Starting a new adventure . . . Minimalist Golf

[9ClubberLang]

Another few rounds logged. Although I still don't have masses of data, I can tell now that the 8 club set-up isn't hurting my scores relative to my "full-bag" in any meaningful way. My last three rounds with set-up 3 have seen me putt woefully, or else my green line would be trending significantly lower.

 

I've played enough with the three 8 club set-ups to know set-up 3 is the one. I never feel I don't have a club I can do something with. The other two set-ups felt lacking and not fitting precisely with my game. Within this set-up though the individual club choices still greatly impact how successful I can be so I have been tweaking. Each club really feels as though it needs to be individually selected for it's role in the bag.

 

Driver - No change. I play a 44.75 Mavrik and it's the best driver I've ever owned.

 

5W - I have been experimenting with this at 18⁰ and 19⁰. It's an Epic Flash and really suits my eye from the tee and the ground.

 

4H - I've switched from a 23⁰ 5H to a 22⁰ 4H (Steelhead XR) to provide more of a gap to my 6 iron.

 

6 Iron - at 26⁰ (Steelhead XR)

 

8 Iron - at 34.5⁰ (Steelhead XR)

 

PW - Recently switched from 44⁰ to 46⁰

 

SW - Recently switched from a 54.12S to a 54.8D

 

My short game is the area where I needed the most improvement. I've made two changes here I'm really excited about.

 

Pitching Wedge

I don't know if others have faced this problem but the PW is a really important club for me in the bag (I chip a lot with it) but struggle with the selection. As iron lofts are so strong nowadays this provides a large loft gap to a SW in this set-up. I often find the iron set PW a bit hot when chipping even though this was a 2017 iron.

 

I don't hit a specialised (blade) wedge well when playing full shots. I find a full cavity back wedge too clunky (e.g. CBX) when chipping. An inbetweener such as the MIzuno S23 or Ping Glide I find I lose significant distance on full shots.

 

I wondered if a different iron in a brands range would be the best way to tackle this. I.e. play the 6 & 8 iron in a Ping G, and the PW in a Ping i. Or the 6 & 8 in the 300 and the PW in the 200 for Titleist/Callaway players. Etc.

 

Anyway, I recently found an old Ping i5 PW cheaply online. With 46⁰ of loft it eradicates my lack of  GW worries as it is closer to my SW loft wise. Size wise it looks perfect to me. It seems like old Ping i irons are somewhat in the middle of modern day Ping G and Ping i irons. It's slightly larger than my Ping Glide.

 

I've had a chip in the garden and it feels really soft and not at all hot. It looks so good behind the ball. I'm really excited about how many shots this club could save me. I'm yet to play it on the course, I only received it yesterday.

 

Sand Wedge

I've never been brave enough to go with less bounce but I've recently tried a Mizuno T22 54.8D and in these very dry summer conditions it's been a revelation. It sits so tightly to the ground I feel I can't miss. I think I've been playing too much bounce for how hard the ground is. My Ping Glide 4.0 with 12⁰ of bounce is great, but not for this time of year in these conditions.

 

Sorry, that was a bit of a long post! I'm learning lots from everyone's posts in here and from my own experiments. I'm hoping my scores soon reflect this.

Edited July 16 by 9ClubberLang
Add attachments

[MorganM]

17 hours ago, BlackFlamingo said:

  

Headcovers unite!

Played yesterday with a new 5H:

Mini Driver
4H (21)

5H (25.5)

7 Iron (33)

9 Iron (41)
50
58
Putter

Thinking i might be able to swap the 4H for a shortened 3H?

Definitely!

[vandyfan]

10 hours ago, djrock89 said:

How do you think you will cope with the big gap between driver and 6 iron? I like the idea of this set up might give it a try myself this weekend but change driver to 3 wood

 

I am playing poorly and not having much fun so I am playing my course at 6,000 yds so I don't have any issues reaching par 4s or par 3s in regulation at that distance. I hit the Mini about 265 yds and my 6 iron about 190. The par 5s will be unreachable but I will probably score the same or better since I am losing shots trying to get home in 2 and putting myself in terrible spots. This way, if I am 250 out on a par 5 the 6 iron should get me to 60 yds out for an attempt at a GIR, I am good with that. 

[WipeyFade]

3 minutes ago, vandyfan said:

 

I am playing poorly and not having much fun so I am playing my course at 6,000 yds so I don't have any issues reaching par 4s or par 3s in regulation at that distance. I hit the Mini about 265 yds and my 6 iron about 190. The par 5s will be unreachable but I will probably score the same or better since I am losing shots trying to get home in 2 and putting myself in terrible spots. This way, if I am 250 out on a par 5 the 6 iron should get me to 60 yds out for an attempt at a GIR, I am good with that. 

That’s a lot of the reason I started dropping clubs in the first place. First I took out the clubs never used to begin with then I started taking clubs out that I didn’t hit well. After that, I started paring down even more because I figured out I could do most things with just a few clubs. I walk almost exclusively so the super light bag is nice too. 

[vandyfan]

9 club bag, feels very light and freeing. Could probably drop the 54* as well. Would go from 46* PW to 58* LW which would be fine I think. 

 

Edited July 16 by vandyfan

[MorganM]

2 hours ago, vandyfan said:

9 club bag, feels very light and freeing. Could probably drop the 54* as well. Would go from 46* PW to 58* LW which would be fine I think. 

 

Yes! Drop the 54°! Do it! We’re with you! 😝

[djrock89]

2 hours ago, vandyfan said:

9 club bag, feels very light and freeing. Could probably drop the 54* as well. Would go from 46* PW to 58* LW which would be fine I think. 

 

Is ur 6 iron 28°?

[Mr.Peabody]

I have to say that I am happy I found this thread!  The minimalist thinking is pretty much how I learned to play golf back in the 90's.  My dad handed me his old Tommy Armour 845's, TM Burner Bubble Driver and Callaway War Bird FW.  No instruction or lessons.  He just told me to go out and "figure out" what each club could do for me.  He never explained what they were SUPPOSED TO DO.  He let me figure out on my own.  We had a large field behind the house that allowed me to hit balls for as long as I wanted.  I could also walk the course owned by his employer for $2 per round.  During the summer I would go to the course when very few people were out.  I'd hit 4-6 balls on every shot, trying out different clubs and techniques.  Needless to say, I eventually figured out that some clubs "worked" for me alot better than others.  So I started pulling clubs out of the bag.  There's no reason to make the bag heavier for clubs I will never use.  Eventually my game evolved to the point where I realized that I started gravitating towards certain clubs.  Even if it wasn't the ideal club for the situation, I'd rather adjust my swing to make that club work than grab a different club. 

 

Fast forward to 2025 and I am coming back to golf after spending most of the last 10 years away from the game.  I didn't want to use my old Cleveland clubs that I purchased back in 2008 (they are in storage several hours away).  My coworkers have gotten some good laughs at how I have built my set, because I have been doing it 1 club at a time.  I have my clubs sent to work so I can sign for them.  That's how they see me building my set in pieces.  People in this thread will understand why.  My mindset is about what each club can do for me, not what it is supposed to do...on paper.  After I have spent time with the new club, it helps to give me direction on the next purchase.  For clarity...my intent is to have a "collection" of clubs.  Somewhere in the 16 to 20 range.  I only play 6-8 at a time, but I want to have an assortment of clubs at my disposal.  That way I am prepared for different courses or things that might be going on with my swing at the time.  I will take you thru my journey, just for kicks.

 

1. I started with the ultimate minimalist setup of 4i, 6i and 8i (PXG GEN7).  I already know I can get around a course with just those 3 clubs (and a putter).

 

2. Like alot of people, I was struggling to hit my 4i.  That's when I picked up a 5 hybrid (G440) to replace it, and pulled the 4i out of the bag.  This gave me a little more distance at the "long" end of the bag. LOL

 

3. The plan took a detour when I discovered that Taylormade had a Burner mini-driver that looked eerily similar to the first driver I ever had...the Burner Bubble.  I had to have it, even if it just collected dust.  Functionally the idea that a club could be a driver and a 3/5 wood at the same time was perfect for how I like to play the game.  I bought the TM Burner mini-driver 13.5 degree.

 

4. The plan took an even bigger detour when Taylormade dropped the R7 mini-driver a month after I had purchased the Burner.  The original R7 quad was the first driver I ever bought with my own money (back in the day), and my dad still plays my old R7 to this day.  This was another "have to have it" moment.  I was looking for ways to get a little more distance off the tee anyways, so I bought the R7 mini in 11.5.  I turned the R7 down to 10.5 to use as a driver and "stinger" club.  I cranked the Burner up to 15 degrees.

 

5. It was time to get back on track.  I really enjoyed the Ping 5 hybrid, so I decided to get the 7 hybrid to pair with it.  But since it was supposed to occupy the "short" end of the bag, I neutered it with a 36.5 inch shaft length.  Between those 2 clubs I could take the 6i and 8i out of my bag if I wanted to, increasing my options.  Knowing the intent of the club made a difference in how I ordered it, and thankfully it performed as intended.  A nice swing rockets high for 140 or so yards.  I can take a little off and get it down to 120 or so.  I can also deloft it with a faster swing and crank it up to the 160 range.

 

6. I was bored in a meeting so I decided to check out the PXG site, to get some ideas.  I got the "Desert Club," because the idea of a 44 degree PW with an 8-iron length shaft made out of durable material (to hit off rocks and cart paths) for only $99 seemed like a steal to me.  Then I got a Black Ops 9 wood, knowing it would hold its own place in the bag from past experience with 9 woods.  I also grabbed a 7 and 9 iron.  I absolutely did not want to get them in the same model as my 6i and 8i (GEN7).  The idea was to have a completely different performance profile.  My 6i and 8i have KBS C Taper x-stiff 130 shafts.  I got the Wildcat 7i and 9i with Recoil Dart 55 ladies flex shafts.  The intent there had multiple layers.  First, it was going to be a cool experiment to see how they performed and whether they could establish a long term spot in the bag.  Second, I wanted to give myself a "whippy," easy to hit option in case I was injured or something was going on with my swing.  Third, I figured my wife could use them.  And last, my dad is in his 70's and turning to light, whippy shafted clubs.  So I figured this would give me a head start and get over my ego about it.

 

7. At this point my bag is 2 mini-drivers, a 9 wood, 5 hybrid, 7 hybrid, 6i, 8i, PW.  The 4i was pulled out of the bag and the 7i and 9i were still under probation. LOL  I went out for drinks with a coworker and he asked me about my wedge setup.  He was specifically talking about the higher lofted specialty wedges.  He was the type of golfer that carries 60, 56 and 52.  I told him I didn't have ANY wedges, and he laughed at me.  A few days later I was buying a new putter (Cobra 3D Agera Volition, on sale) when I noticed a "wedge" was also having a flash sale.  It was a Cobra King Tec X Gap Wedge (48 degree).  So I bought it as a throw in purchase at $49.  I am glad I bought it, because it is one of the most dependable and versatile clubs in my bag.  It easily fit in the 70 to 100 yard range for me.  And since it was my highest lofted club, I started using it around the green for 20 to 40 yard type shots.  It works like a charm for that as well.  At this point my bag is essentially "complete."  I could play an entire round without feeling like I was "missing" a big piece of the bag.  Prior to the Cobra GW, that's how I felt.  Everything after this point is about options and having fun collecting golf clubs.  I can't afford a car collection.  But I can afford a golf club collection. LOL   

 

8. I ended up with an unexpected bonus from work, so of course I bought more clubs for "the collection" with part of the money!  I was starting to really love everything that Ping stood for in the G440 line, as it fit my style as a golfer.  I decided to grab the G440 driver for days when I wanted to have a little more "umph" than the mini-drivers could provide.  Well, I got that and more.  I can't believe how forgiving it is.  I bought the G440 7 wood at the same time as the driver.  I've never had a 7 wood, but my dad always loved his.  At this point, as you can tell, I wasn't worried about redundancy in my bag.  I just wanted options.  Instead of saying "I wonder how a 7 wood would fit into my bag," I wanted to put one in the bag and see for myself.

 

9. As my ball striking improved, I started to notice a large gap appearing between my 5 hybrid and neutered 7 hybrid.  The stock shot 7 hybrid was still around 140 yards.  But the stock shot 5 hybrid was growing into the 180-190 range.  I decided to grab the G440 6 hybrid to fill the gap.  HOWEVER...after I placed my order I was informed that there was a 4-6 week back order on the 6 hybrid.  Having already spent the money, I didn't want to "wait" for my next toy to show up.  Rather than make a fuss, I asked if a 3 hybrid could be sent to me instead.  They said yes, and it arrived later in the week.  I knew the club was a bit redundant for my bag, but it would definitely give me another option.

 

10. At this point I was getting a little "top heavy" with options in the mid to long end of the bag.  So I decided to put some shorter clubs in the mix.  I grabbed a 46 degree and 52 degree wedge (Vokey SM10).  The 52 degree was to give me a higher lofted option than my 48 GW.  The intent of the 46 degree was to fill the gap I had between my GW (70-90 yards) and my 7 hybrid (125-160 yards).  I really loved how "point and shoot" I was with my GW in the 70-90 yard range so I didn't want to manipulate my swing to try to get it to go further.  The 52 is still in play but I took the 46 out of the bag.  Its too much of a players club for me right now.  When I improve my consistency I will bring it back out.

 

11. Pulling the 46 out of my bag meant that I still had an issue between 90 and 125 yards.  And in reality it was a bigger gap than that.  As my ball striking improved, it made it tougher for me to "only" go 125 yards with my 7 hybrid.  The starting point was closer to the 140 range at this point, giving me a gap from 90 to 135-ish yards.  I noticed too many of these shots on the course were coming up to ignore, so I picked up a PXG GEN7 PW to add to the mix.

 

12. One of my coworkers who I talk golf with is from Ireland.  He is absolutely obsessed with flighting the ball low, and the idea of owning something like a 9 wood is baffling to him.  I practiced flighting all of my clubs low, just in case I needed that skill at some point.  Well, I needed it sooner than I thought.  We were being treated by another company to a golf outing on a windy, ocean side course.  I managed to make it work with a combination of low flighted 6i and 7 wood.  But I felt like I needed a new option for those types of shots.  My PXG 0317X driving iron is scheduled to be delivered today. 🙂    If it works out, its another club that can hold multiple spots in the bag.

Edited July 16 by Mr.Peabody

[vandyfan]

50 minutes ago, djrock89 said:

Is ur 6 iron 28°?

 

It is close, it is 30* bent to 29* but it has a lot of horsepower. 

[MorganM]

22 hours ago, Mr.Peabody said:

I have to say that I am happy I found this thread!  The minimalist thinking is pretty much how I learned to play golf back in the 90's.  My dad handed me his old Tommy Armour 845's, TM Burner Bubble Driver and Callaway War Bird FW.  No instruction or lessons.  He just told me to go out and "figure out" what each club could do for me.  He never explained what they were SUPPOSED TO DO.  He let me figure out on my own.  We had a large field behind the house that allowed me to hit balls for as long as I wanted.  I could also walk the course owned by his employer for $2 per round.  During the summer I would go to the course when very few people were out.  I'd hit 4-6 balls on every shot, trying out different clubs and techniques.  Needless to say, I eventually figured out that some clubs "worked" for me alot better than others.  So I started pulling clubs out of the bag.  There's no reason to make the bag heavier for clubs I will never use.  Eventually my game evolved to the point where I realized that I started gravitating towards certain clubs.  Even if it wasn't the ideal club for the situation, I'd rather adjust my swing to make that club work than grab a different club. 

 

Fast forward to 2025 and I am coming back to golf after spending most of the last 10 years away from the game.  I didn't want to use my old Cleveland clubs that I purchased back in 2008 (they are in storage several hours away).  My coworkers have gotten some good laughs at how I have built my set, because I have been doing it 1 club at a time.  I have my clubs sent to work so I can sign for them.  That's how they see me building my set in pieces.  People in this thread will understand why.  My mindset is about what each club can do for me, not what it is supposed to do...on paper.  After I have spent time with the new club, it helps to give me direction on the next purchase.  For clarity...my intent is to have a "collection" of clubs.  Somewhere in the 16 to 20 range.  I only play 6-8 at a time, but I want to have an assortment of clubs at my disposal.  That way I am prepared for different courses or things that might be going on with my swing at the time.  I will take you thru my journey, just for kicks.

 

1. I started with the ultimate minimalist setup of 4i, 6i and 8i (PXG GEN7).  I already know I can get around a course with just those 3 clubs (and a putter).

 

2. Like alot of people, I was struggling to hit my 4i.  That's when I picked up a 5 hybrid (G440) to replace it, and pulled the 4i out of the bag.  This gave me a little more distance at the "long" end of the bag. LOL

 

3. The plan took a detour when I discovered that Taylormade had a Burner mini-driver that looked eerily similar to the first driver I ever had...the Burner Bubble.  I had to have it, even if it just collected dust.  Functionally the idea that a club could be a driver and a 3/5 wood at the same time was perfect for how I like to play the game.  I bought the TM Burner mini-driver 13.5 degree.

 

4. The plan took an even bigger detour when Taylormade dropped the R7 mini-driver a month after I had purchased the Burner.  The original R7 quad was the first driver I ever bought with my own money (back in the day), and my dad still plays my old R7 to this day.  This was another "have to have it" moment.  I was looking for ways to get a little more distance off the tee anyways, so I bought the R7 mini in 11.5.  I turned the R7 down to 10.5 to use as a driver and "stinger" club.  I cranked the Burner up to 15 degrees.

 

5. It was time to get back on track.  I really enjoyed the Ping 5 hybrid, so I decided to get the 7 hybrid to pair with it.  But since it was supposed to occupy the "short" end of the bag, I neutered it with a 36.5 inch shaft length.  Between those 2 clubs I could take the 6i and 8i out of my bag if I wanted to, increasing my options.  Knowing the intent of the club made a difference in how I ordered it, and thankfully it performed as intended.  A nice swing rockets high for 140 or so yards.  I can take a little off and get it down to 120 or so.  I can also deloft it with a faster swing and crank it up to the 160 range.

 

6. I was bored in a meeting so I decided to check out the PXG site, to get some ideas.  I got the "Desert Club," because the idea of a 44 degree PW with an 8-iron length shaft made out of durable material (to hit off rocks and cart paths) for only $99 seemed like a steal to me.  Then I got a Black Ops 9 wood, knowing it would hold its own place in the bag from past experience with 9 woods.  I also grabbed a 7 and 9 iron.  I absolutely did not want to get them in the same model as my 6i and 8i (GEN7).  The idea was to have a completely different performance profile.  My 6i and 8i have KBS C Taper x-stiff 130 shafts.  I got the Wildcat 7i and 9i with Recoil Dart 55 ladies flex shafts.  The intent there had multiple layers.  First, it was going to be a cool experiment to see how they performed and whether they could establish a long term spot in the bag.  Second, I wanted to give myself a "whippy," easy to hit option in case I was injured or something was going on with my swing.  Third, I figured my wife could use them.  And last, my dad is in his 70's and turning to light, whippy shafted clubs.  So I figured this would give me a head start and get over my ego about it.

 

7. At this point my bag is 2 mini-drivers, a 9 wood, 5 hybrid, 7 hybrid, 6i, 8i, PW.  The 4i was pulled out of the bag and the 7i and 9i were still under probation. LOL  I went out for drinks with a coworker and he asked me about my wedge setup.  He was specifically talking about the higher lofted specialty wedges.  He was the type of golfer that carries 60, 56 and 52.  I told him I didn't have ANY wedges, and he laughed at me.  A few days later I was buying a new putter (Cobra 3D Agera Volition, on sale) when I noticed a "wedge" was also having a flash sale.  It was a Cobra King Tec X Gap Wedge (48 degree).  So I bought it as a throw in purchase at $49.  I am glad I bought it, because it is one of the most dependable and versatile clubs in my bag.  It easily fit in the 70 to 100 yard range for me.  And since it was my highest lofted club, I started using it around the green for 20 to 40 yard type shots.  It works like a charm for that as well.  At this point my bag is essentially "complete."  I could play an entire round without feeling like I was "missing" a big piece of the bag.  Prior to the Cobra GW, that's how I felt.  Everything after this point is about options and having fun collecting golf clubs.  I can't afford a car collection.  But I can afford a golf club collection. LOL   

 

8. I ended up with an unexpected bonus from work, so of course I bought more clubs for "the collection" with part of the money!  I was starting to really love everything that Ping stood for in the G440 line, as it fit my style as a golfer.  I decided to grab the G440 driver for days when I wanted to have a little more "umph" than the mini-drivers could provide.  Well, I got that and more.  I can't believe how forgiving it is.  I bought the G440 7 wood at the same time as the driver.  I've never had a 7 wood, but my dad always loved his.  At this point, as you can tell, I wasn't worried about redundancy in my bag.  I just wanted options.  Instead of saying "I wonder how a 7 wood would fit into my bag," I wanted to put one in the bag and see for myself.

 

9. As my ball striking improved, I started to notice a large gap appearing between my 5 hybrid and neutered 7 hybrid.  The stock shot 7 hybrid was still around 140 yards.  But the stock shot 5 hybrid was growing into the 180-190 range.  I decided to grab the G440 6 hybrid to fill the gap.  HOWEVER...after I placed my order I was informed that there was a 4-6 week back order on the 6 hybrid.  Having already spent the money, I didn't want to "wait" for my next toy to show up.  Rather than make a fuss, I asked if a 3 hybrid could be sent to me instead.  They said yes, and it arrived later in the week.  I knew the club was a bit redundant for my bag, but it would definitely give me another option.

 

10. At this point I was getting a little "top heavy" with options in the mid to long end of the bag.  So I decided to put some shorter clubs in the mix.  I grabbed a 46 degree and 52 degree wedge (Vokey SM10).  The 52 degree was to give me a higher lofted option than my 48 GW.  The intent of the 46 degree was to fill the gap I had between my GW (70-90 yards) and my 7 hybrid (125-160 yards).  I really loved how "point and shoot" I was with my GW in the 70-90 yard range so I didn't want to manipulate my swing to try to get it to go further.  The 52 is still in play but I took the 46 out of the bag.  Its too much of a players club for me right now.  When I improve my consistency I will bring it back out.

 

11. Pulling the 46 out of my bag meant that I still had an issue between 90 and 125 yards.  And in reality it was a bigger gap than that.  As my ball striking improved, it made it tougher for me to "only" go 125 yards with my 7 hybrid.  The starting point was closer to the 140 range at this point, giving me a gap from 90 to 135-ish yards.  I noticed too many of these shots on the course were coming up to ignore, so I picked up a PXG GEN7 PW to add to the mix.

 

12. One of my coworkers who I talk golf with is from Ireland.  He is absolutely obsessed with flighting the ball low, and the idea of owning something like a 9 wood is baffling to him.  I practiced flighting all of my clubs low, just in case I needed that skill at some point.  Well, I needed it sooner than I thought.  We were being treated by another company to a golf outing on a windy, ocean side course.  I managed to make it work with a combination of low flighted 6i and 7 wood.  But I felt like I needed a new option for those types of shots.  My PXG 0317X driving iron is scheduled to be delivered today. 🙂    If it works out, its another club that can hold multiple spots in the bag.

Takes me back a few decades. I once had TA 845’s…. back in the day.😌

[Mr.Peabody]

6 hours ago, MorganM said:

Takes me back a few decades. I once had TA 845’s…. back in the day.😌

 

Here is what happened to those old TA 845's. 

 

In my family, we don't sell/trade our old clubs when we get new ones.  Club(s) we spend significant time with, we keep around.  They are like mini time capsules.  We always have the option to pull one of the "oldy but goodies" out of the attic to put it in play, just for nostalgia sake.  And sometimes old clubs can remind you something about your golf game and your swing.  Another reason to keep them around is to have clubs ready to "donate" to family members who are taking up the game.  When I took up golf, I mentioned that my dad gave me his "retired" TM Burner Bubble driver.  He had moved on to a Big Bertha.  I can easily compare the new mini-driver Burner to the Burner I had years ago...because my dad still has the original TM BB driver.  When I bought the R7, I returned the Burner to my dad.  

 

My nephew is the only one that has broke that promise.  Kids...amirite? LOL  When I was able to purchase my first set of irons, I returned the 845's to my dad.  Years later my nephew said he was taking up golf, and my dad gave him the 845's to start with.  My dad was clear that the clubs needed to be returned if my nephew wasn't playing them.  The kid gave up golf and sold them.  My dad found out 2 years after it happened.  The kid's decision robbed my dad AND ME of being able to open up those time capsules.  Using my imagination, I could picture a fun round of golf with my dad.  He is in his early 70's and I am in my mid-40's.  I have a physical advantage AND an equipment advantage at the same time.  But imagine if we could play a round with his old TA 845's, where both of us are playing out of the same bag.  His clubs were built for him, and never properly fit me.  We would have the same equipment.  I would have the physical advantage, while he would have the "fit" and "time spent with the clubs" advantage.  Awesome to think about, but can't happen now. 😔 

[JungleJimbo]

1 hour ago, Mr.Peabody said:

 

Here is what happened to those old TA 845's. 

 

In my family, we don't sell/trade our old clubs when we get new ones.  Club(s) we spend significant time with, we keep around.  They are like mini time capsules.  We always have the option to pull one of the "oldy but goodies" out of the attic to put it in play, just for nostalgia sake.  And sometimes old clubs can remind you something about your golf game and your swing.  Another reason to keep them around is to have clubs ready to "donate" to family members who are taking up the game.  When I took up golf, I mentioned that my dad gave me his "retired" TM Burner Bubble driver.  He had moved on to a Big Bertha.  I can easily compare the new mini-driver Burner to the Burner I had years ago...because my dad still has the original TM BB driver.  When I bought the R7, I returned the Burner to my dad.  

 

My nephew is the only one that has broke that promise.  Kids...amirite? LOL  When I was able to purchase my first set of irons, I returned the 845's to my dad.  Years later my nephew said he was taking up golf, and my dad gave him the 845's to start with.  My dad was clear that the clubs needed to be returned if my nephew wasn't playing them.  The kid gave up golf and sold them.  My dad found out 2 years after it happened.  The kid's decision robbed my dad AND ME of being able to open up those time capsules.  Using my imagination, I could picture a fun round of golf with my dad.  He is in his early 70's and I am in my mid-40's.  I have a physical advantage AND an equipment advantage at the same time.  But imagine if we could play a round with his old TA 845's, where both of us are playing out of the same bag.  His clubs were built for him, and never properly fit me.  We would have the same equipment.  I would have the physical advantage, while he would have the "fit" and "time spent with the clubs" advantage.  Awesome to think about, but can't happen now. 😔 

thanks for sharing ... your story (w.r.t. nostalgia ... having a deeper bond with product) reminds me of the "Kodak Carousel" pitch, in MadMen

• "This device isn't a space ship ... it's a time machine"

 

 

Edited July 18 by JungleJimbo

[CozBMB]

Decided to play a 9 club setup at Sand Valley yesterday from 6535 yards.  I went D/3w/7w/5/7/9/GW/SW/P in a mackenzie bag.  I never used the 5 iron and used the 3w only twice.  I probably could have carried 7 clubs easily.  I shot a 74 and never felt at a disadvantage not having all 14 clubs.  It's so darn fun manipulating shots and being creative.  I'll probably continue to use a full bag when in a riding cart, but when walking i'll only carry 7-9 clubs from now on.  

[CozBMB]

[Tommy56]

2 minutes ago, CozBMB said:

Decided to play a 9 club setup at Sand Valley yesterday from 6535 yards.  I went D/3w/7w/5/7/9/GW/SW/P in a mackenzie bag.  I never used the 5 iron and used the 3w only twice.  I probably could have carried 7 clubs easily.  I shot a 74 and never felt at a disadvantage not having all 14 clubs.  It's so darn fun manipulating shots and being creative.  I'll probably continue to use a full bag when in a riding cart, but when walking i'll only carry 7-9 clubs from now on.  

You may quickly become so comfortable with the mini set that it becomes your everyday bag, walking or riding.

[BlackFlamingo]

On 7/19/2025 at 8:45 AM, Tommy56 said:

You may quickly become so comfortable with the mini set that it becomes your everyday bag, walking or riding.

Very true. When I ride, however, I do tend to bring an extra Driver alternative (2 of 3 Wood, Mini, Full Driver) to guarantee an off the tee option thats working for me that day.

[WipeyFade]

I’ve been playing with 4 clubs for the past couple of weeks. I haven’t used a driver in that time and it has been nice hitting from the fairway on my approaches. 😂

[Tommy56]

That’s great to hear @WipeyFade .  Sounds like that 4 club kit is working out well for you. 
 

I just picked up an 8i to swap in for my 7 & 9 irons and try a 4 club set myself, but haven’t had chance to get to the range or course.

[WipeyFade]

I think using less clubs not only increases creativity but also helps you realize your limitations. For instance, with 14 clubs in the bag a lot of golfers don’t account for mishits when deciding which club to hit on approaches. With 7 or less that’s often one of the main considerations, at least for me. The other day I had a slightly downhill approach over water, a perfectly struck 8 iron would have hit the middle of the green, but a perfect strike is 1 in 10 or less. I opted for a bunt 7 wood and ended up with a putt for birdie, I promptly 3 putted but that’s beside the point. With a half set you it makes you fully commit to the shot you have in front of you. 

[Tommy56]

Great observations. 

[MorganM]

11 hours ago, WipeyFade said:

I’ve been playing with 4 clubs for the past couple of weeks. I haven’t used a driver in that time and it has been nice hitting from the fairway on my approaches. 😂

What is your tee club? I just switched to a high launch 3w and it’s causing a reshuffle of my bag….(sigh!)

[WipeyFade]

@MorganM I’ve been using a 7 wood for the past few weeks. I’m still figuring out what it can and can’t do. I did figure out that if I can find an area of longer grass on the tee box I can create somewhat of a flyer lie and lower the spin a little to keep it from ballooning on me off the tee. 

[MorganM]

14 minutes ago, WipeyFade said:

@MorganM I’ve been using a 7 wood for the past few weeks. I’m still figuring out what it can and can’t do. I did figure out that if I can find an area of longer grass on the tee box I can create somewhat of a flyer lie and lower the spin a little to keep it from ballooning on me off the tee. 

Do you peg it at all, or straight off the grass? With my 3w, I have to keep a 1” tee all the way down to the cone or it will balloon 🎈 on me. And then I figured out how to hit my hybrid 3i straight w/ no little fade on the end, so a slight draw is coming, which means my 9w becomes my medium approach club, which forces a change in my iron setup….. Are we having fun yet? 🤪

[Tommy56]

@WipeyFade @MorganM I also use 7W off the tee.  I’ve found similar results…. off a peg nearly level with the turf, I’ll hit it high and watch it fly (great with light breeze or tail wind). But into the wind I’ll look for a nice lie on the tee box and hit it off the deck.

[tatertot]

On 7/19/2025 at 10:45 AM, Tommy56 said:

You may quickly become so comfortable with the mini set that it becomes your everyday bag, walking or riding.

Brings up a good question ... how many guys are going minimalist and riding?

[WipeyFade]

@MorganM No, I don’t use a tee with it. When I first started using it off the tee I would tee it like an iron, but then I found I got better results without one. As far as experimentation goes, the last piece of the puzzle is a consistent tee club. The bottom end has been set for a little while with 8i and 56, with those I can cover everything from 0-165 pretty comfortably. The 7 wood gets me from 165-225ish, and I’m not on tour so with those yardages I can make my way around every golf course. Now if I could just learn to putt. 

[Tommy56]

37 minutes ago, tatertot said:

Brings up a good question ... how many guys are going minimalist and riding?

Most of my rounds are walking with a Ping Moonlite. When playing in a group that wants to ride, I'll use my same minimalist kit but swap out the Moonlite with my Hoofer Lite stand bag that's more sturdy.  

[MorganM]

2 hours ago, tatertot said:

Brings up a good question ... how many guys are going minimalist and riding?

My wife loves to be out on the course with me and she needs to ride, so I do as well.

[djrock89]

Decided to put a driver back in my bag i was wondering is there any real need to have a club between driver and 6 iron? I could either go driver, 6, 8, PW, SW, P or i could go driver, 6, 7, 8, 9, PW, SW, P not too sure yet

[WipeyFade]

Just now, djrock89 said:

Decided to put a driver back in my bag i was wondering is there any real need to have a club between driver and 6 iron? I could either go driver, 6, 8, PW, SW, P or i could go driver, 6, 7, 8, 9, PW, SW, P not too sure yet

I would say that if you’re fairly strait off the tee with driver then I would say that you don’t need anything in that slot, especially if you can learn to hit driver off the deck.