What bag set-up makes you take notice?

[Forged4ever]

[quote name='settling4birdie' timestamp='1391983179' post='8631229']
[quote name='MtlJeff' timestamp='1391981581' post='8631067']
If you're referring in your post to the article written for the site....here it is.....written by yours truly actually

[url="http://www.golfwrx.com/49131/how-to-build-an-intimidating-bag-of-clubs/"]http://www.golfwrx.c...g-bag-of-clubs/[/url]
[/quote]

Just Curious...What are your thoughts about Pink Drivers ?
[/quote]Agreed, Great Stuff MT!

And I love S4B's question, LMAO

Fairways & Greens My Friend,
Richard

[OBbogey5]

[quote name='Forged4ever1' timestamp='1391980825' post='8631005']
A funny story about my bag-

"Someone better've died of cancer for you to have a bag like that"

I'll remember those words as long as I live, LMFAO-

.....

Fairways & Greens My Friends
[/quote]

I enjoyed that story. Thanks for sharing.

[caller]

Based on my experience playing with some elite players.... I have my antenna up when I see these

- Steel shafted small head 3wood
- less than 14 clubs in the bag
- low lofted driver head, like 8 or 8.5
- 62 or 64 degree wedge

[sharkiesj]

I usually don't care what someone's bag/equip looks like.

Playa's come in all shapes and sizes. Good players usually have good swings but nothing makes me takes notice more than watching him putt. If the guy can roll the rock, oh boy, he's gold.

I've seen too many heavy hitters with beautiful swings get over their putt and you see doubt and fear in their stance and grip. A good putter can play with anyone--H. Penick

[bogeypro]

I play in a group of guys every Sunday that are all pretty good golfers. I have personally seen multiple rounds in the 60s on my course from these guys (pretty good for this course). Honestly, I couldn't tell you what clubs any of them play EXCEPT for putters. I don't pay attention to that people play, I pay attention to what they shoot.

[Twitch12]

I try not to judge a player by what's in his bag, instead by how he plays the first hole. I once played a high school match against a guy that was wearing cowboy boots and he was their #2 player. His team had 4 players and I'm not sure any of them had ever played before. After the second hole, (he made a 12 on #1) he told me to just mark him down for a double digit score and he would watch me play to verify my score. Probably the most enjoyable match of my life. He was even nice enough to share his pint of Jack and can of Copenhagen with me. He eventually told me the only reason he was on the golf team was because it was the sport that allowed you to miss the most school. I will never forget that day.

[ABgolfer2]

[quote name='Twitch12' timestamp='1391999800' post='8633479']
I try not to judge a player by what's in his bag, instead by how he plays the first hole. I once played a high school match against a guy that was wearing cowboy boots and he was their #2 player. His team had 4 players and I'm not sure any of them had ever played before. After the second hole, (he made a 12 on #1) he told me to just mark him down for a double digit score and he would watch me play to verify my score. Probably the most enjoyable match of my life. He was even nice enough to share his pint of Jack and can of Copenhagen with me. He eventually told me the only reason he was on the golf team was because it was the sport that allowed you to miss the most school. I will never forget that day.
[/quote]



I try not to judge other players as long as they keep up and play honestly, but I'm not sure how I'd react to a guy playing in shi+ kickers. I've played a wide range of courses since the mid 1980s. The next one I see that allows cowboy boots will be the first.

[cmrl1986]

Faded out ping carry bags. Seems like whenever I see one of them, a good player is carrying it. As far as clubs go, I can't really judge them on the irons or woods, the putter is where it's at. If it's something that looks custom fit, or an older model like a TEI3 or something usually they can play.

[Twitch12]

[quote name='ABgolfer2' timestamp='1392006246' post='8634203']
[quote name='Twitch12' timestamp='1391999800' post='8633479']
I try not to judge a player by what's in his bag, instead by how he plays the first hole. I once played a high school match against a guy that was wearing cowboy boots and he was their #2 player. His team had 4 players and I'm not sure any of them had ever played before. After the second hole, (he made a 12 on #1) he told me to just mark him down for a double digit score and he would watch me play to verify my score. Probably the most enjoyable match of my life. He was even nice enough to share his pint of Jack and can of Copenhagen with me. He eventually told me the only reason he was on the golf team was because it was the sport that allowed you to miss the most school. I will never forget that day.
[/quote]



I try not to judge other players as long as they keep up and play honestly, but I'm not sure how I'd react to a guy playing in shi+ kickers. I've played a wide range of courses since the mid 1980s. The next one I see that allows cowboy boots will be the first.
[/quote]

The course we were playing was literally an old farm that had been converted to what might be considered a golf course. The out of bounds parkers were the barb wire fences that separated the course from a cow pasture. Needless to say, that was the one and only year our coach scheduled a match with them.

[sdandrea]

Beware the guy who's over 60, carries a PING hoofer, walks, only has 10 clubs in his bag and is always smiling. Do NOT bet with this guy. I WANT to be that guy - I have the age, the bag, only carry 10 clubs, I walk the course, and I'm always smiling, but I only play off an 8 index. Early in my golfing years, I would see that guy and think this old fart has no game............BWAHAHAHAHAHAAH - I got drummed. He's been my hero ever since................still trying to get there.

[joey2aces]

13 wedges and a putter.

[Forged4ever]

[quote name='OBbogey5' timestamp='1391987189' post='8631743']
I enjoyed that story. Thanks for sharing.
[/quote] My pleasure, thank You for taking the time to read it.

Have a great season-

My Best,
Richard

[Pepperturbo]

Thinking equipment somehow tells anything is a recipe for loosing money. Although few and far between, I've seen guys with pathetic old rusty clubs as well as nice pretty clubs in a tournament bag, or a hodge-podge of clubs light up the course. If I were to rely upon anything to tell me to take notice, it would be how a player sees a given hole, and what club he chooses when faced with multiple shot options, also his execution. If I see three shot options from the tee, but believe an iron is the best option for position and getting at a pin, and the other guy pulls driver, most likely I would bet against him (not take notice) having enough game to either insure the ball reaches a safe fairway position and getting at the pin, or he has the needed skills to hit any shot from the junk, and get up and down to save par. Better golfers tend to think the same way when looking down fairway, as they want to score.

[Forged4ever]

It's not the bag or what's in it for me.

If I don't know the individual that I'm playing against or with, I'll watch em when they get to the tee.

A pre-shot routine, or lack of it, usually tells me what I need to know.

If it's medal play, I don't concern myself with em, cuz it's gonna be a long 18 holes, with all of the peaks and valleys that come with em.

If it's match-play, I pay much closer attention to the individual.

Regarding the bag, I like to look just because I love golf clubs, so I love seeing what's out there.

I've played a long time and seen a lot of great players who don't fit in the "box" of what defines a "Player."

Plus, I'm too into my own damn self to spend time thinkin bout the other guy, LMAO


Fairways & Greens My Friends

[endurancechiro]

[quote name='ABgolfer2' timestamp='1392006246' post='8634203']
[quote name='Twitch12' timestamp='1391999800' post='8633479']
I try not to judge a player by what's in his bag, instead by how he plays the first hole. I once played a high school match against a guy that was wearing cowboy boots and he was their #2 player. His team had 4 players and I'm not sure any of them had ever played before. After the second hole, (he made a 12 on #1) he told me to just mark him down for a double digit score and he would watch me play to verify my score. Probably the most enjoyable match of my life. He was even nice enough to share his pint of Jack and can of Copenhagen with me. He eventually told me the only reason he was on the golf team was because it was the sport that allowed you to miss the most school. I will never forget that day.
[/quote]



I try not to judge other players as long as they keep up and play honestly, but I'm not sure how I'd react to a guy playing in shi+ kickers. I've played a wide range of courses since the mid 1980s. The next one I see that allows cowboy boots will be the first.
[/quote]
You've obviously never seen the Anderson bean boots with the special golf soles! Awesome!

[Fade to Black]

[quote name='OBbogey5' timestamp='1391987189' post='8631743']
[quote name='Forged4ever1' timestamp='1391980825' post='8631005']
A funny story about my bag-

"Someone better've died of cancer for you to have a bag like that"

I'll remember those words as long as I live, LMFAO-

.....

Fairways & Greens My Friends
[/quote]

I enjoyed that story. Thanks for sharing.
[/quote]

+1

[gibby777]

[quote name='nochrome' timestamp='1391919087' post='8627237']
Understanding that members here look at things a bit differently than the "average" golfer, what distribution of clubs makes you curious to see if golfer is a good player? Is it the high-end equipment set like Tai's? GI/player's set like MtlJeff? The one manufacturer set like Sean2? Old/new mixed set like Stage? Or the "intimidating" set of clubs like in Zak's article? Now I understand that good players can use any make-up , just curious as to which make-up has you want to say "wonder if that guy's got game?" and take a look when player is hitting to find out?
[/quote]

It means nothing to me.

[dcr147]

Froth's Bag!!! Not necessarily the clubs in it, but why he plays what he plays. If I meet him or someone like him on the range or practice green, I want in. You just have to know your going to see some special stuff during an 18 hole round. I can't hit it far enough anymore, even with the new equipment, to think that I am gonna seriously compete against a guy with tipped X- STEEL shafts in his driver and fairway woods but I want to be a part of what might happen for him. And after I get drubbed, i'll shake his hand and say thanks for letting me remember how this game is played. There was a time when.....but as someone already said in a response to this post "it was a lifetime (or 2) ago".

[Arsey51]

I try not to scrutinized other player's equipment, but the HO in me usually has to venture a look-see......Shiny new clubs always catch my eye. Other than that, I don't get intimidated. I play for fun, not money. Good thing too, or I'd be broke.

[murray18]

To me its not so much the clubs in the bag, but minor details. For example, most good players have a huge towel wedged between their woods and putter rather than a cheesy towel with a course logo or something on it. Also, very organized bags, very few bag tags, fairly lightweight carry bag or sunday bag, maybe an alignment stick or two. In my competitive days, I always watched out for an AJGA sticker on the bottom of the bag or on a rangefinder.

I think Dave Marr said to beware the guy with a deep suntan, squinty eyes, and a 1 iron (or something along those lines).

[mukster]

I love pretty gear. Therefore, I am always looking at other people's stuff. I really don't care what skill level they play at, just love looking at cool sticks. Bags that make me take notice; old blade irons. I have a number of pictures on my PC of old cool clubs that people play. They usually don't mind if I ask if I can take a few snaps.

[hartman33]

Most guys I've seen who pull up in there BMW, yank there new $2,500 bag out of the trunk, usually have a 10 cent golf swing. The best players 'Ive been around have old, dirty irons, and a driver thats outdated. I put zero stock in whats in another players bag.

[choeppner]

The best players I've played with normally have a bag with clubs that are a couple of years old, with bag chatter.

Also, if they have a 1 or 2 iron, they get my respect. LOL

[LUMA]

Anything forged over 2 cycles old.

This changes via location tho. In Orlando, you never know. A bag is a terrible judgement of game there. Round' here in G'ville, anything forged over 2 cycles old. There really isn't a golf presence up here but I know guys who are 5HC and under and they don't even know it. They are playing the wrong shafts, ballooning it into the next galaxy, etc. I have had to give them some pointers. Harder and lower launching shafts, forged, etc.

Fact is, game is everywhere and you never really know.

Lesson? Don't judge people based on looks of anything. Clothes, cars, clubs, etc. I wear Banana Republic, wear a Rolex, drive an e46 BMW with 152k miles, poor, living with my parents, 30, in college, surfer, played in an Emo/Punk band, fisherman, motocross rider, good golfer, blah blah. Nobody would know anything about me unless they talked to me and got to know me.

Didn't somebody say something at one time or another, "Don't judge a book by it's cover"?

[playa]

[quote name='Apex93' timestamp='1391923086' post='8627547']
The most intimidated I've been by a bag setup was my opponent for my last high school match. My coach had told me on the drive over "this guy is going to beat the hell out of you" (thanks, coach!), but I knew which guy he was 50 yards from the range - he was the one carrying a Sunday bag.
When I got closer, I saw his beat up ancient blades (is that... a 1-iron?!) with a burn mark the size of a dime on the sweet spot, an older players driver, and a flanged bullseye putter.
Yikes.

I played out of my skull, lost by 2 shots, but it should've been about 7 more than that given the unbelievable amount of birdie putts the guy hit that lipped out.
The guy went on to play at UVA, reached the finals of the us am, and plays on tour now - James Driscoll.

One of my fondest memories (and it was a loss!), and I'll never forget catching a glimpse at his bag and not really being "intimidated", but absolutely understanding he was better than me.
[/quote]Cool story. A classic players bag. If I saw that bag on the first tee I would know I was up against someone with serious game. The worn down sweet spot is always a dead giveaway.

[Exist]

Interesting topic, I usually don't care what others are playing and honestly don't take too much notice unless they're vintage clubs. Recently I've had a lot of people asking me about my bag, literally my bag because it's almost new and being a Titleist staff bag people think I'm a poser. Truth is I had a old titleist staff bag that had to get replaced because the bottom caved in and would no longer stay on my cart. My first new bag in 10 years and I'm treated like a poser because I like the white/black/red and for me it's definitely not about giving titleist free advertising, I genuinely just like the look. Too many judgemental golfers.....

[fairwaysRoverated]

Watch out for the guy that has an old Ping Zing wedge he only uses around the green. It was ugly as all hell, but he could use that thing any way he needed to.

[MikeCartier]

Since I am a club ho I tent to look at players bags all of the time. The thing that stands out to me as a sign of a "better player" is if they have some custom/upgraded shafts on their clubs, ones that were not included in the off-the shelf set. I will take more notice of someone who has "underground" brands like Accra, Harrison, or REAL hi-ends (not the "made for xxx") like Attas, Oban, or Matrix Ozik in their woods or aerotechs, c-tapers, etc in their irons. Usually the sign of someone dedicated and studies the game, not the "novice" guy who is most likely gaming off the shelf RBZ woods, AP2 irons, vokey wedges, odyssey white hot putter, and cant forget a box of Pinnacles.

[ovib]

[quote name='golfdude300' timestamp='1391923611' post='8627615']
I'm too absorbed in my game and usually don't notice or care what is in anyone else's bag. Although I would probably laugh if I saw a guy with a bag full of new Titties scrambling to break 100.

Never met anyone who could buy game.....
[/quote]

That's gonna be me when the season starts

[ovib]

[quote name='bruinsPATSirish' timestamp='1391956381' post='8628649']
Lead tape. Beware the player with lead tape.

Honesty though I have worked a day or two a week on the bag drop for the past couple years and being a club guy. almost always take a pretty good look at the clubs in bags and the player that goes with them. Two things that stand out in my mind are the "sunned out" headcovers and the bag chattered forged irons. These guys usually get around the course fairly well. Also generally speaking, it seems like the guys with the lightweight stand bags and Sunday bags have some game.
[/quote]

Totally agree, especially if the lead tape is on something new and expensive like a vokey tvd.