Minimalist Golf

sdandrea1

So I'm bored again instead of hoing, I have decided to play a few rounds this week with an 8 club bag. Gotta Titleist Sunday bag:
Titleist 905S 10.5
Perfect Club 21
Cobra 5h 26
Callaway Hawkeye 7i
PING i3 Blade 9i
Cleveland CG15 52 & 56
Odyssey 2 Ball

My home course it is a 133 slope, par 72 P.B.Dye layout. Playing 5800 (white) tees. Should be fun if my game is on. Tuesday is round 1.

ZWExton

sdandrea1 Minimalism means having LESS clubs. I don't see this lasting long for you.

Eguller

Lightweight Sunday bag, eight clubs - you aren't walking with that knee are you ? 🤓

sdandrea1

Eguller

No walking on this knee or this course. It's hilly and has a few stretches from green to tee that are LONG.

Typhoon

Walking...the guy is an animal.

Typhoon

Gets me thinking what I could carry.
Driver
8 iron
PW
56 degree
Putter

scotts33

Here's why IMO Minimalist Golf carrying less than 9 clubs works for senior golfers over say 60.

1) Allows a senior to carry a lessor amount of clubs and walk usually 9. Push cart or simple bag.
2) Play correct tee box for tee ball distance normally less than 200 yards tee ball. 9's would be around 2700 yards.
3) Driver SS less than 90 usually around 85 mph and lower. Mid-iron SS mid to high 60's. 4 deg. industry std. loft gaps are designed for average male players of minimum mid-iron 72 mph mostly above that high 70's into low 80's. See WRX kind of golfers.
4) Less clubs less indecision less tension.

5) What a Minimalist golfer will use the most is the 7i around 34 deg. More run up shots. 34 deg. great all around loft.

How to Break 90 with OMP.

sdandrea1

scotts33 Less clubs less indecision less tension

This part is huge.

Rickochet

scotts33 What a Minimalist golfer will use the most is the 7i around 34 deg. More run up shots. 34 deg. great all around loft.

When I was in my teens I got mad at my game on the front nine and played the back nine with a 7 iron and putter. I think I shot a 42. It might be interesting to try something like a hybrid, 7i , a wedge and putter. 🤓

scotts33

sdandrea1 This part is huge.

That leads to the P.I.G. way of playing golf. ☺

KCee

Played a 3 club tourney (9 holes) last week. Carried a 3 hybrid, 8 iron and putter. It's pretty easy to pull a club. I sort of regretted bringing the putter though. I struggled chipping with the 8i and would have liked a wedge. I think I could have putted with a wedge or the hybrid. I think 3 clubs total is too few, but I could see playing with 4-6 and doing fine.

johnnydoom

KCee I'm not interested in minimalist as a recreational round, but I think in a format where everyone is restricted to the same small number of clubs would be a hoot. Never played in one of those events.

DC300

KCee I love the 3 club challenge, I have noticed, most who take a putter end up closer to the top of the leaderboard. Drive for show, putt for dough, there’s a lot of strokes to be lost on the green.

I did one where a decently struck hybrid left me a 7 iron or less in on most holes and I had no faith in anything around the green but my wedge at the time, so I took that. Did ok, but the putting was a struggle, I missed 4 or 5 that are pretty much automatic with a putter. It’s so hard to choose just 3.

govols

I've been wanting a Sunday bag but I'm having trouble finding a rigid one just in case I want to strap it to a cart. It would take up so much less space when traveling.

scotts33

govols I've been wanting a Sunday bag but I'm having trouble finding a rigid one just in case I want to strap it to a cart. It would take up so much less space when traveling.

They are hard to find as lightweight bags have less structure to save weight. My Jones Players Series single strap bag has a bit of structure but still not enough to put on a power cart. I checked a few weeks back. .

sdandrea1

The MiniBag

Typhoon

sdandrea1

Are there even 2 clubs from the same set in there?

govols

sdandrea1 The Titleist bag looks great. Is it carry only?

kelco9

sdandrea1 Question for you, Steve (although I'm interested in everyone's thoughts on this).

I don't know your game (i.e., what your SS is, how far you hit the ball, etc. -- maybe I should read your posts closer. 🙂), but everything you are saying seems to point to a bit lower swing speed. I am wondering, then, if you have ever tried a higher lofted driver and, if so, what your experience was with it/them.

I have always understood that a lower SS player will hit a 12, 14, or even 16 degree driver longer and with more control than a lower lofted driver (like a 10.5?). What has your experience been, considering that you have probably hit a lot of different drivers? I'm sure you settled on the 10.5 Titleist for a reason, which brings the wisdom of the higher lofted driver into question.

SVonhof

I have been in several 4-club tournaments and even a 3 club tournament (9 holes).

I could easily change from 13 clubs to 7 and get around the course just fine. But I don't do it. ;-)

sdandrea1

Typhoon Are there even 2 clubs from the same set in there?

Not even close. 6 different brands.

sdandrea1

govols The Titleist bag looks great. Is it carry only?

There's no stand legs on it. Just a 1 strap carry bag. I rode in a cart today, so I slipped the cart strap thru the small carry handle on the bag to hold it up. Worked well.

The minimalist bag yielded me my personal best on this course today. 3 birdies, 7 bogies and 8 pars for a 76. I only had a few situations where I felt a club was missing, but it worked out. My playing partners didn't even notice I was in an 8-club bag until we were done. I've only broken 80 on this track maybe 3 or 4 times in the 24 years they have been open. Feeling pretty good.

DonM

sdandrea1 Did you use the Junge swing for the 76?