Okay, so today I tackled the big question: What the heck clubs actually need to be in my bag? Felt like I was dragging around way too much dead weight every round, honestly. Needed to get serious about this.
First Up: The Great Bag Dump
Right in my garage, I unzipped that golf bag and just dumped everything out onto the floor. Looked like a damn golf store explosion! Driver, fairway woods, hybrids, like six different irons, wedges all over the dang place, putter… felt overwhelming seeing it all spread out like that.
Playing Detective With My Scorecard
Grabbed my last few scorecards. Started scribbling notes right there on the floor: “What clubs did I really use? Where did I feel like I had a gap?” Noticed my 3-wood? Barely touched it. That 4-iron? Only when I was completely desperate or showing off (badly). The 60-degree wedge? Used it maybe twice, and screwed up both shots.
Made a list:
- Always Used: Driver, 3-hybrid (that thing’s my baby), Pitching Wedge.
- Sometimes Used: 5-wood for long par 3s or awful lies, Gap Wedge (kinda useful).
- >Rarely Used/Rode The Bench: 3-wood, 4-iron, 60-degree wedge, that extra putter grip I threw in for luck? Gone.
The Trial & Error Phase (A.K.A. The Messy Part)
Okay, so next practice session? I left the big bag behind. Just took a small carry bag. Forced myself to pick ONLY what I thought were the essentials. Started with this:
- Driver
- 3-hybrid
- 5-wood (told you it gets some play)
- 7-iron (my confidence iron)
- 9-iron
- Pitching Wedge
- Gap Wedge
- Sand Wedge (cannot live without it near bunkers)
- Putter
Played a quick 9 holes like that. Felt… weirdly freeing? Honestly missed my 6-iron on one hole though – left a big gap between the 7-iron and the hybrid. Also realized I desperately needed something between my Sand Wedge and Gap Wedge – like a 54-degree maybe? Kept notes on my phone: “Add 6-iron. Replace Gap with 54?. Ditch the extra mallet putter. Definitely ditch the 3-wood.”
Accepting My Reality (No Pro Here)
This was key: I am NOT hitting those butter-knife blades like a tour pro, and my home course doesn’t need crazy specialist clubs. Had a real talk with myself: “Stop trying to look cool with clubs you can’t hit.” Focused on distance gaps I actually face during a normal round, not the fantasy shots.
The Final Tally (For Now…)
Alright, here’s what’s riding with me now after all that fuss:
- Driver: Yeah, gotta have it.
- 5-Wood (18°): Easier to launch than the 3-wood, works out of rough.
- 3-Hybrid (21°): Honestly, my most reliable club from anywhere.
- Irons: Skipped the 3 & 4. Kept 5-iron through Pitching Wedge.
- Wedges: Pitching Wedge (46°), 54° Sand Wedge (traded out my old Gap!), and a 58° Lob Wedge (rare, but handy for weird spots).
- Putter: Only one. My main squeeze.
And you know what? Leaving those other clubs behind hasn’t hurt my score one bit. Might even be helping. Bag feels lighter, and I don’t waste time staring at clubs I know I shouldn’t hit. Win-win.
