Starting a new adventure . . . Minimalist Golf

[WipeyFade]

I'm starting to get more and more comfortable with the D, 6, 8, pw, 56, and P set up. I was unsure of it when I first went out with it, but I've played it in the sim a few times and it seems that I am just as well off stepping on a 6i as I am hitting a longer club when I need a 200 yard shot. The 6 is usually short (185-190 when I smoke it), but I usually strike it better than a 4i, hybrid, or 7 wood, plus it's harder to hook. Sim golf is quite a bit different than actual golf so I will see how it continues to work at the course.

[kiwihacker]

7 hours ago, WipeyFade said:

I'm starting to get more and more comfortable with the D, 6, 8, pw, 56, and P set up. I was unsure of it when I first went out with it, but I've played it in the sim a few times and it seems that I am just as well off stepping on a 6i as I am hitting a longer club when I need a 200 yard shot. The 6 is usually short (185-190 when I smoke it), but I usually strike it better than a 4i, hybrid, or 7 wood, plus it's harder to hook. Sim golf is quite a bit different than actual golf so I will see how it continues to work at the course.

Agree sim golf is very different but I also feel it can help your real world game. It's not the same but sim golf is better than no golf. It was raining recently on Saturday so I spent the day playing sim golf at a sheltered range instead. The next day was fine and I had a very good real world round of golf. I credit the sim golf for my good ball striking that day. One thing I have learned from sim golf when playing the par 5's is to choose the club that will leave me approximately 100m out leaving me a full wedge in for my 3rd shot (I can't usually reach par 5's in two). I used to just reach for my 4 wood or hybrid and blaze away but now if I'm say 260m out I'll hit my 6 iron which will leave me approximately 100m to the flag. The benefits are twofold.

 

1. It leaves me a full shot in rather than some awkward half shot distance.

2. Hitting say 7-5 iron instead of hybrid I'm much more likely to keep the ball in play rather then pulling it left or spraying it right leaving myself no shot. 

 

Sorry slightly off topic from minimalist golf ... 

[WipeyFade]

@kiwihackeryes sim golf does have some benefits, I just wish that I was as good at real golf as I am sim golf. We have a Garmin R10 with GSPro and I have figured out that I’m about 10-12 shots per round better on the sim due to the auto putt settings and the fact of having a perfect lie every time 😂. With the mentioned 6 club set up I have been working on a driver off the deck shot that seems to work about 10% of the time lol. 

[kiwihacker]

3 hours ago, WipeyFade said:

@kiwihackeryes sim golf does have some benefits, I just wish that I was as good at real golf as I am sim golf. We have a Garmin R10 with GSPro and I have figured out that I’m about 10-12 shots per round better on the sim due to the auto putt settings and the fact of having a perfect lie every time 😂. With the mentioned 6 club set up I have been working on a driver off the deck shot that seems to work about 10% of the time lol. 

🤣😂🤣 Yep I'm about an 11 handicap in the real world and breaking 80 is a rare feat but I'm a 5 handicap and shoot in the seventies on a regular basis on the R10. 🤣 Driver off the deck is a shot I won't even attempt but I've seen two different golfers play it very effectively in the past few weeks. To me it would just be a disaster waiting to happen! 

[WipeyFade]

@kiwihackerTo be fair, my driver is more like a 2 wood. It's a Todd Demsey persimmon with 11.5* of loft. So driver off the deck is still iffy at best, but it's more doable than with a 460cc head.

[jeppy64]

I went this route last year and I'm sticking with it.

 

Ping G410 driver

Adams Tight Lies (2021) 4 hybrid

Mizuno JPX 923 HL 7 and 9 iron

Mizuno S23 50 and 56 wedges

Cleveland HB Soft #5 putter

[rwc356]

After several rounds on the simulator, I've settled (fingers crossed) on my 2024 minimalist bag:   Ping G400 driver, G30 3 and 5 hybrids, i3 7, 9 and PW, Ping Glide 56 deg SW, Ping Kushin putter and ProV1X.

 

Last year, I used a G30 driver and Ping BECU Eye2 irons along with the G30 hybrids and Kushin putter.  I'm hopeful the change to the G400 driver will help me regain the yardage that Mother Nature snuck out my bag during the winter.

[petep5280]

I'm in. I'm playing the best golf I've played in years and it's becoming clear certain clubs are holding me back. Why do I keep hitting them?  Only because I have them. 

 

My setup is 5w, 5i, 6i, 7i, 8i, 9i, PW, SW, putter. Gapping is like 14 yards between.

 

I'm also going to bite the bullet and purge my old stuffs too. 

 

I'm done with this sport costing a fortune and none of the equipment changes working.  

 

 

[WipeyFade]

3 minutes ago, petep5280 said:

 

I'm done with this sport costing a fortune and none of the equipment changes working.  

 

 

True enlightenment come when you realize the clubs you use really don’t matter😂

[petep5280]

5 minutes ago, WipeyFade said:

True enlightenment come when you realize the clubs you use really don’t matter😂

 

I bought irons I was fit into 2 years ago. Those I won't sell, and I'll have to deal with some parking lot pro in my bag. 

[Tom7]

11 minutes ago, WipeyFade said:

True enlightenment come when you realize the clubs you use really don’t matter😂

 

This is painfully accurate. I've also realized the hard way that the right club for you doesn't necessarily cost the most.

[petep5280]

14 minutes ago, Tom7 said:

 

This is painfully accurate. I've also realized the hard way that the right club for you doesn't necessarily cost the most.

 

Well at least you've realized it. And now you can move on. 

[petep5280]

Those who do this, are you just gaming x number of clubs?  Or, do you also only own x number of clubs?

 

I feel like it has to be both to make it work. 

[WipeyFade]

Well… I do have other clubs that I have kept from my past life as a 14 clubber, but it’s kind of for sentimental reasons. For instance, I just can’t seem to get rid of my V-steels. 

[petep5280]

7 minutes ago, WipeyFade said:

Well… I do have other clubs that I have kept from my past life as a 14 clubber, but it’s kind of for sentimental reasons. For instance, I just can’t seem to get rid of my V-steels. 

 

I need to sleep on this lol. Am I really ready to purge my superfluous merch.....

 

[spud3]

I have (and play) a full set, but when I'm carrying a half-bag I select clubs according to the course I'm playing.  Certain courses lend themselves to odd-umbered irons, some courses I can skip the driver, some courses I need more wedges, etc. 

 

Part of the fun for me is seeing if I choose the clubs to bring wisely...

[petep5280]

I almost made it 24 hours. 14 clubs are back in my bag. I need to avoid the urge to sell clubs, because I'll only replace them. Usually with more expensive clubs that are in worse shape. 

 

If I sell, I'll end up with less money and worse clubs. 

[WipeyFade]

19 minutes ago, petep5280 said:

I almost made it 24 hours. 14 clubs are back in my bag. I need to avoid the urge to sell clubs, because I'll only replace them. Usually with more expensive clubs that are in worse shape. 

 

If I sell, I'll end up with less money and worse clubs. 

[rkillian]

I've sold off what I'm not using. Sold off Driver and 4w to go to just a 13.5 mini driver. Sold off 48, 52, 56, 60 to go to 50 and a different 56.

 

So I go  Mini, 7w, 25* Hybrid, 7, 8, 9, pw, 50, 56, Putter as my "Full set" I do still have my set matching 6 iron and a 23* hybrid head should I decide to throw them back in or sell the iron set eventually. And I keep an different putter around. I prefer my white hot #1 but sometimes like to or need to look at something else and the #10 strokelab goes in. I sold things off in part to fund the new stuff but also because I knew I'd start putting more clubs back in eventually. Having less is working for me. I've taken out the clubs that were struggle areas, left or emphasized the strengths. 

[petep5280]

3 minutes ago, rkillian said:

I've sold off what I'm not using. Sold off Driver and 4w to go to just a 13.5 mini driver. Sold off 48, 52, 56, 60 to go to 50 and a different 56.

 

So I go  Mini, 7w, 25* Hybrid, 7, 8, 9, pw, 50, 56, Putter as my "Full set" I do still have my set matching 6 iron and a 23* hybrid head should I decide to throw them back in or sell the iron set eventually. And I keep an different putter around. I prefer my white hot #1 but sometimes like to or need to look at something else and the #10 strokelab goes in. I sold things off in part to fund the new stuff but also because I knew I'd start putting more clubs back in eventually. Having less is working for me. I've taken out the clubs that were struggle areas, left or emphasized the strengths. 

 

This really is what I want to do too.  But I don't trust my wallet once those clubs are gone. 

[WipeyFade]

@petep5280 I've been playing golf on and off for nearly 20 years. I played a full set for a long time before leaving the game with the exception of a few rounds here or there. When I picked golf back up 3 years ago and realized that I didn't use many of my clubs, so I started pairing them down slowly. First, I dropped down to 9 or 10, then down to 8, then to 7, and now I'm down to 6. It seems that may be a natural progression. 

[petep5280]

56 minutes ago, WipeyFade said:

@petep5280 I've been playing golf on and off for nearly 20 years. I played a full set for a long time before leaving the game with the exception of a few rounds here or there. When I picked golf back up 3 years ago and realized that I didn't use many of my clubs, so I started pairing them down slowly. First, I dropped down to 9 or 10, then down to 8, then to 7, and now I'm down to 6. It seems that may be a natural progression. 

 

Okay. For the meantime I'll get to 14 clubs and play the 9 I have confidence in. 

 

I simplified my short game to 2 shots. A pitch with a PW and a soft landing chip with the SW. I went from 4 wedges to 2 and gained confidence. 

 

With the improved short game, if I'm 220 out I have a huge premium to get within 30.  So only having a long iron that goes 180-190 is okay, as long as I have confidence in it. 

 

If I'm 220 out and top, then I need to hit a green with a 6i and good golfers rarely do that. 

 

It's all a confidence thing for me right now. 

 

I do hope I can eventually add driver. 

[WipeyFade]

@petep5280, sound like a solid plan. One reason I decide to drop clubs and play only what I like is I heard Patrick Boyd (owner of National Custom Works and BB&F Co.) say in a podcast or YouTube video, "Play whatever makes you love golf the most." So if you enjoy playing it that's really all that matters. No one is paying me to play and I'm strictly out on the course for the enjoyment of the game. 

[petep5280]

2 minutes ago, WipeyFade said:

@petep5280, sound like a solid plan. One reason I decide to drop clubs and play only what I like is I heard Patrick Boyd (owner of National Custom Works and BB&F Co.) say in a podcast or YouTube video, "Play whatever makes you love golf the most." So if you enjoy playing it that's really all that matters. No one is paying me to play and I'm strictly out on the course for the enjoyment of the game. 

 

If I'm  not confident in a club, I'm white knuckling to just not screw up. When I am confident shot making is primary and mechanics are an afterthought. 

[WipeyFade]

@petep5280, Lol I know exactly what you mean. Usually those two feelings happen in the same round for me🤣

[Whatnogarnish]

Playing to an 8 cap right now, and I don’t think I can ever go to a 1/2 set. My sweet spot feels like either 11 or 12 clubs depending on the course.  
 

- Driver or mini depending on how tight the course is. 
- 21* uw. Plays like a 5/6 wood for me

- 5-PW 

- 50/56/60 or 52/59 in the wedges. 

Also, tbh, the couple hundred bucks I save not going full set saves a good amount of cash when tinkering bites.. and my hoofer-lite lets me enjoy the walk still without the grips snagging. 

[rkillian]

22 hours ago, petep5280 said:

 

This really is what I want to do too.  But I don't trust my wallet once those clubs are gone. 

That's more than fair. I've bought and sold enough equipment over the last few years to learn a few things. 1, I do have an idea of what kinds of clubs work for me. 2, most new or even different equipment isn't going to have that much of an effect on how I play. I don't have the time or money nor do I want to dedicate the time or money to work on the swing changes/practice/lesson's I would need to in order to see real improvement in my game. I practice putting enough to know I'm starting the ball on line. I practice just enough short game to have just enough confidence in the shots I'm trying to hit inside 100 yards. Beyond that, I just want to get out and play when I have the time. So far so good with less clubs. I like not even being tempted to put clubs back in the bag since I don't have them anyway.

[kthomas]

I just played my last 9 holes of golf with just a 5 iron.

 

Was a lot of fun! I had to play a lot of different shots that I otherwise wouldn't, and be pretty creative. Had to be strategic with course strategy, specially in avoiding bunkers or any situation that would require a short forced carry. Putting was interesting. But made for a fun time on the golf course.

[WipeyFade]

7 hours ago, kthomas said:

I just played my last 9 holes of golf with just a 5 iron.

 

Was a lot of fun! I had to play a lot of different shots that I otherwise wouldn't, and be pretty creative. Had to be strategic with course strategy, specially in avoiding bunkers or any situation that would require a short forced carry. Putting was interesting. But made for a fun time on the golf course.

Awesome! I’ve done just an 8 iron before, you quickly lear where not to hit it. 

[petep5280]

I tried gaming 9 clubs last night. Total disaster. It's not that my club selection was messed up, but 9 clubs in a 14 divider bag irritated me to no end.