What's In Your Bag?

[billweem]

[Sharp.shell]

Morning Golfers

just thought I’d have my say

WOODS TAYLORMADE/TITLEIST 
Driver 9deg Sim 2 Max
3 Wood 15deg Titleist
Rescue 3 19deg Sim 2 Max 

IRONS TAYLORMADE
Driving Iron DHY 4 22deg
3 to AW Stealth
58deg Milled Grind “Hi Toe” Wedge

PUTTER (I Switch Between)
Odyessey White Hot 9
Golf Gods “F#%k 3 Putts”
And I have just ordered my Taylormade Custom Made putter. 
Soto Head, chrome shaft, Super Stroke Pistol GTR 1.0 Black grip with personalised coloring on weights, inscriptions etc. 

BALLS (in order or preference)
Volvik Condors (of course)
Srixon Z Starsand Z Star XV
Titleist Pro V1

RANGEFINDER
Mileseey

TAYLORMADE CART BAG. 
 

[Katke87]

14 hours ago, No Anser to that said:

Here's my recently updated bag! In the last month, I've swapped out 35-year-old Swilken Alta II irons blended with Ping Eye II CuBe for some new Pings. I visited the Ping European fitting centre at Thonock Park, Lincolnshire, and came away with 4-PW Blueprint S irons, S159 wedges, and a hot little G430 2 hybrid. The 2 hybrid looks like one of the most versatile clubs I've owned, giving me between 240 and 260 yards. 

The S159 wedges are beautiful (50°S12; 54°E10; 58°H8). I love the E grind, which is based on the old Ping Eye shape—perfect for opening up in bunkers!

I wasn't completely convinced of the G430lst 8° that the fitter had put me into, so I headed to Harrogate in North Yorkshire to see the man from PXG. I am glad I did because I love my new Black Ops Tour 1 9° driver with Fujikura Ventus black x7 shaft.

I'm clinging to my old Ping Eye II 2 iron because it's been priceless when the driver goes awry, both as a driving iron and for chopping out of the trees! Hopefully, I won't be needing it!

The other club I'm sticking with is my old Ping Anser, which I won as a junior in the late 80's! As a kid, I took the best net at the Fulford Junior Open, one of my area's best junior comps. I've never been interested in other putters since it's what Seve used, so it must be up to scratch. My dad used to take us there to watch the Benson & Hedges International Open, which always had a classy field, including Ballesteros. ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benson_%26_Hedges_International_Open)

 

Love those BeCu 2 iron & Anser!

[EFConn]

I guess I am a total My Golf Spy "homer" for most of my equipment.  Hopefully this helps to show that all this My Golf Spy information and guidance has a big impact on me.

• My current Gamer Driver is a Ping G430 LST with a BGT Brava lightweight 55 shaft.  I like the accuracy a lot since I only swing 102 or so with driver.
  • My backup is a Callaway Epic Max LS with a 55 gram Tensei CK White shaft and it still my longest but not as straight as the Ping.
• My 3 wood has been in the bag for 2 years, a Taylor Made Stealth 15 degree Tensei Blue.
• I also have Callaway Apex 19 3 and 4 Hybrids set at 19 degrees and 24 degrees.
• For the last 2 years, I have used an original LAB Directed Force 2.1 putter and have not found anything better for me to hit my line.

Everything else in my bag is based mostly on MGS advice...

• I got a 48 degree MG4 and also 54 degree and 60 degree MG3 wedges mostly based upon MGS reviews with True Temper Wedge Shafts.
• I have been using a set of New Level Golf PD 902-OS irons 5 through PW based upon MGS content.  Since they were "shorter" per MGS, I went for the first time with some UST Recoil 95 gram F4 shafts.  I absolutely love the feel of these irons when I hit the sweet spot, but I feel like I lose too much distance and spin on mis-hits and come up short of greens many times a round.
• So based upon the latest MGS player iron review in July, I ordered a set of the new RAM Axial Forged Irons just to check them out.  The tinkerer that I am, I ordered them with KBS Tour V "regular flex" 100 gram shafts.  They just arrived on Monday, but I am away from home for a week and have to wait to try them.  I can't wait to see if I can hit them at all and what happens with the regular flex but "boardy" shaft in terms of spin and distance.

 

• I also have a Vessel Player VI bag based upon MGS reviews and I swap between a Titleist Pro V1 left dash and LA Golf ball based on past MGS podcasts and reviews.

 

[ctclark2028]

In my bag

driver is a QI10 designer series black with a stiff flex diamond shaft

3 wood is a Calloway edge regular flex 

5 wood Calloway AI smoke stiff flex

4 hybrid is a taylormade M4 regular flex

6-pw Calloway edge regular flex 

52 vokey sm 5 wedge flex

58 vokey sm 9 wedge flex

putter Calloway white hot versa 6s

[kknouse23]

My current setup…

Driver: Callaway Paradym (9deg Stiff)

Hybrid: Callaway Paradym (18deg)

Irons: Callaway Apex 19 (4-AW)

Wedges: Callaway Jaws Chrome (52,56,60)

Putter: Odyssey White Hot #5

 

 

[EasyPutter]

What’s In The Bag = Easy Putter’s current line-up

A round starts with long clubs so that is the order of my What's In The Bag.

Driver 
"Currently no driver in the bag even though there is one in my signature block.  I tested the Callaway Paradym Smoke Ai Max D driver (link in my signature) for the forum late April until early June.  It is in time-out because I am doing something that is not working so maybe I’m the one who should be in time-out." (in quotes because of the following update.) 

UPDATED
Guess what's back in the bag...

As of August 17th... my driver is out of time-out after I hit a one-swing last hole drive at a Saturday tournament on the closing hole with (3) PGA Pros in my foursome who finally asked me why I wasn't using the driver.  I put it in the bag just in case something like it would happen.  205 yards, longest hit since the pretest club fitting.  Funny what no expectation does for swinging at a golf ball with a club.

Hybrid

"Currently the tee box duty club paired with a short 1.25 inch tee is" (quotes because of the update to driver section.) the Tommy Armour 19 degree 3 hybrid.  This club was a gift from the PGA Western NY Section Headquarters/ Trustees/ HOPE program/ generous donor, possibly all 4, at the conclusion of the program in August 2019.  The Tommy Armour hits nice and straight off both grass and short tee with distances in the 160 to 185 yard range.

It was received at a time when I was using an O’Donnell Triumph Maraging hybrid set (10, 15, 19, 27) that was working well for me, so the Tommy Armour went into the spares bag for the next 2 years.  The O’Donnells stopped working and I had no idea why.  Remembering the Tommy Armour it came out and the plastic stripped off the clubhead and put into use.  From the first swing, ball contact was good with the Tommy Armour and distance continues to be excellent with control.  The O’Donnells are on indefinite exile in the spares bag.  

Trouble Club

Early in my golf life that has only been since 2011, there was a good selection of clubs frequently from the used club emporium (my name for the local AMVETS store).  One find there was the Ginty 29 degree Trouble Club named by designer and maker Stan Thompson.  It features a 4 wood length shaft and boat shaped sole to (as he said) split the grass like a boat hull splits waves to have minimal effect of grass on the club swing path in the rough.  Weight is in the lower part of the club head and it really does perform well when a hybrid would tend to thin a ball laying low in the grass.

IRONS

The FirstStrike Deliverance hybrid design irons are my third set, given to me by a fellow HOPE graduate who was looking for a HOPE participant to give them to.  The set was donated by a member of a local private country club and he was finding no takers.  I offered to have a look at them and made a snap decision to take them off his hands.  I put them into play the next day with no other club in my bag except for the putter.  Each club played at least once in the 9 hole round and they all played well.  The wider sole can take a good divot but I had far fewer swings that tilled soil.  They sent the assembled (one club at a time) second set to the spares bag after several years of duty.  My son still plays my first set of clubs, a Hippo set from the Fort Leavenworth Thrift Shop, and it is good to see them still doing what they are designed to do.

Wedges

When I went to a Welland Ontario golf shop for a used O’Donnell Triumph Maraging hybrid set (same one mentioned before), I noticed also in the used club racks the Lovett sand wedge.  The shop owner put it on his club machine and said it was about 59 degrees and the look of the hybrid club head had me appreciating it was not going to bury in the sand like every other club had until then.  I bought that one too.

I saw a GroupGolfer club offering for the 56 degree Worx club, another hybrid design with a huge sole and I knew it would not bury in the sand with experience using the Lovett.  The Lovett’s loft was good for a 30 to 40 yard shot and I needed a wedge with a longer distance.  I got the discount and about a week later I got the club that ranges 55 to 65 yards.

Chipper

Chipper was a club I had been looking for.  I had learned to use the 5i and 7i close into the green and for the past couple years the 9i but the technique used was not giving reliable results.  Another HOPE graduate friend mentioned he had a couple chippers he had bought but never got around to returning and he lent them to me to try.  I chose the Orlimar 37 degree because even with the plastic on the club head it was producing nice results.  Without the plastic I have really been able to get some practice in with close-in shots that often leave an easy job for the putter to finish.

Putter

The putter is the L.A.B. DF 2.1 I was chosen to test in June-July 2022.  I was fitted for the club with a 71 degree shaft angle, then chose longest sightline for the mallet head, a L.A. Golf shaft designed in partnership with L.A.B. Golf for the DF 2.1 putter, and 3 degree forward press grip that places the golf ball in line with the vertical putter grip at address.  

I had perfected my putting stroke with my first putter, a Pinemeadow Z-ON M1 mallet putter that had performance parameters similar to the DF 2.1, except for one value.  The L.A.B. putter is designed to have zero bias so no matter which way the shaft is held horizontally, the club face has no tendency to change which way it is oriented around the shaft.  The Pinemeadow Z-ON M1 would rotate to be club face up when the shaft was balanced on a finger.

 

 

Edited August 19 by EasyPutter
Update

[MisterWinston]

I used to live by the mantra 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it'—until I started playing golf. In the two years since I began, I've been on a non-stop upgrading spree. I blame my thrice-weekly range sessions and hours spent watching golf videos on YouTube. Like a game of musical chairs, here's where the music has temporarily stopped.

Driver: Ping G430
When I first caught the golf bug, I bought this used and dented on eBay. It was a deal I couldn’t pass up. I wasn’t good at golf (yet), so I wanted to start slow in case it was just another fleeting hobby. Two years on, it's clearly not, but I’m not ready to spend $600 on a new one yet.

Irons: Mizuno Hot Metal Pro G-6i
I ditched my cheap Costco set about a year ago. These Mizunos were more than I could handle at the time, but I’ve grown into them.

5 Iron: Custom Cobra King Forged Tec One Length
Setting up a makeshift driving range in my garage led to overusing my Mizuno until it snapped. Instead of fixing it for $120, I asked ChatGPT to pretend to be a golf fitter. It recommended the Cobra King, down to the lie angle, tipping, and custom loft. It doesn’t quite match the feel of my other Mizunos and only adds a few yards past my 6i as much as I thought I wood.

Gap Wedge: Cleveland RTX 6 ZipCore 56 Degree
I got this after reading the MGS 2023 wedge reviews. Outside of my putter, it’s my most-used club and easily my favorite. I finally broke 90 last month, and this club consistently set the ball near the hole.

Lob Wedge: Vokey BV 62.08
I found the BV Wedge Selector Tool, answered some questions, and this was the recommendation. It gets the job done. Its usually user error when I blade the ball so I keep this one around.

Putter: Scotty Cameron Phantom 9.5, 34 Inch
I just got this last week, and I love it! I spent two hours at Puetz Golf trying everything. My putting was already the best part of my game, so I was willing to spend big to take my short game to the next level.

5 Wood: Ping G425
This club hasn’t felt quite right, though I love its sound. I might rotate the head to see if I can tune it to my swing, but it hasn’t earned a permanent place in my bag yet.

Chipper: Wilson Harmonized Golf Chipper
If you don’t own one of these, you’re leaving shots on the scorecard. For only $50, it’s a dream come true and legal in tournament play. From fifteen yards or closer, you’ll roll the ball right up to the hole every time.

9 Wood: Paradym AI Smoke
I read about Matt Kuchar's use of the 9 wood, and it fits perfectly with my 170-180 yard needs. I love blasting the ball super vertical and then watching it land on the green without skipping off. Needless to say, I pocket a divot tool every time I play those holes on my local course.

The Bag: AskEcho

Last but not least the bag. This one is a must for all golfers. Great organization and a ton of handy pockets for all your needs. 

 

 

Edited August 14 by MisterWinston

[archeryonly]

Driver:Ping G430 LSTPXG

3&5 wood PXG 

4,5,6 hybrid PXG

IRON gap-7 PXG

54, 56 Callaway jaw

60 PXG 

Putter Phantom 7

[Sveno-Aus]

Shayne - Melbourne,  Australia.

WITB - So where do you start. 

My golf started 20 yrs ago, as a once or twice a year hack with borrowed clubs at my work breakup. 

I eventually bought a Powerbilt set as I was sick of borrowing clubs, mid price set not to cheep not to expensive and started playing a little, I've only started playing more seriously the past 7yrs since giving up cricket, also started playing comp about 2-3 yrs ago.

I've changed my bag & clubs many times since I began, both cart and staff bags, played a Taylormade R1 with a Oban K white shaft $160 aud of eBay, you don't find bargains like this anymore. 

Current set as follows 

Driver Titleist TSi3 9.0, Accra fx mo 140 shaft, which is aka the cheep autoflex, courteous of TXG now club champion. 

This shaft is easy to swing and I'm far less tired at the end of a round. 

3Wood fitted Titleist TSi2with a tensei white, after enjoying the driver I had a fitting, the young pro was impressed that my swing speed was the same as his, given I was 52 yrs old. (I wish I could swing the driver as fast as this  club 105-109mph)

2 hybrid Ping G430 upgraded a few months ago from a ping i17 Courtesy of the MGS reviews, absolute rocket of a club. 

3 & 5 Powerblit air force one hybrids with fujikura 60g 105+ shafts, back in the bag as they were used when I was a mid 20+ hcp, great height good spin, I'd be hard pressed to find new clubs that perform as good as these, very underrated. 

Irons Mizuno MP-H5 6-pw With Xcaliber classic RT-S shafts, used to play 3-pw Inc Mizuno 1iron. I love the low irons but the hybrids are far easier to hit, just can't shape the shots like irons. 

52°56°60° Cleveland CBX2  Wedges, my second set of Cleveland's great wedges thanks to TXG again. 

Putter Scotty Cameron Phantom 8.5 with 60grams added After trying various putters over the years and having yips with a blade putter I settled on the mallet, Xmas gift for one self few years back.

Who would have thought, that I'd become a golf tragic after all these years, luckily for me I have a GREAT WIFE that let's me play almost anytime God bless her.                                               Had my first and only so far hole in one in 2016, one month after purchasing the Mizuno's.                My only golfing regret is not taking up golf sooner and playing with my grandpa before he past, as I've since found out he was a scratch player, had represented the Australian seniors team and had beaten a young Vjay Sing in the Fijian cup years ago. The old bugger had also made six hole in one's.                                                  Thanks to Mygolfspy's Ball tests I've tried many balls in the past few years but mostly play Taylormade tour response, a good all round ball at an affordable price.                               Anyhow enough from me back to you. 

 

[RHB75]

I carry a Ghost Bag with Driver thru Hybrid being Taylormade Qi10s with Fujikura Ventus Blue shafts in regular flex. I was fitted for these at my club with the Taylormade rep. I did some considerable research and shopped around hitting as many drivers and fairway woods and have always come back to Taylormade. I love my driver its set to 9.75 degrees of loft as it provides best flight for my game and carries approx. 230 yards. My 3-wood is my mini-driver as I can depend on a 10-yard draw flight and carrying approx. 215 yards. My 5-wood is set to a standard 18 degrees and carries approx. 195 yards. I carry a 3-Hybrid adjusted to 21 degrees so it carries approx. 180 yards and serves to bridge the gab between my 5-wood and 5 iron.

My irons are Mizuno Pro 225s (Pitching Wedge - 5 iron) with Project X-IO shafts. I was fitted for these from a local pro shop that I've used many times and trust. My carry distances for my irons are 5 @ ~175 yards, 6 @ ~165, 7 @ ~155, 8 @  ~145, 9 @ ~125, and P-Wedgw @ ~118.

My wedges are all Taylormade MG-4s with Project X-IO shafts as I feel it is very important to have all the same shafts for both irons and my wedges. The gapping of my wedges are all adjusted to achieve a five degree separation as I feel it gives the best carry distance differential. So I carry a 50 degree (carry distance is 100 yards) a 55 degree (which is actually a 54 degree weakened one degree) that carries ~84 yards and a 60 degree that carries ~70 yards. In my opinion the MG-4s are the best wedges I've ever used. I was a Vokey disciple for many years, but switched to the better feel and spin (especially in wet conditions.

As for my putter it is a Mizuno M-II blade. I really love the feel, sound and touch of this putter. Before being fit for this putter had a Ping Anser V-II that I carried for years. But I find the added weight and the forging on the Mizuno to be superior to any other putter I've tried. And like many of you...I've tried them all.

[Dan Yates]

Driver: TaylorMade Stealth 2 9 degree std lie and loft, with a Fujikura Ventus Black 8s with VeloCore.  Was playing a PXG Gen 5 driver with Hzrdus Smoke shaft, then swapped in a Mitsubishi Tensei White x-stiff after running numbers on both, but still unhappy with control and consistency.  The Tensei White was better, but after three fitted shafts didn’t yield better results, I decided to switch to the Stealth 2 and the Mitsubishi Tensei White x-stiff after getting a TaylorMade driver testing at a local club.  Numbers were good in the testing, but the Ventus numbers were better.  I just didn’t want to spend the $350 upgrade, so I waited until I found a shaft for sale and instantly saw my distance and flight control improve, but still struggled with dispersion.  So, being a tinkerer, I cut 1” off the butt end and regripped, and now I am hitting more fairways, with more control, better misses, and maybe lost 5 yards in length, but I’ve even started to get that back.

3-wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2+ 15 degree, with Mitsubishi Tensei Blue stiff.  I’ve been playing this 2 years, built up from the head only.  When I’m hitting it well, it carries 245-255, and have hit it 300+ a few times (total distance).  When I’m not, it is a snap hook nightmare.  
 

3-hybrid: TaylorMade Stealth 2+ 19.5 degree with Project X Hzrdus Black 70g Stiff shaft.  This club is money.  215-230y, and I can shape it left or right, high or low.  Why mess with perfection?

4-hybrid: TaylorMade Qi10 22 degree Fujikura Ventus Blue TR with VeloCore.  This replaced my PXG Gen 4 22 degree hybrid, which was super reliable, but had a tendency to balloon on me, was difficult to shape shots, and had too much gap overlap with my 5-iron.  Struggled to get it to go past 195y.  My 5-iron is my 188-200 club, and if I flight it down slightly with draw I can sling it 210-220, but with less control obviously.  The Qi10 has been perfect, filling in my 195/200-210 range, so my 3-hybrid can do the rest.  The Ventus Blue TR 7s (stock shaft) feels a little whippy to me - thinking of trying the 8s if I can find someone to swap?

5-PW: PXG 0311P Gen 5 irons (1 degree flat, 2 degrees down) with TrueTemper Dynamic Gold 105 shafts.  Going from Mizuno JPX919’s with very little offset, and muscle back blades before those, the thicker top line, progressive offset, and heavier weight took some getting used to.  The PXG fitter in Minneapolis (thanks Paul!) was awesome and these clubs are now living up to the promise.  I’m able to work them both ways, control trajectory and get excellent accuracy and consistency from them.  Kind of wish they were thinner and less offset - they can get pushed around in long rough.

Wedges: PXG Sugar Daddy 2: 50, 56, 60 degrees, with TrueTemper Dynamic Gold 105 shafts.  Quite simply the best wedges I’ve played.  I’d been a loyal Vokey guy forever, but never felt I was getting the distance control I should have been with them, so during my fitting I did a wedge fitting too, and just to manage the cost I bought them over 18 months.  They are weapons for me.  Precise, accurate, repeatable results, great distance control and feel, excellent spin control, and I smile whenever I reach to grab one.

Putter: L.A.B. Mezz 1 Max with 2 degree Press grip, Accra shaft.  So for three years I battled with my Scotty Cameron Newport 2.5 Notchback - one week on fire, next week cold, sometimes hot and cold on same day.  Never felt completely comfortable at address.  Also really struggled with long lag putts.  Tried switching to a Scotty Cameron Phantom 7.5 plumbers neck, but it was even worse, and I regretted selling the Notchback.  Kept banging my head against the SC for another 18 months, but completely fed up with declining putting stats no matter what I tried, desperate for anything, I did the online putter fitting with LAB, got my results and after deliberating over a traditional putter or broom-stick, Mezz 1 Max or Link, I ordered the 35.5” 69 degree lie angle Mezz 1 Max.  It took a while to work out my address position and alignment - longer than I expected, like almost 3 months, but in the year since my confidence has been growing in leaps, my stats in SG Putting, make % by distance, and 3-putt avoidance from ALL distances have dramatically improved.  
 

Balls:  TaylorMade TP5x new edition.  Love the feel and spin control around the greens, and feel like I’m hitting it further than the older TP5x or the Pro V1’s I used to play.

Bag: Sun Mountain - don’t remember the model, but love the smart features like the wear patches, routing for cart straps or my push cart (it actually first onto it)

Push cart: ClicGear 8.0 I love to walk not ride, but 4 herniated discs and shoulder and bicep surgery means my carrying days are done.  I tried some cheaper 3-wheeled carts but they fell apart or couldn’t hold hills, bags, and didn’t have brakes or they didn’t fold up well.  My friend has a three wheeled Clic Gear and loves it so I tried it and love mine too

[AnthonyAubain]

I Figured I’d add some detail to what’s in my bag beyond my introduction post. I’m also a lefty. 

Driver- Darkspeed Ls 9 degree

I have hit pretty much all major manufacturer drivers and this one felt the best. I had the Aerojet last season this club has a Ventus Tr 6x shaft playing at D9 and turned down to 8 degrees of loft. I am a big look and feel player if it doesn’t look good looking down at it or if it doesn’t feel good I tend to struggle with it.

3 Wood- Darkspeed Ls

I have a graphite design Xc-7xs shaft in this club it plays d4 standard 15 degree loft. Personally I love the club head it is an absolute bomber and I see a solid amount of forgiveness from both my low spin wood heads. I will most likely swap this shaft for a ventus at some point either blue or black depending on numbers when I hit them. 
 

Srixon Zx mk2 utility 2 iron 

I have this bent to 16 degrees and 1 degree upright. I took a hybrid out of the bag because I tend to over draw the ball sometimes and the offset was hurting me. This has become a favorite club of mine especially off the tee for a 240-250 shot. I see a ton of forgiveness from this and it is by far the best feeling club I have ever hit.

 

irons- Taylormade 23 P770’s 4-P

I have used these for just about 2 seasons now. They look good I personally think they feel softer than a p790. The longer irons lack a bit of forgiveness and I was a bit dissatisfied that after checking my lofts a few months ago these clubs were out of spec. You may say well they are forged and can move and to that you are right. I have the pleasure of working in a golf store and I’ve found a lot of Taylormade irons specifically brand new are out of spec even if you order them custom from Taylormade. They are now all 1 degree flat but before that some were 2 upright some were 2 flat and the lofts were wrong.  I enjoyed my time with them but will most likely be getting rid of them for a set of srixon irons. 
 

Wedges- Rtx 6 and Rtx full face 

I have 2 rtx 6 wedges 50 and 54 degree and 1 rtx full face 58 degree all 1 degree flat. They are soft and spin well even on short pitches and chips. I enjoy the full face around the green because I feel it offers me a bit more forgiveness and allows me to be a bit more creative with less worry. 
 

Putter- Never Compromise Model 1

This putter lacks reviews online from consumers and big company’s. I will post my full review on it at some point but it is clearly a well made putter. I got it in the black/silver contrast as that is their signature look. The milling looks phenomenal and the feel of the face is similar to a Scotty Cameron. While Scotty has dominated as the “Cadillac” of putters if you want to try something different that looks unique I would recommend giving these putters a chance. 
 

Ball- Maxfi tour X

 

[asnsupstr]

MyGolfspy is my go to when it comes to giving me a range of options when I chose a club, and with historical data I can compare older clubs I am looking at. 

 

Bag: Titleist Hybrid 14 bag - I've had this bag for over 5 years and it its a great bag, but starting to show wear. Is it safe - 8/10

Titleist TSI2 - Graphite Design AD MJ-6 Stiff Shaft - this has been my bag for 2 years and I love the feel, sound and forgiveness. But I am still in search of the prefect shaft. Ping and Callaway are always a threat in this category. Is it safe - 6/10

Tour Edge EX10 16.5* - Proforce V2 Stiff shaft - one of my longest surviving clubs, it has beaten out multiple attempts to replace it, over 5 years in my bag. Easy to hit and the best launch angle. Is it safe - 9/10

Titleist 818h 19* - Oban Devotion 6 Stiff shaft - chose this club because of Myfgolfspy, first Titleist hybrid in a long time and it took me a few times to find the right shaft. I need a bit more forgiveness, and PING is lurking. Is it safe - 6/10

Callaway X Utility Prototype Hybrid 24° Project X PXV Stiff Shaft - I replaced my 4 iron a year ago with this club. Great for hardpan and low punch shots. Is it safe - 8/10

Callaway Apex 21 irons 4-AW - Project X PXI 6.0 shafts - This is my 3rd straight set of Apex irons, very forgiving and wonderful feel. Love the PXI shafts. Is it safe - 9/10

Titleist Vokey wedge - SM8 54s & 58k -I switch wedges every 1.5 years, tested SM9, Ping and Cleveland lately. Is it safe - 5/10

Scotty Cameron Studio Select Squareback 1 Custom - I have had this putting in my bag since 2011. I have 10 other putters at home that have tried to supplant with no luck. 

ProV1x - this ball replaced the NXT Tour S a few years ago, based on Mygolfspy and haven't found a better ball yet. the AVX, Callaway Chrome Tour and Bridgestone Tour BX are other balls I use. 

MyGolfspy is my go to when it comes to giving me a range of options when I chose a club, and with historical data I can compare older clubs I am looking at. 

 

Bag: Titleist Hybrid 14 bag - I've had this bag for over 5 years and it its a great bag, but starting to show wear. Is it safe - 8/10

Titleist TSI2 - Graphite Design AD MJ-6 Stiff Shaft - this has been my bag for 2 years and I love the feel, sound and forgiveness. But I am still in search of the prefect shaft. Ping and Callaway are always a threat in this category. Is it safe - 6/10

Tour Edge EX10 16.5* - Proforce V2 Stiff shaft - one of my longest surviving clubs, it has beaten out multiple attempts to replace it, over 5 years in my bag. Easy to hit and the best launch angle. Is it safe - 9/10

Titleist 818h 19* - Oban Devotion 6 Stiff shaft - chose this club because of Myfgolfspy, first Titleist hybrid in a long time and it took me a few times to find the right shaft. I need a bit more forgiveness, and PING is lurking. Is it safe - 6/10

Callaway X Utility Prototype Hybrid 24° Project X PXV Stiff Shaft - I replaced my 4 iron a year ago with this club. Great for hardpan and low punch shots. Is it safe - 8/10

Callaway Apex 21 irons 4-AW - Project X PXI 6.0 shafts - This is my 3rd straight set of Apex irons, very forgiving and wonderful feel. Love the PXI shafts. Is it safe - 9/10

Titleist Vokey wedge - SM8 54s & 58k -I switch wedges every 1.5 years, tested SM9, Ping and Cleveland lately. Is it safe - 5/10

Scotty Cameron Studio Select Squareback 1 Custom - I have had this putting in my bag since 2011. I have 10 other putters at home that have tried to supplant with no luck. 

ProV1x - this ball replaced the NXT Tour S a few years ago, based on Mygolfspy and haven't found a better ball yet. the AVX, Callaway Chrome Tour and Bridgestone Tour BX are other balls I use. 

[asnsupstr]

MyGolfspy is my go to when it comes to giving me a range of options when I chose a club, and with historical data I can compare older clubs I am looking at. 

 

Bag: Titleist Hybrid 14 bag - I've had this bag for over 5 years and it its a great bag, but starting to show wear. Is it safe - 8/10

Titleist TSI2 - Graphite Design AD MJ-6 Stiff Shaft - this has been my bag for 2 years and I love the feel, sound and forgiveness. But I am still in search of the prefect shaft. Ping and Callaway are always a threat in this category. Is it safe - 6/10

Tour Edge EX10 16.5* - Proforce V2 Stiff shaft - one of my longest surviving clubs, it has beaten out multiple attempts to replace it, over 5 years in my bag. Easy to hit and the best launch angle. Is it safe - 9/10

Titleist 818h 19* - Oban Devotion 6 Stiff shaft - chose this club because of Myfgolfspy, first Titleist hybrid in a long time and it took me a few times to find the right shaft. I need a bit more forgiveness, and PING is lurking. Is it safe - 6/10

Callaway X Utility Prototype Hybrid 24° Project X PXV Stiff Shaft - I replaced my 4 iron a year ago with this club. Great for hardpan and low punch shots. Is it safe - 8/10

Callaway Apex 21 irons 4-AW - Project X PXI 6.0 shafts - This is my 3rd straight set of Apex irons, very forgiving and wonderful feel. Love the PXI shafts. Is it safe - 9/10

Titleist Vokey wedge - SM8 54s & 58k -I switch wedges every 1.5 years, tested SM9, Ping and Cleveland lately. Is it safe - 5/10

Scotty Cameron Studio Select Squareback 1 Custom - I have had this putting in my bag since 2011. I have 10 other putters at home that have tried to supplant with no luck. 

ProV1x - this ball replaced the NXT Tour S a few years ago, based on Mygolfspy and haven't found a better ball yet. the AVX, Callaway Chrome Tour and Bridgestone Tour BX are other balls I use. 

Edited August 14 by asnsupstr
add picture

[Dan Yates]

2 hours ago, RHB75 said:

I carry a Ghost Bag with Driver thru Hybrid being Taylormade Qi10s with Fujikura Ventus Blue shafts in regular flex. I was fitted for these at my club with the Taylormade rep. I did some considerable research and shopped around hitting as many drivers and fairway woods and have always come back to Taylormade. I love my driver its set to 9.75 degrees of loft as it provides best flight for my game and carries approx. 230 yards. My 3-wood is my mini-driver as I can depend on a 10-yard draw flight and carrying approx. 215 yards. My 5-wood is set to a standard 18 degrees and carries approx. 195 yards. I carry a 3-Hybrid adjusted to 21 degrees so it carries approx. 180 yards and serves to bridge the gab between my 5-wood and 5 iron.

My irons are Mizuno Pro 225s (Pitching Wedge - 5 iron) with Project X-IO shafts. I was fitted for these from a local pro shop that I've used many times and trust. My carry distances for my irons are 5 @ ~175 yards, 6 @ ~165, 7 @ ~155, 8 @  ~145, 9 @ ~125, and P-Wedgw @ ~118.

My wedges are all Taylormade MG-4s with Project X-IO shafts as I feel it is very important to have all the same shafts for both irons and my wedges. The gapping of my wedges are all adjusted to achieve a five degree separation as I feel it gives the best carry distance differential. So I carry a 50 degree (carry distance is 100 yards) a 55 degree (which is actually a 54 degree weakened one degree) that carries ~84 yards and a 60 degree that carries ~70 yards. In my opinion the MG-4s are the best wedges I've ever used. I was a Vokey disciple for many years, but switched to the better feel and spin (especially in wet conditions.

As for my putter it is a Mizuno M-II blade. I really love the feel, sound and touch of this putter. Before being fit for this putter had a Ping Anser V-II that I carried for years. But I find the added weight and the forging on the Mizuno to be superior to any other putter I've tried. And like many of you...I've tried them all.

Great bag!  Wish I could have tried the Mizuno Pro 225’s before I went with my PXG 0311P’s.  Everyone I’ve met who plays them loves them.  Did they help your carry distance?  When they came out they were considered one of the longest player’s distance clubs, and they seem to be holding their own against newer clubs still!

[RHB75]

They sure did. I was playing a set of 219 Forged before buying these. I've picked up almost 10 yards of carry with each club. In fact I took a lesson recently and was told that (1) I hit a very efficient strike. My strike efficiency with my 7 iron is around 1.4X and with my driver is 1.5X (seriously I had the conversation with my instructor of going of 1.5 and he said the computer just keeps calculating). And since my swing speed is between 190 and 195 I don't generate a lot of spin (which is why I use the Pro-V1X) because I can take spin off I just can't generate a lot of spin.

My #1 complaint is that I can't generate shots (especially fades) with the 225s as I did with the 219s. With the 219s my go to shot was a power fade. Those are gone and now my go to is about a 5-10 yard draw.

[qscatch22]

I have been tinkering with and tweaking my bag setup (almost constantly) since I bought a set of irons off eBay during COVID summer, but I think I’ve finally built a bag that’s here to stay.

I am an assistant college golf coach who buys, sells and builds clubs as a hobby and source of additional income. I’ve gamed most major manufacturers, but MGS has had me looking more at performance than hype and marketing, and I’ve become enamored with including clubs (and shafts) that give me the best chance to produce consistent results.

 For that reason, all of my irons and wedges have LA Golf graphite shafts (the AXS Blue 105i stiff shafts in the irons and 105i extra stiff shafts in the wedges). I never thought I’d be playing graphite in my wedges and irons, but I’ve seen my dispersions tighten and my strokes gained improve in the approach and short game categories.

I ordered and cut to length the LA Golf shafts for my 60 (Vokey SM9 60.04 L grind), 56 (Vokey SM8 56.10), and 50 (Vokey SM8 50.12). This was my Christmas gift to myself/winter project. I found the shafts as a bundle and the bought the heads individually on eBay. I put on 360 style grips and Arccos sensors
 

I found my Srixon ZX7 (4-PW) set on eBay with the AXS blue shafts already installed and Pured. I regripped them and added some Arccos sensors. I dialed in my distances over the winter in the DIY golf room we built at our college and shot my lowest scores and lowered my handicap using my better understanding of my clubs and their performance.

The longest standing club in my bag is another Frankenstein creation. My 3 hybrid (19* set at standard) is a Mizuno CLK. I installed a Tour AD DI 6 x shaft that was originally a driver shaft but had been tipped and butt cut to perfect hybrid length that I found for $15 on eBay. This thing isn’t going anywhere!

My 3 wood is also a throwback to the heyday of Adams golf right before the TaylorMade buyout. It is an Adams XTD Ti 13.5* (set at 12*) and again I found a classic Tour AD shaft on eBay for cheap. I installed the P9003x 7x shaft. I tend to spin the crap out of my woods and launch monitor and course play has this thing optimized to fill the gap between my hybrid (220ish carry) and my driver (265ish carry). I’m already dreading the day this thing breaks because it’s been in the bag almost as long as the hybrid.

The newest club in the bag (less than 1.5 months) is Srixon’s ZX5 MkII LS 8.5* (set at 7.5*) with a Fujikura Ventus TR Black 5X shaft. This shaft is now in its third driver head. I have been unsettled in this one spot at the top of the bag. I love low spin heads, and this is my third option this year (SLDR 8* at 6* and Stealth plus 8* at 6*). The shaft is here to stay, and it took some getting used to a titanium face/sound again after so many rounds with the carbon face. The Srixon woods are so good and forgiving (even in the LS head-not something I was getting from the TaylorMade heads). I have hit my longest and best dispersion (and shot my all time lowest score) with this current setup, but several family vacations have kept my sample size smaller than I’d like.

And now to the club that may never come out of the bag. I’ve played putters based on MGS recommendations —most notably an EVNROLL ER6 iRoll putter. I watched video after video of interviews with MGS and Guerin Rife. This is where my interest in technology improving play really got piqued. I loved what the grooved face was doing for my speed and distance control as well as the gravity grip, but then I started experimenting with LAB golf putters. I tried a couple Mezz.1 putters in various lie angles. My head coach and I (and a couple of our players) were trying to get in the MGS testing for the DF3 with no luck. I finally got my hands on a DF2.1 armlock at 35”—I’m not sure why anyone would order this (it came with an armlock grip from LAB), but I cut it off and installed the Press 1.5 grip. The head and shaft are extra heavy, and it makes it hard for me to manipulate. It has been a game changer. I know it’s ugly as hell, but I got over that real quick when I started seeing putts fall that I’d never made before. My head coach and I were out for a “coaches’” meeting and after he watched me putt with it, he said I should never take it out of my bag.

That brings me to the bag—it’s a mizuno br-d3 bag, but I have been on the market for something else. I almost always walk, and 2.5 years has been a good life for this bag, but it’s on its last legs. I’m open to suggestions for good walking bags that also have a polished look like a Vessel or Titleist Links Legend.

Sorry to be so long-winded. I’m a bit obsessive about my gear and the journey it took to get here. In my real life, I’m a college writing tutor and MGS is my go-to reading between appointments.

I don’t foresee many changes within the bag, but I’m always one article or MGS YouTube video away from experimenting. What I’ve really taken away from MGS is that I’m far more data-driven in both my experiments and final decisions.

Edited August 14 by qscatch22

[Chum]

Motley Crue

I purchased my first set of clubs from Sportmart about 38 years ago. Don't remember the brand (Wilson or Spalding I'm assuming). Played them for 14 years roughly with only getting in 8-10 rounds a year. Purchased my next set of clubs in 1999 or 2000 which were custom built by a local golf shop. ACER X.D.S irons and some recommended woods. He told me they were "Big Bertha knock offs" so I was sold . My game slowed even further to 1 or 2 rounds a year for the next 24. Still gaming the ACERS irons today but the rest of the bag has flushed out a bit. My game has picked up in play since 2019 with over 235 rounds played (no play in 2021 and no play for six months because of winter, I'm also not retired ) and a big splurge for a FlightScope Mevo+ for added training help. I've taken my handicap from a +25 down to a 13 so far in the last 5-6 years. My clubs aren't pretty but I've been able to make do. You'll also notice I've tried to build my bag on a low budget and have had some good luck in doing so. Hopefully at some point I'll do my next splurge on some irons, possibly the Takoma 101T which would still help me build my bag on a budget but also provide good quality clubs.

Driver

Taylormade M2 2016 Driver, 9.5 loft

Shaft - Aldila RIP Phenom 55g Regular Flex from a Taylormade R1 Driver, set to 9.0

Grip - Original Taylormade FCT

Cost: $83.74, purchased head only from Ebay auction 2024

 

Fairway 3 Wood

Taylormade M2 2016 Fairway, 15 loft

Shaft - Taylormade REAX 55 Regular Flex

Grip - Lampkin ST +2 Hybrid Calibrate, Green

Cost: $94.94, purchased from Ebay auction, 2021

 

Fairway 5 Wood

Taylormade M2 2016 Fairway, 15 loft

Shaft - Taylormade REAX 55 Regular Flex

Grip - Lampkin ST +2 Hybrid Calibrate, Green

Cost: $18.65, purchased from an online estate auction, 2022, with lot of 9 other clubs

 

Hybrid

Titleist 910H, 24 loft

Shaft - ACCRA 50i

Grip - Lampkin ST +2 Hybrid Calibrate, Green

Cost: $18.65, purchased from an online estate auction, 2022, with lot of 9 other clubs

 

Irons 4 - PW

ACER X.D.S. Step Cavity

Shaft - True Temper Dynalite, steel

Grip - Lampkin ST +2 Hybrid Calibrate, Green

Cost: roughly $224, purchased in 1999 or 2000 from custom club builder, included woods and putter.

 

Wedge

TitleistVokey BV 56.11, 56 loft

Shaft - ACCRA 60i

Grip - Lampkin ST +2 Hybrid Calibrate, Green

Cost: $18.65, purchased from an online estate auction, 2022, with lot of 9 other clubs

 

Putter

Odyssey 2•Ball DFX

Shaft - factory, steal

Grip - Lamkin SInk Fit Pistol midsize, Blue

Cost: $18.65, purchased from an online estate auction, 2022, with lot of 9 other clubs

 

Bag

Sunmountain DIva

Cost: $24, purchased at local Goodwill Thrift store, 2024

 

Ball brands normally played (all balls played are found balls, haven't purchased balls in many moons)

Taylormade TP5, Titleist Pro V1, Srixon, Mizuno, Callaway

 

 

[Katke87]

Driver: Ping 425 Max, 12°, Alta soft regular shaft. My newest acquisition and I LOVE IT!! It replaces a Cobra LTDx, which I had good success with, but was intrigued by all the fuss “max” and 10K drivers have been getting. The 425 was on sale for $300 (new), which was half what the 430 was getting at the time. Sure enough, this Ping is exceptionally forgiving from just about anywhere on the face. I can’t imagine how much better the 430 max 10k could be (at $600, I’ll wait till next year to find out).

Fairway: Cobra King F9 20°, Mamiya Helium 49g F2 (senior) shaft.  I tend not to switch clubs much. I’ve tried quite a few 5 woods, but nothing I like better than this old Cobra.  Some lead tape on the front of the sole to reduce my tendency to pull/hook.

Hybrids: Cobra F7 20.5° & 23.5°, Fujikura Pro 75 lite flex shafts. When I find something that works, I stick with it. Some lead tape on the front of the sole to reduce my tendency to pull/hook. These replace Cobra Bafflers, which I had for 10 years or so.

Irons: Titleist 350 5-gap, Tensei AV Series, A flex.  These replace Titleist 718 AP-1s, which replaced 714 AP-1s.  After turning a deaf ear to Tony Covey and other MGSers for years, I finally bit the bullett and got a brand-agnostic fitting. These irons are my first complete fitting (Carl’s Golfland here in Michigan); after 90 minutes, it came down to these Titleists, Mizuno 923 JPX Hot Metals and Ping 430s. I’m 75 with a swing speed 85+ mph. The feel, look and dispersion of the 350s were the deciding factors. We discovered early in the session that I needed irons that were 2° weaker than standard (45° PW versus 43°, etc.). At stock loft, nothing was longer or tighter than my old Titleists; at 2° weaker, everything improved – launch angle, descent angle, distance and dispersion. My handicap index has dropped from 9.6 to 8.5 since I bought these.

Wedges: TaylorMade 56° & 60 °Hi-Toe, 10° bounce, KBS Hi-Rev shaft.  This is my second set of Hi-Toes, love the design and performance.

Putter: Scotty Cameron Phantom 5 (2023) with Lamkin Sink Fit straight grip. The Sink Fit is all rubber and weighs 114 grams, which gives me a nice counterbalance (I also like the Lamkin’s grippy texture much better than Super Strokes). This Phantom replaces a 2020 Phantom 6, which had an aluminum face.  I find the steel face of the newer model gives me a better feel.

Grips (except putter): Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 standard. During the iron fitting, we discovered that I had better control with these standards than the midsize Golf Pride MCCs I’d been using for a couple of years because of my arthritis (the MCCs didn’t help the arthritis anyway!).

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x. As the MGS ball lab repeatedly proves, there isn’t a better ball, and the added launch and spin of the 1xs work better for me than the 1s.

Glove: Titleist PermaSoft or Footjoy StaSoft.

Rangefinder: Nikon Coolshot 20i GIII. With my old trembly hands, nothing grabs the flag better.

Bag: Titleist Players 4 carbon. At 2.9 lbs., I haven’t found anything better for carrying and pushing.

Pushcart: Big Max Autofold FF. Light, strong, folds flat. In my fourth season without a problem.

 

Edited August 15 by Katke87

[Bohnson]

Putter - Odyssey RX #9 (8 years old) w/ SS grip 

Driver & 3 wood - taylormade M1 with tensie pro orange tx shafts 

Util iron - Srixon 

Irons - Srixon ZX7 Mk II combo Z forged II with DG x100 

Wedges - 51/56 Cleveland, 60 taylormade with DG S400 

Vessel golf bag 

precision pro range finder 

[Darwingolf]

Ping 430 MAX driver

Ping 430 3 wood

Ping 430 22degree hybrid 

Ping 425 19 degree hybrid

Ping I210 5 Iron

Ping 430 6-PW irons

Volky SM 7 50, 56 degree wedge 

Odyssey White Hot Putter

[Rob Person]

Check out the latest feature article from this topic!

MGS WITB article!

thanks Conner!!!

[RetiredBoomer]

I can't even use my best and newest bag (Titleist Cart 15) because it has 15 individual full length dividers--
not fourteen but fifteen counting the putter well--
but I'm presently bagging seventeen clubs. 

I have to use an old fashioned 6-way top bag, and half the clubs never make it to the bottom.
They just sort of stick out at all angles.
Can't be doing my grips any good, and I'm paranoid about leaving a club out on the course,
which individual dividers do help prevent.

Thank goodness I have no more formal events in which to play this season
because I really have use for all seventeen of those sticks.   
The game is more than hard enough without the rules taking a bunch of your favorite tools away.

And why we're thanking the fates, thank goodness I'm not trying to walk and carry with those seventeen clubs.

Anyway, that's what's presently in my bag--seventeen clubs, and I like them all.

Also, I can't see the USGA's problem with them, either.
Believe it or not, I'm not threatening any course records with seventeen clubs in my bag.
People say that I'd probably score better with eight or nine, and they could very well be right,
but I enjoy having choices. 

 

[OdinSnipes414]

On 8/12/2024 at 6:52 AM, Joejoe0734 said:

My current set up is solid despite there needing to be an occasional putter time out mixed in due to performance on the course.

Bag - Vessel Player III 14 way stand bag. I was in the market for a more upscale looking bag after my wife commented that she didn't want her cart bag anymore. So instead of buying her a new bag, I decided if I could find a bag I liked, she could have my Sun Mountain 4.5 stand bag, win for both. The bag is solid, but there have been a few situations, especially in year 3 now, that clubs get stuck going in or out of the bag. It could be some extra gear being carried at the time or the half cord grips I put on this year. There is some wear around the handle where the cart strap goes, but overall, a good bag.

Driver - 10.5 Cobra Aerojet set to standard Draw with a 6.5 Ventus Red Velocore shaft. While I like the club, I think this has a chance to exit the bag in spring. I have made some swing changes that causes this option to give me to much spin, despite testing different shafts, I think a new driver is on the horizon. I will be looking to MGS for possible options as I head to the fitter. Solid club, just feel I could be getting more out of it.

3 Wood - TM Stealth Plus set at upright with a 6.5 Red Hazrdus Smoke. I have started to hit this better as there was a chance it was leaving the bag this summer. A great club off the tee, it simply flies! Off the deck is a crap shoot given the low spin nature of the head.

5 Wood - Titleist TSi2 with Tesnsi Blue AV. This is money and I did a lot of research on this club, especially here and wasn't disappointed.

4 Hybrid - Tour Exotics XCG2 with Rouge black shaft. After the driver, this club is the next to go. With the swing changes, there is a lot that doesn't seem to work well right now with it and it is the oldest wood in my bag. I believe there is newer technology that will help shrink the shot dispersion. There is a chance I change this out this year for the 4 iron. I look forward to reading the reviews early next season on the new generation of hybrids on MGS.

5-PW - TM P760's with Mitsubishi MMT graphite. I was fit for these about 4 years ago and have nothing but great things to say about them. The feel is fantastic and there is some forgiveness to them. I love the look at address because the top line isn't razor thin but still a compact head. They feel great. This set was the least talked about in the OG release of the P series, even on here, but they will be tough to get out of the bag.

Wedges - 50, 54, 58 TM MG3's - made a switch from Cleveland a couple of years ago based upon some of the MGS data and I am not looking back. I will likely replace these with new wedges in spring when they come out.

Putter - Odyssey Ai-One DB Cruiser - this is a current switch as my Phantom X 5.5 was acting up and needed a time out. It's great to see a different look over the ball and I like the 38' shaft and longer grip. The feel is great with muted sound. It also allows me to use the putter cover collection I created before I purchased the 5.5, so there is some additional justification to the purchase.

Ball - ProV1X - switched from the TP5X this spring after the distance difference I read on MGS. My course had Titleist out a couple of weeks ago for a ball fitting and my decision was confirmed. I am not sure I will change anytime soon.

Shoes - all Jordan's. 1's, 5's, and ADG3's are the current lineup. I am more of a style guy over function...

Frrrrrrresh kicks man! And love love love the white bag

[Golfspy_CG2]

My post has been updated with a video WITB.   If you've got 5 minutes to waste.   Feel Free!

https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/65989-whats-in-your-bag/?do=findComment&comment=1108405

[Ye Olde Gingerbeard Man]

My current bag setup is as follows:

Driver duties are shared depending on how I feel and conditions right now. Callaway handles both duties though.

AI Smoke TD 8* (+1/N) (5g front/9g rear) Tensei 1K Pro Orange X Flex Golf Pride Tour Velvet

AI Smoke Max 9* (S/D) (5/9) Denali Black X Flex Golf Pride Tour Velvet

AI Smoke TD 3 wood (+1/N) (6gram) Denali Black X GP TV

AI Smoke 3&4 Hybrid (+1/N) MMT X GP TV

PXG Gen 3 0311 P 4-GW KBS Tour GP TV

PXG 3X Forged 56&60 KBS Tour GP TV

PXG 0211 Clydesdale Superstroke Grip

Bag is Titleist Cart 14 Stars and Stripes Heather Gray with 101st Patch 

Balls I am between the TP5, TP5X, Chrome Tour X, and Pro V1X

Gloves are Travis Mathew

[Jdneer]

Having played for almost 60 years now (started very young ) I’ve played almost every brand. Starting with MacGregor VIP’s, through Tommy Armour, Wilson button backs, PGA, Ram, Cobra, Callaway, Ping and more. Usually with Dynamic Gold S300 shafts in irons and various wood shafts, typically liked Adilia. Irons are always 2* flat. At my best played to a 4. Up and down to about an 11 now.

Getting a little slower, I’m gaming Nippon Modus Tour 105 R in my Mizuno JPX 923 Hot Medals, 5-G. Still rocking Ping Eye 2+ S and L wedges and 3 iron. Have a Ping i25 5 wood and a TaylorMade Stealth 2 HD driver 9*.  I’ve tried different loft settings on driver, but have settled back to standard. All clubs have Golf Pride CP2 midsize grips. 

Put a Scotty Cameron Newport 2.5 in the bag this year, jury is still out on that with several old putters and set of Ping Eye 2+ waiting on deck. 
 

Follow your ball testing and settled on the Maxfli Tour. Got the 4 dozen deal. Have to admit, great ball at a great price. Being retired, knocking a Pro V OB on the first hole hurts

And no one can tell me the Kirkland gloves from Costco aren’t the best. Seriously. 
 

You all hit ‘em straight. 

[TAGolf13]

Although I've been a MGS member since 2016, I've only been an active member since returning to the game a few months ago. I don't post a ton, but I'll get there. Bear with me as I post this longet-than-typical WITB. 

WITB Context and Background

Here are a few things to keep in mind as we go:

1. Everything in my bag is at least 10 years old!
2. I've always been more of a results guy rather than a brand name guy.
3. I am the ultimate "budget" golfer, i.e., even when I had a comfortable income, I looked for the best deals I could find.
4. Although my spouse and I have referred to golf as my "mistress" for years, I began this reentry into the world of intense golf focus in May of 2024.
5. I'm a former competitive tennis player and have been primarily a mid-handicap golfer, despite having had an index as low as 6 at one point. In other words, I'm not very good and have only broken 80 on full length courses a few times in the 36 years since I fell in love with the game. Despite that, I have played in the Myrtle Beach World Amateur Handicap Championship five times and finished well in my flights two of those times, even being atop the leaderboard after two rounds in 2013.
6. My competitive tennis endeavors ended in 2016 with a torn Achilles tendon, and I bagged my tennis teaching career in 2017. My golfing tailed off about that time as well, and by 2019, I was playing only a few times a year.
7. As of 8/16/2024, I’m carrying a 12.1 index (barely broke 100 yesterday during practice round!).

The Bag:

Driver: Ping G430 LST 9° with a  Mitsubishi Chemical Kai'li 60s MR-70 shaft just made it into the bag a few days ago and I have just one round on championship length course under my belt. Although we aren’t best friends just yet, early results are promising. I’ve got it set to the 9° setting with a neutral bias (not draw or fade).  It replaced the Cleveland Classic 290, 9-deg. Miyazaki graphite 43s, international flex 8722 that a former golfing buddy gave me some years ago. Yes, I take discards if they produce better results than what I have in the bag. Since my return to the game, I've been more reliable with my 3-metal, and it goes almost as far as the Classic with more consistency. I’m fairly confident that the G430 will become my go-to on holes longer than 350 yards with minimal trouble on either side. On holes 350 or shorter, my 3-metal is a good bet off the tee.

3-Metal (15°)

TaylorMade Burner Superfast 15°, with TaylorMade Matrix Ozik Xcon-4.8 reg flex shaft. Interestingly, the specs on the R-flex are the same as those of the S-flex. I wondered for a long time how I could hit this club as well as I do when it has been the only R-flex in my bag. Doing the research for this WITB clarified it for me. This thing is old and beat up, but still one of my favorites in the bag. Struck well, this will fly about 205 and get me 220-plus on a good day with one of those perfect strikes that show up once or twice a round. This thing is 14 years old and still performing.

2-Hybrid (18°)

I’m not sure Adams Golf would agree with my label, but I carry an Adams Pro 18 instead of a 5-metal. It has an Aldila Tour ATX 75H 3.2-s shaft. This club is good for 190-yd carry (probably more these days). I was just a smidge right of my 193-yd target on my 2nd shot on a par five last Sunday and beached it. Got me a sand-save bird anyway. Could have sworn when it was in the air, that I'd be putting a short one for eagle. Dream on, eh?

3-Hybrid (19°)

I game a Cobra Baffler with Graphite Design USA 70 Hybrid-s shaft instead of a 3i, and this club used to bring me a guaranteed draw back in the day (or a pull hook on a poor swing). These days, it's either a fade or straight. Can't figure it. Guess you could say it's got me baffled. Maybe the shaft has broken down with age? Hell, I know I have. When I see 180-190 in the viewfinder, I reach for this old gem my Sweet Girl insisted we buy, close to a decade ago.

4-Hybrid (24°)

Adams Golf to the rescue again (pun totally intended). This baby is one of my go-to clubs and it'll fly anywhere from the high 160s to about 180 if I need it to. If I'm not feeling comfy with my 5i during the round, I'll use this instead. It's shafted with a Grafalloy ProLaunch-HL blue hybrid. Stiff of course. Every now and then it seems like I forget how to hit it properly, but not too often. She usually cooperates.

Ok, if you've gotten this far, you're probably shaking your head in disdain. Fourteen-year-old clubs? Dude! Well, it only gets worse.

My irons

Yes, I’m long overdue and likely to get fitted for irons again when we get back from Myrtle Beach. I’ll likely go through the whole fitting process from top to bottom, but mostly I’ll be looking at an iron upgrade. I’m currently gaming TRX PowerMax Slot 5 – PW from Giga Golf, a small club manufacturer in the Tampa Florida area (Oldsmar to be precise). I got fitted in 2014 by a reputable professional (at the time he was touted as one of the best in the country), then I sent my specs to Giga Golf. They put together the set that I've been using since. I'm thinking it's time to make use of all the technological advances over the past 10 years and will likely go to Giga Golf again, unless I land one of the MGS iron reviews of one of the big brands and love em.  I like supporting small businesses of all kinds that provide good products and service, and golf businesses are no exception. Giga Golf does good work (both building and customer service- Check out their reviews), so I’ll stick with them unless something out of the ordinary happens. 

Wedges

Cleveland RTX 588, Rotex 2.0, 52 deg, S grind, with True Temper Dynamic Gold Wedge shaft. Picked this up at our local Play it Again Sports for $15 and it has become my go-to around the greens. I've chipped in more over the past few weeks with this stick than I have over the 36 years of golfing.

Ping Eye2 Lob Wedge, which I assume is 60 deg loft. This was another Play it Again Sports pickup from years ago. It's so old there's no visible shaft info on it. I've had excellent success with it over the past couple months and I expect to get better with it in days to come.

I traded in my old 56-deg for another used one at PIAS for $10 because the grooves were in much better shape than my more-than-10-year-old sand wedge. But as you know, grooves aren't everything and I recently took it out of the bag and am using the 52 and 60 exclusively.

Putter

Odyssey White Hot 2-ball, which is actually a 1 1/3 ball. Take a gander at the pic and you'll understand that last bit. Didn't have my clubs one afternoon at my part-time, cart-barn gig, but wanted to get a little golf in after work. Found this baby in the cart barn when I grabbed an old rental set and it's been in the bag ever since. I can't be considered a good putter by any means, but this relic has certainly improved my putting. I haven't separated my stats into before and after, but according to my latest stats since I've been back (based on 21 rounds since mid-June), I’m at very mediocre 33.5 putts per round. I anticipate considerable improvement as I get more comfortable on the course and greens again, but right now it ain’t pretty on the greens.

Grips- All clubs are gripped with Golf Pride CP2 Midsize, except my putter, which is gripped with an inexpensive Zenesty midsize grip from Amazon. 

Balls- Callaway Supersoft Yellow is the current ball of choice (budget golfer, remember?), but that is subject to change as the game continues to improve. My vision leaves something to be desired and I lose white balls in the clouds with my high ball flight. They seem to hold the green well enough for me on approach and I'm doing well enough with them chipping as well.  

Okay Spies, there ya have it. Probably way too much but I'm learning my way around the forums. Oh! Even the bag itself is undergoing a change. Just ordered a cheapie from Amazon that got some good reviews. The great thing about Amazon is that you can return items at will if they don't work. Thanks for hanging in there with me on this.

Edited August 16 by TAGolf13
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[poprocksncoke]

On 8/13/2024 at 7:31 PM, EasyPutter said:

What’s In The Bag = Easy Putter’s current line-up

A round starts with long clubs so that is the order of my What's In The Bag.

Driver 
Currently no driver in the bag even though there is one in my signature block.  I tested the Callaway Paradym Smoke Ai Max D driver (link in my signature) for the forum late April until early June.  It is in time-out because I am doing something that is not working so maybe I’m the one who should be in time-out.  

Hybrid

Currently the tee box duty club paired with a short 1.25 inch tee is the Tommy Armour 19 degree 3 hybrid.  This club was a gift from the PGA Western NY Section Headquarters/ Trustees/ HOPE program/ generous donor, possibly all 4, at the conclusion of the program in August 2019.  The Tommy Armour hits nice and straight off both grass and short tee with distances in the 160 to 185 yard range.

It was received at a time when I was using an O’Donnell Triumph Maraging hybrid set (10, 15, 19, 27) that was working well for me, so the Tommy Armour went into the spares bag for the next 2 years.  The O’Donnells stopped working and I had no idea why.  Remembering the Tommy Armour it came out and the plastic stripped off the clubhead and put into use.  From the first swing, ball contact was good with the Tommy Armour and distance continues to be excellent with control.  The O’Donnells are on indefinite exile in the spares bag.  

Trouble Club

Early in my golf life that has only been since 2011, there was a good selection of clubs frequently from the used club emporium (my name for the local AMVETS store).  One find there was the Ginty 29 degree Trouble Club named by designer and maker Stan Thompson.  It features a 4 wood length shaft and boat shaped sole to (as he said) split the grass like a boat hull splits waves to have minimal effect of grass on the club swing path in the rough.  Weight is in the lower part of the club head and it really does perform well when a hybrid would tend to thin a ball laying low in the grass.

IRONS

The FirstStrike Deliverance hybrid design irons are my third set, given to me by a fellow HOPE graduate who was looking for a HOPE participant to give them to.  The set was donated by a member of a local private country club and he was finding no takers.  I offered to have a look at them and made a snap decision to take them off his hands.  I put them into play the next day with no other club in my bag except for the putter.  Each club played at least once in the 9 hole round and they all played well.  The wider sole can take a good divot but I had far fewer swings that tilled soil.  They sent the assembled (one club at a time) second set to the spares bag after several years of duty.  My son still plays my first set of clubs, a Hippo set from the Fort Leavenworth Thrift Shop, and it is good to see them still doing what they are designed to do.

Wedges

When I went to a Welland Ontario golf shop for a used O’Donnell Triumph Maraging hybrid set (same one mentioned before), I noticed also in the used club racks the Lovett sand wedge.  The shop owner put it on his club machine and said it was about 59 degrees and the look of the hybrid club head had me appreciating it was not going to bury in the sand like every other club had until then.  I bought that one too.

I saw a GroupGolfer club offering for the 56 degree Worx club, another hybrid design with a huge sole and I knew it would not bury in the sand with experience using the Lovett.  The Lovett’s loft was good for a 30 to 40 yard shot and I needed a wedge with a longer distance.  I got the discount and about a week later I got the club that ranges 55 to 65 yards.

Chipper

Chipper was a club I had been looking for.  I had learned to use the 5i and 7i close into the green and for the past couple years the 9i but the technique used was not giving reliable results.  Another HOPE graduate friend mentioned he had a couple chippers he had bought but never got around to returning and he lent them to me to try.  I chose the Orlimar 37 degree because even with the plastic on the club head it was producing nice results.  Without the plastic I have really been able to get some practice in with close-in shots that often leave an easy job for the putter to finish.

Putter

The putter is the L.A.B. DF 2.1 I was chosen to test in June-July 2022.  I was fitted for the club with a 71 degree shaft angle, then chose longest sightline for the mallet head, a L.A. Golf shaft designed in partnership with L.A.B. Golf for the DF 2.1 putter, and 3 degree forward press grip that places the golf ball in line with the vertical putter grip at address.  

I had perfected my putting stroke with my first putter, a Pinemeadow Z-ON M1 mallet putter that had performance parameters similar to the DF 2.1, except for one value.  The L.A.B. putter is designed to have zero bias so no matter which way the shaft is held horizontally, the club face has no tendency to change which way it is oriented around the shaft.  The Pinemeadow Z-ON M1 would rotate to be club face up when the shaft was balanced on a finger.

 

 

This did not disappoint