Equipment Changes By Course/Conditions?

[TJ Hall]

Watching The Open Championship and reading some of the pre-tournament articles about equipment tweaks and changes for the tournament, it got me thinking…

How many out there change their bag up based based on the course or conditions?

If you do change, what do you base your changes on?  Do you ever regret making tweaks or have issues with not being familiar with the clubs?

Interested in hearing your answers!

[Rob Person]

1 hour ago, TJ Hall said:

Watching The Open Championship and reading some of the pre-tournament articles about equipment tweaks and changes for the tournament, it got me thinking…

How many out there change their bag up based based on the course or conditions?

If you do change, what do you base your changes on?  Do you ever regret making tweaks or have issues with not being familiar with the clubs?

Interested in hearing your answers!

Club selection is the only change I generally make. If the greens are hard and fairways are made up of compact turf, I generally will club up.  

I'm still learning my driver, so if time allows while playing, i may make an adjustment to that.

Changing clubs in the bag is not somewhere I am at yet.  Yes, I have a few alternative club options regards to woods/hybrids, but have not found a need to change them out based on the course.  Especially one I've never played.

[revkev]

Used to do it all the time - don’t anymore but when I was playing a lot of emotive golf often changed this or that based on where I was playing and the conditions I’d be facing. 
 

I was on the range recently with a guy who was prepping for US amateur qualifying - he had a driving iron he was working on because he needed to hit three 240 yard drives at the qualifying course and he hits his fairway wood 260. 

[KC Golf]

The only change I make is between hybrid vs driving iron.  I like the driving iron on windy days or very long courses vs a hybrid for other courses.  I find driving irons are great on long par 5s that allow long fairway rolls on second shots.  I used to put lead tape on my putter for slower greens, but I rarely go to very slow greens these days.

i should add that I did buy a 58 deg SM9 recently for less height on green side pitches in windy conditions.  I was thinking for Scotland.

[GolfSpy_APH]

9 hours ago, TJ Hall said:

Watching The Open Championship and reading some of the pre-tournament articles about equipment tweaks and changes for the tournament, it got me thinking…

How many out there change their bag up based based on the course or conditions?

If you do change, what do you base your changes on?  Do you ever regret making tweaks or have issues with not being familiar with the clubs?

Interested in hearing your answers!

I have a 2 iron crossover from PING that I toss into the bag every now and then. Other than that I stay pretty neutral with my bag outside of all the other random clubs I toss into my bag. 

[TJ Hall]

Appreciate the feedback so far…let’s keep the responses coming!

For me, my setup remains the same…for a couple reasons:  

- Generally feel comfortable with the clubs I have (don’t typically tinker with stuff, although the forum makes me want to do more!)
- SWMBO would not be happy if I had a bunch of clubs around not being used all the times 

With the clubs I have, feel like I can hit the shots I need to.

[rkj427]

I switch out a 21 degree hybrid with an 18 degree 5 wood depending upon course, and also now have a couple of different loft and bounce wedge set-up to ensure correct gapping at the lower end of the bag. Should note that I have a couple sets of irons which play at different lofts so I can now just take either set of irons and corresponding wedges and be OK for most courses. Made a chart showing the average carry and full distance of both sets, so it is easier for me to keep aware of them while playing.

[WaffleHouseTour]

I have two sets of L and S wedges. Regular bounce and low bounce. When I go out to the Prairie Club I take the low bounce because of the turf and the lies are soooo tight. I have to spend a good half hour to hour practicing with them but that’s what their Horse Course is for (10 hole short course). 

[NM01]

Top end of my bag usually changes based on where I play. Most courses in my area I don’t have to adjust the bag. Going back to see the family/friends depending where we play longest iron might become a driving iron, might change fairway wood out with a hybrid or lower lofted wood.

Being on the east coast unless going to somewhere with Bermuda wedges stay the same. 

[AP Major]

I have a 2i Utility that is more of a windy day club off the tee or if I'm playing somewhere with narrower fairways. On those days my 5w might stay home, too, in favor of an old wooden Wilson Staff 4 wood that is sometimes my "hybrid" if the rough where I'm playing is troublesome. 

[kejoal11]

I have a p-udi and a hybrid that I switch out depending on wind conditions.  I also swap out my 3 and 5 wood depending on course. My sister course is shorter and has more areas where I can run through the fairway and I’m more comfortable swinging my 5w vs my 3w.

[JDHolmes]

I scout new courses I'm going to play in competitive golf. I do it with course maps in an app I have. I measure distances to all hazards and decide, based on the distances, what I'm going to play off the tee box then based on my average drive, determine follow up clubs.

This tells me what clubs I need to have in the bag to hit certain distances. I'm in a two man event tomorrow from different teebox than I normally play. I dropped a 4 iron and replaced with 5 wood. Only change. Other courses require different changes.

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

[TJ Hall]

2 hours ago, JDHolmes said:

I scout new courses I'm going to play in competitive golf. I do it with course maps in an app I have. I measure distances to all hazards and decide, based on the distances, what I'm going to play off the tee box then based on my average drive, determine follow up clubs.

This tells me what clubs I need to have in the bag to hit certain distances. I'm in a two man event tomorrow from different teebox than I normally play. I dropped a 4 iron and replaced with 5 wood. Only change. Other courses require different changes.

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk
 

What app do you use to measure the distances?

[CorporateGolfRat]

On 7/19/2024 at 7:27 PM, TJ Hall said:

Watching The Open Championship and reading some of the pre-tournament articles about equipment tweaks and changes for the tournament, it got me thinking…

How many out there change their bag up based based on the course or conditions?

If you do change, what do you base your changes on?  Do you ever regret making tweaks or have issues with not being familiar with the clubs?

Interested in hearing your answers!

The only thing I really ever change is my 3iron. Luckily for me I hit a long ball off the tee and dont usually need the extra wood in my bag so that frees up some space for me. If its good conditions I will toss another wedge in there. I play a 52,56,58 so I toss the 54 in. If it's windy I will put the 3 iron back in and take that 54 out since I dont try to fligh too many shots. 

I've definitely seen some crazy set ups with 7woods and hybrids. If it works man do it!

[Swood1994]

I will swap a 2-iron into the bag in replace of either my hybrid or 58° depending on course/conditions. Main factors are wind and course distance for the swap.

[AP Major]

17 hours ago, TJ Hall said:

What app do you use to measure the distances?

Not sure which he's referring to specifically, but I often do some measuring before a round using Google Earth on my laptop and there are also some apps for your phone that identify distances (i.e., Golfshot, Bushnell).

[TJ Hall]

8 hours ago, AP Major said:

Not sure which he's referring to specifically, but I often do some measuring before a round using Google Earth on my laptop and there are also some apps for your phone that identify distances (i.e., Golfshot, Bushnell).

Have you ever been surprised at the actual course seeming different than what you see online?

Went to a new course about a month ago and looked at the scorecard online…the course was much more open in reality than the scorecard made it look.

[RetiredBoomer]

 

I rarely play away from my own club anymore, but it wouldn't matter.

My driving iron and a fairway wood of about the same loft are both in the bag already.
Comparable overall distance, but two different shots and I want them both. 

 

[AP Major]

6 hours ago, TJ Hall said:

Have you ever been surprised at the actual course seeming different than what you see online?

Went to a new course about a month ago and looked at the scorecard online…the course was much more open in reality than the scorecard made it look.

I wouldn't say surprised. I think you have to accept it for what it is - an app included - it's a tool. I don't expect it to be 100%, I use it more for new courses I'm playing to get distance estimates and build a gameplan of what kind of club selection I might consider off different boxes (see: fairway width), where the trouble is, and more importantly, finding preferred angles of approach. I don't always end up in planned positions, but it's better than flying blind on an unfamiliar course. It just gives me a general idea of what to expect. I often change my mind on the course as I can plan my misses much better when I'm there seeing it for real. I don't go overboard; I'm not getting a check at the end of my rounds no matter how well I do. The goal is to have fun, but I do have a better time when I'm playing well and being somewhat prepared with a general strategy increases those chances.

[tchat07]

Was able to get on a simulator and found I hit my hybrid and 5 wood about the same distance but I launch my hybrid so much lower. Because of the number of clubs in my bag I need to take one out but was thinking I should play the hybrid on windy days. Does anyone else have clubs they switch on and off for windy conditions?

[JDHolmes]

What app do you use to measure the distances?

Swing U.

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

[Pupini]

I change my set-up often depending on the course and the conditions. In dry conditions I will remove the 60* and add a 2 hybrid. On longer courses I will remove the 60* and add a 5 wood or another hybrid.

[GG194]

Have two clubs that are for certain situations but since I  usually only play 10-11 clubs they don’t need to be switched out. Have a 16* mini driver if a higher tee shot is needed, forced carry, and a 16* hybrid in case a low runner is needed from under trees. 

[zengineer]

I normally carry D, 3W, 5W, 5H, 5-AW Irons, 52W, 58W, P

For certain courses, and especially for a scramble I have these that might get exchanged in:

62W, 4 Iron, 6H, 46W (for the 48 set AW), 1 Iron (just for fun)

[RetiredBoomer]

On 7/19/2024 at 7:27 PM, TJ Hall said:

Watching The Open Championship and reading some of the pre-tournament articles about equipment tweaks and changes for the tournament, it got me thinking…

How many out there change their bag up based based on the course or conditions?

If you do change, what do you base your changes on?  Do you ever regret making tweaks or have issues with not being familiar with the clubs?

Interested in hearing your answers!

It wouldn't be necessary to change our club complement for different courses and conditions if we could only bag all of our clubs at once.

The highly-rated Sun Mountain C-130 is a fourteen full-length divider bag. 
The driver well on top is quite large, however.
Then there are three rows of four
and then the putter well.

Given the layout/frame of the bag, it could easily be configured as a 16 full-length divider bag,
and I think Sun Mountain would do well to at least field-test a prototype.

Just for fun, here is a diagram.

 

Back to the topic, however I know even recreational players wo do reconfigure their sets for courses and conditions, but most seem to prefer always playing the clubs with which they have the most familiarity.

I myself have taken both approaches, but these days, as a retiree,
I play at my own club almost all of the time,
I can play anytime,
so if conditions are unpleasant,
I'd rather read or play cards in the clubhouse.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 1 by RetiredBoomer

[TJ Hall]

8 hours ago, zengineer said:

I normally carry D, 3W, 5W, 5H, 5-AW Irons, 52W, 58W, P

For certain courses, and especially for a scramble I have these that might get exchanged in:

62W, 4 Iron, 6H, 46W (for the 48 set AW), 1 Iron (just for fun)

What brand m/model 1 iron do you have?  Wow, don’t see too many of those around!

[RetiredBoomer]

27 minutes ago, TJ Hall said:

What brand m/model 1 iron do you have?  Wow, don’t see too many of those around!

 

Titleist U515 model offers a 1-iron for sure.

Complete with the 1 stamped on it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

titleist

[zengineer]

What brand m/model 1 iron do you have?  Wow, don’t see too many of those around!

A Callaway S2H2 from about 3 decades ago,

[TJ Hall]

20 minutes ago, zengineer said:

A Callaway S2H2 from about 3 decades ago,

That club is something.  It’s in great shape!

[RyldupGolf]

Like others, I might adjust 3W or 3H and put the 3 or 4 iron  back in the bag depending on summer or winter play. Also may switch out a sand or lob wedge with different bounce again depending on wet or dry course conditions. Driver and irons stay the same aside from those listed. I've always been a high ball hitter, so which ball I'm playing often makes more of a difference than swapping out hybrid for 3/4 irons. I've been playing the Titleist AVX with better results with the driver and less spin. Not much loss of spin on shots from approach and around the green.