What's In My Bag? Part 1, Oct 2024

Monday, October 14, 2024

The Blog/Coaching/What's In My Bag? Part 1, Oct 2024

Introduction

A question that I get all the time is: "What clubs do you play?" That is quickly followed up with: "Why do you play them?" and "What should I be playing?" 

This blog post will look a some of the clubs I play, why I play them, and what I recommend you play. 

An Overview of My Brand Preferences

Most of my clubs are made by PING. I've been a long-time fan/supporter of their products. They are (from my perspective) an engineering company above all else, and so they are on the cutting edge of what helps you and I play better. I do have a few clubs from other makers, but 11 of my 14 clubs are from PING. And those 3 are on the chopping block with PING products waiting in the wings :) 

My bag is PING as well. Their Hoofer series is the most popular carry-bag in golf. It's a winner, proven for decades now. 

My clubs are fitted, albeit they are an older set. I have played newer models, and for a number of years when I worked with the largest golf instruction company on Earth, I was a PING staffer (which was AWESOME). Since becoming an independent coach, I no longer have an equipment deal with PING (or any other club/equipment company), and I've gone back to an earlier set of clubs. 

Putter

One of my non-PING clubs is my Odyssey Triple Track Double Wide putter. I don't have the same adverse reaction to the white bar with the single red and double blue lines that some do. The white bar frames the ball nicely, and since I putt "heads up" I don't get distracted by the lines. (I'll have a future blog post about "head's up" putting, that will be a fun one put out there.) 

My putter has the Stroke Lab shaft. I don't know all the magic behind the combination of graphite and steel, but it feels amazing and gives me a nice roll. 

The idea behind the Triple Track on the putter is the hope that you'll pair it with the Triple Track on a Callaway golf ball. I don't do that -- I don't use any lines on my ball. But, like I said, the white bar helps me to aim the face, and the face determines direction, so aiming it nicely is vital.  

The PING PLD Anser 2D is really calling my name. But alas, I'll be admiring that one from afar for a while.

Wedges

I have a PING Glide 56 degree and a TaylorMade (TM) Hi-Toe 52 degree wedge.   

TM wedges are underrated IMHO. They are really good, and the Hi-Toe wedges are among the best I've played. 

PING has done some incredible things with the finish-coat they use on their wedges, which causes them to spin more when they are wet, which is an amazing benefit when you're playing those early-morning dewy rounds. 

Of all the clubs I currently use, my wedges will be the first that I replace. And I'll replace them with the PING S159 wedges. 

You'll notice on my TM wedge there are two numbers -- 52 and 9. The first is the loft, and the other is the bounce angle. I prefer a mid-bounce wedge, somewhere in that 8 - 10 degree range. Bounce, or more specifically the value of bounce, is a debatable topic. Perhaps I'll do a blog post about that at some point too. 

The "WS" on my PING Glide wedge stands for Wide Sole, and is designed to help the club move through the sand when playing from bunkers. 

Bag

PING Hoofer 

Light-weight, durable, adequate storage for everyday needs, and fits into a travel case easily. Your caddie at St Andrews will love you for bringing your Hoofer to the Home of Golf. And you'll love how easy it is to move from your trunk to the golf-cart, or into your push-cart/onto your back if you are a walker. 

I got this bag in 2016. If it's not broke... :)

That said, some of the new colors that are available have me thinking about a new one...

Why Are Your Clubs So Old?

I do currently use a older set of clubs. Yes, these are fitted to/for me and they are a great set. 

If I was playing competitively I would play newer gear. For the recreational golf I now play, what I have is very adequate. My wedge grooves are aged, and so those clubs will be replaced first. My irons are more than serviceable. My hybrid is still okay, and my fairway and driver give me what I need. I'll discuss all of those clubs in detail in a future post. 

If you use me as a model for how to choose equipment, here's my philosophy: Make sure you are playing clubs that help you. Fitted clubs are a necessity, although you don't need to get fitted every year. You can get fitted every year, and I have students who do. And they get new clubs every year, which has more to do with their wanting new clubs than it is for noticeable performance gains year over year.

As a general rule, you should change your wedges every 75 rounds. You should get fit or re-fit for driver, fairway, hybrids, every other year, and irons every 3-4 years. Only change if there is a clear performance improvement, or if you simply just want new stuff. And wanting new stuff is pretty good reason to get new clubs :) 

And when you find fitted clubs that work, it's okay to stick with them. 

Summary

That's Part 1 of my What's In The Bag. More to come... 

Share what you play and I'll feature your setup in a future post. Send your info to community@getgolfhelp.com  

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Karl Doller

Your Personal Golf Coach

I love coaching golf. Helping you play better golf is my goal. This blog post is designed to help you get to your golf goals. If you have a suggestion for a future blog post, send that to community@getgolfhelp.com

I Recommend

The Indoor Golf Shop
​indoor golf for home or office

The Stack
speed training for all golfers

WellPutt Putting Mats
​an easy way to learn to putt at home

Sub 70 Golf Equipment
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Zero Restriction
rain and bad weather protection ​

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