[Jon Sweet]

A little off topic but I think 14 clubs is too many. I think the game would be more fun and more interesting if the limit was closer to 10. If I’m walking, I usually pull a handful of clubs out of the bag. I rarely miss them and if I do I am provided the opportunity to improvise.

I've believed this for years.  Would likely speed up play.  Especially on par 3's when people take 2 minutes to decide if they want to hit a 7 or 6 iron. Brings feel back into the game.

They’d take the same amount of time to decide between two other clubs. Slow golfers are slow golfers. You aren’t fixing them. Better to avoid them entirely.

[Jeff_Brauer]

  All that get's old is the stat that it used to be an 8 iron vs a 6 iron shot...     but i'll take it!

I resemble that remark......


Seriously, when I was younger, I was amazed at how old men just seemed to enjoy golf even as their distance decreased.  At the time, I thought I would be more likely to give it up, rather than suffer the "embarrassment" of hitting fw woods to greens that are under even 200 yards away.

[John Crowley]

Do you keep round-by-round stats on how often you use each club in your bag (all shots played each club inc full shots, recoveries, short game etc) and if so what does that tell you about your game and the design of the courses you are playing?
Atb

Nope.
But, on my home course, I generally use each of my seven clubs at least twice a round. Other than driver and putter am sure my Callaway Mavrik six hybrid is the most used.
Next would be the 58* Callaway PM grind. (Usage of 58* shows I am not hitting enough greens and need it more for pitches and chips.)
Playing at course lengths lesser or greater than my usual does change the number of time each is used.
Some day this Summer I will play a round with just the six hybrid - will putt with it.
Goal is to break 90.

[Tony Ristola]

A little off topic but I think 14 clubs is too many. I think the game would be more fun and more interesting if the limit was closer to 10. If I’m walking, I usually pull a handful of clubs out of the bag. I rarely miss them and if I do I am provided the opportunity to improvise.

There is at least one pro who isn't too bothered by fewer clubs in the bag.


https://www.geoffshackelford.com/homepage/2021/6/3/pagunsan-qualifies-for-the-open-using-11-clubs-prompting-yet-more-calls-to-just-try-it-one-lousy-week-you-tour-dullards

With modern clubs, I usually carry 8 clubs. With hickories... 10 to 12.


If the set were reduced to 9 clubs for professionals... there would be interesting choices... especially if they rolled the ball back. It might take a wedge out of their bag, or two. Their set would like something like... Putter, Driver, driving iron or fairway wood, 2 wedges and 4 irons. They might have to hit some half speed shots... y'know some shot making!


For the average guy it wouldn't make much difference either. It would likely simplify the game for them.


The manufacturers would likely sell more clubs. Guys would mix and match for conditions and different courses.

[Ben Hollerbach]

I'm all for less clubs for all.


With the super hot fairway woods being built today I wonder if pros would carry a 11 or 12 degree 2 wood in place of a driver. Nearly the same distance, more versatile.

[Stewart Abramson]

Seriously, when I was younger, I was amazed at how old men just seemed to enjoy golf even as their distance decreased.  At the time, I thought I would be more likely to give it up, rather than suffer the "embarrassment" of hitting fw woods to greens that are under even 200 yards away.

I'm one of those old men and am enjoying life from a shorter set of tees and scoring as well or better than I ever had even though only a few of my tee shots exceed 200 yards on most days. Not embarrassed at all.  Shot 39 yesterday (par 36) on the back 9 today on my 68th birthday.


In response to several of the earlier posts, I don’t keep stats on how often I use each club, but this thread prompted me to mentally review my rounds at my home course and analyze which clubs I use and how often.  With the variety of hole lengths, green positions and topography of my home course, I am confident that carrying 14 clubs does provide a significant benefit to me scoring-wise. I composed by bag so that I have consistent distances between each of my clubs, at least when I am striking he ball well.  While the thought of gripping down on a club and/or taking a half or three quarter swing in order to cover a wider range of distances in order to carry fewer clubs may make sense for some, it does not for me. It’s a lot easier and provides more consistent results to have a single swing that I can use for all of my irons.  I am a very fast player and certain that I would not play any faster with fewer clubs. Slow players will be slow and fast players will be fast whether they carry 4 clubs or 14.  I know which club I’ll hit quickly on reaching by ball based on the distance (measured  on whether I want to land short and run up or go for the middle of the green  or the flag)  and lie (uphill, downhill or level,  rough or fairway).   A few things this mental  analysis confirms are:

•           On par 4’s and most par 5’s my approach shots will be within a 4 club range, depending on how  well (distance and whether in fairway) I hit the tee shot. However, the four clubs are a different range on almost every hole on each nine due to the variety of hole lengths and terrain, which to me is an indicator of good course design.
•          On a long par 4 with a steep uphill approach over water, I may use any of seven clubs for my second shot depending on whether I need to lay up or go for the green.
•          Even having moved up to a shorter set of tees, I don’t hit driver  long enough to reach par 5’s in two, so my second shot on par 5’s will almost always be either be a 3 wood from fairway or 3 hybrid from rough (unless I hit a real stinker into the real  gnarly stuff).
•          On par 3’s, I will almost always use one of two clubs depending on tee and hole position. Only a strong wind or very unusual tee position might expand the options to a third or fourth club

This is all based on having moved up to a shorter set of tees when I turned 65. Before that I probably could have used fewer clubs as I used 3W or 3 Hybrid for lots of approaches and then lots of wedges when I missed greens. Shorter tees that are more aligned to how far (i.e. short) I hit each club are much more fun and I think provide more benefit to carrying 14 clubs than it would if  playing from tees that are too long.

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