Starting a new adventure . . . Minimalist Golf

[minimal45]

I have two 9 hole scores posted this season both walking with my 5 favorite clubs in a Srixon pencil bag. Shot 47,49(Par 36)from the back tee at my local country club. The most enjoyable golf to me is minimalist walking golf.

[slide13]

Nice, I'm going to try and snak out for my second 9 hole round in the next couple days. Maybe even tonight yet. Where are you at in Wisconsin? I'm in Sun Prairie.

[minimal45]

I'm from the Black River Falls area. Been playing Neillsville Country Club which isn't far from me. Only course open near by right now. It was 41°the day I shot 49.

[ChaosTheory]

Slide,
If your new bag is blue, then I think I saw it on another post. Very nice. I have a $1.00 garage sale Sun Mtn Sunday bag. Looks like heck but until I commit to the concept, it'll do. I hear you on the 58 wedge as your only wedge. I feel that 54 is too low, and 56 is probably just right. That's my plan anyway.

[slide13]

Yep, that's my bag, thanks!

I'm thinking 56 is the right choice too, just need to make it another two weeks until the local course runs their "buy a club get a free round" special during the demo day.

Went out last night and was striking the ball horrible as I was super soar from a hard Friday workout, but still nice to get out. Took my driver this time but only used it once, mostly hit 3w off the tee with decent results. Thankfully stayed out of the sand so the lack of a SW wasn't an issue.

[slide13]

Hurt my back in the gym and had to lay off golf for a bit but finally got back out there yesterday for 9 holes. Took my Mackenzie Walker with a 3w, 4/6/8/P, 56*, and putter. Had the best time, loved the club selection and never felt like I was at a disadvantage due to lack of clubs.

[Enfynet]

I start each season with 4i, 8i, 56*, P then add a couple clubs each round (9).

This gives me 200, 150, 100 gapping.

[hlca]

I'm playing with 8 clubs. Here they are and my rough yardages (total, not carry) with them. I know I need to work on my driver as my smash factor is pretty bad with a 110 mph swing speed.

Driver ~ 250 yards
3 hybrid ~ 240 yards
5 iron ~ 200 yards
7 iron ~ 175 yards
9 iron ~ 150 yards
PW ~ 135 yards
54 ~ 100 yards
putter

Considering adding another wedge or a fairway wood.

[Pack7483]

I got down to 10 for awhile, but at 12 now and see no reason to ever add 2 more.

Driver
3W
4hy
5-pw
52
58
Putter

[slide13]

[quote name='Pack7483' timestamp='1435968576' post='11884266']
I got down to 10 for awhile, but at 12 now and see no reason to ever add 2 more.

[/quote]

Yeah, 12 is my full setup:

Driver
3 wood
4-P
52
56
Putter

have yet to play a round with all of them this year though, just enjoying playing with 7-8 in my carry bag. But, good to know they're there if I need them I suppose.

[Altiman94]

I play my 9 hole league rounds with the following:
2Deep
3Hy
4,6,8,P
54*, 60*
Putter

All of this in a Titleist Sunday bag.

I can hardly manage to carry my full 14 club set in my PING 4-under bag now. It feels super heavy.
Luckily, I have a push cart for that use!

I have to say that the league course we play in very easy. Both par 5's are reachable even without driver, 3 of the par 4's are nearly drivable.
However, I dont shoot scores any different with 5 less clubs. I chose my irons based on average distances to par 3's (150 and 130).

I trully think that the average golfer (really everyone besides professionals and top end ams) would benefit from less clubs and more gapping between irons. Most of us cannot make the same swing twice, so there are big gaps between irons hit well and poorly. So having 3-P in our bags leaves a lot of overlap based on how well contact is. That's just my opinion.

[Orlandogolfguru]

This is like Ringo Starr vs Neil Peart. 3 pc set vs 90. Lol

[richard t]

I've said this before. I hate to ride. ( please let's not argue, do as YOU please). Getting older. Play 90% of my golf at a club with 3 9s. You can go 5800- 7100 depending on the tees and which 9s. I usually play 6100 yds. After many rounds I'm convinced I need Driver, 3 iron and 5-PW, SW and putter to complete two of the 9s. Today I played two balls, straight up. One with the clubs above and one with a 3 wood, 4 iron and LW. Two scores 79 with first ball and 81 with the second. Tell me anything but don't tell me you have to have 14 clubs.If you want to carry 16 clubs and it's not competition go for it but...

[slide13]

That's awesme! Dropping only two strokes by going to just four clubs (I'm assuming you still used your putter?).

I know that minimalist golf probably isn't the best for maximizing low scoring, but I think the negative impact on scores is way less than most people would like to admit and these days going minimal is maximizing my enjoyment of the game and that is really all I care about.

Sometime I'll have to try some real minimalist rounds like you did, I think I could get around with 3w, 8i, and SW pretty well. But my 7 club setup strikes a nice balance for me where I rarely feel like I'm missing something I need and those few times I do, it really only calls for a nice 3/4 swing to get me where I need to be. With a little range time to dial in my 3/4 swing a little more, I think I'll be in solid shape.

[bullsfan]

I enjoy walking and riding. When I ride I take all of my clubs and when I walk I drop back to the basics. I notice my scores walking tend to be a better depiction of my true game and when I carry less clubs in my walking bag, the confusion of choosing a play is predicated by what is left in my bag. That's good golf. When I started this game way back in the 70's my first set was a partial set consisting of a driver, 3, 5, 7, 9, w and putter. This configuration would carry me up until my last years of HS. As I got better and moved on to tougher/longer courses in College the extra clubs helped in certain scenarios. Now that I just play for general fun with the occasional tournament thrown in, my regular setup is 13 clubs max and I'll drop a couple when walking. Basically, it trains me to hit the best play on the hole to get the best score possible.

[andrew_m]

When I was 12 or 13, I used to play D, 4w, 4, 6, 8, P, 54, putter. That covered pretty much everything I needed. The past few months, I've spent a lot of time trying to fill the gap between my 3w and my 3i, to the point that I have five different clubs that fill it pretty well, but none that I'm really happy with. Reading this thread makes me want to hop on a launch monitor and figure out a way to set up a walking bag such that I could skip the driver and play 3 wood, [some filler club], 4i, 6i, 8i, P, 54, putter. I love my moonlite bag but it sort of defeats the purpose to have 14 clubs in it.

It's the filler club that I struggle with. If it were the right club, I might be able to eliminate the 4i too. I have a 2 hybrid, a 2 driving iron, a 3 driving iron, and a graphite-shafted 3 iron that I'm playing around with in my bag. I'd wanted to add either a 4 or a 5 wood too, but at this point it feels like I'd just be creating more confusion.

Now the question is how I can sneak onto a launch monitor to figure this out once and for all.

[Lancj1]

Sorry for resurrecting this from some time back. Fascinating reading. Probably like many of you friends and I have often said "here we are hacking around when you can be on most par fours with three 7 irons" - that's the thinking behind my attempt at this - safety and course management. Next Monday its 5 hybrid, 7, 9, 54* and putter in a pencil bag. My hope is that I don't visit meant of those darker places I sometimes do. I honestly believe I will score better through simply staying out of trouble and hitting fairways with the clubs I have chosen. Wish me luck!

[Wriggles]

Sorry for resurrecting this from some time back. Fascinating reading. Probably like many of you friends and I have often said "here we are hacking around when you can be on most par fours with three 7 irons" - that's the thinking behind my attempt at this - safety and course management. Next Monday its 5 hybrid, 7, 9, 54* and putter in a pencil bag. My hope is that I don't visit meant of those darker places I sometimes do. I honestly believe I will score better through simply staying out of trouble and hitting fairways with the clubs I have chosen. Wish me luck!

 

Good Luck! You have described playing vanilla golf. I believe Harvey Penick used the term. Human nature, being what it is, wants optimum performance. No guts, no glory. Minimalists for the most part have discovered that a better score (than the players prior, no matter what level of skill) is far more enjoyable than all the shoudas, couldas, and wouldas. As in, if I had not gone into the woods with my 300 yard drive, I woulda been 10 yards off the green, and maybe chipped in an eagle, or a sure fire birdie.

 

Cheers!

[Stonewalled]

people would play better, and swing more within themselves, if they had less clubs in the bag imo. you have to use feel to get the ball the right distance because of the gaps, and that promotes smooth swings, and smooth swings promote better technique... and it all just snowballs into better scores. Honestly, it's amazing.

Very true golfpros1. Last spring on an annual guys trip we play 72 holes a day for 3 days. 2nd round of day 2 we play our choice of 4 clubs. Hybrid, 8iron,wedge and putter,I had my best round of the weekend. Put all the clubs in the next day and couldn't match my score. Might have to try this again. And the Hoing would get alot cheaper.

[minimal45]

I'm starting my season shortly here in Wisconsin and will do so as a minimalist. Been playing 7 or fewer clubs since 2013. Last year I used 5 all season. This year I will carry 5 again. It's my favorite way to play.

[spud3]

I just finished four days at Bandon and used a half-bag for most of my rounds.

 

D

3h

5,7,9

GW

SW

P

 

All in a MIzuno Aerolite Micro. Total weight was about the same as a large order of fries at Burger King. Scored about as well as when I carry a full set on a Riksha cart. The mobility was awesome. This setup also was superior in heavy weather. On one day, the wind was so strong (30 mph sustained, 45+ mph gusts) that it was blowing the Riksha's of my playing partners over.

 

I figure if a small set can work there, it will work anywhere. The only issue was that particular bag is not waterproof. This has been quickly remedied by the purchase of a last-year's model SM H2No Ultralight.

 

I'm set.

[drn92]

Love this thread. I thought about a minimalist set up last year but just didn't pull the trigger. This may be the year. It seems like if I have two clubs that put me in play off the tee (driver and 5 or 7 wood?) and a compliment of irons my scores will be about the same. I used to do this a few times a year by playing only odd numbered clubs ... 3 wood, 3, 5, 7, 9 irons, sand wedge and putter and my scores didn't change much from my normal rounds.

 

Dnr92

[slide13]

I'm starting my season shortly here in Wisconsin and will do so as a minimalist. Been playing 7 or fewer clubs since 2013. Last year I used 5 all season. This year I will carry 5 again. It's my favorite way to play.

 

Yeah, I'm hoping to start mine too! Where in Wisco are you? I'm in the Madison area and just got a couple emails today about courses opening up.

 

Right now my bag is setup with 8 clubs: D, 3W, 4/6/8/P, 56, Putter but I'll leave the driver out to start with so I don't get into too much trouble early season. Maybe for the first few rounds I'll actually go 3W, 5/7/9, 56, Putter since I haven't used the odd clubs in a long time.

[minimal45]

I live in Clark county and we have zero snow. Anyday now some course close by will let us start. Alot of them drag it out too. I play all over the place so I check in every couple days with a list of places.

[Nomad Golfer]

Sounds good but

 

No 7i?

 

I would go Driver, 4hy, 7i, 2 wedges, putter.

 

Truly minimal would be

 

7i

 

or a #4 hybrid which I would choose (better for putting maybe)

[drn92]

Bringing this thread back to life ... I played my first 9 holes of the year this year (slow start ...). I used:

 

Driver

7 wood

5, 7, 9, Gap, Lob (all Ping i20's)

Putter

 

8 clubs and shot 40 from the white tees at a local course (one box up from the tips). No penalty strokes, one bunker shot, 16 putts, and didn't hit the ball really well. The 9 is fairly short, but has a bunch of holes where you cannot just crank a driver off the tee, so positioning is crucial. Kind of surprised by my score and honestly do not think I would have shot any better with a full set of clubs. I've pondered going with a half set for the past year or so, this may be the year.

 

Drn92

[ajschn06]

I don't get it.... Golf is hard enough as it is, why handcuff yourself?

[Altiman94]

I don't get it.... Golf is hard enough as it is, why handcuff yourself?

 

Some of us do not feel handicapped with a set less than 14 clubs.

[ajschn06]

I don't get it.... Golf is hard enough as it is, why handcuff yourself?

 

Some of us do not feel handicapped with a set less than 14 clubs.

 

I mean, I get it, and you may not "feel" handicapped, but you are.... Maybe not every round* but you are

 

[ajschn06]

I don't get it.... Golf is hard enough as it is, why handcuff yourself?

 

Some of us do not feel handicapped with a set less than 14 clubs.

 

I mean, I get it, and you may not "feel" handicapped, but you are.... Maybe not every round* but you are

 

To add, I don't think 14 is necessary either