Does the course you are going to play dictate which clubs you carry?

[Tommy Williamsen]

There is an apocryphal story about a time when Hogan played Merion.  His caddy noticed that he was missing a six iron.  Hogan is purported to have said, "There are no six iron shots at Merion."

I generally carry the same clubs, but sometimes I will change sand wedges when I know that the sand is better for one over another. I will also put away my three wood (metal sic)  on some courses and add another wedge or a three iron.

[Tom Huckaby]

I never do this, ever.  My game is far from consistent enough such that any of this would help.

But I know a few who do... who definitely try to game-plan.... one is fondly known as the SILVER FOX.....

[Phil_the_Author]

Tommy,

I grew up learning and playing the game during the era when you carried only a single wedge and sand wedge and learned how to use the clubs in variety of ways and circumstances. I still do this and find a 64 degree wedge to be an abomination! Open the stance and open the clubface is what I was taught.

As a result I never change what is in my bag... in fact, I still carry and use my persimmon driver and three wood... I love their feel...

[Wyatt Halliday]

Does having to carry a 2 or 3 iron to hit low recovery shots out from under trees count?

[Rob Rigg]

This makes sense.

I only like to carry 10 clubs, so I may add a wedge or long iron depending on the course.

Having a 3 iron on a links course is a lot more helpful than having 3 or 4 different wedges.

For the most part, however, the set stays fairly consistent for continuity's sake.

[Scott Warren]

I like to keep it simple. I think average golfers make life more difficult than it needs to be when it comes to their clubs. Many, it seems, view 14 clubs as a challenge rather than a limit.

I carry 12 clubs and can't really see what I could be missing. I just play whatever shot seems obvious with the clubs I have in the bag.

I played pennant against a guy one day who was telling me he put his slow greens putter in the bag along with his hard sand lob wedge because it had been raining, and a little bit of me knew this guy was going to spend the next three hours getting in his own way.

[Mike Wagner]

I'll do it occasionally with rescue clubs and my 3 wood - especially with winter rules.  I'll eliminate a real 3-wood on courses where I don't need it.  Winter rules is very conducive to a driver off he ground if necessary.  On a course like Sahalee, I'll put the 3 iron bak in the bag just to escape from the trees!!

[JMEvensky]

Does having to carry a 2 or 3 iron to hit low recovery shots out from under trees count?

I certainly have no other reason to carry them.

[Sean Leary]

At my home course, I carry a little different set up depending on time of years, and clubs I will need to reach a couple of par 3's. I leave out a 3 or 4 iron depending on how far ball is going.

[Mike Benham]

Yes ...

Long course, long second shots, drop the 3rd (or 4th wedge depending on how you count them) for either a 5 wood or another utility.

If it is a course where I expect a lot of shots between 80 - 130 yards, I would put the extra wedge back in the bag.

[Bill_McBride]

Does the mini Homelite chain saw count?

[John Moore II]

Yes, I do sometimes. Depends on how I plan to play though. If I am just playing for fun in the middle of a streak of poor play, no, I don't switch anything up. But yeah, when I am playing real well, I'll switch stuff up.

[Tom Huckaby]

Yes ...

Long course, long second shots, drop the 3rd (or 4th wedge depending on how you count them) for either a 5 wood or another utility.

If it is a course where I expect a lot of shots between 80 - 130 yards, I would put the extra wedge back in the bag.

The Silver Fox arrives.
 

[PCCraig]

I think I have had the same set up since 2000, other than switching a 1-iron for a 2-iron and a 58* wedge vs. a 60*. Otherwise it's Driver/3-wood, 2-PW Irons, 51* and 58* wedges, and a putter. Pretty standard I guess.

But back to the question, no I really don't ever change my clubs in and out, maybe my ball, but not the clubs.

[Kalen Braley]

Ummmm yeah, but only cause I suck!

I often leave the driver in the trunk because I can't hit it worth a crap and its usually the heaviest club in the bag so I don't want to lug it all over the course.  I carry a strong 3w that sees a lot of action off the tee and on long holes.

[A.G._Crockett]

I've never done this, but I'm actually working on it right now.  The club I belong to now has two courses, and they are significantly different in both length and width.  I'm considering using different drivers on the two courses, one for control (the one I've always used) and a different one for length.

Don't know if it's a good idea or not, but worth a try I think.  Other than that, no changes from course to course.

[Carl Rogers]

of the 2 courses I play the most, one requires careful tee shots on the several doglegs while the other stresses profoundly difficult, demanding, and calls for great versatility around the greens.  It has become a challenge for me to hit long fairway second shots of irregular lies.

I have gone to 4 wedges(64 deg wedge) with 1 fairway metal, 1 hybrid and 1 thick soled 4 iron.

It has made a difference.  I play to 5, am middle aged.

[JSlonis]

I'll occasionally switch up my set depending on the course.  I haven't carried a 3 iron for a few years.  My set make up is usually Driver, 3 wood, 2 Hybrid, 4-PW, 52*, 56*, 60* SW.  I have a 16* Hybrid and a  21* Hybrid that I will change in from time to time.

So far, I've never gone the Phil route with 2 Drivers or NO Driver and probably never will.

[John Moore II]

So far, I've never gone the Phil route with 2 Drivers or NO Driver and probably never will.

I have done both of those from time to time. Went with one driver with a slightly longer shaft and lower loft for distance and a higher lofted one for better control. I also went through a stretch where I couldn't hit a driver into a wheat field off the tee, so I threw it in the trunk for a while. It was so bad one time that I couldn't hit a 3 wood either. I was so pissed that I declared them out of play (this was in a tournament) on the 7th hole and made sure my fellow competitors knew that if I used either of them again it was automatic DQ. I think now that I told them wrong regarding that, but either way, they got the point; I threw the offending clubs in the car at the turn.

[Anthony Gray]

  Good Question. I never use a 3-wood at my home course. So I take an extra wedge. Didn't Phil use two drivers when he won the Masters?

  Anthony

[Ed Oden]

My home course has a 230 yard par 3.  I put a specific hybrid in the bag just for that shot.  When I play elsewhere I replace it with another hybrid that like a little bit more but can't hit quite as far.

Ed

[John Moore II]

  Good Question. I never use a 3-wood at my home course. So I take an extra wedge. Didn't Phil use two drivers when he won the Masters?

  Anthony

Yes, he used two drivers to win the Masters. If he had played like crap the commentators would have called him stupid just like they did last year when he played no driver at Torrey. But he won, so it was genius.

[Tim Gavrich]

If I remember correctly, the club Phil took out in lieu of the extra driver was his 9-iron.  Very similar to the Hogan no-6-iron strategy.

[Carl Johnson]

If I'm playing my home course, which is reasonably firm and open, I carry an old stiff steel shaft 8 iron for long range chip shots.  When I play my soft, wooded second course I carry a 3-iron instead of the 8 to punch low shots from under the trees and bushes.  Otherwise, no change (4 wedges, 3 wood (for the tee ball), five wood, and 4 - 9 + P.

[John Moore II]

If I remember correctly, the club Phil took out in lieu of the extra driver was his 9-iron.  Very similar to the Hogan no-6-iron strategy.

I thought he took out one of his 4 or 5 wedges