90 yards out I use the same club for my approach shots every time....my 15 wood.

With scoring or money on the line Id probably feel the same way.

Thanks for the feedback.

What's a 15 wood? Which make, loft etc?

Also, I am of the opinion that scoring is easier with less clubs not more difficult. I would automatically go out with a set of seven clubs in any situation.

 

[TheJollyGolfer]

Ive been hearing that from a few people.
Ive heard that some guys can just hit hybrids and some cant.
It may be that Im just one who can?

Sounds like you have made the right choice. I wish you all the best for the new season.

 

[Golfanatic]

Thanks for the feedback.

What's a 15 wood? Which make, loft etc?

Also, I am of the opinion that scoring is easier with less clubs not more difficult. I would automatically go out with a set of seven clubs in any situation.

The 15wood I have is 37*.
Mine are Synchron II's but I saw that BANG makes a fairway wood set up to 21wood.

Its funny because I played a few weeks ago with another guy who was pretty good.
We got onto the 9th hole and we're both about the same spot in the fairway to make our approach shots.
I hit mine and ended up on the right side of the green. He hit his and was about half the distance from the hole as I was.
We were talking about the 15 wood and I told him to try it once and see what he thought. I dropped a used ball and handed him the club.
He swings and the ball went right at the pin. He hadnt hit it before so he didnt know what to expect as far as distance, so he was a bit long, but it was a really beautiful shot other than ending up just on the far fringe of the green behind the flag.

These fairway woods I built last fall are the easiest damned clubs Ive tried to so far. Ive got the 3,5,7,9,11,13,15 of the set, which is all of them except the 3+.

I like the 15 wood because I know exactly what to expect with it. Ive even used it for a good number of short chip shots successfully.
If I had to play with one club other than a putter it would be my 15w.

 

[TheJollyGolfer]

The 15wood I have is 37*.

I like the 15 wood because I know exactly what to expect with it. Ive even used it for a good number of short chip shots successfully.
If I had to play with one club other than a putter it would be my 15w.

Well, I like your style. You've found clubs that suit you and you enjoy playing with them. I can't and wouldn't argue with that.

 

[Golfanatic]

Well, I like your style. You've found clubs that suit you and you enjoy playing with them. I can't and wouldn't argue with that.

eh...well my wife wont let me wear her clothes so I figure using ladies clubs is the next best thing


I really do like your OP idea of trying out 7 clubs.
Ive gone thru mine a number of times trying to decide what to weed out but I always end up with 12 or so that I cant seem to leave behind.
I used to carry a ultra light bag and only had my irons and loved it, but this bag I have now is just too heavy to carry 18 holes, for me anyway.

I love golf but I really do want to keep it casual. I dont even like it when someone in the group is keeping my score. I really just like to play the course itself. I'd pitch a tent out there on one of the fairways if theyd let me.

 

[TheJollyGolfer]

I used to carry a ultra light bag and only had my irons and loved it, but this bag I have now is just too heavy to carry 18 holes, for me anyway.

I had to buy a smaller bag when I changed to seven clubs, my big bag is still sitting there with 9 of the discarded clubs in it. I always had at least 16 to choose from.

I enjoy playing alone and when I do I play two balls and play matchplay against myself. I never count how many strokes for the round just the matchplay result.

 

[TEA Time]

Interesting approach; glad it works for you. And yes, Seve learned with only a 3-iron... however I'm pretty sure there were a few more in his tour bag.

Also, nobody is saying 14 is necessary, it's just the limit. If you feel comfortable driving 35 in a 55, that's fine... just stay out of the fast lane.

 

[twogreen]

Interesting thread. Holes number 1 & 2 on my home course are located directly behind my house. I will often walk my dog and search the woods for lost balls on those two holes for relaxation late in the afternoon. I normally carry an eight iron as a "snake tool". Sometimes, I will opt to play the holes using only the eight iron (no putter). Both holes are Par 4; and I usually end up shooting 9-11 strokes as a two hole total. Oddly, on the days when I actually play the entire course with 14 clubs in the bag, my two hole total for those holes is also often 9-11 strokes.

Not sure what that means....or if it means anything at all.

 

[WMitch6]

The easiest way to determine which clubs are really needed is to record the clubs used over a season. I did that one year on my home course and by the end of the year I concluded that I could get by with 7-8 clubs just fine. Driver, a fairway wood, short irons (7-PW) and a putter pretty much covered it. Long and mid irons were seldom used. Over the years I gradually replaced my 3,4,5 irons with utility woods. However, that only holds true on my home course.

I still carry 14 clubs though. A creature of habit (or brainwashing) I guess.

 

[Golfanatic]

The easiest way to determine which clubs are really needed is to record the clubs used over a season. I did that one year on my home course and by the end of the year I concluded that I could get by with 7-8 clubs just fine. Driver, a fairway wood, short irons (7-PW) and a putter pretty much covered it. Long and mid irons were seldom used. Over the years I gradually replaced my 3,4,5 irons with utility woods. However, that only holds true on my home course.

I still carry 14 clubs though. A creature of habit (or brainwashing) I guess.

I was thinking about that.
I know which clubs I use EVERY round, and its actually less than half of the bag.
I was using my trusty 9 iron around the green successfully for months so Im betting I could do without a wedge entirely if I had to again.

Id bet that with my 5, 7 and 15 woods, my 9 iron and a putter I could score at least as well as I do with the whole bag.

What I'd like to be able to figure out is how shaft length affects club head speed.
When I grab the 15 wood at the top of the grip I get a certain distance. When I choke down half way I get a shorter distance...and all the way to the bottom of the grip is even shorter.
And it seems to be pretty consistent.

Id bet that by gripping down on the club and figuring out what distances you shoot at say 3 positions...top, center and bottom of the grip...that one could drop half the clubs out their bag pretty easy and still be pretty consistent.

 

[WMitch6]

"What I'd like to be able to figure out is how shaft length affects club head speed."

While I agree that there are clubs in the bag that seldom get used, what is the down side to carrying 14 clubs? It seems a lot simpler to pick the right club for a yardage than to try to figure out how much to choke a 5 iron to make it play like a 6.

 

[Golfanatic]

"What I'd like to be able to figure out is how shaft length affects club head speed."

While I agree that there are clubs in the bag that seldom get used, what is the down side to carrying 14 clubs? It seems a lot simpler to pick the right club for a yardage than to try to figure out how much to choke a 5 iron to make it play like a 6.

No down side at all. hell, Ive had up to 18 clubs in my bag at points.
Just been wondering about taking out a light bag that I can actually carry with half the clubs and see how I do.
More just an way of mixing things up a little, I suppose.

Might be fun to play a round where everyone plays with 5 clubs or 7 clubs or so.

What I do know for a fact is that when I leave certain clubs at home I score a LOT better.
If I take any club over 41" overall length and it comes out of the bag I can be fairly certain that Im going to score higher if it gets played.
Im scoring better with playing clubs I know I can hit well (my 7 and 15 woods and my 4 hybrid, for example). And since I typically only use about half the clubs in my bag any given round anyway.....

And...since none of us hits a ball exactly the same with the same exact club, Im not personally convinced that there is always a 'right' club in that what is 'right' for you may not be 'right' for me on any given shot.
If I hit a green from 150 with my 15 wood...and then hit that same green from 120 out with that same club by choking down....but MISS that same green with the 'right' club in someone elses opinion....which club is 'right' for me?
Isnt the 'right' club the one that *I* can do the job with and do it consistently and confidently regardless of 'how' I execute it?

 

[BigJim13]

When I was playing more and walking I only carried 12 clubs. I had Driver, 3w, 2 hybrids, 5-PW and 52* & 56* wedges and a putter. I also took all the extra balls out except for maybe 6 or 8, no need to carry dozens of balls (if I lose that many I should be on the range not the course) and a few tees. I carried a water bottle, maybe something for cuts/blisters and benadryl (allergic to bees).

When you walk courses alot, at least for me, I learned that towards the end of the round the bag got heavier and my swings got weaker and sloppier. All that was comounded by clubs and balls that I didnt touch during the round. I found the lightest stand bag that fit comfortably.

I loved it. Good excercise and fun playing. And it still amazes me what some guys carry in their bags.

 

[Golfanatic]

Actually, I can list the clubs that WILL come out of my bag every round.
2 hybrid
7 wood
15 wood
4 hybrid
9 iron
60 wedge
putter


These are my foundation.
I hit the 7 wood about 180 yards and hit it pretty damned straight 90% of the time.
I can hit a green from 170 out with it and have quite a number of times to date.
Even when I am off with it its not by much.

Im absolutely positive that if I took the clubs above that I would end up scoring just as well as taking my whole bag of clubs and I know it because a lot of my other clubs ONLY come out of the bag when I force myself to because I ask myself when was the last time I actually hit my 9 wood or my 52* wedge.
If I dont think about it....and Ive left my driver at home like I should have....then its 100% guaranteed that one of the clubs on the list above WILL be what I pull out based on where my ball is.

At any give point on any course I play when a club is in my hand it will be one of the above.
So what does it matter if I were to just bring these clubs and leave the rest at home since they are the ones I'll be playing to begin with.

 

[Golfanatic]

When I was playing more and walking I only carried 12 clubs. I had Driver, 3w, 2 hybrids, 5-PW and 52* & 56* wedges and a putter. I also took all the extra balls out except for maybe 6 or 8, no need to carry dozens of balls (if I lose that many I should be on the range not the course) and a few tees. I carried a water bottle, maybe something for cuts/blisters and benadryl (allergic to bees).

When you walk courses alot, at least for me, I learned that towards the end of the round the bag got heavier and my swings got weaker and sloppier. All that was comounded by clubs and balls that I didnt touch during the round. I found the lightest stand bag that fit comfortably.

I loved it. Good excercise and fun playing. And it still amazes me what some guys carry in their bags.

I LOVE the exercise too!
Its the main reason I started golfing again.
My blood pressure was thru the roof and my family doctor wants me to keep it down with exercise now so I can put off taking medication as long as possible for it.

As far as balls go, I have to carry a lot in my bag because the guys I play with are almost certainly going to hit so many into the trees that inevitably they are asking me for a ball.