Starting a new adventure . . . Minimalist Golf

[stryper]

9 hours ago, aiyyer said:

The middle clubs need to just work for the par 3s. It’s funny all the things a 4 hybrid can do. 

^^^This^^^
 

Driver and hybrid for the grunt work, the other four or five for the fine tuning. 

[MorganM]

11 hours ago, ciscojaws said:

I’ve always found it ironic in other threads where folks have said they go out for nine holes with a half-set to keep it easy or stress free.

 

Why wouldn’t you want to feel that way for a full 18?  Why does playing 18 have to feel like you’re going into battle?

 

The more I play this game the more I believe that a minimalist set should be a couple clubs to get you down range and most of the other clubs should be to attack the green inside 150 yards.

And that will work as long as you’re young enough to cover 200+ yds per swing. And then you get into your latter 60’s and it starts to become more interesting for most of us. 😏

[ShortGolfer]

Got in my early morning round between 7:30AM and 9AM, 90 minutes.  Three lost balls, so the score wasn't great, but made one short Par 4 in regulation.

First lost ball was a push to the right into the high rough.  2nd was a lost ball in mowed rough--must have fallen into a hole or something. 

And the third was another push into the trees while the guy was sitting on the mower next to the green, waiting for a few minutes for me to play the hole.  I was able to make the 2nd attempt onto the green.

There was an early morning twosome in walking in front of me that only seemed slow because I was pushed by a guy in a cart behind me.  

Someone loaded the wrong course data for the GPS!  So that wasn't functional.  Most likely because the park has two courses and they loaded the other course twice.

 

Didn't need any more clubs this morning playing from the Senior tees.  Approach shots were mostly hole high, but off to the right of the green.

The last approach shot was blocked by a tree.  My 7 iron shot clipped the top of the tree and fell short, though it did go through the tree. Another club would not have helped.  

I didn't consider slicing the ball around the tree, as this practice round was mostly about my new driver swing.

 

Made a couple nice drives down the fairway.   I'm pleased with how much better my new driver swing works, even with the lost ball today.

I have power leak  right at the end.  I need to throw the club at the ball at the very end.  It is a new motion so I often forget.  It's only ten days, after all.

If I forget I get a decent fade that ends up at the right side of the fairway.  But, if if I properly execute the new swing, I'm getting a lot of time in the air and distance. 😀

It is much better for me to learn driver on the course, as none of the Tee Boxes on the muni are flat, despite the course being called the "Flat Nine."😆

The course is flat relative to the other courses built in the rolling hills of Connecticut.

 

Edited July 30 by ShortGolfer

[tatertot]

No carts today, walking only ... carried 7 clubs, only bogey of the day was on 18 ... finished with a 71.

[Tommy56]

Finally got out to try the 4 club kit (7w, 8i, 54, P) as it was "slightly" less hot today.  Played a well respected 9 hole, par 3 course close to home.  First time I've ever hit the new 8i and it worked well.  Scored a little better than normal vs my usual 5 club set.  We'll see if it continues after the new club luck wears off.  😆

[stryper]

38 minutes ago, Tommy56 said:

Finally got out to try the 4 club kit (7w, 8i, 54, P) as it was "slightly" less hot today.  Played a well respected 9 hole, par 3 course close to home.  First time I've ever hit the new 8i and it worked well.  Scored a little better than normal vs my usual 5 club set.  We'll see if it continues after the new club luck wears off.  😆

Love the par 3 courses that allow for this.  For me, this is golf heaven. 😎

[WipeyFade]

As I’ve mentioned on my last few posts I have been using a 7 wood as my longest club. Here is a technique I have stumbled upon that may be of use to those who are hitting less than driver off the tee. Using this I have been getting very close to my driver distance with the 7w. 
 

This works really well with less than perfect tee boxes. You need to find an area of the tee box that has slightly longer grass and you’re going to put the ball down in it to create a flier lie. I have been playing the ball back in my stance slightly. This drops the spin and launch enough to make the ball go very far. I have hit two of my best tee shots ever, regardless of club selection, at my home course during the past two rounds. 
 

I have not tried this method with anything other than a 7 wood, but I imagine it would work with a hybrid of around the same loft. 

[stryper]

9 hours ago, WipeyFade said:

As I’ve mentioned on my last few posts I have been using a 7 wood as my longest club. Here is a technique I have stumbled upon that may be of use to those who are hitting less than driver off the tee. Using this I have been getting very close to my driver distance with the 7w. 
 

This works really well with less than perfect tee boxes. You need to find an area of the tee box that has slightly longer grass and you’re going to put the ball down in it to create a flier lie. I have been playing the ball back in my stance slightly. This drops the spin and launch enough to make the ball go very far. I have hit two of my best tee shots ever, regardless of club selection, at my home course during the past two rounds. 
 

I have not tried this method with anything other than a 7 wood, but I imagine it would work with a hybrid of around the same loft. 

Again, that’s the beauty of minimalist golf, figuring things out.  But personally, I can’t quite imagine trying to purposely create a flier lie.  Or maybe I can. Your technique isn’t that far off what I do with my hybrids…such a fun shot to have in the arsenal. 

Edited July 31 by stryper

[MorganM]

57 minutes ago, WipeyFade said:

As I’ve mentioned on my last few posts I have been using a 7 wood as my longest club. Here is a technique I have stumbled upon that may be of use to those who are hitting less than driver off the tee. Using this I have been getting very close to my driver distance with the 7w. 
 

This works really well with less than perfect tee boxes. You need to find an area of the tee box that has slightly longer grass and you’re going to put the ball down in it to create a flier lie. I have been playing the ball back in my stance slightly. This drops the spin and launch enough to make the ball go very far. I have hit two of my best tee shots ever, regardless of club selection, at my home course during the past two rounds. 
 

I have not tried this method with anything other than a 7 wood, but I imagine it would work with a hybrid of around the same loft. 

Ok, sounds interesting. What is the loft of your 7w?

 

[WipeyFade]

11 minutes ago, MorganM said:

Ok, sounds interesting. What is the loft of your 7w?

 

It’s 22*. It’s a Tour Edge Bazooka head that I found on eBay. I built it up with a shaft I took out of a Taylormade R7 3 wood. It’s a true Frankenclub. Total investment is less than $30 😂.

[tatertot]

1 hour ago, WipeyFade said:

As I’ve mentioned on my last few posts I have been using a 7 wood as my longest club. Here is a technique I have stumbled upon that may be of use to those who are hitting less than driver off the tee. Using this I have been getting very close to my driver distance with the 7w. 
 

This works really well with less than perfect tee boxes. You need to find an area of the tee box that has slightly longer grass and you’re going to put the ball down in it to create a flier lie. I have been playing the ball back in my stance slightly. This drops the spin and launch enough to make the ball go very far. I have hit two of my best tee shots ever, regardless of club selection, at my home course during the past two rounds. 
 

I have not tried this method with anything other than a 7 wood, but I imagine it would work with a hybrid of around the same loft. 

Dang dude ... how bad are your tee boxes?

 

[Nickb333]

If I thin my 7w I get an extra 15 yards total but I lose 10+ of carry. 

[WipeyFade]

26 minutes ago, tatertot said:

Dang dude ... how bad are your tee boxes?

 

The local muni, what can I say ?🤣 It’s not as bad as I make it sound, I think the places I’m finding to put the ball is where a divot from an iron off the tee has grown in. I guess it wouldn’t be an actual flier lie, the grass is just at or below the equator of the ball when I do this. 

[WipeyFade]

14 minutes ago, Nickb333 said:

If I thin my 7w I get an extra 15 yards total but I lose 10+ of carry. 

Thinning it helps also, especially when the fairways are firm. Usually when I hit a thin shot it’s by accident. 

[tatertot]

On 7/30/2025 at 7:35 PM, tatertot said:

No carts today, walking only ... carried 7 clubs, only bogey of the day was on 18 ... finished with a 71.

Back on the course, same set up except different putter ... hit my first two tee shots in the pond ... topped the approach ... 3-putted for a 10 on the first hole. Was +8 after 4. Birdied 18 for a 79, or I would have been in the 80s or the first time in months.

Edited August 1 by tatertot

[stimpmeterp]

2 hours ago, tatertot said:

Back on the course, same set up except different putter ... hit my first two tee shots in the pond ... topped the approach ... 3-putted or a 10 on the first hole. Was +8 after 4. Birdied 18 for a 79, or I would have been in the 80s or the first time in months.

Damn good round save there tater!

[MorganM]

On 7/29/2025 at 7:55 PM, ciscojaws said:

I’ve always found it ironic in other threads where folks have said they go out for nine holes with a half-set to keep it easy or stress free.

 

Why wouldn’t you want to feel that way for a full 18?  Why does playing 18 have to feel like you’re going into battle?

 

The more I play this game the more I believe that a minimalist set should be a couple clubs to get you down range and most of the other clubs should be to attack the green inside 150 yards.

I’ve been chewing on the last paragraph since you posted this. I think I’ve been putting my emphasis on the wrong end of the bag. Thank you for this bit of analysis; I believe a change is in order. 👍