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 12 clubs when I play and I know it makes me a better golfer because my handicap dropped by 10 strokes during 2010 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.
These are the clubs that live in my MacKenzie Walker or TRUE linkswear Stand Bag:
Driver
TaylorMade Burner – 9.5* – ProLaunch Red X Shaft
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 tighter dispersion 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
Adams 9033 HF Proto – 15* – AxivCore Tour X Green Shaft
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.
Irons
Titleist 681 Forged Blades with KBS X Shafts (4i to PW) and Titleist 690 CB 2i with DG X100 Sensicore Shaft (2i, 4i, 6i, 8i, PW usually in the bag)
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.
A forged blade provides the greatest amount of feedback with the least amount of forgiveness. I enjoy playing blades even if they cost me a few strokes per round.
If you are concerned primarily about scoring then a forged cavity back is probably a good option or a “player’s cast” club with limited offset and a smaller head. I am not sold on Game Improvement irons as I think the feedback is so bad that it can make it hard to improve. That being said, if you only get a chance to walk the course once a month then you may want as much help as you can get.
Wedges
Titleist Vokey Spin Milled 52*/8* and 60*/7*
Some golfers like having 3 to 4 wedges in their bag while other will go with a PW and SW. It can be hard to master too many wedges and fewer will obviously keep your bag lighter.
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.
Putter
Ping C67 Red Dot – 31 inches
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.
The 9 clubs I tend to play with are Driver, 3W, 2i, 4i, 6i, 8i, PW, 60* and Putter.
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.
35 Comments
Steffen Villadsen
June 10, 2010 1:59 pm —
Great read…
I have actually shot one of my better rounds (low/mid 80’s) with a mere 3 clubs + putter which was quite an eye opener for me. Sure there were some shots where I wish that I had the full arsenal of weapons at my disposal but playing with 9 or 10 clubs should be sufficient.
Oddly enough – I have yet to try to play with 9 or 10 clubs my self but am looking to take out only 10 clubs the next time I hit the links.
I bet I could to with a set consisting of:
Driver (12 deg.)
4 wood (17 deg.)
Hybrid (23 deg.)
5 iron (27 deg.)
7 iron (34 deg.)
9 iron (43 deg.)
50 wedge
54 wedge
58 wedge
putter
I will be sure to give an update as my transformation towards the minimalist golfer begins
Cheers,
Steffen in DK
nocurling
June 11, 2010 11:35 pm —
rob, i’m jealous. my clubs are only 19 years older than yours.
.
played palouse ridge with: Titleist 983K 10.5*, Titleist DCI irons 2,4,6,8,9,P,W,S, and Ping Anser2 putter.
cheers,
peter.
dean oram
June 24, 2010 4:53 pm —
Rob,
I too love playing a ‘half set’ game.
I recently contacted Scratch about purchasing a half set of SB-1s.
I love these blades. I talked to their sales people and was informed
that Scratch does not sell half sets??????
How were you able to convince them to sell you a half set?
I’m a little disappointed and befuddled?
Dean
Rob Rigg
Hi Dean - It is really hard to find a manufacturer that will put a half set together for you these days. I got lucky and was put in touch with one of the senior members of the company about doing a product test so they hooked me up. In the past, I have always had to buy a full set and then ended up only using half the clubs. It is pretty frustrating, but I would imagine us "half set" guys are a pretty small percent of the population. If you send another email to one of the senior guys at Scratch explaining why you want to play with a half set, they might be able to help you out.
Dean L
July 19, 2010 6:00 am —
Great Stuff Rob!!! Beautiful set of clubs !!
I am a PGA Golf instructor and believe there is great merit in what you are saying.
Golf IS A WALKING GAME.
Playing with less clubs is great too.
For most golfers the loft progressions in a 14 club set are just too close together.
Great Work Rob.
Dean Larsson PGA
Dallas TX
roger Butler
August 17, 2010 12:29 pm —
“Whats in the walking golfer bag?” I recently played in the Harold Hilton Medal at Royal Liverpool Golf Club( Hoylake) an over 30s competition off scratch, over 5 rounds. Played off The Open chanpionship tees, a gentleman from Sweden turned up in plus fours a canvas bag, played in a shirt and tie with a 3 iron, 5, iron, 7 iron, and wedge, two woods all hickory with the driver over one hundred years old. With plently of fixing holes re drilled. He played a 50 compreesion ball and shot 83 in the first round with a standard scratch of 75 how good was that? His playing partners were in ore of his short game running the ball from 100 yards out.
roger Butler
August 17, 2010 12:38 pm —
If any one wants to play in the Harolde Hilton Medal the entry form is on the clubs web site, Saturday night includes a black tie dinner in Honour of Harold Hilton, best check out his CV then you will understand. Followed by chipping up the stairs in front of an original oil painting of Bobby Jones. This is a a tournment you should play at least once in your life if you want to play golf as it is meant to be played.
Steffen Villadsen
August 24, 2010 4:56 am —
Quick update.
Since discovering this site and after starting to carry my reduced bag of only 9-10 sticks I have now entered the realm of single handicap going from an 11.4 handicap to a 9.8 handicap.
I am convinced the change in focus from the very result oriented approach to the more relaxed maybe even zen-like approach described in the “Why I walk” article by this site founder has
contributed vastly to my improvement.
Playing with fewer weapons really does set free a lot of creativity and enables you to enjoy the game even more… after all this is a GAME remember
Keep it simple and walk on!
Steffen in DK
Jerry
Steffen:
Whats in your bag?
Jerry
Steffen Villadsen
August 28 2010 23:39 pm
Jerry,
You will find the answer to your question in the first comment on this article :) but in short it is something like this: Driver, 4-wood, 4-hybrid, 5, 7, 9 iron, 50 & 58 degree wedge, putter
I do take an 8-iron with me on occasion if the par 3's I am playing requires it - but normally the 9 weapon configuration will do...
Cheers,
Steffen in DK
Rusty Turner
August 27, 2010 12:18 pm —
I’ve been playing with 9/10 clubs for two years and walking…handicap is closing on 6, which ain’t bad for a 72-year old fart who HATES to hit range balls. An interesting side note: I haven’t lost a ball in at least 6 months. I’d strongly advise anyone dropping clubs to start with his driver and play a strong 3-wood. I had my old Ruger Bertha refinished by Golfsmith and can still hit it about 245…and it’s always in the middle of the fairway! For me, it’s 3-wood, 20-degree hybrid, 5-SW in 5-degree loft increments (brand new Snake Eyes 685Xs with pured UST V2s and I love them) and a Nickent PIPE putter (which is one ugly sucker, but very effective).
I carry a little medicine kit with bandaids, some nasal spray, moleskin and hand sanitizer/cleaner, a windshirt and 4 balls and a handful of tees. No umbrella, even in Portland…but a towel and a good stiff brush. WALK ON!!!
Joe Franceski
Rusty: Enjoyed your comments. Since you've been pretty precise about your walking equipment, I was just wondering whether you have a favorite ball that you like to play?
Jerry
Rusty,
What lofts are your irons?
Bill Rahn
October 9, 2010 7:43 am —
Rob-
Recently retired and walking my club course ( Cedarbrook Country Club ) in Western NC with just 10 clubs :
Driver , 3 wood, 3 hybrid, 5 ,7, 8,9,PW, SW and Bullseye putter ( that I have used since I bought it
used in 1968 ). Scoring improving on each outing.
I really enjoy The Walking Golfer site and my membership and hope to order a MacKenzie bag in the future.
Bill
Mike
November 18, 2010 11:29 am —
Didn’t you have Scratch in tbe bag recently?
Rob Rigg
Due to my involvement in TRUE linkswear I have tried to remove any comments on the site discussing other brands.
Troy Alderson
May 15, 2011 4:05 pm —
My true walking set of clubs is my 5 mid-iron, 54 SW, and anser2 putter.
My super light set is 3 hybrid, 7I, 8I, PW, 54 SW, and putter.
My light set is 3W, 4 hybrid, 6I, 7I, 8I, PW, 54 SW, and putter.
My game has improved by having fewer clubs. I feel I have developed better control and feel of each club, hitting the ball straighter and longer. I do not use a driver, mostly because I have not been able to hit the new drivers accurately enough for my satisfaction. My 3 wood is a 250+ club anyways.
My goal this year is to break 80 and move to a 10 handicap.
Troy Alderson
Oh and by the way, I use a MacKenzie Llama bag, Nylon, I purchased while the golf course superintendent at Kah-Nee-Ta Resort, with the resort logo on it. Peter Jacobsen model.
Rob Rigg
i love it Troy!
D Buchanan
May 16, 2011 11:29 am —
Recently I am getting back in to walking after 30+ years of riding the buggy. I am coming to understand what you mean about golf being a walking game.
Right now I am playing with 7 clubs I put together for the purpose. A Ram 5 iron bent to 26*, a Hogan Director 9 iron bent to 34*, a Wilson Staff 9 iron bent to 42* all with TT steel shafts in lengths of 38,37, and 36 inches respectively. A driver of some sort, (varies) a Taylor Raylor 16*, an old Wilson Staff JP pitching wedge, and currently a PING Zing putter.
All in an old Dunlop nylon bag (hoping to replace with a Sherpa soon!)
Nine is all I can handle and play decently now, but hoping to improve to 18 by the end of the season!
Rob Rigg
Great work Don!
D Brown
August 16, 2011 10:34 am —
Similar to many others, I find playing 7-10 clubs gets me really familiar with each. There is also less uncertainty figuring out what to hit on a particular shot.
This really proved true in trouble spots. After errant tee shots where GIR percentage is low, I’ll often dump the ball safely in front of a green and try to get up and down. Usually playing two wedges, familiarity with those clubs comes around very quickly. My scores dropped from the 90’s to mostly 80’s almost instantly by dropping clubs and better course management.
Now if I can only beat 80, my current golf nemesis!
Good luck to all.
John Moore
August 20, 2011 10:04 am —
For those interested in playing partial sets, Golfsmith offers customized partial sets through their “custom fitting” option. You can also go through a local custom builder and get custom sets made from makers like Maltby, Snake Eyes or Tom Wishon. I presently play Driver, 3w, 2h, 3h, 5-8 irons, PW, AW, SW, LW, XW, and of course putter, and I build my set that way, customized. Very good way to go.
Ed Nelson
August 23, 2011 7:40 pm —
This post plus some reading about hickory golf and the clubs early golfers carried has led me to a 6 club set for afternoon golf:
4W 17* (spoon), 5H 26* (baffy), 7I 35* (mashie), 9I 43* (mashie/niblick), wedge 54* (flanged niblick), and flanged Bullseye putter in a Titleist carry bag. All the clubs are used but very serviceable. I am experimenting with a 2H 17* to replace the 4W.
I use the clubs above plus (also used) Driver 13*, 3H 23*, 6H 29*, 8I 39*, and PW 47* to make up my “full” set which I put in a Titleist lightweight stand bag and strap to a ClicGear 3.0 push cart.
Lest you think I’m a spendthrift, I picked up a new Cleveland Classic #1 Putter–an unbelievable putter and a great value.
For someone whose handicap is “whichever club I’m holding,” less is more. Fairways and greens!
Ed Nelsonb
Update--trying for ten clubs. I got my bag down to 11: 3W, 5W, 4H, 5I , 6I, 7I, 8I, 9I, PW, SW 54*, P. When I played today, the 6I is the only club I didn't hit. So, out of the bag and into the "corner of exiled clubs," and I've got my ten. I decided on 3W based on the old Harvey Pennick axiom--don't use a driver until you can put seven of ten in the fairway with the 3W...
Bill Vogeney
August 25, 2011 7:31 pm —
Great thoughts. I typically carry 12 clubs with me when I walk. Driver, 5 wood, either 3 or 4 hybrid, 5-SW’ a 60 wedge and putter.
I am going to try over Labor Day taking the hybrid out, because a choke down 5 wood is about the same as my 3 hybrid.
Dean O
September 3, 2011 9:42 am —
TRUE Linkswear Stand Bag?????
Dave C.
September 6, 2011 7:04 am —
I have been a walking golfer for over 45 years. When I started in the 1960’s, I used a cheap 3W, 5I, and putter. (All I could afford.) In the 1970’s, 80’s, and part of the 90’s, I trollied around a staff bag with 14 clubs. (Heavy!) As I grow older, I’m going back to my roots.
Currently, I carry a Driver, 5I,8I,PW and putter in a nylon 5″ Sunday bag I bought 10 or so years ago. Sometimes, I’ll substitute a 3W for the driver or add an extra iron or so. I haven’t played with over 7 clubs in a long time, mostly just 5. I find my scores are just as good as with a full set. Most of the time better. Last week I shot a 35 (par) at my local course, a very rare occasion. Most of the time I’ll average 42-45 for nine holes. I attribute better golf this year with playing with forged irons, Callaway 2009 x forged. The chunky offset irons I’ve played since the 90’s do not improve one’s game.
I’d love to get a Mackenzie bag, maybe next season. The ballistic nylon 1 pocket would be probably the best lightweight choice.
Michael Conklin
October 3, 2011 9:28 am —
Great article…I only use eleven clubs when I play. I always walk and have a great time. I found an old Sun Mountain Sunday carry bag at a golf garage sale a few years back, it works great. It is made of a heavy nylon, one club divider to separate the woods from irons, has two pockets with leather tabs on the zippers and leather trim around the pockets. The bag has a single strap, which I prefer over the double straps. My bag consists of:
3 wood/driver
3 hybrid
4 hybrid
5-9 irons
PW
SW
Putter
11 clubs, some tees, a dozen golf balls and That is it……
Kenny Griffis
October 10, 2011 7:20 pm —
A dozen balls? Wow. That’s a lot of golf balls. You can lighten your load by not carrying so many balls. I hope you don’t have to use 12 in a round.
Michael Conklin
October 18 2011 21:21 pm
If I am lucky I will get around with some left in the bag......
Karlton
October 18, 2011 6:10 pm —
I have been playing a partial set on and off for several years. Yesterday I played Pinehurst #2 using only 6 clubs. First, I love the renovation of #2. The return of the natural sandy “rough” is historically accurate, visually intimidating and offers a more varied challenge than the previous uniform rough. Coore/Crenshaw definitely got it right. I was a caddy favorite with only 6 clubs and 4 balls in a Nike Sunday stand bag. I shot a respectable 86 and thoroughly enjoyed the round.
Driver
4wood
6iron
9iron
SW
Putter
DL
December 22, 2011 3:08 pm —
That is awesome Karlton !!!
Have been playing for a while now with
Driver
3,5,7,9 Sw
Putter
7 Clubs walking. Love it. Fosters shot shaping makes bag super light. Love it !!!
Dave C.
December 29, 2011 6:53 am —
Although the weather in PA was a bit chilly, I played 9 holes the day after Christmas. My home course was deserted, so I could walk briskly. I played with a 3W, and an adjustable iron, carried 4 balls and tees. Surprisingly, the newer irons play very well. I had one dating from the 60’s, not nearly as good as the new ones available on EBay.
Although illegal for USGA play, an adjustable iron makes walking the course effortless. I play occasional solitary rounds with it alone and sometimes include it in my bag. Driver, putter, and adjustable, with maybe a PW added in makes a comfortable carry in any bag, if a bag is even needed.
Julian
January 11, 2012 7:48 am —
Glad I stumbled upon this site! I love walking with a light single strap golf bag and only 7 clubs. I currently use a 3-wood, 3i, 5i, 7i, 9i, 54 wedge and a putter. About 5 golf balls, and a little baggie with some tees, ballmarks, band-aids, and cash. Sure, I have a push cart, big bags and way too many golf clubs in the garage…but walking with half the clubs, and creating shots makes this game much more like being on vacation. And truly, my scores (4 hcp) just don’t seem much different then with a full bag of sticks.
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