The USGA restricts golfers to carrying a maximum of 14 clubs in the bag. While these 14 clubs can be of any variety, sadly, you are limited to 14. You can carry less, just no more than 14. Yes, this does include the putter!
At some point in our golf careers, we have all asked the question of how many golf clubs we are allowed to carry in the bag. Maybe just maybe, that extra club could help us shave a stroke or two. Or maybe you get stuck between your sand wedge and lob wedge and a gap wedge would be oh so helpful!
Or we have golf with or against someone that carries multiple drivers or putters and it just doesn’t seem right. We all have that friend that uses multiple putters per season and is always changing their driver. Of course it is the clubs fault when he hits a bad shot!
The sad truth, for those of you want that want a ton of options, is that there is a limit.
How Many Golf Clubs in the Bag?
There are many combinations of clubs that you can carry, as we will dive further into this below to help you maximize your 14 clubs. We want to help you maximize these 14 clubs and make sure you are scoring your best possible score.
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But first let’s explore this rule further. We will cover three main topics:
- We will learn about the penalties associated with extra clubs
- Learn about where this rule came from
- Discuss what 14 clubs is best for your game
What Are the Penalties for Extra Clubs?
In Match Play, a golfer can lose up to two holes for every hole where an excess club was used. The good news is that you can only lose up to two holes
In Stroke Play, you receive a two stroke penalty for every hole played with more than 14 clubs, but the maximum penalty is 4 strokes. So for example, you notice this on the 4th hole, you would receive a penalty of 4 strokes.
The most famous mess up I can remember is Ian Woosnam at the 2001 British Open. He discovered that he had too many clubs on the second tee which cost him a two shot penalty. This was after he had tied for the lead with a birdie on the first hole. He had been practicing with an extra club and his caddie failed to remove the 15th club.
Why Was This Rule Put In Place
The USGA adopted this rule in 1938. Many professional golfers and some of the best amateurs were carrying 20-30 clubs in their bag as they shifted from hickory shafts to steel shafts. Limiting the number of clubs requires the golfer to be more skilled and able to adjust the golf swing to the various distances that golfers are faced with over the course of 18 holes.
So what are the best 14 clubs for you?
The traditional setup for many golfers for many years included something close to the following:
- Driver
- 3 Wood
- 5 Wood
- 3 iron thru 9 iron
- Pitching Wedge
- Sand Wedge
- Lob Wedge
- Putter
*Some pros might decide to replace the 5 wood with a 2 iron or a driving iron.
Along came the thin, low profile 3 woods and then eventually hybrid or rescue clubs, which changed the game and provide more options, especially for the amateur or those with a slower swing speed.
Option 2 Includes:
- Driver
- 3 Wood
- Hybrid Instead of 5 Wood
- 3 iron thru 9 iron
- Pitching Wedge
- Sand Wedge
- Lob Wedge
- Putter
Option 3 Includes:
- Driver
- 3 Wood
- Hybrid Instead of 5 Wood
- 4 iron thru 9 iron
- Pitching Wedge
- Gap Wedge
- Sand Wedge
- Lob Wedge
- Putter
*Notice we eliminated the 3 iron and placed a gap wedge in there. This would be helpful if there is a gap of 8 degrees between pitching wedge and sand wedge.
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Option 4 Includes:
- Driver
- 3 Wood
- Hybrid Instead of 5 Wood
- 2nd Hybrid (1 or 2 more) in place of 4 iron and maybe the 5 iron
- 4 iron thru 9 iron
- Pitching Wedge
- Gap Wedge
- Sand Wedge
- Lob Wedge
- Putter
So what setup is best for you?
I would answer by saying there are several questions that you must answer to help find the setup that is best for your game. Items to ask or consider your game?
- How long do you hit your 3 and 4 irons?
- Is a Hybrid easier for you to hit than a long iron?
- How well do you control your distances with your wedges?
Which Clubs Should a Junior Golfer Carry?
I would recommend having the Driver, 3 Wood, and two hybrid setup and then start the iron set at about the 5 iron. Most junior golfers struggle to produce enough swing speed early on to get a 3 iron or 4 iron airborne. Both of these irons can be difficult to hit, where the hybrids make it easier to make solid contract and to get the ball into the air. We want junior golfers to be encouraged and stick with the game, so let’s make it as easy as possible to see the ball fly up the air and gain some distance.
Recommended – Callaway Junior Set – (Check Amazon for Current Price)
Which Clubs Should an Advanced Junior Golfer Carry?
As Junior Golfers Advance with their game and club head speed, it would be easy to start to eliminate a hybrid or two and add the 5 iron and maybe a 4 iron. These clubs will provide great accuracy and workability with their golf swings. For those with enough club speed a pure shot with a 4 or 5 iron can be a major benefit to their game. Eventually, junior golfers can create a lot of swing speed and can go to a more traditional setup.
Which Clubs Should an Amateur Golfer with 15 plus Handicap Carry?
I would once again recommend a similar setup to the Junior Golfer. Driver, 3 wood and two hybrid setup with the iron set starting around the 5 iron. I would also pay close attention to the amount of degrees between wedges and make sure there are no major yardage gaps in how far you can hit your wedges. I would hate to see someone lose strokes from 125 yards and in because they don’t have the right club within reason to hit certain distances. Too often the ego of a golfer can get in the way and believe that they need to carry a 3 or 4 iron, but the reality is that the hybrid is a better option.
Which Clubs Should an Amateur Golfer with Single Digit Handicap Carry?
I would recommend having the 4 iron in the bag with a hybrid as well. Once again, you have to make the decision between an extra wedge or a 4 iron. The versatility of your hybrid might play a major role. I would consider adding a hybrid that allows you to adjust loft and play around it the loft to see what distances would work best to complete your bag. By the time a golfer hits the single digit handicap level there is a solid chance the ball striking has improved drastically, unless the short game is completely carrying the golfer to lower scores.
Which Clubs Should a Senior Golfer Carry?
As the senior golfer gets older and loses swing speed, adding more and more hybrids is a great option. I would recommend from 150 yards and greater than the hybrid could be the way to go. There is such great technology around the hybrids as they are easier to launch and more forgiving than your standard iron. Putting the ego aside and figuring out the best setup will help you save strokes, have fun and maybe win some money on pin shots.
For the senior golfer, I would also recommend the SuperSpeed Golf Training System to ensure you are maintaining your distances and that you find a good stretching program to ensure your body stays healthy and ready to play.
Which Clubs Should a Woman Golfer Carry?
Similar to the senior golfer, I would recommend many hybrids. Once again, getting the ball in the air can be a challenge and we want the game to be fun. Hybrids are excellent clubs for that purpose and there are many sets that offer many hybrids for the woman golfer.
What’s Next?
At the end of the day there are many different options for the golfer. You must assess your strengths and weaknesses, taking into account club head speed and where you gain or lose strokes. When you are out golfing with different people, look through their bags and maybe try their hybrid during a practice round or visit https://www.rockbottomgolf.com/ and pick up some clubs on the cheaper side to see what is best for you.
Looking to gain more Speed and Distance in your swing. Two Options: