14, 14.5, or 15 clubs

[azstu324]

So for the past couple of years, I've carried 2 of the exact same wedges. Well not exactly the same. Different brands but same loft, bounce, shape, and grind. One of them is my normal 56° all-purpose wedge. The other I call my "bruiser". Here in AZ it's not uncommon to be playing shots from a desert lie due to a wayward tee shot. Some courses it doesn't take much. Those desert shots can quickly destroy a nice wedge in a few shots.

 

I haven't really thought much about it until my buddy noticed and decided to bust my balls over it. Technically I'm carrying 15 clubs and am out of regulation. But untechnically, 2 of the clubs are identical with the only difference being the brand.

 

So, do I need to chuck another club.. say my 3 iron or do I keep things the way they are? I don't play tournaments or do anything competitive. If it comes down to having to chose a club to get rid of, I use my bruiser far more often than my 3i.

 

the more I practice, the luckier I seem to get..

 

 

[RickyBobby_PR]

If you aren’t using scores for handicap purposes carry as many clubs as you want.

If competing even in a friendly match you should have the legal limit unless your friends don’t care

[revkev]

I would agree - the rule is 14 clubs even if all 14 are the same.

It’s best to try and play by the rules as that’s the easiest way to know if you’re improving.


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[azstu324]

Since I started this post, I've decided to just remove my 3i. I've played 3 times and haven't needed it once. I bumped the loft on my hybrid to 20° so it actually replaces the 3i nicely. All is well now in conformityville

the more I practice, the luckier I seem to get..

[ga_pike]

So my question...  if you needed your 3 iron, would you be okay with taking out your "good" 56 and just keeping your "bruiser"?  Is there anything other than aesthetics that make it unplayable from normal situations?  Personally, having 2 identical clubs is worthless to me.  I also don't worry about how my clubs look...  they're designed to get beaten up and to me, the more worn they are, the better they look.  

[azstu324]

3 hours ago, ga_pike said:

So my question...  if you needed your 3 iron, would you be okay with taking out your "good" 56 and just keeping your "bruiser"?  Is there anything other than aesthetics that make it unplayable from normal situations?  Personally, having 2 identical clubs is worthless to me.  I also don't worry about how my clubs look...  they're designed to get beaten up and to me, the more worn they are, the better they look.  

definitely a valid point and I can see how it might seem silly to play a lineup like this. The option to have a 2nd identical clubs isn't so much for aesthetics as it is for an option to keep a good wedge from getting blown to smitherines in 1 fell swoop. Interestingly enough, it's only been here in AZ where I've run into other golfers who carry some kind of alternate "desert rescue" club. It just happens to be that I chose my 56* because it's good for getting over things and either putting the ball safely back in play or has just enough to get me to a green in most cases. Also it makes a difference mentally when you're hitting your good clubs out of a lie like this. You will never get a quality compression when you're trying your best to pick it clean without destroying your club. I've also had others make comments on how they need to replace their "#" iron because it's been their beater club or how they wrecked it earlier in the season. I would say that most of the courses that I play here in AZ have the dreaded desert waste areas. If you watched the WM open, you saw plenty of shots being punched out from form the gravel next to a cactus or something. I guarantee you that with sponsors backing them, anybody who had to hit from those lies were requesting new clubs after the round because after just 1 shot, the complete playability of the club can be pretty easily compromised. I don't have such luxuries  

I've played 3 rounds so far with my hybrid bumped to 20* to replace my 3i and so far I think this is going to work just fine. 

 

[ga_pike]

14 hours ago, azstu324 said:

definitely a valid point and I can see how it might seem silly to play a lineup like this. The option to have a 2nd identical clubs isn't so much for aesthetics as it is for an option to keep a good wedge from getting blown to smitherines in 1 fell swoop. Interestingly enough, it's only been here in AZ where I've run into other golfers who carry some kind of alternate "desert rescue" club. It just happens to be that I chose my 56* because it's good for getting over things and either putting the ball safely back in play or has just enough to get me to a green in most cases. Also it makes a difference mentally when you're hitting your good clubs out of a lie like this. You will never get a quality compression when you're trying your best to pick it clean without destroying your club. I've also had others make comments on how they need to replace their "#" iron because it's been their beater club or how they wrecked it earlier in the season. I would say that most of the courses that I play here in AZ have the dreaded desert waste areas. If you watched the WM open, you saw plenty of shots being punched out from form the gravel next to a cactus or something. I guarantee you that with sponsors backing them, anybody who had to hit from those lies were requesting new clubs after the round because after just 1 shot, the complete playability of the club can be pretty easily compromised. I don't have such luxuries  

I've played 3 rounds so far with my hybrid bumped to 20* to replace my 3i and so far I think this is going to work just fine. 

 

I completely understand the need for a beater club in your situation.  Honestly, unless you're playing in a tournament, I wouldn't worry about it much.  It's not like you have the rules Karen's chasing after you every shot.  That said, it sounds like you've already found your solution and it works.  I'm currently working to reduce the number of clubs in my bag overall and have always thought 14 was too many anyways.  I'd like to get to 10 or 12 clubs total. 

[Herts JoaTMoN]

31 minutes ago, ga_pike said:

I completely understand the need for a beater club in your situation.  Honestly, unless you're playing in a tournament, I wouldn't worry about it much.  It's not like you have the rules Karen's chasing after you every shot.  That said, it sounds like you've already found your solution and it works.  I'm currently working to reduce the number of clubs in my bag overall and have always thought 14 was too many anyways.  I'd like to get to 10 or 12 clubs total. 

11 clubs was the number i settled on, but then a few extra clubs snuck back into my bag. haha! i have 6* loft gaps in my wedges, 5* in my irons and 4* in my hybrids / woods and the resultant 15 yard gapping is perfect for me.

But, then i started experimenting with a second, shorter, higher lofted driver and a one length driving iron option since I had the space and wanted safety options from certain situations putting me back at 13 clubs at present...

When I want to play extra light, I have a 9 clubs bag with 7* loft gaps in the wedges and irons and 6* in the woods with about 20 yard gapping...

[deauxrite]

On 1/29/2021 at 9:08 PM, azstu324 said:

 

So for the past couple of years, I've carried 2 of the exact same wedges. Well not exactly the same. Different brands but same loft, bounce, shape, and grind. One of them is my normal 56° all-purpose wedge. The other I call my "bruiser". Here in AZ it's not uncommon to be playing shots from a desert lie due to a wayward tee shot. Some courses it doesn't take much. Those desert shots can quickly destroy a nice wedge in a few shots.

 

I haven't really thought much about it until my buddy noticed and decided to bust my balls over it. Technically I'm carrying 15 clubs and am out of regulation. But untechnically, 2 of the clubs are identical with the only difference being the brand.

 

So, do I need to chuck another club.. say my 3 iron or do I keep things the way they are? I don't play tournaments or do anything competitive. If it comes down to having to chose a club to get rid of, I use my bruiser far more often than my 3i.

 

the more I practice, the luckier I seem to get..

 

 

 

Also living in Arizona and playing on a couple of golf courses that have really nasty desert rough.  Many of the guys carry their "desert club".  It is an extra club and usually a 5 iron or maybe a 7 iron that they use to get back on the grass.  I have a brand new set of Mizuno irons.  No way am I going to hit a new club off of the gravel/dirt/caliche that we have for "native rough".  Unless I am playing in a tournament I carry that extra club.  When I play in a tournament I replace a new 7 iron with an old 7 iron.  Keeps everyone happy and legal..mostly. 

[Micah T]

definitely a valid point and I can see how it might seem silly to play a lineup like this. The option to have a 2nd identical clubs isn't so much for aesthetics as it is for an option to keep a good wedge from getting blown to smitherines in 1 fell swoop. Interestingly enough, it's only been here in AZ where I've run into other golfers who carry some kind of alternate "desert rescue" club. It just happens to be that I chose my 56* because it's good for getting over things and either putting the ball safely back in play or has just enough to get me to a green in most cases. Also it makes a difference mentally when you're hitting your good clubs out of a lie like this. You will never get a quality compression when you're trying your best to pick it clean without destroying your club. I've also had others make comments on how they need to replace their "#" iron because it's been their beater club or how they wrecked it earlier in the season. I would say that most of the courses that I play here in AZ have the dreaded desert waste areas. If you watched the WM open, you saw plenty of shots being punched out from form the gravel next to a cactus or something. I guarantee you that with sponsors backing them, anybody who had to hit from those lies were requesting new clubs after the round because after just 1 shot, the complete playability of the club can be pretty easily compromised. I don't have such luxuries  
I've played 3 rounds so far with my hybrid bumped to 20* to replace my 3i and so far I think this is going to work just fine. 
 

I play in Las Vegas a lot on vacation: the regulars there all have desert rescue/beater club.


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