2023 What is safe in your bag? What's on the chopping block?

[GolfSpy_APH]

We are on the edge/beginning of launch season there will be plenty of new gear out to try, test and drool over. However are there any that are guaranteed to be safe in your bag for next year? We have a lot of club ho's here which is great! One need only check out the CHA thread to see how much fun many of us having switching around gear in our bags, however we all have favorites that more often than not have earned their way in and will stay there for the longer term. 

On the flip side whats on the TBD list or chopping block headed into the year?

Let us know!

For me my bag is pretty safe.

Driver shootout is ongoing, with the Tsi3 leading the way quite comfortably at this point. 3 wood well I have 2, but the old f7 is just so good and will always be hard to beat. Irons are still new and ones I truly enjoy using as well as having fun with the aesthetic of them (yes I may strip them back to normal haha). Wedges could possible be replaced, however I would likely just go with the more Glide wedges so can't really say thats a swap out and putter experiment pending I have 2 that work extremely well for me. The middle of the bag is still a focus point. Between hybrid, 7 wood, 2 irons and such that will always be a revolving door so I have a hard time jumping on something brand new, however the new icrossover certainly has my attention!

[PMookie]

Driver is going to be changed, and likely 3w and hybrid as well. I’m dead-set on the gapping equation we worked toward at Ping, so it’s likely I switch to clubs that get me the specific distances we calculated. If the Cobra King Tec hybrids I have now fit the distances needed, they won’t go, so I just have to get on a Trackman with them to see. I’ll also get my Edel wedges on a Trackman to see if I need to make loft tweaks to get them gapped correctly, and the Edel putter is staying, so no change with those four clubs.

New Ping driver will be mine, though!!!

[cnosil]

Driver is a maybe, always trying to find something longer with less dispersion.

3 wood, hybrids, irons, and wedges all,safe. 
 

I am in the midst of a putter shootout trying to find the putter I will hopefully commit to using.   LAB is definitely out of the bag.  Right now it is looking like the Odyssey RSX or the Seemore mFGP2 will take the permanent spot with the Odyssey currently having a slight lead. While it probably doesn’t matter the shaft might be in line for a change as I find upgraded putter shafts intriguing.  Also debating on a length change.      Basically this is a combination of fixing my stroke and finding the right putter to match.  

[EasyPutter]

SAFE IN THE BAG:
Clubs :: are pretty safe for now, everything is working better than me as how well the ball flies when I get it right.  Not being the club ho it is more the other stuff that gets my attention, admiration and ire.

ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK:
Ball retriever (yes going there) :: is adequate but its twist lock extension handle leaves much to be desired.  Improve or find a new one, it's on the chopping block.

 

 

[JerryB]

Told myself last year that I wasn't going to make any changes to my bag until I got better enough to justify different clubs.  Since that time every slot has seen a different club.

Only slot that I can say definitively is safe is the driver.  Putter is most likely to change.  Everything else can be updated if the price is right.

[russtopherb]

Mavrik Max driver and Hy-Wood are safe. Tried to replace the Mavrik this season and it was still clearly a great driver for me.

D7 irons are fairly safe. I got a lot more consistent moving back to steel from graphite with no physical concerns as of yet. I still might go the Halo XL route at one point in 2023 because forgiveness is awesome.

CBX 2 wedges are also pretty darn safe.

Putter... well of the three in my rotation only the HB10 is safe to stay for a while. If something's going to change this coming year, this will probably be the spot. 

[Kenny B]

Clubs in my bag are safe at the moment.  The bag however may be going!  I love the bag, but the top edges of the slots are worn.  I had a few repairs made, but that was expensive, so unless I can do it myself I'm getting a new bag.  

The only club that is suspect is my Callaway Epic Max 9W.  It has the same shaft as my Epic Max 3W and Heavenwood, which I love; however, the 9W is problematic.  I hit it well, and then I don't.  It may be that the shaft is too light for the length of the club.  I'll be looking at that.

[edingc]

I'm doubting I'll see much improvement, but driver is always a possibility.

Otherwise, I will be getting a SteelFiber i110cw in the Cobra Utility here in the next few weeks, and the BGT ZNE Wedge shafts for my Edels have me intrigued as well. Everything else is safe - though I will be taking my PTx Pros for a loft/lie check and will have them bent one flat from stock at that point.

[vandyland]

I have learned to say nothing is safe but in order of favorite to least favorite:

Irons: PTxPros - I love these. The only thing is I have a large chip on the bottom of my 6iron (looking desperately for a replacement without having to get a whole new set)
Hybrid: Callaway Rogue ST Max - also love this thing. The only thing would be I may get a regular shaft for it since I am currently deep in the Otto-phlex world
Driver: Cobra Radspeed Xb - love the head, the shaft is very much in flux. I have 4 shafts right now (thanks Otto-Phlex) and may add a 5th via a regular Grafalloy Pro Launch. 
Wedges: They work and seem fine. I do like the idea of a hi-toe or full face lob wedge but not enough to replace my Ping Glide (yet)
Putter: I like my Lab DF 2.1 but once I saw the Link.1 come out, I knew the DF 2.1's days were numbered. If the Link.1 regular run is less than $450 I am buying it. So I would say this is on the hot seat. 

That's it. I only carry 12 clubs so any change is large. Really feels like I could go all of next year with this bag and be fine (once I find a shaft combo I like in the Driver and Hybrid). 

[Lacassem]

Everything is pretty safe in the bag besides wedges, which has nothing to do with the club but it is time for new ones after 3 years of alotttt of use especially the 52*. 

Just because I know something will be purchased I will speculate what that is...:

• Love my driver but I could see looking at something new just because, and at the end of the year I was struggling all around and the driver has an extra bad view on it right now
• Wedges like I said. Will be a fun off season to keep my eyes peeled for some SM9's

[ncwoz]

Always a good question to wrap up the season! Think I'm replacing my wedge heads (lob at the very least) but likely staying with the same heads. 

Past that, I'm debating reshafting my current hybrid and potentially replacing my 4 iron with either a fairway wood or hybrid.

Driver and putter are safe as can be. Iron heads are a lock, but those have had the wrong shafts for a while now so we'll see if I reshaft them in the off-season or not.

[MacTourney]

My instruments of battle are never subjected to walking a plank, but they know 60 days isolation in a storage closet is their reward for any instance of misbehaving.  No light, no food, no water.

[cksurfdude]

"NONE! NONE OF YOU LITTLE MAMAS BOYS ARE SAFE!! WE'LL LEAVE YOU BEHIND AT THE FIRST OPPORTUNITY IF YOU DON'T PERFORM!!!" ..me trying out my best USMC drill sgt impression to my bag of golf clubs

 

Haha but safe-ish in a relative manner of speaking and always reserving the right to post a new entry into the CHA thread...

Driver head - picked this up on sale late in the season and like the look, feel and performance. Shaft may change, tho (see "Otto-Phlex" thread).

4H and 5H - the 4H I also got late in the season, after several trials of others, and actually am really happy with it; the 5H just works for me.

54 and 60 wedges - pretty satisfied with the way these feel and work for me.

 

Things that may change...

Woods - thinking about trying the Cleveland XL Hy-Wood (18°), and if that works may also add a 7W to the bag.

Irons - like but don't love the 0211s. Demo'ing a Cobra Forged TEC-X and really like it .. will prob take it along to an iron fitting soon.

 

[Golfspy_CG2]

Oh boy, I have to put this down in print...huh

Safe: I can safely say the Scotty Cameron Select Flowback, has been in the bag since May _which is an eternity for me, and no signs of leaving anytime soon.  It has a firms hand on the staring lineup in 2023. Also the SM9 50,54 and 58 wedges are locked in place.  

Chopping Block: The only thing in the bag that is in danger is the TSR2 16.5 fairway wood.  I just haven't been able to get consistent or comfortable with it.   Not sure what I'd go with the replace it, possibly a TSR2 5 wood,.  I will also try out the PING G430 FW when they are avaiable, I've always hit PING FW very well. 

Not Chopping Block: But just moved out of the way due to the fact I can only have 14 clubs in the bag:-Mizuno Hot Metal HL Irons---I really like them and they won't go anywhere soon, but right now they are behind the T200.  Cobra  LTD X driver, see the same reason as the Hot Metal Irons. 

As for the new stuff that is coming in 2023, that will likely catch my eye?  The TSR1 Driver,  the rumored T400 irons in January if they in fact are released then.   Alsways curious to see what TM does on the Driver front and they supposedly have something that will have everyone's attention when released, and it's not the STealth 2.  So that remains to be seen.  

[Berg Ryman]

As of right now the only club in any danger of leaving is the Smart Sole. It could be a novelty thing, it could not be. Everything else is set for now and probably for the foreseeable future the only change would be wedge finish and wedge groove considerations.

2023 Ball is also yet to be determined. I think I know what the call is going to be, but I'm waiting to see what might be coming down the pipe from the 2023 launch calendar.

[funkyjudge]

10 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

We are on the edge/beginning of launch season there will be plenty of new gear out to try, test and drool over. However are there any that are guaranteed to be safe in your bag for next year? We have a lot of club ho's here which is great! One need only check out the CHA thread to see how much fun many of us having switching around gear in our bags, however we all have favorites that more often than not have earned their way in and will stay there for the longer term. 

On the flip side whats on the TBD list or chopping block headed into the year?

Let us know!

For me my bag is pretty safe.

Driver shootout is ongoing, with the Tsi3 leading the way quite comfortably at this point. 3 wood well I have 2, but the old f7 is just so good and will always be hard to beat. Irons are still new and ones I truly enjoy using as well as having fun with the aesthetic of them (yes I may strip them back to normal haha). Wedges could possible be replaced, however I would likely just go with the more Glide wedges so can't really say thats a swap out and putter experiment pending I have 2 that work extremely well for me. The middle of the bag is still a focus point. Between hybrid, 7 wood, 2 irons and such that will always be a revolving door so I have a hard time jumping on something brand new, however the new icrossover certainly has my attention!

Safe:

- Maltby Pure Track PTM-4 putter that I built within the last year (unless I put the EVNROLL ER2 back in my bag

- Edison wedges (44, 49, 54 & 59 degrees); the 49, 54 and 59 are definitely safe, but the 44 may get pushed out of my bag if I put the PW to my set back with the rest of my TE Exotics C721 iron set.

- Sub 70 939X 21* #4 hybrid 

As Close to “safe” as it gets:

- Exotics C721 irons, with E721 5 & 6 irons

- Callaway Epic Flash 7-wood

- OnCore golf balls (Vero X1 or X2 in warm weather, 2022 ELIXR in cool or cold weather). The only ball that might knock out the Vero is Srixon’s Z-Star Diamond.

Probably Safe:

- Titleist TS2 4-wood (16.5*, set to 15.75* loft)

Always on the “Chopping Block”:

- whatever driver is in the bag (currently a Titleist TSi1, but it could be a TE Exotics C or E722, Ping G425 Max, Sub 70 849 Pro or even a TM 300 Mini Driver - 13.5*, set to 12.83* loft)

 

Edited November 28, 2022 by funkyjudge

[ballhawk]

Nothing is safe in my bag and they may not make it passed the 9th hole........Even the bag is not safe anymore.....

[sirchunksalot]

Right now I'm pretty happy with what I've got in the bag. If anything, I will be looking to update wedges from my SM7's. I'm gaming a 52, 56, and 60 and looking to possibly go 54, 58 because my Mizuno Set GW is 50. 

Another possibility would be driver, but that's yet to be determined. My priority would be wedges just because I enjoy the creativity of the short game and nice, spinny shots are primo. 

[ChadM]

Safe: SIM2 Driver and 4H, Odyssey DFX putter, and TaylorMade wedges

Immediate chopping block: my 18-19 year old TaylorMade RAC irons (just waiting for my Mizuno JPX 923 Hot Metal Pros to arrive)

Next on the chopping block: my very old Ben Hogan 3W. But I need more time with my 4H to determine my gap that needs fixing.

 

[Caddie1966]

10 hours ago, Kenny B said:

Clubs in my bag are safe at the moment.  The bag however may be going!  I love the bag, but the top edges of the slots are worn.  I had a few repairs made, but that was expensive, so unless I can do it myself I'm getting a new bag.  

The only club that is suspect is my Callaway Epic Max 9W.  It has the same shaft as my Epic Max 3W and Heavenwood, which I love; however, the 9W is problematic.  I hit it well, and then I don't.  It may be that the shaft is too light for the length of the club.  I'll be looking at that.

I’m likely to get new wedges.  Have a 52, 56 and 60 and will likely go to 54, 58 instead of carrying the 3 I have plus my PXG Gap and PW.  Also will regroup everything but the putter.