Minimalist Golf

sdandrea1 · 2019-06-30T19:33:35+00:00

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 Perfe...

sdandrea1

Our Tuesday league played "3 clubs and a putter" today and the scoring game was total team points with net par=1, net birdie=2, net eagle=4. Our team only managed 56 points, but that ended up being 1 point out of the 3rd place $. 72 points won (audit!).

Anyway, back to minimalist golf. I took driver, 5h, 9i and a putter and shot 77! I was in the sand twice and used the 9i successfully. All 4 par 5s took me 4 to get on, but I one-putted them all since I was pretty close to the green in 3 shots. Had 1 birdie and 7 bogeys. The 9i and driver got most of the work and the CAG putter was hot. After I got home, I wasn't quite sure what clubs to put back in the bag. I almost didn't put any back, but ended up putting the Moonwood, 8i, W, and SW back. I did manage a closest to the pin on one of our 2 CTP holes. 😀
#minimalist

fatshot

sdandrea1 I took driver, 5h, 9i and a putter and shot 77!

A M A Z I N G.....!!! How many times did you have to "take something off the shot" with one club or another
to hit it the right distance?

azgreg

Steve on the course with his full bag.

sdandrea1

azgreg

Those speed-golf guys are insanely good.

scotts33

fatshot A M A Z I N G.....!!! How many times did you have to "take something off the shot" with one club or another
to hit it the right distance?

When you play the ball down on a lower trajectory and not in the air ala American golf you can learn and play run up shots then it's not so much a 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 or full shot it's more play the ball correct trajectory and learn how much roll out you get. This is not good on forced carry but in every other instance it works Americans just aren't used to playing links style run up ball down golf. It adds finesse to the game learning a different way to play. For the it's my way or the highway golfers this won't work. It's really how the game was played way back in the day.

sdandrea1

fatshot M A Z I N G.....!!! How many times did you have to "take something off the shot" with one club or another
to hit it the right distance?

Mostly with the 9 iron in my hands and needed PW or GW. Probably 4 or 5 times.

Scotty's right about 2 of my Florida older style courses. I can play the ball along the ground a lot. Most greens are guarded on the sides but not in front. We have a few water hazards that are must-carry but they are short iron shots. Our nicest track is a more modern layout that I could NOT do what I did today on.

fatshot

scotts33 This is not good on forced carry but in every other instance it works. Americans just aren't used to playing links style run up ball down golf.

Yeah, I can think of at least five holes on my home course (and MANY others on the courses we travel to) where that strategy just won't work. I hate forced carries over water, gullies, etc to get to the green b/c it takes the bounce out of the game.

scotts33

fatshot Yeah, I can think of at least five holes on my home course (and MANY others on the courses we travel to) where that strategy just won't work. I hate forced carries over water, gullies, etc to get to the green b/c it takes the bounce out of the game.

And I'm the opposite, I play mostly muni where greens are guarded by green side bunkers but not in front of green but off to side or possibly back. This is more old style golf course architecture not the high priced target golf courses where you have to take a power cart as the course was designed for that and have many forced carries.

Subsonic

I like old style course and they really favor the bump and run mentality. New Course architecture... Not so much.

I love new courses that allow you to play bump and run but they are few and far between.

Hickorygolf59

I am fully committed to minimalist. I have gotten rid of everything except my 6 club hickory set and a 6 club newer set; and I LOVE it! This summer makes 45 years playing this game....never scored better or enjoyed walking nine more than now. Shoot in mid 80's from Sr. tees. Less is more!

azgreg

Hickorygolf59
What are your set makeups?

Hickorygolf59

azgreg

Hello...

Hickories: Wilson spoon 13*, mid, mashie , jigger, niblick, putter.
(https://)![]

Moderns: Orlimar3 W, Ginty, Callaway 7,9, 56W, HBA putter
(https://)

Hickorygolf59

Apologies. Noticed I bumped a thread y'all had going on technique. I play roll and run up with the hickories and with modern clubs usually pitch shot. Here's a pic of two wild cards for my minimal modern set: Powerbilt 3W persimmon and Acuity DN2 putter. Swap out when I feel like it.![
](https://)

Subsonic

Looking forward to playing some more minimalist rounds this spring! Looking forward to just having some fun and a good walk!

scotts33

Subsonic Looking forward to just having some fun and a good walk!

That's what golf is for me. Glad to find another that feels the same.

Subsonic

scotts33 I think worrying about score is one of the things that ruins the game for people in America. Just go out and have a good time. 90% of the people that pick up a golf club will not be that good.

I have a good friend from Ireland that is a single digit handicap. Playing with him and some of his ex pat friends, they just think about golf differently. It seems to me they much prefer a good game over stroke play. They don't beat themselves up as much.

Walterjn

Subsonic a buddy of mine is a scratch player. He says the only way to golf is you against the course and your previous rounds.

Subsonic

Walterjn He probably has a great time. To each his own.

I have a buddy plays to scratch that is an insufferable pain on the course. Not fun to play a round with at all. He is playing for nothing, but acts as if something is riding on every shot. I guess that is what matters to him. He likes to talk about his handicap and rightly so, I m just not willing to go through that kind of torment for a game. Especially one that is supposed to be fun.

Hickorygolf59

Amen Brothers! I got down to 8 HCP once upon a time and was often wound up tighter than a timex on the course trying to break 80. Forget it and enjoy the journey!

lynchgolf

Minimalist golf started for me in 2010. The local pro challenged me. "I know you can hit an 8 iron 150-160 yards, but can you hit it 100 - 115? I couldn't do it. Not even close. I was disappointed that after thousands of golf balls over 30+ years of hitting range balls that I couldn't hit the shot. For the next 2 weeks that was how I practiced. 100 yard 8 irons and 150 yard 5 irons. Flight it lower or swing slower are a couple of my techniques to hit it shorter. I thought I'd play with less clubs to force the experiment during a round. My first round with 7 clubs was still my best round ever! I haven't carried more than 7 clubs since. My usual setup is driver, 2, 5, 8, PW, putter in a single strap bag. Depending on the course, I will swap out longer irons depending on the length of the par 3s. Today, I rarely only go to the range. When I do I only situational practice. No more pounding balls just play by feel.

sdandrea1

lynchgolf

Nice! I have found that in geezerville (my state of being), I play from tees that will allow me to hit driver inside the 150y marker on par 4s, and I carry a single FW or hybrid that will let me advance the ball on par 5s inside the 150y marker. Add 8, 9, W, GW, SW, putter for 8 clubs total. The FW (7w or 9w) or 21 or 24 degree hybrid is used as a variable distance trouble club too.

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