What is in The Walking Golfer’s Bag?

Posted by Rob Rigg
June 2010

There are many golfers in America who think that 14 clubs are simply too many to carry, so they push a cart or ride in one.

The real question is - Why do you need 14 clubs?

Just because that is the maximum allowed by the USGA does not mean a golfer needs 14 of them to play to their potential.

I carry between 8 and 11 clubs when I play and I know it makes me a better golfer because my handicap dropped by 10 strokes over the course of a season while doing so.

If you want to carry, but need to shed some weight, dropping a few clubs from your bag is the best way to reduce stress on your body. On average, every club you carry weighs at least one pound, so you can drop about 6 lbs from your bag by using a half set.

If you cannot play without 14 clubs, then consider using a push cart which is easier on your body than carrying and much healthier for you than riding in a cart.

Scratch SB-1s and a MacKenzie Walker - the most beautiful combination in the game.

These are the clubs that live in my MacKenzie Walker or MacKenzie Llama:

Driver: 9.5* Adams Insight Tech a4 Tour Proto 9015D – UST AxivCore Tour Red X 79 Series

The driver is the longest and most difficult club to hit in your bag,  so it is important to get fit by a professional to ensure that you are playing with the “right” one.

During the fitting process, your launch angle, spin rate, shaft flex, etc. will be optimized by trying out various head and shaft combinations. You will also get a feel for the club’s balance and the sound at impact which is important.

If you are between flexes, then I would encourage you to err towards a stiffer shaft for more accuracy in as light a weight as feels comfortable to maximize club head speed and distance.

Also, think about playing with a shorter driver if you are directionally challenge – most Tour pros are using 44 or 44.5 inch drivers, while most amateurs have 45+ inch drivers. That does not make sense.

3 Wood: 15* Adams 9033 HF Low Launch Proto – UST AxivCore Tour Green 85 X

A 3 Wood is a versatile club off the tee and from the deck, and if you find a favorite it can live in your bag forever.

Make sure the shaft is stiff enough to give you the tightest dispersion possible – accuracy is vital with fairway woods.

Hybrid: 20* Adams Idea Pro Black 9031 – Aldila RIP HYBRID 85 X

I recently dropped my 3 iron (unless I am playing a “links” course) in favor of a hybrid. While I really like hitting my 3 iron, the versatility of a hybrid out of the rough and around the green, along with the increased forgiveness, prompted me to start gaming one. A growing number of Tour Pros use at least a couple of hybrids so . . .

Irons: Scratch SB-1 in Driver/Slider Grind with KBS Tour 6.5 X Shafts – 25*, 30*, 35*, 40*, 45* 50*

As a walking golfer, one of the things I enjoy about a round is being immersed in the experience. The grass under my feet, the relaxing scenery of the course, the companionship of friends, and the way the golf ball comes off the club face, especially on a pure strike.

Personally, I play to feel those occasional pure shots while striving to make them more regular. A forged blade maximizes my ability to feel the golf ball at impact, understand why I missed, get better, and be creative on those knock-downs, trap draws and punch shots that a golfer will need to conjure with only a half set in the bag.

The Scratch SB-1 “Super Blade” is an iron forged from 1018 carbon steel which is the softest on the market. The SB-1s provide buttery feel and also reasonable forgiveness, at least for a blade, because the center of gravity is behind the sweet spot and away from the face.

Scratch offers three iron grinds that you can match to your swing type, which I believe is unique amongst manufacturers. In addition to the SB-1, Scratch offers the AR-1 (a forged cavity back blade) and the EX-1 (a larger forged blade with a deeper cavity).

Forged irons are harder to hit than offset cast “game improvement irons” but I feel strongly that playing a forged blade or forged cavity back can make you a better golfer in the long run, provided you have some time to practice, while thoroughly enhancing your playing experience.

With irons, I would err on the side of “stiffer” rather that “flexible” when it comes to shafts. I switched to an X shaft from an S and improved my shot dispersion significantly. I really like the KBS Tour shaft because it feels solid at impact and provides a strong trajectory.

Wedge: 58* Scratch 1018 Forged in Driver/Slider EGG Grind with KBS Tour 6.5 X Flex

It is vital to feel comfortable and confident with your wedges which is why Scratch have found a real niche in the market. Loft, bounce, grind, etc. can all be customized to fit your game which is ideal, and every club is hand ground in soft 1018 forged carbon steel.

Many pro golfers play with four wedges, but do amateurs have time to master that many? And at about a pound each is it really worth the extra weight in your bag?

My 58* can be laid open easily for flop shots, is great out of bunkers and around the greens and is trustworthy from about 110 yards in – a PW and SW is enough for me.

A confident short game will not only shave strokes off your score, it will add a lot of enjoyment to your round. Getting up and down for par on a regular basis is a great skill to have and very beneficial for your handicap and wallet.

SB-1 Blade and TRUE linkswear Shoes

Putter: Ping Karsten C67

The Putter is probably the most important and personal club in the bag because it is used on every hole and at least twice as often as any other.  I think a putter’s feel, both at address and at contact, is key. So if you find a head shape or design that you like, it might be a good idea to stick with it.

I grew up playing with a Titleist Bulls Eye so the Ping C67 is a logical modern putter for me because of the mid-shaft design which provides a similar look at address. To each his own certainly applies here.

So the 8 to 11 clubs I play with are Driver, 3 Wood, Hybrid, 4i, 5i, 7i, 8i, 9i, PW, SW and Putter.

The loft progression in my “full” set is 9.5*, 15*, 20*, 25*, 30*, 35*, 40*, 45*, 50*, 58* which is well balanced and manageable on the course. I rarely wish I had another club in the bag because the distance gap is too big. The 5* loft increments also make it easier to pull up to four clubs, leaving 8, and still have a good feel for distance.

There are many golfers who have scored their best round ever using ten or fewer clubs. One of the benefits of walking is that you experience every step of the course which heightens your senses and, in my opinion, significantly improves your sense of “feel”, which can only enhance your shot-making creativity.

Try dropping a few clubs from your bag and watch your game improve over time which will only increase your enjoyment, while minimizing the weight that you carry around for eighteen holes.